"Whispers" remain over Mitchell "Report"---like Luis Gonzalez

• If Luis Gonzalez (long "whispered" about) had been "named," it would've called into question the Arizona Diamondbacks' 2001 World Series victory...(bleacherreport, 12/13/07):

"With ...other big names already confirmed, we begin to speculate about others who may have been using steroids within baseball’s recent past

• Luis Gonzalez’s implication would bring into question the Arizona Diamondbacks' World Series Championship of 2001, because it was in that year that he had career highs with 57 homers, 142 RBIs, and 100 walks.

Sadly, the Mitchell Report had the potential to place an even bigger blemish upon the legacy of baseball. Worse than anything previous, including the strike of 1994."

• But it's failure to reveal the new and continuing scandals taking place in locker rooms across the nation, will leave
• the shadow hanging over baseball for years to come."

**********************

• AP story, 6/16/06

PHOENIX -- Arizona left fielder Luis Gonzalez reacted angrily Thursday after the Diamondbacks' top executive told a newspaper there have been "whispers" about whether the five-time All-Star used performance-enhancing drugs.

• Diamondbacks managing general partner Ken Kendrick did not accuse his team's most popular player of cheating. But he mentioned Gonzalez's name in a rambling interview with The Arizona Republic about steroids in baseball, which prompted Gonzalez to call a news conference"

(Attacking head-on like a certain pitcher has been doing). sm

• (AP): "two hours before the Diamondbacks hosted the San Francisco Giants on Thursday. In the interview, Kendrick said,
• "I'll be blunt with you and say there have been certainly whispers about Luis Gonzalez.
• Because he's such a high-profile guy and you can make a case of his numbers five years ago versus his numbers today and therefore he must have been doing something. Well, he's also five years older."

Gonzalez hit 57 homers in 2001, the year the Diamondbacks won the World Series. His previous high was 31 homers, and he hasn't hit more than 28 in a season since.

• Kendrick stressed that "I don't have any suspicions about Luis Gonzalez. Any more than I would about any other player."

Kendrick's remarks -- and Gonzalez's quick response -- came nine days after the Diamondbacks learned that federal agents had searched reliever Jason Grimsley's home in an investigation into performance-enhancing drugs. The team released Grimsley on June 7 and doesn't want to pay him the remainder of his $825,000 salary.

• Asked if he believed Grimsley was the only Diamondbacks player to use performance-enhancing drugs, Kendrick told the newspaper, "Absolutely, I don't think he is."

Team spokesman Mike Swanson said Kendrick would not comment any further.

• The Diamondbacks were 1-7 since the news about Grimsley broke..."

AP story on ESPN.com, 6/16/06, Luis Gonzalez Angry over Steroid Rumors."****

• 6 months before the Mitchell "Report" (not the one he did to help the poor Tobacco Industry), Evan Roberts (a Mets fan) on WFAN said this about Luis Gonzalez:

“He was a mediocre outfielder with the Tigers and Cubs….it’s OBVIOUS he had some extra help.

• How come nobody ever talks about it?”

Quote via Can't Stop the Bleeding.com, 6/12/07

• You know the answer, Evan:

The same reason you would never say this again about Luis Gonzalez and mean it. Having listened to WFAN (including Evan) a great deal before and after the Mitchell Report, I can say this. If he did it would be only in passing.

• Roberts is now a staunch Mitchell Report cheerleader and I've heard him shout down callers that question anything about it. eg,

"WELL AREN'T YOU GLAD IT'S ALL OUT IN THE OPEN?"

• ...THAT'S NOT WHAT HAS HAPPENED AT ALL, Mr. Sell-out EVAN.

He avoids that WFAN still smears Andy Pettitte 24/7 for almost nothing--all because of the almost criminal inception and dramatic delivery of the "Report."

• No mention of the worst offender of 2007: Paul Byrd.

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