Canseco: MLB is the ‘mafia’

CHICO, Calif. – Jose Canseco wrote the book that helped persuade baseball to toughen its steroids policy, and he insists there’s much more damaging information to come.

“I think what we’re seeing is just the tip of the iceberg,” Canseco said Monday, about five hours before he took the field for the first time with the San Diego Surf Dawgs in the independent Golden Baseball League. “I know for a fact that’s what we’re seeing.”

Canseco received a smattering of boos and cheers before the game when he was announced as the designated hitter against the Chico Outlaws, then again when he stepped into the batter’s box leading off the second inning.

Canseco, who said it had been at least four years since he last swung a wooden bat, struck out three times and was hit by a pitch in the Surf Dawgs’ 4-3 victory.

Earlier, Canseco called Major League Baseball “the mafia” for the way it has handled the game’s steroids scandal and suggested that the sport will discipline only certain players and might even hide the truth when it comes to big-name stars and positive tests. He plans to fight baseball to bring out the truth.

“They’re mafia, point blank, they’re mafia,” Canseco said. “I don’t think Major League Baseball is enthused about finding out the truth. There needs to be a major cleanup in Major League Baseball.”