What do Marvin Benard, Barry Bonds, Glen Allen Hill, David Justice, Nook Logan, Gary Matthews Jr., Stephen Randolph, Gary Sheffield, Mo Vaughn, Rondell White and Kevin Young have in common?
If you said, “They are named in The Mitchell Report,” you are correct.
What else do they all share?
If you said, “We’re not idiots, Alvin. If you’re writing about them they must all be African Americans,” you are right once again.
Of the 89 individuals listed with photos as officially on the list by the New York Times, 11 are black.
Stephen Randolph was born in Okinawa, Japan, but he has two black parents and his middle name is “LeCharles,” for gosh sake.
Eleven out of 89 is about 9 percent.
The black population of Major League Baseball is about 9 percent.
Yet, I still feel a sense of relief that a larger number of black players were not implicated in The Mitchell Report.
By the way, The Mitchell Report was as big a waste of time as a three-hour rain delay.
It proved what was already proven, made recommendations that have long been recommended and came to conclusions that the sporting public had figured out at least a decade ago.
If you throw the names Bonds and Sheffield off that list, you have some pretty good players, but no other Hall of Fame candidates.
David Justice is a very recognizable name, but injuries (hmmmm….) cost him any chance he had at Cooperstown.
He also emphatically denies ever using steroids or Human Growth Hormone. And while he has not sued or declared what action he would take other than doing radio interviews, he has advice for fellow Mitchell Report occupant Roger Clemens.
“I’ve never seen Roger do anything nor have I ever had a conversation with him [about steroids],” Justice told ESPN Radio.
“He should be doing what I’m doing. He should be talking about it. If you really didn’t do it, say something about it. At least have a conversation about it.”
Any Pettitte’s conversation about his HGH amounts to hysterical. He could only remember using it over two days and only to help his team. Yeah, right.
Our own Fernando Vina, former St. Louis Cardinal, blamed the Cardinals in part for his cheating.
He said there was “pressure from his team,” and pressure from himself to get back on the field.
“I tried everything rehabbing. I came to a point that I was desperate.”
“Was it right? No. Obviously, it was wrong … I’m embarrassed by it,” Vina said.
Nothing could be as embarrassing as that explanation, ‘Nando.
Brian Roberts, Baltimore Orioles second baseman, used God as a character witness.
“When I took one shot of steroids, I immediately realized that this was not what I stood for or anything that I wanted to continue doing. I can honestly say before God, myself, my family and all of my fans, that steroids or any performance-enhancing drugs have never had any effect on what I have worked so hard to accomplish.”
Is there anyone out there who believes these guys only did this once or twice? Or is anyone naïve enough to believe that they did it “for the team.”
Former Cardinal Gary Bennett, one of many current or former Cardinals on the list, said the toughest part is losing respect with his friends and their children.
F.P. Santangelo said the hardest part is explaining the situation to his sons.
Here’s what you say, F.P.
“Hey guys, you see this nice house, the nice cars and your nice clothes? That’s why I did it. You guys will probably never have to worry about money. That’s why I did it.”
My guess is that – like America – his sons would appreciate the truth and forgive him.