The facts will be what they are, what that is remains to be seen.

Either way Baseball losses!!!!  

As for what the MLBPA will do, I think they will not have the opportunity to act.  I believe Congress will implement Olympic drug testing on all American sports.  The nuclear option is here.

Perhaps I don't fully understand the policies in each professional league, but it seems MLB is taking the full brunt of criticism from those looking to point fingers at allegedly tainted athletes.  Isn't it possible that the NFL is tainted with HGH users as well?  Is baseball is getting slammed more than other leagues just because they are going further in cleaning up this problem?

The greater issue at hand is the pathetic lack of courage from anyone in a position of authority within the sport and most especially the players and managers/coaches.  Ozzie Guillen's comments were deplorable on this matter.  If I were the owner of the Sox he would have been fired about 10 seconds after making such closeminded, bullying, ass-hat remarks.  The sad thing is that Ozzie's view is the norm in baseball.

The truth is that the sport if loaded with cheaters and protects cheaters and values cover-up and covering butts more than anything.

I enjoy the actual sport of playing baseball.  I enjoy watching it and analyzing the game.  Unfortunately, the people who play the sport and manage it are by and large a cowardly bunch who prefer gravy training their huge money contracts and will do absolutely anything to continue to extract such money from the game.

It is nit "unfortunate" that Albert gets thrown in with cheaters.  It is totally reasonable and predictable because the sport wants it that way, his fellow cheaters want it that way, his manager wants it that way, his ownership wants it that way, and ultimately Albert, through his inactions wants it that way.

It's much easier to be complacent and takes the money.  Everyone cheats and everyone takes the omney...

Every single player, dirty or clean deserves the stain because none will stand up to the punk-ass dunderheads like Ozzie Guillen who encourage cheating and delight in it...they glorify the courrupt and only see "ratting someone" as bad.  They'd fit nicely in Mike Noreth's world, where the corrupt, political hacks, and wise guys are heroes and only those who tell the truth are villified...they sicken me.

Nothing in this statement suggests Albert isn't taking steroids or HGH, just not DURING THE SEASON.

THESE ATHLETES HAVE DONE NOTHING TO WARRANT AGAINST PRE-JUDGMENT. UNTIL SOME OF THEM STEPUP AND ADMIT THIER GUILT OR SPEAK OUT AGAINST THEIR FELLOW BALLPLAYERS THEN THIS RUSH TO JUDGMENT IS GOING TO CONTINUE. I ABSOLUTELY AGREE WITH CCD'S TAKE ON THIS TOPIC.

and that chicago fans and media cannot crow too loudly, as sosa was never held up for scrutiny until very very late in his stay in chicago.

i may have missed out here; if so, please disregard.

Whether there is proof or not really doesn't matter.  You've already convicted Bonds without proof as we've all done.  At least with regards to Bonds I can say this...the guy got to the ML level and became a hall of famer without the use of PEDs.  

Seriously, Al, not sure if you have some lovefest with Albert or not, but you defending him because there is no proof is laughable.  The last thing required in convicting somebody of using PEDs is facts these days and you're a part of that group.  

Can't you just look at Pujols and say to yourself, well, you know what, normal human beings don't look like that.  They aren't that big.  It's the 2nd easiest open and shut case regarding steroid/PED use in sports.  Bonds being the easiest.  

Don't even give me this "we need to be patient" crap.  We're never going to know for absolute certain who took them.  All we have is our common sense.  Use it.

Dear editor,

How self-serving of the Tribune to feature an article (and a front-page teaser) on Monday, June 12, promoting the replacement of Wrigley Field's beloved scoreboard with a video screen. Obviously, a video screen would be a far more effective vehicle for advertising, which I'm sure is at the root of the Tribune's little idea. None of this surprises me considering the Tribune's nearly quarter-century history of assaulting Cub fans with ads, starting back in the early 1980s when Budweiser ads were placed under the scoreboard and continuing through the present, when fans in the "Bud-Light" bleachers are subject to a relentless barrage of advertisments blasted at them over the public address system during batting practice. At $35 or thereabouts for an average ticket, isn't the Tribune making enough money on the Cubs already, or does the company believe that the need to satisfy shareholders trumps its responsiblity to keep tradition alive at Wrigley?

I suppose that means 80%, but it's a little bit different, don't you think?  I have no clue who his source was, but let's use this example.  Let's say Will's tip was a good friend of a secretary in MLB's office, and the secretary saw the affadavit and the names.  Is the tip as reliable as Bud Selig himself?  Nope, it's probably an 8 of 10, though.  And besides, all he did in regards to Pujols is say that the guy named has worked closely with Pujols.  Nothing more, nothing less.  You can speculate all you want.  Should he have withheld this info?  Maybe, but that wouldn't be a very interesting post, would it.  

Furthermore, you're assuming that the name's not on it because the guy himself (mihlfid or whatever) said he wasn't, and he's never dealt/acquired/distributed/ steroids, period.  Ask Rafael Palmeiro, that doesn't mean anything.  

I have no idea if Pujols did steroids, I'm just saying we can't assume he's clean.  Nor can we assume ANYONE who's played in the past 15 years is clean.  Period.  :)

Pujols was passed over 300 times in the draft before being taken by the Cardinals and 18 months later was one of the best hitters in MLB.  Does anyone really think so many people (both gifted professionals and scouts for the Cubs) could be wrong that many times on a guy who would be murdering major league pitching less than two years later?

All that said, until there's definite proof, you can't do a damn thing about it.

the question isn't whether pujols, or bonds, or sosa, mcguire, or TONS of other players juiced, because they all have. the question is how do you deal with it? saying you won't believe until you see a positive drug test is akin to sticking your head in the sand. baseball's drug testing policy is such a farce, MLB has only nailed marginal players, no superstars. do you HONESTLY think that the superstars aren't just as guilty? give me a break, it's because MLB doesn't want to sabotage it's own product. i mean, Jose Canseco and Congress had to freaking get in bed together to even get a crappy policy in place. nobody within MLB, not the owners or GM's or players, and certainly not the commissioner, has ever really been serious about it, because if they were it would have never come to all of this.

that said, i think the firestorm is a good thing, clearly. and if pujols (for example) turns out to be clean then i'll change my opinion, but like cubsbak said very well, all we've got to go on is speculation because of MLB's garbage policy. and i think some good can ultimately come from mud being thrown around on players, even if some are innocent. if enough fans begin to speculate and become dissatisifed, and even stop going to games, MLB will be hit in the wallet, where it really hurts. and then they will be forced to get serious. either that or Congress will force them. either way, MLB must stop pussyfooting around this issue and finally confront it head on.

Test results?  Okay, who administers them and how frequently do they test during the off-season, during season, and how many players are subject to testing, i.e., what is the maximum number?  Please tell us, Will...

There are a multitde of ways to game the system based on the testing paramaters...

Secondly, look more carefully at the incentives, Will, if one does not cheat it could cost one the advantage needed to keep a roster spot.  Let's see, MLB minimum of $350+ grrrrr..vs. Arbys?  It's pretty pathetic to argue that we can only look at the test results, geeze, the entire Union has a strong incentive to cheat--they get fabulously rich.  This is why the presumption of guilt reigns as reasonable...

And it's a dynamic game, i.e., as MLB tests, the cheaters then adapt, the tests adapt very slowly and under Union protest and then the cheaters adapt, it goes back and forth, but the incentive is clearly to cheat.

Furthermore, the Union protects cheaters and the baseball culture protects cheaters.

Reading Will's column reminded me of when I read Bill James writing about Pete rose and how there was "no evidence" that Rose bet on baseball.  Excuse me Mr. James, but anyone who actually read the Dowd report could see the mountain of circumstancial evidence against Rose for which all Rose could reply was "they are liars"...Just as bookies don't send monthly billing statements in the mail certified, neither do the drug cheaters filim each other shooting up or take it in the on-deck circle...

What does Will want to explain away next?  Have to keep those press credentials granted...

I'd rather get back to talking Cubs baseball, there's nothing more to say about Grimsley and it isn'y useful to know who is speculating about who...

Are Mark Prior's calf muscles getting smaller these days?

One thing I would suggest that baseball does is to work with the players union and give all players named or suspected a "free pass". Get these players to come forward with no possibility of legal action and help them clean up the game. Like hiring a reformed criminal to set up a security system. Give these players an open forum to clean up the game of baseball.

HGH was not illegal nor was Steroids. So there cannot be a retoactive punishment for Bond, Big Mac or Sosa (all of which never tested positive to the best of my knowledge).

Get the players union and MLB on ther same side to clean up the game. This would create an honesty PR for the baseball and fans would respect that. At least I would respect that.

Jason Giambi came forward and applogised for doing "something" wrong, but never admitted anything. It was a half hearted effort that didn't ring true. A better effort by all involved must be made or baseball will be ruined forever.

I say clean house now, get players to come forward now and then inact a testing that if positive then your out of baseball.

Get all parties to slam the door in this topic so the game can move forward!