Rumor or fact???
So there is a rumor floating around that an AL Outfielder on a playoff team has tested positive for steroids. He has been going through the appeals process and resolution is expected in the next few weeks. I have not seen anything confirmed, but supposedly USA Today Sports Weekly has the story (can't find on the web) and allegedly Will Carroll from Baseball Prospectus did a radio show in DC and gave an official "I can not comment on this because I was involved in the appeals process." Yet he did confirm that it is a big name.
Haven't heard anything about this potentially delightful news. Hopefully this has nothing to do with the Bosox.
ReplyDeleteSo who could it be? AL outfielder, big name, playoffs:
ReplyDeleteDamon, Manny, Sheffield, Matsui, Vlad
Really, who else is there? I guess Dye, Everett, Garrett Anderson, Finley, Podsednick are marginal big names so are all possibilities. And Tony Womack.
But two of the five above are (or were) BoSox. We'll see. Hopefully it's a rumor. Unless it's Sheff, then hopefully it's completely true.
Will Carroll allegedly said it was big. Someone people will care about and take notice.
ReplyDeleteI think anyone on the White Sox would fall into that category. Nixon?
The full list:
Chicago: Podsednik, Dye, Rowand
Anaheim: Anderson, Guerrero, Finley
New York: Matsui, Sheffield, Williams
Boston: Ramirez, Damon, Nixon
I guess it could be anyone. I would like to think it is hogwash, but after the flack the Herald took for reporting that there were as many as 50 more to be reported after Raffy, maybe media outlets are being conservative.
On an unrelated note, it is pretty ironic that Dye is the WS MVP. It was just two years ago that Derek Lowe struck out the final batter in the ALDS (when he made his obscene gesture that pissed of Tejada). Well, guess who that batter was. Nope. Not Jermaine Dye. It was Adam Melhuse - a rookie with 77 career ABs. Pinch hitting for Dye. Granted Dye was coming off a truly miserable year, but still. Quite the turnaround.
There was a rumor floating around midseason with similar language, and it seemed to be focused on Damon (and Clemens). Once it passed without incident, I dismissed it... I think I'll still do so. There's a much better shot at this being Sheff than anyone on the Sox, and I'd certainly have no problem with that.
ReplyDeleterumors are realy tough to deal with and sure there were a few during the season, but Will Carroll is pretty well respected and he was quoted as saying it was real.
ReplyDeleteThis could look really bad for Bud if it a) were true (with his promise to have done something before the WS) and b) it were actually someone on the White Sox.
Hell the way the Red Sox season went, it would seem logical that it was a White Sox player - after all Raffy was alllowed to play after his positive test and he drove in about 4,209 runs against us in one series.
I hate to see that baseball and steroids have become synonymous. Where was the outcry for football's obviously bad testing program when one of the premiere linebackers of all time (Romanowski) admitted on "60 Minutes" just a few weeks ago that he used roids...? That just slid by, though...
ReplyDeleteRomanowski was someone every football fan knew (and some non-football fans).
I agree with Earl's list of 5 (but I have to say I don't think Matsui is a user...seems like a standup guy that wouldn't do anything to jeopardize his team)...
I would lean toward Finley. He's old, he performed at a high level until this year. The appeals? He quit juicing last off season and it was a remnants thing. But, I don't think Finley is a big enough name...
Nixon is not on Earl's list...That is a possibility, too. He's had some strange injuries over the past few years...muscle tears, etc...I would think people would take notice.
But of all the list...Damon and Sheffield are the leaders of suspicion to me.
Do I hear the theme from Perry Mason in the background?? And man, it's still October!
ReplyDelete