Or, “here’s another fine mess.”
On a recent episode of PTI, Kornheiser and Wilbon were talking about the latest Barry Bonds situation (i.e., a judge saying evidence against him might be disallowed because of improper procedure) and wondering what that might mean for the slugger’s Hall of Fame chances. Of all of his contemporaries — McGuire, Sosa, and Clemens — they felt Bonds had the best chance to make it. Then they praised Alex Rodriguez for being the one clean player in that lofty group.
Not so fast, says SI.com.
In this “exclusive” from the website, they report that four independent sources claim that A-Rod took Primobolan and testosterone as a member of the Texas Rangers in 2003. According to an Associated Press report, “Baseball’s drug policy prohibited the use of steroids without a valid prescription since 1991, but there were no penalties for a positive test in 2003.”
Rodriguez’s name appears on a list of 104 players who tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs in Major League Baseball’s ’03 survey testing, SI’s sources say. As part of a joint agreement with the MLB Players Association, the testing was conducted to determine if it was necessary to impose mandatory random drug testing across the major leagues in 2004.
When asked about the SI report, Rodriguez declined comment, telling reporters to “talk to the union.”
Evidently it’s not just the player that’s upset by the revelation.
“We are disturbed by the allegations,” MLB executive vice president Rob Manfred said in a statement. “Because the survey testing that took place in 2003 was intended to be nondisciplinary and anonymous, we cannot make any comment on the accuracy of this report as it pertains to the player named.”
Said the union: “Information and documents relating to the results of the 2003 MLB testing program are both confidential and under seal by court orders.”
“Anyone with knowledge of such documents who discloses their contents may be in violation of those court orders,” the union added.
So what are we to make of this? Too many players have denied talking an PED and turned out to be lying. A sidebar to the SI piece asks how people feel about the news. Comments mostly run toward sad resignation.
Many ask why this news is coming out now. Cynic that I am, the timing seems suspicious, coming on the heels of the publication of books by Kirk Radomski and Joe Torre; after the football season is over; and just prior to spring training.
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Regardless of whether he is guilty in a legal sense, the bigger question will be whether or not the public view him as guilty . This could seriously tarnish (if not destroy) his credibility as a player.
Think of the fans on the road, the writers, and the endorsement deals he may have put at jeopardy.
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