MLB asks USADA to assist in Al Jazeera PED investigation

The Al Jazeera PED documentary story has taken yet another turn, as Major League Baseball has enlisted the assistance of the US Anti-Doping Agency in its investigation of the documentary's claims. MLB hopes to find out if players Ryan Howard and Ryan Zimmerman received banned drugs, as was reported.

Both Howard and Zimmerman denied the initial report that they received PEDs, then went on to file lawsuits against Al Jazeera for defamation over the documentary's allegations.

It is in MLB's best interests to make sure its players are telling the truth about this, so they are investigating it further. Unlike the NFL, which most notably has starting Super Bowl quarterback Peyton Manning in the spotlight for being named in the Al Jazeera report, MLB won't go it alone after pairing up with the USADA.

While Charlie Sly, who claimed he provided performance-enhancing drugs to various MLB and NFL athletes, later stated he had "fabricated the information," MLB wants to make sure he isn't just covering his tracks or just lying about lying. They'll have a better shot at that by partnering up with the USADA and its network of doping information.

It is also probably in baseball's best interests to acquire that information legally this time around. In 2013, MLB knowingly impeded Florida's investigation by purchasing Biogenesis documents for $125,000 with the goal being to suspend Alex Rodriguez before Bud Selig retired as commissioner. Yeah, working alongside instead of knowingly interfering with and damaging the government is probably a good change of pace.