It could be a downtrodden holiday season for the Baltimore Orioles. The first unwanted gift came Thursday, when veteran outfielder Jay Gibbons admitted to using human growth hormone.
The next could be Major League Baseball investigator George Mitchell’s report on performance enhancing drug use, which is expected to be released by the end of the month.
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“My feelings are, if there is one positive to take out of it, I’m glad it gets out of the way before spring training,” Orioles manager Dave Trembley said. “I hope it’s all done with before then.”
After releasing a statement regarding Gibbons’ 15-game suspension Thursday evening, the Orioles placed a gag order on all employees regarding the veteran outfielder’s use of hGH.
Gibbons and teammates Miguel Tejada and Brian Roberts were mentioned in a Los Angeles Times story in 2005 as players allegedly mentioned in an affidavit given by former Oriole Jason Grimsley.
Roberts could not be reached for comment from his Arizona offseason home. He’ll be in Baltimore Monday for two appearances with the OriolesREACH community program.
Like Gibbons, Roberts and Tejada vehemently denied the accusations in the 2005 report. At the time, Gibbons told reporters he “passed every test administered by Major League Baseball.” But on Thursday he and the Royals? Jose Guillen of the first two players to be suspended despite never testing positive for performance enhancing drugs.
Roberts’ comments in 2005 were similar to Gibbons?.
“His accusations are ridiculous,” Roberts told reporters of Grimsley?s alleged statements. “We’ve had steroid testing, and I’ve taken all the tests. There is no point in getting into verbal wars. That’s really all there is to say.”
Tejada said: “I’ll get checked out for anybody, anytime, anymoment – whenever they want.”
Tejada and Roberts were both among a list of names the Orioles reportedly considered trading at this week’s Winter Meetings. Gibbons, who is scheduled to make roughly $12 million over the next two years and is coming off an abysmal season, is widely considered immovable.
In September, a source close to the situation told The Examiner the Orioles could attempt to void Gibbons’ contract, which had no specific language regarding performance enhancing drugs.
“He’s been pretty adamant about his innocence,” the source said at the time. “He hasn’t tested positive for anything, but the recent revelations aren’t very encouraging.”
