Representative Christopher Shays (R) Connecticut

On Tuesday January 15, 2008 a committee of the United States House of Representatives held hearings on the use of performance enhancing drugs by major league baseball players. For several hours committee members grilled Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig, Player’s union chief Donald Fehr, and former U.S. senator George Mitchell on the failure of baseball to remove steroids and HGH from the game.

Representative Shays Frightens Many With His Lack of Knowledge

One of the most unusual happenings in the proceedings was the behavior of Connecticut Representative Chris Shays who didn’t seem to know the name of the baseball commissioner. He also struggled with the name documented steroid user Rafael Palmero. Baseball is clearly not Shays best sport. With such limited knowledge one wonders whether legislators like Shays can make informed decisions on matters about Major League Baseball.

Mitchell Defends a Flawed Investigation

George Mitchell, the former senator, lawyer and diplomat with unblemished credentials, defended his report and outlined many of the challenges he faced in examining the substance abuse problems in baseball. Mitchell’s group did not have the power to subpoena players or team employees. The Mitchell group relied on hearsay often to identify abusers of performance enhancing drugs. In other cases Mitchell’s group based it conclusions on the work of journalists and commentators to identify substance users.

Selig Throws the San Francisco Giants “Under the Bus”

Commissioner Bud Selig admitted that his office could have been more vigilant in its oversight of the substance abuse issues. While admitting his failings, Selig blamed individual teams and especially the San Francisco Giants for not being forthcoming with information about suspicious actions of team employees. Selig suggested that if the Giants had reported Barry Bonds’ trainer to his office, this problem may have been addressed much sooner.

Fehr Like Sergeant Schultz “Knows Nothing”

Baseball union head Donald Fehr lectured the committee on labor law until he was brought up short by committee member Eleanor Holmes Norton who has also taught law. Fehr now admits that until two years ago he like many baseball officials and journalists knew nothing about the steroid problem in baseball. He now has found religion and is working closely with the commissioner.

Are There More Important Issues That Congress Should Be Investigating?

Several million Americans are subject to losing their homes through foreclosure. Home prices are falling. Iconic American corporations such as Merrill Lynch, Bear Stearns, and Citigroup have had to go “hat in hand” seeking investments from foreign countries to avoid insolvency. The Taliban is surging again. The dollar is in free fall and oil is “sniffing” at the $100 a barrel mark. There are droughts in the West and the South.

Given all these challenges facing this nation, I wonder if investigating major league baseball is the best use of the time and energy of the U.S. Congress?