Steroids report today may name star players

The baseball world is bracing itself for today's report on the 20-month steroids investigation by former U.S. Sen. George Mitchell.

The initial headlines will no doubt concern the upward of 60 current and former players that Mitchell will reportedly name. The Associated Press, citing two sources with knowledge of the findings, said the Mitchell Report will include MVPs and All-Stars.

"I'm sure there are some very nervous individuals," one prominent player agent, who requested anonymity, told The Seattle Times on Wednesday. "I'm sure there are a number of guys who represent players who are relatively certain their name is on that list."

But beyond the expected list of names linked to performance-enhancing drugs, many in the industry are hoping the report will also provide a road map toward closure of the devastating scandal that has haunted the sport throughout the decade.

The Associated Press sources said the report will expose "deep problems" in the sport's drug culture. It will reportedly recommend enhanced year-round testing by an outside agency.

"Let's get this problem taken care of," Mariners President Chuck Armstrong said Wednesday. "Our goal is the same as virtually everyone else in baseball: To rid the sport of the performance-enhancing-drug issue so there is a level playing field for competition."

One Major League Baseball official said he believes most people in baseball welcome the report, even if it is harsh in its assessment of blame.

"We knew when it was assigned that this report would be taking a look inside," the official told The Times. "The most prevalent attitude is, let the chips fall where they may, and let's move forward. Frankly, I think it's a relief that it's finally coming out."

Sources of information

Most of the names culled by Mitchell are believed to have come from Kirk Radomski, the former New York Mets clubhouse attendant who pleaded guilty in April to illegally distributing steroids, human-growth hormone, amphetamine and other drugs to players.

As part of his federal plea agreement, Radomski was required to cooperate with the Mitchell investigators — a huge break for an investigation that by most accounts until then had met significant road blocks. Only one active player, Jason Giambi of the New York Yankees, is known to have agreed to be interviewed by Mitchell.

Another prime source for Mitchell apparently was the investigation by the Albany, N.Y., district attorney into illegal drug distribution. Numerous players have already been linked to the investigation in media reports.

Regarding the anticipated list of names, the MLB official said, "No one said it was going to tell you everyone that did steroids. Hopefully, it will provide a look at the culture that existed, and how to change it."

Armstrong hadn't seen Mitchell's report by Wednesday and said he wasn't expecting to before its release today. Reportedly, only a few top MLB officials were allowed an advance viewing.

Mitchell's investigation

Commissioner Bud Selig hired Mitchell in March 2006 to conduct a definitive investigation into the steroid problem in baseball.

"I told Senator Mitchell, 'Go where you want, do what you want, talk to whomever you want,' " Selig told reporters in announcing the investigation. "What I want to get out of this is as much knowledge as is humanly possible under the circumstances."

Mitchell's independence and impartiality were immediately called into question because he is a director of the Boston Red Sox. In addition, two of his investigators are from Foley & Lardner, the Milwaukee law firm where MLB President Bob DuPuy once was a partner and that has represented MLB and Selig.

However, Selig has repeatedly stated his belief that Mitchell's reputation is beyond reproach. Mitchell, a two-term senator from Maine, was Senate majority leader from 1989 to 1995, and in 1994 turned down President Clinton's offer of a nomination to the Supreme Court.

Armstrong said he fully supports Selig's appointment of Mitchell.

"I've gotten to know the senator, and he's a man of the highest integrity and ethics," Armstrong said. "I don't believe the commissioner could have picked a better person."

Another baseball official, also speaking anonymously, said he expects a hard-hitting report.

"Senator Mitchell's credibility is on the line, too," he pointed out.

Armstrong said the Mariners cooperated fully with the investigation, and that Mitchell's investigators interviewed many in the M's organization. "Everyone from me, for several hours, down through [trainer] Rick Griffin," Armstrong said. "Anybody and anything they asked for, we provided. We gave full cooperation and access to any medical records, whatever they needed."

Asked if he felt any trepidation about the names that might be revealed, Armstrong said, "I don't know what to expect. From our past, you know how we reacted when Ryan Franklin, Jamal Strong and Mike Morse were involved."

All three players were suspended from MLB for positive steroids tests. Only Morse, whose positive test occurred while he was in the White Sox organization, remains with the Mariners.

"We believe the Mariner brand stands for something," Armstrong said, "and it should stand for integrity, high ethical behavior and all that should be good and right about professional sports."

Besides the three major-leaguers, eight Mariners minor-league players tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs in April 2005.

At the time, Armstrong told The Seattle Times the minor leaguers had no excuse.

"It's just stupid and unacceptable to the Mariners," Armstrong said then.

"This has sullied the reputation of the Seattle Mariners, and for that it's terribly disappointing. We'll try to eradicate this, and we'll take strong internal action against the transgressors."

Several other former Mariners have already been linked to performance-enhancing drugs, most recently outfielder Jose Guillen, who played for Seattle last year and last week signed a three-year, $36 million contract with Kansas City. Guillen, linked by the San Francisco Chronicle to the Albany investigation, was handed a 15-day suspension, which he has appealed.

David Bell, who played for the Mariners from 1998 to 2001 and was the starting third baseman on the 2001 Seattle team that won 116 games, was linked in media reports to the Albany investigation. So was pitcher Ismael Valdes, who was with Seattle briefly in 2002.

Outfielder Matt Lawton, who tested positive for steroids in 2005, was signed by the Mariners for 2006 and released in May that year.

Second baseman Bret Boone, who finished third in the MVP balloting in 2001 when he hit 37 home runs and drove in 141 runs, was named in Jose Canseco's 2005 book, "Juiced." Canseco implied that Boone was a steroids user, but Boone denied the allegations.

David Segui, who played for Seattle in 1998 and 1999, told ESPN this week that he had used growth hormone during his career for a medical condition.

Larry Stone: 206-464-3146 or lstone@seattletimes.com.