Sen. George Mitchell may force players to talk…

Major League Baseball and the Players Association have agreed it's up to players to decide whether Sen. George Mitchell should have access to their medical records. Union officials had blocked Mitchell's attempts to review records for his ongoing investigation into baseball's doping history, saying it would be an illegal violation of privacy. But under a compromise reached this week, when Mitchell requests a player's medical history, that player's club will turn the records over to the player. Then it's up to the player whether or not to cooperate.
With more than 30 players already under suspicion expected to receive requests from Mitchell, baseball sources said they do not expect any to cooperate. Their names, however, are likely to show up in Mitchell's final report - which could be concluded within the next few months - as players who were named in various investigations (some of whom have been made public and some of whom have not) but who refused to cooperate with Mitchell.
Mitchell has sought cooperation and information from players for a year, starting with the original group connected to the BALCO steroids investigation in San Francisco: Barry Bonds, Jason Giambi, Gary Sheffield, Jeremy Giambi, Randy Velarde, Benito Santiago, Marvin Benard, Armando Rios and Bobby Estalella. MLB and union officials refused to comment yesterday, but sources said those names are expected to be on Mitchell's list. According to sources, Mitchell is now seeking information on a number of current and former Orioles who played during or around the time Jason Grimsley was with Baltimore in 2004 and 2005: Rafael Palmeiro, who tested positive for the steroid stanozolol in 2005; David Seguí, who last year admitted using HGH; Jerry Hairston Jr., who was named as a player who bought performance-enhancing drugs over the Internet earlier this year, and Fernando Tatis.

Grimsley was the target of an investigation in 2006 in which 13 federal agents led by BALCO ramrod Jeff Novitzky, an investigator for the IRS, raided his home in Phoenix after Grimsley balked at becoming a cooperating witness in Novitzky's investigation. The pitcher, who played for seven major league teams, including the Yankees, in his 15-year career, had been implicated in drug use when a parcel containing $3,200 worth of human growth hormone was delivered to his home. The Los Angeles Times reported last year the names of players and a trainer that allegedly appeared on documents stemming from the Grimsley raid. The U.S. Attorney's office labeled the report inaccurate, although it has never explained what the inaccuracy was.

There have also been investigations by the Albany District Attorney's office into a widespread Internet steroid distribution ring that has implicated players and another by the BALCO investigators, this one into the dealings of former Met clubhouse attendant Kirk Radomski, who pleaded guilty in federal court on April 27 in San Francisco to distributing steroids to major league players. Several player agents contacted this week said they have not yet heard from Mitchell, but doubt their clients would cooperate. Mitchell would not comment about the specifics of his investigation, but in an e-mail yesterday he reaffirmed what union and MLB officials said last month, that he is moving to arrange interviews with current players.
"This is one of the final phases of the investigation and obviously will be significant, especially since, as I have previously said, the principal victims of the illegal use of performance-enhancing substances by some players are the majority of players who don't use them," he said. "Other work remains, but I hope and expect that I will be able to complete the investigation in the coming months."

Mitchell has also actively sought the testimony of former players, current and former front-office officials, managers, coaches, trainers and strength and conditioning specialists.