04/25/24
May 11, 2009
Lou Merloni Accuses Red Sox of Encouraging Steroid Use: Former Boston Red Sox infielder Lou Merloni claims that while he was with the team, a doctor encouraged players to use steroids at a team meeting. "He sat there for one hour and told us how to properly use steroids while I'm with the Boston Red Sox, sitting there with the rest of the organization, and after this I said 'what the heck was that?'" Merloni said on The Baseball Show on Comcast SportsNet.
This is what the entire point of the Mitchell Report should have been. Instead of fingering players, it should have investigated what types of behavior within baseball were contributing to this problem.
posted by bperk at 03:48 PM on May 11, 2009
Practically every aspect of baseball's response has been half-assed and ridiculous, as has the reporting by journalists. I fully believe the scope of players who used banned substances at some point in their careers in the the past decade or so is much higher than anyone cares to admit, and that practically everyone closely involved with the game on the field during this time fully knows the magnitude of the problem. Even though many players avoided using PEDs, they chose not to come forward with information, so I don't feel bad for any of them, the game itself, or players of past generations. Bunch of ostriches with their heads in the sand. Merloni's tale is just one of thousands upon thousands that current and former players and coaches know but won't come out with due to their ridiculous "code" which makes them think they need to keep these things under wraps. Every one of the players who have and will test positive since the Mitchell Report came out should be banned from the game immediately, ala Pete Rose.
posted by dyams at 07:43 PM on May 11, 2009
If you read the transcription of Merloni's remarks, he did not say that the team had "recommended" the use of steroids. He did say that a doctor, not necessarily employed by the team, had spoken about the use of steroids, and had said something to the effect of, "since you are probably going to use them, here's the right way to do it so you won't mess yourself up with them." Merloni said it was presented more in the manner of a teen age sex education class than an encouragement to use steroids.
Regardless of the exact words used by the doctor or the accuracy of Merloni's memory, it is time that more of what went on is brought out in the open so that baseball can move on from it. Until the whole story is told, fans cannot know whose records are "clean" and whose not. I would rather have some enlightenment than have to condemn all players, management, and league executives from an entire era.