Mitchell Report Reactions

[follyforhire]

Thoughts, anybody? Clemens looks to be the biggest figure implicated.

[klaymon]

It's a bunch of crap. All they did was bring some names to light, and say "If you guys do this again, we're going to be really mad". I was seriously hoping they would start bringing the hammer down on these guys.

Big dog and pony show.

[Jeepthrills]

I expected to see Ivan "Pudge" Rodriguez on the list. At least that would explain the major weight loss and drop off of his game the last few years.

[hipcheck4u]

As a Dodger fan, I am not surprised to see that Eric Gagne was supporting his 2003-2004 consecutive saves record with performance enhancers. I figured he had been on the juice when he couldn't come back from injuries after the MLB testing policy was put in place. Still, it stings to have an official accusation made against him. Disappointing, but expected...

To make it worse, it looks like LoDuca was doing it along with Gagne and helping to supply the big Canadian with the drugs.

[sschwarz]

1. The greatest hitter and greatest pitcher of the era (maybe all-time) have tainted records. Bonds & Clemens. I think that's sad for all of us who grew up admiring them. Both were 1st ballot hall of famers without this.

2. The league needs to pay extra attention to guys coming off injuries. It seems like that is when most players turned to HGH.

3. I bet a lot of guys got away with it and are relieved that their names didn't come out.

[Shindig]

I'm just glad that a certain golfer who uses steroids does so for legitimate reasons.

[iacas]

1. The greatest hitter and greatest pitcher of the era (maybe all-time) have tainted records. Bonds & Clemens. I think that's sad for all of us who grew up admiring them. Both were 1st ballot hall of famers without this.

I liked Barry when he was with the Pirates. I don't think he'd have gotten in the Hall even without this report. People knew he was dirty, they just hadn't proved anything yet.

I've despised Barry for about the past ten+ years. No way he's been "admired." I don't think many people outside the Bay area have "admired" him for a decade. Clemens is a different story of course.

[Jeepthrills]

The biggest issue I have is that the sources, although thourough, were limited to a couple guys. I think this list only scratches the surface. Guys like Sosa, McGuirre, etc. were not on the list, but were major catalysts for the steroid boom in the mid 90's.

I have lost the minimal ammount of respect that I may have still had for Selig. The guy comes out and says this was only the players fault and that they will look at each of these cases individually. Does that meen that Andy Pettite would not get the same punishment as Gary Sheffield because he is a good guy and Sheff can be an ass?

I have never tried to hide my dislike for Bonds, but at the same time I feel that unless evidence comes out that he took steroids or other performance enhancing drugs [U]after they were officially banned[U] the I don't think you can strip him of the record. Granted, I would be OK with permanently putting an astericks next to his name. Better yet, how about B*rry B*onds?

[dbornack]

While I agree that they shouldn't be using 'roids.. I can't fathom why the federal government is involved. It makes zero sense to me.

It's a game.

It's not regulated by the federal government.

[klaymon]

While I agree that they shouldn't be using 'roids.. I can't fathom why the federal government is involved. It makes zero sense to me.

Because it is a controlled substance:

"Regulated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, anabolic steroids were placed in the Controlled Substances Act's Schedule III (which includes some narcotic drugs, stimulants and depressants) by the Anabolic Steroids Act of 1990. Unlawful distribution and possession with the intent to distribute anabolic steroids is a federal crime, punishable by up to five years in prison." It's not so much who's using it as the fact that it is being used and distributed against federal law.

[neudi]

First off in my opinion,

This whole thing was a joke just to get more attention into baseball b/c lets be serious, once the 60th game of the season goes by, half of the audience dissapears until October.

Secondly,
This stupid report didn't prove anything. The only thing it did prove was that a guy from a locker room can say this guy, this guy, and this guy all did steroids...I want pictures, I want physical evidence other than a receipt.

Thirdly,
Thanks for restating something in 409 pages that I knew 3 YEARS AGO. The only thing that this report did was kill a tree and waste tax payers money to hire a bunch of 60 year olds to sit in chairs and write a book that honestly, in my opinion, no one cares about.

To me, I like steroids in the game b/c without them baseball would have plumetted 7 or 8 years ago. But when people start breaking records, and without steroids they wouldn't have, Clemens - with this pitching records IF HE DID STEROIDS; Sosa and McGuire with the home run record IF THEY DID STEROIDS; Bonds with his records IF HE DID STEROIDS; Gagne with his saves record IF HE DID STEROIDS.
This is why I started watching again because of the records that were being broken.

AND I guarantee that if the U.S. Government legalized these steroids, then baseball would allow them in a heartbeat b/c what else do you want to see than baseballs flying 500 feet.

That is my 2 cents.

[Jeepthrills]

First off in my opinion,

I used to agree with you on this. I do like the massive bombs these guys were hitting and I liked seeing the chase for 62 home runs when it was going on. The problem comes in the fact that these things are very dangerous. People die from taking them. I know it is their choice and I always said "who is it hurting?" Then I realized that it would cause people that were not using them to start just so they could keep up. Guys that were clean would lose their spot to guys that were not.

Steroids will not make you hit a curve ball if you can't do that already. But, let's say you have two guys that are pretty equal in ability. They both hit .290 and hit 15 HR and steal 20 bases. They have comparable defensive skills. One guy starts juicing and goes from 15 to 30+ HR and 30+ steals. He also jumps to .300 in his average because he hits a couple HR that would have been deep fly outs and he has a little more endurance so he gets an extra hit here and there late in games. It only takes 5 hits in 500 at bats to make that jump in average. Who gets called up to the majors? The guy who is doing it clean may never get that break because the cheater has passed him up.

[neudi]

I agree in the sense that you are talking about, I guess I didn't state it right. I like what the steroids are doing for the game, but not for the people, that's a little better. One thing that I laugh about it that apparently Chuck Knoblauch is associated with them. Which would make sense because his arms got too big for his body and that made it impossible to throw from second to first HAHAHAHA. I do see where you are coming from though.

[sschwarz]

I really don't understand how people can say steroids are or were a good thing. People credit steroids with reviving baseball. What was saved about baseball? Was it going away? It gained popularity big deal. All that means is that a bunch of owners who were turning a blind eye to this and players who were involved in this made more money. Meanwhile the average fan paid a premium to see what they thought was one of the most historic events only to find out later that it was a lie. The players were cheating and putting their own health at risk.

Who's to say that baseball wouldn't have bounced back without Sosa or McGwire. Maybe one of today's young hitters would have been able to make a run at those records without having us question the legitimacy of it. Plus if home runs are were the only way to save baseball then maybe they should move the fences up or allow different types of bats. I think both of those methods would be much better than allowing steroids into the game.

I hate the idea of defending steroids because they made baseball more popular. It's a terrible example for young kids & adults. Steroids are illegal for a reason which is that they have tons of health related problems associated with them. I think everyone involved in baseball during that era is to blame.

[sschwarz]

I really don't understand how people can say steroids are or were a good thing. People credit steroids with reviving baseball. What was saved about baseball? Was it going away? It gained popularity big deal. All that means is that a bunch of owners who were turning a blind eye to this and players who were involved in this made more money. Meanwhile the average fans paid a premium to see historic events that are tainted. How many good players that didn't use ended up stuck in the minors? How many players that did use have permanent health issues because of it? All short term gains for long term losses.

Who's to say that baseball wouldn't have bounced back without Sosa or McGwire. Maybe one of today's young hitters would have been able to make a run at those records without having us question the legitimacy of it. Maybe it would have been a pitcher that revived the game after having a historic season. Plus if home runs are were the only way to save baseball then maybe they should moved the fences up, allowed different types of bats, lowered the mound, tightened the strike zone, or moved the mound back. Any of those methods would be much better than allowing steroids into the game.

I hate the idea of defending steroids because they made baseball more popular. Steroids are illegal for a reason which is that they have tons of health related problems associated with them. This era leaves a permanent mark on baseball.

[neudi]

Baseball was going downhill fast before Sosa and McGuire made the run for the record. That is the real season that it started to get popular again. The reason is b/c of Steroids. I'm not saying they are a good idea, they aren't, but it is pretty obvious that they helped baseball turn around. I think they just need to play about half the games they do.