This Bud’s to Blame

Allan H. “Bud” Selig became Commissioner of Major League Baseball in 1992 (as Acting Commissioner) and 1998 (full-fledged Commish).  Funny coincidence that Selig becomes the commish in 1998, the same year that steroids, in the embodiment of Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa, burst onto the national stage, to save baseball from the disdain in the mouths of fans stemming from the 1994 strike.

Today, it was reported that Selig told Newsday two key things:

• “I don’t want to hear the commissioner turned a blind eye to this or he didn’t care about it. That annoys the you-know-what out of me. You bet I’m sensitive to the criticism.”
• “Starting in 1995, I tried to institute a steroid policy.”

Bud, I have news for you.  As de facto commish or the real deal, whatever you wanted to call yourself during those days when steroids decided to grow legs and walk into MLB clubhouses, YOU and only YOU were in charge of baseball, so you had better believe at least some of this is YOUR fault.  Prior to 1998, Selig was still pretty much an owner of an MLB team (you can argue that he technically transferred ownership to his daughter to avoid such a conflict of interest, but let’s be real here…) and actually profited from the fans running through the turnstiles to watch home runs get hit.  Baseball earned a lot of money during the height of the steroid era and the revenue generated by the league during this time has helped elevate the game to the financial prosperity MLB enjoys today.  As Commish, Selig was in charge and by being in charge, he automatically assumes some responsibility, rightfully so or not.  Ask George W. Bush about that.

As for Selig trying to implement a steroid policy in 1995… too bad there was already one in place by then.  In 1991, then-Commissioner Fay Vincent sent out a memo to teams and the MLBPA establishing baseball’s drug policy, including banning “steroids…for which the individual in possession of the drug does not have a prescription.”  Regardless… without Congress breathing down his neck, Selig did not push for an enhanced anti-drug policy and it took him until 2002 to get a more expansive policy into the collective bargaining agreement between MLB and the players’ union.  In other words, there was this seven year period where Selig stopped “trying to institute a steroid policy,” which was coincidentally the same time when more home runs were hit and more money was in everyone’s pockets.  You’re  businessman, Bud.  Turning a blind eye was good for business… and business was good.

Despite these assertions that he’s not to blame, as the man at the top, the guy in charge, he certainly is to blame.  He has been a very good commissioner, but the steroid era happened on his watch and will taint his legacy.  Bud Selig, the owners, the players, and the fans all benefitted from the steroid era.  Money was in everyone’s pockets and people loved to watch home runs fly and records fall.  Everyone is to blame.

On Cheating

Here’s another thing about A-Rod and using performance-enhancing drugs.

In all honesty, when A-Rod was alleged in the Sports Illustrated report to have used PEDs, I was a little disappointed.  He apologized, and now I don’t care.  As baseball fans, I think we’re all past the point of being surprised by any admission of using steroids or performance-enhancing drugs.  I’ve said it before, but here it is again: I think that about 85% of players from 1995 to about now have used performance-enhancing drugs, with the likelihood that those numbers have been declining in the past three years.

So why don’t I care about these guys being found to have taken PEDs? As Rodriguez put it, that was “part of the culture.”  In 1998 when Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa were assaulting Roger Maris’ home run record, people ran to the ballpark.  Owners and the union loved it – more money in their pockets.  They turned a blind eye at the drug use because it was making them money.  These drugs were part of the game much as the spitball, another form of cheating, was also part of the game.

Hall of Famer Gaylord Perry was widely known to have doctored the baseball and use a spitball, but he’s enshrined in Cooperstown?  If he is, why shouldn’t the steroid users be in the Hall?  I’m sure it was a level playing field where both hitters and pitchers were on ‘roids, so who cares?  The numbers were inflated, but so what?  Let’s face it.  As of 1998, the home run records stopped mattering.  It’s a shame that the most hallowed records in all of sports stopped mattering, but the home run was always such a small portion of the game that we, as fans, should just move on.

I care about .400 hitters. I care about Perfect Games and No-Hitters.  I don’t care about home runs.

The Ultimate Measure of a Man

“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” – Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.,  Strength to Love, 1963.

Today I watched Alex Rodriguez speak to America about his steroid use.  I was surprised, but impressed to find out that A-Rod took the advice that I posted yesterday and was forthcoming about his past steroid use.  Taking the test that he failed in 2003, Rodriguez actually went a step further and admitted to steroid use from 2001 – 2003.  He didn’t follow the legends that came before him and challenged the allegations thinking he was better than anyone else.

The numbers themselves, at least the home run numbers, seem to back up A-Rod’s claim of three years.  His home run totals of 52, 57, 47 were 10, 15, and five more than his previous highs.

A-Rod has always been one to care about his public image.  He tries to hard to be liked by his teammates and loved by the fans of New York.  Ironically, it may have taken something that has tarnished his legacy as a ballplayer to endear him to Yankee fans.  According to the poll on 1050 ESPN Radio New York’s website, 80% of of those surveyed want Rodriguez back in pinstripes next year.  Why not?  He’s a great player.  In recent years, the Yankees have stood by players that have admitted mistakes and given them a second chance.  (See also: Andy Pettitte, Jason Giambi, Doc Gooden, Darryl Strawberry).

America is a place for second chances, so why shouldn’t Rodriguez get one?  He didn’t spit in the face of the allegations.  He told something close to the truth (or as much as some of us can actually believe now) and acknowledged that they were correct, promising to help kids learn from his mistakes.  What he does now is critical.  He has opened the window for earning back the trust of New Yorkers, but that window won’t be open for too long.  He may have nine more years left on his contract, but has to earn people’s trust back quicker than that.  Rodriguez certainly took a good first step, mentioning in his interview today that steroids “were the culture” in MLB back when he was using them.  He admitted that he folded under the pressure of performing with that huge contract in Texas, something that seems reasonable and plausible.  He’s not a saint for what he did, but by taking responsibility for his actions, I think people will respect that and allow him to earn back their trust.  If you read my post yesterday, you can see how disgusted I was with A-Rod, wishing him to walk away.  Now, though, I too will allow him to earn back my trust and he took the first step today.  Many “pundits” will continue to bash Rodriguez and maybe they should because he certainly deserves it for betraying all of us.  On the other hand, it is easy to continue to bash someone while they are down and much more difficult to give them a second chance.

A-Rod isnt the first steroid user and won’t be the last.  These substances are part of the history of the game and as Rodriguez said, it is important to be honest and move on.