PITTSBURGH — This was one time the Pittsburgh Pirates didn't mind being left out.

No current Pirates players were identified Thursday among the 85 current or former players linked to usage of steroids or other performance-enhancing drugs in the long-awaited report by former Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell, whose investigation lasted 20 months.

Barry Bonds, the NL MVP in 1990 and 1992 while with Pittsburgh, was the most recognizable former Pirates player identified, but he was not cited for any such usage while with them. Before the report was released Thursday, Bonds was already under indictment on charges of lying to a federal grand jury about steroids.

The report is not expected to lead to a surge in disciplinary action, as many of the instances cited by Mitchell were before baseball's drug testing began in 2003.

Pirates chief executive officer Frank Coonelly, Major League Baseball's chief labor lawyer during most of the time the report was being assembled, said the club supports the investigation and will do everything it can to make sure no players use performance-enhancing drugs.

"We understand the seriousness of this issue, not only for our organization and our players, but for the entire game of professional baseball," Coonelly said in a statement issued by the team. "The use of performance enhancing substances goes to the core of the integrity of the game and cannot be tolerated.

"The Pirates do not and will not tolerate the use of any substances banned by baseball's comprehensive drug testing program by our players at any level, and we will continue to go to great lengths to educate our players on the dangers of using such substances."

A dozen former Pirates, including Bonds, were identified, with most of them playing for the club five years ago or longer:

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OF Jose Guillen, who, according to the San Francis Chronicle, purchased human growth hormone (HGH), testosterone and other steroids through the Palm Beach Rejuvenation Center over a three-year period from 2002-04. He left the Pirates during the 1999 season.•

1B Kevin Young, who was implicated for buying HGH from 2000-03 from former New York Mets clubhouse attendant Kirk Radomski. Young played for Pittsburgh throughout that period before being released in June 2003.•

LHP Denny Neagle, who was identified as buying HGH in 2000-04 from Radomski. Neagle pitched for the Pirates from 1992-96.•

RHP Josias Manzanillo, who was identified in the report for being seen injected with steroids in 1994. He pitched for the Pirates in 2002.•

C Tim Laker, a backup who played briefly for Pittsburgh in 1998-99, is cited for buying steroids from Radomski for four years, including the time he was with the Pirates.•

LHP Ron Villone, who is identified as having bought six kits of HGH from Radomski in 2004-05. He was with the Pirates in 2002.•

LHP Jason Christensen is identified as having bought one HGH kit in 2002. He was with the Pirates from 1995-2000.•

OF Gary Matthews Jr., who, according to Sports Illustrated, appeared on a customer list of a pharmacy service that sold performance-enhancing drugs. He played for the Pirates briefly in 2001.•

C Benito Santiago, who, according to the San Francisco Chronicle, told the grand jury that investigated the BALCO lab in the San Francisco area that he received HGH and a steroid.•

OF Armando Rios, who, according to the San Francisco Chronicle, acknowledged using performance-enhancing drugs during grand jury testimony in the BALCO lab case. Rios played for the Pirates in 2001 and 2002.•

RHP Matt Herges, who was traded to the Pirates before the 2003 season but was cut during spring training and was later picked up by San Diego. He pitched in the majors last season for Colorado. Radomski identified Herges as being a multiple-time purchaser of HGH, with one purchase occurring as late as November 2005.