AL East players linked to PED clinic (Yankee and new Blue Jay)

[Can_of_corn]

ARod seems bright enough to understand that......or at least big enough that someone should've told him.

Wasn't there an issue in the past about him getting advanced warning before tests? Maybe he still thinks he is untouchable.

[ChaosLex]

[Frobby]

Why are these guys so stupid as to have it shipped to themselves. Why can't they have a friend or employee, or anyone else go pick it up for them?

You have seen interviews with players right?

Not many of them look to me like they could have careers as Criminal Masterminds when their playing days are over.

ARod seems bright enough to understand that......or at least big enough that someone should've told him.

Didn't Miggy get caught that way? I would have thought that would have warned off others.

[Can_of_corn]

Why are these guys so stupid as to have it shipped to themselves. Why can't they have a friend or employee, or anyone else go pick it up for them?

Does make one stop and wonder. I'll mention Jeter as a possible. ( He is a Florida guy ).

Now Jeter strikes me as someone that would use intermediaries.

[joe42]

Now Jeter strikes me as someone that would use intermediaries.

But it wouldn't shock you if it was discovered that he was a user?

[luismatos4prez]

I've never used performance enhancing drugs of any kind and I never will. I've never met or spoken with Tony Bosch or used any substance provided by him. Anything said to the contrary is a lie.

- Gio Gonzalez

[Can_of_corn]

But it wouldn't shock you if it was discovered that he was a user?

Huh?

Of course I think he used. I think most players used. I think use is rampant in the NFL/NHL/NBA as well. Heck I think the PGA guys (and girls) are using.

Anytime you take a group of extremely competitive people and monetarily incentivise performance you will find folks cheating.

[kman123]

Gio Gonzalez's father says that the drugs were for him for weight loss purposes. Sorry, I don't believe that. Maybe I am jaded, but I don't give athletes much benefit of the doubt anymore when it comes to PEDs. Plus it just feels like a pretty flimsy excuse to me.

http://kffl.com/hotw/gnews.php?id=836705-nationals-gio-gonzalez's-father-says-his-son-is-innocent

Did they say specifically what GG ordered? If it's something like clenbuterol, then sure, I can buy that excuse. Otherwise, I am disappointed to hear that he was implicated.

What if they were selling heroin or cocaine?

Heroin isn't really any worse than oxy and the like. IDK if you classify cocaine as being better or worse than opiates, but personally, my concern about the clinics is really about the type of people that get drawn into areas with the clinics and not the concept themselves.

[Austin]

None of the substances Gio is connected to are on the banned substance list, supposedly. Link. It wouldn't surprise me if other news comes out in the next few days so take it for what it's worth.

[LA2]

Sorry Bob, but Florida isn't all big fish, sunny days, golf, and plastic women. But is a big part of the experience.

Aren't you in Clearwater? If so you get the Scientology experience to boot!

I've lived in Miami the last 7 years and it's been a new experience to see how openly people down here talk of their involvement in illegal drug trafficking. Two examples immediately come to mind. At a Q & A after a screening seeking feedback before the final cut of the documentary Cocaine Cowboys the audience was filled with former (?) dealers and transporters who hilariously lectured the directors--and a few DEA cops--about everything that was depicted inaccurately. They made the point that, if you count the supposedly legit professionals (doctors, lawyers, etc.) who paid dealers for the privilege of going out with them on the speedboats and be photographed helping them lift bales of coke out of Miami Harbor, Porsche and Benz salesmen accepting $100,000 checks drawn on Panamanian bank accounts, cops, the people running banks set up solely to launder the money, etc., almost everyone was somehow involved. Secondly, when I sit in a cigar shop down here I'll overhear people talking about how they and their sisters or brothers made a living fulfilling prescriptions by corrupt physicians. They made it sound like it had been easy to get away Scott-free (haha) and even when caught, the penalties were relatively light and it wasn't dangerous to get back to work the same way afterwards.

Of course, crime is everywhere, but I've been struck by how candid--and foolhardy?--people are in public places about their own involvement, as if it were part of their normal casual chit-chat with strangers. Very different from my experience at, say, film screenings in L.A. or a Fifth Ave. tobacconist in Manhattan.

[murph]

I hope we get through this investigation without any of our players named. It would be great if some of our rivals lost some of their players to drug suspensions.

That is a concern, but that article in the Miami New Times is very long, I can't imagine they didn't reveal everything they could, so hopefully the players listed are all they have found. I am really not interested in hearing of any more suspected players from any team, baseball is taking enough of a hit.......again.

[CT203]

What if they were selling heroin or cocaine?[/quote

Addicts are going to get their fix anyway possible. It doesnt matter if it is illegal or legal to obtain. They will rob family members and pawn their stuff for their fix. I would much rather the US just eliminate the war on drugs and set up clinics to help addicts and provide clean needles, needle exchanges, and set up a system to help addicts rehabilitate.

Also from personal experience, not me being a user but friends who have OD'd and a couple in jail for going to florida and bring back Perc 30s and Oxys and other prescription pills for a period of 5 years... Florida does nothing to help the situation. The people I know made well over 100k each by buying and selling scripts they got in Florida when they had no ailments that would have gotten them a prescription in CT, RI, Mass, NY. They buy perc 30s for IDK $6-10 pill and come back up to NE and sell them for $25-30 a pill.

People want perc 30s. They actually go to herion after perc 30s because heroin is less expensive. This isnt only a northeast thing either as I have lived in DC for 4 years and seen the same things. Its just middle-upper class that tends to get into the pharma craze because they have hte money rather than the poor who go with crack, heroin or angel dust.

[CT203]

I've lived in Miami the last 7 years and it's been a new experience to see how openly people down here talk of their involvement in illegal drug trafficking. Two examples immediately come to mind. At a Q & A after a screening seeking feedback before the final cut of the documentary Cocaine Cowboys the audience was filled with former (?) dealers and transporters who hilariously lectured the directors--and a few DEA cops--about everything that was depicted inaccurately. They made the point that, if you count the supposedly legit professionals (doctors, lawyers, etc.) who paid dealers for the privilege of going out with them on the speedboats and be photographed helping them lift bales of coke out of Miami Harbor, Porsche and Benz salesmen accepting $100,000 checks drawn on Panamanian bank accounts, cops, the people running banks set up solely to launder the money, etc., almost everyone was somehow involved. Secondly, when I sit in a cigar shop down here I'll overhear people talking about how they and their sisters or brothers made a living fulfilling prescriptions by corrupt physicians. They made it sound like it had been easy to get away Scott-free (haha) and even when caught, the penalties were relatively light and it wasn't dangerous to get back to work the same way afterwards.

Of course, crime is everywhere, but I've been struck by how candid--and foolhardy?--people are in public places about their own involvement, as if it were part of their normal casual chit-chat with strangers. Very different from my experience at, say, film screenings in L.A. or a Fifth Ave. tobacconist in Manhattan.

Look up the real Rick Ross and his story. It might open your eyes to drug trafficking. Long story short US government supplied Rick Ross with crack cocaine and he would sell it. When heat started coming down on Rick Ross and the government was afraid they would get outed they set up Rick Ross and he subsequently went to jail.

I do not put it past the government to be involved in the drug trade and create a drug problem so their own divisions continue to have work while they make money on the black market also. Its nice to be in on both sides.

[Can_of_corn]

I know this is way in the future but I will be pissed if A-Roid makes it into the Hall of Fame after Raffy not getting in yet. Personally, I'd like for Raffy to get involved with the Orioles organization in some capacity to try to fix some of the damage done to his career. He's an Oriole great (no matter what anyone says) and I hope things can be repaired and redeemed.

The problem is, folks like Arod, Clemens and Bonds have incredibly solid resumes for the Hall. Raffy falls into the group with Sosa and McGwire in that they are borderline candidates before factoring in PED use.

[waroriole]

The problem is, folks like Arod, Clemens and Bonds have incredibly solid resumes for the Hall. Raffy falls into the group with Sosa and McGwire in that they are borderline candidates before factoring in PED use.

500 HR and 3,000 hits seems pretty cut and dry to me.