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Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig told USA Today in Thursday's edition that he is contemplating whether a suspension of Alex Rodriguez might be appropriate in the wake of the Yankees third baseman's admission to the use of banned substances from 2001-2003.

 

"It was against the law, so I would have to think about that," Selig said in an interview with Christine Brennan.

 

Furthermore, as Barry Bonds approaches a March 2 trial date on charges of lying to a federal grand jury about performance-enhancing drugs, Selig added he was considering the reinstatement of Henry Aaron as the rightful home run king in the official record books.

 

Bonds currently holds the career record with 762 home runs, having passed Aaron's mark of 755 in 2007.

 

"This is breaking my heart, I don't mind telling you that," Selig said.

 

A suspension of Rodriguez is a tricky proposition because the test that came up positive was part of an anonymous survey to determine whether use was above a certain threshold in the game.

 

So, Rodriguez would be paying a price for verifying his use in response to an unnamed-sources leak to Sports Illustrated, and it is unclear whether Selig would want to deter others from coming forward if they were inclined to confess to being among the 104 names on the list that included A-Rod.

 

Additionally, even Rodriguez's "admission" to using outlawed substances to ESPN in Monday's interview was unclear.

 

"I don't know exactly what substance I was guilty of using," Rodriguez said.

 

The list of 2003 results that was confiscated as part of the highly publicized BALCO investigation started with 10 players of interest. Rodriguez was not one of the 10 players connected to that inquiry, though he was revealed to be one of the 104 overall tagged as positive in the story that broke Feb. 7 on SI.com. A-Rod confirmed the general accuracy of that article on ESPN two days later.

 

The New York Times reported in 2004 that Bonds, Marvin Benard, Bobby Estalella, Jason Giambi, Jeremy Giambi, Armando Rios, Benito Santiago, Gary Sheffield and Randy Velarde were among those who had urine specimens seized as part of the BALCO investigation. Later, it was reported that in June 2006 the house of Jason Grimsley, then a pitcher for the Diamondbacks, was searched as part of the BALCO probe. Grimsley, released by the D-backs, was suspended for 50 games by MLB, consistent with guidelines in an agreement with the Players Association.

 

It is not known outside the circle of the sealed federal case whether any of those players were connected to positive tests in the 2003 survey of more than 1,000 Major Leaguers, but those were the records originally sought by investigators. After resistance from the union regarding details for the 10 players, federal agents who seized material from the Long Beach-based Comprehensive Drug Testing Inc. (a company that kept records matching names to numeric sample identifications) had a search warrant for the test results of 10 players specifically, and in doing so they discovered on a computer spreadsheet the test results of additional players, raising many questions ranging from whether that material should be destroyed or made public. All the participants were part of collectively bargained testing that was agreed would preserve anonymity. The matter is now in the hands of a California court.

 

Donald Fehr, the union's executive director, told USA Today he would not expect any action taken against Rodriguez.

 

"I would be surprised if there was an attempt to [suspend Rodriguez]," Fehr said.

 

Selig issued a memo in 1997 banning steroids and noted possession of steroids was illegal without a prescription. Players did not agree to punishment for use until 2004, triggered by the more than 5 percent of players who tested positive in the 2003 exercise.

 

Brennan wrote a column that included additional details of her discussion with the Commissioner.

 

"I don't want to create any false hope," Selig said, referring to those, including Brennan herself, who are advocating action, even if just to make a statement and even if it were overturned or unenforceable.

 

As Brennan wrote, suggesting a "best interest" of the game rationale: "Suspend him for 50 games, suspend him for a week. Just suspend him."

 

Easier written than done, no doubt, for the aforementioned reason that the A-Rod revelation ultimately was the product of an illegal disclosure.

 

The BALCO scandal hardly has raised suspicions solely about baseball players. In a 2004 interview with the ABC program "20/20," and in a bylined story in ESPN the Magazine, the alleged mastermind of BALCO, Victor Conte, claimed he had provided banned drugs to a long list of elite athletes, including track and field superstar Marion Jones (she later served six months in prison for lying in the investigation), world record sprinter Tim Montgomery, former NFL linebacker Bill Romanowski and British sprint champion Dwain Chambers. Former San Francisco 49ers and Oakland Raiders defensive tackle Dana Stubblefield later was connected to BALCO as well and was sentenced to two years' probation for lying to federal agents.

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Ill be ticked if he supends Arod.

punishing A-rod for this would be the most ridiculous move EVER.

I think it would be actionable. Suspending a guy for confirming something that was leaked from a supposedly confidential report, when you were supposed to keep it confidential.... yeah, that is a lawsuit.

Bud should sooner quit.

 

He won't; but he should. Fehr, too.

Suspending A-Rod, like someone already said, is a lawsuit in the making.

 

Also, reinstating Aaron as the home run king is ridiculous.

Suspending A-Rod, like someone already said, is a lawsuit in the making.

 

Also, reinstating Aaron as the home run king is ridiculous.

 

A - true

B - false

 

or at least the whole "asterisk" idea would be fair.

Didn't Aaron "cheat," as well?

Didn't Aaron "cheat," as well?

 

Point is baseball is being too soft on all of these guys. Im no pro-Aaron or whatever you want to call it, its just they need to set an example... they need to say THIS is what will happen if you get caught.

Didn't Aaron "cheat," as well?

 

Point is baseball is being too soft on all of these guys. Im no pro-Aaron or whatever you want to call it, its just they need to set an example... they need to say THIS is what will happen if you get caught.

 

 

If baseball does that, all the sports should follow, as well. B/c if we truly believe all the BS the media is trying to imply (that baseball is the only sport mainly guilty for this), we're being delusional.

 

If you ask me...let the players take the roids. I personally could care less. At the end of the day, they're not hurting anyone, but themselves.

 

Roids brought excitement back to the game of baseball. Seriously...would baseball's ratings / popularity be the same today if not for McGwire / Sosa's magical season? If not for Barry Bonds? ARod?

 

And say what you will, but again...it takes a lot more than performance-enhancing drugs to hit a baseball. While their #'s are inflated, they're only inflated to a certain point. Alex Rodriguez is a hall of famer with or without steroids. If anything, taking his stats away, might be one of the few things that would make me not want to watch baseball again. The same applies to Barry Bonds, as well, fwiw.

Suspending A-Rod, like someone already said, is a lawsuit in the making.

 

Also, reinstating Aaron as the home run king is ridiculous.

 

A - true

B - false

 

or at least the whole "asterisk" idea would be fair.

If you take Bonds' away (and I hate Barry Bonds) for using steroids, then you have to take Aaron's away for using greenies.

Suspending A-Rod, like someone already said, is a lawsuit in the making.

 

Also, reinstating Aaron as the home run king is ridiculous.

 

A - true

B - false

 

or at least the whole "asterisk" idea would be fair.

If you take Bonds' away (and I hate Barry Bonds) for using steroids, then you have to take Aaron's away for using greenies.

 

 

Like I said above... they need to set an example...

 

and Erick... I can easily say I disagree with you right now more than I ever have... letting them take steroids is not something you can just do.

Suspending A-Rod, like someone already said, is a lawsuit in the making.

 

Also, reinstating Aaron as the home run king is ridiculous.

 

A - true

B - false

 

or at least the whole "asterisk" idea would be fair.

If you take Bonds' away (and I hate Barry Bonds) for using steroids, then you have to take Aaron's away for using greenies.

 

 

Like I said above... they need to set an example...

 

and Erick... I can easily say I disagree with you right now more than I ever have... letting them take steroids is not something you can just do.

That's a ridiculous thing to say. You shouldn't be "setting an example", you should be being fair. Doing what you say doesn't set an example, it set's a precedent of unequal treatment.

That's a ridiculous thing to say. You shouldn't be "setting an example", you should be being fair. Doing what you say doesn't set an example, it set's a precedent of unequal treatment.

 

Im not talking about Bonds being up there... this was in reference to A-Rod and 103 others, along with the entire Mitchell Report, etc. they need to set an example of the players being caught with steroids in our era. Im not talking about Bonds. I said Bonds should get that asterisk by his name.

That's a ridiculous thing to say. You shouldn't be "setting an example", you should be being fair. Doing what you say doesn't set an example, it set's a precedent of unequal treatment.

 

Im not talking about Bonds being up there... this was in reference to A-Rod and 103 others, along with the entire Mitchell Report, etc. they need to set an example of the players being caught with steroids in our era. Im not talking about Bonds. I said Bonds should get that asterisk by his name.

Those are both terrible ideas.

 

Firstly, you can't just change the laws of the past. There was no punishment for these "offenses", especially with A-Rod who was taking a legal substance that wasn't banned in baseball until 2005. And as far as those tests go, these guys voluntarily took these tests with the assurance that they wouldn't be punished and that no one would ever find out. How would you feel in that position if you were told you wouldn't get punished and then they changed their mind?

 

If they push A-Rod, the amount of suing that will occur, we'll be watching RLB instead of MLB, Rodriguez League Baseballl.

 

 

On the second, if you asterisk Bonds, you have to asterisk Aaron.

That's a ridiculous thing to say. You shouldn't be "setting an example", you should be being fair. Doing what you say doesn't set an example, it set's a precedent of unequal treatment.

 

Im not talking about Bonds being up there... this was in reference to A-Rod and 103 others, along with the entire Mitchell Report, etc. they need to set an example of the players being caught with steroids in our era. Im not talking about Bonds. I said Bonds should get that asterisk by his name.

Those are both terrible ideas.

 

Firstly, you can't just change the laws of the past. There was no punishment for these "offenses", especially with A-Rod who was taking a legal substance that wasn't banned in baseball until 2005. And as far as those tests go, these guys voluntarily took these tests with the assurance that they wouldn't be punished and that no one would ever find out. How would you feel in that position if you were told you wouldn't get punished and then they changed their mind?

 

If they push A-Rod, the amount of suing that will occur, we'll be watching RLB instead of MLB, Rodriguez League Baseballl.

 

 

On the second, if you asterisk Bonds, you have to asterisk Aaron.

 

Whatever. You cant just escape everything by turning yourself in. The damage was done. The MLB is soft on its friggin players, along with the rest of the leagues.

That's a ridiculous thing to say. You shouldn't be "setting an example", you should be being fair. Doing what you say doesn't set an example, it set's a precedent of unequal treatment.

 

Im not talking about Bonds being up there... this was in reference to A-Rod and 103 others, along with the entire Mitchell Report, etc. they need to set an example of the players being caught with steroids in our era. Im not talking about Bonds. I said Bonds should get that asterisk by his name.

Those are both terrible ideas.

 

Firstly, you can't just change the laws of the past. There was no punishment for these "offenses", especially with A-Rod who was taking a legal substance that wasn't banned in baseball until 2005. And as far as those tests go, these guys voluntarily took these tests with the assurance that they wouldn't be punished and that no one would ever find out. How would you feel in that position if you were told you wouldn't get punished and then they changed their mind?

 

If they push A-Rod, the amount of suing that will occur, we'll be watching RLB instead of MLB, Rodriguez League Baseballl.

 

 

On the second, if you asterisk Bonds, you have to asterisk Aaron.

 

Whatever. You cant just escape everything by turning yourself in. The damage was done. The MLB is soft on its friggin players, along with the rest of the leagues.

That's the point. A-rod didn't do against the rules. Where else would you get punished for not breaking a rule?

What? It was against the rules. Just because there was no policy against it in 2003 it was still cheating.

What? It was against the rules. Just because there was no policy against it in 2003 it was still cheating.

MLB only bans illegal substances and Primobolan is a prohormon, which wasn't illegal until January 2005.

What? It was against the rules. Just because there was no policy against it in 2003 it was still cheating.

 

 

It wasn't actually.

Suspending A-Rod, like someone already said, is a lawsuit in the making.

 

Also, reinstating Aaron as the home run king is ridiculous.

 

A - true

B - false

 

or at least the whole "asterisk" idea would be fair.

If you take Bonds' away (and I hate Barry Bonds) for using steroids, then you have to take Aaron's away for using greenies.

 

 

Like I said above... they need to set an example...

 

and Erick... I can easily say I disagree with you right now more than I ever have... letting them take steroids is not something you can just do.

That's a ridiculous thing to say. You shouldn't be "setting an example", you should be being fair. Doing what you say doesn't set an example, it set's a precedent of unequal treatment.

Life is unfair. At one point or other there is bound to be a precedent of unequal treatment. Something needs to be done about this now. Forget about the past and start fixing the present so baseball can have a stable future.

Life is unfair. At one point or other there is bound to be a precedent of unequal treatment. Something needs to be done about this now. Forget about the past and start fixing the present so baseball can have a stable future.

How are you forgetting the past by punishing someone what happened 5 years ago?

 

Players are punished for 50-100-lifetime these days. That is the now. What you are talking about isn't in "now" anyway.

 

Also, "life is unfair" is a terrible mantra use invented by people to excuse wrongdoing.

I read earlier it was banned in the CBA in 2002. are you sure mlb only bans illegal substances?

I read earlier it was banned in the CBA in 2002. are you sure mlb only bans illegal substances?

That's what I read on the Washington Post when this first broke.

if it wasn't illegal at the time then why is this an issue?

 

No different from any of the other legal drugs athletes take.

 

sigh at the ignorance displayed thanks to the propaganda brought out by the government just like their other over the top anti-drug campaigns.

  • Author

Does any one think that the use of PED is ever gonna stop. Sure right now baseball test for roids but not for HGH as far as I know. Then once they finally come around to testing for HGH guys will be on to something else. Point being some one is always gonna be one step ahead of the test and these guys are gonna use if they think it can give them an edge and they're espcially gonna use if the drug isnt tested for.. I just dont think you can really compare todays game of baseball to the past's.

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