Baseball Musings: Mitchell Press Conference

December 13, 2007

Mitchell Press Conference

George Mitchell is starting to speak now.

Update: Mitchell said steroid use is down due to testing, but HGH use is up.

Update: Mitchell is concerned about the children. Screw them. Teenagers are going to use drugs no matter how good an example adults set.

Update: I just did a search for Albert Pujols, and he's not in the report. Neither are the names of Varitek and Kile. That list published earlier appears to be incorrect.

Update: Paul Lo Duca is on the list.

Update: Eric Gagne is on the list.

Update: Mitchell says testing should be given over to an independent organization. He also wants some transparency, with public access to aggregate data. I'm all for that.

Update: Mitchell is asking the commissioner not to discipline players named in the report. He wants closure on the issue. That's a good recommendation.

Update: Nook Logan's name is in the report. Clemens and Pettitte's names are indeed in the report.

Update: Mitchell's speech is essentially the first 37 pages of the report (through page S-37).

Update: Richard McLearn is now speaking. He's a Canadian law professor involved in sports drug testing.

Update: It appears that the report agrees that HGH doesn't do much, and probably does more harm than good (pages 9 and 10).

A number of studies have shown that use of human growth hormone does not increase muscle strength in healthy subjects or well-trained athletes.31 Athletes who have tried human growth hormone as a training aid have reached the same conclusion. The author of one book targeted at steroid abusers observed that "[t]he most curious aspect of the whole situation is that I've never encountered any athlete using HGH to benefit from it, and all the athletes who admit to having used it will usually agree: it didn't/doesn't work for them.
The primary attraction of human growth hormone for athletes seeking performance enhancing effects appears to be that it is not detectable in any currently available drug test.33 In addition, because human growth hormone stimulates growth in most body tissues, athletes use it to promote tissue repair and to recover from injury.

Update: Mitchell makes an important point on page 18:

There is a widespread misconception that the use of steroids and other performance enhancing substances, such as human growth hormone, was not prohibited in Major League Baseball before the inclusion of the joint drug program in the 2002 Basic Agreement. In fact, as early as 1991 baseball's drug policy expressly prohibited the use of "all illegal drugs and controlled substances, including steroids or prescription drugs for which the individual ... does not have a prescription." Even before then, however, the use of any prescription drug without a valid prescription was prohibited in baseball, and even earlier under federal law. In 1971, baseball's drug policy required compliance with federal, state, and local drug laws and directed baseball's athletic trainers that anabolic steroids should only be provided to players under a physician's guidance.

I often see someone write or say that steroids were not banned or illegal before the testing was put in place. That is just not true.

Update: The report addresses reasonable cause testing on page 47.

"Reasonable cause" testing for steroids was conducted on over 25 major league players between 2000 and 2006, but we were informed that no documents exist with respect to such testing. No player ever tested positive for steroids or for any other performance enhancing substance as a result of those tests.

Update: Mitchell finished at about 2:52.

Posted by David Pinto at 01:58 PM | Cheating | TrackBack (0)

Comments

Am I correct that most of the names are in the pages following 145? This Sox fan is breathing a big sigh of relief.

Posted by: Bullfrog at December 13, 2007 02:17 PM

"Teenagers are going to use drugs no matter how good an example adults set."

Maybe that's just a weak attempt at humor, but if it's not, you're an idiot, and probably a lousy parent to boot.

Posted by: GreenSox at December 13, 2007 02:20 PM

Just Say No

Posted by: JC at December 13, 2007 02:22 PM

Pettitte surprised me, but other than Clemens, the Yankees/Red Sox names aren't all that shocking: Sheffield, Knoblauch, Mo Vaughn, Brendan Donnelly, Gagne.

Posted by: david at December 13, 2007 02:23 PM

Is all the bonds info taken from Game of Shadows?

Posted by: ed at December 13, 2007 02:29 PM

Mr. McLaren wants us to move from the names in the report to the issue quickly...which would have been much easier to do, if you didn't have to hunt through the report for each name. An index would have been very convenient.

Posted by: david at December 13, 2007 02:33 PM

"Teenagers are going to use drugs no matter how good an example adults set."

If you're serious, then shame on you, David. Even if it's true--a highly debatable proposition--that does NOT absolve adults of the obvious ethical and moral responsibility to set a good example. Period.

Posted by: Mark at December 13, 2007 02:36 PM

GreenSox, you are the f-ing idiot. He's right, who cares about the kids...why does everything an adult does in his life have to do with the f'ing kids?

Just cause I like to swallow, do dope, and run around naked doesn't make me a role model. And if a kid grew up to be like me then guess what? They'd be f'ing rich, that's what they'd be. I have integrity, I did time and learned from my mistakes. Now I'm gonna have kids and I want them to be just like me. You know why? Because I'm f-ing rich and you aren't.

You know what happens to kids, they become adults and become a-holes. Just like you, Senator Mitchell and Bud Selig, and that dude that put out my sex tape too.

Oh yeah and another thing, your happy little Johnny Appleseed is gonna be swallowing giz for heroin, does that mean we should blame all adults who did/do heroin? Or is it ever easy to just blame the parents?

BTW, I have the greatest mom in the world...all kids should have a mom like mine. You know why? Cause I'm f-ing rich!!!!

Posted by: Paris Hilton at December 13, 2007 02:37 PM

I try to be a good parent. I know where my daughter is, and I know her friends. We talk about drugs and other dangers faced by children and teenagers. But there are lots of very good parents whose children use drugs, and there are lousy parents whose children are clean. There are tons of reasons why children use drugs, including being rebellious.

Posted by: David Pinto at December 13, 2007 02:45 PM

I'm not rebellious, I just like to have fun.

David, we all know you are good parent, balanced and practical. Some people can't figure out logic if it hit them right square in the face. I'm lucky, I've been slapped by a few (like 137) of my past boyfriends and lovers, so I feel that makes me quite logical.

Posted by: Paris Hilton at December 13, 2007 02:53 PM

George Mitchell is such a good negotiator - he even debated himself.

The following is a CNN transcript of an October 29, 2004 interview by Soledad O'Brien with Senator Mitchell that describes his status with the Red Sox. (http://transcripts.cnn.com.TRANSCRIPTS/0410/29/ltm.06.html)

O'BRIEN: On a much lighter note, how about those Red Sox? I understand that you have a little stake in the team?
MITCHELL: Oh, it's great. I do. Yes, I do. I am involved with the Red Sox. I am a lifelong fan. I grew up in Maine and...
O'BRIEN: A part owner, too, beyond being a fan.
MITCHELL: Yes. Well, not that much of an owner.
O'BRIEN: Well, still more than most people do.
MITCHELL: Yes, no, it was a great success, a great season and a great success.

--

In a Nov. 27 e-mail interview with ESPN.com, Mitchell said, "I do not have, and have never had, any equity interest whatsoever in the Red Sox, past, present, or future.

As for Selig..Congress...Mitchell - they can debate among themselves also

from Congressional testimony FANS act

http://commdocs.house.gov/committees/judiciary/hju76556.000/hju76556_0.H
TM

Page 91

Mr. WATT. The problem is the blue ribbon committee guy is now trying
to buy into baseball. So he told me you were losing money, and then he
says he wants to buy into the system. It leaves me a little shaky about
his judgment and the conclusions he reached.

Mr. SELIG. I don't think so because he's trying to buy a big market
franchise, Congressman.

Page 92 PREV PAGE TOP OF DOC

Chairman SENSENBRENNER. The gentleman's time has expired. The Chair
would observe that the blue ribbon commission member who is trying to
buy into a franchise used to be a Senator, and you know how they are.

Posted by: rmt at December 13, 2007 02:58 PM

Well that settles it for me...no kids...all they do is start arguments! ;)

Posted by: glenn at December 13, 2007 03:00 PM

Mitchell is concerned about the children. Screw them.

Maybe you should rethink that comment?? Whatever it is you could possibly mean - metaphorically I hope - I don't think that's what you want to say.

Posted by: Bandit at December 13, 2007 03:00 PM

"Think about the children" has been turned into a catch all phrase that allows whatever is being said to stand without argument cause if you argue it your considered a bastard for not thinking of the children. Its classic propaganda.

Posted by: Gregory at December 13, 2007 03:10 PM

I find the information on emails and discussions by club officials reguarding possible steroid use by potential acquisitions and current players fascinating. There were examples of some from the Dodgers on Loduca and Brown as well as the Red Sox on Gagne and Donnelly. I'm not sure how Mitchell gained access to these, but I had always wondered if these discussions took place.

Posted by: Tom at December 13, 2007 03:16 PM

Gregory, you win the award for being...like...really smart and getting IT. EXACTLY!!!! Well said!!!

If you are ever in the OC, then look me up.....we can go to the playboy mansion together.

Posted by: Paris Hilton at December 13, 2007 03:16 PM

From what Mitchell said, reported use by high school students was at about the same rate as found of Major Leaguers by the league's initial anonymous testing. Could it be that there is just a certain percentage of our population that would seek a prohibited edge even at risk to themselves? And that this may be relatively consistent across age groups? No - no one in high school tried to get bigger faster before chicks dug the long ball.

Anytime anyone says "think of the children" as a justification for what they're doing, check your wallet.

Posted by: jim at December 13, 2007 03:33 PM

So human growth hormone (1) does not improve performance, and (2)"In addition, because human growth hormone stimulates growth in most body tissues, athletes use it to promote tissue repair and to recover from injury.." I don't see any reason to treat it like steroids; in fact, the healing properties would seem to recommend it be allowed for injury recovery.

Posted by: Syd at December 13, 2007 03:35 PM

Glad to see PH is such a fan of this site.

Posted by: geb4000 at December 13, 2007 03:36 PM

David, come on. You've fallen into the JC Bradbury camp of touting every study that finds no strength gains from HGH use, and ignoring everything that mentions HGH aiding muscle/tissue recovery. Including what you just freaking quoted in this post.

Posted by: Mike at December 13, 2007 04:28 PM

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