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Tuesday, November 06, 2007

S.I. Verducci: First active player volunteers to meet with Mitchell

Just put it on your blog Curt…

Twenty months into his investigation of steroid use in Major League Baseball, former Sen. George Mitchell for the first time has obtained voluntary cooperation from an active player.

According to a source familiar with the investigation, the player, whom the source did not name, volunteered to speak with Mitchell in the coming weeks, ending the wall of silence Mitchell had encountered in trying to get active players to cooperate without the leverage of subpoena power.

The source described the player as one of several players Mitchell wanted to question because of their previous public comments opposing steroid use, not because the player was connected to any steroid use of his own. The source said the interview with the player was scheduled to take place “very soon.”

Repoz Posted: November 06, 2007 at 10:46 PM | 27 comment(s) | Login to Bookmark
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1. Jimmy P Posted: November 06, 2007 at 10:56 PM (#2607224)

Schilling? He's always willing to talk.

2. Random Transaction Generator Posted: November 06, 2007 at 11:02 PM (#2607232)

Shocker of shocks: It's Barry Bonds!

3. Cris E Posted: November 06, 2007 at 11:07 PM (#2607238)

What's Curt know? The last time he tried talking about this stuff to senators he just couldn't recall anything. It'd be more fun if it was Manny just goofing around: "No, no, you called me. I wouldn't call you, man. I don't know anything about that stuff. "

4. Guapo Posted: November 06, 2007 at 11:09 PM (#2607239)

I'm trying to think of active players other than Schilling who have made public comments opposing steroid use...

5. Esoteric Posted: November 06, 2007 at 11:09 PM (#2607240)

My money's on The Big Hurt.

6. Russ Posted: November 06, 2007 at 11:11 PM (#2607242)

I'm thinking Big Hurt as well. I don't think anyone has even remotely close to the same Fame + Number of Anti-Steroid Comments score as Frank. Ironic given his SEC roots (or maybe that explains a lot)...

7. Repoz

Posted: November 06, 2007 at 11:16 PM (#2607246)

I'm trying to think of active players other than Schilling who have made public comments opposing steroid use...

Smoltz...

8. Gamingboy Posted: November 06, 2007 at 11:35 PM (#2607270)

I got my money on Frank Thomas. Either him or a no-name

9. Sox Machine Posted: November 06, 2007 at 11:47 PM (#2607288)

Here's hoping for Frank.

10. Christopher Linden Posted: November 07, 2007 at 12:01 AM (#2607302)

Gamingboy, I think the "public comments" part pretty much excludes a no-name. It's not like the media were hovering around Jeff Keppinger's locker to see what he thought about Palmeiro's B-12 shots or whatever.

Schilling and Smoltz are probably the best bets. Both strike me as being me outspoken than Thomas and more willing to get involved on their own accord.

Happy Base Ball

EDIT: "me outspoken" = "more outspoken"

11. cercopithecus aethiops Posted: November 07, 2007 at 12:06 AM (#2607307)

Smoltz...

"Senator, you simply cannot believe what some of these heathens are putting into their asses in the locker room..."

12. David Nieporent (now, with children) Posted: November 07, 2007 at 12:07 AM (#2607308)

I also assume it's Thomas. Serious question: does anybody remember him, in any of his public comments, ever stating or implying he had firsthand knowledge?

13. RayDiPerna

Posted: November 07, 2007 at 12:36 AM (#2607330)

I also assume it's Thomas. Serious question: does anybody remember him, in any of his public comments, ever stating or implying he had firsthand knowledge?

Yes, last September, according to this report:

OAKLAND, CA—After two seasons marked by nagging injuries and sub-par home-run totals, Frank Thomas credited his career rejuvenation and rediscovered power stroke "strictly to my weekly cycle of injecting myself with anabolic steroids."

14. haven Posted: November 07, 2007 at 12:49 AM (#2607344)

Smoltz...

Also my first thought.

Thomas is also a good guess although I didn't immediately think of him for some reason.

15. Dock Ellis on Acid

Posted: November 07, 2007 at 01:00 AM (#2607348)

OAKLAND, CA—After two seasons marked by nagging injuries and sub-par home-run totals, Frank Thomas credited his career rejuvenation and rediscovered power stroke "strictly to my weekly cycle of injecting myself with anabolic steroids."

I read the headline as Frank Thomas...not Frank as in his first name but "frank" as in not mincing words.

16. RayDiPerna

Posted: November 07, 2007 at 01:21 AM (#2607361)

To provide a more serious answer, at least as late as 2004 Thomas stated that he had no direct knowledge of steroid use by other players:

The accelerated power pace has caused Thomas to wonder if players using steroids could be a factor. He suspected there might be a problem even before 5%-7% of players tested positive in anonymous surveying last year.

"I don't have any direct knowledge, but I just know what I put into a season year in and year out in the weight room," Thomas said in an interview before Commissioner Bud Selig's gag order was imposed on the topic of steroid use.

"I know I push myself to the limit, and I'm as strong as they come. But guys have been just blowing by my home run performance in the last six or seven years. I really thought the bar was 44 or 45 (homers). But you saw guys just start to blow by it. I thought, 'Hey, they might be outworking me in the weight room.' But now things are coming out. Maybe some of my thoughts were right."

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/al/whitesox/2004-03-22-frank-guillen_x.htm

And this is from 2002:

"I don't know who's on and who's not on,'' the two-time MVP with the Chicago White Sox said. "There is definitely more activity in the weight room nowadays. I was hoping that it was just old guys working hard in the weight room. I really think it's time for testing.

http://espn.go.com/mlb/news/2002/0529/1388575.html

17. Esoteric Posted: November 07, 2007 at 01:31 AM (#2607365)

#16 - Yes, but that's the answer that clubhouse relations would require from him.

18. PASTE is not impressed by Albert Pujols (Zeth) Posted: November 07, 2007 at 01:58 AM (#2607379)

Must not be somebody who puts too much value on being a member of the Players Association. Maybe it really is Bonds.

19. Craig Calcaterra Posted: November 07, 2007 at 02:26 AM (#2607391)

Must not be somebody who puts too much value on being a member of the Players Association. Maybe it really is Bonds.

Millar. Mahay. Um, Pedro Borbon, Sr.

20. PASTE is not impressed by Albert Pujols (Zeth) Posted: November 07, 2007 at 02:32 AM (#2607393)

I'm really pulling for Bonds, but now that you mention it, I can settle for Kevin Millar.

21. StJoeHawk Posted: November 07, 2007 at 02:34 AM (#2607394)

" somebody who puts too much value on being a member of the Players Association. "

Kevin Millar?

22. StJoeHawk Posted: November 07, 2007 at 02:37 AM (#2607397)

Damn. That's what I get for flipping between posting, House & a replay of the Phillies / Mets game from August 30th.

23. DFA Posted: November 07, 2007 at 02:44 AM (#2607401)

My first thought was Frank Thomas as well. I remember after hitting his 500th HR, he commented about doing it "the right way." I'm guessing he's pretty irked that his records will be littered with other steroid users. It's really too bad for him assuming of course he isn't a user.

24. The George Sherrill Selection Posted: November 07, 2007 at 07:28 AM (#2607606)

Ruben Rivera - he stole Jeter's vial as well.

25. Jonk Posted: November 07, 2007 at 04:16 PM (#2607945)

Just listening to "Out of Bounds" on Fox Sports Radio this morning, and they said the player is Gary Matthews Jr.

26. Eraser-X is emphatically dominating teh site!!! Posted: November 07, 2007 at 04:31 PM (#2607970)

Thomas and the rest of the White Sox were so aggressively and publicly anti-steroid, it seems unlikely that he would have any firsthand knowledge. I think any users would be smart enough to know that letting him notice anything would likely be the end of their career.

27. robinred

Posted: November 07, 2007 at 04:34 PM (#2607974)

An E-X sighting. Outstanding. Just don't bring up Dusty Baker and you will be fine.

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S.I. Verducci: First active player volunteers to meet with Mitchell

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