No one actually asks “Is Jose Bautista on steroids?” Now it’s a nuanced “don’t we have to ask the question?” so that media types can avoid just coming out and speculating, as many have attacked. It’s the same thing, covered in a thin shell of cowardice. 

Instead of asking if we should be asking the question or focusing on red herrings like hGH, here’s five questions anyone with access or interest should be asking:

1. When did Bautista take his MLB mandated drug tests? I am told that Bautista has taken four tests this season, which would mean that at least one of those was a random or for-cause test. I’m assured that there’s been no for-cause testing in MLB, so random it is. When were these taken and are any outstanding?

2. What does Bautista take? Like most players, I’m guessing Bautista uses some form of supplementation. Whether this is creatine, protein, or Flintstone vitamins, what does he take and does he believe it helped?

3. What did Bautista do this off-season? Off-season cycles are always rumored, but since Bautista passed his spring training drug test, we can be reasonably assured of what he didn’t take. Was he hitting more? Working with coaches? At what point did the Cito Gaston-inspired swing adjustment come?

4. What’s the plan for this off-season? Players are superstitious. While I’ve always laughed at people blaming steroids for Brady Anderson or Luis Gonzalez’s flukish HR campaigns, I’ve always wondered why people thought either of those players - or anyone having success - would stop taking whatever it was, if anything. I’m curious how Bautista plans to follow up this breakout campaign.

5. What’s wrong with everyone else? If Gaston’s hitting advice only works for one player, is it any less a fluke than Bautista’s results? If Bautista is on steroids, why isn’t he sharing?

These questions interest me a lot more than “don’t we have to ask the question” speculation. Yet not once, either locally or nationally, have I seen an issue like this raised. (I’ll admit I may have missed something.) If the media is going to be obsessed with asking this type of question, shouldn’t we also ask questions that will lead to real answers? Watch to see if anything like this is asked over the last week of the season.