Wednesday, December 12, 2007

Mitchell Eve . . .

I have a feeling that the big Mitchell Report will be an epic disappointment. And for some reason, if or when it does disappoint, it won't be a surprise to me. Why is that? Probably because the lead dog on this investigative report is a former politician. The worst kind - a Senator, a man accustomed to a post of leisure with few demands for results. - I doubt this will be any different.

So here's what I'm guessing the report will contain and the press reaction in ( ):
  • In order to enhance performance and prolong tenure in the league, players took steroids, HGH, and other chemicals most evidently beginning in 1994 and beyond (gasp!)
  • Owners didn't care because tickets were being sold post strike (shocking!)
  • Bonds, Sosa, Palmero, Conseco, McGuire, Clemens, Caminiti, and a host of prior stars will be implicated as players that doped (cataclysmic!)
  • The report will say strong evidence exists that several current players are taking drugs and they should stop.
The report will then go on to say that the current drug testing policies are an improvement but recommends the following changes . . . .It'll be a baseball version of the 9/11 Commission.

None of that would shock any of us would it??

There, what has taken Senator Mitchell to produce in 3 years, took me less than 10 minutes.

. . . Now, if I'm wrong, and if this report is revealing in nature and contains the names of the biggest stars (David Ortiz, A-Rod, Albert Pujols come to mind) - I think there will be a major ripple effect. I can't see that happening though. If names are named, I just have this feeling that it will be a pool of players that aren't the A-Listers (at least I hope not), and that the report will not touch the players that puts money in the bank.

The report gets released at 2pm, and Bud Selig is doing a press conference at 4pm (announcement of suspensions? reversal of records?). . . . And so the baseball world waits.

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13 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ever the cynic, huh?

Reports say the list will contain MVP's and All-Stars...so I guess we'll see soon enough.

Anonymous said...

Still going with wait and see. Initial reports are high high level players.

Any way, did anyone else see the Cubs did not offer Mark Prior a contract making him a free agent. Do the Yankees take a chance on this guy? I think it would be worth the risk, and certainly better than trading your young players. It would be a better signing than Pavano.

Anonymous said...

The the thing I like about free agents is that fact we don't have to offer up any prospects to gain the new player.

So with Prior - do you still give him a go as a starter or relief?

Anonymous said...

More arrests in Italy - how is it that the Red Brigade still exists three decades later???

Anonymous said...

The whole thing about naming MVPs goes to my point its only go to say what we already knew. Who were prior MVPs?: Bonds, Giambi, Caminiti, and Clemens.

I don't think the MVPs are going to be Pujols or A-Rod.

Anonymous said...

I would be shocked if A-Rod, Pujols, or Clemens came up in the report. I would be interested to see if a wrongfully "accused" player could sue Mitchell and/or MLB. Once they're named in the report they will always be associated with steroids and being a cheater.

I would offer Prior a 1 year deal with team option for a second. It would be for $3M, with incentives for starts, IP, K's, etc. to increase the value to $6 or $7M.

57 said...

WAIT... I thought I was the guest blognalist for a while... this is an outrage...

Anonymous said...

Clemens is named in Mitchell report - not a surprise.

Report comes out at 2pm - I expect Clemens to sue by 2:01pm

Anonymous said...

Clemens is named in Mitchell report - not a surprise.

Report comes out at 2pm - I expect Clemens to sue by 2:01pm

Anonymous said...

Not only Clemens but Andy Pettitte as well. These are 2 guys I didn't want to see in the report. Apparently several big name Yankees are in the report.

old professor said...

Regarding the Mitchell report, Pettitte and Clemens were both named by a former Yankee strength trainer. There are more than just two Yankees on the list.

As for Prior, you may remember that Prior was originally drafted by the Yankees, he did not want to play for them, went to college and after a year was drafted by the Cubs. I would doubt if he wants to play for the Yankees.

Anonymous said...

Forget about Clemens...I can't believe Randy Velarde is in the report.

The report (all 409 pages) can be found on MLB.com.

The Giants GM looks real bad whn talking about the BALCO case.

Sorry 57 Lenny Dykstra is the first player named in the Radomski section.

Anonymous said...

I have to say that I think the report is fair. It does identify players (I don't think it's 60-80 players)but it also identified several instances that went unreported by teams, and instances that were reported to MLB offices were not acted upon.

The report does make some very logical recommendations to further enhance the processes, policy and procedures to reduce and deter drug use.

Some key names: Bonds, Sheffield, Giambi, benito Santiago, Clemens, Pettitte, LoDuca, Valerde, Dykstra, Ron Villone, Mo vaughn, Miguel Tejada, Brian Roberts, Jerry Harriston, Chuck Knoblauch, Kevin Brown, Eric Gagne, Denny Neagle, Todd Pratt and John Rocker. Several other names I recognized and a few I didn't know.

Clemens and Bonds are obvious huge names...but at least some of the good guys still seem to be good.

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