March 30, 2006 - The Steroids Investigation: Barry Bonds style
Once again, MLB is trying to dress up the whole steroid issue. By
hiring (or appointing) Mr.George Mitchell (a former senator and current
Boston Red Sox director) to inquire into usage by baseball player post
September 30, 2002. (Assuming)
Do we think they are going to garner any evidence new to the fray? Are
they just going to investigate power hitters (which seems flawed, since
I would think Pitchers would benefit immensely from faster recovery
times after pitching) and put blinders on for the time prior to 2002?
MLB has know about Steroids long before 2002 and even 1998. Owners, GM,
top executives all had intimate details about who was using as early as
1994. So this whole ruse to portray certain players as engrossed in a
con, sham or call-it-what-you-will is pathetic given prior knowledge.
If you were paying a guy $5 Million, $10 million or $15 million a year,
wouldn't you know what this guy does in is private life? As an owner,
spending $200 million a year, you would. Not paranoid, but common
business sense - that's why they make money too. To understand
risk/reward and the fallout that sometimes is beneficial to the bottom
line.
Our POTUS(acronym)was once part-owner of the Texas Rangers back in the
early 1990's. At one point in 1992, Jose Canseco was traded to Texas.
Now, I ask you: you think they (Texas ownership) was unaware of his
usage at all?
Mr. Bush's daddy, George the elder, was the former Director of the CIA.
Intelligence gathering runs literally in the blood. People that are in
high powered positions don't go into situations without the slightest
inkling of what are the character flaws of people hired. They actually
make it a point to know. (Trust is a rare commodity where money and
power is involved.)
The witch hunt now is driven by those dead set against Mr. Barry Bonds
breaking a hallowed record. Funny though, it was originally set back in
the 1930's when blacks couldn't play. Josh Gibson was every bit the
power hitter the Babe was, and could have very well held that HR title.
But that didn't happen.
Henry Aaron hasn't said much regarding the chase that I've heard.
Probably because he played with Barry's father, and godfather, Willie
Mays. Or more to the point, he understands the striving for excellence
leads people to do less than what is morally acceptable. (He saw plenty
of it, even in the 50's and 60's.)
Players have used drugs for years. Engaged in harmful activities, like
Mickey Mantle drinking, that did the polar opposite of using Steroids.
Course if hitting was just a steroid shot away, then anyone could do
it, right?
No. Inherent talent must exist. Bonds genetically, through his daddy,
was a superior ballplayer to begin with. Probably a first ballot HOFer
before he injected or smeared steroid one.
The jealousy and (paranoia) at having sub-par ballplayers hit 50,60 or
70 HRs may very well have motivated such an athlete. Especially when
it's the difference between a 9-million-a-year contract and
$20-million-a-season gig.
But when people call Bonds paranoid now I say, "How can you be paranoid
when people ARE ACTUALLY investigating EVERY last detail of your life
for the last 10 years???" And even after testing all last season, they
didn't get a positive test? (Granted HGH doesn't have a test from all
accounts...) Then there is 'Game of Shadows.' Investigative reporting -
leaked grand jury testimony (only illegal, mind you) - and all the TALK
RADIO teems with negativity about one guy: Bonds, Barry Bonds.
It does put our little worries in perspective, given all the tabloids,
media hype and circus and ESPN(Especially Suited for Pathetic News)
reporting of Bud 'the Dud' Selig and his minions of silly baseball
executives trying to STOP Bonds from approaching the record of putting
balls over a fence from 330 feet or more away.
I use to adore baseball - played it everyday I possibly could growing
up - but as my heros became frauds, my coaches turned out to be idiots,
and the world became an ugly place, I lost my faith, in even baseball.
I still play 'fantasy baseball' because it's a cold-hearted business at
times. Performance, not likeability, drives my decisions to
add/drop/trade a player. It's math - the unbias science of numbers -
that makes it enjoyable.
Well, that's my rant. If you read it, you might think I'm paranoid. ;)
