Mitchell steroid probe; Latest - Clemens headed to Court; Congress

[jason21nl]

from glancing at it, he asked to speak with everyone on the list, but most everyone declined.

[Jarjohm]

Part on Gagne rom the report:

 

Eric Gagné

 

Eric Gagné is a relief pitcher who began his career in Major League Baseball with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1999 and played with the Dodgers through 2006. In 2007, he played for the Texas Rangers and the Boston Red Sox, and in December he signed with the Milwaukee Brewers. In 2002 and 2003, Gagné was the Los Angeles Dodgers Player of the Year. In 2003, he saved 55 games and won the Cy Young Award and the National League Rolaids Relief Pitcher of the Year. In 2004, he saved 45 games and again won the National League Rolaids Relief Pitcher of the Year. He has played in three All-Star games.

 

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. A copy of this receipt is included in the Appendix and is shown below. 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."424

 

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?"425 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 reinvent 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" . . .426

 

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.

[And That]

Looks like Eric Gagne had some stuff mailed TO Dodger Stadium.

 

Unbelievable.

This deserves the world's biggest "oof."

 

[TracyThom]

Juan Gonzalez (imagine that) is named after his steroids were confiscated at a Toronto airport.

[RU Rah Rah]

So you have to wonder what kind of diligence DM conducted before the signing -- if it was pretty much common knowledge like this?

 

[samwise]

Wow that scout tore up Gagne.

[tomwopat]

This is a much better than visualizing someone sticking a needle in Jason Giambi's butt:

 

[dlk9s]

I would like to congratulate Derrick Turnbow on regaining the closer role for the Milwaukee Brewers. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

[RU Rah Rah]

I searched the PDF for "Pujols," and nothing came up.

[TauPentaRei]

reminder to keep quotes brief, anyone?

[And That]

Mitchell mentioned that he's recommending none of the current players in the report be suspended by Selig unless the commissioner sees it absolutely necessary. It looks like Gagne won't miss any time.

[thablingster]

Another little guy, Nook Logan is in there. Sadly, a lot of these names aren't surprising.

[patrickgpe]

i guess the good thing for the brewers is gagne appeared to be doing this when he got hurt and last season he was not on HGH.

[bobbledude25]

When I saw Gagne at his press conference here I thought wow look at how tiny he got! He must have been on the juice!? Looks like thats confirmed

[RU Rah Rah]

I have dibs on using the Gagne FedEx label as my avatar.

[JohnBriggs12]

I did get Glenallen Hill right at least.

[RyDogg66]

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?"425 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 . . .426

[BrewCrewForever]

Wow, so we have a juicer in Gagne on our team. And I was excited when he signed him. Now, not so much. Clemens and Tejada wow!

[SeriesFinale]

"So basically, judging by this list, steroids make you an amazing top tier athlete, except all those times when they don't."

[Oldcity]

Say it ain't so Jack Cust!

[tomwopat]

Wow, so we have a juicer in Gagne on our team. And I was excited when he signed him. Now, not so much. Clemens and Tejada wow!

This should give Gagne and Turnbow something to talk about, and improve bullpen chemistry.

 

[dpapo]

The Brewers are now probably wishing they had waited a few more days before signing Gagne, although Gagne probably knew that he better sign with a team before the report came out.

[SeriesFinale]

Wow, so we have a juicer in Gagne on our team. And I was excited when he signed him. Now, not so much. Clemens and Tejada wow!

This should give Gagne and Turnbow something to talk about, and improve bullpen chemistry.

 

 

Don't forget Mota...the Crew should get with Dole and have them sponsor the bullpen. They can call it The Juicebox.

[SeriesFinale]

I'm going to assume this wasn't a shocking development for Melvin and team; that they knew before the signing about Gagne's "issue" and didn't expect it to be a big problem.

 

Because otherwise....uff da.

[craigharmann]

Wow, just quick reading through and I don't really want to know the details. It's bad, but not as bad as I thought it would be. Clemens, Tejada, Lo Duca, Pettite, Raffy and Juan Gone are pretty much the big names from it.