Major League Baseball reacts to Alex Rodriguez scandal

The Miami New Times dropped a round of napalm on Major League Baseball when they published a report that fingered Alex Rodriguez as a customer of a clinic that supplied athletes with performance enhancing drugs.

The New Times story states that they have evidence that implicates A-Rod in the purchase and probable use of PEDS as recently as last year.

The details if proven to be true could not only rock the rest of A-Rod’s career but it will once again send the league into a tailspin.

Other names that were included are:  Melky Cabrera, Bartolo Colón and Nelson Cruz.

Regardless of previous findings and punishments, this kind of report with these kind of details does nothing but damage the sport’s brand.

This is a bonafide scandal set in a tropical location with plenty of gory details.

On Tuesday morning MLB issued the following statement on their website to address the entire body of the feature.

“We are always extremely disappointed to learn of potential links between players and the use of performance-enhancing substances. These developments, however, provide evidence of the comprehensive nature of our anti-drug efforts. Through our Department of Investigations, we have been actively involved in the issues in South Florida. It is also important to note that three of the players allegedly involved have already been disciplined under the Joint Drug Program.

“The recommendations of the Mitchell Report have once again played a critical role in Major League Baseball’s ongoing efforts against performance-enhancing drugs. MLB implemented all of the recommendations made by Senator Mitchell in 2007, several of which emphasized the significance of installing proactive investigative services.

“The establishment of our Department of Investigations has represented a critical advance in these comprehensive efforts. In the years since its formation, DOI’s work has proven pivotal to bringing to light information regarding the use of performance-enhancing substances. Furthermore, DOI has built strong working relationships with federal and local law enforcement authorities. These relationships are crucial because only law enforcement officials have the capacity to reach those outside the game who are involved in the distribution of illegal performance-enhancing drugs.

“Vigilance remains the key toward protecting the integrity of our game. We have the best and most stringent drug testing policy in professional sports, we continue to work with our doctors and trainers to learn what they are seeing day-to-day and we educate our players about the game’s unbending zero-tolerance approach. We remain fully committed to following all leads and seeking the appropriate outcomes for all those who use, purchase and are involved in the distribution of banned substances, which have no place in our game.

“We are in the midst of an active investigation and are gathering and reviewing information. We will refrain from further comment until this process is complete.”

Notice how the statement makes mention of earlier punishments as if to state ‘ we are on the case.’

This makes it worse for A-Rod who is dealing with his own mortality thanks to a hip issue.

There is an audience that has listened to the probability of Rodriguez missing the upcoming season.

What’s next?