MLB Offered $125,000 to Original Whistleblower in Biogenesis Scandal, and He Didn't Take It

The Miami New Times, who originally reported on the Biogenesis connection to MLB players in January, now has a piece on the original whistleblower, Porter Fischer, who provided the records to the Miami New Times for that story. It is quite the tale, with plenty of highlights and lowlights. Fischer sounds like a meathead who blames authorities and MLB for mishandling it. In a move that couldn’t write about a Miami muscle guy because it would be too stereotypical, Fischer actually got valuable records stolen from his car because he had to stop for a spray tan.

Remember that story from April where A-Rod was trying to buy medical records from Biogenesis before MLB could obtain them? Well, if Fischer is to be believed, here is what happened. Before the Miami New Times was going to run with its story based on records provided by Fischer, the New York Daily News ran a piece on the A-Rod/Bosch connection that weekend in January (which we wrote about here). That piece apparently prompted Alex Rodriguez to panic.

According to Fischer, he had told very few people about giving the documents to the Miami New Times. One of the friends that did know, though, called him up right after the NY Daily News story ran, in a panic, and wanted to talk to him. He claimed that Bosch would kill them both, and wanted to see the notebooks. When Fischer let him, the friend said he would return them to Bosch, no questions asked. The next day, the friend handed him $4,000 (an amount that was in dispute between Fischer and Bosch, and the impetus for Fischer leaking the records), then had the following exchange.

"“So you gave him the notebooks back, huh?” Fischer said. “Oh, no, I told him they were destroyed,” the friend said. Fischer’s stomach dropped. “So what did you actually do with them?” “I gave ’em to A-Rod’s people,” his friend said, chuckling."

Of course, the Miami New Times had already seen the records and had everything they needed, but good job, good effort there.

Fischer was also offered money at various times, but was under the impression he was entitled to get into a witness protection program from MLB, apparently. According to the story, MLB personnel gave him an envelope with $5,000 cash and offered him $10,000 more to provide all the records he had. That was later moved to a $1,000 a week salary for a year to be a consultant and answer questions about the records. Fischer responded, “No way. That’s not enough to protect myself.” On March 19th, a MLB attorney texted Fischer and that MLB would compensate him with $125,000 for all the records and a signed affidavit.

Fischer replied “No, thank you. Not worth it.” Because he interpreted that as a “lawyer-speak threat.” So yeah, this guy is not the brightest bulb. Now, he got nothing, MLB eventually cut a deal with the Bosch himself, and he is no longer needed.

Fischer was also dealing with the Florida Department of Health (DOH) on an investigation of Bosch, and five days after MLB’s final large offer, went to a storage facility to get the documents. Someone followed him, and when Fischer stopped at a tanning salon in Boca Raton for a spray on tan, his car window was smashed, and the boxes of records, his laptop, and a gun were taken.

Fischer is upset that the DOH did not end up prosecuting Bosch: “[They] completely blew this investigation, and I gave them everything on a silver platter,” he says. “I blame the fucking bureaucrats.” Everything, we assume, except all those boxes of evidence that were stolen while he was tanning.

[photo via USA Today Sports Images]