Why not? Baseball’s steroid scandals are packed with high drama, interesting twists, heart-stopping suspense, multiple climaxes, and both appealing and repulsive characters that the most natural thing for producers to do is to turn it into a TV drama! The cable network Investigation Discovery takes advantage of the opportunity, but instead of putting the spotlight on a high-profile player, the producers decide that airtime will be more wisely spent on a retired FBI agent’s story on the matter.

The episode, entitled, “Undercover: Double Life” focuses on Operation Equine, a steroid investigation that began in Ann Arbor sometime in 1989. In 2005, the investigation generated nationwide controversy when then FBI Agent Greg Stejskal (now retired), revealed that years earlier, he had warned Major League Baseball about the rampant use of steroids among baseball players after arresting the personal trainer of Jose Canseco, but that officials did nothing about it, practically ignoring his warning completely.

At that time, then FBI Special Agent Greg Stejskal told the media that he informed baseball security chief Kevin Hallinan that many baseball players, including Jose Canseco who was a heavy user, were using illegal anabolic steroids. Sketjskal said that MLB did nothing to sanction the players and that they simply looked the other way. Hallinan denied that he ever spoke to Stejskal but records showed that the call did take place.

“Undercover: Double Life” focuses on the Greg Stejskal and Bill Randall, the undercover agent who posed as a gym owner that was interested in obtaining steroids for some of his supposed clients. In the show, both Stejskal and Randall are interviewed extensively, while flashback scenes portrayed by actors interspersed with the interviews, showing how they worked on the case together. While Stejskal is now retired, Randall now works in the Detroit FBI office and lives in Oakland County.

Greg Stejskal said that the producers approached him about participating in the show about a year back and then he was interviewed in the Ann Arbor FBI office (where he used to work) for more than two hours. Included in the show is footage of Bo Schembechler, former and late Wolverines football coach, who approached Stejskal sometime in 1989 to inform him about his suspicions that some of the players in the opposing team were using steroids. Retired strength and conditioning coach of the Wolverines, Mike Gittleson, was also interviewed for the show. Stejskal commented that he is glad that Schembechler was credited for his contribution. During that time, he added, Operation Equine was the only active steroids case in the country for the FBI.

Stacy Robinson, supervising producer on the Investigation Discovery series for Towers Production in Chicago, said that Operation Equine was a good investigation to profile due to Schembechler’s connection and the unique undercover work that was done by Randall. The show was shot on location in Ann Arbor last summer for four or five days. Robinson added that the case stuck out as unique because it had been going on for many years before steroids and baseball became a real concern in the public’s mind and way before the scandals exploded in the media.

Jeff Pearlman’s new book entitled, “The Rocket That Fell To Earth,” caused a media sensation due in part to the allegations contained in the book that the Met’s legendary player, Mike Piazza, was a steroid user. Now everyone is wondering, is Piazza a steroid user or not? In the book, Pearlman cited his sources, which included members of the media as well as baseball players, saying that it was “very evident” that Mike Piazza used. However, there was no hard proof given to determine if this allegation could possibly be true or false. In short, they were just pure hearsay, which could even be rightly called mere gossip. Still, for the sheer fact that there has to be a reason why some people suspect him of using, a lot of people are insatiably curious. For these people, it will surely be a long journey before it can be prove that Mike Piazza did use steroids.

During the witch hunt in MLB for steroid users, Mike Piazza’s name did not surface, which could likely mean that he never tested positive in steroid drug tests during and after the substance was officially banned in Major League Baseball. While this doesn’t prove his guilt, it doesn’t prove his innocence either.

One way to figure of Piazza is a user or not is for the public to get its hands on the official list of 102 players who tested positive for steroids during the 2003 steroid drug testing, which was supposed to be confidential. This test was implemented to determine just how rampant steroid use was in the MLB and if the league had to impose harsher penalties for users of performance enhancing drugs. The Players Union and the MLB each got a copy of the list of first-time positives; the names contained on that list were never revealed to the public. Only those who tested positive twice were sanctioned and revealed to the media. But it’s not that simple. The test was done in confidence with the full consent and awareness of the players, having been informed that they would be tested with no consequences.

Where is the copy now? The MLB burned their copy but the Players Union kept theirs. The copy was later on handed over to Congress during the steroid investigation in baseball. The only name that has leaked from that list, so far, is Alex Rodriguez, who earlier this year confessed to having used steroids.

A lot of people are talking about the “signs” of a steroid user: bulk, strength, and temper, and some people say that these “signs” are evident in Mike Piazza, but the only way to prove Piazza used steroids (at least for the meantime) is if his name appeared on that list. It is possible that Piazza used but stopped when he was informed that they will be tested. If this is the case and he is not included in the list, then he is safe and won’t be bothered. If a player says he used, that’s hearsay and does not prove anything.

Last year, baseball suspended 71 players for the use of performance-enhancing drugs. From the high school level to the college level and from the minors to the majors, steroid abuse is an existing issue that needs to be addressed. Even when anti-doping organizations and drug testing agencies are continually improving their policies and their programs, new designer steroids and banned substances keep on cropping up in the market, luring new users, particularly athletes, every year.

What is Major League Baseball doing about this problem? Compared to college baseball where players who are caught doping are suspended for a year and possibly banned from playing in the team for good, major league players are usually suspended or fined but still expected to play in the team. What can be a huge deterrent for professional players, however, is the tarnishing of their reputation and the questioning of their credibility should their name be associated with steroid use or any performance enhancing drugs.

Since the MLB steroid scandal exploded, however, MLB has toughened its penalties; not surprising, considering the media and the public outrage over the indignities caused by these scandals, threatening the integrity of the much-beloved, all-American sport. MLB has since increased the suspension time on first-time offenders, as well as added random drug testing during offseason. Even with the outright ban, moral outrage, and harsher penalties, eliminating steroids in the sport is not guaranteed. While more and more have come out of the ‘steroid closet,’ a lot of the high-caliber players who have been highly suspected for steroid use are still untouched. However, this may be justifiable considering that players shouldn’t be banned or thrown into public scrutiny for unfound allegations and mere circumstantial evidence.

Even if MLB tightens its policies and improve its testing technologies, new and improved steroids and illicit substances will be created by unscrupulous manufacturers and pharmacists, specially designed to be undetected by these very technologies. The players who have the intention or are willing to cheat will always find a way to cheat even if it may be harder to do. The new MLB steroid policy that was implemented in 2008 is more symbolic than practical and effective. The policy is a mere show to appease public outrage and congressmen.

Baseball players are naturally competitive, and their drive to compete and succeed may lead them to seek new ways of getting an edge over other equally competitive players. The pressure is too great that a moment of weakness can plunge a player to the promises that performance-enhancing drugs offer: fame, glory, and a bigger salary. There will always be a market for banned steroids among athletes, especially baseball. The stricter tests and policies will only create a perpetually expanding black market that will prey on weak players.

Rob Dibble, former MLB pitcher, said that the best players don’t need steroids. It only helps the bench players obtain a starting role temporarily, only losing it later when he will most certainly be injured. MLB should rethink its steroid policy once again, coz this one ain’t working.

Superstar Houston Astros baseball player, Miguel Tejada, finally faced the courts in Washington D.C. after a long month of waiting for his federal sentencing. Last month, Tejada, a five-time All-Star shortstop, pleaded guilty to a case of misdemeanor for withholding information about his former teammates’ use of performance-enhancing drugs.

Before his sentencing, Tejada told reporters that he didn’t know what will happen and that his lawyer didn’t tell him anything about his sentencing. While federal prosecutors recommended probation in Tejada’s case, it was up to Federal Magistrate Judge Alan Kay what Tejada’s sentencing would be. U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Taylor submitted a 10-page memo requesting that Tejada be sentenced to community service and probation, focusing on outreach programs and youth education. While Tejada’s hopes for probation have been boosted by this memo, Tejada was not assuming that Judge Kay will go with Taylor’s recommendation and was not taking anything for granted.

Tejada says that he appreciated the support he was getting from the Houston Astros ever since his problems began, which was when he was mentioned in the Mitchell report (Senator George Mitchell’s analysis and assessment on the use of performance enhancing drugs in the MLB) together with former teammates Andy Pettitte and Roger Clemens.

The Mitchell report cited Adam Piatt who claimed that he discussed human growth hormones (HGH) and steroids with Tejada when they were teammates in the Oakland A’s. Piatt also mentioned that he received two checks amounting to $6,300 for the purchase of HGH. Tejada, however, said that he threw away the HGH without using any of it. Piatt’s acknowledgements contradicted what Tejadas told the congressional investigators on Aug 26, 2005 regarding Rafael Palmeiro’s statements in Congress. Palmeiro told congress that he tested positive for steroids due to tainted B-12 vitamins, which he allegedly got from Tejada. Tejada, however, denied that he ever discussed HGH or steroids. This was way back in 2005.

Last month, four years after his 2005 statements, Tejada pleaded guilty to lying to congress on August 26, 2005 when he denied having ever discussed performance-enhancing drugs. He also gave a tearful apology to his teammates, fans, and congress in a read statement at the Minute Made Park. He also gave another apology at the Osceola County Stadium in Kissimmee before the Houston Astros’ full-squad workout. Since his public apologies, Astros owner Drayton McLane, manager Cecil Cooper, and his Astros teammates has supported Tejada.

Tejada’s sentencing was subject to a maximum of one-year imprisonment and a maximum fine of $100,000. However, during the 23-minute hearing, Tejada was sentenced to one-year probation for misleading Congress. Judge Kay decided that it was best to go with Prosecutor Attorney Taylor’s recommendation and plea bargain for a lighter punishment of community service and probation.

In addition to the one-year probation, Tejada was also sentenced to 100 hours of community service and a fine of $5,000. A native of Dominican Republic, Tejada’s immigration status as permanent resident of the U.S. was not affected by his sentencing. He also does not face any travel restrictions and is not subject to drug testing typically required of convicts on probation.

Primobolan, a type of steroid which is commonly known as ‘Boli’ or ‘Primo’ in the underground circuit of illicit steroid use, used to be widely available and easy to buy and sell in the Dominican Republic. After Yankees player Alex “A-Rod” Rodriguez admitted to using Primobolan as a performance enhancing drug from 2001 to 2003 during his stint with Texas, ‘Boli’ has become harder to find in the Dominican.  Rodriguez admitted that his cousin was the one who persuaded him to use ‘Boli’ and that he easily got the drug in the Dominican Republic without a prescription and without needing to consult trainers or doctors. A-Rod also said that he took Primobolan through injection.

Primobolan is a unique kind of steroids. Unlike most steroids, it does not aromatize and convert to estrogen and thus does not produce the unwanted side-effects related to estrogen such as acne and the development of breasts. Primo is also known to cause little or no water retention and is thus effective in cutting or losing weight. Its nitrogen retention and anabolic properties, makes it efficient for holding onto muscle even when cutting or under a low-calorie diet. From the onset, Primobolan looks like a weak kind of steroid according to its anabolic and androgenic ratio but it is actually stronger when the side effects are taken into consideration.

Those who are prone to getting estrogen related side effects prefer to use Primobolan and usually have to run a cycle of it for at least 12 weeks to see any positive benefits. Thus, some of those who have tried Primobolan may have been disappointed with it because they used it for only a short period and expected to get immediate results. The injectible version, the one which A-Rod used, is usually injected at 400mgs for 12 weeks and costs around $500. Oral versions are also available but prove to be less effective.

Primobolan is also a popular performance enhancing drug among competitive bodybuilders who use it prior to contests during a cutting phase (not for bulking). Primo is known to be an effective “fat burner” and have been found to bind better with AR compared to testosterone. For medical purposes, Primobolan is used as an aid for reducing breast tumors. Primarily, Primo is not used as a bulking agent. Instead, it is used as an agent to halt wasting in AIDs patients and other critical illnesses and reverse the effects of anemia. Primo may also help speed up recovery and enhance the immune system, and thus making this drug highly appealing to some athletes.

Head of the anti-doping program of the Dominican Olympic Committee, Milton Pinedo, says that in the Dominican Republic, Primobolan or Primobolic is not imported by local pharmaceutical companies, and that users used to get it easily without a problem in the underworld of steroids. Feliz also said that Primobolan has been frequently used in the country’s training centers and gyms but since the drug has been connected to Alex Rodriguez, it has since disappeared from the market.

Steroid scandals that have tarnished the names of several professional baseball players and have put a dent on the integrity of MLB should be enough to deter college baseball players, and those aspiring to get into the Major League from using performance enhancing drugs; instead, they are feeling the pressures of steroid use. Some of these college players feel that if they do not use steroids, they won’t have a chance at competing equally with other players who may be using, and that using is their only ticket to the pros. With steroid scandal after steroid scandal in the MLB, college athletes may have the impression that most, if not all of the professional baseball players are using or have used steroids to gain an edge in the game.

Universities and colleges such as the James Madison University and Bridgewater College are trying their best to keep their baseball athletes from using steroids. Spanky McFarland, JMU head baseball coach, says that while they test their athletes randomly, the same person can get tested three weeks in a row; not just because an athlete is tested for this week doesn’t mean he can’t be randomly selected again the next week. This is so that athletes who have been tested will be deterred from using, thinking that they won’t be detected anymore.

Besides the use of steroids, there is also a risk in using over-the-counter supplements, which have been known to cause positive results in steroid testing. Barbara H. Long, director of athletic training at Bridgewater, says that supplements are not well-regulated by the FDA and thus it is difficult to know what you are getting when you take them.

McFarland said that if athletes choose to take over-the-counter supplements, they have to take it to their trainer. Coaches and trainers have a list of banned substances and everything on that list is illegal so there are no excuses.

Besides stringent drug testing, another reason that college players don’t or can’t take steroids is the money they have to shell out. A lot of illegal performance enhancing drugs is expensive and only a few rich students will be able to afford it. Justin Wood, senior pitcher at JMU, says that a cycle of HGH costs a couple of thousand dollars and not many of them have that money lying around just to try out the drug and see if it works out.

Case Hartman, senior pitcher at Bridgewater says that steroids hurt your body and that it is bad for you and has no upside to it. Alex Foltz, junior outfields at JMU, says that if you get caught using steroids then you are good as done at the college level. If you are already at the minors, however, and you get caught, you just get suspended and have to pay a fine but you can still play. Brett Garner, senior catcher at JMU, explains that in college baseball, if you are caught using steroids, you are suspended for a whole year and it is to the discretion of the coaches and administration if they should keep you on the team.