Steroid users soon to become public according to article in the Sun

[scOtt]

Not a surprising one at all though.

Not really, but if it's that many players, there are bound to be surprises on top of the shame. What if someone like Surhoff is on the list, or dare I say it, Cal.

[geschinger]

The more information that is released the better. The quicker the better. Get everything that is confirmed on the record out there, let the media spend a few weeks blasting the sport and then we can all move on. It's certainly preferrable to have bits and pieces come out over time reopening the discussion every time it does. I could be wrong, but I don't think that MLB has the authority to suspend anyone for anything that happened prior to the new policies being implemented.

[Migrant Redbird]

I'm lookin' at YOU, Eckstein.

Why? It could just as easily be Ripken. I doubt if it will be either. The players that Radomski outs will probably be mostly those who played part or all of their careers in the NL and passed through the Mets visiting locker room frequently.

Players like McGwire, Sosa, Biggio, Bagwell, Lankford, Brian Jordan, Chipper Jones, Ryne Sandberg, and Andre Dawson are more likely candidates for being exposed by Radomski than Eckstein or Ripken.

SI/CNN article

Radomski is said by federal authorities to have been a supplier of steroids to current and former major leaguers between 1995 and 2005 after previously working as a Mets clubby and batboy.

It's possible that some AL players were referred to Radomski by fellow players who came over from the NL, but I would expect those to be in the minority of those getting named. McGwire's alleged supplier was from the Bay area, IIRC.

It's likely that a lot of highly respected players dabbled with steroids at some point. I think that's probably what got McGwire in trouble when he was testifying before Congress. It's difficult to imagine a boy growing up around Southern California's Muscle Beach culture not having considered experimenting with steroids at one time or another, especially if he spent a lot of time in the gyms working out.

[ScottieBaseball]

The thing is, mass murderers hurt other people, very badly. Steroid users hurt primarily themselves. If someone provides material support to a mass murderer or harbors them while they're a fugitive from the law, they get punished too. Steroids are illegal for good reason and those found guilty of possessing them should face fines, community service, mandatory rehab, etc. the same way they would for any other illegal drug whether or not someone influenced them to do it. They also deserve a chance to rehabilitate themselves afterward just like any other person who has a drug problem. I just don't think Bud Selig is in much of a position to be handing out penalties for steroid use when he willingly and happily profited from it for years and continues to refuse to take any responsibility for that. If he resigned and there were a new commissioner who was not involved in MLB between 1995 and 2005, maybe that person would have some ground to stand on, but Selig does not and neither do most of his staff or most of the other owners. Most of the guys who used steroids in any significant quantity will pay the price eventually whether or not their transgressions make the front page of the newspaper.

I understand your argument but disagree with the theory. I don't think your 'harboring a known fugitive' is an apples-to-apples comparison. I'm not sure it will ever be proven that Selig and other front office execs knew with 100% certainty that anyone was using steroids. Several players have already pointed the finger toward the front office, but it was their very own Players Association that prevented any meaningful testing program to be implemented until recently. I'm not saying the front office execs were powerless by any means, but the players who are guilty are exponentially more responsible. The MLB commish is nothing more than a figurehead for owners and not a real commissioner like David Stern and Roger Goodell. Aside from declaring an All Star game a tie there has been very little significant power associated with the job.

[bobmc]

Why? It could just as easily be Ripken. I doubt if it will be either. The players that Radomski outs will probably be mostly those who played part or all of their careers in the NL and passed through the Mets visiting locker room frequently.

Players like McGwire, Sosa, Biggio, Bagwell, Lankford, Brian Jordan, Chipper Jones, Ryne Sandberg, and Andre Dawson are more likely candidates for being exposed by Radomski than Eckstein or Ripken.

SI/CNN article



It's possible that some AL players were referred to Radomski by fellow players who came over from the NL, but I would expect those to be in the minority of those getting named. McGwire's alleged supplier was from the Bay area, IIRC.

It's likely that a lot of highly respected players dabbled with steroids at some point. I think that's probably what got McGwire in trouble when he was testifying before Congress. It's difficult to imagine a boy growing up around Southern California's Muscle Beach culture not having considered experimenting with steroids at one time or another, especially if he spent a lot of time in the gyms working out.

The SI/CNN article you cite has a link to this story on Radomski, which yielded this temptingly tasty tidbit:

Associates say Radomski had all sorts of money-making schemes and never tired of work. One noted how he was back at work the day after he returned from accepting his plea in San Francisco. "All he did was drive," another recalled. "One time I remember he drove to Baltimore just to deliver a package. What was in it, I don't know."

[blueberryale77]

Why? It could just as easily be Ripken...

Stallion...er...uh... Mr. Fingers... was just making a joke about Eckstein because someone else had said he hoped at least half the guys named would be 'scrappy little white guy' types.

[Migrant Redbird]

Stallion...er...uh... Mr. Fingers... was just making a joke about Eckstein because someone else had said he hoped at least half the guys named would be 'scrappy little white guy' types.

I've gotten the impression in the past that there is a significant minority of O's fans who find Eckstein and the hype over his WS MVP to be irritating.

[RVAbird]

I've gotten the impression in the past that there is a significant minority of O's fans who find Eckstein and the hype over his WS MVP to be irritating.

I don't put too much weight on things like World Series MVPs, so I'm indifferent to that. I've never commented on Eckstein before but I honestly don't see what the hype is about. A 709 career OPS and average speed isn't appealing to me. I've got nothing against the guy, but he does kind of feed the fire of that whole scrappy gutsy intangible stereotype that drives me nuts.

You get to see him on a daily basis I assume, so what are your thoughts?

[ledzepp8]

I've gotten the impression in the past that there is a significant minority of O's fans who find Eckstein and the hype over his WS MVP to be irritating.

I don't think this opinion is held only by O's fans.

[Fist Bump]

Steroid users hurt primarily themselves.

They also indirectly can hurt the player that is not using them but is sitting on the bench (or in the minors) behind the player that is using them. I have sympathy for the people that are playing by the rules but are losing opportunities to live their dream to those that are not playing by the rules.

[Migrant Redbird]

You get to see him on a daily basis I assume, so what are your thoughts?

I love scrappy ballplayers and I think Eckstein has a lot of character, but I'd rather have good ballplayers on my own team. Eckstein is OK, but the Cardinals have burdened themselves with another modest hitting infielder on a 3 year contract in the person of Adam Kennedy, and one of those types is about all I feel that they can afford. I'd take Eckstein over Kennedy, but Adam's still got 2 years left on his contract and no one is going to take him in trade without asking for some accompanying cash.

I'm ready to let Eckstein go, rather than offer him arbitration. Aaron Miles is lower priced insurance and more flexible in where he can play. The Cards have several young middle infielders now who deserve chances next spring, and they'll not get many if the Cards keep both Eckstein and Kennedy around.

[Ruzious]

I'm lookin' at YOU, Eckstein.

LOL, and I hope Leitch's comment was made toungue in cheek.

Anyway, I think it's a good thing to list all of the people who failed the drug test. It helps by embarrassing the ones who got caught and exonnerating the ones who successfully used masking agents... er, I mean exonnerates those who didn't cheat.