The action against Stanley, our 26^th-ranked Cardinals prospect, is the organization’s third suspension since the conclusion of last season. It is at least the 24^th affecting a St. Louis farmhand since 2005, the early days of what is now the Minor League Drug Prevention and Treatment Program.

17-year-old Dominican pitcher Erick Hurtado was considered to be the second-best player in this year’s international class for the organization. However, the left-hander’s agreement with the Cardinals was voided earlier this month when he tested positive for Stanozolol as part of his background checks.

In November, Batavia outfielder Reggie Williams was suspended for the first 50 games of the 2012 season. His banned substance was one of the same ones detected in Stanley, Methylhexaneamine. Williams is currently participating in minor league camp, but is prohibited from playing in regular season contests until his time is served. Now, Stanley will be joining him.

Of the 24 Cardinals players suspended under the program to date, seven are currently in the system, including Stanley and Williams (see names below designated with #). None have yet reached the major leagues.

St. Louis Cardinals minor league drug suspensions (2005-present)

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So it is in baseball and the subject of performance enhancing drugs. Years of seeing gargantuan sluggers, reading the Mitchell Report and more have made us cynical. Just ask Jeff Bagwell, who despite Hall of Fame-type numbers has received less than 50 percent of the Hall vote. The reason stated by many writers is the mere suspicion that the former Houston first baseman was a steroid user.

In the long-running PED case of J.C. Romero, there is news, in fact closure. Yet one cannot determine the specifics of its resolution. What we do know is that the pitcher has settled his lawsuit over a tainted, legal supplement that had led to his suspension by Major League Baseball.

In late 2008, Romero, then of the Philadelphia Phillies, tested positive for the presence of a banned substance. He received a 50-game suspension that was served at the start of the 2009 season. In between, he pitched for the Phils as they won the World Series.

The left-hander blamed the problem on a tainted supplement. Tests ordered by the Players Union confirmed his charge, yet the suspension stood. In April 2009, Romero sued the drug’s suppliers. Among them were companies once owned by a chemist from Illinois who served time in federal prison as part of the BALCO case.

Before the case went to trial, the parties settled last month, Romero’s lawyer explained to the New York Daily News.

Romero told the Daily News he believes that “justice is served” and that the resolution “gives closure to the fans in (Philadelphia).” Some angry fans in the City of Brotherly Love considered the Phillies’ 2008 title to have been tainted by Romero’s participation.

However, with no specifics of the legal settlement having been released, including responsibility accepted and financial terms, it seems any of the parties could celebrate victory. Perhaps Romero is just weary after spending the better part of three years trying to clear his name.

The 35-year-old, a native of Puerto Rico, signed a one-year contract with St. Louis on December 15.

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Remember the old line of jokes revolving around the titles of “the shortest books ever written”? You know, like “Tony La Russa’s Favorite Recipes with Beef” or “Why MLB’s Television Blackout Rules are Fan-Friendly”?

In this week when the news of Jay McGwire’s new book dominated sports page headlines and his older brother Mark called it “a sad day” for the McGwire clan of Pomona, California, I couldn’t help but wonder, ‘What if?’

What if Big Mac sat down to write a book of his own? What might it be entitled?

Continuing with the above theme of the shortest books ever, it could be:

“My Public Crusade Against Steroids,” by Mark McGwire

In a Friday column at the St. Louis Globe-Democrat, sports editor Rob Rains gives Jay McGwire credit for bringing the dangers of steroid use to the citizenry through his upcoming book, noting the younger brother’s religious awakening and hopes of a family reconciliation in the future.

Rains recognizes the irony in the likelihood that Jay seems aligned to become the anti-steroid spokesman that Mark pledged he would be five years ago but never carried out. Further, Rains expresses disappointment in Big Mac’s “personal and private perspective” on the entire situation. A major opportunity is being missed.

Until I see that Jay actually uses his 15 minutes of fame in a positive manner, I will reserve my judgment on his motives. After all, he could have limited his book to dealing with his own steroid demons, leaving Mark completely out of it. Of course, we all know that story most likely would never have seen the light of day. It seems to me that if Jay wants to get back on the same page with Mark, little brother could donate his book profits to anti-steroid initiatives.

Pulling out his much-larger checkbook in support of the cause is something Big Mac has done. During the infamous 2005 Congressional hearings, Mark had no choice but to listen and squirm as Donald Hooton told the painful story of how steroids and depression led to the suicide of his teenage son. McGwire has since quietly made a series of monetary donations to Hooton’s anti-steroids foundation in apparently significant denominations.

Yet McGwire did not honor another commitment he made while under oath on March 17, 2005 – to become a public spokesman against the use of steroids by youth. Perhaps the publicity-averse McGwire was badgered into agreeing and really didn’t mean what he said.

No, his generous financial donations cannot be ignored. On the other hand, a cynic might wonder if this isn’t just another example of a wealthy individual using cash to make an uncomfortable subject go away.

In recent interviews, McGwire has repeatedly stated his desire to “turn the page” and “move on from it.” He certainly is not required to do anything concerning steroid education with young Americans, having already made his meets-minimum, general-purpose apology.

One thing we have seen since Big Mac’s return to the public eye is that he is not a polished speaker and certainly does appear to be shy. Speaking out on any subject may be difficult for him.

Yet Big Mac grew his fame and his frame while making millions, buoyed by his use of those harmful substances whose names he conveniently asserts he can no longer remember. Couldn’t he do more in return than simply falling on his sword repeatedly? Instead, he seems content to merely fit in as a major league hitting coach and to try to sweep the broken parts of his past back under the rug as quickly and quietly as possible.

The fact remains that McGwire could do much more – if only he wanted to.

Since arriving in Florida this spring, Big Mac reiterated that he has no intention of becoming that national crusader against steroids, instead preferring to do his work behind closed doors.

“Like I said, I do that stuff privately,” McGwire stated on February 18. “I have always done charitable stuff privately and talk to people privately. That is the thing about me. I have never wanted to do anything just because there is a camera in my face and say, ‘This is what I am doing.’”

McGwire either doesn’t seem to understand or care that he could accomplish far more good for others by being in the public eye rather than out of it. He also doesn’t have a very good memory about this part of his past – or figures we don’t.

Big Mac, the home run hero, got behind several causes back in the good old days, including fighting child abuse and bed wetting. These laudable efforts seemed to vanish from view when the going got tough.

Quietly writing some checks, perhaps having some talks in private and turning the public page as quickly as possible is likely the path of least resistance, but is it the best one to follow? Does Mark really want little brother Jay to be the one to tell his story to the masses – the people who might actually take something positive from all this?

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As the entire baseball universe knows, former St. Louis Cardinals home run hero-turned hitting coach Mark McGwire conducted a series of planned interviews last month to discuss his admission of past steroids use.

Following a blueprint established by the crisis management firm headed up by former White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer, neither McGwire’s explanations nor the process followed to grant media access met with positive reactions from many corners.

Add Blake Rhodes to the long list of the unimpressed. Before you incorrectly write him off as just another angry member of the hordes, understand that he’s been there, having worn the shoe on the other foot.

The 16-year former employee of the San Francisco Giants once served as the club’s Director of Media Relations. In that role, he guided Barry Bonds through a media maze he described as 40-50 deep every day during some very troubled times, including when the outfielder was under investigation by a grand jury. As most fans are aware, Bonds took the major league single-season home run record away from McGwire in 2001.

Rhodes sees a similar media relations storm on the horizon for the Cardinals and McGwire this spring and is not positive about what has been done to date. In a Wednesday morning radio interview on KTRS 550 Radio in St. Louis, host McGraw Milhaven asked Rhodes to grade Fleischer’s work with McGwire.

“I would give him a ‘C’ to ‘C-minus’… I don’t think that Mark was coached very well previous to doing his interviews. I don’t they put him in the best foot forward,” Rhodes said.

Rhodes is now a vice president with Xenophon Strategies, where he leverages his experience in media and public relations, strategic communications, crisis management, brand marketing and special events.

In an article posted on the company’s website entitled “Let’s Find Out if McGwire Is a Team Player – Some Strategies to Mitigate the Media Distraction”, Rhodes articulates a simple, two-part approach for how he believes the McGwire situation should be handled starting next week.

The intent is to minimize disruptions to the remainder of the Cardinals family by making McGwire available at certain pre-defined times to answer the inevitable questions. As Rhodes explained to me, the potential distractions should not be taken for granted.

“To reach the playoffs, there needs to be a focus on the task at hand on the field.  Quite frankly, with all of the media attention it will be hard to find that focus.  I know. I saw it first hand,” Rhodes said on Tuesday.

His first recommendation is for the Cardinals to “hold a media conference in Jupiter on the day the pitchers and catchers report, Feb. 17.” The next would be for the club to allocate early afternoon time for press conferences with McGwire on the Cardinals’ arrival day in each road city throughout the regular season.

For such a strategy to work, McGwire would need to put the team ahead of his own interests, Rhodes notes.

Quoted in a Tuesday article posted at USAToday.com, St. Louis general manager John Mozeliak seemed to indicate the Cardinals aren’t on the Rhodes Plan. In other words, McGwire is apparently done talking about his past.

“He’s answered more than 250 questions on this, and he reached out to multiple levels of media,” Mozeliak told Mel Antonen. “He’s not required to do any more. If (reporters) want to talk to him about players, hitting and the experience, that’s fine.”

Other past steroid users caught in recent years, including New York Yankees Alex Rodriguez and Andy Pettitte, held news conferences as spring training began to clear questions based on their off-season admissions. As a result, the press seemed to back off.

In the Wednesday radio interview, Milhaven asked Rhodes his view if the Cardinals do in fact believe they can move ahead with McGwire only talking baseball this spring while avoiding further media questions about his past.

“I think they are naïve if they think that,” Rhodes concluded.

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Wednesday, day three of the Mark McGwire re-entry program as architected by the crisis-management firm of former White House press secretary Ari Fleischer, apparently called for a shift in focus to the all-new Big Mac. The Cardinals hitting coach is shown swinging the bat and happily teaching his hitting students in California, relieved by his confession and ready to move forward.

It was inevitable that change would not go completely smoothly. Jose Canseco, self-proclaimed whistle-blower of the steroid era, did his best to ensure that, trying to keep the focus on the past, instead of the future.

While the primary subject of Canseco’s claims, widespread use of illegal drugs in baseball, was again reinforced, McGwire’s former Bash Brother teammate still has a long history of contradicting himself, embellishing details and later wishing he had handled himself differently.

With that backdrop, the “he-said, she-said” debate over whether or not Canseco injected McGwire, where, when and how often is most incredulous. What we have here is a dispute between two admitted long-time drug users, both of whom have been proven to foster a long-term habit of avoiding or at least severely bending the truth.

The phrase, “the first liar doesn’t stand a chance” was coined for situations precisely as this. If you hooked these two up to a polygraph, as Canseco has challenged, there would probably be an explosion the likes of which hasn’t been seen since Godzilla and Ghidorah destroyed Tokyo.

Canseco’s counterattacks included a blast fired at his former manager and the current skipper of the St. Louis Cardinals, Tony La Russa. In an ESPN Radio appearance, Canseco vehemently disputed La Russa’s claim that the manager was unaware of McGwire’s use of steroids until this Monday.

Said Canseco: “That’s a blatant lie. There are some things here that are so ridiculous, and so disrespectful for the public and the media to believe.”

It is a sad state of affairs indeed when Canseco is left to define what is ridiculous and disrespectful.

Putting the foolishness aside, I have been among the many troubled by the apparent rigidity of the manager’s remarks. Just as in McGwire’s damning unwillingness to acknowledge the performance-enhancing nature of performance-enhancing drugs, La Russa’s insistence that he was unaware of McGwire’s use all these years is a credibility-crusher.

As the result of his remarks, La Russa has been hammered in many corners of the press, almost as much as McGwire himself, it seems.

La Russa’s assertion that he did not know of McGwire’s past use may have been akin to Bill Clinton swearing he didn’t inhale. A member of the legal profession like the former President, La Russa never said he did not have past suspicions. He only said he did not KNOW until Monday.

Of course, he didn’t know. Without positive drug tests, no one knew for absolute certain until McGwire himself said so. Yet, La Russa left himself wide open by avoiding the obvious.

It is not as if La Russa didn’t have past suspicions about steroids use on his own team, as did current Cardinals first base coach and former A’s strength and conditioning coach Dave McKay. At the time, during the original “don’t ask, don’t tell” era, there were no processes to deal with the issue, so everyone apparently just kept quiet.

Directly from the Mitchell Report:

“…La Russa and McKay acknowledged that they had suspected Canseco of using steroids when he was playing with Oakland. McKay said: ‘It just got to the point where you knew he [used them].’ Neither La Russa nor McKay shared their concerns with the Oakland front office, however. According to La Russa, ‘I thought, what’s the use? So I didn’t say anything.’”

In a Wednesday St. Louis Post-Dispatch article, Joe Strauss recounted the following discussion with La Russa this week:

“La Russa referred to McGwire’s initial experimentation with steroids in 1989-90 as ‘a little flavor here and there. That is not right, either. But he was not a big abuser at that point,’ La Russa said.”

If the manager didn’t know about McGwire’s use back then, during the final years of when Canseco and Big Mac were Oakland teammates, the only logical assumption one can make is that his hitting coach must have shared those details of his steroid use for the first time when he spoke with La Russa on Monday.

As one might expect, the manager is defending his new hitting coach to the nth degree, including McGwire’s controversial, logic-defying stance that his long-term steroid use was solely for health reasons.

”He admitted his performance was enhanced when he took steroids because it kept him healthy,” La Russa said Tuesday. ”But he also worked on his stroke, put better spin on the ball, learned the game between pitcher and hitter and became more dangerous as a result. With that stroke, good things happened.”

As MLB executives, Cardinals chairman Bill DeWitt Jr. and general manager John Mozeliak together worked the details of McGwire’s re-entry plan with Fleischer and company leading up to Monday’s blitz, La Russa was kept on the outside.

On one hand, I understand that, as the job of any team’s field manager is in the dugout, not in helping to define a very ticklish public relations rollout. On the other, this isn’t any manager, nor is La Russa detached from the story personally. There seemed both benefit and risk avoidance reasons for including La Russa in the process.

La Russa had spent the last five years on a seemingly ever-shrinking island, angrily defending McGwire against any and all attackers while the former player himself remained far underground. A major pillar of that defense was La Russa believing McGwire when the slugger assured his manager he did not use steroids.

In a January 18, 2009 New York Times interview that did not receive enough attention at the time, La Russa said the very thing he needed to this week, but did not.

La Russa acknowledged that Canseco (and therefore by implication, his teammates, as well) may have been using drugs behind his back and those of his staff. La Russa remained firm that McKay ran a “100 percent straight” program in Oakland, but the manager explained that he and his coaches couldn’t be everywhere.

“Now, as José (Canseco) said, when you go to the toilet or you leave the ballpark, Dave didn’t control that,” La Russa told the Times.

In his defense of McKay, La Russa only reinforced the obvious – coaches can’t be with their players all the time. As such, especially when there was no drug testing, they could not be sure what the players were taking or not taking. Yet for reasons only he knows, La Russa did not say that again this week in McGwire’s context when he easily could and should have.

One might wonder if in his staunch desire to defend his own, La Russa purposely drew more than his share of the heat in an attempt to take some focus away from McGwire. If so, the maneuver seemed instead to fan the flames that lap at both of them.

Just as if McGwire had simply said something realistic like, “I have no way of ever knowing how the drugs I took affected my performance and results.”, had La Russa repeated his earlier comments, as common-sense as they seem, a lot less dirt would have been thrown around this week.

Instead, the trenches around that lonely island are seemingly being dug even deeper – when they didn’t necessarily have to be.

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While new St. Louis Cardinals hitting coach Mark McGwire spent years in isolation to avoid having to deal with steroids-related allegations, his final manager and newest boss Tony La Russa was often Big Mac’s staunchest defender.

For a number of years, La Russa had tried unsuccessfully to convince McGwire to rejoin the club just as a spring training instructor, though he was apparently close two years ago.

Then on October 26, during the press conference announcing La Russa’s return for a 15^th season at the Cardinals helm in 2010, came the shocking news that Mac was coming all the way back – to become the full-time major league hitting coach.

With the 65-year-old La Russa admitting his three-decade career in the dugout is nearing its end, some believe that while the manager’s power and influence is greatest, he is taking his best and perhaps last shot at helping Big Mac.

The focus would be to:

• Reintroduce McGwire to the baseball world
• Rehabilitate his shattered image, and specifically
• Improve the former slugger’s moribund Hall of Fame candidacy

One could certainly understand if La Russa feels a share of personal responsibility for the events of the past, but he could also just be continuing to fiercely defend one of his own. More than likely it is a mix of the two, with the split undoubtedly forever remaining a source of speculation.

Along with McGwire’s decision to accept the job came the baggage of having to step up to doing something he repeatedly told a Congressional hearing in March 2005 that he did not want to do – talk about the past.

This “coming out” event, expected to be a one-time-only affair, was said by general manager John Mozeliak in October to be occurring “sooner, rather than later”. In fact, the GM used those words at least three times that day the hiring was announced just to hammer home the point.

Earlier this month at Baseball’s Winter Meetings in Indianapolis, La Russa had this to say about the long-standing, yet impending event: “…I think it’s imminent.” That was two weeks ago and counting.

The above statements clearly reinforce the perception that the Cardinals are not in control of their new coach’s calendar. That doesn’t mean the club is not a very important stakeholder, as they will surely be the ringleader of the upcoming event and have a lot to lose if things go badly.

So why is it taking so long to get this event arranged and from where might the delay be coming? Here are some theories – not facts – theories. Like La Russa’s motives, the exact combination of potential ingredients will likely never be known.

Theory: It is taking a longer-than-expected time to coach the new coach and there are a number of groups engaged.

With Bud Selig’s fondness for the former slugger and his likely desire to avoid (more) bad publicity for the game, I can definitely see MLB being involved. After all, on the steroids issue, they have more sleeping dogs than the ARF kennels at midnight.

By coming out so enthusiastically in support of McGwire’s return, Selig reinforced the placement of the game itself shoulder-to-shoulder with the unwitting symbol of baseball’s past drug culture. Like it or not, everyone involved needs a good showing from Big Mac. As such, if MLB has not engaged the Nation’s best spin doctors (see Washington, D.C.) to assist, they are asleep at the switch.

The former player’s legal counsel would certainly have to be engaged, too. Here is hoping the advice offered, received and taken is more practical than it was in 2005. Hopefully with the passage of time, Congress will have moved on to other, far more pressing matters.

Theory: Postponing the event until later in the holiday season, a traditional downtime for baseball, would cut back the manic press coverage somewhat.

Theory: The ex-slugger may be having second thoughts, recognizing the press conference will likely prove to be comparable to enduring a double root canal without Novocain.

And finally, a different idea:

Theory: Skirting the 2010 Hall of Fame balloting and the immediate mandate on McGwire’s legacy it would represent.

I believe ballots for the current nominees are due to have been mailed and received by December 31. By waiting until after the votes are in, a full year would be required to pass before writers must make their firm and binding decision on the strength or weakness of McGwire’s explanation.

Because this is far from Big Mac’s first impression being made on the matter, he is not starting on a level playing field. Whatever he says will be micro-analyzed and nit-picked for weeks following the press conference. It is unavoidable.

The passing of 12 months would allow the initial emotion to wear off, the potential for others to either come forward or be ensnared in similar controversy and for McGwire to reinforce his rehabilitation by spending a season as a successful major league hitting coach. There would also be the opportunity to re-energize his high-profile charity work that either disappeared or at least went far underground with him, if deemed necessary to further the cause.

All of the above can potentially strengthen the prevailing view of McGwire, aided by Father Time.

By holding off saying anything even a bit longer – until after the January 6 announcement of the 2010 Hall vote – the “rehab McGwire” camp can gain another important data point – the knowledge of Mac’s 2010 vote total. The change from 2009 will represent the movement in voters’ thinking solely from the announcement of Big Mac’s return, prior to any explanation from the former player himself.

Based on articles penned by several Hall voters since October, I have been led to believe that McGwire has already boosted his share of the vote simply by saying he will talk. For reference, it has been hanging in the 20-25 percent range since McGwire first qualified, with 75 percent required for induction.

Another benefit of waiting well into January is to show respect to those who will be inducted into the Hall in 2010. Otherwise, the press will surely bombard the winners on their special announcement day with inappropriate McGwire questions that would detract from the new inductees’ well-deserved headlines. (This was previously cited as a reason to not hold the press conference during the period when the annual MVP, Cy Young, etc. awards were being rolled out during November.)

Following the January Hall announcement, “Team Big Mac” can then gauge how far they might need to take their one-time-only press conference and the other repair actions while preparing to re-institute radio silence on the past, this time for good.

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It is similar wording and result from just one month ago when Quad Cities starting pitcher Deryk Hooker was handed down the same suspension for the same basic reason.

The pair join two other Cardinals farmhands currently suspended. They are catcher Juan Castillo (Extended Spring Training) and second baseman Wilfred Vivas (Venezuelan Summer League).

Since 2005, the Cardinals have seen 13 of their Major or Minor Leaguers face suspension for drug violations. That total ranks as tied for fourth-highest among the 30 organizations and five suspensions above the average of eight.

While all of the Cards 13 hailed from the minors, current Cardinal Rick Ankiel was mentioned in the Mitchell Report as was Troy Glaus, called out for actions before he joined the club. Neither faced any disciplinary action from MLB.

The list of suspended Cardinals players since 2005 follows. Announced reasons vary from performance enhancing drugs (PEDs) to specific substances to drugs of abuse, generally considered recreational drugs as opposed to PEDs.

Though I have not dug into movement of suspended players in detail, I found it interesting to note the Cardinals also signed four former Seattle Mariners who had previously been suspended, including current Major League closer Ryan Franklin. (The others were Troy Cate, Ryan Christianson and Omar Falcon, none of whom are still employed by the Cardinals today.)

With all the attempts at education, the core issue is driven by decisions made by young men, not clubs and as such, this is not intended to be an indictment of any organization. Also, the number of additional users not caught is of course unknown. Still, being prominently mentioned on this list of total suspensions since 2005 is not where any club would like to be.

(Note: “none” designates those players not a member of any organization at the time of their suspension.)

It is enlightening to scan the totals by team, with the Chicago Cubs bringing up the rear with the most players caught, 16, over five times the two clubs with the fewest suspensions, the Cleveland Indians and Boston Red Sox at three each.

Of course, this simply indicates the organization of record at the time the player tested positive. For example, the furor over the Dodgers’ Manny Ramirez’ recent suspension may have been felt nearly as strongly in Boston, where he helped lead the Red Sox to two World Series championships as in his current employment location, Los Angeles.

Hearty tips of the cap are given to the Biz of Baseball blog and longgandhi.com, among the sites where suspension details are maintained.

Since blogging by nature is often about commenting about what others are commenting about, I feel I must call attention to a pair of articles that are running on FoxSports.com written by Whitlock.

Looking for a fresh angle and someone new to blame for the steroids mess in sports, Whitlock lays a claim that is even wild coming from him:

“…the steroid epidemic was sparked by white athletes trying to keep pace with black athletes.”

The first article presents the idea amid an embarrassing wreckage of seemingly random thoughts. After some 2000 reader comments along with who knows how many additional notes sent to his personal email address, his follow-on article attempts to explain. While the second is more focused than the first, that fundamental assertion ties the two together.

Whitlock came to his conclusion by referencing his own experiences as a high school and college football player, a world in which he thinks whites and blacks alike bought into the “myth” that blacks were the athletically superior group. The use of the word “myth” is Whitlock’s own as this most basic point in his case is one the author states he personally does not believe.

The line of thinking goes on to assert that the families and coaches, predominately white, explicitly or implicitly encouraged steroid use and because of it, the majority of steroid users in the 1970s and 1980s were white. Whitlock believes this to have been pervasive in America simply because it is what he saw in his own town and college.

Only by the 1990s did the epidemic apparently become “colorless” in Whitlock’s words, yet the writer does not explain what caused it to encompass all races, nor does he provide any supporting data.

There is a huge Rose Mary Woods-like 18-½ minute gap in Whitlock’s story as to how the suspected moves of paranoid whites in the suburbs eventually managed to consume all of sports. He offers no hard or even spongy evidence of proof whatsoever, just his personal opinions.

For example, he did not speculate as to what drove the most prominent athletes in the granddaddy of all steroids scandals, BALCO, to use.

I am referring to Marion Jones, Tim Montgomery and of course, the most controversial of all, Barry Bonds, all black. As top individuals in their sports, track and field and baseball respectively, why did they start?

I can fill in the blank. It is all about the quest for money and fame and trying to figure out any edge possible over the next guy or gal who is after the exact same thing.

It has nothing to do with race and everything to do with THE race.

Whitlock offers his fix, if you want to call it that.

“The beginning of a solution remains the same. Pressure needs to be applied to coaches at the high school and college levels and coaches, management and ownership at the professional level,” the writer naively suggests.

Hasn’t he ever heard of the MLBPA and their peers? Does he not understand professional athletes of all types today have a level of independence that puts them above lecturing from coaches and team officials?

Still, steroids education in the schools and in the NCAA has come a long way since Whitlock suited up. Exactly what more in terms of awareness can and should be done at those levels?

As I see it, the best chance for steroid deterrence is through stronger testing and penalties which require the cooperation of all parties to be put in place. This needs to be a common and constant agenda in all of sports at all levels, as the target is continually moving.

Bottom line, how does the supposed origin of the problem having been race-driven 30 years ago have anything to do with Whitlock’s solution offered today? Exactly what purpose did playing the poorly-presented race card serve, anyway?

Like so many unsuccessfully trying to deal with complex issues, Whitlock simply reverts to what he does best in trying to make this black and white.

While in the Dominican, among the WBC players with whom Pujols worked out was embattled New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez, the current flashpoint for an entire generation of baseball’s mistakes. The two are pictured here together on February 3 of this year.

The world’s desire for juicy tidbits to report on the situation has meant everyone from Yankees captain Derek Jeter to the most obscure clubhouse boys are getting microphones pushed in their face, looking for any kind of A-Rod reaction.

Jeter, who became very savvy with the New York press as a survival vehicle, has made it clear he is not going to discuss Rodriguez until all reporters have arrived in Yankees camp.

He is really smart. Like A-Rod himself, just cover it once and try to move on.

What about Pujols?

Like seemingly every one of the 2000 or more players that will be reporting to WBC and major league spring training camps this coming week, the Cardinals star was asked while in Kansas City to comment on the scandal.

Being the wary individual that he is, Pujols answered, but didn’t.

“I’m making no comment about that,” Pujols told the Kansas City Star.

Of course, Albert couldn’t stop there. He had to say a bit more to qualify himself.

“That’s one thing I learned. Every time I say something, if I try to stick (up) for one side, they always try to throw me in the heap. So I don’t want to comment on that,” Pujols wisely observed.

He probably should have stopped there.

The final sentence of the quote was clearly well-intended, but seems naive.

“I’m just glad nobody on my team has had problems with that,” was Pujols’ conclusion.

Now, I interpret that to mean that Pujols is simply relieved that none of his Cardinals teammates are in today’s news for steroids-related transgressions. That way, Albert won’t have to deal with the numerous associated distractions as he prepares for the 2009 season.

I get that.

I am not picking on Albert’s words here, but using them to make another related point.

One might make another interpretation from the remarks that the Cardinals have been conflict-free with regard to steroid-related accusations.

Nothing could be further from the truth. It’s just that the news is yesterday’s, not today’s.

At least three stalwarts on the 2009 St. Louis Cardinals have been in the news in recent times for steroids-related issues. They include reliever Ryan Franklin, outfielder Rick Ankiel and third baseman Troy Glaus.

While with Seattle, Franklin was suspended for ten games during the 2005 season for violating MLB’s joint drug prevention and treatment program. He denied any knowledge.

“There’s got to be a flaw in the system. I have no clue. I tested in [early] May and again three weeks later. The first was positive, the second was negative,” Franklin said at the time.

I am unaware of any more recent accusations against him.

In 2007, Ankiel was identified as having received a year’s supply of human growth hormone in 2004 from an internet pharmacy under investigation. Ankiel stated that any medications he took were prescribed by his physicians.

As part of the same 2007 disclosures, Glaus, a former World Series MVP and four-time All-Star, was fingered as having received multiple shipments of performance-enhancing drugs in 2003 and 2004 via a California anti-aging clinic, filled by the same Florida pharmacy linked to Ankiel.

Both the Franklin and Glaus incidents allegedly occurred before they joined St. Louis, information the club was aware of before bringing the players in. Yet there are others accused that may have been Cardinals at the time of use, but have since moved on.

I bring this up not to dredge up old dirt, but to remind us of the pervasive nature of baseball’s problem.

So maybe none of Albert’s teammates have problems in the headlines today, but what about the other 103 players who tested positive in the 2003 supposedly-anonymous testing?

Given there are 30 teams in Major League Baseball, sheer probability would indicate that three or four Cardinals could be among those 103 still unnamed offenders. They might be players already knocked down, or there could be other hidden surprises.

Here is hoping that those names are not released and baseball can move ahead to try once again to heal its newly-reopened wounds.

Here is hoping that Pujols’ relief over the fact that his teammates names (or his own) are not on the front pages continues.

On the other hand, anyone, whether players, officials, fans, broadcasters, or writers who think an A-Rod-like mess couldn’t happen on “their” team today, tomorrow or next week are completely out of touch with reality.

Perhaps the opposite is happening with Saturday’s disclosure by two Sports Illustrated writers that then-Texas Rangers slugger Alex Rodriguez tested positive for steroids use in 2003.

For ex-St. Louis Cardinals first-baseman Mark McGwire, refusal to talk about the past may have been incriminating all right, but far less so than formal test results, if the SI report is true. Now, another prominent name may be sitting next to him in the ever-expanding baseball writers’ penalty box.

This disclosure makes me sad for several reasons:

1)    As I understand it, the 2003 testing was to be anonymous and confidential. While I am not defending A-Rod in any way, even suspected juicers have rights and his were violated.

2)    We know 104 players were tested and failed. That means there are at least 103 other supposed guilty players in the report. Yet, only the name of the biggest, juiciest juicer is leaked. It is a sad indication of the ambulance-chasing society we have become.

3)    Accusations that Players Union COO Gene Orza tipped off A-Rod that a test was coming. The baseball culture is one of extreme sticking together, but there is no way to defend behavior that allegedly includes being an accomplice.

4)    Yet Orza is likely just one big name of dozens, probably hundreds that could be fingered. Like A-Rod, he has a big name to knock down.

5)    This further besmirches the already-tarnished image of a game that looked the other way for too long.

Yet Rodriguez has the chance to be bold where McGwire was timid. Much ink is already being spilled about how this disclosure will taint his pursuit of the all-time home run crown as well as scuttle what seemed a lock induction into the Hall of Fame.

A-Rod needs to learn from his former teammate Jason Giambi and fess up to past mistakes and try to let it pass. McGwire has proven the stigma will not go away even if ignored, and he was already retired when he bungled his House testimony, not an active player in New York, of all places.

Giambi, unlike Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens apparently did, did not lie and as a result, paid a small price compared to the other two. A-Rod has already disappointed so many. He needs to nip this in the bud.

With an apology, the self-righteous sportwriters that have drawn a line in the sand will be pulled one step closer to taking a middle ground position regarding an issue that simply cannot be treated as black or white any longer.

I hope Big Mac is watching.

Memphis outfielder Amaury Cazana Marti, labeled “The Hunter” during his successful summer campaign in Mexico, is competing against the country in the Caribbean Series. The 34- (or 30) year-old played winter ball for Licey in the Dominican Republic and his club is representing the nation in the Series.

Through his first four games, Marti has struggled badly, looking very anxious at the plate, often overswinging. After starting the series batting #5, he has been dropped down to the #7 spot and has just one single, one walk and six strikeouts in 16 plate appearances. His 1-for-15 mark translates to an .067 average. Defensively, the Cuban émigré has seen time at both corners.

The regular winter season was a different story. Against Dominican League pitching, the right-handed hitter posted a .314/.390/.535 line for Licey. He hit seven home runs and drove in 34 over 172 at-bats. However, Marti fanned 42 times.

While the 2006 draftee remains under Cardinals organizational control for 2009, he was not invited to major league spring camp as he was in 2008. Unless he is added to the 40-man roster by next winter, Marti will be eligible for the December 2009 Rule 5 Draft.

(Scout.com subscribers, be sure to check the site on Friday for my view of some potential starting pitching targets coming out of the Caribbean Series. “Playing a Hunch: Edgar Gonzalez to St. Louis?“)

How Larry Bigbie Became the Most Important Man in Baseball

A very, very interesting read about how a reserve Cardinals outfielder inadvertently opened up the government’s steroid investigation.

Skip at second a serious matter

MLB.com’s Matthew Leach is turning up the heat on the Skip Schumaker to second base story. He does not mention that this move does not address the left-handed splits problem, however. Neither Adam Kennedy (bad – .596 OPS last year) nor Schumaker (really terrible – .423 OPS in 2008) can hit lefties. So a platoon makes no sense.

They would never say it this way, instead pointing to 2010 potential, but the immediate benefit is all about making roster room for Colby Rasmus, while quietly exiting Skip from the starting outfield picture. I think it is incredibly optimistic to think Schumaker could become a major league starting-quality second sacker, but maybe a credible reserve level of play can be achieved.

If the experiment works, the five bench guys would seem to line up as Jason LaRue, Chris Duncan, Skip, Joe Mather and Brendan Ryan, with Rick Ankiel, Ryan Ludwick and Rasmus starting in the outfield.

That seems to be the plan as I interpret it.

Lefty to the left coast

The Seattle Mariners announced on Thursday that they have signed left-handed reliever Tyler Johnson to a minor league contract with an invitation to major league spring training camp.

The 27-year-old had been non-tendered by the Cardinals after missing all of 2008 and part of 2007 due to shoulder problems. Overall, Johnson pitched in 116 games for the Cardinals with a 3-5 record with a 4.32 ERA. He allowed 67 hits, struck out 65 and walked 42 in 77 career innings.

Johnson’s primary claim to fame was playing a major supporting role in the 2006 post-season. He fanned a dozen in just 7 1/3 playoff innings on just one earned run for a 1.23 ERA with the eventual world champs.

Albert Pujols arrived in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic on Wednesday, according to ESPN Deportes. His primary mission is to deliver over a thousand beds and other supplies aimed at benefiting disadvantaged people in his homeland. The linked to report also notes Albert will train with those World Baseball Classic players present in the country and will play as long as his elbow is ok. No mention was made of the earlier insurance problem that threatened to keep him sidelined.

Albert heats up his “Sign Manny” initiative

Meeting with the press while in the Dominican, Pujols returned to a subject that is obviously close to his heart – the Cardinals signing free agent outfielder Manny Ramirez. Albert broached the same subject earlier in the winter as well, back in November.

This time, Albert said he is speaking with Manny every three days and passed the phone number of the Scott Boras client on to manager Tony La Russa. Pujols addressed the inherent budgetary challenges by suggesting the support of St. Louis fans could be worth a discount.

Hold onto that thought for a minute.

Mo says “no Manny”

It was only Wednesday when the LA Times published a very short conversation with Cards GM John Mozeliak. Mo was asked if the Cardinals are a mystery bidder for ManRam.

“The answer is no,” Mozeliak told the paper.

Not a lot of wiggle room in that.

Déjà vu, Albert

Please read the following excerpt.

Albert Pujols wants a long-term contract from the St. Louis Cardinals, and he doesn’t plan to give them a bargain.

“What do you mean?” Pujols said Sunday at the team’s annual winter fanfest. “This is business. There’s no break here.

“You try to get what you deserve and that’s what I want. I’ve taken care of my business in the field the last three years and hopefully I get treated respectfully, that’s all I ask for.”

You read about that already, right? If the resulting message board anxiety could have been measured, a large segment of the Cardinal Nation has already been hospitalized and Albert is in the midst of looking for new houses in New York or Los Angeles, or maybe both!

The problem is that the above quote, while 100% real, is NOT from this Winter Warm-up. It is from January, 2004, prior to Albert’s current seven-year deal.

My advice to those with their undies in a bunch over the prospect of a Pujols free agency in three years, is to calm down, please!

Now, back to Manny. Albert seems to have the same disease that strikes fans all over baseball – the tendency to want to spend other peoples’ money.

If Albert says he won’t take a hometown discount with his own team, how can he expect someone that has never even played there to do so?

Right. It’s all just talk, so take it for what it is worth.

Bissinger on Pujols

Article from ESPN the Magazine on El Hombre with a 2005 perspective, yet a good reminder of the greatness of Albert.

Amaury the Hunter

Even as the outfielder was not among those invited to major league spring training this year after scoring an invite in 2008, Amaury Marti is having a solid winter playing for Licey in the Dominican Republic. He and his Tiger teammates should be on the tube starting next Monday as the MLB Network covers the Caribbean Series from Mexico. (Check out daily reports on the Series on Cardinals Best News Links.)

A recent article from the Dominican paper Listin Diario does not beat around the bush about Marti’s age, calling him the same 34 years old at which he was listed in Cuba. The Cardinals, at least publicly, still have their collective heads in the sand, asserting Marti is 30.

One other tidbit is that the well-traveled outfielder acquired a nickname this past summer while playing in Mexico – “El Cazador” or “The Hunter”.

So it shall be!

La Russa booking

In news of the weird, Tony La Russa will be autographing phone books this Saturday afternoon in Concord, CA. Turns out, TLR and one of his daughters are featured on the cover of the local phone directory, honest!

Try framing that!

The good news is that La Russa is working cheaply, with signatures just $10 a pop, all for charity of course. That is just a third of what it took for his autograph at Winter Warm-up.

Benson only “so-so”

The “most consistent interest” in 34-year-old Kris Benson is from the Dodgers, Rangers and Cardinals, says Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal’s sources. Benson is trying to come back from rotator cuff surgery two years ago. According to the report, Benson looks only “so-so” in his throwing sessions. “Better than expected,” an MLB exec said, “but not great.”

Pass. Please.

Springer signs for perhaps a small raise

Former Cardinals reliever Russ Springer signed a one-year deal with the Oakland A’s for $3.3 million with another $0.3 million in incentives. That could take his 2009 take just slightly over his $3.5 million salary with the Cards in 2008. The 40-year-old moved to his eighth team in his 16^th season because St. Louis had no room for him in 2009.

Best of luck to Springer, a genuine nice guy.

Izzy still waiting

With the signing of former Arizona closer Brandon Lyon by the Detroit Tigers, ex-Cards closer Jason Isringhausen may have lost his ideal landing location for 2009. The Detroit Free Press had been actively campaigning for Izzy, obviously to no avail.

Few if any other clubs have open closer jobs without candidates already in house. Early in the month, there were supposedly six teams interested in Izzy, but as of now, he is still unemployed.

Looper back on O’s plate

With Baltimore already having signed ex-Cards shortstop Cesar Izturis, they are getting back around to considering starting pitcher Braden Looper. They were linked with the free agent earlier in the winter, but that time, interest was not confirmed.

Looks to me like it could be a good fit. (The Dodgers are also said to have interest.)

A Giant Thrill

Former Cardinals first baseman Will Clark has returned to his old club, the San Francisco Giants, as a special assistant. After coaching with the Cardinals in spring training three years ago, Clark spent the last two with the Arizona Diamondbacks.

A Mac Holliday

Almost Cardinal and now Oakland A’s outfielder Matt Holliday not only credits disgraced ex-Cardinals slugger Mark McGwire for helping him develop his power, but he actually moved to Southern California this off-season specifically to work out with Big Mac.

How’s that for tight?

Boras comes up in ‘roids talk

Admitted steroids supplier to baseball players Kirk Radomski spoke to ESPN. Among his comments is one that money for PEDs on behalf of Kevin Brown allegedly arrived in an envelope from agent Scott Boras’ office. Boras denied involvement, of course.

Boras unethical to clients

A very interesting lawyerly-focused treatise on Boras’ ethics with the conclusion that his clients are the ones that suffer.