Another Court Ruling Against Baseball

The 9^th district court decided Wednesday that the names of about 100 professional baseball players could be released for the federal investigation into steroid use in the MLB. This decision overturned the three previous decisions, by three different courts, on whether or not these names and urine samples were considered confidential, as the players were told when the samples were taken three years ago.

Back in 2003, baseball did not have a very strict anti-steroid policy. They are only now getting on track with regulations like other professional sports. So while it was illegal and dishonest back then, there weren't really rules in place to sanction anybody caught testing positive. The samples served their purpose: the number of "dirty" players was enough to trigger an investigation and forced the MLB to actually set down substance abuse guidelines.

I wish that all the players played to the best of their natural ability and nothing more. The fact that some of them cheat is sad. But government officials seized confidential files and samples on players that were not named in any subpoena or warrant they were given, the day before those items were going to be destroyed. How they were allowed to keep them, and now actually use them in court, is beyond my understanding.

The whole thing stinks of an attack on Barry Bonds. I don't like Barry Bonds as a baseball player. Not even a little bit (to be fair, I am a Yankees fan, and the rest of baseball isn't required to like me, either). Just based on statistics and his giant head, I'd make the uneducated guess and say that he probably used some type of performance-enhancing drug. But, and I hate to say this, I don't care. I don't root for the guy, I don't care if he breaks any records. I pretty much ignore him. Although, I'd been doing that for years before this "Is He or Isn't He" scandal broke. He claims that if any substance he was given by his trainer, Greg Anderson, was illegal, he didn't know about it. He took whatever creams or pills the man gave him without questioning exactly what they were made from or what they'd do to him. I don't know about you, but I even read all the warnings on any medication my doctor gives me. I don't trust anybody enough to just take any magic potions they offer. That means Bonds either lied on the stand or he's a bit of a moron. I would rather they caught him now, if he's still breaking the policy, and deal with it the same way they're handling the other players. No witch hunts, please. Baseball fans have suffered enough throughout this whole thing. We don't need any more embarrassment; another hero sent crashing down to our level.

The players' union can now appeal to the whole 9^th district court, or they can file their appeal with the Supreme Court. I certainly hope they do something. Letting this go without a fight would set a precedent that could jeopardize everyone's Fourth Amendment rights. I know I wouldn't like it if a company I used to work for released confidential information about me without my permission. Especially if that information was only going to be used to make myself, my coworkers, and my employers look bad.