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Home > BizTimes Daily > Archives > December 13, 2007
Brewers' Gagne among players named in steroid investigation
Published December 13, 2007 - BizTimes Daily
Relief pitcher Eric Gagne, the Milwaukee Brewers' most recently acquired free agent, is among the players named today in the long-awaited Mitchell Report on the use of steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs in Major League Baseball.
The report concluded a 20-month investigation. The report was compiled by former U.S. Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell, who was hired by Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig to investigate the use of the drugs in the game.
The 409-page report includes images of checks, shipping statements and other evidence to document the trafficking of the drugs.
The names in the report include some of the game's biggest stars, such as Cy Young Award winners Roger Clemens and Andy Pettitte and all star Miguel Tejada. San Francisco Giants slugger Barry Bonds also is named in the report.
Several of the players named in the report allegedly purchased human growth hormone from Kirk Radomski, a former New York Mets clubhouse employee.
The Brewers acquired signed Gagne to a one-year contract earlier this week.
Mitchell's report names Gagne among the players who bought human growth hormone. The report states:
"Paul Lo Duca and Gagné were teammates with the Dodgers from 1999 to 2004. Although he is not sure when, Radomski recalled that Lo Duca called Radomski and told Radomski that Gagné was with him and wanted to buy human growth hormone. Gagné then came onto the phone and asked Radomski a question about how to get air out of a syringe. This is the only time Radomski spoke to Gagné. Radomski said that Lo Duca thereafter placed orders on Gagné's behalf. Radomski said that he mailed two shipments to Gagné, each consisting of two kits of human growth hormone. One was sent to Gagné's home in Florida; the other was sent to Dodger Stadium. Federal agents seized from Radomski's home a copy of an Express Mail receipt showing a shipment to 'Dodger Stadium, c/o Eric Gagne - L.A. Dodgers Home Club, 1000 Elysian Park Ave., Los Angeles, California 90012,' dated August 9, 2004.
"Radomski said that this was for one of the shipments of human growth hormone to Gagné. Lo Duca paid Radomski for one of the shipments to Gagné by cashier's check in the amount of $3,200. The Lo Duca checks supplied by Radomski reflect two payments of $3,200 (each the cost of two kits) within a six-week time frame during the summer of 2004. Radomski said that, on one other occasion, Gagné sent Radomski $3,200 in cash by FedEx. According to notes of the October 2003 meetings of Dodgers officials, it was reportedly said of Gagné that: 'he probably takes medication and tendons and ligaments don't build up just the muscle.' When the Boston Red Sox were considering acquiring Gagné, a Red Sox official made specific inquiries about Gagné's possible use of steroids. In a November 1, 2006 email to a Red Sox scout, general manager Theo Epstein asked, 'Have you done any digging on Gagne? I know the Dodgers think he was a steroid guy. Maybe so. What do you hear on his medical?' The scout, Mark Delpiano, responded, some digging on Gagne and steroids IS the issue. Has had a checkered medical past throughout career including minor leagues. Lacks the poise and commitment to stay healthy, maintain body and re-invent self. What made him a tenacious closer was the max effort plus stuff … Mentality without the plus weapons and without steroid help probably creates a large risk in bounce back durability and ability to throw average while allowing the changeup to play as it once did … Personally, durability (or lack of) will follow Gagne. In order to provide Gagné with information about these allegations and to give him an opportunity to respond, I asked him to meet with me; he declined," the report stated.
Current Brewers relief pitcher Derrick Turnbow was also mentioned in the Mitchell report:
“In January 2004, the United States Anti-Doping Agency announced that Derrick Turnbow, a pitcher who then played for the Anaheim Angels, failed a drug test administered during training camp for the U.S. Olympic baseball team the previous October. In its announcement, USADA said that Turnbow had tested positive for “a steroid violation, which resulted from taking nandrolone, norandrostenedione or norandrostenediol.”
Turnbow was subjected to a two-year ban from international competition, but he was not disciplined under the Major League Baseball joint drug program. According to statements by Gene Orza, chief operating officer of the Players Association, Turnbow had tested positive as the result of taking androstenedione, which was not a prohibited substance under the Major League Baseball joint drug program at the time. Orza reportedly said: “Derrick Turnbow did not test positive for a steroid. He tested positive for what the [International Olympic Committee] and others regard as a steroid, but the U.S. government does not.”
Several other former Milwaukee Brewers players were named in the Mitchell report as allegedly having purchased performance enhancing drugs during their baseball careers: Gary Sheffield, Fernando Vina, Gary Bennett, David Bell, Steve Woodard, Josias Manzanillo, Ron Villone and Ricky Bones.
The complete report is available at http://files.mlb.com/mitchrpt.pdf.
