A-Fraud on Multiple Levels

So if you’re reading this, you probably care about A-Rod and baseball, which means you know the news this weekend concerning the two. Four anonymous sources have confirmed that A-Rod tested positive for anabolic steroids in 2003. Something that never should have been made public, but has been leaked nonetheless. And the MLB network was loving every minute of it. It was great to watch someone else other than the guys on ESPN talk about the fallout of such a revelation, especially Bob Costas. I don’t know where the internet community stands on the tiny dude, but I unequivocally approve of the MLB network bringing him on board.

Getting back to the topic that will be talked about incessantly during Spring Training — I’m not surprised at all, and I don’t understand how anyone could be. I think the only player that would surprise me with a similar revelation would be Omar Vizquel.  Now granted, this type of evidence certainly wouldn’t hold up in a court of law, but whoever is leaking this information certainly doesn’t want to get in trouble, so I can understand the anonymity. I have no problem assuming that the allegations are true, even if it almost makes me feel bad for A-Rod at this point. There were apparently 103 other guys that tested positive, but his name is the only one leaked? Isn’t all the Madonna, shemale-loving, and Joe Torre book shit enough? Oh well, I guess $25 million a year can alleviate the pain somewhat. I’m just extremely curious about the rest of the list. 104 guys tested positive when they knew there was going to be testing — can you imagine how many guys were taking them in the years leading up to 2003? Christ.

That’s the bigger deal here. A-Rod taking steroids is a big blow to all the people that held him up as the poster boy for being the great clean hope of breaking Bonds’ HR record, but 104 players tested positive? And this was supposed to be kept under wraps forever and now has leaked to the public? The Players’ Union must be PISSSSEDDDD. But you reap what you sow, and this whole era has become such a goddamn shitshow that it’s pretty much a joke at this point. The problem was ignored for so long that now the media and even the freaking U.S. Government can’t let go of it. It feels like so long ago that McGwire made a fool of himself on national television, and I don’t see this blowing over any time soon, especially if that list of 104 players is made public knowledge.

At this point, I’m starting to lean towards allowing all these juicers in the Hall of Fame. Guys in every era took stuff to get an edge, amphetamines being the drug of choice in the 70s and 80s for the most part. If you keep all the alleged roiders out at this point, you’re going to missing a massive part of baseball history, quite honestly. Just stamp CHEATER on their plaques. Acknowledge that they were the best out of an entire pool of cheaters. Is that punishing guys that stayed clean? For the most part, I don’t think so, as there are guys that made it in without cheating. Possibly it hurts the borderline guys that never juiced, but shit, what can you do? I can see writers voting for those type of guys in 10-15 years, anyhow.

One thing that stands out to me in all this steroid talk: you never hear Manny Ramirez mentioned, on either side of the debate. I just find it interesting. I guess everyone just agrees that Manny being Manny does not include taking PEDs.

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