Author: Anthony Stalter (Page 1322 of 1503)

Rob Parker of the Detroit Free Press made an interesting point on ESPN in the wake of Senator George Mitchell’s report on performance-enhancing drugs in Major League Baseball.

Parker stated that it was unfair that Mitchell based most of his report on “hearsay” and that not all of the players that have used performance-enhancing drugs were named, just those who left a paper trail throgh receipts and credit card reports . Paker went on: “What about the players who used cash to buy drugs – do they get off scot-free?” He also stated the report was rather, “flimsy” other than what was revealed about Roger Clemens and Andy Pettitte.

What’s interesting watching ESPN, is that some of their reporters (not all) are attacking Mitchell’s report and basically discrediting it. Much like Parker, several reporters are noting that Mitchell gathered his information through witnesses that might, or might not be creditable. Interesting.

Here are some of the names that were cited in Mitchell’s steroid report:

– Barry Bonds (who knew?)
– Miguel Tejada (good thing the Astros just traded five prospects for this guy)
– Jose Canseco (didn’t anyone else think that he was enjoying himself at Mitchell’s press conference?)
– Rick Ankiel
– Kevin Brown
– Paul Byrd
– Roger Clemens
– Jack Cust
– Lenny Dykstra
– Eric Gagne
– Jay Gibbons
– Troy Glaus
– Jason Grimsley
– Jose Guillen
– Glenallen Hill
– Todd Hundley
– David Justice
– Chuck Knoblauch (apparently roids don’t help with throwing accuracy)
– Paul Lo Duca
– Gary Matthews Jr
– Hal Morris
– Danny Neagle
– Andy Pettitte
– Todd Pratt
– Brian Roberts
– John Rocker (no wonder he was so angry)
– David Segui
– Mike Stanton
– Ismael Valdez
– Mo Vaughn
– Fernando Vina
– Matt Williams
– Benito Santiago

Former Senator George Mitchell released the results of his committee’s 20-month investigation into the use of performance-enhancing drugs in Major League Baseball. In his press conference, Mitchell reported that, “Each of the 30 clubs had a player or players involved in taking illegal substances.”

Barry Bonds, Miguel Tejada,Brian Roberts and former/present Yankees’ Roger Clemens, Andy Pettitte, Mike Stanton, Jason Grimsley and Chuck Knoblauch were cited in the report by an ESPN reporter, but the rest of the names have not been released yet. Here were some of the highlights from Mitchell’s press conference:

– He spoke at length about how the current system for testing players is broke and how it’s necessary to look at past mistakes in order to fix the problem heading forward.

– He also talked about how kids growing up these days are looking at major league players and thinking that it’s okay to take steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs in order to be better athletes. These players have a responsibility to not only look after their own health, but also the health of those who look up to them.

– He spoke about how the media should not only focus on the names in the report, but also his conclusion, where he highlights ways that baseball can improve its testing policy moving forward. To sum up his point, he knows that people are going to focus on the names, but what’s more important is to move forward and fix the problem by taking to heart what he revealed in the report.

– He recommended to Bud Selig that there should be no discipline for what is in the report.

– In the questioning portion of the press conference, Mitchell noted that the “players union was highly incorporative” while gathering his report.

More to follow, including the names in his report…

Present and former players are on pins and needles Thursday, awaiting the “Mitchell Report” to be released. The report is supposed to name at least 60 players who have abused steroids in MLB. Two big names have already been released: New York Yankee pitchers Roger Clemens and Andy Pettitte.

A former trainer for Roger Clemens provided information about Clemens’s steroid use to investigators for former Senator George Mitchell, who will release a report Thursday on steroids in baseball, two lawyers familiar with the investigation said.

The trainer, Brian McNamee, also provided information about steroid use by pitcher Andy Pettitte and first baseman David Segui, the lawyers said. McNamee spoke to Mitchell’s investigators under pressure from federal prosecutors investigating the use of steroids in baseball.

It’s kind of ironic how the first two names released (officially, at least) were pitchers. Everyone likes to talk about how the hitters are all juiced, but obviously this report will put things in perspective that it’s not just them. More to follow…