Baseball for the Thinking Fan

Login | Register | Feedback

btf_logo
You are here > Home > Baseball Newsstand > Baseball Primer Newsblog > Discussion
Baseball Primer Newsblog
— The Best News Links from the Baseball Newsstand

Thursday, June 25, 2009

Yahoo: Byrd Takes Conte’s Supplements Without Apology

Two words, Mr. President: “Plausible deniability.”

Marlon Byrd wouldn’t be pulling down $3 million as a Major League baseball player without getting a second chance from an obscure community college after he nearly had a leg amputated more than a decade ago. So shrugging off Victor Conte’s reputation as a notorious steroid pusher, he says, isn’t difficult for him.

Conte has provided the Texas Rangers center fielder with a variety of pills and powders for 18 months. Not once has Byrd asked Conte whether any of it could trigger a positive drug test.

“I didn’t need to,” Byrd said. “From our conversations, there was no need to ask.”

Van Lingle Mungo Jerry Posted: June 25, 2009 at 01:00 PM | 23 comment(s) | Login to Bookmark
  Related News: General

Reader Comments and Retorts

Go to end of page

Statements posted here are those of our readers and do not represent the BaseballThinkFactory. Names are provided by the poster and are not verified. We ask that posters follow our submission policy. Please report any inappropriate comments.

Page 1 of 1 pages
   1. RoyalsRetro (AG#1F) Posted: June 25, 2009 at 02:17 PM (#3232459)
BURN HIM!
   2. Shooty: Applying to be Fearless Leader Posted: June 25, 2009 at 02:19 PM (#3232462)
“I didn’t need to,” Byrd said. “From our conversations, there was no need to ask.”


Jeez, Marlon, would it kill you to ask? This just seems indescribably dumb.
   3. Pasta-diving Jeter (jmac66) Posted: June 25, 2009 at 02:26 PM (#3232471)
"..he turned me into a NEWT!!"
   4. Dan Szymborski Posted: June 25, 2009 at 02:31 PM (#3232481)
Jeez, Marlon, would it kill you to ask? This just seems indescribably dumb.

Actually, it seems fairly smart. If something triggers a positive test down the road or Conte gets into more trouble for something, Byrd will already have it on public record that he has no idea what's in the supplements he's taking.
   5. RJ in TO Posted: June 25, 2009 at 02:35 PM (#3232488)
Actually, it seems fairly smart. If something triggers a positive test down the road or Conte gets into more trouble for something, Byrd will already have it on public record that he has no idea what's in the supplements he's taking.


Because he deliberately chose not to ask, and publicly stated that he was deliberately choosing not to ask. That strikes me as like someone claiming that they didn't know they were speeding because they closed their eyes everytime they passed a sign showing the posted speed limit.

Going out of your way to avoid critical information is not usually a good strategy.
   6. Shooty: Applying to be Fearless Leader Posted: June 25, 2009 at 02:35 PM (#3232489)
Actually, it seems fairly smart. If something triggers a positive test down the road or Conte gets into more trouble for something, Byrd will already have it on public record that he has no idea what's in the supplements he's taking.

But...but...but...!!!!!!
   7. Not The Real Fausto Carmona (Dan Lee) Posted: June 25, 2009 at 02:36 PM (#3232491)
Also, if the supplements are the difference between being a Quad-A lifer and making millions as a major leaguer, it's probably worth risking a 50-game suspension. It's not like Marlon Byrd is staking his legacy on this - he has no legacy.
   8. Swedish Chef Posted: June 25, 2009 at 02:36 PM (#3232494)
“I didn’t need to,” Byrd said. “From our conversations, there was no need to ask.”

"Oh no, these suckers are so strong that the test equipment will overload and melt down when they put your pee in it."
   9. Dan Szymborski Posted: June 25, 2009 at 02:37 PM (#3232497)
Going out of your way to avoid critical information is not usually a good strategy.

But in the Steroids Witch Hunt, logic is turned upside down. The less you know, the better. If Bonds had gone on record in 2001 saying he lived in a state of ignorant bliss, he'd probably have 800 homers right now.
   10. Young Blasarius yonder Posted: June 25, 2009 at 02:39 PM (#3232500)
Also, if the supplements are the difference between being a Quad-A lifer and making millions as a major leaguer, it's probably worth risking a 50-game suspension. It's not like Marlon Byrd is staking his legacy on this - he has no legacy.


My thoughts exactly.

I just hope the Angels don't sign him to a five-year deal after this season believing some players just put it together later than others....
   11. Shooty: Applying to be Fearless Leader Posted: June 25, 2009 at 02:39 PM (#3232501)
If Bonds had gone on record in 2001 saying he lived in a state of ignorant bliss, he'd probably have 800 homers right now.

I thought that's what he did and what the Feds have taken such exception to.
   12. Swedish Chef Posted: June 25, 2009 at 02:39 PM (#3232502)
Going out of your way to avoid critical information is not usually a good strategy.

It's a strategy that has served politicians well since 1000AD.
   13. Quiet Flows the Don Taussig Avenger (Edmundo) Posted: June 25, 2009 at 02:47 PM (#3232522)
If Bonds had gone on record in 2001 saying he lived in a state of ignorant bliss, he'd probably have 800 homers right now.

C'mon Dan, you don't remember "flaxseed oil"? :)
   14. Dan Szymborski Posted: June 25, 2009 at 02:50 PM (#3232528)
But Bonds didn't do that. He claimed he knew it was flaxseed oil. He should've stated he had no idea what he was taking on the record prior to the brouhaha.
   15. Cris E Posted: June 25, 2009 at 03:30 PM (#3232562)
You can claim ignorance all you want, and even be truly unaware of the details, but you can still be responsible for what happens if bad things happen. If mob boss Barlon Myrd says "Rocco, go take care of him" and Rocco puts some poor unfortunate in a car crusher there's a serious chance Mr Myrd can go to prison. There are burdens of proof, but the idea that "I had no specific information on what Rocco was going to do and I didn't want to know" holds very little water if that standard is met. As this is not a court of law there's going to be a lot of disagreement what that standard is, but the notion that not asking absolves you from responsibility is absurd.

EDIT: OK, that last part is a little over the top, but willful ignorance in the context of actors like Victor Conte puts serious strain on credibility. "Rocco, give me some drugs but don't tell me what they are" sounds pretty stupid when Rocco has a history.
   16. mack Posted: June 25, 2009 at 03:31 PM (#3232564)
1000 A.D?

C'mon. The Romans had this down to a science at least a millenia before
   17. Quiet Flows the Don Taussig Avenger (Edmundo) Posted: June 25, 2009 at 03:45 PM (#3232575)
This makes Byrd's monster AA season in 2001 a bit suspect, doesn't it? :)
   18. RMc's grumbling has gone far enough Posted: June 25, 2009 at 04:40 PM (#3232692)
Fun fact: Byrd was the only batter from the 1999 Batavia Muckdogs (who RMc saw play) to make the majors. (Pitchers Frank Brooks and Ryan Madson also made The Show.)
   19. Walt Davis Posted: June 25, 2009 at 07:31 PM (#3233172)
This makes Byrd's monster AA season in 2001 a bit suspect, doesn't it? :)

And this is the real tragedy of the steroid era -- we just can't trust the numbers anymore. :-)

As to Byrd -- it may be dumb, it may be clever but it seems incredibly common. The most interesting thing about the Mitchell report to me were the several stories of athletes just taking whatever some guy was peddling or some teammate was taking without caring what was in it. Even Pettitte's supposed conversation with McNamee was along the lines of "Roger's really bulking up, why won't you give me what you're giving him?"

And when a trainer or a team doctor comes to give them a shot of some painkiller, do you think the ballplayer quizzes them about the potential side effects and the addictive properties? Would you expect them to?

Athletes don't seem to care much at all what they take as long as it works.
   20. Walt Davis Posted: June 25, 2009 at 07:36 PM (#3233180)
And of course, if Byrd asks, what is Conte's incentive to tell him the truth? His sense of honor?

And really, if there's one thing I have faith in in this world, it's that nothing Conte sells will result in a positive drug test today. Next week or next month or next year when the tests catch up to him maybe, but not today.
   21. Moneyball can't buy you love (Joey B.) Posted: June 25, 2009 at 08:05 PM (#3233221)
And really, if there's one thing I have faith in in this world, it's that nothing Conte sells will result in a positive drug test today. Next week or next month or next year when the tests catch up to him maybe, but not today.

According to the article, he could pay around $100,000 to have all of his products certified and approved by MLB, but won't so. Seems a bit risky to me, but if he and the players are willing to take the chance, that's their business. But as J.C. Romero could no doubt tell you, caveat emptor.

But if there's nothing at all shady in his products, I guess he doesn't have to worry. Who knows what the hell is really in there, it could be damn near just about anything I suppose.
   22. Bitter Calculus Instructor Posted: June 25, 2009 at 11:37 PM (#3233555)
could be damn near just about anything I suppose


mostly sugar with a tad of salt and cinnamon, but since he thinks he's getting a boost he'll have more confidence and work harder
   23. Zach Posted: June 26, 2009 at 03:40 AM (#3233747)
And of course, if Byrd asks, what is Conte's incentive to tell him the truth? His sense of honor?

I've always suspected there's an incentive for the trainer to lie to the player about what he's taking. It increases dependence and obscures what the trainer is doing vs. what the drug is doing.
Page 1 of 1 pages

You must be Registered and Logged In to post comments.

 

 

<< Back to main

Support BBTF

donate

Thanks to
Backlasher
for his generous support.

Bookmarks

You must be logged in to view your Bookmarks.

Buy MLB playoff tickets, plus 2011 World Series, 2011 ALCS tickets and NLCS game tickets. We also have Texas Rangers playoff schedule, tickets to Red Sox games and Yankees game tickets. Plus, buy Phillies baseball tickets, Tigers playoff tickets and the biggies like ALDS baseball tickets and 2011 NLDS tickets.

Demarini, Easton and TPX Baseball Bats

 

 

 

AllianceTickets.com has cheap MLB Tickets. Get all your Colorado Rockies Tickets, Seattle Mariners Tickets, San Francisco Giants Tickets and all your favorite baseball tickets here. We also carry cheap Denver Broncos Tickets, Seattle Seahawks Tickets and Denver Nuggets Tickets.

Page rendered in 0.4791 seconds
40 querie(s) executed