The Mitchell Report

[Boon 0]

The report comes out at 2 p.m. EST. "Hold on to your butts."

 

Sources: Players, owners to share blame in Mitchell report

 

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By T.J. Quinn and Mark Fainaru-Wada

ESPN.com

 

Major League Baseball and the Players Association share the blame for tolerating a widespread culture of drug abuse, George Mitchell's report on doping in baseball says, according to two lawyers who said they are familiar with the report.

 

Both lawyers told ESPN that the report assigns blame for the rise of performance-enhancing drugs in baseball "from top to bottom," and recommends that MLB and the union agree to outsource their drug testing program to an independent agency.

 

The sources would not reveal the names of players included in the report, but confirmed that as many as 80 are listed. One lawyer expected several "very, very high-level names" to be exposed, although Mitchell is frank in the report about how difficult it was to get information regarding the extent of player use.

 

"He admits that he can only go back so far because of the lack of cooperation, but says it's more important to move ahead," one lawyer said.

 

 

Mitchell plans to release his report at 2 p.m. ET Thursday at a news conference in New York City.

 

 

Baseball commissioner Bud Selig will hold his own news conference 2½ hours later.

 

"I haven't seen the report yet, but I'm proud I did it," Selig said, according to the Chicago Tribune. "People can say Bud was just trying to cover his BUTT or take care of his legacy or whatever. I say [expletive] it. This needed to be done, and now we've done it. I'm just happy it will be out there and we can move on. I'm proud of it."

 

While the report recognizes that Selig met fierce resistance from the union when he tried to implement tougher testing during recent years, the report says that all of baseball should have seen the warning signs that were evident years ago.

 

Baseball and its players reached an agreement in September 2002 to test for steroids. In 2005, a new, stricter policy was implemented. Baseball and the players agreed to ban HGH in 2005, although there is no reliable test to detect the drug.

 

Sources said yesterday that MLBPA officials were angered that Mitchell chose not to share the report with them, but that Mitchell felt he had no obligation to the union after they fought his efforts to interview players and obtain some medical records.

 

Mitchell's criticisms about the current testing procedures are similar to those baseball has dismissed from other critics in the past, such as calls for more frequent testing and greater transparency in the program.

 

"They aren't going to like it," one lawyer said.

 

 

When Selig announced Mitchell's investigation on March 30, 2006, he said Mitchell, the former Senate majority leader, was free to pursue his investigation wherever it led. He did not say, however, whether he would abide by all of the report's recommendations.

 

Besides either appointing an independent administrator or hiring an outside agency to run the program (MLB currently administers the program in conjunction with the Players Association), baseball should:

 

• Improve to "state-of-the-art" testing, including additional year-round tests with fewer opportunities for players to escape detection.

 

• Allow the testing administrator to actively investigate "non-analytical positives," meaning information that can show a player violated the doping policy in the absence of a positive urine test. Jay Gibbons and Jose Guillen, for example, were recently suspended after MLB received information from law enforcement sources documenting that the players had received banned drugs. Neither failed a drug test.

 

• Improve player education about performance-enhancing drugs.

 

• Allow greater transparency in the program, such as naming the drugs that players test positive for. Some players try to dodge responsibility for positive tests by saying they unwittingly took a tainted diet supplement. Certain drugs could not possibly have come from supplements, but because baseball doesn't name the substances it discovers, the press and public can't determine whether the player is telling the truth.

 

MLB officials did not return numerous calls seeking comment on Wednesday.

 

The Associated Press reported Wednesday that Bob DuPuy, baseball's chief operating officer, sent an e-mail to owners and team presidents in advance of the report with instructions how to respond to media inquiries.

 

"We look forward to carefully reading the results of Sen. Mitchell's investigation,'' the recommended response said, according to the AP.

 

"Protecting the integrity of our game is vital, and we intend to study his findings and recommendations, and will not comment until we have done so.''

I'm more excited for the list of excuses. Injuries, doctor prescriptions, ignorance, etc. Could be a fun day.

[tominator89 0]

ESPN is reporting that Roger Clemens will be on the list.

[The Robfather 0]

Of course they'd lead off with a big name...

[Guest RyechnaiaSobaka]

I've already picked Carlos Beltran as my guy for the steroid pool. He's not obvious like picking Giambi/Bonds so I hope I get lots of points if right.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

We've had our melodramatic posts already. Honestly, it should not be a surprise that any particular athlete uses steroids at this point. I don't see why it should spark some kind of moral outrage. It is an unfortunate part of the sports culture. But it does not do good to vilify individual athletes.

[Mik 0]

Clemens should incur just as much scorn as Bonds.

 

Same career arc, basically. Great, HOF type player who had a late career resurgence fueled by steroids.

 

If Clemens gets off the hook via popular support - it's an outrage.

[Prophet of Mike Zagurski 0]

Deadspin.com is making a big deal out of this.

I'm just going to say for the sake of saying: Frank Thomas. I have no way of backing this up.

[Broward83 0]

I'd hate to see it.. but Bagwell. Just... I don't know.. seems like he might've been on the juice at some point in his career.

[MFer 0]

ESPN is reporting that Roger Clemens will be on the list.

Looking at ESPN's bottom line, it sounds like Pettitte will be on the list as well (and several other Yankees).

[The Robfather 0]

http://www.wnbc.com/sports/14845845/detail.html

[Boon 0]

http://www.wnbc.com/sports/14845845/detail.html

If that's the real list, Varitek's name is crushing.

[Broward83 0]

...and Bagwell's listed. Honestly, I'm kinda crushed...

[devo 0]

Hm. Already been revoked 'cause of apparent errors.

 

I don't think there's any point in guessing until the actual list surfaces.

[snuffbox 0]

Ken Caminiti? Really?

[fazzle 0]

I'm gonna go with Ichiro

 

 

Just cause I think it'd be hilarious.

[Guest Smues]

I don't particularly care about this list one way or another, but I just hope Chipper and Smoltz aren't on it. Not that I have any reason to suspect either of them, but I do remember a lot of talk about Chipper being on steroids in his MVP season.

[NYU 0]

For some reason, I expect to see Cliff Floyd on that list. The chronic foot problems have always been something that have drawn up a red flag for me.

[MFer 0]

Fox News is covering it right now.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

Colin Cowherd saw the list and while he didn't name any names he did say that a "midwestern slugger that will upset a lot of people" and a "former Dodger reliever who got great out of nowhere" are in the report. One could reasonably assume that he is referring to Pujols and Gagne.

[Brett Favre 0]

Could he be anymore obvious.

 

"Midwest slugger who's name rhymes with Doo-holes."

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

Jon Heyman from SI.com checks in with some names.

 

Former American League MVP Miguel Tejada is mentioned in the Mitchell Report, due to be released by 2 p.m. on Thursday afternoon, SI.com has learned.

 

Orioles second baseman Brian Roberts also is in the report, as are seven-time Cy Young winner Roger Clemens, Andy Pettitte, Chuck Knoblauch, Mike Stanton and Jason Grimsley.

 

One or two other Yankees are expected to be named on the list as well.

 

Tejada spent the past four seasons with the Orioles and was acquired in trade by the Astros this week for five players.

 

ESPN.com first reported Clemens and Pettitte as being in the Mitchell Report.

[Brett Favre 0]

So if you play with the Yankees, you're a Yankee for life?

[Boon 0]

Not unless you're a "real Yankee."

[dh86 0]

Im glad this day is here, No longer can the media only focus on Bonds and sometimes McGwire when it comes to steroids in the game. It was (and is) prevalent to a huge degree.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

Jon Heyman added David Justice to the list as well.

[Brett Favre 0]

By the sounds of it the list sucks. It's a shame they wasted all that money on something we could've figured out on our own.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

Really? If this thing outs Clemens, Pettitte, Tejada, Pujols, Gagne and others, I'd consider it a big success. None of those names are shocking, but having some proof goes a long way to ending this whole steroid mystery. Bonds and company have been taking the flack for this whole mess for too long.

[Spaceman Spiff 0]

The supposed list, copied from the DVDVR Mitchell Report thread:

Brady Anderson, Manny Alexander, Rick Ankiel, Jeff Bagwell, Barry Bonds, Aaron Boone, Rafaeil Bettancourt, Bret Boone, Milton Bradley, David Bell, Dante Bichette, Albert Belle, Paul Byrd, Wil Cordero, Ken Caminiti, Mike Cameron, Ramon Castro, Jose and Ozzie Canseco, Roger Clemens, Paxton Crawford, Wilson Delgado, Lenny Dykstra, Johnny Damon, Carl Everett, Kyle Farnsoworth, Ryan Franklin, Troy Glaus, Rich Garces, Jason Grimsley, Troy Glaus, Juan Gonzalez, Eric Gagne, Nomar Garciaparra, Jason Giambi, Jeremy Giambi, Jose Guillen, Jay Gibbons, Juan Gonzalez, Clay Hensley, Jerry Hairston, Felix Heredia, Jr., Darren Holmes, Wally Joyner, Darryl Kile, Matt Lawton, Raul Mondesi, Mark McGwire, Guillermo Mota, Robert Machado, Damian Moss, Abraham Nunez, Trot Nixon, Jose Offerman, Andy Pettitte, Mark Prior, Neifi Perez, Rafael Palmiero, Albert Pujols, Brian Roberts ,Juan Rincon, John Rocker, Pudge Rodriguez, Sammy Sosa, Scott Schoenweiis, David Segui, Alex Sanchez, Gary Sheffield, Miguel Tejada, Julian Tavarez,Fernando Tatis, Maurice Vaughn, Jason Varitek, Ismael Valdez, Matt Williams and Kerry Wood.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

This is the unconfirmed list that was disputed by MLB. I guess we'll know for sure in ten minutes.

 

Brady Anderson

Manny Alexander

Rick Ankiel

Jeff Bagwell

Barry Bonds

Aaron Boone

Rafael Bettancourt

Bret Boone

Milton Bradley

David Bell

Dante Bichette

Albert Belle

Paul Byrd

Wil Cordero

Ken Caminiti

Mike Cameron

Ramon Castro

Jose and Ozzie Canseco

Roger Clemens

Paxton Crawford

Wilson Delgado

Lenny Dykstra

Johnny Damon

Carl Everett

Kyle Farnsworth

Ryan Franklin

Troy Glaus

Rich Garces

Jason Grimsley

Troy Glaus

Juan Gonzalez

Eric Gagne

Nomar Garciaparra

Jason Giambi

Jeremy Giambi

Jose Guillen

Jay Gibbons

Juan Gonzalez

Clay Hensley

Jerry Hairston

Felix Heredia, Jr.

Darren Holmes

Wally Joyner

Darryl Kile

Matt Lawton

Raul Mondesi

Mark McGwire

Guillermo Mota

Robert Machado

Damian Moss

Abraham Nunez

Trot Nixon

Jose Offerman

Andy Pettitte

Mark Prior

Neifi Perez

Rafael Palmiero

Albert Pujols

Brian Roberts

Juan Rincon

John Rocker

Pudge Rodriguez

Sammy Sosa

Scott Schoenweiis

David Segui

Alex Sanchez

Gary Sheffield

Miguel Tejada

Julian Tavarez

Fernando Tatis

Mo Vaughn

Jason Varitek

Ismael Valdes

Matt Williams

Kerry Wood

[naiwf 0]

By the sounds of it the list sucks. It's a shame they wasted all that money on something we could've figured out on our own.

 

And yet some people are shocked that Clemens, Gagne or Pujols are (allegedly) on the list because they "didn't seem like the type" to do 'roids or other PEDs, when they perfectly match the profile of someone who has done them. If this gets the media to share the wealth in terms of the venom they've battered Bonds with over the years this is a huge success.