Berkman wants immediate blood testing

Berkman wants immediate blood testing
Astros All-Star would be willing to submit a sample now
By Alyson Footer / MLB.com

TEMPLE, Texas -- Houston Astros slugger Lance Berkman has definitive opinions about the controversies surrounding the aftermath of the Mitchell Report, and he's not afraid to share his thoughts.

Berkman is adamant that there is only one way to end the "Steroid Era" once and for all: blood testing.

Count Berkman as one who will race to the front of the line should Major League Baseball develop a blood test that can accurately detect the use of human growth hormone and other performance-enhancing drugs.

Berkman said he wished the money spent on former Sen. George Mitchell's two-year investigation into steroid use in baseball had gone to developing such a test, rather than rehashing things that happened in the past.

"In my opinion, I think that really, the Mitchell Report in general is silly," Berkman said. "Instead of trying to figure out what happened in the past, if they really wanted to address the substance abuse problem in baseball, they should spend that money to implement blood testing. That's the only way you're going to catch guys using HGH.

"Who cares what a guy did seven or eight years ago? Let's work on getting that out of the game now. The only way to do that is to blood test. I'm a huge advocate of that. I think they should do that. I'd be willing to submit to that at any time, and I think that other players should, too."

Berkman, speaking from an Astros caravan stop Tuesday night, said he would be agreeable to giving a blood sample now, even if a reliable test wasn't available for several years.

"Absolutely, there's no question," he said. "I think anybody that wouldn't submit to that has something to hide."

Mitchell's 311-page report helped illustrate the widespread use of performance-enhancing drugs in baseball over the past decade. Since the Report's release on Dec. 13, several players accused of using steroids and HGH in Mitchell's report have confirmed the findings, while others have either stayed silent or, in Roger Clemens' case, issued vehement denials.

Clemens, who is scheduled to begin serving a personal services contract with the Astros this year, recently filed a defamation lawsuit against his former trainer, Brian McNamee, who identified Clemens as having used steroids and HGH in 1998, 2000 and 2001.

Clemens, former Astros pitcher Andy Pettitte, former Major Leaguer Chuck Knoblauch, McNamee and former Mets clubhouse employee Kirk Radomski are scheduled to appear before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform on Feb. 13.

Sen. Mitchell, Commissioner Bud Selig and Players Association leader Don Fehr appeared before the committee on Tuesday. The Astros were again thrust into the spotlight when the House Committee asked the U.S. Department of Justice to open an investigation into whether shortstop Miguel Tejada gave false statements to members of the same committee in 2005 about his use of performance-enhancing drugs.

Berkman had not heard about the latest news surrounding Tejada when asked about it Tuesday night, but he did not downplay the severity of the issue.

"I don't know anything about it, but I do know it's a serious thing," Berkman said. "If the feds are investigating you for any reason, there's cause for at least mild concern."

On the possibility that Tejada may have to miss playing time in 2008 while dealing with legal issues, Berkman said, "I don't know if it's a real possibility or not. But if it is, that would have a big impact on our team and it wouldn't be good."

Roy Oswalt, also in Temple for the caravan visit, had not heard about the news regarding Tejada, but he commented on the Mitchell Report.

Oswalt said he was somewhat optimistic about the progress that has been made since Major League Baseball adopted stronger steroid testing regulations in 2005. He said in the past two years, "there is a noticeable difference in the game. It seems like the game has started turning back to the speed it used to be. And that's good."

Oswalt said he did not agree with the decision to include names in the Mitchell Report, saying that the findings were incomplete.

"There were 85 guys singled out, and there may be 300 [who actually used performance enhancing drugs]," he said. "You never know. You're only solving a third of it or a fourth of it. If five people get murdered and one confesses to it, you've still got four murders that nobody confessed to. Unless you get all of it, I don't think it should be anything.

"Baseball went through a period of time where things happened that shouldn't have happened. The biggest thing for me is getting it cleaned up and hopefully we can go back to the old brand of baseball where everyone's on the same playing field."

Berkman agreed.

"Far more good would be done for the game of baseball if we just say, 'Let's try to do something about what we can control, which is the future,'" he said. "There's no doubt that for the sake of the fans, and really for the health of the game, they need to do something. And I think that blood testing is the next step."

I've just gained more respect for Berkman.

I personally have a non-functioning pituitary and must take Humatrope (HGH) daily. The endocrinoligist regulates the correct level, for my age, by blood tests every 4 to 5 months (IGF-1 blood test). If a player has a working pituitary, that makes HGH, then a blood test WILL absolutely show the level in their system and indicate a high level if they are illegally using HGH! They have a calculation that indicates a correct range for men and women by age. The only reason they are not using the IGF-1 test is cost! When they pay players the huge amounts that they do, what is a couple hundred for the blood test! I think they should do it now!

It may also find why many players are getting injured easily and gaining weight, even if they do not overeat. They may have damaged their pituitary (head trama or auto accidents can damage it, as well as tumors) and if the pituitary gland does not make the correct amount of HGH, it will cause them not to heal and they age faster than normal. It also causes weight gain, since hgh is used in metabolism.

The doctors felt mine was damaged when I was badly beat up once as a teenager, and I ended up with the aging, internally, of an 85 year old, when I was only 45! They also only gave me 5 to 10 more years to live without the injections. I ended up with perm. bad arthritis even though the injections have reversed the damage to my other organs. BUT my HGH level must be checked often, with blood tests, since high levels cause more damage than when it is too low! If players are playing around with it they are in big trouble physically!!!!

I hope they do blood test for it since it will show the cheaters and also those who may really have a problem with their pituitary and end up with short careers or lives. With players getting hit in the head with baseballs (even with helmets on), they need monitored.