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Big names hit in MLB drugging report
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(Getty Images)
Major League Baseball investigator George Mitchell released a report linking 86 players to performance-enhancing drugs, including Miguel Tejada and 16 other current or former Orioles. Major League Baseball will never be viewed the same again. The course of baseball history took a major turn Thursday when investigator George Mitchell released his report, linking 86 players to performance-enhancing drugs, including 17 current or former Orioles. Mitchell sat before a room of reporters and a worldwide audience on television and radio, and revealed his findings, detailing a 409-page report containing interviews, information, financial records and documents. “The evidence we uncovered indicates this has not been an isolated problem involving just a few players or a few clubs. Many players were involved,” Mitchell said. “Each of the 30 clubs has had players involved with such substances at some time in their careers.” The report links many of the sport’s biggest names in the past decade to performance-enhancing drugs: Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Miguel Tejada, Andy Pettitte, Gary Sheffield, Jason Giambi and Mo Vaughn. However, Mark McGwire was mentioned in the report, but not among the players linked to performance-enhancing drugs. Mitchell spent 20 months delving into the “steroid era,” and revealed a list of transactions, conversations and allegations. But Mitchell did not suggest any punishment for players included in the report. Commissioner Bud Selig, however, said he will pursue action. Click here to read the entire Mitchell report. “Discipline of players and others identified in this report will be determined on a case-by-case basis,” Selig said. “If warranted, those decisions will be made swiftly, and I of course, will give thorough consideration to Senator Mitchell’s views on this subject.” Selig would not commit to altering records — most notably Barry Bonds’ all-time home run mark — set by players in Mitchell’s report. Much of the report details four interviews with former New York Mets clubhouse attendant Kirk Radomski, who identified many current and former players to whom he dealt steroids and human growth hormone. Aside from Radomski and other informants, Mitchell and Selig were disappointed with the lack of cooperation from the Major League Baseball Players Association. “The players union was largely uncooperative for reasons which are understandable,” Mitchell said. Mitchell referenced the anonymous steroids testing of 2003, when 5 to 7 percent of those players tested positive, and said his findings proved those tests “understated the actual level of use.” Selig agreed with many of the approximately 20 recommendations by Mitchell, and already has eradicated the 24-hour warning given to teams before their players are drug tested. Selig also declared plans to further research testing for human growth hormone, which is undetectable by baseball’s current testing system. “Players who are set on cheating have apparently moved from steroids to hGH,” Selig said. “We will do more to combat the use of hGH and to investigate and detect new substances.” The List » USE/POSESSION Chad Allen Mike Bell Gary Bennett Larry Bigbie Ricky Bones Kevin Brown Ken Caminiti Mark Carreon Jason Christiansen Howie Clark Roger Clemens Paxton Crawford Jack Cust Chris Donnels Brendan Donnelly Lenny Dykstra Matt Franco Ryan Franklin Eric Gagne Jason Grimsley Jerry Hairston Matt Herges Phil Hiatt Glenallen Hill Todd Hundley Ryan Jorgensen Wally Joyner Mike Judd David Justice Chuck Knoblauch Tim Laker Mike Lansing Paul Lo Duca Exavier “Nook” Logan Josias Manzanillo Cody McKay Kent Mercker Bart Miadich Hal Morris Daniel Naulty Denny Neagle Rafael Palmeiro Jim Parque Luis Perez Andy Pettitte Adam Piatt Todd Pratt Stephen Randolph Adam Riggs Brian Roberts F.P. Santangelo David Segui Mike Stanton Ricky Stone Miguel Tejada Derrick Turnbow Mo Vaughn Ron Villone Fernando Vina Rondell White Jeff Williams Todd Williams Kevin Young Gregg Zaun » ALLEGED INTERNET PURCHASES Rick Ankiel David Bell Paul Byrd Jose Canseco Jay Gibbons Troy Glaus Jose Guillen Darren Holmes Gary Matthews Jr. John Rocker Scott Schoeneweis Ismael Valdez Matt Williams Steve Woodard » LINKED THROUGH BALCO Marvin Benard Barry Bonds Bobby Estalella Jason Giambi Jeremy Giambi Benito Santiago Gary Sheffield Randy Velarde swelsh@baltimoreexaminer.com |
