Raffy and "Confidentiality"

I agree. Walks like a duck.......quacks as well.

quote:

Coach George Allen (who didn't like rookies anyway)

That's an understatement! Larry Brown, Charlie Harraway, Pat Fisher, Chris Hanburger, Charley Taylor, Kenny Houston, Sonny and Billy to name a few, but my personal favorite, The Dancing Bear, Ron McDole... Ahh, thanks for the flashback.

The story is pretty well broken down now. But he needs to come out and say what "unprescribed supplement" he took, where it's made and where he bought it. If he is truthful about a having used a contaminated product, calling them out might, in fact, bring about positive change.

Without getting into too much of the science reported last night, the prevailing opinion is that he took something which might have been contaminated, as supplements often are, with something in the andro family. And, apparently, many if not most of these break down into the body as nandrolone, with would be the "serious steroid" believed to be at issue.

Connecting the dots, everything he said would make for a plausable explanation. But I'm afraid your cross-examination, Hokie, in the court of public opinion will go unanswered because it makes too much sense.

To second OldVaman...

He needs to let us know what he took. Is it over the counter that you find at GNC or something from a teammate out of a ziplock bag.

Also a question... is it necessarily steriods or could it be another banned substance? If it something else does that minimize the impact on his career?

No matter what happens moving forward he will be referred to "Rafael Palmeiro, the first superstar to test positive for a banned substance,..."

As an attorney you should know that once he opens that door he faces self-incrimination issues as well as possible forfeiture of the attorney-client privilege. I think he misspoke when he characterized these as "confidentiality" issues. On the other hand, perhaps the league agrees to keep certain things quiet if he goes along with the punishment peacefully and he risks loss of that protection if he talks too much.

Perjury is not an issue. Possession prosecution chances are very remote at best. His interest lies in preserving his legacy. If further explanation was in his best interest, he would be singing like a canary. The only plausible reason for him not fully explaining his accidental ingestion of steroids is that he does not know the reason, which he has not said, or that he is protecting others. jmho

quote:

Originally posted by hokieone:
I plead guilty to be a baseball loving attorney, and have a question:

Raffy presumably is the one protected by any "confidentiality" requirements, which presumably he can waive should he desire to talk.

Don't forget that this is MLB that we're dealing with. Their rules and procedures may or not be rational. It would not surprise me one bit if MLB rules limit Palmeiro's ability to speak out. MLB may not want their testing procedure to see the light of day.

Bud Selig needs to come forward and tell us that Palmeiro is free to tell everything, then he needs to tell the whole story and let the chips fall where they may.

The burden of proof is his! These are not alegations made in a court of law and it's not nec. for the prosecution to prove it's case!

Throw out all suspected cheaters, the burden is on them to show that they "are and have always been" clean. Maybe an * in the books!

I think Palmiero has some potential legal issues to face as he seemingly provided false testimony to Congress. In March he pointed his finger in their face and told 'em he had never, ever taken steroids. If congress pushes it, he has a potential perjury charge to face.

Baseball will do as little as they have to. A ten day suspension isn't even a slap on the wrist. I suppose that is all they can do, but I think they'd do less if they could, not more.

Moreover, he's still not coming clean as his position now is that he didn't know what he took or how he took it this is the same nonsense as Bonds who admits to using "the clear" and other products, but didn't know they were steroids

Although looking like a complete dope, McGwire just refused to talk, so at least he didn't lie. Sosa had someone else read a statement, to distance himself. Others such as Brady Anderson have just faded away (figuratively and physically). Bonds will now not return for 2005 and if it comes back it will be just to pass Ruth and retire IMO. Not so sure though that he's ever coming back.

Just as baseball buried the cocaine presence in the Pirates "we are family" days, keith Hernandez, Rock Raines, etc. Raffy's troubles won't be with MLB, they'll be with congress and the HOF vote. The public will forgive and forget.

As far as him talking or not, most defense lawyers tell their clients to never speak. If nothing else it leaves the shadow of a doubt, the speculation etc. That's the approach McGwire took. Only those that are truly innocent will go screaming about it. Raffy took that approach, but ooops the key element wasn't there, he ain't innocent.

might the confidentiality he mentions be referring to his promise to "clam up" if MLB delayed the drug test results & suspension until after his 3000th hit?

I still say the burden is his! How many of those 3000+ hit and 500+ homers were aided?

"Trow d bums out!

bee

...after his 3000th hit or 2000th?

The whole thing is stinky.

You will never hear him admit anything, coward is hiding behind his confidentiality clause!
But things will get out as this below:
"According to one industry source, the steroid in Palmeiro's system was a "serious" one.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/20...01532_2.html?sub=new

if he's telling the truth, it can't hurt him. Why hide if there's nothing to hide from?

Here are some facts. 1.Jose Canseco said that he injected Palmeiro when they played together in Texas.2. Prior to Canseco being traded to Texas, Palmeiro had averaged 15.8 home runs per year in his first 6 full seasons.3. After Canseco showed up in Texas, Palmeiro averaged 38 home runs per year in the next 12 seasons.
Here are more facts. Canseco said he shot up McGwire, Giambi, Palmeiro, Ivan Rodriguez and Juan Gonzalez. None of the 5 players has filed a law suit against Canseco. I wonder why?

im not sure if this has ben posted on the site yet but it was just said on sportscenter the drug he was caught using was stanizol (not sure of the spelling) but it is the same steriod an olympic sprinter was caught using in 1988. i hope this helps.

As a former Labor Relations Manager.....who has been through many an arbitration....I'm very confident that Palmerio had every opportunity to present evidence that he "mistakenly" took an illegal substance and/or didn't know how and when he ingested the stuff.....the fact that he failed to convince an arbitrator....an independent third party....whose only accountability is to the labor agreement.....speaks volumes to me....and it's all a sad story......

According to today's Baltimore Sun, the drug was Stanozolol, the article quoting a doctor recognized as an expert on steroids as saying "If it's stanozolol this was a deliberate act....the likelihood of sabatoge is remote and improbable, and to suggest as much would be to send people on a wild goose chase." The article goes onto say the positive test for steroids was in May and the ruling was appealed in secret arbitration proceedings in June.

Forget my earlier remark about Palmeiro being "classy". How do you receive greetings from the President and the platitudes of the fans on hitting hit number 3000, all the while knowing this was coming? True, innocent until "convicted", and the arbitration process was underway, but it just seems lousy that the guy basked in the spotlight when he got hit number 3000, and now he's crawling behind whatever cover his puny excuses can offer. Sad and disgusting.

Maybe the Baseball Hall of Fame should just open a drug wing, call it "Canseco Corner", and then we can put Bonds, Mcguire, Palmeiro, Sosa, and the many that are sure to follow their path in there.

Baseball has to be one heck of a game to endure this chapter of embarrassment, but it will. Give me the James Earl Jones speech in Field of Dreams and kids playing on a sandlot, just having fun, making up rules as they go. Any day, any time. Forget the Steroid Sluggers.

Hokie - You are so right - this is just straining all imaginations - is total delusion a side effect of steroids? What other possible explaination is there for Raffy's behavior? It leaves you with two possibilities, neither one good - he is either the dumbest man to put on a uniform, or a pathological liar with no conscience - this is a sad day for O's fans and baseball in general.

Wow - I guess Raffy wasnt fooling around.

Looks like he took one of the most powerful anabolics around.

Nice. What a liar.

The strike year didn't do it...Pete Rose didn't do it....

But his may.....I'm thinking So****er, gawd Where's my Zoloft?

By the way.... The Player's Union is not doing the playersor the game any good here!