Seattle Mariners shortstop Mike Morse was suspended for 10 days on Wednesday after he violated Major League Baseball's drug policy. The 23-year-old Morse, who was called up from Triple-A Tacoma earlier this year, is the second player suspended for violating the Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program since Baltimore Orioles first baseman Rafael Palmeiro was slapped with a 10-day ban for steroid use in early August. Morse's teammate, pitcher Ryan Franklin, was penalized just one day following Palmeiro's suspension. "We believe this result is unfair and unfortunate," said Michael Weiner, general counsel for the Major League Baseball Players Association. "It punishes Michael Morse again for conduct for which he has already been punished." Arbitrator Shyam Das denied the MLBPA's effort to overturn the suspension following a grievance hearing. "At the hearing, Morse candidly admitted he had used steroids following the 2003 season, when he was a minor league player, but also testified he had not used steroids since. Because of that use, under the minor league testing program Morse tested positive and was suspended twice during 2004. Although he tested positive again in 2005 under the major league program, it was for the same substance and at an extremely low level, a level which would give Morse no competitive advantage, and the panel believed that the positive test was a result of Morse's prior use. Nonetheless, the panel concluded that the basic agreement required that Morse be suspended yet again. While we respect the panel's decision as final and binding, the PA does not believe the parties ever intended for the basic agreement to compel such a harsh result." The native of Ft. Lauderdale, FL, Morse is the ninth major leaguer to be suspended under baseball's new drug policy and the third member of the Seattle Mariners. In addition to Morse and Franklin, outfielder Jamal Strong also received a 10-day suspension for steroid use.