The Mitchell Report Aftermath

Greetings! Well, I've fallen way behind here on the many things to comment about, so I guess I will just try and catch up as best that I can in today's blog. I mean, I haven't commented on Eric Gagne's signing with the Brewers and still have not mentioned anything about Andruw Jones' signing with the Dodgers! So without any further ado...

Striker to the Line!

I've managed to read the Mitchell Report - in its entirety (yes, all 409 pages!) - and through all of the legalese and stacking of evidence I am convinced absolutely that the problem is far more pervasive than what the report notes. I am also convinced that we are all guilty here. Let me explain this first.

Let's consider something rather dramatic. Over the last decade, Major League Baseball has become an economic machine. That is only possible if fans are supporting the teams in their current incarnations. And let's face the fact that we as fans have come to expect perfection from our teams and players.

So how does this impact the players on the ground? Do you not believe for one minute that they are aware that they are in the spotlight every time that they take the field? Every move, every play, is carefully scrutinized by the fans (perhaps even more so today with the ubiquity of blogging). Players naturally are going to seek those things to satisfy the lust of the fans and to get their own piece of the pie.

And before this outcry gets way out of hand, again, let's reflect on the previous paragraph. Historically speaking, players have always sought ways to gain an edge in the game. Do you think it's natural to put vaseline or spit onto a ball to gain a drop from a pitch? Or what about the pitchers who take small pieces of sandpaper to the mound. Or the pitchers who wear extra sunscreen to rub into the ball? Or what about those extra roughed up baseballs that are left in strategic places besides walls or bullpens? Players have been using tricks for years. Sometimes they get caught, sometimes they don't.

Players have used hallucinogens, alcohol, barbiturates, and other drugs. Others have superstitious beliefs that they adamantly adhere to, rituals such as placing a half stick of gum in the back pocket and chewing on the rest throughout a game.

The question we should all be asking is why. Why do they sacrifice so much, be their credibility, their DNA, their mental well-being? The bottom line is not economics, in my opinion. Look at the Mitchell Report and you'll note players who were not superstars. You'll note several players who did not have outstanding careers. But you'll probably note that they were motivated to play the greatest game on Earth.

I have hard time taking the hard stance on these players. I probably do more for Barry Bonds because he's an anathema to the game, but then again so was Hall of Famer Ty Cobb. In contemporary terms, many of the players are not doing anything different than much of the population. Many people today are seeking fast results and fast success at their jobs. "Show me the money" is more than a quote from the movie Jerry McGuire; it's a pervasive norm among many Americans. Success at all cost; let me get the edge against the rest of the world.

Recently we've seen NFL teams admitting to resorting to videotaping sidelines of opposing teams to pick up plays (essentially akin to teams stealing signs in baseball). Most notorious was the ever powerful New England Patriots. I guess my point here is that this problem is far more deep-rooted in the American norm than many people will wish to admit. But if we all reflect on this, we will have to admit that we are all equally culpable in the aftermath of the Mitchell Report.

I think Jon Heyman of SI.com summed up a lot of how I feel in the wake of this report. In his comments regarding Roger Clemens (and ultimately the whole of the issue), Heyman stated, "Some will say who cares? I say those who played on the up-and-up deserve to know. And so do the fans, most of whom love the history of the game. Well, like or not, this stained steroid era is part of the history."

Whither Discipline?

Bud Selig's position was very odd immediately after the release of the report. Specifically, I was taken aback when Bud stated that there was nothing in the report recommendations that he disagreed with. Later, we learn that Bud is considering on a case-by-case basis whether to dole out recommendations, counter to the advice in the report.

Does disciplining these players warrant necessity? Many of these players cited in the report had conducted their behaviors before MLB became stringent on the use of performance enhancing agents. Not only that, we really don't have a "smoking gun" in any of the evidence presented. What he have mostly is evidence that players bought items and we have statements by people who said they saw, heard, and a couple of administered the items. We don't have evidence that the drugs entered the players, though. We do have a lot of circumstantial evidence suggesting that this happened, but we really are not beyond reasonable doubt that each player is guilty of anything.

Does disciplining everyone/anyone accomplish anything? Probably not, in actuality, as each player will certainly be looking over their shoulder as the next one falls. The fair thing here is to institute tighter control on the testing, as outlined in the report, and maybe use the international standards that the Olympics use. I think that the drug system that is in place is working a bit, but anyone can see that there are some issues.

I am not one at all to suggest that forgetting the past will allow us to move on from this scandalous period. After all, let us not forget that baseball has been laden with scandals in the past, the most notable was certainly the gambling era in which the Black Sox were ravished in their time back in 1919. Pete Rose paid the same price as those nine who were banned by Kennesaw Mountain Landis, and certainly anyone after this report who decides to gamble with performance enhancing agents will pay a hefty price. When something stains the game, the game tends to respond harshly. After all, this is America, and within the norms of society, rarely does one get to recover when he or she wrongs society.

Turnbow and Gagne?

Well, who would have thought that Turnbow and Gagne would be mentioned in the same vein in the Mitchell Report, particularly since Gagne was brought in to basically do the job that we were all getting ready mentally for Turnbow to do. Wow, that was a long sentence!

Turnbow was mentioned in the report because he was tested positive for androstenedione in October 2003 while he was in the Angels organization and trying out for the US Olympic team. Andro was of course most notable because Mark McGuire admitted to using it during his 1998 chase of Roger Maris' record. It should be pointed out that Derrick did not use this drug illegally; it became illegal on March 12, 2004, and it was not banned by MLB at the time. It was, however, banned by the Olympics and the World Anti-Doping Agency. Turnbow was summarily excused from the team.

As for Gagne, all we really have are shipping labels which shows Kirk Radomski sent packages to him at Dodger Stadium and his Florida home. In the report, Gagne supposedly contacted former Mets catcher Paul Lo Duca on his behalf to purchase HGH. He also supposedly later inquired Radomski via Lo Duca as to how to remove air out of a syringe.

Between 2002 and 2004, Gagne was incredible as a closer, but injuries later sidelined him until last season where he seemed to be resurgent as a the closer for the Rangers. Certainly, many people will watch carefully what happens next in his career.

So, the Brewers now have three relievers specifically named in the Mitchell Report: Turnbow, Gagne, and Mota.

Logjam in the Bullpen?

If Bud Selig does not discipline anyone as he suggested he might, the Brewers are going to have a logjam of pitchers for the end of the game (much to Ned Yost's delight, I suppose). Yet, I still found it strange that the Brewers signed Gagne, especially after what appeared to be some positioning that Turnbow was going to be the closer again.

Gagne's contract is not a bad one for both he and the Brewers. If Gagne rebounds to sensational form, then it will probably be worth the $10 million (especially if the Brewers find a path to the playoffs). If he flounders, the Brewers will only be stuck with him for one season.

The Brewers could have a formidable bullpen, a luxury they lacked last season (except, of course, when Cordero got the ball). I firmly believe that a strong bullpen makes a starting staff a lot better, and the Brewers really have the makings of a strong rotation. But it would surprise me in the least that the Brewers will carry all of these pitchers on the opening day roster. The Brewers are still looking for an answer in the outfield.

By the way, anyone else notice that Johnny Estrada was non-tendered? Basically, the Brewers got Mota for free!

Aftermath in Atlanta

There must have been a collective sigh among those in the Braves camp; no current players on the Braves' roster were named in the Mitchell Report. That does not mean that the Braves are in the clear, though.

Don't forget that suspicions arose about Gary Sheffield when he played in Atlanta. Sheffield went so far as to say he was unsure what he received from Barry Bonds, a good friend of his at the time, so he was not at fault (right?). And now David Justice's name has appeared, although his name was mentioned after his time in Atlanta (he steadfastly denies that he took HGH, though he admits to inquiring about it to help recover from an injury).

John Smoltz went on Dan Patrick's show and stated that this scandal is irreparable. As much as I admire John Smoltz, I am not sure sometimes where his head is at. In this case, I disagree. I'll bet if he played in 1919 he would have said the same regarding the Black Sox scandal (and there have been allegations that gamblers were involved in more games than that World Series, by the way). Baseball recovered, John, and it will again.

Ninth Inning...

I think I'll close out this blog for now, leaving with only a modicum of sanity. I don't know who or how many players were involved in using HGH or steroids, but it's clear that something is going on. Curt Schilling went on record noting that he had to second guess hitting another player on the butt because he was concerned that he might slap an injection site. I was pondering yesterday that we generally see players slap their gloves these days more often than pat the other on the rump for a good play like days of old. I don't know if that is exactly connected, but it does make me wonder.

I think baseball will recover. Baseball is not the only sport to have this kind of scandal (anyone remember Lyle Alzado?) nor do I suspect future scandals will miraculously be circumvented. I think the use of testable steroids will certainly be done away with, but I am not convinced that players won't find other ways to get an edge.

Think about it. Do you know how hard it is to hit a 95 mph fastball (especially one with motion)? Do you know what kind of punishment a body goes through during a 162 game season? It's a test of endurance, and if a player wishes to play throughout a season he has to mentally and physically find a way.

Because, after all, the fans demand it. We demand perfection. And we are all guilty in this.