Damon and Clemens

Steroids. Announcement tomorrow. You heard it here first.

 

THIS STORY HAS BEEN FORMATTED FOR EASY PRINTING


Strong message on steroids
Palmeiro case a sobering twist
By Kelsie Smith, Globe Correspondent | August 3, 2005

Right now, it's good to be pretty much anybody but Rafael Palmeiro.

That was Johnny Damon's stance as he fielded questions about Palmeiro, who is facing a 10-day suspension for a failed drug test, before last night's game against Kansas City.

Palmeiro has said he never intentionally used a banned substance, an explanation Damon said just isn't good enough.

''I'm stunned," Damon said. ''I think, in this day and age, you've got to know what you're putting into your body. If you don't know, you really have to find out. It's not too hard to go ask the trainers, or there's a lot of people you can ask -- your teammates, the trainers, coaches, doctors."

The New York Times reported on its website last night that, according to a source with direct knowledge of the league's drug-testing program, Palmeiro tested positive for the anabolic steroid stanozolol, the same substance for which former Canadian sprinter Ben Johnson was banned from his sport in 1988. Stanozolol does not come in dietary supplements and usually remains in the body for at least a month.

Damon said he heard about Palmeiro's suspension while golfing Monday. The news prompted several thoughts, some about the Red Sox' series against Baltimore July 7-10, in which Palmeiro shined. As the Orioles were winning three of four at Camden Yards, Palmeiro hit .385 with three home runs and nine RBIs.

''He had a great series," said Damon. ''There's no way you can go back and change what happened in those games, but we'll just go out there and play and hopefully we can clean steroids out of this game even more. It's been bad. It's been something that we don't want to have. But that's something we may have to deal with."

Palmeiro, of course, condemned steroid use in front of Congress in March, pointing his finger at the committee and insisting he had never used any illegal substance to better himself as a baseball player.

Curt Schilling, who also delivered anti-steroid sentiments at the session, said he was disappointed to hear of Palmeiro's suspension.

''I also understand that, in God's world, people make mistakes," said Schilling. ''He made a big one, and he's paying for it. Unfortunately, we are too. You deal with it and move on.

''I think the public and the media, in one sense, have given us way too much credit; because this group of people is so physically gifted doesn't mean that we're that much smarter than everybody else, doesn't mean we're absolved from making the same mistakes other people make. This is just another case of it."

Jason Giambi can relate to the scrutiny Palmeiro is facing. The Yankees slugger has endured relentless public scorn since February, when it was revealed he had told a federal grand jury in 2003 that he took steroids. With 14 home runs in July, Giambi has regained his power stroke, but he has not escaped the spotlight that has dogged him since his admission of steroid use.

''[Palmeiro] has accomplished unbelievable things," Giambi said yesterday prior to the Yankees' game in Cleveland. ''It is just an unfortunate thing that happened. I don't wish it on anybody."

However, despite his personal struggle, Giambi feels the league's hardened stance has made a positive impact.

''It is definitely making a difference, no doubt about it," he said. ''It is something that everybody wanted to accomplish and it is doing what it is supposed to do."

Palmeiro's suspension became public after an appeals process, something Damon said probably happened because of the Baltimore slugger's stance on the issue. The case is so high-profile, Damon said, that he wouldn't be surprised to see harsher punishments imposed on players who fail future drug tests and that the union is not to blame.

''I think it's the fault of the player," he said. ''No one's told people to take it. People took it because they knew their numbers would be better, they knew they would be healthier, they would recover, forgetting about anything long-term. They just want to play baseball and be better right now."

Damon said he remembers when he decided to never use steroids. It was 1992, and former NFL star Lyle Alzado had just died from brain cancer at 43. Though no medical evidence confirmed his hypothesis, Alzado insisted his disease was directly related to steroid use.

''Some people might just not have been taught like I was," Damon said. ''I was taught just like the whole world when Lyle Alzado [died]. That's a perfect instance for me. Growing up, seeing that happen, you're just like, 'Wow, that's not right.'

''That's what steroids do to you, I'm never doing it. People probably didn't have the kind of feelings that I had, but I can remember those days growing up pretty vividly."

Damon hopes those in baseball still using steroids will consider the consequences as Palmeiro faces an uncertain future.

''I think with Palmeiro, [Major League Baseball] wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt and make sure because when you mention a guy like Palmeiro, a guy who has 3,000 hits, 500 home runs, it's going to be big news," he said.

''It's not good to be him right now. He's going to have to deal with a lot of media, a lot of disappointed fans. Hopefully it will open up other guys' thoughts to say 'Hey, if it could happen to this guy, it could happen to anybody.' "

Material from the Associated Press was used in this report.


© Copyright 2005 The New York Times Company

 

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&safe=off&client=safari&rls=en&q=clemens+steroids&spell=1

 

Oh. Fuck.

 

one of these days everybody in the hof is gonna have an asterisk by their name

 

You ain't kidding.

 

Still nothing from the major sports outlets. Hmmmmm.

 

Okay, another email from my source(who actually works for MLB) says that they have received over 100 phone calls asking about the rumor of Clemens and Damons, and MLB says it's not legit. Evidently there will be no announcement today regarding anyone's abuse of steroids.

 

Can you ask him whether there will not be an announcement today - or if there is no truth to this rumor for Damon and therefore will not be an announcement, period. Clemens can fuck the fuck off as far as I care.

 

well, buster whatshisname on espn radio said a while back that there are at least a dozen big-name players who have tested positive.