MLB Ready To Move On PED Scandal

Oct 28, 2012; Detroit, MI, USA; MLB commissioner Bud Selig at a press conference before game four of the 2012 World Series between the Detroit Tigers and the San Francisco Giants at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports

ESPN is reporting the MLB is ready to issue disciplinary action on the more than 20 players implicated in the preseason PED scandal. The scandal started when Tony Bosch’s Miami clinic was found to be providing PED’s to Bartolo Colon and Melky Cabrera.  During the course of the investigation a list was obtained naming 20 Major league players.  Those players included Ryan Braun, Alex Rodriguez and Detroit Tigers Shortstop Jhonny Peralta.

According to the ESPN report, Major League Baseball could seek suspensions for the players.

"Major League Baseball will seek to suspend about 20 players connected to the Miami-area clinic at the heart of an ongoing performance-enhancing drug scandal, including Alex Rodriguez and Ryan Braun, possibly within the next few weeks, “Outside the Lines” has learned. If the suspensions are upheld, the performance-enhancing drug scandal would be the largest in American sports history."

What has changed is not exactly clear. But the ESPN report states Tony Bosch may be cooperating with the investigation.

"Tony Bosch, founder of the now-shuttered Biogenesis of America, reached an agreement this week to cooperate with MLB’s investigation, two sources told “Outside the Lines,” giving MLB the ammunition officials believe they need to suspend the players."

The ESPN report comes at the worst possible time and will most likely cast a large shadow over the 2013 MLB Draft.

This scandal is the second under Bud Selig’s tenure and commissioner of baseball.  The first involving Sammy Sosa, Mark McGwire was left largely unresolved. MLB did put more testing into place and has issued suspensions as a result of those tests.  However, the testing procedure came under fire last year when Brewers slugger and MVP Ryan Braun won an appeal of his suspension based upon improper testing procedures.

The current scandal involving Tony Bosch and 20 major league players will be another dark chapter in the controversial Bud Selig era. At some point the owners should look at current administration and question whether or not they have the ability to prevent such scandals. It is time for Major League baseball to share in the accountability of letting yet another scandal stain America’s pastime.