Orioles' Palmeiro suspended 10 days - Steriods

[Velcro]

ridiculous!  so do roider pitchers get more since they only play every 4 days... no... a 10 day suspension for ryan franklin affects only 2 starts, maybe 3 at the most!!!

[E.T.]

the test was done in the april/may timeframe most likely, so it will be hard for a perjury charge to be brought

Congress to investigate whether Palmeiro committed perjury

By HOWARD FENDRICH, AP Sports Writer

August 3, 2005

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Congress isn't through with Rafael Palmeiro.

A House committee will investigate whether the Baltimore Orioles slugger committed perjury by testifying under oath that he never took performance-enhancing drugs.

Rep. Tom Davis, R-Va., chairman of the Government Reform Committee, said Wednesday that Palmeiro agreed to let Major League Baseball turn over information about the failed drug test that resulted in a 10-day suspension for the player this week.

On March 17, Palmeiro appeared before Davis' panel, jabbed his finger in the air for emphasis and declared: ``I have never used steroids. Period.''

Palmeiro tested positive for the powerful steroid stanozolol, a person with knowledge of the sport's drug-testing program told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity. The person did not want to be identified because the sport prohibits disclosure of test results without authorization.

``As a practical matter, perjury referrals are uncommon,'' Davis said in a telephone interview with the AP. ``Prosecutions are rare. But this is a high-profile case, so I think it will get an honest look-see. I don't think anyone can avoid it.

``If we did nothing,'' he added, ``I think we'd look like idiots. Don't you?''

Davis and the committee's ranking Democrat, Rep. Henry Waxman of California, asked baseball to turn over information about the failed test -- and any other drug tests Palmeiro has taken -- including what was detected and how much.

The positive test came after Palmeiro's appearance before Congress but before he notched his 3,000th hit last month. That means he reached the milestone -- joining Hank Aaron, Willie Mays and Eddie Murray as the only players with 3,000 hits and 500 homers -- after he knew about the positive results, the source told the AP.

When the suspension was announced Monday, Palmeiro stood by his statements to Congress and said he didn't know what caused the positive test.

Stanozolol is what sprinter Ben Johnson of Canada tested positive for when he was stripped of his gold medal and world record in the 100 meters at the 1988 Olympics. It is not available in over-the-counter supplements and is known as a powerful strength-builder. It can be ingested in tablet form, leaving one's system in less than a month, or injected, lasting several weeks longer.

``It's hard for me to reconcile that someone doesn't know that they have steroids in their body. I'm extraordinarily skeptical,'' said committee member Rep. Christopher Shays, R-Conn.

``It obviously was disappointing and a little unsettling that the one person so emphatic about not taking steroids was one of the first since then to be disciplined.''

Rather than relying on news reports, Davis said, Congress will wait to see what it learns from the information baseball provides. Palmeiro agreed that it be released during a telephone conversation with Davis on Tuesday night.

``He was pretty adamant about the point he didn't do anything,'' Davis said. ``He also remarked he didn't have a lot of time to enjoy his 3,000th hit. There was an allusion to that.''

They spoke for about three minutes and Palmeiro's attorneys were on the phone with him, Davis said.

``What we are concerned about, obviously, is the integrity of the committee process when we swear people in. We have an obligation to look further into it, and I explained that to him, and he said he understood,'' the congressman said.

In confirming that he would cooperate with the committee, Palmeiro said in a statement that if it has any additional questions, ``I am ready and willing to answer each and every one of them.''

Palmeiro's agent, Arn Tellem, did not return a telephone call from the AP.

Baseball spokesman Rich Levin said the documents would be released as requested ``in a timely manner,'' but did not give specifics and did not know if they would be made public once received.

The No. 2 official in the players' association, Gene Orza, declined comment when asked whether the union was concerned about Palmeiro's willingness to supply information.

Davis was critical of the union, commissioner Bud Selig, and the sport's steroid policy at the March hearing. He and Waxman have proposed legislation that would establish uniform drug programs and punishments in the major U.S. professional sports.

But Davis praised baseball's handling of the Palmeiro case.

``He did get an appeal under this procedure. He filed it. And obviously they didn't cut him any slack,'' Davis said. ``I'm satisfied that baseball proceeded as they said they would.''

Among the questions that Congress can't answer are what all of this will mean for Palmeiro's Hall of Fame candidacy.

One of Palmeiro's former teams, the Texas Rangers, canceled a planned ceremony before Friday night's game against the Orioles to honor him for reaching 3,000 hits. Major league rules don't allow suspended players on the field after batting practice.

[Markeymark]

If you(being any voter) wouldn't vote him first ballot, why would he get votes later?

"Okay, we punished him enough with the wait, let him in now."

If he's been taking steroids to stay healthy which allowed him nearly 20 years to get the 3K hits and 500 Homers, wouldn't that be "cheating" ?

Only a starter once at an All-Star game in 4 appearances.

Lead the League in singles and then goes to consistant 30 plus homers ... 'roids maybe ...

:-/

ET - the way the voting works for MLB HOF, the writers pick ALL the players who they think should go...if somebody's name shows up on at least 75% of the ballots, they are in. But, these writers do not live in a vacuum - they know who is a popular vote and who isn't. So there will be guys who dont care he used steriods, and guys who won't vote for him, period. And then there are the guys in the middle who can be swayed one way or the other. Sometimes it takes years for the middle-ground to be swayed into the 75% range. There are players who have waited years to get in, after being the bridesmaid so many times. A lot of it is that the writers don't want to put in too many guys, so there is a short list that makes its way up and down the grapevine.

We don't know how much he was using steroids - for a guy to go in front of a Congressional and forcefully proclaim to not use steroids, you have to at least give pause and wonder. But on the other hand, when Canseco's book came out and implicated him and others, nobody sued him for libel either...

I have seen the stat you mentioned about 30+ HR seasons later on in his career is compelling, and is similar to how Barry Bonds started producing HR's later on in his career...

[Velcro]

The middle ground voters were just starting to eek towards voting Raffy in on the first ballot (might not have actually got in though) prior to all of this.  I don't see it happening now, despite all the hits.

[Markeymark]

With his stats he was a can't miss HOF'er...3000 hits and 500 HR's puts him among the best of the best, all-time. It would have been academic.

Now, the writers will be forced to weigh the steroids issue, for the first time.

What will his legacy be - that this was a one-time thing, or evidence of pathological abuse of steroids? It's pretty obvious that MLB ignored the steroids issue in order to generate additional fan interest following the 1994 strike debacle. I'm inclined to believe the writers are more in tune with "corporate" baseball, more so than listening to the fans. After all, the writers are in the business of selling stories to the fans so they have just as much at stake. I have lost faith in MLB, there is very little integrity left anymore...

[Velcro]

he wasn't can't miss before.  Some people thought that, but there were enough writers that were teetering (sp?).  he should have been a can't miss, but the fact that he never dominated... his numbers are solely due to longevity, not dominance.  There were debates on here as to whether he was worthy as of a month or 2 ago, and it was a 50/50 split... and that coincides with writers feelings too.  

[Brad]

Now, the writers will be forced to weigh the steroids issue, for the first time.

Won't they be weighing that with McGwire first?

[Markeymark]

Probably, but Palmiero will likely be the first one where they are forced to confront material proof of steroid use.

McGwire didn't say he didn't use them, but he never admitted it either and he was never caught.

In any case, Palmiero is/was a much more compelling candidate for the HOF.

[smazza]

velcro-now he isn't your boy

you disavow you pimped him for the HOF

hypocrite and phoney

bonds never got caught gentlemen

[Velcro]

bullchit smazza... read what you say before you post.

I said I believe he deserves to be in the hall of fame BEFORE the steroid controversy came up around him.

Now i don't believe so.

Where the hell do you get your logic from?  I'm not allowed to change my mind on someones eligibility to the hall of fame if i find out they are a cheater???  

Bonds was caught... he admitted it under oath.  Geez, you are completely blind!