It seems like that once you become a major professional sport, you invite controversy into your home like an unwanted in-law. This morning I opened up my favourite American sports news site and there on the front page was the headline: “Manny Ramirez of the Los Angeles Dodgers suspended for 50 games.”
Manny Ramirez, for those not familiar with baseball, is an enigmatic figure that has not only been one of the best players in the league over the past ten years with nine Silver Slugger Awards (SSA), two Hank Aaron Awards and twelve All Star team selections, he was also part of the storied Red Sox team in 2004.
The team that broke the fabled curse of Babe Ruth after experiencing some 90 years of championship drought.
That 2004 Red Sox team came back from 3-0 down in a best of seven series, the only team to ever do so, against their arch rivals the Yankees no less, and then went on to win the World Series.
The problem now, however, is that in baseball, Ramirez sits in rather good company. Here are just three of the multiple all stars who have since been linked to performance enhancing drugs:
Barry Bonds (7 MVPs, 14 time All star): perhaps the most complete player of his era, and definitely the most hated for his link to steroids and surly attitude.
Alex Rodriguez (3 MVPs, 12 time All star): the US$275m dollar man and considered the player who would erase Bonds from the record books.
Mark Maguire(12 times All Star): the winner of the home run chase which broke the 37 year old single season home run record. In 2005, he attended a congressional hearing and quite comically refused to answer questions that related to his own steroid use.
For mine, though, the true villains in this are the administrators of the sport. These are the morally bankrupt individuals who had to be brought before a congressional hearing and threatened with regulation before they would act on steroids in their sport.
After all, the steroids era actually gave them the home runs, 100 mph pitches and the excitement required to engage with fans that were disenfranchised following the strike in 1994.
Just like the athletes they tacitly encouraged, these administrators used steroids to give them a little something extra when they found their game lacking.
The tragedy for their sport is that whilst the athletes primarily damaged to their own reputations and legacies the administrators have created a black hole in the history of a sport described as a nations past time.
A black hole which tarnishes the legacy of every player ever involved in the game.
tifosi
Guest
The problem is that the fans dont care. Sure the media make it a story but once Manny comes back playing, it will be treated as if nothing happened. Look at alex rodriguez. A drug cheat and the highest played player in the sport. Yet he comes back from an injury, hits a 3 run home run on his first pitch and the fans and media treat him like god. The fans still show up This applies to all sport. Look at Shane Warne, after his drug suspension, the australian public worshipped him once again as they knew he was a key in helping Australia win. Another problem is that American sports dont appear to abide by WADA standards and try to do everything themselves.
drewster
Roar Pro
Steroids and baseball go back to the at least the 80's. Remember Jose Canseco, Probably the first MLB player to admit to Using PED's. The administrators have a lot to answer for in regard to "Roid abuse". In 1991 they announce that steroids are added to the leagues banned substance list but no testing policy is implemented until 2002 and positive tested players wouldn't be punished. The 50 game ban handed to Rameriz sounds a lot to the average person but it,s under 1/3 of their season and with the money these guys are getting paid to perform and the light penalties handed down it's no wonder they are prepared to take the gamble to get Juiced up to perfom.
sportsfanslife.com
Roar Guru
Mushi, great post. I still think many Aussies are unaware of the scope of this problem facing baseball. Even if you are not specifically a baseball fan, you have to sit and shake your head at the self harm of the game, it's players and administrators. As you touched on baseball now has it's greatest home run hitter (Bonds), his heir apparent (Rodriguez), arguably the greatest pitcher ever (Clemens), and one of the all time great sluggers in Ramirez having admitted to, or facing allegations of, steroid use. The sport that America holds so dear is facing the demons of it's disgustingly lax stance on PED's from years gone by. Not sure if you refer to ESPN as one of your sources, but Bill Simmon's latest piece on the implications of Ramirez scandal on his beloved Red Sox is a fantastic read. Whilst I am not the biggest baseball fan around, as a sports fan, I watch on intently as this saga plays out.
Untimelyzapped
Guest
Good post Mushi. The average American ball fan wants to see circuit clouts, base clearers, the long, long ball. That's why the ball itself was oomphed up, even though the manufacturers disclaim the fact, and why there are now so many players big enough to play on the line for the NFL. Very few batters park or steer the ball anymore. The idea is to crush it. Hit it into the stands and give all the kids who bring their mits a chance at a souvenir. It's a great shame because it negates base running except for the second base steal which managers still like just in case there's a base hit. So the owners/administrators are soft on steroids because muscled homers keep the turnstiles clicking around.