Rangers’ Ron Washington tested positive for cocaine

Texas Rangers Manager Ron Washington said he made a “huge mistake” when he used cocaine and failed a Major League Baseball drug test last season.

In his first public acknowledgment, Washington apologized Wednesday for his behavior, eight months after he told Rangers President Nolan Ryan, who turned down the manager’s offer to resign.

“I made a huge mistake and it almost caused me to lose everything I have worked for all of my life,” Washington said at a news conference. “I am not here to make excuses. There are none.”

Washington said he used cocaine only once and called it “stupid” and “shameful.”

The failed test first was reported by SI.com.

Washington said he told the commissioner’s office and Rangers officials about using cocaine before he had a routine drug test.

“He came forward and said he would resign,” Ryan said. “He understood the consequences. We had a lot of discussions and a lot of soul searching on it.”

Washington met with Rangers players earlier in the day and told them about testing positive in July.

“He was very emotional, you could tell that he’s a broken man from this one bad choice he made,” outfielder Josh Hamilton said.

Hamilton has a long history of drug abuse and was suspended for the 2004 season when he was in the minors for Tampa Bay. The All-Star outfielder is the most prominent player in the last decade to be disciplined for a so-called recreational drug.

Six-time All-Star Michael Young said his Texas teammates were behind their manager.

“Based on the kind of person that Wash is, the kind of person that we know him to be, we support him 100%,” Young said. “This isn’t going to be any kind of distraction in terms of us getting ready for the season. I think if anything it’s going to make us rally around him even more.”

Lee is suspended

Seattle Mariners pitcher Cliff Lee has been suspended for the first five games of the regular season for throwing a pitch over the head of Arizona’s Chris Snyder in an exhibition game this week.

Lee is in his first season with Seattle. The former American League Cy Young Award winner was ejected from Monday’s game.

Bob Watson, Major League Baseball vice president, issued the suspension and a fine. If the players’ association appeals, the penalty would be delayed until after a hearing and a decision.

Dukes is released

Outfielder Elijah Dukes was released by the Washington Nationals.

Dukes, 25, was expected to be Washington’s starting right fielder this season. Wednesday was the last day the Nationals could put him on waivers and pay him 30 days’ termination pay at the minor league rate of his split contract instead of 45 days at the major league rate. So he is owed a little under $41,000 instead of about $109,000, which he would have been due had he been released later in spring training.

Manager Jim Rig leman, General Manager Mike Rizzo and team President Stan Chasten all emphasized that the move was based on Dukes’ performance and was not connected to off-the-field issues. However, Rizzo said he believes Dukes’ departure improves the team’s makeup.

Diamondbacks get Benson

The Arizona Diamondbacks agreed to terms with pitcher Kris Benson on a minor league contract.

The right-hander has a 69-74 record and a 4.41 earned-run average over eight seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates, New York Mets, Baltimore Orioles and Texas Rangers. The Pirates selected him No. 1 overall in the 1996 first-year player draft.

Mets, Marlins to play in Puerto Rico

A three-game series between the New York Mets and Florida Marlins on June 28-30 has been moved from Miami to San Juan, Puerto Rico, a person familiar with the decision told the Associated Press.

The shift of venue had been discussed for months pending an agreement between Major League Baseball and the players’ union. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the announcement is scheduled for Thursday.