BREAKING NEWS: Nats, Caps Linked to Steroid Report

A Lakeland, FL man and his wife were arrested yesterday for possession and intent to sell or deliver anabolic steroids, and the man implicated professional athletes as clients, including players on the Washington Nationals and Washington Capitals.

According to the Lakeland Ledger, Richard Thomas identified himself as "the largest anabolic steroids dealer in Central Florida," upon his arrest, and that he provided steroids to professional baseball, football and hockey players.

The Thomases failed to name any particular athletes during the warrant and seizure, where police collected an estimated $200,000 in illegal steroids and multiple weapons.

Richard and Sandra Thomas are each charged with 10 counts of possession of anabolic steroids with intention to sell and deliver; one count of possession of a firearm in commission of a felony; 10 counts of importation of anabolic steroids in Florida; and one count of maintaining a residence for selling drugs.

"This is beyond any doubt the largest seizure of anabolic steroids by the Polk County Sheriff's Office," a police spokesman said.

While the initial report is certainly troubling, from the tone of the initial reports, police seem to be skeptical as to whether Thomas is telling the truth in his claims. In a segment aired on WFLA-TV last night, the sheriff's office made a statement that they have no evidence of specific players involved in this investigation to this point.

Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said, "The only thing [Thomas] said specifically was he sold to the Washington Capitals and the Washington Nationals. We asked him, because we knew that would create a firestorm, on two more occasions because we don't want to be quoted as saying that. Richard Thomas told us that he sold steroids to ballplayers on those teams. Now is that one ballplayer? Is that two ballplayers? We don't know."

We don't know. Yet. But if this guy's claims have any validity, we'll find out soon enough. As if the Nationals don't get enough lousy national press, here's one more thing to throw on top of everything else. Hopefully the investigation will be swift and whatever conclusions are drawn can be handled expiditiously.

I don't think anyone wants this hanging over the team all summer long on top of the losing.