It's been curious how the Signature Pharmacy thing has led to the slow drip of a name a day (Ankiel, Glaus, and now Jay Gibbons) instead of one big blockbuster of a name-naming story. Here's a crackpot theory for which I have no information but which would make a world of sense:Major League Baseball itself is leaking the names.
Think about it. On Thursday, it's revealed that Mitchell has a list of 45 guys he wants to talk to. The names came from somewhere, and a list of athletes affiliated with Signature is just as good a guess as any. The players, however, are telling him to pound sand. The very next day the trickle starts. Could it be that someone affiliated with baseball is working the spigot in the hopes that fears of exposure would motivate cooperation?
I stand by my belief that the Mitchell investigation is a whitewash and a sham, and if I were representing players I would tell them to stay the heck away from it. That said, if you were a major league ballplayer who knew his name was on some steroid/HGH list, wouldn't you be thinking that it would be better for that story to break after you had already spoken with Mitchell so that you could release a statement -- and have MLB release one too -- that focuses on your cooperation and candidness? Especially when the alternative is "Neither Shlabotnik nor his agent returned calls seeking comment?"
Like I said, just a theory, but I'm having trouble imagining anyone with a better motive.
1 comment:
I'm in your corner Craig. I also think that Mitchell is a PR job ( I also think it will be effectve, sadly, in manipulating opinion ).
What's most unfair is that it is an absolute crapshoot who gets branded a user of PED's and who doesn't....whose name comes up in Radomski, Signature, Grimsley, BALCO et al. I'm not saying these allegations are false, in fact I think the opposite but who has their reputations and accomplishments diminished and who doesn't is based on nothing more than luck.
I'm a big fan of the MLBPA ( being a Canadian and comparing it to the long line of crooks who have run the NHLPA is enlightening ) and I applaud them for counselling their membership to not cooperate with Mitchell. Compare this to how docile the NFLPA is in protecting their players in the Signature investigation. I read today that the NFL delivered Harrison & Wilson to the DA in Albany so they could cooperate in the investigation..
What is happening with the results from the "Anonymous" testing that the PA agreed to? Did a Grand Jury get those results? Didn't the PA file a lawsuit to keep the results private? These names will also become public, it is inevitable by hook or crook.
In a nutshell, what galls me both in baseball and in the NFL is that bigger, faster, stronger sells. PED's contribute to that and the owners have always known it. I can't bear the hypocrisy of the owners / commissioners in both leagues when positive tests are revealed.
Glaus, Ankiel, Gibbons...who cares, get in line.
I do think there is less juice in the game this season, it is the principal reason ( who knows about the ball ) that HR are down. It will be interesting to see in the next few seasons if the trend continues downward.
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