Comments on: Chicago Sun-Times eager to be Marlon Byrd’s judge, jury, executioner

By: nategearhart

nategearhart — Tue, 26 Jun 2012 17:34:01 +0000

“I had a medical reason” is an explanation, not an excuse.

By: purnellmeagrejr

purnellmeagrejr — Tue, 26 Jun 2012 16:36:35 +0000

“i also believe it is possible to play through the treatments if it is minor enough.” I’ve never taken this particular cancer drug but can telll you I can barely weeed my garden for 15 minutes on the drug I’m taking (temador) I hope Byrd’s biggest probloem is getting square with MLB – No cancer for Marlon!

By: Cris E

Cris E — Tue, 26 Jun 2012 15:18:09 +0000

Well sure, of course it’s pretty sordid stuff and normally would be the old school journalism he pines for. And while it may be Frank’s print media guys at work here, unfortunately this is the new age, short form, tweeter media that so confounds Mr Deford, so he is not missing this. Oh well, maybe when things slow down around the all star break the ink stained wretches will have time to crank out more “McGillicuddy still coaches in AA ball because he wants to give back to the game he loves.”

By: Joe

Joe — Tue, 26 Jun 2012 13:50:52 +0000

You can forget about ever getting elected to Cooperstown now, Marlon!

By: stlouis1baseball

stlouis1baseball — Tue, 26 Jun 2012 13:46:42 +0000

Look everyone! We have a race baiting Clydesdale!

By: alwayssfgiantsinphilly

alwayssfgiantsinphilly — Tue, 26 Jun 2012 10:51:48 +0000

This is the issue that I don’t think most get about steroids or as they label them “performance enhancing drugs”. A pitcher throws 100 with a nasty assortment of secondary pitches. During the season he has a freak injury that requires surgery. This pitcher then decides to begin a banned drug treatment so that he can perform at his same level before injury and not leave rehabilitation to chance. Is he “enhancing” his performance? Not saying this question applies to Marlon Byrd, but a lot of athletes do care about playing fair, but they will do anything to make sure injury doesn’t rob them of their gifts and talents. I am glad steroids for the most part is out of the game, but if lets say a Stephen Strasburg took something to help him get back from Tommy John faster, I wouldn’t blame him or call him a cheater. Either you have the goods to play in the game or you don’t.

By: dickclydesdale

dickclydesdale — Tue, 26 Jun 2012 07:52:14 +0000

sure suspend the black byrd and let the guilty white guy braun play..

By: themohel

themohel — Tue, 26 Jun 2012 02:28:18 +0000

He went with the “I had a medical reason” EXCUSE, that’s why they wrote that he used an EXCUSE. If he had a valid reason, it would have been cleared by MLB ahead of time. Not making an excuse would be this “I used a drug that I shouldn’t have and I deserve the suspension.” “My doctor gave it to me is an excuse.

By: nategearhart

nategearhart — Tue, 26 Jun 2012 02:16:21 +0000

If Byrd says his action was “inexcusable”, how can De Luca calls that an “excuse”? Looks to me like Byrd WASN’T making an excuse. Some editor.

By: themohel

themohel — Tue, 26 Jun 2012 01:41:31 +0000

Francona looks like he’s lost some weight, too!

By: themohel

themohel — Tue, 26 Jun 2012 01:40:19 +0000

You are exactly correct! Well said.

By: deathmonkey41

deathmonkey41 — Tue, 26 Jun 2012 01:05:09 +0000

Why do all these players get nailed AFTER they leave the Red Sox? Is George Mitchell in charge of testing too? I think Youk better watch himself!

By: djpostl

djpostl — Tue, 26 Jun 2012 00:58:40 +0000

Which is it now?

Either the drug is the “breast-cancer-treating, estrogen-blocking, steroid-masking drug” you started the piece off with or one that “isn’t performance enhancing”.

You can’t have it both ways in my opinion.

If the thing is used to mask steroids then it is performance enhancing, albeit indirectly, and well worthy of Byrd being mocked for a lame excuse.

By: themohel

themohel — Tue, 26 Jun 2012 00:50:31 +0000

Steve – which means he used PED’s, right? Which also would mean he’s completely making up the “medical issue” stuff. If he had an acceptable reason, it would have been coordinated with MLB and ok’d. So he cheated and DeLuca is pounding him, what’s the problem?

By: Steve A

Steve A — Tue, 26 Jun 2012 00:29:34 +0000

themohel – It’s an argument of semantics. The drug is a banned drug, but it is not taken to enhance performance. Thus, it’s not a PED. Also, this makes the Byrd quote in DeLuca’s last tweet above accurate. He took it to mask PED use, not for performance enhancement.

By: Walk

Walk — Tue, 26 Jun 2012 00:18:23 +0000

I had a friend of mine who had breast cancer. He was around 20, i know he was not old enough to drink. He had a minor surgery a biopsy of some type i believe and other than treatments he showed up to work every day. We were in a line platoon at the time and might have gotten a deployment order any day but he was never deemed cat4 which would have put him off deployment rotation. I believe byrd’s excuse is bs but i also believe it is possible to play through the treatments if it is minor enough. But come on who does not get that medical waiver? Only way i can see that is if he was embarrased about whatever he claims to have been treated for.

By: drewsylvania

drewsylvania — Tue, 26 Jun 2012 00:01:25 +0000

Really hope they see this. Bunch of clown hacks.

By: Lukehart80

Lukehart80 — Tue, 26 Jun 2012 00:00:55 +0000

This is the kind of journalism done by members of the print media that Frank Deford has been missing, right?

By: jwbiii

jwbiii — Mon, 25 Jun 2012 23:59:25 +0000

Also a few other uncommon medical conditions. But the “D’oh! I should have gotten a therapeutic use waiver!” defense has never been accepted before. Next stop, Atlantic League. If he wants it.

By: themohel

themohel — Mon, 25 Jun 2012 23:51:38 +0000

Church – unless he has breast cancer, he was using it to come out of a cycle. It is on the list of PEDs – it is a banned drug. Since the appeal process has already ended, there are no problems with the source or the chain of custody. Do you really think he’s being treated for breast cancer, but played through it? C’mon….

By: sabatimus

sabatimus — Mon, 25 Jun 2012 23:26:38 +0000

DeLuca and Morrissey should cover Boston sports. God knows we don’t have any negative jerk sportswriters there.

By: churchoftheperpetuallyoutraged

churchoftheperpetuallyoutraged — Mon, 25 Jun 2012 23:22:56 +0000

Well as Matthew mentions, it’s not a PED so he’s wrong there. Then there’s the labeling of the excuse as “sorry” without knowing all the facts. And finally, what’s wrong with working with Victor Conte?

By: themohel

themohel — Mon, 25 Jun 2012 23:19:29 +0000

I’m with you on DeLuca in general, but how is he off here?

By: themohel

themohel — Mon, 25 Jun 2012 23:15:31 +0000

Other than to cover steroid use, Tamoxifen is used by men who are being treated for breast cancer. Just guessing that Byrd would have missed a little time if that was the cause, AND that his doctors would have prescribed it with the full knowledge of MLB. It’s main use is after a steroid cycle to get the male stuff working again (and avoid growing breasts). Not a huge leap by the Sun-Times, eh?

By: nhbsports

nhbsports — Mon, 25 Jun 2012 22:55:56 +0000

DeLuca made his career off this crap. He has always been garbage, and the good news is the Sun Times is a dying paper and we will be rid of his trash. I wrote a very similar blog post in 2008 and DeLuca hasn’t changed a bit! http://www.nhbsports.blogspot.com/2008/08/chris-delucathe-biggest-scum-bag-in.html