Assuming that he actually does show up at Spring Training and that he manages to stay out of trouble between now and then, reliever Ronald Belisario will be hit with a 25 game suspension to start 2012.

Reliever Ronald Belisario has received a visa valid for the next five years and is expected to be in Arizona for the start of spring training, but he won’t be on the Dodgers’ opening-day roster.

Belisario must serve a 25-game suspension for violating baseball’s drug policy, according to a person familiar with the situation who spoke under the condition of anonymity.

Of course.

[UPDATED, 7:14 a.m. Wednesday: The suspension falls under the "drug of abuse" standard rather than a "stimulant" standard, according to a person familiar with the matter.]

MSTI argues that it gives the Dodgers time to evaluate what they have, but I can’t see myself twisting this into a positive when a guy who has always been plagued with off-the-field issues starts the season with a suspension related to an off-the-field issue.