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December 14, 2007

The Mitchell Report

So we finally got to see this long-awaited report on drugs in Baseball, and shockingly it seems that players are using them. Gasp. I'm not sure I like that this Report with a capital "R" from some puffed up ex-Senator is basically 400 pages of hearsay and therefore every player 'named' now has his 'name' tarred and forever associated with cheating; while I love to jump to conclusions as much as anyone I do like there to be evidence and trial and conviction before I damn someone for eternity. Well, most times, anyway.

I fully agree with the commentator at Volokh who said

I don't think anybody seriously thinks the report favors any particular team because, in all honesty, nobody cares enough to do anything. If you want to ban steroid use, the solution is very simple. Players caught are barred for life and that player's team forfeits all games in whcih that player appeared. If that means forfeiting (and refunding) World Series games, too bad.

Once such a draconian rule is instituted, players, agents and owners will be alligned in ensuring frequent and accurate tests.

Is such a rule fair? Ask Jearl-Miles Clark, Monique Hennagan, LaTasha Colander-Richardson and Andrea Anderson how they will feel if they lose their relay Olympic gold medals because team member Marion Jones cheated.

But baseball will never invoke a team forfeit rule. Until it does, it's really not interested in treating the problem seriously.

I think every single player who uses these things should be booted and banned. Cheating bastards.

But what really underwhelmed me about the report was the large number of forgettable players who are named. I mean, this has got to be the most effective anti-drug aspect of the report: Maybe there are some guys who would risk shrinking their weenie if they knew they'd hit the ball like Bonds...but to end up throwing the ball 10 rows up behind 1st base like Knoblauch?

No thanks.

Posted by Mr. Bingley at December 14, 2007 07:39 AM

Comments

I've got to disagree on a few points.

Players caught are barred for life and that player's team forfeits all games in whcih that player appeared. If that means forfeiting (and refunding) World Series games, too bad.

Once such a draconian rule is instituted, players, agents and owners will be alligned in ensuring frequent and accurate tests.

I have to disagree because even with accurate and frequent testing, there's still a chance of not being caught. Maybe it would be effective if players and agents had to give back all their salary during these time periods. Otherwise a mediocre minor leaguer with no real shot at the big leagues still has an incentive to take steroids.

As for the "forgettable players," their steroid use probably got them from minor league salaries to at least the league minimum, which, I believe, is a huge leap up.

Posted by: Nobrainer at December 14, 2007 08:43 AM

What's the minimum now, something over $350,000 or so, isn't it? Yeah, I imagine that's a bit of a step up from AAA.

Posted by: Mr. Bingley at December 14, 2007 08:51 AM

And who exactly is going to propagate this draconian rule? Bud Selig, a wholly-owned subsidiary of MLB Inc.?

Posted by: mojo at December 14, 2007 10:27 AM

Ah heck, nobody will, mojo.

But a feller can dream, can't he?

Posted by: Mr. Bingley at December 14, 2007 10:52 AM

Gaaaah. Why can't I track you back? Why am I teh suq at coding?

Posted by: nightfly at December 14, 2007 12:23 PM

It's not you. Hosting Matters isn't letting us accept Trackbacks. I should just turn them off.

Posted by: Mr. Bingley at December 14, 2007 01:12 PM

"It's not you. Hosting Matters isn't letting us accept Trackbacks".


Sounds like George Costanza's schtick on Seinfelds to me, Bingley...lol.

Posted by: El Cid at December 14, 2007 03:48 PM

Just another reason to maintain my lifetime ban on baseball (since 1995, a year without the World Series).

P.S. Hank Aaron PWN3S Barry Bonds 10X over.

Posted by: Gunslinger at December 14, 2007 11:17 PM

As the guys on PTI noted, this report is terrifying for one reason ~ its limited scope. There are only 2 cities represented ~ San Francisco and New York, vis a vis BALCO and the Mets and Yankees trainers. And there are EIGHTY names. So, how many cities have major league base-a-bah-roo teams? Some even have two, right? ( Proof in the pudding ~ no mention of either Mark MacGuire or Sammy Sosa) So if 3 teams in 2 cities have 80 or so names, do the division/multiplication exercise and feel free to err on the conservative side.

The numbers are STAGGERING.

Posted by: tree hugging sister at December 14, 2007 11:36 PM

What's staggering is the Owner's claims that they didn't know anything about it. Yeah, right guys. You betcha.

Posted by: mojo at December 17, 2007 12:31 PM