Who's Down for a 'Roid Rage?

According to the Mitchell Report that was released Thursday, quite a few MLB players. I really hate start off on such a negative topic, but to ignore it and steroid use in their entirety would be like ignoring Spygate or believing that dinosaurs didn't exist. All those bones we keep finding in the ground were the leftovers of a prehistoric chicken wing eating contest that Kobayashi and Joey Chestnut didn't get invited to. Believe me, I'd much rather spend my day trying to figure out how to fix the New York Knicks, or the best way for the Mets to get a top-flight starting pitcher.

I'm going to take a moment to make my early prediction for a post-surgery Pedro Martinez: Barring a motorcycle accident or a stubbed toe or falling down the stairs, Pedro's going to have at least 15 wins with an ERA below 3.50.

As for the Mitchell report, quite a few names of current and past players appeared in the report. I doubt that anyone was truly surprised by the names that appeared on the list. Anyone with half a brain and a bit of logic could have put together a list of "likely suspects" and even if they weren't outed in the report, chances are 75% of those players are guilty as well. For those players named that weren't implicated in some way prior to the release of the report, my reaction was less surprised than it was, "yeah, it makes perfect sense that ____ was juicing."

While the rest of the sports world shit a collective lump of coal during the days preceding, I attempted to turn that shit coal into a shit diamond. How? By betting on it. The format had everyone involved picking 50 players whom they suspected would be pegged as cheaters. Whoever picked the most right, wins. This served two purposes: (1) A fun, money (or beer) making prospect. (2) Although each list on its own says nothing extraordinary, when you compare the lists, it speaks volumes about public perception, and in all likelihood, names players that are using some form of performance enhancing substance.

For the record, I was victorious, with picks such as Todd Hundley and Rondell White, but I find the names that popped up frequently, but that weren't in Mitchell's report, to be the most interesting. The short list: Nomar Garciaparra, J.D. Drew, Jeff Kent, Jeff Bagwell, Carl Pavano, A-Rod, Pujols, Isringhausen. What does this mean? Anyone that has had a modicum of success over the past 15 years is cheating? Probably not. Paul Lo Duca is a particular surprise, but I guess that explains his "fiery" personality. I'm sure there are as many crappy minor league players using as there are superstars. But a pall has been cast over baseball, where anyone at any time could be breaking the rules, be it through scuffed balls or backne.

So what's the bottom line for the MLB? I don't like the use of steriods any more than I like the designated hitter, but the overall effects are the same. Better performance means a better product for the consumer. Higher ratings, higher attendance, and a slew of home run balls worth six figures solely because of who hit them and when they were hit.

Major League baseball turned a blind eye and profited immensely because of it. Now it's time to pay it back at the expense of the players who were betrayed by baseball in the first place.