King Kaufman's Sports Daily

Congress wants the truth about steroids in baseball. But it will settle for some grandstanding and C-Span face time.

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March 9, 2005 | A congressional committee is expected to subpoena a passel of baseball players and executives to talk about steroids next Thursday. A meeting of America's two native criminal classes.

Commissioner Bud Selig is likely to be among those dragged into the spotlight by the House Government Reform Committee. He'll talk about the success of baseball's new drug testing program and claim that the steroid problem is all but solved. Where 5 to 7 percent tested positive in 2003, Selig announced this week that only 1 to 2 percent tested positive last year.

This is a guy who, practically in the same breath, has said that he began pushing for steroid legislation in baseball in 1991, and that he never heard the word "steroids" until 1998 or '99. When the commissioner appeared before Congress three years ago to talk about finances, he was repeatedly and pointedly reminded by Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., that he was under oath.

Selig isn't likely to volunteer that baseball's testing program ignores human growth hormone and amphetamines, or that it's highly unlikely that even the few testing procedures in place are foolproof. The truth is a valuable resource, after all, and must be economized.

Jose Canseco is the only player, or ex-player, invited by the committee -- which oversees some drug policies -- who gladly accepted. But he has a cause and a bestseller to hawk. All of the others "politely" or "respectfully" declined before subpoenas were brought up.

The Baltimore Sun reported that the subpoena list included retired slugger Mark McGwire, Jason Giambi of the Yankees, Rafael Palmeiro and Sammy Sosa of the Orioles, Curt Schilling of the Red Sox and Frank Thomas of the White Sox, but not, interestingly, Barry Bonds.

Schilling and Thomas have been outspoken against steroids, though Schilling has expressed doubts about baseball's testing program. McGwire, Palmeiro and Sosa have all denied steroid allegations. Giambi admitted before a grand jury in the BALCO case that he took steroids, but while he has apologized vaguely since that testimony was leaked, he hasn't addressed the subject publicly.

Far be it from me to accuse grandstanding politicians of grandstanding, but other than C-Span face time, what exactly is the point of this hearing?

The witness list also figures to include union chief Donald Fehr and baseball executive Sandy Alderson. The suits will claim they've been fighting the good fight against steroids for a long time and they're making progress. They've been saying this for months already.

Except for Canseco and maybe Thomas, the players will either deny everything or take the Fifth. The latter would provide some aha! moments, but so what? We already know that plenty of players take steroids, including at least some of those who have vehemently denied it. We don't need Congress to show us what leaked grand jury testimony, the unreliable but believable Canseco or our lying eyes have already been telling us.

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