Comments on: Marlon Byrd Taking Supplements From Victor Conte’s Post-BALCO Company

By: Little O

Little O — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 17:52:16 +0000

Sorry AB but common sense should tell you to avoid people like Conte.

By: Longhorn Matt

Longhorn Matt — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 16:51:43 +0000

After J.C. Romero’s suspension, I hope that Marlon is extremely careful to avoid a similar situation or worse. The article also mentions the “slippery slope” that lead Conte to steroids in the first place, and I hope Marlon stays on firm, level ground.

By: AB

AB — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 16:34:52 +0000

There is a list provided by the MLBPA and it is updated and handed out each spring. A problem arises when new products come on the market during the season typically sold at GNC, vitamin world, etc. HOWEVER, it is the player’s repsonsibilty to have the supplement tested first. A player can have the team trainer send a sample of the supplement to MLB to have it tested and approved.

By: C.J.

C.J. — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 16:22:31 +0000

It amazes me that major league teams employ countless trainers, assistants, etc., and they can’t hire one dude to scour the entire supplements market, come up with an exhaustive list of allowed substances, and then allow players to order from that list directly through the team.

Seriously, you provide nearly every other amenity that these players need to play the game, and you can’t/won’t expand those provisions to supplements? Seems like a no-brainer to me.

As for Byrd, he seems like a good guy, has helped this team, but dealing with Victor Conte is about the stupidest thing a MLB player could do.

By: AB

AB — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 16:19:40 +0000

Also, I’d like to add that the comment by scout0820 is quite hilarious! The rangers’”team nutritionist and their staff” is non-existent. the players are on their own when it comes to supplementing their nutrition.

By: AB

AB — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 16:15:40 +0000

Marlon has been tested mulitple times while taking the SNAC supplements. All tests were obviously negative or you wouldve heard about it. I take offense the the comment regarding Marlon’s IQ. Marlon is very intelligent and he is is extremely well-informed when it comes to his health,nutrition, supplements, training, etc. Victor Conte is the best in the business with regard to nutritional supplements for athletes. Marlon put this story out there himself b/c he has nothing to hide.

By: Evan Grant

Evan Grant — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 16:09:37 +0000

@Scout0820: By “you can’t dictate,” I mean its simply impossible to completely police what players are doing. If that was the case, NBA teams would say you can’t smoke dope. And – voila! – the league’s pot problem would be gone.

By: Evan Grant

Evan Grant — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 16:08:03 +0000

@SCout0820: You can’t dictate what a player puts in his body. I suppose you could try and ban certain supplements from the clubhouse proper, but if I was the Rangers, I’d rather know what guys are putting in their body and when.

By: Scout0820

Scout0820 — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 14:00:20 +0000

Why doesn’t the staff of team nutrionists provide approved supplements for the players and only allow players to use the products that they provide? This would eliminate any question of the products used and also allow for immediate club punishment for anything that comes up in a test. It would also prevent bad headlines like this and keep the players looking to legitimate authorities on this matter.

By: Apples

Apples — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 13:23:50 +0000

Real Story:

“… Certification is expensive, however, and a company such as SNAC could spend upward of $100,000 to have all of its products placed on the approved list for MLB. Only 53 products by 15 companies are currently “Certified for Sport” by NSF, making them eligible for MLB teams to provide them in their training facilities.”