Steve and the Tank! - Does Andy Pettitte deserve the Steroid Scarlet Letter for taking HGH twice? Justice was Not Served Literally

Does Andy Pettitte deserve the Steroid Scarlet Letter for taking HGH twice? Justice was Not Served Literally

The fallout from the Mitchell Report continues to envelope the baseball world, especially NY baseball players. According to AM New York, 15 players who played for the Yankees and 12 players who played for the Mets at one time or another.

Andy Pettitte, Roger Clemens, David Justice, and others have been named. Andy admitted yesterday to using HGH twice for an elbow injury according to Bloomberg Radio. Roger denies using performance enhancment drugs.

Another of the 85 players named was David Justice who was on Michael Kay's radio show on 1050 AM Radio Friday. Justice said Senator Mitchell nor his team did not contacted the YES Network nor his business manager. Justice's phone number has changed twice in the past year as his home burned down and for other reasons. Justice was said that former Yankee trainer Brian MacNamee did offer him HGH. He said it is not a steroid. Justice turned down MacNamee's "siren song" offer.

There are fundamental flaws with this investigation. Can the "evidence" hold up in a court of law? Maybe. People are named but are they tested? No. They are guilty until proven innocent. They have to wage their battle in the court of public opinion. Senator Mitchell is judge, jury, and prosecutor.

Is this his report an exercise in nothing? (1) No, it was an effort to shine the light of day on the past to improve the future. The only good thing that will come out of this is that kids will hopefully be discouraged from using performance enhancing drugs. (2) It is also an attempt to salvage what little is left of Bud Selig's legacy. This report is really indicative of what is wrong of his Commissionership. For instance, when the All Star Game was still tied in extra innings a few years ago, he declared a tie and didn't have a home run contest or some other way to end it. No one went home happy and the same is true with the Mitchell Report. People were thrown under the bus and their reputations were sullied forever. They have little chance to defend themselves -- guilty until proven innocent.

Given Senator Mitchell's record, it's hard to question his integrity but we all have biases. As I have written in the past, Senator Mitchell also happens to be a Red Sox director which he stepped down during the investigation but was seen on the field at Fenway Park earlier this season wearing a Red Sox sweater. He should have recused himself from any ballpark. The bias is true for Commissioner Selig himself. Only under intense pressure, he transferred ownership of the Milwaukee Brewers to his daughter Wendy a few years ago. But seriously, do you think she isn't going to listen to her dad? Exactly. Baseball isn't going to be truly fixed until there is an truly independent commissioner and not with ownership ties. Where have you gone Peter Ueberroth?

Yes, players from all 30 teams were named but only a non-star from the Red Sox was named. Were Red Sox sources similar to Radomski on the Mets and MacNamee on the Yankee discouraged, covered up, and/or overlooked? I don't think Senator Mitchell himself but perhaps someone on his staff did. As many questions that the Mitchell Report answered, the more questions need to be asked.

The IOC stripped Marion Jones of her medals earlier this week. MLB won't strip Clemens and others of Cy Young awards and World Series rings for allegedly used performance enhancement drugs. However, will he still go to the Hall of Fame?

As I predicted months ago, don't be surprised if politicians jumped into the fray, especially Republican President candidate Senator John McCain who has been on the forefront of this issue. Senator McCain was on ESPN Radio's Mike & Mike in the Morning on Friday morning. This is not an endorsement of Senator McCain but an observation of this continuing story.

Posted by a saddened and skeptical Tank in NY.

Sunday, December 16, 2007 11:48:52 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

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