1. The commissioner’s office (C Office) should place a higher priority on investigating non-testing evidence of use. In other words, when allegations pop up, the commissioner should not look at testing for banned substances as the only way to investigate. For example, much like Mitchell, they can follow the money trail to dig up checks used to buy steroids.
2. Baseball needs a better education program focusing on career implications and also the player’s roles as role models.
3. Maintain Drug testing and try to work with the Player Association to enhance the program.
4. To aid in non-testing investigations the commissioner’s office should:
   1. Implement an Department of Investigations which would essentially act as the law enforcement arm of Major League Baseball.
   2. Issue a policy clearly describing who should receive evidence of misconduct and also what they should do when they receive evidence.
5. The C Office should cooperate with law enforcement agencies. i.e. the C Office should turn over their evidence over to a better equipped investigative force, the police.
6. Use the clubs’ powers as employers to investigate violations. Here Mitchell is stating that clubs acting as employers can force their player or other employees (players are employees of the club) to attend and truthfully respond to interviews designed to find the truth of allegations.
7. The Clubs should have clear, written, and public policies for reporting violations.
   1. Obviously because of confidentiality laws, physicians and most trainers would have to be exempt from this recommendation.
8. Logging of packages sent to players at MLB Ballparks.
9. Background investigations of clubhouse personnel.
10. Random drug tests all year long for all players and other clubhouse personnel.
11. Establish a hot line for reporting anonymous tips. I would assume Mitchell means a hot line for those in the MLB realm rather than the public at large.
12. Top draft picks should be tested for banned substances before the draft. (Why not just test all draft picks?)
13. Teach players about alternatives to steroid use as a training tool designed to achieve the same effects. (See hard work…)
14. The testing program should be as transparent as possible. Meaning that within reason the public should know how the testing is run and who is failing (or at least a number or percentage of people who are failing) the random tests.
15. Drug tests should not be announced. (Duh. I guess no more Whizzinator Sales).
16. Respect legitimate rights of players. Read: “do not be overzealous”, “this is not a witch hunt”, or “we don’t want to create martyrs.”
17. These aren’t really recommendations but rather Mitchell’s closing remarks”
    1. Steroids were widespread in baseball.
    2. The minority of players who used steroids were wrong. (What they did something wrong?! Also whats a widespread minority…)
    3. The C Office and the Player’s Association are just as much to blame for the use of steroids in baseball as the players themselves. (This is actually a very good point)
    4. Move beyond the past. Mitchell doesn’t want baseball to get bogged down in a witch hunt, where they try to discover every player who ever used steroids.
    5. Every one should join in a sustained effort to eliminate steroids and HGH from the game.

Holy, that a lot of hot air. Well I think many of the recommendations were good, but most were basically common sense notions (or in some cases asinine: See Clubs should work with law enforcement agencies to report crimes or the cheating is bad argument or the widespread minority argument). As much as I absolutely hate bureaucracy, a Department of Investigations probably does need to be created. Not solely for substance abuse, but for any illegal activities that employees of the MLB and its respective clubs might engage in, as well as cheating by players. (The Black Sox are turning in their graves: Kenny Rogers better wash his hands.) That added to written club policies concerning investigations and punishments for cheating are the best (maybe only) way to deal with substance abuse in baseball.

A final thought, many of the players listed in the report are listed because they refused to be interviewed by Mitchell. Granted, someone alleged that they had used banned substances but is that really enough information to include a player in a report that is certain to tarnish their image/career. I don’t think so. Many players were shafted by the report. I’m not saying they are necessarily innocent, but if Mitchell couldn’t dig up concrete evidence as to their supposed use of steroids why are they included in the report. Apparently these players are guilty until they prove themselves innocent; I’m not okay with that, are you?

Feel free to comment with anything I missed.