Anybody else sick of MLB?

[steve B]

Originally Posted by dstudeba

Baseball doesn't have rigorous testing by any stretch. Cyclists and Olympic athletes make far less money, have much stricter testing and they still dope.

And people think ballplayers don't dope?

That was one of my thoughts when Selig was claiming baseball had the most rigorous testing program. Riders in the Tour de France get urine tested nearly every stage, and the stage winners get blood tested. And there is a 0 tolerance policy -Eat a poppy seed bagel, it's a positive test for opiates and a 2 year ban unless you've got proof like a breakfast reciept.

That's not to say that cycling is clean, or really ever has been. Guys who rode in the 50's and 60's openly admit getting amphetamines duringthe race, and 70's riders have said the early hematocrit testing for blood doping was ignored. (max level was 50, the blood would be taken and an hour later the lab guy would tel the team "49.5, you're OK" - one guy thinks that was a team average)



What's fascinating is some of the non PED performances. Jim Thome comes to mind in Baseball.
And the international cycling federation released a list showing the top riders and the level to which they were suspect - yes, that's right suspect. Have the wrong doctor, ride for the wrong team, miss a bit of paperwork or train in the wrong place with the wrong guys and you get tested more often.

One name stood out - Fabian Cancellara. Listed as absolutely NOT suspect. Consider that he wins time trials, and event practiacally made for PEDs by huge margins like nearly a minute and a half over the 2nd place rider in the 09 world championship. That's a miute and a half over the second best clean rider, and much more over guys who have been caught doping. Id have to consider those wins to be some of the most dominant performances in any sport, maybe similar to a clean pitcher holding a juiced bonds to 0 for 40.

On another note, I sometimes think that the test results are the result of sloppy lab work. Floyd landis was negative one day, positive for Testoserone the next than negative again. And lost his appeal.

Steve B

[Runscott]

Originally Posted by steve B

On another note, I sometimes think that the test results are the result of sloppy lab work. Floyd landis was negative one day, positive for Testoserone the next than negative again. And lost his appeal.

Steve B

...then admitted guilt. The system worked in his case.

[steve B]

Originally Posted by Runscott

...then admitted guilt. The system worked in his case.

His admission is somewhat controversial. The backstory is that he wanted back into the bigtime, and went public with a boatload of accusations that only worked if he admitted to doping himself. He had served his suspension, admitted to doping to back up accusations against a team that wouldn't hire him and a race promoter who wouldn't allow him to enter, and wasn't signed by anyone for the next season. Not the smartest move.

And they think baseball can get political.

Cycling also has an odd culture of forgivness for those who admit doping without incriminating others or appealing. The Pro ranks are full of guys who admitted doping took a year or two off and came back.

I ran across a reference to The Cardinals and Browns using some performance enhancer prior to 1945. Just a passing reference, but still interesting.

Steve B

[Runscott]

Originally Posted by steve B

His admission is somewhat controversial. The backstory is that he wanted back into the bigtime, and went public with a boatload of accusations that only worked if he admitted to doping himself. He had served his suspension, admitted to doping to back up accusations against a team that wouldn't hire him and a race promoter who wouldn't allow him to enter, and wasn't signed by anyone for the next season. Not the smartest move.

And they think baseball can get political.

Cycling also has an odd culture of forgivness for those who admit doping without incriminating others or appealing. The Pro ranks are full of guys who admitted doping took a year or two off and came back.

I ran across a reference to The Cardinals and Browns using some performance enhancer prior to 1945. Just a passing reference, but still interesting.

Steve B

Yes, he continued to scheme and lie. I completely understand the cycling culture, training at one time with 'much better than average' triathletes who were very much in to discussing these things. In a sport that has credibility issues, Landis was/is considered one of the least credible.