It wouldn’t be an MLB offseason without a juicy PED scandal right?
Well here you go. Courtesy of Tim Elfrink of the Miami NewTimes, some significant names have been associated with a Miami clinic that has been linked to supplying drugs to several people ranging from University coaches, to current MLB players.
Of course there will be a lot of work done to check the validity of the story and the list, but Elfrink says the following with regards to how they obtained the list.
“The names are all included in an extraordinary batch of records from Biogenesis, an anti-aging clinic tucked into a two-story office building just a hard line drive’s distance from the UM campus. They were given to New Times by an employee who worked at Biogenesis before it closed last month and its owner abruptly disappeared. The records are clear in describing the firm’s real business: selling performance-enhancing drugs, from human growth hormone (HGH) to testosterone to anabolic steroids.”
The list of current MLB players on the list include: Nelson Cruz, Bartolo Colon, Melky Cabrera, Yasmani Grandal, Gio Gonzalez and Alex Rodriguez.
Now, let me tell you why I am fired up about this list.
Bartolo Colon and Melky Cabrera mean nothing to me. They have been suspended and already carry the scarlet letter.
Grandal and even Cruz mean little to nothing to me as well.
Everybody will focus on Alex Rodriguez being on this list. He claimed he was clean as of the 2004 season, and the fact his name pops up once again in a PED scandal will be the focus of so many news outlets, especially the mainstream.
But you know what? If this turns out to be a valid list, then Gio Gonzalez is the biggest name on this list. If you take a look at the quick reactions to the list, you’re noticing that ARod and not Gio is already the most talked about person.
Alex Rodriguez is a broken down, over the hill, often injured player who is chasing an already tainted record. What difference does it make to anybody whether he’s involved in a PED scandal? His team already seems to be forging ahead without him in 2013. He literally has almost 0 impact on the “present day.”
Yet, Gio Gonzalez at 27, had a career year for the Washington Nationals and finished 3rd in the NL Cy Young race after winning 21 games. The Nationals are poised for a championship run and Gio is one of the reasons why.
What I see happening is everybody will focus on ARod and allow Gonzalez to get away with a soft apology or denial and move on. But, (again if this is true) the fact Gio is on this list changes a lot.
Gio could face a suspension if MLB investigates this story and finds enough evidence, even without a positive test.
There is going to be a lot of discussion about this story, and if it turns out to be false – then so be it. However, if it turns out to be true, then the biggest story of this list will be the impact it has on the Nationals and their most reliable starting pitcher being linked to PED’s.
UPDATE:
In a statement issued through his representatives, Gonzalez said:
“I’ve never used performance-enhancing drugs of any kind, and I never will. I’ve never met or spoken with Tony Bosch or used any substances provided by him. Anything said to the contrary is a lie.”
