Son of Scott Brosius Throws HGH Claim at Mike Trout, Then Rescinds Accusation
UPDATE: Jan 18, 2020 - Via the New York Post.
Major League Baseball seems to have put an end to speculation that 3-time MVP Mike Trout is using HGH. Via the NY Post:
“Since the inception of the MLB-MLBPA Joint Drug Prevention Program, no major league or minor league player has ever received a therapeutic use exemption for, or otherwise received permission to use, Human Growth Hormone (HGH),” read a joint statement from MLB and MLBPA.
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As Major League Baseball works to find its way through the ongoing sign stealing investigation and fallout comes another Whopper: The face of MLB, Mike Trout - thrice the American League MVP - was mentioned in a social media posting alleging he takes Human Growth Hormone (like steroids, a banned muscle building susbstance) and that the league knows about it but has done nothing.
Wow, what an offseason this has been!
It's important to understand the person who made the eye-opening claim is now apologizing for associating Trout with being a cheater who uses a banned substance.
Oh, and the accuser?
David Brosius - the son of ex-Yankee thid baseman Scott Brosius who is a three-time World Series winner and gold glover.
Here's what we know as of this posting.
David Brosius was in some type of a discussion/argument/conversation on Instagram about the Houston Astros and Boston Red Sox using electronics and techonology to illegally steal signs.
David Brosius wrote that when his dad (Scott) was the third base coach of the Seattle Mariners in 2017 that it was well known that the Astros were stealing signs and cheating. Then, he wrote, ''you wanna read something better, Mike Trout takes HGH for a 'thryroid' condition...''
...''Mike Trout 'takes HGH for a 'thyroid' condition. It's a loophole he found and the MLB doesn't make it public because they don't want fans knowing their best player is on HGH. But people within know...''
Since the posting, David Brosius has taken down the above mentioned post and has issued a long apology on Instagram while totally backing away from his claim.
I’d like to clear the air about a comment made earlier this week about Mike Trout potentially using HGH. The statement in question was taken from a conversation where I was explaining how there are certain situations in which actions that would usually be against the rules and considered cheating, are deemed okay for medical or other reasons, thus not cheating. The example I used of Mike Trout does not stem from information from my Dad or sources within the MLB and has no evidence behind it. I had no intention of this becoming an accusation against Mike Trout or causing the uproar it did. Mike Trout has been the face of MLB for good reason, as he is an amazing player and even better example for baseball players like myself. I would like to sincerely apologize to him and his family for the unfair statement I made and the negative fallout it has had on them. No criticism or skepticism should be pointed at him, it should all be at me. I had a lapse in judgment when posting the comment and have learned my lesson on how powerful and dangerous social media can be.
This opens a huge can of worms for Rob Manfred and Major League Baseball.
Regardless of any truth to the claim against Mike Trout, if what David Brosius wrote about the loophole is true (that it's possible to legally use HGH in baseball) I expect there will be another MLB scandal in the coming weeks, months or years.
Just like we sometimes hear about 'bad' doctors who willingly write false prescriptions for things a patient may WANT, but NOT NEED. What stops other players from finding a doctor who is willing to prescribe them HGH for a medical condition whether they have that medical condition or not?
Nothing.
Again, whether what was said about Mike Trout is true or not, it does shine light on an issue many fans and even players likely weren't aware of. And, it may serve as a blueprint for other players who are looking to find a competitive advantage over their peers.
Here's a parallel example found in the NFL and it's policy regarding the drug Adderall, highlighted in the NY Daily News:
NFL players can use Adderall for specified medical conditions, but only if they apply for and are granted a therapeutic use exemption (TUE)
"Adderall is considered a performance enhancer in sports for a variety of reasons," Dr. Larry Bowers, the former USADA chief science officer, told the Daily News Wednesday. "If you play in a sport where weight matters, (Adderall) can help you kill those last few pounds because it changes your metabolism and causes the burning of fat. Secondly, it changes your perception of fatigue. You take (Adderall), and the purpose is to not feel tired so you can perform better for longer. It can also improve your focus - there's maybe a little better response to the starting gun, for example. It improves the mental side of the game."
Basically, if you can get a doctor to prescribe you a banned substance, and does so while claiming you have a medical need for it (whether you actually need it or not), you're free to use it without penalty.
Problem solved.
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