The New York Times speculates that the federal courts will let the government use the results from an anonymous 2003 steroid test conducted by MLB in its ongoing investigation into steroid distribution.

The 104 implicated players would appear before federal agents or grand juries.  Their identities would be made public, should their testimony lead to warrants or criminal charges.  They may also serve as trial witnesses.

The U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in the government's favor in January.  Should the court decide not to rehear the case, the only recourse for the Players Union would be the Supreme Court.

In no way does the above picture suggest that Luis Gonzalez's vein builging Popeye muscles required unnatural assistance.

• The whole A-Rod fiasco.  Opting out during game 4, then turning his back on super-agent Scott Boras and running back to the Yankees for a few million more.  This was news for a day or 2, thankfully we all moved on.

• The fall of Scott Boras.  I use the word "fall" loosely as he is still getting his commission from A-Rod and he still is stocked with superstar clients.  But getting dropped by Kenny Rogers and snubbed by A-Rod wasn't good for his image.

• The dissection of the Oakland A's.  Now I wont pass too much judgement on these moves because I believe in Billy Bean, but wow.  Nick Swisher, Dan Haren, and Marcus Scutaro gone and looks like only 1 blue chip prospect was obtained.  It's going to be hard to compete in the AL with the talent that team has now.

• Tori Hunter to the Angels.  LOL,LOL,LOL!!!!  Just a year after signing Gary "HGH" Matthews to a ridiculous 5 year $50 million dollar contract, the Angel decide to throw $90 million at Hunter, making Matthews the most expensive 4th outfielder in the game.  On top of that they failed to the big bat needed to protect Vlad in the lineup.  Arte Moreno cracks me up.

• The Tigers get scary!  By acquiring Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis from the Marlins, the Tigers find themselves as a favorite to win it all in 2008.  Barring injury, Detroit looks to have the leagues best lineup, plus a promising rotation.  As a Sox, this team scares the crap out of me!

• Those same Marlins got younger, cheaper, and maybe better?  Florida got 2 big-time prospects from Detroit in that deal in Cameron Maybin and Andrew Miller.  Maybin looks to be the real deal and Miller, in my opinion, is already better than Willis.  Plus they are affordable for the next few years.

• The Red Sox re-sign Mike Lowell.  It was a no brainer to bring back the World Series MVP but fans should be cautious of a 3rd baseman who is entering his mid 30's.  The thing that really worries me is the lack of moves this team has made.  I understand we have a good mix of young talent and veteran players, but sitting tight never seems to work.  Remember 2005?

• Which brings us to the Johan Santana saga.  Both the Sox and Yankees have been chasing Santana since the winter meetings, and while the Twins seem to be playing hard ball, I expect the deal to get done.  Im picking NY as his eventual landing spot, because the Steinbrener brothers are just like their daddy.

• Last but not least the mess that is the SF Giants.  This team is old.  Real old, and the only positive they have is their young pitching.  So why is it that all winter long I have heard that they were dangling their #1 starter, Tim Lincum, over the trade table?  And for who?  Alex Rios of  Toronto?  Really?  Bad move Sabean.  And I think he realized that because he went out and made an equally as bad signing in Aaron Rowland for $60 million.  Don't get me wrong, Rowland had a nice year, but is he really worth $12 million a year?  This guy flourished in Philly, which is a hitters haven.  Ive been there, and I may be able to hit a few out.

So wow, pretty boring stuff.  All that excitement plus the Goose is now in the Hall, Roger is suing his accuser, and Barry is looking at jail time.  Good thing spring training is only 6 weeks away!

Written by Ken Nutter

BALCO Players

• Barry Bonds
• Jason Giambi
• Jeremy Giambi
• Benito Santiago
• Gary Sheffield

Purchases or Use

• Lenny Dykstra
• David Segui
• Larry Bigbe
• Brian Roberts
• Jack Cust
• Todd Hundley
• Rondell White
• Roger Clemens
• Andy Pettite
• Chuck Knoblach
• David Justice
• Mo Vaughn
• Miguel Tejada
• Mike Stanton
• Jerry Hairston Jr.
• Paul Lo  Duca
• Fernando Vina
• Kevin Brown
• Eric Gagne
• Brenadan Donnelly
• Nook Logan

Alleged Internet Purchases

• Rick Ankiel
• Paul Byrd
• Jay Gibbons
• Troy Glaus
• Jose Guillen
• Gary Matthews Jr.
• Scott Schowenweiss
• Jose Canseco
• John Rocker
• Ismael Valdez
• Matt Williams

• Bunch of violence in Iraq, 3 bombs, 27 dead, 150 wounded. Surge still working, I guess.
• Ike Turner, still dead.
• After three year "break," war seems to be ramping up again in the Congo. Bad news all around here, hinges on the same ethnic tensions between Hutus and Tutsis that led to genocide in Rwanda. Yeesh.
• The natives (nativists?) are restless in Iowa.
• Dumbest fucking news story I may have ever seen. And I can't pick on the NY Times here, I've seen this dumb shit everywhere.
• The Mitchell investigation report is coming out today, naming 50-80 major league baseball players as despicable cheaters. Hope some good comes out of this.
• Continuing their excellent series covering the front-runners for president, WaPo takes on John McCain.  AMERICAblog points out the hideous picture they use, saying looks matter in politics.
• Philly getting safer. Good for them.

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Major League Baseball is set to announce revenue of over $6 billion, the largest amount ever. It is an increase of 11% over last season.

Baseball suffered numerous drug scandals this season. Steroid Bonds broke Hank Aaron's home run record. Numerous players were either suspended for amphetamine usage or linked to HGH through pharmacies. The specter of the Mitchell investigation and its "scandalous" revelations haunts "OCTOOOBER."

Fans have once again proved that, despite the voiciferous moralizing of Mike Lupica and his little buddies, they don't care.

The words “right and “privilege” are swung like hammers to pound into the public’s mind that athletes are interchangeable and dispensable, and that the leagues - and the owners behind the commissioners - are the pinnacle of corporate fair play. Athletes play games, after all, and they are compensated beyond belief through the largesse of these “fair-minded” and mostly benevolent owners who have as much will to win as the athletes themselves.

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So today it was announced that Major League Baseball, or more importantly Bud "I let this all Happen" Selig, will not suspend Jason Giambi for admitting to steroids use. I for one am glad about this for one reason, if you suspend him now you are setting an awful precedent for past crimes. Do you have to go back to everyone who, in sealed grand jury testimony, admitted taking steroids, even though those proceedings are suppose to protected. What about someone that committed a crime before they played for that club, can that club suspend them, or worse off cut them with no salary consequence (something the Yankees looked at doing to Giambi). I think that the players union allowed Giambi to talk was a bit surprising to me, if it were me running the MLBPA, he would not have talked to anyone. Now the big question is, what did he say, did he give names, and numbers, thats doubtful, but you never know. This whole thing was a charade trying to get people to see that the Micthell investigation is actually doing some, but he has no power to do anything. So in the end, MLB and the MLBPA, just continue to skirt around a problem that is an enormous danger to the sport.