ARod, AFraud, ARoid Speaks Up!

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by Digger

Loads of random thoughts surround today's surprise announcement by Alex Rodriguez. ARod sat down for a one on one interview with ESPN's Peter Gammons fessing up to using PED's between 2001-03 before it was a banned substance by MLB. I've written numerous blogs about steroids in baseball and how poorly every aspect has been handled (or not).

Well, today I'll give ARod slight kudos for speaking up. It took a lot of guts for him to step up and tell everyone what we already knew. There was no Rafael Palmeiro type finger waving denials. No McGwire "I'm not here to talk about my past" bs. No Barry Bonds style non-denials. No, no, Canseco chest bashing bragging either. Just a not so simple moment of an icon admitting wrong doing based on Sports Illustrated article stating ARod tested PED positive in 2003.

ARod explained what led him down this path. However, the skeptical side of me will question when he actually stopped. 2003 is hard to believe. One more question is ARod sorry for what he did? Or, for getting caught??

Scratch below the surface of this latest outing of a baseball PED user. So much more to go with many obstacles, disinformation and political style slick deflection of attention still looming. First of all, regardless of anyone's opinion of who did what... (random thoughts)
- this drug test was to be strictly confidential under the safeguards provided by MLB and the Players Association. Why release this news now "6" years later? These documents should have been destroyed. MLBPA fumbled this badly. No, not for failing to cover up... but, for failing to protect the right of privacy. MLBPA is one of our country's strongest and most well disciplined unions.
- 104 players tested positive, why only release ARod's name? What about the other 103? A hole in the dam was just made by releasing ARod's name. Now, it's time to name them all.
- Anyone who thinks only 104 were guilty should remember players were notified testing was to be done. Some quit. Users were tipped off by team officials when they would be tested. Users also tainted results with masking agents. So, 104 will not be an accurate reflection of depths to which this scandals reaches.
- Owners still getting a free pass. Players in the know getting a free pass. Team doctors in the know... General Managers ... it's a pathetic mess.
- Union denies MLBPA Officials tipped off players, namely ARod, on eve of testing.
- The Mitchell Reports was highly biased. Mitchell is part of the Red Sox organization. Most of the players under suspicion in his analysis played in New York. He failed to detail what was happening in every other major league city. Failed to address core of problem = EVERYONE KNEW!
- EVERYONE from Commissioner to Owners to Players knew how widespread this epidemic had become and most are still in denial. Epidemic is incorrect. This was a conspiracy. Conspiracy evolved to protecting players "CONTINUED USAGE". Now, game conspires to deny any knowledge despite repeated articles written dating over 20 years. Denials after former player admissions (NL MVP Ken Caminiti).
- No one really wanted this to stop. Baseball revenues were growing at astronomical rates as players started hitting homers at alarming rates. Gate receipts, marketing revs, tv revs and players contracts all took off.
- MLBPA Executive allegedly kept 2003 records to prove/hope for enough false positive tests so testing would be permanently banned! Included was tipping off players to testing. A charge being denied.

All of this stuff is irritating since I hate cheaters. People will argue until they are blue faced stating it wasn't against the rules since baseball didn't drug test or not part of any league/union agreements. Garbage. Players weren't taking these substances to better their health. Each one shot up, rubbed cream, popped pills for one unified purpose.... to become a better baseball player. Most denied suspicions to hide their actions. Covered their tracks by obtaining steroids from other countries, using designer drugs, BALCO etc. Guilty... PERIOD.

Hank Aaron & Roger Maris endured tremendous hardships when chasing Babe Ruth's home run record. Aaron the subject of racial indecencies and death threats. Maris faced relentless criticism and negative New York press. His record stood at *61 in record books until the asterik was finally removed. Reflecting back a few years to 1998 baseball season now sickens me. Mark McGwire vs Sammy Sosa phony homer show produced by MLB....

1998: McGwire (70) and Sosa (66) went toe to toe most of the year chasing Maris' record. The stomach turning part is how McGwire went out of his way to phony up to the Maris family. I'm sure Mac's emotions were very genuine and heartfelt to a point. He had spent much time with them as Mrs. Maris and kids traveled the country as Mac neared 61. Fans packed stadiums as baseball promoted this event to the hilt. At the time, baseball was recovering from a different black eye... one of the MANY under Bud Selig. Well, guess what? It was all phony. Time and time again McGwire sat a post-game news conferences stating how wonderful it was to be mentioned in the same sentence as Roger Maris. How difficult it was for Maris' family to watch their father's record about to be broken. And, all the while Mac was juicing with a previously unbanned substance. What a ____! Sosa, while never formally proven, was juicing too. Baseball encouraged one of the games greatest records to be shattered by a dirty player. WOW! A couple of years later, Bonds broke McGwire's record. A few years later, Bonds becomes the All Time Home Run King. 1998 was the year covering up steroids in baseball became a conspiracy!

I hope Hall of Fame voters remember these times when casting ballots!

Guess what else baseball? Outing the names of 103 is important if only to reinforce innocense for those suspected who have not ventured into substances. Once this happens ... stop pointing fingers at players! Own up and admit how deep this conspiracy scandal reached. Stop using players names as a distraction away from what was really happening behind the scenes. I mean come on, it's already been proven General Managers discussed juiced players while negotiating trades and contracts.

Funny thing about baseball's image. Over time it's taken hits. Some heavier than others. Yet, time after time baseball bounces back. So, would baseball end if its' Commissioner or owners stepped to the microphone and told the world they had full knowledge steroids became a major problem? Or, that MLB profited from looking the other way?

People forgive mistakes.

We just hate liars and cheats!