A Useless "Truth": Mitchell Report, Thoughts and Comments

Now that the Mitchell report is out, as expected, there will be repercussions to the names of many of the athletes mentioned. While the accusations are bad, especially in their implications as a model, to what extend is punishment necessary? Why should one just give Major League Baseball a pass for just arbitrarily deciding to now drill back to the past, and punish for previous deeds, when their policy has been they want to move on. Honestly, it seems clear what the motivation for MLB is in this situation. They want to look like the ones that have been trying as they can to stop the epidemic while those nasty players and their union do not want to stop it. Please. Where was drug testing during this so called era? Lets examine a statement made by the commissioner Selig during the era. “If baseball has a problem, I must say candidly that we were not aware of it." So Why did it take the commisioner a full eight years before he accepted steriod use?

Money


Yes, that one inevitable reason, the so called root of evil is probably the reason behind the mess. I do not believe the executives cared much about the situation as long as they were getting their yearly dose of revenue increase. And viola it worked. Billions poured in. The stain of a strike was forgotten by the new popularized long ball. Commercials popularized the notion. McGuire and Sosa were heroes, albeit with McGuire getting more endorsements from what can possible be seen as a racial issue inherently present within the fabric of the games, but alas, that is for another post. Reports of Andro being found in a certain Cardinal slugger's locker were dismissed. No one seemed to care. The best result possible for MLB.

However, good things do not last for ever. Baseball learned this the hard way with controversy caused by players such as Jose Canseco This prompter that infamous day at capital hill, where people didnt want to talk about the past, didnt speak English, and absolutely under no circumstances did steroids. The later became a instant hero, first ballot hall fame worth. Just one problem. Just six weeks later, he was positive. On another unrelated note, why they didnt go after Rafael Palmero yet they went so vigorously after Barry Bonds has always been a mystery to me. Racial Implications anyone? Or, record implications? Or a combination of both? So now baseball has to have a steroids policy and they do. Yet further outrage, constant, combined inevitably with one Barry Bonds, precipitated, what brings us here today; the Mitchell investigation.

There are several problems I have with this report. First, to base things on hearsay to tarnish the name of someone is ridiculous. Any lawyer, or those that watch court shows, knows hearsay is a reasonable base for an objection that is likely sure to be sustained. If ESPN reporters can figure this out, imagine the ammunition this gives for the always strong lawyers of the player's union. Furtehrmore, are we not in America, innocent till proven guilty. Proven. Hearsay is not proof, just a statement. The use of such low item simply to get names is disgusting, appalling. Finally, one can question the motives of the attendants and trainers that were the base of this report. They are probably facing long long sentences and would probably like those sentences to be shorter or even non existent. Does it not look like a good offer to fabricate some things?

I for one am skeptical of the effects of this investigation. How will this do any good for baseball? How is this any better than simply creating a portrait of this as the steroid era but allow all the records and monuments done within the frame. Why penalize people for doing something that was not even in the rules? I for one would vote for Barry Bonds for the Hall of Fame. Who knows how many pitchers were using steroids. Every era has something that goes along with it, and for our era it happens to be steroids. Lets just allow and accept what has occurred and move on. I do propose a synopsis of this era being presented but an asterisk is not proper. What precedent shall this set? Its time to forgive and forget and move on.