AI Summary
5 min read"18 of the last 29 Cy Young winners and MVPs have had him as clients." That is the statistic Ben Maller drops to explain why Major League Baseball's investigation into Dr. Neil ElAttrache, the most famous orthopedic surgeon in sports, is going nowhere. The story broke that MLB investigators plan to question ElAttrache over his involvement with Conor McGregor's alleged PED use during recovery from a leg injury. ElAttrache reportedly referred McGregor to a bone-healing specialist who prescribed the banned substances, and then wrote a letter supporting a Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) that would have allowed the drugs without penalty. Anti-doping officials viewed this as an attempt to exploit a loophole. But Maller argues the investigation itself is the real story—and it is a farce.
The Keystone Cops of Baseball
Maller's central argument is that MLB's investigative arm is "comically bad" and has "no subpoena power, no leverage." They are not law enforcement. To illustrate, he reaches for the Houston Astros sign-stealing scandal: teams complained for years, MLB opened an investigation, declared nothing was wrong, and only acted after a whistleblower revealed the full scheme. "That's Major League Baseball's investigation," Maller says. The parallel is direct: the same investigators are now probing the most connected surgeon in sports.
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What you'll learn
- 1 (02:34) **Show Open & Lead Story: MLB Investigates Dr. Neil ElAttrache** - Ben introduces the top story: MLB is investigating famous orthopedic surgeon Dr. Neil ElAttrache over his involvement with Conor McGregor's alleged PED use.
- 2 (10:01) **Maller Scorecard: MLB Investigation is a "Little Deal"** - Ben argues the investigation is a "little deal masquerading as a ginormous story" because MLB's investigative arm is comically ineffective.
- 3 (14:54) **Should Cashman Apologize to Chapman?** - Ben discusses whether Yankees GM Brian Cashman should apologize to Red Sox closer Aroldis Chapman for their messy breakup in 2022.
- 4 (19:16) **AJ Brown's Praise of Drake Maye is a Coded Message** - Ben analyzes AJ Brown's glowing comments about Patriots QB Drake Maye, arguing it was a passive-aggressive indictment of Jalen Hurts.
- 5 (28:20) **Jordan Hudson Demands UNC Communications** - Ben briefly touches on the story of Bill Belichick's girlfriend, Jordan Hudson, demanding UNC hand over all communications regarding her ban from campus.
- 6 (29:55) **Mathematician Predicts 2026 World Cup Winner** - A German mathematician who correctly predicted the last three World Cup winners has released his 2026 pick.
- 7 (31:07) **Caller: Mike DeLeprechon on Red Sox & Chapman** - A caller from Boston discusses the Red Sox's fire sale and the potential Chapman trade.
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Guests on this episode
Show Notes
Ben Maller talks about orthopedic surgeon Dr. Neal ElAttrache getting investigated by MLB over Conor McGregor's alleged PED use, if Yankees GM Brian Cashman should apologize to Aroldis Chapman, A.J. Brown's praise of Drake Maye, Coop's Scoop on Entertainment, Sports Jeopardy, and more!
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