MLB - Sports Rumors

Sat Dec 15, 2007 9:06 am EST

Mariano: Yankee championships not tainted

By Joe Zedalis

Mariano Rivera

Getty Images

No place in the baseball world did the Mitchell Report rattle more cages than at Yankee Stadium. The report named 22 current and former New York Yankees. However, close Mariano Rivera said the report did nothing to taint the championships won during the period of alleged usage according to the New York Post.

"I don't think so," Mariano Rivera said. "There were a lot of players involved in that (run). It's difficult. A lot of guys on there [the list] were guys I have a lot of respect for. We're all old. We all make decisions, but I'm not assuming that they did it. I can't point fingers."

But there were plenty of Yankees from those World Series-winning teams from nearly a decade ago, which won four titles in five years, who were called out in the report, including Roger Clemens and Andy Pettitte, as well as others such as Chuck Knoblauch and Mike Stanton.

Source: New York PostNew Window

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150 Comments

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  1. Chris
    1. Posted by Chris Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:54 pm EDT

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    Ok druggie.. gimme the rings back
  2. Andy
    2. Posted by Andy Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:27 pm EDT

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    As much as the Yankees are trash, I don't think a higher percentage of players on the Yankees are juicing compared to any other given team. If it wasn't so before this report, it definitely is now a period of guilty until proven innocent.
  3. vincei
    3. Posted by vincei Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:34 pm EDT

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    Not only do the Yankees have the most money to spend, they also have to cheat to win. This taints everything Pettitte and Clemens were involved in.
  4. David J
    4. Posted by David J Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:39 pm EDT

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    You people are worse than raider haters. you make me sick
  5. zubee
    5. Posted by zubee Thu Sep 03, 2009 2:49 pm EDT

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    Of course the championships are not tainted. The reading about them just got a little "juicier" is all. You still had to be able to go out and pitch getting outs, hit and score runs, play the field and catch the ball. I don't care if you "were' a human pin cushion, you still needed some talent to be a major league ballplayer. It can't always be the juice doing all the winning. It hasn't helped teams like the Royals, Pirates, Rangers. It didn't help the Blue Jays, even if you believe that this is where the Rocket starting using the juice. So no, the championships stand just as is.
  6. atthehop
    6. Posted by atthehop Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:44 pm EDT

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    Boston Sux
  7. Dan L
    7. Posted by Dan L Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:50 pm EDT

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    Let's not create a 2007 Patriots situation here. Nothing's tainted because no one really knows what happened. It's all heresay at this point.
  8. Craig W
    8. Posted by Craig W Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:30 pm EDT

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    you guys are writing nothing but pure trash, saying that the yankees are cheaters is like saying the redsox are ever going to catch the yankees 26 championships. Give it up, all this winning and crying cant change the fact that the yankees will always rule the baseball world.
  9. Jeff S
    9. Posted by Jeff S Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:18 pm EDT

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    You still had to get outs? Wow. Isnt it easier to get outs on steriods than not?
  10. Jeff S
    10. Posted by Jeff S Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:18 pm EDT

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    you still had to get outs? wow. isnt it easier to get outs on juice than not? The report focused on the guy in the Mets clubhouse, how many mets were named on that 2000 team that lost to the juiced yankees
  11. timothy c
    11. Posted by timothy c Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:19 pm EDT

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    hey this is just the tip of the ice berg. this investigation was centered around a dealer based in new york. 6 to 18 months will reveal more names. im sure we will see some more names when they make it to massachussettes.
  12. Andrea M
    12. Posted by Andrea M Thu Sep 03, 2009 2:52 pm EDT

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    I'm a huge Yankees fan, especially Pettitte, so of course I think this report is bogus. But I've talked to other people who are less biased, and even they think this report is unfair. It's not a coincidence that the head guy has ties to the red socks.
  13. Kevin
    13. Posted by Kevin Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:50 pm EDT

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    "There were a lot of players involved in that (run). It's difficult. A lot of guys on there [the list] were guys I have a lot of respect for. We're all old. We all make decisions, but I'm not assuming that they did it. I can't point fingers."
    What kind of statement is that ? This guy can't use proper english and formulate a sentence and he is qouted saying that Jibberish ? He is making 6 non sensical points in a rebuttal about his tainted WS wins. Next time interview someone who can actually put together an actual answer. My goodness !
  14. sugardaddy_99_99
    14. Posted by sugardaddy_99_99 Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:47 pm EDT

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    steroids has nothing to do with baseball. u gotta see the ball make contact and have the swing. look at some of so so players they did nothing impressive casue they arent the greats of the game. some 2nd rate player gets busted we talk about it for a week but if star player does it goes on forever. simple fact is steroids isnt as big a deal as ppl think and baseball is hurting itself by doing this and wasting alot of money. its the era of time we cant say who did and who didnt andpunish or try to take action on ppl if 100% honest truth is revealed which will never happen so let it go i rule in favor of roids being part game if guys wanna shrink down thier or take chance at heart failure or whatever else. they are not that big of a deal
  15. dgilby
    15. Posted by dgilby Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:08 pm EDT

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    #16 English is not his first language. Give him a break. Jeez!
  16. zubee
    16. Posted by zubee Thu Sep 03, 2009 2:49 pm EDT

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    Jeff, you asked " Isn't it easier to get outs on steroids than not"? Why is Giambi a dh? Ever see him try to field a grounder? Question answered.
  17. largebutteredpopcorn
    17. Posted by largebutteredpopcorn Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:56 pm EDT

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    Wasn't Gagne on the Red Sux 2007 World Series Roster? That's right he was. Guess the Red Sux will have to turn in their 2007 Rings before they even receive them. The 2007 World Series cheaters are not so squeaky clean after all.
  18. hj
    18. Posted by hj Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:19 pm EDT

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    what is this crap! they spent 30 mil. for this report only to tell the commish " dont punish them for the past".Whats the point?
  19. atthehop
    19. Posted by atthehop Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:44 pm EDT

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    Mike Stanton made his 1st purchase in 2003 when he was a member of the NY METS. Read the report, it does not say anything about his Yankees or Red Sox seasons. Yes, I believe Stanton also played for the Red Sox. Go Yankees
  20. liberty_valance_97
    20. Posted by liberty_valance_97 Thu Sep 03, 2009 6:50 pm EDT

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    The list of the Yankees are laughable when it comes to their success. I like how Hal Morris was listed as a Yankee. They traded him in 1989 since they had Don Mattingly at first base. Maybe he was using steroids in 1988 or 1989. That would explain their 4th place finish. He was probably responsible for getting Billy Martin and Lou Pinella fired. There are obviously anti-Yankees sportwriters that feed into the anti-Yankees fans.
  21. Chris C
    21. Posted by Chris C Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:20 pm EDT

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    Has anyone noticed that the only players, in general, that are named are east coast teams. The only people to come forward and actually talk were from these teams. Usage is a problem throughout all of MLB. Many of these players named used durring times where the rules were very gray and not enforced, and even condoned by MLB...behind the scenes of course. The players strike of 94 hurt MLB and they needed to put fans in the seats again.
    If Selig had any balls he would come out and say that they will mark no records or block any hall of famers. But from here on out...Its 1 strike and your out!
  22. big dave
    22. Posted by big dave Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:49 pm EDT

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    listen---the bottom line is pitcher
  23. jason
    23. Posted by jason Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:30 pm EDT

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    Alright, even if Clemens juiced, he wasn't there for all the titles, and chuck knoblauch? Please, the guy was trash, (ask olbermans mom) and Stanton? So what, how about Jeter, Bernie, Brosius, O'niel, Girardi, Tino. I didn't see any of those name on that list. The Yankees earned those rings, so all you redsux fans can shut up. Go ahead and get Santana, this is his injury year anyway. Done for the year by june.
  24. Guy L.
    24. Posted by Guy L. Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:25 pm EDT

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    The problem with the whole steroids-era is that there were plenty of players who DIDN'T cheat, but since so many other players did cheat, you'll never know who was clean and who was dirty.
    I really wish I could say I feel sorry for all the guys who stayed clean during the steroids-era, but I don't. Any of the "clean" players could have stepped up at the time and ratted-out the cheaters - but no one ever did. That's why I can't feel sorry for the "clean" players and that's why I would just lump them all together and erase all stats from around 1995 (post strike) until about 2005 (when drug testing began).
  25. Joe
    25. Posted by Joe Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:12 pm EDT

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    mitchell is a red sux lover, this is his chance to take a shot at the yankees. boston cheats worst than the new york, look at the patriots they even get caught for cheating. i said all their championship is definitely tainted.

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