Pocono News Section

Local reaction to MLB steroid report

Local reaction to MLB steroid report - Friday, December 14, 2007 at 3:35PM EST

Friday, Dec 14, 2007 @03:35pm EST

Steroids making headlines once again in major league baseball.

Yesterday, former senate majority leader George Mitchell released results of his independent investigation.

New York Yankees Roger Clemens and Andy Petite are just two of many accused of taking the drug.

It has everyone forming new opinions.

A new steroid investigation report has some local major league baseball fans crying foul ball.

Aaron Haverton of Wilkes-Barre says, "i was real surprised by clemens. Why? I don't know, i just didn't expect to see that from him."

Yankees pitcher Roger Clemens, possibly the biggest name in Senator Mitchell's report, hits some fans hard.

Only months ago Clemens pitched a rehab assignment right here, at PNC Field in Moosic.

The news is affecting fans of all ages.

Andrea Shamaski of Wilkes-Barre "it's a hard thing for kids, definately definately, they look up to baseball players and they hear this with drugs involved."

Others have split opinions.

We found a few people here in Wilkes-Barre who didn't think much of the report.

Chris Maloney of Wilkes-Barre says, "i'm ok with it. You're ok with it? I guess so, i mean it makes it more exciting. More home runs, more fastballs, it's better for baseball to watch."

Some fans even think steroid headlines aren't being shared fairly in all sports.

Frank Stento of Wilkes-Barre says, "i didn't think anything of it. To me i think baseball gets unfairly criticized because it's in football and it's in every other sport. I mean, guys test positive in football and they get suspended and then you never hear anything else about it."

But you'll likely hear about this report for a long time.

If the allegations are true, one fan sums it up like this:

"they should just be real and get the muscle the good old fashioned way and not juice it up."

For now, controversy swirls in our national pastime.

Baseball's commissioner Bud Selig said yesterday he'll take a hard look at Senator Mitchell's report, and possibly make changes in MLB's drug testing policies.