51s’ Garcia regrets ever trying steroids

Infielder Sergio Garcia might be mistaken for the PGA Tour star of the same name, but the versatile 51s player never will be mistaken for a bodybuilder.

But in an effort to improve his looks, the 5-foot-9-inch, 175-pound Garcia said he took Stanzol -- a brand name for the anabolic steroid stanozolol -- in the offseason before last year.

It was an ill-fated decision that resulted in Garcia testing positive for performance-enhancing substances a second time, in July 2007, and getting suspended for 100 games by Major League Baseball.

It was a decision Garcia wholeheartedly regrets.

"It's not worth it, what you go through," said the affable Garcia, who went 1-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI in Monday's 8-4 victory over Portland at Cashman Field. "It's embarrassing, it's shameful. It was not only tough for me, but it was tough for my family, my parents, my friends back home, even my little nieces -- it was really tough on them."

Garcia, who said he always has been into working out at the gym and "found the wrong gym scene, I guess," said he didn't take steroids to enhance his baseball performance.

"To tell you the truth, it wasn't even for the game. It was just for myself. It was more for looks than anything," said Garcia, who also was suspended for 15 games in June 2005. "If I was doing it in the season, it would be different, but it was something I did in the offseason. The time before, it was the same thing.

"I guess the first time didn't really kick in. It was stupid. But this 100-game (suspension) put it in perspective. It was like, 'C'mon dude, it's not worth it, are you a baseball player or what?' "

Garcia, 28, returned to the 51s on May 24, and it didn't take long for him to regain his form of last season, when he hit .292 with eight home runs and 33 RBIs in 66 games.

He went 2-for-3 with two RBIs in his second game back and 5-for-6 with five RBIs in a 23-2 win at Tucson on May 27.

Garcia, in his seventh minor league season, is batting .306 (15-for-49) with 11 RBIs in 15 games for Las Vegas.

Las Vegas manager Lorenzo Bundy said versatile players such as Garcia, who can play second base, third base, shortstop and in the outfield, are hard to find.

"He's a guy who can play multiple positions, and he plays them all pretty well. You can't have too many of those guys," Bundy said. "He's a good player and a good kid, and he's already had an impact since he's been here."

• NOTES -- Dodgers rookie shortstop Chin-lung Hu was optioned to Las Vegas, a day after Angel Berroa made his debut at shortstop for Los Angeles. ... Third baseman Andy LaRoche was expected to be promoted to Los Angeles before today's series opener at San Diego.