Mitchell Report

I'm a few days tardy on reporting on this but the long awaited Mitchell Report--about steroid use in baseball--was released on Thursday.

By now those that care...and maybe those that don't...know the gist of it.

While hardly being a comprehensive report on steroid use in baseball it does provide a slice of what has happened during the steroid era. In my book it's not going to effect how much I like baseball or care about it. Really all it does is just put the era into a context that most fans had already done. The meat of the report was the naming of names. Mitchell does come up with some smart recommendations but its the names that is driving the media coverage and dialog among fans.

The biggest name on the list...is that of Roger Clemens. I've suspected for years...and I remember Holman and I having a long chat about this at Richey's bachelor party a few years ago that we wouldn't be surprised that if at some point Clemens was linked to steroids. (He was just doing things that were Bonds-esque...things that shouldn't be possible given one's age--like Clemens having an ERA of 1.87 at the age of 42) I find it quite amusing because I have never liked or respected Clemens. As my dad would say...he's just a big dork. I couldn't agree more. What I like about it the best...is that this makes Greg Maddux, the true best pitcher of this era, look even better. Those guys are always one-two when talking about the greatest pitcher of this era. Not anymore...Maddux is number one (although he always has been in my book).

Looking at Clemens's career and when the documented steroid use happened...it's pretty clear in my book that he was juicing. (For example in the 1998 season Clemens while on the Blue Jays started the season 6-6 with a 3.27 ERA...starting juicing...than went 14-0 with a 2.29 ERA) The evidence against him is very damaging in the report. That's fine with me...as the can join the other dopes (Rose...Bonds) in the hall of shame.

Like I said before the report is hardly comprehensive. Eighty or so names...overly roughly a ten year period...is not that many names considering all the players that have played during that era. There were some omissions that were surprising. No Sammy...he was only mentioned that he was sent a questionnaire. No Brett Boone. No Javy Lopez. There are a lot of names missing of players that I've (and many other fans) have had questions about. So be it...that's the nature of this era. The Mitchell Report really didn't shed any new light on the era (besides adding more names) but it should have a positive lasting legacy if many of the recommendations are put into action.