Saturday, February 7, 2009

A-Roid, Ster-Rod and Whatever Other Name the Post can Stick on the Cover

I hope our gracious hosts don't mind a topic not directly related to Mike, The Dog or their respective shows but I noticed some comments and thought I'd see if anyone else is checking here over the weekend.

We all know the story so there's no need to link.  We also know the condemnation Canseco received from, well, everyone so there's no need to go there either.  What I want to know is what do we all think about the story bigger than A-Rod getting busted for PED's?  The story of PED's in baseball.  Do we care?  Is it cheating if your competitor is also on them?  Are we trying to make ourselves believe that we didn't know about McGwire and Sosa that crazy summer?  What's the end game?  What will satisfy us?

For me, since I hate the NYY this is fun.  I never really liked A-Rod and when he went to NY, I liked him less.  Nothing made me happier than A-Rod grounding into an inning ending DP.  Maybe Mariano blowing a save but that's it.  Even though I thought he was clean, I am not surprised.  Nor would I be surprised if I heard any of the following names linked to steroids (Mets fan here):  David Wright, Jose Reyes, Greg Maddux, Cal Ripken, Tony Gwynn, Derek Jeter and so on and so on.  I would be surprised by no one.  No one at all.  Except David Eckstein or Juan Pierre.  Those two would be surprising.  What I mean is that, for now, they're a part of the game.  Players use/used them.  A lot of players.  I knew it in 1998 and I know it now and I can't deem someone a cheater unless I know what proportion was cheating along with that player.  

I am sure there are some parents who read this blog.  Is this affecting your children?  Do you fear that they'll be pressured to try PED's in high school?  What are the opinions?  

Do we care anymore?


5 comments:

gman26 said...

Um. I wouldn't be surprised by hearing Eckstein's name. In fact, I heard it on the grapevine a couple of years ago.

I'm not a Yankee fan but went to a game a few years ago. The only people who were wearing A-Rod jerseys? Women and kids. That sums up the Yankee great for me.

Anonymous said...

Gman...Was only shooting a jab at his anemic offense. Literally would be surprised by no player.

Anonymous said...

I hope he gets severely injured and is forced to either sit out the season or retire from baseball.

Realistically I hope he confesses to regain some sort of respect and dignity (did he have any to being with?)

But no I do not care. I stopped caring once Clemens was on capital hill blatantly lying to the American public..

Anonymous said...

I agree that I wouldn't be surprised at any names I hear anymore, but I also wasn't very surprised to hear A-Rod's name at all.

I do care about the rampant use, but I wouldn't say I care more now than I did before. It's just another top name soiled.

I'd like to see those other 103 names...I'm sure there are guys from every team.

As a Yankee fan, I'll still root for A-Rod on the field, but it's not as though I ever cared much for him as a human being. I rooted for Giambi on the field too, but at least he is down to earth and easy to like. But I can't let this issue affect my rooting interests, or else I'll find myself walking away from baseball...and I can't do that. I do think baseball gets a worse rap even though the issue is just as rampant in all other major sports, because baseball has such a love of numbers and records.

I think MLB's drug testing program is adequate and I hope they're constantly striving to improve it. I believe the penalties are fair. But what concerns me the most is the idea that the players' union is tipping off to players when "random" tests are approaching. In light of the info that Orza tipped off A-Rod in 2004, I do happen to think that A-Rod has continued to use since, which leads me to believe other players have done the same and been protected. I don't think Fehr is innocent in this either. MLB and the owners are going to try and save face as much as they can in this situation, so I do get a bit concerned that there could be another lockout coming up in light of the fact that the game needs to appear clean and the union can't just get away with this in the eyes of the public. Perhaps Orza will be the public fall guy for this, and maybe that will prevent a lockout because I'm pretty sure that tipping off players is a breach of the CBA. I think that news, just as much as having A-Rod's name connected to it, hurts the image of the game and the integrity of the players' union. I'm hoping things don't get taken as far as I fear, but factoring in this economy, I think it's going to be tough for fans (especially casual fans) to continue supporting the game. I hope that doesn't become the case because it is a great game regardless.

Anonymous said...

I think Mike is going to turn both barrels on A-Rod. He's not a true Yankee, after all. This should be fun. Oh man, Judgment Day awaits you A-Rod.