Report: MLB to probe past steroid use

[SSH2005]

http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/article...t=.jsp&c_id=mlb

Report: MLB to probe past steroid use

 

By Barry M. Bloom / MLB.com

 

According to a report on ESPN, Major League Baseball will launch an investigation into past use of performance-enhancing drugs and that former U.S. Senate majority leader George Mitchell will be part of the group heading the independent investigation.

 

A formal announcement has not been made but The Associated Press reported the league was expected to do so later this week. The New York Times also reported in Wednesday's editions that Commissioner Bud Selig was on the verge on announcing the investigation.

 

The investigation has been spurred by recent allegations made in a book that targets Giants slugger Barry Bonds. The book, entitled "Game of Shadows," alleges that Bonds used performance-enhancing drugs, beginning in 1998 for a five-year period, which includes his record-breaking 73-home run, 2001 season.

 

Bonds has been the focal point of the controversy since leaked grand jury testimony linked him to steroid use. Bonds will resume his chase of the all-time career homer record when the Giants open the season against the Padres in San Diego on Monday. Bonds, at 708, is six homers in arrears of Babe Ruth and 47 behind Hank Aaron, the all-time leader with 755.

 

ESPN reported that Bonds and any current player who may be part of the investigation -- the Yankees' Gary Sheffield and Jason Giambi were both linked to the alleged steroid use in the book -- will be allowed to play while the probe is underway.

 

MLB did not have random testing for steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs prior to 2003, though Selig circulated memos during the 1990s stating that the use of those drugs by players was strictly prohibited and could be cause for discipline. The players association would not collectively bargain the issue at the time.

 

Don Fehr, the executive director of the union, said on Monday that under those terms, players could only be tested and penalized when MLB officials had "just cause" to believe any Major Leaguer was doing such drugs. MLB never announced player penalties then and have not reported that either Bonds, Giambi or Sheffield have failed a drug test since the twice re-written MLB drug policy went into effect four years ago.

 

What discipline Selig can hand out after the investigation is complete is a matter of conjecture. The union has a representational obligation to any of the players involved, Fehr said.

 

"I hope nobody is making judgments about the inquiry before it's done," said Fehr, who met with Bonds at his Scottsdale Stadium locker for 20 minutes on Monday after the union's annual spring session with the Giants players. "Bud will make whatever decision Bud makes and we'll go from there."

 

The book, which was written by a pair of San Francisco Chronicle reporters who covered the federal investigation into the Bay Area Laboratory Cooperative (BALCO), says Bonds used a host of steroid-based drugs to improve his strength, play and recovery time from injuries.

 

The authors say Sheffield and Giambi were also extensive steroid users and link the pair to Bonds and his personal trainer, Greg Anderson, who was indicted in the BALCO case, pled guilty to reduced charges, and was sentenced to jail time. Victor Conte, the president of the now defunct company, also pled to lesser charges and is currently serving a four-month prison sentence.

 

Earlier this month, when excerpts of the book were published in Sports Illustrated, Selig said he would review all the pertinent information pertaining to Bonds' alleged steroid use and reserve comment about it. He has been under increased pressure from Congressional leaders and the media to open an investigation into just what happened in the Major Leagues during that era, which began in 1998 when Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa chased and broke Roger Maris' single-season, 37-year-old home run record of 61.

 

Bonds missed all but 14 games of the 2005 season after having surgery three times on his right knee. Bonds returned on Sept. 12 and hit five homers in his first 36 at bats.

 

He has hit four more this spring in 16 at bats and batted .625. Though Bonds has not played since Friday because of inflammation in his right elbow, he's expected to be back in the lineup on Thursday night when the Giants play an exhibition game against the Los Angeles Angels at San Francisco's newly-christened AT&T Park.

[jackie hayes]

So what? It won't be in the record books? Or only with an *?

 

MLB doesn't give two s***s about the integrity of the game. If it did, it would have done something many years ago. Our good Bud has had a long span of cowardice that says 10 times more than this pissant little gesture. Bonds is in the record books, many others too.

 

It's over, just enforce the steroid policy now.

[iWiN4PreP]

It's over, just enforce the steroid policy now.

agreed, just move on already.

[Balta1701]

It's over, just enforce the steroid policy now.

It is not over. The impacts are still being felt. 6 more home runs and a historic number will be tied by Bonds. Giambi and Sheffield are still collecting massive paychecks they earned thanks to steroids. Guys like Frank Thomas and Jeff Bagwell have to face questions about whether they're hall-worthy when their numbers are compared to these juicers.

 

It's not over until they're all out of the game.

[SSH2005]

It is not over.  The impacts are still being felt.  6 more home runs and a historic number will be tied by Bonds.  Giambi and Sheffield are still collecting massive paychecks they earned thanks to steroids.  Guys like Frank Thomas and Jeff Bagwell have to face questions about whether they're hall-worthy when their numbers are compared to these juicers.

 

It's not over until they're all out of the game.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Don't forget about Thome. Both Frank and Thome could still reach 500 HR's and are likely Hall of Famers. Neither has probably ever used roids but they will have their numbers in question thanks to tools like Bonds, Giambi, and Sheffield.

[southsider2k5]

Hopefully someone sends a person down to the DR to ask about Sammy's "lost" cash and Flintstone vitamins.

[Balta1701]

You know what might be a really nice result of this sort of investigation? Actually learning who the 5-7% (or more) of players who tested positive in 2003 despite months of warning actually were.

[Jordan4life_2007]

If MLB is really serious about this, it's gonna get really ugly.

[jackie hayes]

You know what might be a really nice result of this sort of investigation?  Actually learning who the 5-7% (or more) of players who tested positive in 2003 despite months of warning actually were.

Since there was an assurance of anonymity, releasing those names would be an awfully low thing to do. And probably illegal.

 

We will never know. It was far too widespread to locate every single juicer and 'tweak' their career numbers. And, even if you could do it, what really is the hope here? Do we say that the home runs didn't count? Weren't real? Then what really happened in those games? Do we change the records? Change the game logs? Reaward championships?

 

Suppose you show that McGwire juiced, but not at the start. Which home runs do you throw out? There's no reason to throw them all out, except for spite. So where do you start? Do you adjust the pitchers' numbers?

 

And on what basis do you throw these results out? What was MLB's steroids policy when the homers were hit? Sure, they're illegal. So's pot -- should we throw out a guy's whole career line if we can prove he toked?

 

Who gets investigated? How? Hearsay? Reporters spend years compiling info on ONE GUY. And MLB thinks they're gonna get a dossier like that on every single player in the next month or so? What a f'n joke.

 

The games -- which are what truly matter, not some number in a Guinness paperback -- have already been played, and not an act of Bud nor an act of God can do squat about those results now. If MLB really cared about steroids, they'd work to strengthen the existing rules. Instead, they're trying to look good by announcing a hopeless, pointless, quixotic investigation while still chickens***ting over the current testing.

[Balta1701]

Decent Verducci interview @ SI...he seems to think the investigation has more teeth than what he expected from MLB a few days ago.

[whitesoxfan101]

Good to see baseball picked an unbiased person. Mitchell is only involved in a baseball front office (Boston) and with Disney, who happens to own ESPN, who happens to have a huge MLB contract AND is doing a BARRY BONDS REALITY SHOW.

 

I like the probe, but it's a decade too late and it's the wrong person in charge.

[Jordan4life_2007]

So how far back in time is MLB gonna go? '94? '95?

[southsider2k5]

Decent Verducci interview @ SI...he seems to think the investigation has more teeth than what he expected from MLB a few days ago.

 

You mean an investigation that has no power to compell anyone to testify, or any supena power? This is the Salem witchhunt all over again. Baseball is looking for a solid PR way out of this mess, and so they tried to find a Judge Landis to make it look like baseball was really interested in the integrity of the game all along. If they really gave a crap all along, how come Bud Selig didn't use his powers as commisioner to compel drug testing, as he has had that ability all along. He also had the ability to leak this stuff to the press 10, 20 years ago, and turn this into a PR nightmare for the players to make them talk about this then.

 

There are multiple antedotes of ownership being complicit in these things, are they going to go after the "don't ask don't tell" owners as well? Or maybe the owners who actually knew more? How about agents/coaches/managers who were probably at least knowledgible if not an aid in getting or using illegal drugs? And what are they actually going to do to players that they might find evidence of usage for? And its bulls*** to think this was just players, and all I have heard so far is the focus on players. How about local writers who might be buddies with guys and have known this stuff was going on, but kept quiet to keep their own stories coming? Unless baseball is serious about being willing to go after everyone retroactively, this is a complete joke of an investigation. MLB screwed up by being completely selfcentered wimps and acting like the problem didn't exsist, and you can't go back and fix that by continuing your stupid mistakes and highering an insider to act like they are going to be objective and do what is best for the game. Are you seriously trying to tell me that if Mitchell found a drug ring in Boston ran by Manny, Ortiz, and Curt Schilling that he would do something to all 3 of them? Give me a break.

[Middle Buffalo]

I don't know how true this is, but I heard on the radio the other day that owners were pushing for stronger drug testing of players for years, but the players would not cave. I see, and hear, most people (including myself) say that the owners didn't care about steroids and turned a blind eye to the problem because they were making money, but they were, in fact, trying to get something done. The Players Association was too strong. Only when Congress got involved did the owners get the testing they wanted.

[Baines3]

Sounds like there will be a few * in the record books. I wonder if some players will get a lifetime ban from baseball.