Roch, its ashame you're sticking up for this clown. Hopefully dude never puts on an O's jersey ever again.

"taking full responsibility and showing remorse"

That would mean a lot more to me if he had done it BEFORE he was busted. Does anyone think he would be saying a word if he hadn't been caught cheating?

Yea, its not as bad when you fess up afterward, but it still doesn't make it even close to good.

Roch, maybe Gibbons is a good guy and is always available to you, but your sticking up for him is way out of line, I think. The guy spoke out against doping and stated explicitly that he never did it. Meanwhile, he doped himself to a 100 rbi season he's never come close to repeating and signed a big fat contract that the Orioles are stuck with even though he knew that he earned it illegally. Now that he's been caught, he whimpers about just trying to heel quicker. I don't buy it for a second.

Give us a break, Jay. I hope the outcry from the fans is so great the you retire and forfeit the rest of your contract. You don't deserve it.

I think you have to acknowledge that Jay did the right thing here, albeit in hindsight, by owning up to his actions. Still, its unpardonable. This isn't something new, and its not like Jay didn't realize that he wasn't doing the right thing when he decided to purchase the growth hormone. I keep reading on this blog how the birds can't go a week without being a national embarrassment. This is another example of that. You have to credit him for being accountable for what he did, but at the same time you can't excuse his mistake.

C'mon Roch, you are being a homer. This guy used, cheated, and lied. Then he told the truth. After being caught. Did i miss your blog supporting jose canseco? Or maybe Gibbons just hits closer to home?

Oh, come on, Roch. I understand that you know him well and probably like him on a personal level, but sheesh. "I took a Doctor's advice???" C'mon, that's BS, and anyone with any sense knows it. He took it to enhance his capabilities, and according to the reports, one of the drugs he took was to compensate for anabolic steroid use, so he was taking them too.

He gave a half hearted, half true admission. I'm not giving him any medals for it.

just release him now. all jay gibbons is a double a player anyway.

Roch, love the blog. It may be harsh but: Jay Gibbons is a fraud and hypocrite. The Orioles need to release him and eat his mistake of a contract immediately. He is a DH that cant hit. Enough said.

I don't agree, Roch. If you read the reports, there are few reasons I don't give Gibbons credit. First, it sounds like they had enough evidence to suspend Gibbons without his cooperation (unlike others, such as Garry Mathews Jr. and Rick Ankiel). Second, in his statement it makes it sound like he only did HGH once and it was prescribed that time. He makes no mention of the testosterone or other illegal chemicals he was ordering to his home (like the stuff that pregnant ladies use to boost their testosterone). Really, is this what it's come to? Giving a guy credit for admitting to it once he's been caught and is about to be penalized. Maybe he should have come forward before now, when all the rumors started....or mabye when they found his name in records of a pharmacy that was renowned for supplying illegal steroids and HGH without a prescription.

So, we finally have an Oriole who admits it when he's penalized. I guess you're right, that is better than Raffy, but still not good enough.

Roch, Jay also received shipments of testosterone, according to the earlier reports. He did not admit to using that, though, only the HGH. Any idea what's up with that?

Personally I have no respect for anyone who cheats. Whether something is written down as illegal in baseball or not, everyone knows using steroids or stuff like hGH is cheating.
The people I feel sorry for are all of the athletes who bust their butts training WITHOUT cheating and never make it, while ones who cheat do make it professionally. Those men and women I have respect for.
Its always easy to fall back on the excuse "well everyone was doing it". It takes more courage not to follow the crowd.
I also have zero respect for most of the owners in sports who continually throw outrageous sums of money at players who cheat or are terribly disrespectful of the fans. Guillen the most recent. What was KC thinking? All it tells people is that cheating pays.
It reminds me of a friend who told me one of his son's friends told him that doing some time for dealing drugs is just a trade off for making huge sums of money. Its worth the time. Sad, sad.
Rich

Roch, I generally agree with your perspective, but you have to be kidding me here- credit Gibbons for taking "full responsibility"? Come on- he only used HGH through a doctor's prescription to help recover from injury and surgeries. Give me a break. That is like an alcohol saying I only drank a bottle of bourbon this morning because I had a hangover.

Gibbons also made statements about being tired of being accused of things he didn't do.

If, the first time allegations had surfaced, he said, y es, I did it, it was wrong, I've stopped, forgive me, THEN all the things you said might be valid.

Of course, his "plausible explanation" is the same excuse David Segui used. Doctor's advice. Prescription. Nonsense. Shouldn't it have been cleared with a team doctor? The more I read what you said, the angrier I get. How do you justify it? Is this just because you want to be liked in the clubhouse? Want to make sure you can still get quotes?

Well spoken Roch!

He gets no credit. He got caught! His attrition is just part of his negotiated suspension. I sure hope this voids his contract.

How long did it take for him to admit "...full responsibility and showing remorse."?

What is even more farcial is that he was the player rep AND was using an illegal substance.

Too bad the Orioles have no chance of terminating his contract.

Does my memory serve me correctly? If a player is suspended as Gibbons is, then his team must play a player short with his roster spot going unfilled.

I'd have felt better about his taking
responsibility if he'd have taken it when the news first hit.

A good person made one bad decision. Happens to people everyday. Give him a break.

Does my memory serve me correctly? In the case of a suspension, the suspended player's team is denied a roster replacement, forcing the team to play a man short for the duration of the suspension.

I'm going to miss those patented popups during the first 15 days of the 2008 season.

I can bash him. He signed a contract with the O's based on past performance and that has worked out really well for them. Now that there is testing and the Mitchell report is coming out, this is like a plea bargin for him.

My beat is Gibbons comes back and provides us with 20-25 homers, 80 RBI and .270 average. You heard it here first!

hGH does nothing to improve a player's performance, other than help him recover from an injury more quickly. Under the same rationale, the commonly used cortisone (which is a steroid) shot should be considered a "performance enhancing drug." Granted hGH has been banned by MLB, and therefore should not be used by Major League athletes, and Gibbons is paying the consequences for it now.

I just hope that the fans on this blog, who have enjoyed bashing Gibbons (of which I have been guilty of also) for his performance, do not use this as another reason to disparage him. Many players used hGH, it was/is wrong, and the problem is hopefully being cleaned up throughout the sport. I think Jay should be commended for his honesty on the matter, and any negative talk about him (if necessary) directed toward his performance on the playing field. Maybe he could even put this all behind him and put together a decent 2008 season, since he is obviously untradable.

Hmmmm pity yes, forgiveness no. We should forgive him for blatantly using a illegal drug when he is looked up to by young kids every time he steps on the field. Obviousl you have no children Roch. The best thing that could happen to him is to get released and then fade away like Brady Anderson, Palmerio and McGwire. Good Riddance and shame on you.

Credit? Credit for what? It's not like he came out on his own with a mea culpa. He was flushed out. And then he uses the tired excuse of using it for medical purposes. Puhlease! Come on Roch! There are times you can give kudos for fessing up, but this isn't one of them.

I know there's gonna be all kinds of outrage at Jay--because that's how the Baltimore "fans" are, but it never really ceases to amaze me how everyone seems to expect these guys (like Jay Gibbons) to be something or someone abnormal. Why do we think that, just because they're baseball players, they're above temptation and regrettable decisions? They're human. And the thing is, we as humans make mistakes. Why do we expect more out of these human baseball players? Yes, I expect them to make it right, to apologize, to be sorry...he's done all that. To borrow some words from the Bible, "Let him who is without sin throw the first stone."

Roch,

On September 27, 2005, Jay Gibbons was quoted in a New York Times article in response to Donald Fehr's proposal of punishing a player 10 games for a first time positive steroid violation:

"Jay Gibbons, an outfielder for the Baltimore Orioles who is also the team's union representative, said the increase to 20 days from 10 days for a first offense was a sound idea.

''Ten is a little light,'' Gibbons said. ''Ten, you can get away with it as a team, but 20, you're hurting your ball club."

Here is the link: http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C05E6DF1230F934A1575AC0A9639C8B63.

It's one thing to feel bad for a guy who admits to his mistakes and takes responsibility. It's another thing for a guy to give off the impression as being an advocate for stricter punishment when he himself is taking steroids.

This whole steroid escapade is an embarrassment to league management, the players union, and the players themselves. It is tough to feel bad for anybody involved when the evidence shows that people knew what was going on and took no remedial measures. Shame on baseball for letting this fiasco get to this level.

Then again, you do a little searching and find this nugget from a September 10th article in the Sun...

"I have passed every test administered by Major League Baseball over all the years," Gibbons said. "I have never taken anabolic steroids. And I am not going to dignify these claims and accusations with any further response."

Gibbons, who was the Orioles' union representative during Rafael Palmeiro's failed test in 2005, was an advocate for drug-testing during his time as a rep. He contended that testing would help people such as himself who were workout fiends - and therefore were perceived to be steroid users - but never had used illegal performance-enhancing drugs.

Ok..he did the right thing. Yay, Jay, he's our man, if he can't do it, no one can! Now can we please trade him for a bag of donuts? Addition by subtraction would be the best thing for all concerned.

It will be interesting to see if team officials attempt to use this announcement to terminate his hefty contract, based on the premise that the performance that earned him such a contract in the first place was enhanced by an illegal substance, and therefore, was not indicative of the level at which he can be expected to naturally perform.

If it's not the Orioles who try to do this, I bet there will be another organization that looks into such a contract termination. If it happens, it will involve the similar type of player: an underachiever with a hefty contract, one which the team wishes it could be rid of anyway.

Jimmy Swagger had a pretty good apology after he was caught with his pants down too. Get a clue - you're too close to these guys. There's a reason he was a rule 5 acquisition.

Give me a break - give "credit" to Jay Gibbons? He got caught - he didn't come forward voluntarily and say that he had done something wrong. He got busted and knew there was no way to lie his way out of it so had to come clean. He's a cheat and it looks like half of the roster from a few years ago were too - Palmeiro, Gibbons, Sosa, Grimsley, Hairston, Matthews Jr., - these guys are cheaters. And let's be honest - Tejada is suspect - so is Brian Roberts since he's best buddies with Hairston, trains with him in AZ and has injuries in his past which might have led him to use hgh to make it back sooner. Don't give Gibbons "credit" for having to admit he got caught using steroids and HGH. He's a cheat and should be tossed out the door. He's not sorry for what he's done - he's sorry he got caught. There's a big difference. I hope Angelos put a clause in Gibbons contract that allows him to cut bait on this cheat for using performance enhancing drugs - the likes of which allowed him to get that contract in the first place.

however sincere his apology is, Jay Gibbons used HGH to "earn" that large contract bestowed upon him by Mr. Angelos. we've seen the way he has performed while clean. if he is truly sorry maybe he should return some of those millions he was given by duping the organiziation into believing he was a legitimate power hitter.

Yeah Roch give him all the gredit in the world for admitting using this crap. You can also give him the credit for being stupid enough to use it to begin with. Look at how much smaller he looks since he stopped using steroids. Look at the power defeciency he has lost. Look at the injuries he has had since he stopped using steroids. The Orioles can't trade him now because nobody wants someone who has to sit the first 2 weeks next year.

Roch - I enjoy your articles, but on this one, pass the pipe pal. The guy used HGH for more than one "injury". I remember listening to the announcers commenting on how "jacked" he was when he came up from the minors. If you remember looking at him in the close ups in the batters box and all you could see were veins in his jacked forearms. He used HGH to secure the contract that he's currently playing for. If he's really sorry, how about giving the O's his salary back. Notice how his numbers have only slightly declined the last couple of years... I wonder why. If you were to copy a blog from the Washington post do you think the Sun would forgive you? You cheat or misrepresent yourself in any other career and you're out on your rear. It's sad and pathetic that he cheated. To expect me as an avid fan to give him a hall pass, where's that pipe?

What "plausible explanation" has he provided? I'm not buying that excuse of a doctor advised him to take hGH. Did the doc advise him to take the testosterone and the hCG too? (and I no longer have any reason to believe he didn't take those). Either Gibbons is lying through his teeth or he's really really stupid for not knowing that he was taking illegal performance-enhancing drugs.

I can give him credit for admitting that he took the hGH and not trying to accuse the higher-ups of lying, but I'm not about to buy that lame excuse for why he took it.

I agree with everything you say, except the "forgiven... in the stands" part. I think that most O's fans think we are saddled with Gibbons contract, and would love to have an "out clause".

The fact is, he can't perform up to major league levels with out drugs (and received a big $ contract after taking performance enhancing drugs), so what good is he to the team now if his whole "talent" was a fraud to begin with.

Good riddance...

If the rumor about the Red Sox interest in Bedard is true....
Jacoby Ellsbury. What more can you say? I was disappointed the O's didn't draft him out of Oregon State. (Or anybody out of Oregon State.)
He was so obviously destined to be a wonderful major leaguer.
Holding my breath.

"But can we pause for a few minutes and credit him for taking full responsibility and showing remorse."

Uhh, no!
He was caught with his hand in the cookie jar for crying out loud.
The only sad part of this is how many of these spoiled millionaires were not caught. I will not give anything to anybody caught cheating.

Roch,
Perhaps you have gotten to close to the players themselves.

Gibbons did not take full responsibility. He said that he took the advice of his doctor. Sounds to me he is trying to deflect the blame.

Fans should not forgive him. If he truly believes that he did nothing wrong, why did he not come clean a long time ago and explain what happened.

As for an explanation, how many other players out there had injuries did not take HGH because they know it was wrong.

There is no remorse on his part....on self-preservation.

If there was remorse, he would give a good portion of his contract back since he signed it under false pretenses. Better yet, he should buy a block of seats to each game and donate them along with parking and concession fees to fans. This is true remorse. Currently, he is taking his remorse and the fans money to the bank and laughing while doing it.

I just went back and re-read my entry to find the part where I wrote that Gibbons deserved a medal and did nothing wrong. Couldn't find it anywhere. I'm comparing how he handled the situation today to what Palmeiro did. Gibbons messed up. But he isn't dragging down the entire team in the process. He isn't stating his innocence and appealing and making outrageous claims. And my opinion has NOTHING to do with needing to get quotes from him. I made it through most of the season without rushing to his locker for comments. So you can put that lame theory to rest.

Roch

You just rock bottom

You cannot be serious.

Gibbons said he took the hGH to speed up his recovery from injuries and surgery. That's the primary reason guys take it. Whether that's his sole reason or not, it's a more "plausible" explanation than spiked B-12 and coffee.

Roch...don't commend Gibbons. Nice guy and all but he broke the rules. They only reason he came out because he knows his name will come out on the Mitchell report. He covered this up the whole time hoping it would not surface...it was going to so he had to come forward.

It's a shame but it's nothing to "give credit" too.

I'm appalled at all the anger, hatred, and lack of forgiveness here. Probably by people who call themselves Christians, too. I'm with you, Roch.

Muck just hit Roch's blog right on the head!

Roch has reached an all-time low.

Nice try Roch.

From your own paper on 9/10/07

"I have passed every test administered by Major League Baseball over all the years," Gibbons said. "I have never taken anabolic steroids. And I am not going to dignify these claims and accusations with any further response."

Gibbons, who was the Orioles' union representative during Rafael Palmeiro's failed test in 2005, was an advocate for drug-testing during his time as a rep. He contended that testing would help people such as himself who were workout fiends - and therefore were perceived to be steroid users - but never had used illegal performance-enhancing drugs.

And please don't try and play semantics and say he denied using steroids by not HGH.

The guy is a complete and utter fraud and your assertion that he should get ANY sort of credit in this situation is bordering on the ridiculous.

Donna- All I have to say is very well written. I wish all O's fans were like that.

Roch, the main problem I have with the tone of your entry is the seeming acceptance. You have absolutely no problem bashing the front office, often deservedly so. Yet you are giving Gibbons this free ride. Who gives a flying fig if he "confessed" better than Raffy. He's a thief who used his cheating to get a nice fat contract, while publicly bemoaning drug use. And he may not be naming names, but his actions STILL drag down the entire team.

roch, come on! the guy was cheated to earn millions of dollars. he is only sorry because he got caught. he is deflecting part of the blame to the advice of a doctor. please, he took HGH so he become a better ballplayer to make millions. he gets no pass or forgiveness from me. i am a season ticket holder and i will boo him all season. god willing he won't be here.

I love Gibby and what he has meant to this franchise. He bleeds the black and orange. I support him and the Warehouse.

Roch,
Just read your entry regarding Jay not bringing the team down. Maybe he should bring the cheaters down. I have never understood why it is so honorable among players to not "rat" fellow cheaters out. My guess is that they don't want to be ratted out themselves. Furthermore, who would Jay throw under the bus. It seems like a good part of the team has already been exposed. Who is left?

As far as Gibbons statement, I would like to have seen him stand in front of a camera and give an apology. This statement sounds like a lawyer/pr person wrote it for him. Like I posted earlier, I would believe Jose Canseco over anything Gibbons says right now. Oh, I forgot, Jay has said "NOTHING". A PR person has read a statement.

Whatever, Roch. Unless I'm missing something, Gibbons got a prescription from a doctor that was not affiliated with the Orioles in any way, shape or form. So he knew he was doing something wrong, and like most people, denied, denied, denied until he had no choice but to confess. I'm missing the point where fans are supposed to think this is great behavior? Just because Palmeiro acted ten times worse? We're not grading on a Bell Curve here. Just because Palmeiro gets an "F" doesn't mean Gibbons get a pass. They both flunk.

roch,you have been hanging around anita too much!!!!! she must be rubbing off on you!!!!

Sorry to pile on Roch, but I'm not going to give Jay Gibbons an ounce of credit for not claiming that he thought he was taking B-12 injections. You can't pillory the guy for being a flawed human being, and I still hate Albert Belle more than Gibbons, but he gets neither forgiveness nor any credit.

Roch - kudos on allowing the negative comments about your blog to be posted! Some of the Sun writers will take some liberties in what comments get through. Well done, sir.

Maybe we can Jay Gibbons on something stronger - enriched plutonium or something - anything to get the ball past the second baseman. Is there a performance enhancer that doesn't make him look like a clown falling down on the warning track chasing down balls ? We need to get on coming up with a solid supplement that can help that clown play the game. Go Baby Birds! Can't wait to see B-Rob get wrapped around the Mitchell Report axle as well! Give him to the Cubs for some ivy and a picture of Harry Carry quick like!

Roch,
Just one question for you. Did you ever ask Jay point blank if he had ever used HGH prior to the statement admitting guilt. If yes, what was his answer?

Roch, I understand where you are sticking up for Gibby. Yes we all he did wrong. But come on, we all have done wrong some time in our lives. He has been hurt alot in his baseball career, and knowing he could be cut, out of a job not able to support his hot wife. Hell ya'll would have done the same thing. We all need a edge for something, some time in our life. The thing is to do, is when you get caught, Be a Man and say yes I did wrong, I am sorry, Please forgive me. Don't lie, deny, and blame others. Gibby, I hope you come back strong either with the O's or another team and wack out 30 homers like you can, just like when you where clean.

Whew doggie Roch... you stirred up a hornets nest with this one .... I understand where you are coming from but I respectfully disagree with your assessment of the situation.

Roch,

If you believe that the primary reason that guys in general, and Jay Gibbons in particular, take hGH is for recovery, then you must also believe in the Easter Bunny.

They take it to get big and strong, hit lots of home runs, and sign ridiculous contracts. It works pretty well.

San Diego Padres are a good fit for Bedard. The Padres need another starting pitcher to compete in the NL West and have have two great young prospects to trade, Chase Headley and Marc Antonelli. Grab them now along with a third young player - pitcher - and lets get it going.

I have to give credit to you, Roch! You were brave enough to mention the idea of giving a little bit of credit to Gibbons when you had to have known that you would get flamed by the lynch mob. They have to have something to get righteous and indignant about.

Don't get me wrong, I don't really feel sorry for Gibbons in the least. I agree with the sentiment going around that apologizing for something AFTER you've been caught isn't exactly the same as owning up to the situation...but I also agree with you that taking it all on his shoulders and not trying to pin it on someone else like others before him have done and genuinely asking for forgiveness at least deserves a little notice.

It would just be nice to be able to get back to hearing some GOOD news about the Birds every now and again. There's been far too much drama lately...it's like General Hospital around here anymore.

Roch:

You are obviously not objective about your buddy, Jay. He did not admit anything until he was caught and facing punishment. His explanation is as ludicrous as the grossly overdeveloped muscles in his often injured body.

Maybe you need to get a new job as you are too close to what serves as a sad excuse for players on this once proud team.

how is gibbons admiting to taking it to recover quicker from injury any different than making an excuse about not knowing?

Taking HGH is still cheating no matter why you use it... its just the new excuse they are using. "My doctor told me to do it."

The difference between someone like Ankiel and Gibbons is that Ankiel was pretty much out of baseball and cheated to get another shot. Gibbons cheated recovering from routine surgeries (because he is brittle) that weren't going to end his career.

For my part, I actually agree with Roch here. Credit where credit is due - albeit, it's not much credit, but what Gibbons did is what, really, no other baseball player has done. Giambi hasn't actually admitted anything - he's just alluded to it.

Look, no one is saying we should applaud the guy. I don't ever want to see him come to the plate at Camden Yards ever again. He's an absolute disgrace. But do I appreciate him owning up? Of course I do. Finally one of these cheater athletes gets it. Just admit and apologize. He offered the Dr. excuse, but it still sounded like he knew he messed up. Yes, he should have come right out and said what he said when he first got caught, but he still did better than any other baseball player who's been caught to date.

By the look of the comments, Roch, Baltimore doesn't accept a cheater. That's a good thing. This isn't New York. This isn't San Francisco. We've lost for 10 years and we STILL have high standards when it comes to things like this. Don't take offense to the uproar - try to find the pride in it.

Gibbons cheated, lied to our faces about it, and even did his part to speak out against steroids while on them himself. Forgive? Sure. Forget? Not a chance.

I may get chewed out for this, but I'm on your side Roch. Gibbons handled this very well, and I personally am willing to forgive him. People have to be allowed a chance to learn from their mistakes, own up, and move on.

Perhaps if Jay really wants to own up for his grave mistake and to show contrition, he would offer to have his contract void. How about it Jay? That would be my definition of him taking responsibility for his cheating.

I will be a voice of dissent here and agree with Roch. Is there anything to be gained from bashing Gibbons now? His reputation is in the toilet, swirling around with his career. I love to see everyone talk about how this is unpardonable or unforgivable. Are you kidding me? This guy took hGH, he didn't commit murder. He made a mistake, got caught, and owned up to it. He could have continued to deny it; if there is no real test for hGH, it's not like MLB could conclusively "prove" that he took what he purchased. It looks like they had what amounted to a lot of circumstantial evidence and he decided to fess up. I say give him credit for that. There are plenty of players out there who will continue to deny any involvement with hGH because they know it can't be proved conclusively one way or the other.

I just hope none of the people who throw around words like "unforgivable" on this blog ever need any forgiveness in the future...they might change their tune when someone throws that word in their face.

Rock on Roch.

Record show he recieved hGH and anabolics at his Arizona home. After he is caught, he admits to using the hGH and then says that was in order to recover from injuries. There is no mention of the steroids at all.

I would have almost felt better if he had said nothing rather than insulting our intelligence with this.

Wasn't he the union rep at the time he did this?

Way to go Roch - I agree with your thoughts & comments on this one.

And to everyone bashing Gibbons - I guess you've never lied to someone, or cheated (on a test? on your taxes?), or never needed to ask for forgiveness, because you're perfect, right?

Yes, what he did was wrong. And pretty stupid. And against the rules. We all make mistakes, and I don't think it's up to us to judge. He screwed up...he's not making any excuses, & he's accepting the consequences.

Roch,
Time for you to see the movie "Quiz Show."

By the way, saying Gibbons handled this better than Palmeiro did is a bit like saying he had a better batting average than Daniel Cabrera. Let's set the bar a little higher, shall we?

What about the anabolic steroids that Giboons hasn't admitted to using yet?

Roch,

I'm really disappointed that your first reaction to this is to give him credit for not trying to bring down others. My first reaction was, "What about the steroids? What is the explanation for that?" As a reporter, I wouldn't be comfortable with his explanation because he seeks forgiveness but isn't toally forthcoming, which is very suspicious. However, you choose to paint it in a good light, by juxtaposing it with an even more negative situation (the Raffy fiasco).

Let's not even mention the fact that the only reason he's apologizing is because he was going to be punished anyway.

Maybe you have gotten too close to the players.

KG, you are incorrect. HGH directly increases muscle mass. It has much greater direct benefits than steroids, which benefit principally by speeding recovery through suppressing inflammation.

HGH is a natural substance -- the bodies of teenagers are pumped full of the stuff, secreted by the pituitary gland. HGH is how kids grow.

I hope Jay Gibbons starts using hgh again so he will have another good season. If you get angry that a player used hormones to better himself, you need to get a life.

This is an all time low for you as an O's apologist. You couldn't/didn't take Huff to task for his immature actions and now you want to pardon a liar because he said he was sorry the right way? You are so soft on the Orioles that you have lost objectivity. As a journalist you are truly pathetic because you can't ever blame the Orioles players because they're good to you and give you material. Gibbons has been a bust of a hitter and took hgh to get better. Teach your kids that's ok, as long as when you're caught you say sorry the right way. Roch, you need to consider your soft as toilet paper stance and realize that as fans we are not looking for someone to blame, what we're doing is clamoring for someone to turn this ship around. It isn't the cheater and liar Gibbons, it isn't the B-more basher Huff and it's ok if you point that out sometimes. If the players don't like you, it'll all be ok as long as you say sorry.

Roch, you're missing the point. What you say is probably right: he handled the situation better than Rafael Palmeiro. But what everyone's lashing out at is your first reaction that we should "credit him." Like all liars, he kept silent until the jig was up. As some of the other posters noted, he was one of the most vociferous against steroid use, while at the same time he went ahead and did it himself. Your initial reaction saying we should "credit him" is like giving credit to a murderer who was arrested, admits it, pleads guilty, and expresses remorse, as opposed to a guy who denies it all the way to the end. Jay Gibbons gets no sympathy from me, and no credit. Jay Gibbons is a liar and a cheater. And in that respect, he is no different than Rafael Palmeiro. He just didn't do it to the face of Congress, and didn't pick up his 3,000th hit last year; he did it to the face of his fans.

And it seems to me that everywhere there's been smoke, in this debate, there's been fire. MacPhail might be wise to deal Roberts, then, before the Mitchell report is released. One would have to wonder if Angelos would object too much then.

I listen to all you yahho's yammering on about how Gibbon's should give his money back,yadda yadda yadda,it's not going to happen.Do you think the Orioles,even as bad as the FO is,didn't suspect he might not be receiving a little help?And by the way if anyone of you has ever had a cortisone shot,it's a steroid,perscribed constantly by orthopedic doctors and nuerosurgeons alike all the time.It's reduces inflamation and speeds healing.

I listen to all you yahho's yammering on about how Gibbon's should give his money back,yadda yadda yadda,it's not going to happen.Do you think the Orioles,even as bad as the FO is,didn't suspect he might not be receiving a little help?And by the way if anyone of you has ever had a cortisone shot,it's a steroid,perscribed constantly by orthopedic doctors and nuerosurgeons alike all the time.It's reduces inflamation and speeds healing.

I agree with you, Roch. Nothing in your post condones Gibbons' action. The fact is, when a player is caught using illegal substances, we expect denial after denial. It IS nice to hear a player take adult responsibility for a childish act. How different would Barry Bonds' reputation be if he had gotten past his arrogance and admitted that he's cheated all of these years? Roch's comments speak to his experience in the clubhouse. It's rare to hear a player admit when he's wrong. And it's refreshing.

What a surprise to see so many people attacking Roch - and many personally - for having a different opinion. That doesn't happen here!!!!

Some of you should be ashamed of yourselves. It is one thing to disagree, another entirely to call someone's integrity into question because he dares to post something opposing your orthodoxy.

Also, a lot of irresponsible things are being said about hGH. Apparantly soem people would benefit from a small amount of research.

Let’s start with what Gibbons actually said: "I am deeply sorry for the mistakes that I have made. I have no excuses and bear sole responsibility for my decisions." So far I think even I can understand this. What he said about the Dr's advice does not strike me as a dodge. Refer back to that second sentence. He is doing the right thing.

Palmeiro bent over backward to deflect the idea that he might have made a conscious decision to cheat. Bonds has turned the backbend into a cottage industry. Giambi sort of apologized for something, maybe. McGwire won't even talk about it (maybe he can't remember?). What Gibbons said was mature and responsible. Are you so cynical that you can't see that? Sorry for you.

So is Gibby all square because of this? Hardly. This does not excuse or mitigate the fact Gibbons broke rules. He has his work cut out for him. He has to prove himself all over again. But this is a much better start than we have seen in almost every other case.

So he didn't 'fess up until he got "caught." And how is this different from anything YOU would have done? Is this a blog full of Mother Theresas who lead lives of purity and, in the unlikely event you stray, run right to the appropriate authority to report yourself? I don't think so.

Ever hear of redemption? I thought we were supposed to be a society of second chances

Meanwhile, there is no peer-reviewed study of hGH that agrees with the assertion that it has any significant affect on strength or the oft cited "work out recovery" in athletes. hGH will have a beneficial affect on someone suffering from a wasting disease such as AIDS, MS, ALS, etc., but not on a fit person whose body does not need it.

hGH will indeed cause muscle size to increase, but, unlike with steroids, there is no concurrent strength gains found. It is, to borrow from Martin Luther, a supplement of straw.

However, it does have affects on a fit person's body that may not be beneficial so it is a controlled substance requiring a prescription and medical necessity to use. Here is one of Gibby's errors. It likely would not have helped him but it exposed him to the risks - and not just legal or monetary.

My personal felling is that Gibby used steroids. I also believe he has stopped. He may not be punished for the 'roids. But he has to live with that. If he is clean and able to play on the major league level, LET HIM.

If he starts going to the opposite field and stops trying to pull pitches he can't pull, let him play for the O's.

Besides, we all know Angelos is not going to release him with the salary he has, especially with the equally over compensated Baez being paid not to play in 2008.

You might as well start practicing magnanimity because he is going to be our burden for another couple years....

What a bunch of self-righteous readers you have, Roch. All of them ready to jump all over GIbbons - and the main reason is because he hasn't been hitting, and this is something to clobber him with. And they want you to join the bandwagon. These aren't fans, they're just an angry mob. You're doing well to stand up to them.

Roch,
While I might not agree to give any credit to Gibbons, I don't believe for one second your opinion is based on being liked in the clubhouse or to get more quotes. That's nonsense, and I give you a lot more credit than that.

I think a lot of folks on this blog are tired of pouring their heart and soul into supporting this team, and have their loyalty rewarded by empty promises from the FO, and average ballplayers who come here, for a significant pay raise, and could care less about the fans or the community.

Roch, Gibbons is done, and I for one don't really want him back. It's time to start cleaning out the closet and get rid of the Payton's, Huff's along with Gibbons. HOWEVER, PLEASE DON'T LET A FEW BONEHEADS ON THIS BLOG INSULT YOUR INTEGRITY. I for one one am glad to get my O's news down here in Texas from you. Keep those tidbits of info coming.

As for the lack of movement so far this winter, I have no problem for the way MacPhail is going about his business. If we are going to deal Bdeard, Tejada, or BRob, we need to get back major league ready players, to some degree, and perhaps a AAA talent waiting in the wings.

Isn't it likely that many of "those injuries" were contributed to by the steroids ?

hey Roch,
I'm sure this won't get posted, but as much as I love your posts, (and I do), I think you've bi***ed out on this one, and made it personal, instead of saying the truth, which is that Gibbons was a cheater, and used a weak excuse to cover up instead of admitting the truth. I am sure Gibbons personally is a great guy, and I don't think him a terrible person for doing what he did. Personally, I don't care. If he were a superstar the bashing would be far, far less, and I try to keep that in perspective (i.e. miguel tejada, who has also been implicated). But with him coming out and admitting it, don't make excuses for him. He make a mistake, he cheated, and he should pay the price. He deserves everything he gets, along with Bonds, Guillen, and the rest of the cheaters. And I'm not so naive to think he was the only one on the Orioles. I'm just waiting for the Mitchell report to let us know know B-Rob hit all those doubles a couple years ago.

dude c'mmon. did anyone notice that his jersey became too big after stopped using...maybe he can find one that fits...with another team's name on it!

Roch. Did Jay find his Lord Savior Jesus Christ too? Maybe he'll start "pointing to the blimp" after every home ron now. Its been over THREE years since Gibbons knew he was using the stuff. Why did he wait so long to come clean? Because he wanted to get away with it. Sorry but I cant have any sympathy for a guy who waits until he's caught and punished " for taking full responsibility and showing remorse". He didnt take responsibility - he said he trusted in his doctor. Bullsh*t.

Read today's column written by Rick Maese. There couldn't be two more different columns on the same subject. Rick got it right, Roch got it miserably wrong. Jay lied and skirted the truth for years. He doesn't deserve any credit. Trade or release the lying cheater.

So while other teams are signing free agents and making trades, the only offseason discussions are if Millar is a trader, Huff is an idiot and Gibbons is a cheater. This team is at least good at one thing, bad publicity!

Forgive/forget? Everyone makes mistakes, some large some small. I do forgive Jay Gibbons and hope that he can get on with his life. Whether or not the O's release him, he should be forgiven. However, we're all responsible for the decisions we make. He should be released and his contract voided. If I cheat at work or any other schmuck (no offense Peter) does, we get canned.

My son is 11 and loves to fill his bedroom walls with posters or magazine cut outs of famous athlete's. Before he can do this, he must pass the thug & cheater test. No Oriole's adorn his wall and he leve and passion for the Oakland A's and San Diego Padres tells you what you need to know about an ever eroding fan base. When I was 11, I had pictures of Brooks (just retired), Eddie, Decinces, etc. I'll never abondon the O's but I would hope that one day before I die, my son and I would have the an equal passion for the Baltimore Oriole's as a baseball team.

Since we can't trade Gibbons, have him start the season at Norfolk and see if he can put some decent numbers together which would justify bringing him back to Baltimore. If not, leave him there forever. I don't want to see him becoming a freak show in Baltimore with the fans screaming for his scalp everytime he pops up with the bases loaded. Also, Rock, based on your response earlier in this blog, it looks like you are getting a bit of the red ass over the criticism you are receiving. Suck it up!

I wonder how many of these comments are being sent on work time? You are all cheating your bosses!!! Cheaters!!!! Liars!!!! Gibbons sucks and should be gone, but get off Roch's case. I save all my anger for Mike Preston!

I wonder how many of these comments are being sent on work time? You are all cheating your bosses!!! Cheaters!!!! Liars!!!! Gibbons sucks and should be gone, but get off Roch's case. I save all my anger for Mike Preston!

I must fault him, not for taking hGH and likely other enhancements, but for lying. If one chooses to lie, then they are not trustworthy. If they are not trustworthy, then they are clueless as to what it takes to be a team member. He's trash!