This is going to turn out to be an ugly day for Major League Baseball -- and yet it may also begin the redemption of the game.

The headquarters for George J. MitchellÂ’s investigation into the use of performance-enhancing drugs in baseball has been the DLA Piper law offices in Midtown Manhattan, right next to Rockefeller Center and only blocks from the Park Avenue offices of Major League Baseball. On Tuesday, as MitchellÂ’s 20-month investigation drew to a conclusion, it was Major League Baseball that was on the move, as officials from the sport went to the DLA Piper offices to get a look at the report.

What it contains will be officially revealed Thursday, when Mitchell holds a 2 p.m. news conference in Manhattan. Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig will hold a separate news conference across town at 4:30 p.m. to discuss the report's findings. But two people who are familiar with MitchellÂ’s investigation, and his findings, said that the report would contain the names of more than 50 active and former major league players who are linked to the use of performance-enhancing drugs.

More than 50.

Wow.

Not that anyone will be surprised by that number -- or by some of the names that surface. We've watched some of these folks have freakish growth spurts (paging Barry Bonds) over the years, and so we have a good idea who they are. Others have admitted using these drugs.

The question, ultimately, is one of rectifying past abuses and setting the course for a clean future. Here's hoping that we will see some penalties for those involved in this scandal -- and a continued commitment to the new penalties that have been imposed in recent years. Maybe I'll start going to games again.

Posted by: Greg at 10:53 PM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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