Ten more MLB players to be named as performance enhanced drug (PED) users/buyers?

Apparently the Albany NY District Attorney's office sits on a goldmine of steroids/PED headlines.  Sources say after a Monday meeting between MLB officials and David Soares the Albany DA, up to 10 more MLB players may find their headaches growing with HGH (and other PED) accusations. (Update, MLB schedules meetings with Ankiel, Glaus, and GIbbons; may invite Sarge Jr. too)

The New York Times buries this story on their Internet site, but it's here:

When representatives from Major League Baseball met with members of the Albany district attorney’s office on Monday they were looking to get a better handle on the investigation into an extensive prescription-drug distribution ring, a probe that has already seen a number of major league players linked to the purchase of performance-enhancing drugs.

Whether baseball can establish a working relationship with the investigators remains to be seen. What is almost certain is that more names of major leaguers are going to be disclosed in connection with the case. One person who has been briefed on the situation but was not authorized to speak publicly said baseball expects the names of perhaps 10 more players to emerge as the investigation continues to unfold.

Last week Rick Ankiel, Troy Glaus, and Jay Gibbons emerged as linked to the Signature Pharmacy  -- the Internet sleazeclearinghouse for illegal PEDs in Orlando.  In the spring, names like Gary Matthews Jr., Jerry Hairston Jr., David Bell, and Darren Holmes came to the on-deck circle for PED acquisitions via the Internet (from Baseball's Steroid Era database, because the names are getting too many to remember).

The Albany DA-PED link seems interesting in this aspect:  David Soares and the Albany DA's office releases his information to the press.  With BALCO the San Francisco federal attorney appeared reticent to release information.  Only the BALCO grand jury leaks lead to stories, and books such as Game of Shadows. However Soares invites publicity.

As we say, with the revelations of PED uses exploding in baseball, Commissioner Selig needs more than a limited Mitchell probe; MLB needs a full-time anti-doping office (and given the suspicions perhaps a full time steroid detox center too).

That fact is not good news for accused steroid-HGH-PED users.  Hang on tight because this may turn into a steroid-fueled roller-coaster ride shortly.

Comments

[drew]

the whole league will get turned on its ear if clemens and pettite get named right before the playoffs. i think most people look at baseball as a wwf-style joke after all this.

[jon]

Because the NFL is such a laughing stock. They've already had some of their biggest names be suspended for testing positive for steroids. Or for being caught with HGH. Shawn Merriman last year would b like Albert Pujols being caught.
This year he is one of NIKE's poster boys, and the NFL is as popular as ever.