Today an interview on the YES network aired between Alex Rodriguez and Michael Kay (radio personality, and voice of the YES network). In the interview Alex Rodriguez addressed the 103 other positive tests in 2003. Speaking truth, Rodriguez stated that the other 103 names would not make his journey easier and for that reason they should not be released. Unfortunately Mr. Rodriguez kept talking. He went on to say that he hopes those names are never released because its HIS journey and HIS opportunity to grow. WRONG WRONG WRONG WRONG. Yes, Alex you can grow from this road block. However you seem to be forgetting that there is a steroid problem in BASEBALL, not just your gluteous maximus. The only reason this story actually matters is because baseball wants to clean up the steroid problem. Think about it, why was the survey taken in the first place: to determine if there was a steroid problem in baseball. Not, so Alex Rodriguez, owner of the largest contract in the history of baseball, can grow from a future experience.
Those names need to be released. Why? The answer is simple. So we can do to steroid users what Peter Ueberroth did to Pete Rose, ban them from baseball ... forever. Now I believe that Pete Rose should be in the Hall of Fame, but that's another story. In order for baseball to fix, and by fix i mean get steroids out of baseball, these steroid users should be treated the way lepers were treated in Biblical Times. That's right. Name every steroid user the day they test positive regardless of their mark on baseball. Then slap them with a 162 game suspension. Should they be so moronic as to be caught again make sure they will never defile the name of baseball again by banning them forever from the game of baseball. And so as to make sure no one is going under the radar test everyone, not random people, and at random times unbeknown to the player, not set times told to the player a week in advance.
Regrettably the MLBPA (Major League Baseball Players Association) would never ever ever agree to such terms. Steroids are a big enough problem without the MLBPA attempting to protect the players too much. To say that the MLBPA protects their players the way a lioness protects her cubs would not be a stretch. The current steroid policy was fought for tooth and nail and was by no means an unreasonable policy. What I truly do not understand is that sure the players are willing to admit that there is a problem with steroids in the MLB, however their lack of willingness to correct the problem is overwhelming. To me this indicates something I am hoping is not true. It indicates that the population of steroid users is so great that for them all to be named or for a policy of actual repercussions to be enacted would make a devastating impact on baseball.
Baseball has entered a time of darkness. Due to the public being burned in the past, it is unclear if anybody will be able to have any type of success without some allegations of steroids. Simply look back two or so years when Rick Ankiel made his comeback. Everyone saw him as a hero for being able to come back from a complete implosion. Baseball and its fans had not had such a feel good story in a long time... then the clock struck midnight on Cinderella. HGH. I fear that something similar will happen with Josh Hamilton. Hopefully the players and Bud Selig will realize that integrity of the game is bigger than the players. Just ask commissioner David Stern.
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