Yesterday, Michael Schmidt of the New York Times reported that Sammy Sosa tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) in 2003. Sosa and Alex Rodriguez are now the only two names that have been leaked of the 104 players who agreed to take part in an “anonymous” drug test.
The fact is, these players are being cheated by the law firms that have leaked these two names. Many firms have access to these names, but I think the documents should be destroyed. It’s unfair to to the players for these names to be revealed. There’s a reason why baseball does not use blood tests.
Bud Selig said that baseball has the strongest drug abuse policies of any American sport. He’s right, but the Olympics still use the most effective tests because of the blood tests. The blood tests reveal everything about a person’s medical history, and no major leaguer wants to share that personal information with the rest of the world.
I always liked Slammin’ Sammy, even after the corked bat incident, but lying removes him from the guys I like.
Like A-Rod, Sosa is a liar! Here is what Sosa said in front of a House committee in 2003, via the NY Times:
“I have never taken illegal performance-enhancing drugs. I have never injected myself or had anyone inject me with anything,” Sosa said in a sworn statement.
Sosa’s PED use was even more obvious than A-Rod’s, but now it’s official. I’m mad that he lied about it, but I’m even more mad that another name was leaked. Two names is bad enough.
Like Peter Gammons said on Baseball Tonight, if over a dozen future Hall of Famers are leaked from that list, Sosa’s chances at the Hall become even slimmer. I’m not worried as much about the Hall as I am with the integrity of the game.
