Royal Rooters > Brian Roberts Admits Steroid Use

JMDurron

Dec 18 2007, 09:19 AM

QUOTE

Breaking his silence on the inclusion of his name in the Mitchell Report, Baltimore Orioles second baseman Brian Roberts admitted that he used steroids once in 2003.

In an interview in Tuesday's editions of The (Baltimore) Sun, Roberts acknowledged that he used steroids "once" in 2003. However, he said he hadn't used steroids or other performance-enhancing drugs since.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3159406

I realize this could go in the Mitchell Report thread, but we're going against the megathread trend now, right? It seems to me that Roberts had the smallest threshold of evidence against him in the Mitchell Report (just one conversation with Larry Bigbie), but if he is admitting to the steroid use now, it looks like Mitchell doesn't come off as quite as irresponsible for including his name in the report. The more players admit to the report being accurate about their steroid/HGH use, the harder it will be for others in the report to try to pretend that they are being falsely accused. Some of them still might have been, of course, but Mitchell's sources get a bit more credibility with each admission.

DominusNovus

Dec 18 2007, 02:57 PM

Well, having the guy who was most likely to be innocent admit guilt certainly adds a lot of weight to the report.

scapegoat mo

Dec 19 2007, 12:43 AM

QUOTE(DominusNovus @ Dec 18 2007, 01:54 PM)

Well, having the guy who was most likely to be innocent admit guilt certainly adds a lot of weight to the report.

Yeah, that and the only other admitter so far was St. Andy.

Caspir

Dec 19 2007, 09:44 AM

If anyone missed it, here's a piece on why Bigbie gave up names. The feds really got him set up.

QUOTE

According to sources close to the investigation, Radomski told investigators that former Orioles, Rockies and Cardinals outfielder Larry Bigbie was someone to whom he distributed steroids and human growth hormone - and at the behest of the agents in a classic drug sting, Radomski mailed a package of steroids to Bigbie's home.

The drugs were then seized by agents who told Bigbie he was involved in distribution of drugs and would be indicted for the much more serious crime than possession if he didn't cooperate.

As is the case with all illegal drug activity, distribution carries a harsher penalty and more serious threat of prosecution than possession.

QUOTE

Like Marion Jones, who cooperated with anti-doping officials under pressure from authorities who used her involvement in a check fraud scheme with former boyfriend and Olympic sprinter Tim Montgomery as leverage, Bigbie was squeezed by investigators armed with information about other criminal activity, apparently including possible marijuana distribution. He apparently met with investigators without having a lawyer present to represent him.

BamaBoSox

Dec 20 2007, 11:53 AM

Surprising.

I would think Roberts would be even more leery about taking steroids due to his heart condition. I am correct in saying that he has a hole in his heart, right?

Caspir

Dec 20 2007, 01:26 PM

I believe it was an enlarged heart, but you may be right. I know he has a heart condition thgouh, and yea, it's pretty dumb to take steroids when you have a medical condition like that. Even if it was just once /rollseyes

Edmund Dantes

Dec 20 2007, 02:05 PM

QUOTE(Caspir @ Dec 20 2007, 01:23 PM)

I believe it was an enlarged heart, but you may be right. I know he has a heart condition thgouh, and yea, it's pretty dumb to take steroids when you have a medical condition like that. Even if it was just once /rollseyes

Not sure if it's urban legend or not, but there is always the story of the Olympics survey.

"Never forget a survey taken in 1995, when U.S. athletes were asked: If we could give you a drug that would guarantee you a gold medal, would you take it even if you understood it would kill you within five years? More than half of America's swiftest and strongest said, "Gimme the drug.""

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/inside_ga...deford_insider/

RedSoxExtraInnings

Dec 26 2007, 07:19 PM

QUOTE(Edmund Dantes @ Dec 20 2007, 02:02 PM)

Not sure if it's urban legend or not, but there is always the story of the Olympics survey.

"Never forget a survey taken in 1995, when U.S. athletes were asked: If we could give you a drug that would guarantee you a gold medal, would you take it even if you understood it would kill you within five years? More than half of America's swiftest and strongest said, "Gimme the drug.""

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/inside_ga...deford_insider/

I just watched the Mitchell report a few weeks ago, It says that Roberts ejected himself only twice ever.

Malzone64

Dec 26 2007, 08:19 PM

QUOTE(RedSoxExtraInnings @ Dec 26 2007, 04:16 PM)

I just watched the Mitchell report a few weeks ago, It says that Roberts ejected himself only twice ever.

Ejected himself, out of a cannon or what?

I always kind of liked Roberts, worthy competitor and all that.

John F.

Dec 26 2007, 08:50 PM

What a shame..

Enialus Meliamne

Dec 26 2007, 08:56 PM

QUOTE(John F. @ Dec 26 2007, 08:47 PM)

What a shame..

Agreed. The whole thing is quite the shame. The thing that gets it for me is, this was arguably one of the most incredible seasons of baseball in its history, and along come this...

*Shakes head with a look of disgust*