Well, I wasn’t going to post but after reading the latest outing of a player allegedly receiving steroids, I couldn’t help it.

The latest is Orioles outfielder Jay Gibbons, who reportedly received steroids and HGH from the same Florida pharmacy that sent them to Troy Glaus.

I was willing to forgive Rick Ankiel, who outright said he received HGH under prescription from his doctor — before it was banned by Major League Baseball. Ankiel has not been linked to steroids, while Glaus and Gibbons have.

My cynical perspective on the whole steroids scandal has reached a point where I pretty much feel like everyone does it. Users run the gamut from bad players like Neifi Perez to superstars like Jason Giambi, Mark McGwire and now Glaus.

What is interesting to me about the latest three — Ankiel, Glaus and Gibbons — is that each spent a significant amount of time on the disabled list recently. Gibbons played in only 97 games in 2004, 139 in 2005 and 90 in 2006. Additionally, he had surgery just two weeks ago and will miss the remainder of this season.

Glaus missed most of 2003 with shoulder injuries and missed most of 2004, too. And Ankiel — well, we all know the Ankiel story. He missed the entire 2002 season with a left elbow strain and pitched horribly in several comebacks. In March of 2005 he decided to switch to the outfield and become a hitter.

What does it all mean? Well, it probably doesn’t explain everything, but it’s probably not just a coincidence, either. It’s what happens when the pressure is on a multi-million dollar athlete to recover quickly and help his team win.

Did the injuries cause these players to take up steroids? Or did the steroids cause these players to get hurt? If that commercial with the statue falling apart anywhere near resembles the aftermath of prolonged steroid use, is it such a far-fetched notion?

For now, it’s the chicken and the egg. Or, better yet, the valet and the B.O. (If you don’t understand that reference, please click the link or rent Seinfeld season 4).

It’d be easier to forgive Glaus if he wasn’t running away from the questions surrounding it. Not denying he used them certainly makes him look guilty in the court of public opinion, whose ruling on the matter may well be the most important of them all.

The Gibbons report is new, so we’ll have to wait and see how he responds. Both he and Glaus have been asked by Major League Baseball to come in for a meeting.

We’ll just have to see how this whole thing plays out. My guess is we’ll be hearing a lot more names before it’s over, at which point, does it really matter anymore?

Maybe I’ll answer that in another post.

Just, out.

Well, this came as a surprise.

Tigers utility man Neifi Perez was suspended 25 games for using a performance-enhancing stimulant. He is only the second player to be suspended this year, after Juan Salas of the D-Rays got a 50-game suspension.

Rob Neyer blogged one of the more hilarious things I have ever read about the incident:

What exactly do you say about a player who needs a stimulant to bat .172? Should we analyze the impact his absence will have on the Tigers’ pennant chances? (Nonexistent.) Should we wonder if Perez would be hitting even worse without the greenies? (Impossible.) Should we wonder why the Tigers traded for him in August 2006, while knowing they’d be on the hook for $2.5 million this year? (Pointless.)

On a Dominican radio program, Perez said: “I say to my fans that I am not stupid. I know the difference between good and bad and there are things that are going to be known going forward, but my lawyer has advised me not to talk for now.”

Probably a good idea.

As South Park’s Mr. Mackey would say: Drugs are bad, mmmkay?

Just, out.

Sorry folks, Just Baseball has been quiet the last couple days as I have been out of town.

I will be moving in a few days and once I get my computer up and running, the posts will go up faster than a Peavy fastball.

See you then.

Just, out.

ESPN reported Gary Matthews Jr.’s possible involvement in a steroid ring on Wednesday morning. The article quotes Angels manager Mike Scioscia downplaying the possible involvement of his newly acquired, $55 million outfielder.

The pharmacies in question are still under investigation, so no confirmation of Matthews’ involvement can be determined now. But his name, as well as Jason Grimsley’s, appeared on the client list.

With the surprisingly good season that Matthews had last year, it sure wouldn’t surprise me if all this turns out to be true.

I’ll update this story later.

Just, out.