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GREAT, GREAT posts, Doc.
What annoys me most about all this - (other than the Godzilla proportions ascribed to a Benji sized issue) - is that the general reaction has been to interject INTENT onto every party in the entire mess.
The young players were "ratting".  The team is just 'covering' for Griffey because he's a star.  Larue was lying.  The players were lying.  Wak was lying. 
Having read "Ball Four" almost 40 years ago, I know that players sleeping during games not only happens - but the PLAYERS understand the vast number of reasons WHY it happens - and players don't have a problem with it.  Perpetual jet-lag -- a 6-day (and often 7) work week.  The constant up/down adreneline cycle of being a pro athlete.  The basic boredom of a a game that naturally moves slowly.  The added boredom from having been playing said game for decades.  Add to all of the above, being 40 years of age -- most PLAYERS likely think -- "Hey, if you can catch a nap, Dude -- more power to ya."
Truth is - the whole thing (and the accompanying banshee cries from the bleachers) has *ZERO* to do with napping.  It is 150% about *LOSING*.  If the Ms had been on a 10 game winning steak, instead of an 8 game (or whatever) losing streak, the story would've never seen print.  If the club had been winning and scoring runs -- even if the story had appeared - the response would've been pretty much across the board excoriation of the press - for reporting on a completely pointless piece of garbage whose only purpose was to (as you so aptly described) - "stirring up slop".
The players, the fans, the coaches and the reporters *ALL* suffer when a team is playing badly.  So, a reporter opted to put out a piece completely designed to "stir up slop".  Why?  (Since everyone else is applying intent - I figure I might as well give my go at mind-reading 101).  Because he's ticked off that the team is playing badly.  He's in a foul mood - so he ends up writing a piece that reflects *HIS* mood.  Anyone who has written a blog can attest to personal mood influencing output.
In the end, Griffey may well be gone soon.  And it will have *ZERO* to do with napgate, and everything to do with a .400 OPS.  And the distrurbing reality in all this for me is that the story likely EXTENDED the time Griffey will be with the club.  Another couple weeks of .400 OPSing - and he almost certainly would've been DLed - or graciously announced his retirement.  But, in the wake of this sludge, management, the players and Griffey are almost universally on the same page -- SUPPORT GRIFFEY!
That's good for the team in terms of rapport and unity and chemistry.  But, a .400 OPS sucks just the same. 
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As a completely disjointed side note,  (in response to your Matthew Broderick reference), the official WHO ICD-10 code for "Bitten or crushed by (non-venomous) reptile" is W59.  We refer to it as the Godzilla code.