The Mitchell Report My Thoughts One Year Later

For the last two decades, baseball has had the shadow of steroids and human growth hormone (HGH) luming over head. After the debacle on Capitol Hill where Mark McGwire "didn't want to talk about the past", Sammy Sosa forgetting how to speak the English language, Rafael Palmerio famously wagging his finger, and big time rat Jose Consaco was looked at as "courageous", our US senetors put the heat on baseball commissioner Bud Selig and the players association president Don Fehr to clean up baseball. MLB was embarrassed on a national level, as Selig's incompetence was exposed. Mr. Selig had to find a way to kill a monster he helped create(more on that later).
Thus, Senator George Mitchell was brought in to investigate. Selig felt if Mitchell could run a successful investigation, he could save face and put MLB back on top. I'm going to tell you my opinion on this witch hunt....... I mean, investigation.





The 20 month long investigation was launched. George Mitchell is a former Senator Majority Leader, federal prosecutor and ex chairman of Walt Disney Company. He was called on by Selig to lead an investigation into drug use on March 30 of 2006. From the start, the investigation was really fishy. First off, the investigation was primarily focused on the players, not ownership or management. I really believe EVERYBODY was the blame for this, not just players or ownership. Hell, even the reporters are guilty as well. I see it this way, MLB after the strike season in 1994 was hurting. Fans had lost hope and faith. They went else where. The NFL had taken over as the top sport in America and has a hold on it since. Baseball was desperate. They had to bring the fans back home. So, in my opinion, everybody turned a blind eye to the steroid issues happening. Owners were probably thinking, 'I don't care if so and so is shooting a needle in his ass and is breaking the law, the money is rolling in!!!!!' Writers had something good to write about baseball for a change. Nobody was complaining when McGwire and Sosa was going back and forth in their chase for Roger Maris' single season homer record. It seems all was well in the baseball world. However, things started to change. Barry Bonds broke McGwire's record when he smashed 73 home runs in 2001. People started to get curious about Bonds as he was approaching hallowed numbers such as 745. I can understand why the scrutiny would be there. Let's be real, Bonds is a dick to almost everybody. It's easy to HATE him, even though I'm a fan. You also can't deny this, Bonds is one of, if not the best,baseball player in history. If you haters can't see that, then you all are in denial, blind, or just hate him that much. With that said, baseball is known for the records. Bonds came outta no where to get these records. The tide turned. MLB had to get this controlled. Anyhow, the investigation was one sided it seems. The report finally came out December 13, 2007. Everybody was anxious to see who was or wasn't on the list. I was at the gym working out while this was happening. The first thing that Mitchell says is " Major League Baseball has a steroid issue." Wow. What are you gonna tell me next, Clay Aiken is gay? We paid this fool $20 million to tell me that they have an issue? Man, I coulda told you that for $20!!! Anyhow, the names start flowing. Miguel Tejada, Paul Lo Duca, Eric Gagne, Andy Petitte, and Roger Clemens were just a few of the stars on the list. Most of the players on the list were tied into 3 entities. Kirk Radomski, who was a Met club house employee,was a key witness. Brian McNamee was a trainer who provided roids and HGH to Clemens and Petitte. The 3rd was the pharmacy BALCO. More questions were raised. There were NO Boston Red Sox players on the list. Mitchell is connected with the Sox. There were several current and former Yankees on the list. That's strange... actually, no it ain't. Also, the timing of the report was really questioned. It was leaked that Dennis Byrd, who was a pitcher for the Cleveland Indians, was on the list. At the time of the "leak", the Indians were locked in a battle with the Red Sox for a trip to the World Series. Another thing I had a problem with was not all the players were named. You are a fool if you think your favorite player ain't on the juice. A-Rod wasn't on the list, neither was Albert Pujols, David Ortiz. Just because they weren't on there, doesn't mean they are clean. They just didn't associate with Radomski, McNamee, or BALCO. Besides, chemist are always one step ahead of the system. There will be new drugs that will go under the eye of the system. Things seem to be heading in the right direction for baseball. The game seems to be cleaned up. I just think the whole Mitchell Report was a waste of time. I feel it was witch hunt against Bonds. It seems that Bonds was the scapegoat during the "steroid era". He wasn't the only one, but he was the main one, along with Clemens. I also had a problem about the 1st reaction when Clemens was named. People were quick to make excuses for Roger. The minute that Bonds was even connected with 'roids, everybody was like, ' yeah he did it!' , or I knew it!! What made Clemens better than Bonds? Why were people quick to defend Roger (at first, because you know what happened next with Roger) and chastised Barry? Race? Maybe. Public perception? Could be. I think they are one in the same. Both are the best at what they did. You won't get no argument from me about Clemens. He is the most dominant right handed pitcher in this era, or any era. You already read what I had to say about Bonds. They are also arrogant, cocky, thought they was above the law. Now you know how it could end for both. Both are facing serious time behind bars if their charges stick. Funny, two of the best ball players in history might be behind bars in the near future.