WOW! Look At All These Dope Heads!

Roberts, Tejada among O's named in Mitchell Report

By Dan Connolly Sun reporter
3:31 PM EST, December 13, 2007

NEW YORK - Former Sen. George Mitchell's report on steroid use in baseball released today mentions at least 16 current and former Orioles including second baseman Brian Roberts and recently traded shortstop Miguel Tejada.The others named are: current outfielder Jay Gibbons, who recently admitted using human growth hormone and accepted a 15-day suspension, and ex-Orioles Rafael Palmeiro, Larry Bigbie, David Segui, Jack Cust, Jason Grimsley, Jerry Hairston, Tim Laker, Gregg Zaun, Kevin Brown, Howie Clark, Todd Williams, Kent Mercker and Gary Matthews Jr.The following is an excerpt from the part of the report that mentions Roberts:
Related links
Clemens, Bonds named in Mitchell Report
Talk about it: Mitchell Report
Share your thoughts on the release of the Mitchell Report.
Everyone knew...this report just gave us the juicy stuff. Baseball records have been a joke. Bonds is a joke, Clemens, Petite...Rose is looking better all the time for the Hall of Fame at least his records weren't juiced..
Submitted by dean
3:53 PM EST, Dec 13, 2007
Looks like we finally finished in first place for something...
Submitted by Mike
3:47 PM EST, Dec 13, 2007
no one really cares about the roid use. fans just want championships. usa has too tough of a view on drug use. everyone needs to relax, do you really think we were put here to deal with all this stress. live and let live.


Comments: Talk about it: Mitchell Report
On the Web: Read the Mitchell Report
Roch Around the Clock: More on the Mitchell Report
Sun coverage: Doping in sports
Roberts and Larry Bigbie were both rookies in 2001. According to Bigbie, both he and Roberts lived in Segui's house in the Baltimore area during the latter part of that season. When Bigbie and Segui used steroids in the house, Roberts did not participate.According to Bigbie, however, in 2004 Roberts admitted to him that he had injected himself once or twice with steroids in 2003. Until this admission, Bigbie had never suspected Roberts of using steroids.In order to provide Roberts with information about these allegations and to give him an opportunity to respond, I asked him to meet with me; he declined.Other notable players mentioned include Roger Clemens, Andy Pettitte, Barry Bonds, Mo Vaughn, Gary Sheffield, David Justice, Jason Giambi and his brother Jeremy. Eric Gagne and Paul Lo Duca were also named, both linked to human growth hormone.Selig tabbed Mitchell in March 2006 to conduct baseball's independent investigation and gave him no specific guidelines or deadlines. The exhaustive report took nearly two years to complete.Mitchell did not have subpoena power, so he had to rely on cooperation from current and former players -- many of whom declined to be interviewed. That in itself made his job difficult, and has led to skepticism that the report is more hearsay than fact.A primary foundation of the Mitchell Report comes from information provided by former New York Mets clubhouse attendant Kirk Radomski.Radomski, a personal trainer and bodybuilder, admitted to supplying dozens of players with illegal steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs during a 10-year period starting in 1995. Awaiting sentencing in February on steroid distribution charges, he agreed to cooperate with Mitchell.Segui admitted to The Sun this week that he purchased illegal steroids as well as legal supplements from Radomski, whom he still considers a close friend. Segui said Radomski wasn't a drug dealer, but instead a trusted confidant who got players whatever they needed, including mundane items such as workout gear. If asked about their relationship, Segui said he told Radomski to tell the truth to federal investigators. Segui said he declined to be interviewed by Mitchell.Before it was released, the Mitchell Report was widely criticized for myriad reasons including the time spent on it -- about the same as the investigation into the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks -- and more simply, the inclusion of Mitchell, who is on the Boston Red Sox board of directors.Mitchell has said that his relationship with the Red Sox did not hamper him from pursuing the investigation with complete objectivity.Although steroids have been an implicit part of the sporting world for decades, the issue didn't move to the forefront until San Francisco's Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative was raided by local and federal officials in 2003 and several high-profile athletes, including baseball stars Bonds, Jason Giambi and Gary Sheffield, were later implicated.Then, in 2005, former all-star Jose Canseco released his tell-all book "Juiced," which levied more steroids allegations and fingered some of the sport's biggest names including Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa, who captured the national spotlight in 1998 with their pursuit of Roger Maris' single-season home run record.Prompted in part by Canseco, the U.S. House Government Reform Committee conducted a nationally televised, steroid hearing on March 17, 2005. Among those testifying included the retired McGwire, who refused to answer questions about his past, and Palmeiro, who defiantly wagged a finger at the commission and vehemently denied ever using steroids. Less than five months later, Palmeiro received a 10-day suspension for testing positive for the drug stanozolol.He was the first household name to be suspended under MLB's testing program, which began in 2003 but did not begin issuing public suspensions until 2005. The policy has since been fortified, with a first-time failure of a drug test resulting in a 50-game suspension.Earlier this month, the commissioner's office suspended Gibbons and Kansas City Royals outfielder Jose Guillen for 15 days after both were linked to a federal investigation into online steroid rings. The penalties, the commissioner's office stated, are in accord with punishment guidelines when the offenses allegedly took place in 2003 and 2004.They were the first players to be suspended without failing a drug test or being indicted for steroid drug involvement. Gibbons will serve his suspension at the start of the 2008 season; Guillen is appealing his suspension.dan.connolly@baltsun.com