I'm must admit that I do not understand legal things and all but does MLB have the right to subpoena anything? I thought only legal bodies did. Or is subpoena a more general term?

I'm must admit that I do not understand legal things and all but does MLB have the right to subpoena anything? I thought only legal bodies did. Or is subpoena a more general term?

Well, the actual headline is "Miami New Times won’t hand over Biogenesis records to MLB".

Since when does MLB have subpoena powers? It's not the government. It ain't Congress. And near as I can tell, it's not as if there's a civil case on this matter pending in court. So upon what grounds does MLB claim the right to subpoena a third party?

Or is this just a bit of careless headline re-writing? (Because when I click the headline, it says something quite different.) "Subpoena" is a legal term of art precisely because it means a lot more than just "a polite request for documents." It carries an element of compulsion with it.

EDIT: Cokes to #1 and #2.

To answer the question, no, they do not. Subpoena is a misleading term. "Meekly asked" is probably more accurate.

28 other teams have subpoenaed Mike Trout from the Angels. All except the Marlins.

Millions of people in Florida imitate the movie "Cocoon" and use HgH and other similar drugs.

I'm sure that the FL state AG's office will make this a top priority and go after a few million voters in order to determine whether a baseball player used deer antler spray or yak intestines.

They can ask for documents to be brought to a deposition if they're suing the clinic or the herald for whatever reason they can concoct.. But it doesn't necessarily have to be complied with. You can always file a motion to quash the subpoena/depo notice.

No, MLB can't subpoena anything. An example is Mitchell's investigation, where they only had power over their own employees: an employee could answer the questions, ask for permission not to, or resign.

However, I imagine the feds will be sticking their noses in this shortly if they haven't already, and that changes the ballgame -- as we also saw with Mitchell's investigation, as he had very little without Radomski/McNamee.

(Sure, if there's a legal proceeding, MLB can ask the judge to compel certain things, and there are rules/laws which speak to this. )

You can always file a motion to quash the subpoena/depo notice.

Under federal rules and most state rules which mirror them, you do not even have to do that. You just file an objection, and the person seeking the documents has to move to compel production

The word subpoena doesn't exist in the article. Just sayin, Boteman.

I'm must admit that I do not understand legal things and all but does MLB have the right to subpoena anything? I thought only legal bodies did. Or is subpoena a more general term?

No, and the article does not say that they subpoenaed Biogenesis, just that they asked for the records. MLB does not have subpoena power. It's a really lousy BTF headline, totally misleading and misstated.

Perhaps they're just parsing Bud's imperial air.

If Bud Selig has subpoena power now I think it's officially time to over-turn the Patriot Act.

If Gonzalez was tested after the article came out, isn't it likely that the others mentioned were, too? And despite MLB's program leaking like a sieve, there hasn't been a word about any positive tests.

If Gonzalez was tested after the article came out, isn't it likely that the others mentioned were, too? And despite MLB's program leaking like a sieve, there hasn't been a word about any positive tests.

Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence.

If Gonzalez was tested after the article came out, isn't it likely that the others mentioned were, too? And despite MLB's program leaking like a sieve, there hasn't been a word about any positive tests.

Here are a few words.

If Gonzalez was tested after the article came out, isn't it likely that the others mentioned were, too?

Every player is tested at the start of spring training. How long it takes to process the tests I have no idea. And of course we had the massive rumor of Cano, ARod, Braun, Cervelli, Ted Cruz, Sugarbear, Lyle Waggoner and Claude the Wonder Horse had all tested positive.

If Bud Selig has subpoena power now I think it's officially time to over-turn the Patriot Act.

In response, Bud has extended the Patriot Act indefinitely.

It's a really lousy BTF headline, totally misleading and misstated.

Doesn't that make it a really excellent BTF headline?

And of course we had the massive rumor of Cano, ARod, Braun, Cervelli, Ted Cruz, Sugarbear, Lyle Waggoner and Claude the Wonder Horse had all tested positive.

Seems like other reporters should have been able to confirm some aspect of that rumor by now if there was anything to it. Maybe I'm giving sports reporters too much credit, expecting journalistic effort & practice, but I don't think the MLB clowns could keep a secret like that even if they wanted to.

The same guy reported Melky's positive last year and actuall apologized when nothing came of it. THEN Cabrera got suspended after the apology. I don't really remember all the time frames but I think it took at least a month after the original report for him to be vindicated. Or really, really lucky.

Seems like other reporters should have been able to confirm some aspect of that rumor by now if there was anything to it.

Nobody messes with Lyle Waggoner