Biogenesis Suspensions Begin...

[Kuetsar]

 

 

 

I still don't know what the grounds for suspending A-Rod more than 50 games is supposed to be.  He has not been suspended for PED use before, so, under the rules, he is technically a first time offender, and thus it should be 50 games, and I hope he kills MLB over this.  Not because I'm a big A-Rod fan, but because what the fuck is the point of having a system if they aren't going to follow it?  And because I hate Selig more than any player ever.

"Obstruction of justice" - offering to pay witnesses, uncooperative with MLB, ...

 

If their going that route, their source better be a saint, and I'm pretty sure he isn't. If your going to allege obstruction, you should have come forward with your evidence, but they are hiding their evidence, and using blackmail to keep it from the light of day. Not for protecting the roiders at all, but if goal is to clean up the game, you have to be better than the cheaters, not use similar methods. . .Selig and company's methods remind me of mob scenes in movies, ie you better buy insurance or who knows what could happen; same thing occured here. Aroid in his arrogance and hubris, should bare the evidence and witnesses out, for the record is nothing else. . .

 

 

Why do you keep insisting they're "hiding evidence?" Just because all the evidence isn't sent to you personally doesn't mean anything is being hidden.  If I was involved in the process I'd want as little actually getting out as possible. 

 

http://espn.go.com/espn/otl/story/_/id/9550599/former-biogenesis-employee-porter-fischer-feels-bullied-mlb

Well there is that. . .

 

No offical report, ala Dowd or mitchell, didn't read them, but it was well publicized. . Basically, bud selig is a snake, and he is trying this last minute route to try to enhance his reputation, and either bullied players or suspended them without a positive test. I am not for steroids at all, and Bonds, Mcgwire, Sosa, etc out to be removed from the record book, but this leak here, leak there, with evidence that will never come public stinks to high heaven. If it is that strong, leak THAT, not rumors of suspensions ahead of time. Its mccarhtyesque and disgusting.

[dodgergabe]

So 13 players were using but never got caught. They just got unlucky that their dealer ratted them out. I wonder how many other players are using are somehow passing the tests like these guys were. Presumably they would have better stuff than that hack Anthony Bosch. I bet there's a real professional lab out there with top of the line advanced PEDs that can't even be detected by the current tests.

 

As long as you get increased performance (leading to extra millions of dollars) from PEDs then there will always be PED usage in sports, especially with the way these drugs advance. Back in the day Ben Johnson had tests figured out, only reason he got caught is because someone sold him bunk gear, the drug he got caught for wasn't supposed to be in his cycle. That was 25 years ago, PEDs have advanced greatly since then, and PEDs will always be ahead of the curve when it comes to testing. New drug comes out have to make new tests, by the time you can catch that one there's already a new drug. It's especially hard to adjust the tests in MLB because you have to deal with the union for every change. This year is the FIRST year that they started testing for synthetic test and HGH, the most popular drugs for performance and they have only begun testing for it in 2013! How slow of an adjustment is that? 

 

This (like all wars against drugs) seems to be a loosing battle for MLB, the incentives for players to use are too high and with advanced drugs the risks are pretty low. It appears one of the few ways to be caught is if your dealer rats on you that can't be that high of a probability.

 

Edit: Apparently the new testing will start next year! So right now you can take all the HGH you want, and raise your testosterone up to 4:1 T/E ratio (average male is 1:1) and you won't get caught in the tests. With this type of policy it's no wonder players are using.

[Brian Fowler]

Of course they are using.

 

If it will help you play better, your team win, and you get a bigger contract, and you are highly unlikely to be caught, it would be negligent on both a personal and professional level to not be using.  Seriously.  Not too say they should, given the health risks, but it's hard to come up with a compelling argument beyond that of why they shouldn't.  "Sanctity of the game" is utter bullshit, "not going to get into the Hall of Fame" is both bullshit and not a factor for the vast majority of players, "the records should be thrown out" is crybaby whining that will never happen, etc etc etc.

 

And you gotta love how up in arms people get about PEDs in baseball vs. football.  And, hell, people seem to still be pretending there are none in basketball.

[dodgergabe]

Of course they are using.

 

If it will help you play better, you're team win, and you get a bigger contract, and you are highly unlikely to be caught, it would be negligent on both a personal and professional level to not be using.  Seriously.  Not too say they should, given the health risks, but it's hard to come up with a compelling argument beyond that of why they shouldn't.  "Sanctity of the game" is utter bullshit, "not going to get into the Hall of Fame" is both bullshit and not a factor for the vast majority of players, "the records should be thrown out" is crybaby whining that will never happen, etc etc etc.

 

And you gotta love how up in arms people get about PEDs in baseball vs. football.  And, hell, people seem to still be pretending there are none in basketball.

 

Even the health risks are overstated considering the effects of playing baseball for 162 games a year can be worse. Pitching is one of the worst things you can do to your shoulder, and how many players retire with bad joints and ligaments due to the game.

 

Steroids are dangerous when they are abused but with proper supervision they can be relatively safe and even help players recover from serious injuries. There is a reason they are prescribed by legit doctors to help with recovery from diseases. The dangerous effects happen when you have to go some shady underground lab that only cares about the money.

 

If the MLB can't remove them from the game they should seriously look into allowing them with strict supervisions from doctors. This would help level the playing field, and may help keep the players healthier. Of course this would never happen in our lifetimes but if MLB were serious about leveling the playing field this seems like the only option. Otherwise there will always be incentive to use.

[Joe Lucia]

I have a much bigger problem with full-blown roids than HGH. HGH could probably end up being very beneficial at the end of the day. And don't even get me started on the minor leaguers who test positive for weed. I could literally not care less about that. The coke/meth suspensions of the past though? Yeah, that's an issue.

[Ace]

So 13 players were using but never got caught. They just got unlucky that their dealer ratted them out. I wonder how many other players are using are somehow passing the tests like these guys were. Presumably they would have better stuff than that hack Anthony Bosch. I bet there's a real professional lab out there with top of the line advanced PEDs that can't even be detected by the current tests.

 

 

And there always has been. Drug tests have always been years behind. Why else do you think it took a decade to finally get Lance Armstrong?

[odessasteps]

Someone wrote that most of these things became public not from the actual testing, but being revealed by disgruntled people, like with BALCO or Pthe Mitchell Report.

[Burgundy LaRue]

The fact that MLB is somewhat in cahoots with Anthony Bosch speaks volumes.  There seems to be too much reliance of unsavory characters with all this.  While the information may be true, the sources and the means used to obtain such information weakens MLB's position.

[Kuetsar]

The fact that MLB is somewhat in cahoots with Anthony Bosch speaks volumes.  There seems to be too much reliance of unsavory characters with all this.  While the information may be true, the sources and the means used to obtain such information weakens MLB's position.

Exactly. Its not that Aroid or any of the others are innocent, it's that MLB looks sleazy as hell.

[Death From Above]

 

So 13 players were using but never got caught. They just got unlucky that their dealer ratted them out. I wonder how many other players are using are somehow passing the tests like these guys were. Presumably they would have better stuff than that hack Anthony Bosch. I bet there's a real professional lab out there with top of the line advanced PEDs that can't even be detected by the current tests.

 

 

And there always has been. Drug tests have always been years behind. Why else do you think it took a decade to finally get Lance Armstrong?

 

 

Let's also not kid ourselves, if people think wrestling is the only place the line "Well if you want me to stop failing the test then stop testing me" has been uttered, those people would be wrong.

[Ryan]

So, now he's a snitch on top of it?

http://espn.go.com/new-york/mlb/story/_/id/9573048/alex-rodriguez-associates-leaked-ryan-braun-name-biogenesis-scandal

[Craig H]

It seems appropriate that two of the biggest douchebags in baseball have crossed paths in this scandal.

[Burgundy LaRue]

This coming out just seems too convenient.  Not that it's going to stop A-Rod from doing whatever he had planned to do, anyway.  He's too far gone with this.  Nothing short of death will stop him.

[odessasteps]

I love idea i heard today that it will be revealed that A-Rod was an MLB sleeper agent this whole time.

[Craig H]

Lol Braun is going to apologize to everyone he threw under the bus. Apparently it took him two years to figure out the Lance Armstrong approach isn't the best one to follow. Whatever. Fuck him, googly bug eyed motherfucker.

[Kuetsar]

I love idea i heard today that it will be revealed that A-Rod was an MLB sleeper agent this whole time.

Many, many people and things have tried and failed, but THAT would break the internet.

[odessasteps]

@JeffPassan Sources: MLB to suspend former AL MVP Miguel Tejada 105 games for amphetamines.

[muhammedboehm]

@JeffPassan Sources: MLB to suspend former AL MVP Miguel Tejada 105 games for amphetamines.

The Four Letters have it as braking on there crawl

[Brian Fowler]

Oh fuck don't do that too me.  I read "suspend" blah blah "Al MVP Miguel" and damn near had a heart attack.

[Kuetsar]

Sources say that Tigers 3b Miguel Cabrerra. . . . should continue to perform at an MVP level for the rest of the year, barring injury. . .

[Joe Lucia]

Miguel Tejada takes amphetamines = he's a bad person and deserves to have his career ended. Aaron/Mays/etc take amphetamines = IT'S JUST A PART OF THE GAME

[odessasteps]

Look away Fowler.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Isn't Miguel Cabrera just another DUI/DWI or spousal abuse issue from being "best right-handed hitter in recent memory" to "another bad guy athlete?"

[Josh Mann]

Hey, Ryan Braun...remember that whole thing about denying it and then playing the Anti-Semite card? I haven't seen that big of a 180 since someone dropped the chair during the Hora at my cousin's Bar Mitzvah

[Tabe]

Hey, Ryan Braun...remember that whole thing about denying it and then playing the Anti-Semite card? I haven't seen that big of a 180 since someone dropped the chair during the Hora at my cousin's Bar Mitzvah

You'll note he's still not admitting he did it strictly as a performance enhancer.  It was "while rehabilitating an injury".

[Kuetsar]

 

Hey, Ryan Braun...remember that whole thing about denying it and then playing the Anti-Semite card? I haven't seen that big of a 180 since someone dropped the chair during the Hora at my cousin's Bar Mitzvah

You'll note he's still not admitting he did it strictly as a performance enhancer.  It was "while rehabilitating an injury".

 

He should have gotten another 50 games for the false anti-semite thing. . .