Tis the season for lists. Usually they're shopping lists.
Not today.
George Mitchell came out with his performance-enhancing
hit list on Thursday and the baseball world may never be the same. Here's a
link to the players and how or why they were named in the report. In all, 89 current and former players were revealed.
The names ranged from superstars to mediocre ballplayers. And yes, the New York Yankees led the way with 22 current or former players.
There were names that made me shrug me shoulders:
Barry Bonds
Jose Canseco
Jason Giambi
Ken Caminiti
Gary Sheffield
Rafael Palmeiro
Roger Clemens (c'mon. Is anyone really shocked with this one?)
Names that (mildly) surprised me:
Wally Joyner
Chuck Knobloch
Hal Morris
Rondell White
David Justice
And then the name that disappointed me:
Andy Pettitte
In the end, Mitchell concluded that everyone was to blame for the proliferation and acceptance of steroids and human growth hormone in baseball. Mitchell also made 19 recommendations on how to strengthen the Major League drug policy including a creation of a "Department of Investigations, led by a senior executive who reports directly to the president of Major League Baseball, to respond promptly and aggressively to allegations of the illegal use or possession of performance enhancing substances."
Hey, great. Some of his recommendations are suggestions guys in and out of baseball have been making for years. So, what does this all really mean? Has anything really been accomplished by this report? I'm not sure. Bud Selig stated after the names were announced that he would "take action where it is appropriate" and would dish out punishment on a "case-by-case" basis. How will the players who were named respond? Will they just deny the allegations (because that's really what this report is) or will they seek compensation for having their names dragged through the mire?
Doesn't that bring us right back to where we were before?
Leave a comment
I propose a new league where we encourage steriod and HGH use. We will compensate by pushing back the walls and pitcher mound. Other minor adjustments too.
By the way I have some literature in my car that will change your life.