Introducing Porter Fischer, the latest key witness for Major League Baseball in the league's ongoing investigation into the Biogenesis performance-enhancing drugs scandal.
MLB's goal in this endeavor, as you know by now, is to gather enough evidence and testimony against players like Alex Rodriguez, Ryan Braun and almost two dozen others, in an attempt to suspend them for violating the sport's drug policy.
Fischer is a former employee of Tony Bosch, who is the founder of the now-defunct Miami-area clinic that reportedly has supplied and distributed performance-enhancing substances to major leaguers.
Fischer was the man responsible for the notes and records that could potentially implicate players, according to the Miami New Times, the publication that broke open this entire scandal in the first place.
Monday brought news, first reported by TMZ, that Fischer has agreed to meet with the league to disclose what he knows as well as hand over any material evidence.
This report was then corroborated by the New York Daily News, which spoke with Fischer's attorney, Raymond Rafool, who said:
"Of course my client is going to talk with MLB. My client wants to do the right thing."
The Daily News report quoted Rafool as saying the meeting with the league will occur in Florida "extremely soon."
So what does this all mean?
Getting Fischer to agree to testify has to be seen as yet another win for MLB in its dogged investigation against players it believes violated the drug policy.
This is similar to the events of early June, when the league persuaded Bosch to meet and share what he knows and what information he has.
Bosch, though, only agreed to talk to MLB after first trying—and failing—to get financial help from Rodriguez, according to a previous Daily News report.
Also per that report:
...baseball officials have agreed to a series of demands from Bosch that include dropping the lawsuit MLB filed against him earlier this year and paying his legal bills, indemnifying him for any civil liability that arises from his cooperation and providing him with personal security.
Whether Fischer is getting any such deal, though, is unclear at this point.
TMZ's initial report claimed that Fischer will, in fact, receive a "consulting fee" from MLB for cooperating. In the Daily News report, however, Rafool denied as much, saying "My client has not agreed to any consulting fee—I don't know where (TMZ) is getting that information. That has not been discussed yet."
Would it really be all that surprising, though, if Fischer is granted some form of immunity or financial restitution by MLB in exchange for his knowledge?
After all, MLB is doing everything in its power to stack the deck with as many cards as possible when it comes to going after A-Rod, Braun and others.
Presumably, the league will want Fischer to corroborate some of the information Bosch has already offered up. And if Fischer has anything new to add to the equation, well, that would be a bonus for MLB.
It's an odd coincidence—or maybe not—that all this came out the same day that Rodriguez was finally granted permission by the New York Yankees to begin his minor league rehab assignment, which started Tuesday night.
While A-Rod makes his way back to the field, there's still no telling just how long the investigation will take.
For that matter, there's no telling whether Bosch and now Fischer really have the goods for the league to take action.
But if they do, Major League Baseball may be getting even closer to finding a way to keep Rodriguez, Braun and others off the field.
Maybe even for good.
Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com
- Login to post comments