Dear Mr. Verducci:

Your recent article in Sports Illustrated reads well, taking what appears to be a reasoned view of the steroid and performance-enhancing drug issue. At closer look, it's the same drivel you rail against. At one point, you show that players will take anything, even not knowing what they're taking. Later, you say that players are taking them for a purpose.

The ghost of Ken Caminiti is an effective technique, conjuring up the one MVP season and the tragic breakdown that led to his death. Last I checked, Caminiti had a cocktail of drugs in his system when he died. Sadly, he was an addictive personality that was doomed to his self-destruction despite everyone trying to help him. Caminiti surely took steroids - and likely anything else he could get his hands on. If they worked the one season, what happened the rest? If he felt so strong and fast, what changed? It certainly wasn't testing and he certainly didn't stop.

The story is built around quotes from players, those you argue don't know enough to handle the responsibility for their own body. The players are people I would ask if I wanted to know about hitting or pitching, not about complex political or pharmacological matters. For the most part, they neither know nor care. They never let that get in the way of a good quote.

Marvin Miller is the only one that has it right. We don't know enough, but we know enough to ban them. All we're learning is that MLB hasn't sold the media on this policy yet.

Sincerely,

Will