Odds and Sods

On March 29, 2006, Major League Baseball announced that former Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell would head an investigation into Steroid use in baseball.  The impetus, besides a very public backhand from congress and public outcry, was largely the book Game of Shadows, released earlier that month, which collected and presented all of the evidence that Barry Bonds had in fact used steroids.  The investigation declined to designate Bonds in particular, but he was assumed to be the primary target.

The investigation sounded like a good idea, except that it had one glaringly fatal flaw.  No one was compelled to cooperate.  Players, Managers, Coaches, Trainers, Doctors, Front Office People, and Clubhouse attendants could all refuse the request for information.  In the sport with arguably the most familial lockerroom atmosphere, the person who came out to invesitigators (see Jason Grimsley) would have been an immediate pariah.  Coupled with the threat of losing a large amount of money in contracts and being suspended, it is not unsurprising that no one has come forward to give evidence.

Their desperation to find any shred of evidence can clearly be seen with Jason Giambi, who a few weeks previously had apologized for using that “stuff.”  He has about forty million ($$$) reasons for not wanting anything to do with the Mitchell investigation, and obviously has bene unwilling to reply to queries.  But, they are so desperate for someone to talk, that Selig, despite the blantant dubious legality, has chosen to hold the threat of suspension over Giambi’s head unless he cooperates with the investigation, thereby putting the union in the position of having to defend him in public.

Buster Olney believes that the commissioner may take the same road with Barry Bonds.  If it is successful with Giambi, why not Bonds?  It would also give him an out for not showing up at the game where Bonds breaks Aaron’s home run record.

Even if Giambi or Bonds do talk to Senator Mitchell, neither one of them is going to say anything of substance.  If Bud Selig does decide to pursue suspensions against them, neither one of them will serve a game.  The only reason to even pursue this avenue is for Bud to be a big man and make himself look good for posterity, which is quite ridiculous.

Selig’s actions do not constitute being serious about the steroid issue.  He is fruitlessly bullying players who are already shunned and fingered by most fans anyway.  It is grandstanding in front of an audience without substance. If he is going to go after one player linked to steroids, he should go after the whole lot of them.  But we already know that Bud isn’t a big enough man to go out and suspend the Gary Sheffields and Ivan Rodriguez’ of the world.  If he isn’t going to go after everyone, he shouldn’t go after anyone.

It is fairly clear that the Mitchell investigation has produced nothing.  After 15 months of investigation, they have to resort to bullying to get dirt on two players who were both heavily linked to BALCO and both had grand jury testimonies leaked where they admitted (at least to unknowingly) using steroids.  One all but admitted it publically and apologized twice, and the other had an entire book worth of material written about his alleged usage.  With even the most conservative estimates in the hundreds for number of players using steroids, this is atrocious.

The sad fact is that baseball does not want the truth to come out.  At a time where MLB is rolling in the cash from increased possibility, no one wants to admit that the last decade has been a sham.  It is much easier to employ unpopular figures like Bonds and Giambi as scapegoats and push the rest of the distressing information under the rug.  It convenienlty allows Bud and the other suits to wash their hands of this.

The only organization with the clout to step in and hammer out the truth is Congress.  Perhaps baseball would be a welcome diversion from not getting us out of Iraq, not passing a sensible immigration policy, not drafting up universal healthcare, and not improving an embarassment of an education system.  If they can hold the anti-trust exemption over baseball’s head to prevent George Soros from purchasing the Washington Nationals, you would think they could try to do something about steroids.