SI: Alex Rodriguez tested positive for steroids in '03...

[vonnegutnaked2]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/baseball/mlb/02/07/alex-rodriguez-steroids/index.html?eref=T1

 

[Double Down]

Wow. Not that this is totally unexpected, but this is going to be a huge story.

Been hearing this for years, like most of you, I'm sure.

Boom, care to dig up various Verducci stories singing the praises of a clean A-Rod?

 

[Beef03]

Not surprised at all. And another one bites the dust.

 

[21]

The list of the 104 players whose urine samples tested positive is under seal in California. However, two sources familiar with the evidence that the government has gathered in its investigation of steroid use in baseball and two other sources with knowledge of the testing results have told Sports Illustrated that Rodriguez is one of the 104 players identified as having tested positive, in his case for testosterone and an anabolic steroid known by the brand name Primobolan. All four sources spoke on the condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the evidence.

Not doubting the veracity of the reporting.

But four sources, all suddenly leaking sealed evidence to SI?

 

[playthrough]

First thing I wondered was whether Verducci knew.

 

[Stoney]

I'm beginning to wonder if any of the best hitters from the mid-90s to early 00s were clean. I'm thinking the distinction is more of who's been caught and who got away with it, instead of who was using and who not.

 

[Boom_70]

How did A - Rod get past the stringent Mitchell investigation.

I am more interested in how many Red Sox are on that list.

A Fraud carries new meaning now.

 

[Double Down]

The list of the 104 players whose urine samples tested positive is under seal in California. However, two sources familiar with the evidence that the government has gathered in its investigation of steroid use in baseball and two other sources with knowledge of the testing results have told Sports Illustrated that Rodriguez is one of the 104 players identified as having tested positive, in his case for testosterone and an anabolic steroid known by the brand name Primobolan. All four sources spoke on the condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the evidence.

Not doubting the veracity of the reporting.

But four sources, all suddenly leaking sealed evidence to SI?

A fair point, but what if they've been chasing this for two years, and got four sources over that time period? We don't really have a time line here of how the story was put together or what finally let them go forward with it. I think if you're going to make this kind of claim against the best player in the game, it's probably the kind of thing you need to be airtight before you go forward. Maybe SI editors said they needed four sources to go with it. And they finally got the fourth this week.

 

[Double Down]

I'm beginning to wonder if any of the best hitters from the mid-90s to early 00s were clean. I'm thinking the distinction is more of who's been caught and who got away with it, instead of who was using and who not.

I almost wish we could just get a positive test for Pujols now so we could give up this fantasy that anyone was the noble saint, doing it all clean in an era of cheaters.

 

[Fenian_Bastard]

I know that steroids is Absolutely The Biggest Issue There Absolutely Ever Was Ever, but this passage is troubling.

"...there were no penalties for a positive test in 2003. The results of that year's survey testing of 1,198 players were meant to be anonymous under the agreement between the commissioner's office and the players association. Rodriguez's testing information was found, however, after federal agents, armed with search warrants, seized the '03 test results from Comprehensive Drug Testing, Inc., of Long Beach, Calif., one of two labs used by MLB in connection with that year's survey testing."

First of all, any player who trusts any investigation into this area is completely crazy at this point.
Second, why did the feds raid this lab? As part of the BALCO investigation? Please. My guess? This is old Jeff Novitzsky playing fast and loose with due process again. **** him and his crusade.

 

[jagtrader]

You can't assume anyone is clean, including pitchers.

 

[BYH]

Oh that A-Rod. Always has to be the center of attention.

I'm sure if this is true, Verducci will never mention that he identified A-Rod as clean as a whistle less than 15 months ago. (hi Boom!) http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1114004/index.htm Money quote: "In A-Rod they trust."

Interesting probably only to me: Wasn't it the first Saturday of February five years ago that the news of the trade to the Yankees broke?

 

[Boom_70]

I know that steroids is Absolutely The Biggest Issue There Absolutely Ever Was Ever, but this passage is troubling.

"...there were no penalties for a positive test in 2003. The results of that year's survey testing of 1,198 players were meant to be anonymous under the agreement between the commissioner's office and the players association. Rodriguez's testing information was found, however, after federal agents, armed with search warrants, seized the '03 test results from Comprehensive Drug Testing, Inc., of Long Beach, Calif., one of two labs used by MLB in connection with that year's survey testing."

First of all, any player who trusts any investigation into this area is completely crazy at this point.
Second, why did the feds raid this lab? As part of the BALCO investigation? Please. My guess? This is old Jeff Novitzsky playing fast and loose with due process again. **** him and his crusade.

I blame this on George Bush and his willingness to trash the constitution

 

[Double Down]

I agree that the entire thing is a joke Fen. The players would be crazy, or insanely stupid, to trust any promises made by anyone.

All of this is just more evidence that the moralizing about people like Bonds and McGwire needs to end forever. Put them both in the HOF. Put A-Rod in the HOF. Stop trying to pretend that some people hit home runs virtuously while others did not.

BTW, way to go Gene Orza, tipping off players when a steroid test was about to pop up. You certainly can't say he wasn't looking out for the best interests of his members. Until they die of massive heart failure at age 50, that is.

 

[Boom_70]

Oh that A-Rod. Always has to be the center of attention.

I'm sure if this is true, Verducci will never mention that he identified A-Rod as clean as a whistle less than 15 months ago. (hi Boom!) http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1114004/index.htm Money quote: "In A-Rod they trust."

Interesting probably only to me: Wasn't it the first Saturday of February five years ago that the news of the trade to the Yankees broke?

Love this quote from story :

"Unlike Bonds, Rodriguez has never played under suspicion that his performance was enhanced by drugs, and he is not expected to be named as part of the Mitchell Report. The knock on Rodriguez was one of far less substance: that the 10-year, $252 million contract Texas gave him seven years ago made him a mercenary, a reputation his agent, Scott Boras, enhanced when he announced during Game 4 of the World Series that Rodriguez was opting out of that contract with the Yankees."


Once again Vercucci show us that he had a real nose for the steroid era stories

 

[21]

The list of the 104 players whose urine samples tested positive is under seal in California. However, two sources familiar with the evidence that the government has gathered in its investigation of steroid use in baseball and two other sources with knowledge of the testing results have told Sports Illustrated that Rodriguez is one of the 104 players identified as having tested positive, in his case for testosterone and an anabolic steroid known by the brand name Primobolan. All four sources spoke on the condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the evidence.

Not doubting the veracity of the reporting.

But four sources, all suddenly leaking sealed evidence to SI?

A fair point, but what if they've been chasing this for two years, and got four sources over that time period? We don't really have a time line here of how the story was put together or what finally let them go forward with it. I think if you're going to make this kind of claim against the best player in the game, it's probably the kind of thing you need to be airtight before you go forward. Maybe SI editors said they needed four sources to go with it. And they finally got the fourth this week.

The whole 'investigation' has been such a farce from the start. How many names have already been revealed through leaks and the Mitchell ordeal? And just now, this comes out? 104 names, and only ARod revealed this time?

And now what? You have two people 'familiar' with the evidence and two more 'with knowledge' of the results. Why even bother to seal the evidence if everyone who sees it has the compelling need to leak it?

 

[Double Down]

It's going to be hilarious to watch the Steinbrenner Boys claim A-Rod is not a real Yankee, and that they should be able to void his contract because this comes as a total surprise to them.

And please, please, please let Curt Schilling, the King of All Douches, say something dickish about A-Rod, only to have it revealed two weeks later he was mainlining stanzobol for the second half of his career.

 

[Boom_70]

Lost in the excitement of ARod is the real story - Selena Roberts finaly brings something of value to SI

 

[21]

btw, however they got the story, great job by Selena Roberts and David Epstein. Glad to see SI can still break some news.

(edit, I see Boom said it first, he types a lot faster...)

 

[The Big Ragu]

Lost in the excitement of ARod is the real story - Selena Roberts finaly brings something of value to SI

Well, yeah. She has been trying like mad to FINALLY live up to the standard you set when you broke the Lindbergh baby story, Boom.