Ex-New York Mets clubhouse attendant Kirk Radomski has given MLB investigator George Mitchell a list of names of major leaguers he sold steroids to while working in the Mets clubhouse from 1995-2005. The list is rumored to be “a big break” in the Mitchell investigation and may have dozens of former and current major leaguers.
Radomski is currently awaiting federal sentencing after he plead guilty to distributing steroids. He could face up to 25 years in prison and $500,000 in fines.
The Mitchell investigation should become public sometime after this season is over, but it is unknown whether the names Radomski gave, or other names Mitchell has found will be contained within the report.
If the names of these players are not released then one has to wonder what the point of the investigation (which is rumored to have cost $15 million) was? If the point was to collect information, but to not release major points of that information then MLB would be doing a disservice to its fans.
We want to know the names, we want to know who has tainted this game that we love. When the FBI nabbed former pitcher Jason Grimsley last year, and he was ready to tell us everyone that he had dealt with in the league we wanted to know. Unfortunately, a judge stopped those names from being released to the Associated Press just a few weeks ago.
Sure Jose Canseco has a new book that supposedly has more names linked to steroids, but no one likes or trusts Canseco. His first book “Juiced” does appear to have some basis in fact, and did make MLB look bad after its release and subsequent Capitol Hill testimony from Rafael Palmiero and Mark McGwire. Canseco was using and does know the names of other players during that time who were using, but no one wants to hear from him anymore.
The names need to be released, but we will have to wait to see if they will be. I don’t think that any of the players on that list should be disciplined. The court of public opinion will be harsh enough on these players without the league handing down suspensions or fines. The release of names will help fans deal with the steroid era of baseball, and form their own opinions about the players they followed.
