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Unassisted
02-11-2008, 10:24 PM
Could the ultimate loose cannon be a smoking gun?

http://www.newsvine.com/_news/2008/02/11/1294524-rocker-rangers-advised-on-steroids-use


Rocker: Rangers Advised on Steroids Use

Mon Feb 11, 2008 8:34 PM EST

ATLANTA (http://atlanta.newsvine.com/) — John Rocker claims he flunked a drug test ordered by Major League Baseball in 2000 and that he, Alex Rodriguez and other Texas Rangers were advised by management and union doctors following a spring training lecture on how to effectively use steroids.

"Bud Selig knew in the year 2000 John Rocker was taking the juice," the former pitcher said Monday of the baseball commissioner on Atlanta radio station 680. "Didn't do anything about it."

Rocker was suspended for the first 14 days of the 2000 season by Selig for making racial and ethnic remarks the commissioner deemed insensitive. The penalty, originally set to cover 28 days, was reduced by an arbitrator following a grievance.

"As part of the disciplinary process, Mr. Rocker was referred to the confidential Employee Assistance Program," Major League Baseball said in a statement. "Any test of Mr. Rocker would have been conducted by professionals who ran the EAP.

Those professionals were obligated to maintain the confidentiality of the result and to use it in developing a treatment and education program for Mr. Rocker. Further discipline was not an option legally available to Major League Baseball at that time."

Rocker said that doctors from management and the players' association, following a spring training talk with the Texas Rangers about steroids and other topics, pulled himself, A-Rod, Rafael Palmeiro and Ivan Rodriguez aside. Rocker was with the Rangers in 2002.

"Look guys, if you take one kind of steroid, you don't triple stack them and take them 10 months out of the year like Lyle Alzado did," Rocker said the doctors told them. "If you do it responsibly, it's not going to hurt you."

Rocker did not identify the doctors.

Baseball did not have a drug-testing agreement between management and the players' union until September 2002 and did not have random testing with penalties until 2004.
Gene Orza, the chief operating officer of the players' association, declined comment.

KoryMac5
02-11-2008, 10:41 PM
My first thought when I read this, was when does the book come out.

crazybob60
02-11-2008, 11:16 PM
To tell ya the truth, I am not sure what I think about this. This could be totally true, but it could also be just John Rocker trying to get his name out there again. I am not sure...we will just have to wait and see what happens and develops out of this.

reds44
02-11-2008, 11:55 PM
"I've taken a lot of crap from a lot of people. Probably more than anybody in the history of this sport. I know Hank [Aaron] and Jackie [Robinson] took a good deal of crap, but I guarantee it wasn't for six years. I just keep thinking: How much more am I supposed to take?"

Wow. Just wow.

Ravenlord
02-12-2008, 12:40 AM
John Rocker is is an idiot. that said, he is a fascinating idiot; and if what he says is remotely true, it is incredibly sad.

919191
02-12-2008, 12:58 AM
Well, I see how someone could think Rocker has a motive (book) for making the comment, but the way I see it is what we still remember about him is the furor caused by his honest expression of his feelings. Maybe there is alot about him to dislike, but his honesty wasn't ever questioned. He may just be a reliable source in this instance.

Ravenlord
02-12-2008, 01:08 AM
Well, I see how someone could think Rocker has a motive (book) for making the comment, but the way I see it is what we still remember about him is the furor caused by his honest expression of his feelings. Maybe there is alot about him to dislike, but his honesty wasn't ever questioned. He may just be a reliable source in this instance.

I feel the same way, though you put much more concisely than I.

Reds Nd2
02-12-2008, 01:19 AM
John Rocker claims he flunked a drug test ordered by Major League Baseball in 2000 and that he, Alex Rodriguez and other Texas Rangers were advised by management and union doctors following a spring training lecture on how to effectively use steroids.

Major League Baseball didn't have a drug testing program for PED's in 2000. MLB didn't even implement tests for PED's at the Minor League level untill 2001. The Employee Assistance Program could only checked for Drugs of Abuse. That's all they could check for in 2000, even in John Rocker's case.

John Rocker wasn't even on the roster of the Rangers in 2000. God but do I hate writers who pen their names to this crap.


Rocker said that doctors from management and the players' association, following a spring training talk with the Texas Rangers about steroids and other topics, pulled himself, A-Rod, Rafael Palmeiro and Ivan Rodriguez aside. Rocker was with the Rangers in 2002.

Yep and he pitched a total of 24.1 innings for the Rangers in 2002. He's pitched 20.2 innings of professional baseball since then. Only 1 IP at the ML level and that was four seasons ago. Even Rafael Palmeiro got another 2,000+ AB's after that alleged meeting in 2002.

The doctors can't seem to agree on the proper managment of Curt Schilling's injury, and that's just from the players side...

I'd like to see the doctors from MLB and the Players Association agreeing on something.

How about some information on the supposed drug test that Rocker "claims he failed" in 2000.

harangatang
02-12-2008, 02:09 AM
I wonder of this is Canseco Part 2, a few credible points blown out of proportion for whatever Rocker's reason may be (book, publicity, etc.).

Jpup
02-12-2008, 02:28 AM
John Rocker is broke and needs money. I like how he is bring Arod's name into it. I've never seen or heard any credible evidence linking Alex to steroids or HGH. John Rocker certainly isn't a good place to start finding it IMO.