Naming Names: The Irresponsibility of the Mitchell Report

The three-ring circus that occurred Wednesday on Capitol Hill can be very much attributed to the irresponsibility of the Mitchell Report.

The Mitchell Report was almost solely based on the testimony of two individuals, one an admitted drug dealer and the other a former trainer with a checkered past—both of whom had a lot to gain by naming current and former players.

Kirk Radomski and Brian McNamee were facing serious jail time for steroid distribution if they did not cooperate with Federal investigators about the use of steroids in Major League Baseball.

Other than the testimony of these two individuals, who again, had a lot to gain by their testimony, there is very little hard evidence that shows that the 89 players named in the report actually used steroids.

There is no doubt that the steroid problem in Major league Baseball needs to be addressed. And, it is very possible, some might even say likely, that the players named in the report did use illegal steroids.

But, was it right to name these players in a very public report with no evidence other than hearsay?

Absolutely not.

To name these individuals in a public report that could cost them admission into the Hall of Fame, millions of dollars in lost endorsements and sponsorships, millions of dollars in lost or reduced salaries, not to mention their forever tarnished reputations, was just downright irresponsible.

Senator Mitchell had an obligation to the integrity of the report, to Major League Baseball and to the players to present a factual report. Senator Mitchell did not meet that obligation by publicly naming 89 players based on very flimsy, hearsay testimony.

We all saw Brian McNamee sit in front of Congress on Wednesday and publicly admit that he had lied to Federal investigators. Was Clemens also lying? Absolutely. But, if McNamee is anything to go by, the Mitchell report is becoming less and less reputable by the day.

Instead of talking about how terrible the steroid problem is in baseball and how the Mitchell report has finally unearthed the extent of the MLB steroid problem, we should be discussing how irresponsible the Mitchell report was in the first place. 

The Mitchell Report has surely ruined the careers, finances, and possibly even lives of many ballplayers based almost no definitive evidence at all. If that is not reckless and irresponsible then I don’t know what is.