More on Manny

Very interesting stuff from Mark Fainaru-Wada.  

This kind of reporting takes time.  There's going to be a steady trickle of this stuff for a while.

Comments

[Rob]

Fair enough, SF. It's going to be a trickle rather than a hydrant (A-Rod). Can we expect the stalkers though?

It seems the doctor didn't do a good job of hiding the script. Whoops! At least that's why Manny won't be suing anyone.

Damn. Sounds like MLB is ahead of the cheaters (except now they'll learn).

[Atheose]

Pwned.

[Paul SF]

Important info there: That the drug Ramirez was banned for is not the one that he tested positive for.

The fact that he was going to claim the elevated testosterone levels came from a steroid precursor is especially damning, I think.

[dc]

thanks for the update sf

interesting point paul...sounds like he was banned for being prescribed a banned substance, and not whatever it was that was the reason for his increased testosterone levels...ouch

[YF]

i think, frankly, this story is FAR more disturbing than the first, "manny is suspended for 50 games" piece. if it was just, he took something, he got busted, that'd be fine. but this indicates the extent to which this stuff is hidden and insidious, and how a player can make a claim to innocence that might be true in a legalese sense, but is totally bullshit. manny got caught in this game, but you gotta wonder how many players are ahead of the game. i honestly don't know what the answer to all of this is, or if we should even care, but this news story certainly makes a muddy situation all the muddier.

[Rob]

Yup. Still, the fact that they caught him speaks volumes and gives me hope. I also look around and see players like Longoria and realize the sport has a bright future. That they're also using the most advanced testing is a good sign they've finally wizened up.

But they'll never put this Pandora back in her box. Talk about a slow trickle as we get more stories like Merloni's when players retire and are further removed.

[Atheose]

To sum up what Rob has said several times: the other 102 names, please.

[John - YF]

Yeah MFW, mentioned the elevated levels on ESPN radio last week. I think that's the nail in the coffin for Manny's escape plan.

[dc]

"...this indicates the extent to which this stuff is hidden and insidious..."
yf, i share your frustration, especially the part about whether we should care...part of me says yes, do whatever is necessary to catch as many violators as possible, but another part of me says, it's hopeless, let it go...i hate arguing with myself

"the other 102 names, please"
amen, reconvene the mitchell gang

[SF]

I remembered this story from a couple of years ago, and the Manny machinations to hide obvious steroid use make me wonder how many other guys are on these quasi-legal "prescriptions".

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/news/story?id=2788187

[Mark _YF]

"amen, reconvene the mitchell gang"

Alternatively, we could get someone competent and unbiased.

[dc]

well mark, this would be mitchell's chance to prove wrong those of us who believe he's not "competent and unbiased", or they could pick someone else...i'm just saying this story begs for a similar formal type effort...

[rootbeerfloat]

Meanwhile, Clemens still says he's innocent:
http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090512&content_id=4683724&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb

[attackgerbil]

> Meanwhile, Clemens still says he's innocent:

I'm trying to stay positive about it.

Chuckle, twice.

[SoxFan]

"To sum up what Rob has said several times: the other 102 names, please."

What exactly is the status of these names?

Are they going to be released? Or is there a MLB-Union agreement prohibiting their release?

If the latter were the case, they would have to be leaked.