9 Responses to Boston’s Baked Beans

1. gene says:

   August 3, 2009 at 5:27 am

   Good morning from Omaha,
   The players association should just as well release all the names of the players caught in the great steroid sweep of ’03. and then release the names from 04, 05 etc etc. Its like taking off a band aid, just rip the sucker off and get it over.
   And I seem to remember the Sox claimed their run to the championship was powered by shots of crown royal??
   or am I wrong in my memory.
   Strive for excellence, nothing but your best.
   Gene
2. Cornelius says:

   August 3, 2009 at 7:44 am

   Interesting and informative. But will you write about this one more?
3. Ryan S says:

   August 3, 2009 at 8:43 am

   I really don’t think anyone is surprised that these two were on the list. I also really don’t think anyone cares if they were or if anyone else is. Fans come to watch either way so just release the names and get it over with.
4. Scott says:

   August 3, 2009 at 9:25 am

   Fortunately, Bud Selig will be forever tied with this era.

   The guy who was too limp wristed to do anything about steroids until Congress was finally ready to step in.

   The guy who finally instituted a testing program when other Professional sports had been testing for 15+ years.

   The guy who ruined the All Star Game and tainted the World Series by tying the two events together… What the?

   Why did baseball even need that anonymous 2003 test anyways. Because Bud Selig was too intimidated by the Players Union. I’m guessing Roger Goodell wouldn’t have been.

   The blame for steriods needs to go in both directions. MLB and the Players Union fostered the environment for steriods to thrive. I believe even encouraged it. In their eyes, nothing could have been better than more HR’s and extra attention.

   The average Joe Blow player who decided NOT to use steriods was at a decided disadvantage. If it was a choice between losing your career and doing steriods… What would YOUR choice be? I know what my choice would have been. Millions of dollars versus league minimum or AAA ball.

   I refuse to solid lay blame on the players. It’s up to management to find and punish the cheaters. If the management turns a blind eye… Well, you get it.

   Scott
5. Scott says:

   August 3, 2009 at 9:37 am

   As the for today’s question.

   Yes!! Release the stupid list!! I bet there’s many players on it that are out of baseball at this point anyway.

   Palmero? – Definite yes since he already tested positive
   McGuire? – I think he was already out of baseball at that point
   Sosa?
   Bagwell – I hope not, as I’m an Astros Fan (and Rockies)
   Clemens? – Probably not, because they didn’t test for HGH

   I bet there’s a pethlora of pitchers that you would have suspected. Pitchers are more injury prone that positions players. I wouldn’t be suprised if steroids were used to prevent and come back from injury.

   Petite already admitted use of HGH to come back from an injury in 2004… blah, blah, blah

   Release the d*$m list.
6. BS says:

   August 3, 2009 at 12:01 pm

   I don’t think you release the list. This was supposed to be anonymous, the players trusted baseball and give accurate results. I believe that if the players knew the list would leak they would have covered up the fact that they were using. IE They would have been warned when the test was going to happen and they would have cleaned their system. This would have left baseball believing that there was no serious problem and they would not have imposed a more stringent testing policy. The trust has to be there for the next time and the will be something else. Athletes do whatever it takes to find a competitive edge.

   This should be about the player and his health. Baseball didn’t care if it’s players were taking a deadly drug because it was “good” for the game. The average fan started showing back up at the stadiums because they believed they were watching all-time greats. Are they all time greats? No. Are they special maybe? (If steroid was the norm then maybe the playing field was level.) Anyways without steroids all the same athletes would be playing the game, it would just be the water-downed version and the average fan doesn’t care, meaning less money for the sport.
7. Drew says:

   August 3, 2009 at 2:37 pm

   Fantastic comments everybody. Great opinions with solid arguments for and against. Classy comments from each and every one of you.
8. Mike says:

   August 3, 2009 at 10:45 pm

   Drew,

   Just noticed the juiced yellow eyes on each player. Nice touch!

   The list should be released.. BS makes some darn persuasive arguments about confidentiality, and while I agree with his arguments and analysis, there is already evident the “human factor.” Someone or ones has access to this list and is shopping out the names. Sadly, more should have been done to preserve the confidentiality of the list since that was the key consideration in getting the players to give “honest” samples, but that confidentiality is blown. The names are going to come out regardless whether it is appropriate or moral to release them. To keep these unknown profiteers from abusing their access to confidential data, the only option is to take away its worth. That is done by making the data openly available. By doing it all at once, it gives a “run with the herd” opportunity to avoid publicity to many of the players. It stinks no matter which option you choose, but again, delaying public access will only delay not forestall the inevitable.
9. Derek says:

   August 5, 2009 at 6:37 pm

   Release the list. Ban all players on it and discout all of their stats.