The aftermath of the Mitchell Report has seen several phases. The initial was directed at the actual names named in the report. Next all eyes turned to the evidence behind the claims. Now all attention is on the actual players. Who is going to step up and admit to performance enhancing drug use? Who will fight the claims of the report?
First to act was the biggest name on the list, Roger Clemens. Before the sun fell on the day that will forever be remembered in baseball infamy, a Clemen's representative issued a statement adamantly denying any use of PEDs by the 45 year old 7-time Cy Young Award winning pitcher.
But next came Andy Pettitte, who admitted to using human growth hormone while rehabbing an elbow injury in 2002. This admission does significant damage to Clemen's defense, and gives credibility to the testimony of personal trainer Brian McNamee, who named Pettitte and Clemens in the report.
Back immediately after the initial reaction to the report, when everyone began sifting through the evidence, the name brought up most to discredit the report was that of Brian Roberts. They attested that mere testimony and no actual evidence other than that should not have landed Roberts in the report, and used him as the primary example of the flaws of the Mitchell Report.
However, in an interview in this mornings Baltimore Sun Brian Roberts came clean, admitting to using steroids in 2003.
MLB player turned ESPN analyst Fernado Vina was also named in the report and has publicly owned up to use of HGH. Vina claims to have only used the substance on one occasion, a common theme amongst the admissions of those named in the report. However, the report included 3 checks, from March of 2003 through July of 2005, from Vina to Mets clubhouse boy and steroid dealer Kirk Radomski.
Ex-Red Sox reliever Brendan Donnelly was named in the report for having a telephone conversation regarding steroids with Radomski, and then later receiving steroids in 2004. He has admitted to talking with Radomski about Anavar, a steroid, but claims he never received or used the substance after learning it was classified as a steroid.
Add ex-Arizona Diamondback Alex Cabrera to the list of those denying the Mitchell Report, as well. Cabrera was named in the report for allegedly having a package of steroids delivered to the Diamondbacks clubhouse, but Cabrera claims to have nothing to do with it. In a statement on his Winter League teams website, the Caracas Lions, he suggests he is only an easy scapegoat for the Diamondback organization.
But that's only a handful of the 86 current and former players named in the 409 page report, where are the rest? Miguel Tejada, Eric Gagné, David Justice? And will those, like Pettitte and Roberts, who were named and have admitted use, now meet with the league and be more forthcoming? I don't know, but it seems as if the aftermath of the Mitchell Report may play out to be ever bit as meaningful and informative as it's release.
Showing posts with label kirk radomski. Show all posts
Showing posts with label kirk radomski. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Friday, December 14, 2007
The Mitchell Fallout
Its almost 24 hours later, and there seems to be a wide range of response from the fallout of the Mitchell Report. After quickly skimming it in process of yesterday's live blog, I'm reading through in detail. If you were expecting this to have all the answers, I can tell you it doesn't, it only provokes about a thousand more questions.
With the initial reaction focused primarily on the names that appeared in the report, many have moved on to examining the soundness of the evidence presented against the players. While some players have a plethora of evidence, from positive tests to thousands of dollars in payments to actual shipments, others were included solely based on testimony and appearing in the address book of clubhouse boy and steroid dealer Radomski.
What's important to remember is George Mitchell was asked to gather all the information on performance enhancing drugs in professional baseball and include it in the report. Just because Cody McKay's name appears on the report, that does not imply he is guilty of anything. In time the report will be read and reread, the evidence will be weighed, and, it appears, that Bud Selig will investigate all those named in the report. From these investigations on a case by case level, surely some will face the action of the league. At the same time, surely some of those named will be found to not have adequate evidence to produce a disciplinary action.
The popular question of the morning seems to be "Was this good for baseball?". And to my surprise, many do not believe that this was good for baseball. Essentially they believe that the game would be in a better place today had Selig never commissioned a report of this nature. And I honestly do not know how to respond to this, because for me it seems so straight forth that aside from many analysts close tie to players, I have no idea how they could conclude this.
Steroids is and was an issue in baseball. It was one before Selig took notice, it was before Mark McGwire broke Maris's single season home run record, and it was one before the Mitchell report came out. The only difference now is that we have more information. And what I read from comments from "analysts" like Sean Salisbury is that they don't believe the report was good for baseball because fans will not be smart enough to interpret it. They believe we'll just look at the names and quickly condemn them all. And I'm sure some will, but no reporting information because you are not sure how the general public will react to it is the reason why the steroid issue is only beginning to be addressed now, instead of over 10 years ago.
If you don't want to read the report, if you don't want to look at it in detail, if you just want to read the list of players named in the report, then you should probably take only one thing away from the entire thing. And that is that the issue of performance enhancing drugs is every bit widespread as we believed. But this report will not be worth the paper it is written on if it does not produce more and better tests and stricter actions on both those who test positive and those who are found to have purchased performance enhancing drugs.
With the initial reaction focused primarily on the names that appeared in the report, many have moved on to examining the soundness of the evidence presented against the players. While some players have a plethora of evidence, from positive tests to thousands of dollars in payments to actual shipments, others were included solely based on testimony and appearing in the address book of clubhouse boy and steroid dealer Radomski.
What's important to remember is George Mitchell was asked to gather all the information on performance enhancing drugs in professional baseball and include it in the report. Just because Cody McKay's name appears on the report, that does not imply he is guilty of anything. In time the report will be read and reread, the evidence will be weighed, and, it appears, that Bud Selig will investigate all those named in the report. From these investigations on a case by case level, surely some will face the action of the league. At the same time, surely some of those named will be found to not have adequate evidence to produce a disciplinary action.
The popular question of the morning seems to be "Was this good for baseball?". And to my surprise, many do not believe that this was good for baseball. Essentially they believe that the game would be in a better place today had Selig never commissioned a report of this nature. And I honestly do not know how to respond to this, because for me it seems so straight forth that aside from many analysts close tie to players, I have no idea how they could conclude this.
Steroids is and was an issue in baseball. It was one before Selig took notice, it was before Mark McGwire broke Maris's single season home run record, and it was one before the Mitchell report came out. The only difference now is that we have more information. And what I read from comments from "analysts" like Sean Salisbury is that they don't believe the report was good for baseball because fans will not be smart enough to interpret it. They believe we'll just look at the names and quickly condemn them all. And I'm sure some will, but no reporting information because you are not sure how the general public will react to it is the reason why the steroid issue is only beginning to be addressed now, instead of over 10 years ago.
If you don't want to read the report, if you don't want to look at it in detail, if you just want to read the list of players named in the report, then you should probably take only one thing away from the entire thing. And that is that the issue of performance enhancing drugs is every bit widespread as we believed. But this report will not be worth the paper it is written on if it does not produce more and better tests and stricter actions on both those who test positive and those who are found to have purchased performance enhancing drugs.
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Live Bloggin the Mitchell Report
The day has come, and we are only hours away from the release of the Mitchell Report. but already information and names have been leaked to the press.
[UPDATES ON TOP]
Fehr has been more timid than I expected, though he is certainly upset about not getting a preview of the report before it went public.
-
MLBPA press conference has just begun with Executive Direction Donald Fehr
-
There is another list of players over at ESPN that includes the pages that the players appear on.
-
Roger Clemens attorney has spoken on Clemens behalf and denied any use of PEDs. Pettitte's agent says he will not comment until conferring with the players union
-
Decisions regarding disciplining players and staff mentioned in the report will be made on a case by case situation.
-
Selig: will immediately enact any of the Mitchell Reports recommendations that is in his control
-
ESPN is streaming MLB Commissioner Bud Selig's Press Conference.
-
The phrase of the moment is "circumstantial evidence". Legal minds are taking a detailed look, and in many cases it seems as if the evidence may not hold up against the union if any actions were taken.
-
Considering that increased growth of the skull is a side-effect of steroids abuse, all these "Fat Head" commercials that are airing at each and every ESPN break seems oddly poignant.
-
The one good thing that steroids did to the world, it kept Disney from making a movie out of the feel good story that was Rick Ankiel.
I'm gonna get a little more into this report before the press conference at 4:30. Although I don't expect there to be much said by the leauge. Overall Selig has to feel alright about how the report shaped up. It is definitely critical of the league, but more so of the players union.
Mitchell does take Selig to task on ignoring the issue of steroids prior to 1998, referencing hundreds of articles that speculated at the use of steroids in baseball when Selig claimed the leauge did not know it was a probably.
-
Bud Selig will have his press conference in less than 1 hour at 4:30 EST.
-
My quick count looks to be a little high. It's looks to be just a couple players short of 80.
-
I'm still getting over the absolute shock of the report, and trying to read in a little more detail. I've got to admit that coming in, while I was expecting big results (otherwise I wouldn't of had a live blog from early this morning), but I was not expecting this. This is huge.
-
Deadspin is also in the process of breaking down this massive report. They have a list up, just in case I missed someone.
-
Over 80 Players named in Mitchell Report
-
It is very important to remember that these are just the players listed in the report as being linked to performance enhancing drugs. They in no way have been found guilty, there has only been evidence that links them, in most cases, to purchasing PEDs.
PLAYERS NAMED IN REPORT
-
MITCHELL: 1/2 players named in report no longer in baseball
-
VERIFIED NAMES: RICKEY BONES, MANNY ALEXANDER, ALEX CABRERA, JUAN GONZALEZ,LUIZ PEREZ, KEN CAMINITI
-
MITCHELL: Asks Commissioner to forgo punishing players listed in the report
-
MITCHELL: Players tipped off to unannounced drug testing
-
MITCHELL: Each club has at least one player involved in taking illegal substances
-
VERIFIED - FORMER RED SOX MANNY ALEXANDER NAMED IN REPORT
-
Between 5-7% tested positive for steroids
-
SI has the full report available online in PDF format, it's 409 pages long.
-
MLB had 3 days to review the Mitchell Report and made NO CHANGES to the report.
-
ESPN is streaming Mitchell's press conference, as is MLB.com
-
VERIFIED - PAUL LO DUCA IS NAMED IN THE MITCHELL REPORT
-
VERIFIED - ROGER CLEMENS IS NAMED IN THE MITCHELL REPORT
-
Reports are being handed out right now, and they should hopefully openly be available any minute.
-
SI.com's Jon Heyman is now reporting that, as EFotG speculated earlier, Miguel Tejada is infact named in the Mitchell Report.
-
We are now sitting about 1/2 an hour away from the release. It is expected to be over 300 pages and available online, so get out those reading glasses.
-
Through this whole ordeal with Kirk Radomski, the Mets Clubhouse boy, many have brought up the fact that just because he's cashed a check from a player does not mean it was for steroids, players tip the clubhouse boys often. ESPN analyst and former player John Kruk says he gave a clubhouse boy $14,000. Man, I'm in the wrong business.
-
Things have seemed to settle down as we approach the 2pm release. ESPN will officially begin it's coverage of the Mitchell Report in 15 minutes, although really it's been the story all morning.
Also lately it seems like more at more analysts are referring to the amount of players as "several dozen", which is significantly down from the 60-80 earlier reported.
-
ESPNews just stated that they will not report on the list that is out there, presumably the Deadspin list, which is turning up all around now. According to ESPNews MLB is denying the authenticity of this list.
-
According to George Mitchell most of the information from this report comes from former Met's clubhouse boy Kirk Radomski who acted as a steroid supplier. From this can we assume that many of those named in this list will be from the National League. Well, so far, that does not look to be the case, but it's something to keep in mind.
-
A memo from the players union to all players suggests that they should not respond to any questions regarding the Mitchell Report today. Probably a good call with a report of this magnitude. It's going to take days before this report can be adequately assimilated.
-
Deadspin has received a list of players that are supposedly in the Mitchell Report. There's really nothing to substantiate this list, but it's certainly interesting.
-
ESPN.com will be streaming both press-conferences at 2pm and 4:30pm EST. When those become active, EFotG will have the link.
-
Alex Rodriguez has finalized his agreement with the New York Yankees. There is absolutely nothing to tie this to the investigation, but it's certainly interesting timing. And don't forget that early speculation has at least several prominent Yankee's being named.
-
Clemens is obviously the big name that was leaked early, but another prominent Yankee's pitcher, Andy Pettitte was also provided to the investigation by personal trainer Brian McNamee. Unlike Clemens, I have never heard Pettitte's name brought up in steroids speculation.
-
The biggest news so far broke only minutes ago, with ESPN reporting that Yankee's star pitcher Roger Clemens will be named in the report. This may very well be the biggest name in the report, because really, how much bigger can you get than Clemens?
In a weird way, this actually lends some credibility to Jose Canseco and his book Juiced. Many wrote off Juiced as an attempt to cash in on the controversy. But with Canseco conjecturing Clemens as a user and this early report tying him to report, maybe Juiced is worth a little more than we originally thought.
[UPDATES ON TOP]
Fehr has been more timid than I expected, though he is certainly upset about not getting a preview of the report before it went public.
-
MLBPA press conference has just begun with Executive Direction Donald Fehr
-
There is another list of players over at ESPN that includes the pages that the players appear on.
-
Roger Clemens attorney has spoken on Clemens behalf and denied any use of PEDs. Pettitte's agent says he will not comment until conferring with the players union
-
Decisions regarding disciplining players and staff mentioned in the report will be made on a case by case situation.
-
Selig: will immediately enact any of the Mitchell Reports recommendations that is in his control
-
ESPN is streaming MLB Commissioner Bud Selig's Press Conference.
-
The phrase of the moment is "circumstantial evidence". Legal minds are taking a detailed look, and in many cases it seems as if the evidence may not hold up against the union if any actions were taken.
-
Considering that increased growth of the skull is a side-effect of steroids abuse, all these "Fat Head" commercials that are airing at each and every ESPN break seems oddly poignant.
-
The one good thing that steroids did to the world, it kept Disney from making a movie out of the feel good story that was Rick Ankiel.
I'm gonna get a little more into this report before the press conference at 4:30. Although I don't expect there to be much said by the leauge. Overall Selig has to feel alright about how the report shaped up. It is definitely critical of the league, but more so of the players union.
Mitchell does take Selig to task on ignoring the issue of steroids prior to 1998, referencing hundreds of articles that speculated at the use of steroids in baseball when Selig claimed the leauge did not know it was a probably.
-
Bud Selig will have his press conference in less than 1 hour at 4:30 EST.
-
My quick count looks to be a little high. It's looks to be just a couple players short of 80.
-
I'm still getting over the absolute shock of the report, and trying to read in a little more detail. I've got to admit that coming in, while I was expecting big results (otherwise I wouldn't of had a live blog from early this morning), but I was not expecting this. This is huge.
-
Deadspin is also in the process of breaking down this massive report. They have a list up, just in case I missed someone.
-
Over 80 Players named in Mitchell Report
-
It is very important to remember that these are just the players listed in the report as being linked to performance enhancing drugs. They in no way have been found guilty, there has only been evidence that links them, in most cases, to purchasing PEDs.
PLAYERS NAMED IN REPORT
- PAUL LO DUCA
- BOBBY ESTALALLA
- ADAM RIGGS
- BART MIADICH
- FERNADO VINA
- KEVIN BROWN
- ERIC GANGE
- MIKE BELL
- MATT HERGES
- GARY BENNETT JR
- JIM PARQUE
- RENDAN NONNELLY
- CHAN ALLEN
- JEFF WILLIAMS
- HOWIE CLARK
- XAVIER LOGAN
- DAVID JUSTICE
- FP SANTANGELO
- GLEN ALLEN HILL
- MO VAUGHN
- RON VILLONE
- RYAN FRANKLIN
- CHRIS DONNELS
- TODD WILLIAMS
- PHIL HIATT
- TODD PRATT
- KEVIN YOUNG
- MIKE LANSING
- CODY MCKAY
- KENT NERCKER
- ADAM PIATT
- MIGUEL TEJADA
- JASON CHRISTIANSEN
- MIKE STANTON
- STEPHEN PANDOLPH
- MARVIN BENARD
- BARRY BONDS
- JASON GIAMBI
- JEREMY GIAMBI
- BENITIO SANTIAGO
- GARRY SHEFFIELD
- RANDY VELARDE
- LENNY DYKSTRA
- DAVID SEGUI
- LARRY BIGBIE
- BRIAN REOBERTS
- CHUCK KNOBLAUCH
- JACK CUST
- TIME LAKER
- JASIAS MANZANILLO
- TODD HUNDLEY
- HAL MORRIS
- MATT FRANCO
- RONDELL WHITE
- ROGER CLEMENS
- RICK ANKIEL
- DAVID BELL
- PAUL BYRD
- JOSE CANSECO
- JAY GIBBONS
- TROY GLAUS
- JASON GRIMSLEY
- JOSE GUILLEN
- JERRY HAIRSTON JR
- DARREN HOLMES
- GARRY MATTHEWS JR
- JOHN ROCKER
- SCOTT SCHOENEWEIS
- ISMAEL VALDEZ
- MATT WILLIAMS
- STEVE WOODARD
-
MITCHELL: 1/2 players named in report no longer in baseball
-
VERIFIED NAMES: RICKEY BONES, MANNY ALEXANDER, ALEX CABRERA, JUAN GONZALEZ,LUIZ PEREZ, KEN CAMINITI
-
MITCHELL: Asks Commissioner to forgo punishing players listed in the report
-
MITCHELL: Players tipped off to unannounced drug testing
-
MITCHELL: Each club has at least one player involved in taking illegal substances
-
VERIFIED - FORMER RED SOX MANNY ALEXANDER NAMED IN REPORT
-
Between 5-7% tested positive for steroids
-
SI has the full report available online in PDF format, it's 409 pages long.
-
MLB had 3 days to review the Mitchell Report and made NO CHANGES to the report.
-
ESPN is streaming Mitchell's press conference, as is MLB.com
-
VERIFIED - PAUL LO DUCA IS NAMED IN THE MITCHELL REPORT
-
VERIFIED - ROGER CLEMENS IS NAMED IN THE MITCHELL REPORT
-
Reports are being handed out right now, and they should hopefully openly be available any minute.
-
SI.com's Jon Heyman is now reporting that, as EFotG speculated earlier, Miguel Tejada is infact named in the Mitchell Report.
-
We are now sitting about 1/2 an hour away from the release. It is expected to be over 300 pages and available online, so get out those reading glasses.
-
Through this whole ordeal with Kirk Radomski, the Mets Clubhouse boy, many have brought up the fact that just because he's cashed a check from a player does not mean it was for steroids, players tip the clubhouse boys often. ESPN analyst and former player John Kruk says he gave a clubhouse boy $14,000. Man, I'm in the wrong business.
-
Things have seemed to settle down as we approach the 2pm release. ESPN will officially begin it's coverage of the Mitchell Report in 15 minutes, although really it's been the story all morning.
Also lately it seems like more at more analysts are referring to the amount of players as "several dozen", which is significantly down from the 60-80 earlier reported.
-
ESPNews just stated that they will not report on the list that is out there, presumably the Deadspin list, which is turning up all around now. According to ESPNews MLB is denying the authenticity of this list.
-
According to George Mitchell most of the information from this report comes from former Met's clubhouse boy Kirk Radomski who acted as a steroid supplier. From this can we assume that many of those named in this list will be from the National League. Well, so far, that does not look to be the case, but it's something to keep in mind.
-
A memo from the players union to all players suggests that they should not respond to any questions regarding the Mitchell Report today. Probably a good call with a report of this magnitude. It's going to take days before this report can be adequately assimilated.
-
Deadspin has received a list of players that are supposedly in the Mitchell Report. There's really nothing to substantiate this list, but it's certainly interesting.
-
ESPN.com will be streaming both press-conferences at 2pm and 4:30pm EST. When those become active, EFotG will have the link.
-
Alex Rodriguez has finalized his agreement with the New York Yankees. There is absolutely nothing to tie this to the investigation, but it's certainly interesting timing. And don't forget that early speculation has at least several prominent Yankee's being named.
-
Clemens is obviously the big name that was leaked early, but another prominent Yankee's pitcher, Andy Pettitte was also provided to the investigation by personal trainer Brian McNamee. Unlike Clemens, I have never heard Pettitte's name brought up in steroids speculation.
-
The biggest news so far broke only minutes ago, with ESPN reporting that Yankee's star pitcher Roger Clemens will be named in the report. This may very well be the biggest name in the report, because really, how much bigger can you get than Clemens?
In a weird way, this actually lends some credibility to Jose Canseco and his book Juiced. Many wrote off Juiced as an attempt to cash in on the controversy. But with Canseco conjecturing Clemens as a user and this early report tying him to report, maybe Juiced is worth a little more than we originally thought.
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