ESPN is reporting that Alex Sanchez (the 4 career HRs Alex Sanchez and former draft pick of the bootylemurs).
Rumor has it Yahoo Sports is investigating both Bootylemur general manager Kroll and recently maligned GYS commisioner Longo. There is some question about the contract language given to Sanchez by the Lemurs, as well as speculation that the commissioner arranged to trade Trot Nixon and Kevin Mench to the Lemurs.
Here's a well done article on the steroid issue by Jayson Starks.
ReplyDeleteHis basic premise is that the on-field results will not change much from the "pre-steroid" era and the "post-steroid" era with the possible exception of over 50 HR hitters. This of course leaves the entire debate about records open and a bit unresolved (and unresolvable). All that aside, I found the point that the Steroid problem in MLB is over and that everyone is late to the party very poignant.
It is clear that the Steroid issue was/is mostly found on the fringes. This makes sense, simply because Steroids are something that will give a player a slight edge. It won't make a mediocre player great, but it might make a single A player a double AA bench warmer and so on (e.g. Manny Alexander triple-A to bench warmer in the bigs). This is why the most devastating effects of Steroids can be found in High Schools and in the D.R. where the risk/benefits of using steroids is the highest.
I guess this raises a much bigger question which is why should the MLB and the drive/desire to be a part of the MLB be to blame for a kid CHOOSING to take steroids? I think we've lost sight of the fact that these kids make/made a CHOICE to take steroids. The fact that McGwire may have used steroids to get ahead is deplorable and should not be condoned. That being said, it seems that baseball has done a very good job of actually cleaning up the mess, by focusing it's efforts on the places that matter most (minor leagues). Yea, McGwire may be a big open exception to the loop hole and that smells like a double standard for the MLB, but the simple fact still applies, McGwire was going to be a top notch baseball player with or without Steroids. The fact that he may have used them only points to a self-esteem issue (In my opinion, he clearly didn't think he was good enough). Using parents as a counter point to the ball-players on capital hill in retrospect is a bit distasteful. As though the MLB is responsible for every high school kid who dreams of playing baseball and doesn't make it! When are we going to get past the arguement that pro-athletes should be role models for our kids! When are parents going to take the responsibility to raise their kids on themselves instead of blaming society? This is in no way meant to belittle the loss of those parents. It is tragic to lose a child for any reason. I just don't see how the MLB should be at fault?!
Honestly, I think that the BALCO case is dead on. The people who are at fault are the drug makers who pray on the vunerability and desire of young players to make it big! Capital Hill should back way the F' off this issue and let the case against BALCO ride itself out. Why were they involved in the first place? (It's so embarassing).