Lance Berkman Invites You to Store His Blood

Lance Berkman is continuing to let his feelings be known about this whole steroid thing:

"In my opinion, I think that really, the Mitchell Report in general is silly," Berkman said. "Instead of trying to figure out what happened in the past, if they really wanted to address the substance abuse problem in baseball, they should spend that money to implement blood testing. That's the only way you're going to catch guys using HGH.

"Who cares what a guy did seven or eight years ago? Let's work on getting that out of the game now. The only way to do that is to blood test. I'm a huge advocate of that. I think they should do that. I'd be willing to submit to that at any time, and I think that other players should, too."

Berkman, speaking from an Astros caravan stop Tuesday night, said he would be agreeable to giving a blood sample now, even if a reliable test wasn't available for several years.

"Absolutely, there's no question," he said. "I think anybody that wouldn't submit to that has something to hide."

Berkman has been chatty lately about the issue, and good for him ... not only for keeping the focus in the future where it should be, but for willing to be first in line for blood testing. In stark contrast to, for example, Sammy Sosa bristling at SI's Rick Reilly when he suggested Sosa be tested independently, Berkman is more than willing to go to any lengths to prove that he's clean. I'd be willing to bet there are more players out there willing to take Berkman's route, and break the code of silence that the users are hiding behind to save their own reputations. Who knows ... if enough players do it, then perhaps all of baseball isn't going to be painted with the broad brush of steroids.

Previously on FanHouse:
Lance Berkman Wants Roger to Speak