Snake in the Grass

OK, I will assume that you already know the details surrounding Jason Grimsley. So just a few random thoughts on the sordid affair:

** With Grimsley caught red-handed, do you think we’ll hear the end of people saying that performance-enhancers are destroying our sacred home run records? I doubt it, because the inanity of sports radio knows no bounds. The hosts and callers will still wail and gnash their teeth about Babe Ruth while ignoring the fact the Grimsley isn’t the only pitcher busted.

** Of course, in the long run no one really gives a rat’s hinder about Jason Grimsley – it’s more fun to take shots at Bonds, Palmeiro, and McGwire. But Grimsley’s affidavit includes a long list of redacted names. Is it too much to hope that those top-secret identities will also be a bunch of nobodies no one cares about?

Given how smoothly the last few years have gone, it is too much to hope. Stand by for pain...

** Speaking of those redacted names, I see in the news that one of them is rumored to be Albert Pujols’ trainer. And he has vehemently protested that both he and his famous client are innocent. Good to see the American tradition of tarring and feathering continues unabated...

** Can someone tell me if HGH is detectable? I’ve read umpteen stories about it, and all I’ve found are conflicting accounts. Some say that HGH is undetectable. Some say that it’s undetectable in urine, but not in blood. And still others say that there are blood tests out there, like the Olympics use. And then there’s the group that say the blood tests are unreliable.

So I’m wondering...if there is no test for HGH (or if the tests that are out there are unreliable), why is MLB getting beat up for not testing for it? HGH is on the list of banned substances, but if there’s no test for it, can we blame MLB for that? I mean, it’s not like you can dust for HGH or anything...

** While most people took a “Who will think of the children” attitude towards Grimsley, these nuggets of joy came out of Chicago:

Take blame, take the hit and don’t be putting it on anyone else. ‘Hey, I got caught with it, and I’m going to bring some other guys down.’ That’s what’s wrong...Why he did it, I don’t know. Maybe he was facing a bunch of criminal charges and tried to protect his own [rear]. That’s all I can see.
** White Sox reliever Jeff Nelson

Only thing I can say is that a former player should shut up and go. Shut up and move on. We don’t need these guys here. Baseball is better without him.
** Straight-talking White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen

Perhaps even more hilarious than Guillen and Nelson’s take on the situation is the Tribune’s headline to the piece (for the hardcopy, that is -- for some reason, they changed it for the online version): “Guillen, Nelson Enraged by Grimsley’s Revelations.”

Apparently, what’s ticked them off the most isn’t the fact that Grimsley’s an admitted cheat and law-breaker. It’s that he’s telling tales out of school.

As much as it pains me to agree with Rick Morrissey, I think he’s right on this one. He also offers another bon mot from Nelson:

For him to get caught and then basically throw other guys under the bridge, that’s just wrong. Even though we’re all on different teams, we’re all a big family. This is a big fraternity, and you just don’t do that. It’s something the sport doesn’t need.

That’s hilarious. I know there are still a few players on the White Sox roster who were huge supporters of the more stringent testing procedures. I can only hope they take Nelson aside and explain to him what the sport does and doesn’t need...