Angry in the Great White North

WNBC is trying to play it safe with regards to leak of names of players that will appear in the report to be released by George Mitchell on drug use in Major League Baseball:

WNBC.com's Jonathan Dienst has obtained names expected to be on George Mitchell's list of baseball players linked to performance-enhancing drugs in major league baseball. Baseball officials are refuting several names on the list.

A high-ranking MLB official said there are several errors in the list provided to WNBC.com by two sources. Our two sources are standing by the preliminary list provided to WNBC.com. Therefore, we are working to clarify the list at this time.

"We" being lawyers, and lawyers for lawyers, and lawyers who make sure that when one set of lawyers speaks to another set of lawyers, nothing is actually said. In fact, I'd be surprised if anyone wanted to look at the list put together by WNBC.

Baseball players make a lot of money. With that sort of access to cash, I expect every lawyer who specializes in libel law has already been retained, and is chomping at the bit to file suits against anyone who names their clients as part of the list.

WNBC might have a list of names. It might have come from two sources. One source could have been George Mitchell himself, but that wouldn't matter. WNBC's lawyers are going to fight hard against printing anything.

I think the lawyers have a point. I can't help but wonder if the report itself is undergoing some last minute adjustments. Regardless of what the George Mitchell's investigation into baseball drug use uncovered, Major League Baseball is going to make the final decision about who actually gets fingered.