Taking Out The Ball Game

I have a very strong opinion about this.

It is a really good article from the New York Times you should read regarding the Baseball Steroid Issue.

Basically, the story picks up from the announcement that Ortiz and Ramirez are on the list of players who tested positive for steroids in 2003. That same season, they helped bring the Red Sox to World Series Victory.

First, I was in Boston for this season and that series. Amazing! By far, one of the coolest experiences of my life and I will forever love the Sox.

But secondly, there is a point made in the article that if everyone was using steroids, or every World Series Champion team in the past has known users, then should we asterisk their victory and question if they deserved it. Conversely, if all teams had known steroid users, still only one triumphed to the championship in 2004, which means they were still the better team.

A while back there was an opinion piece in ESPN magazine about allowing known steroid users into the Baseball Hall of Fame. The question is that if all of the great players of this generation are using, then are they equal and therefore still great?

Also, it is known that generations prior were using their own form of performance enhancing drugs (Babe Ruth, etc) and they are all in the hall of fame, so is it a question of being great given the climate you are playing in?

I happen to think that we should let known users into the Hall of Fame because they are still doing something great and noteworthy and setting themselves apart. But obviously, only for players who are outstanding enough to be considered.

The second thing I agree with from the NYT's article is that the whole list should be revealed. The names are all coming out, but going in a trickle, interrupting the off-season, the end of season, etc. Just get it over with, make it known, and give people a chance to have a clean slate going forward.

This is all just my opinion, but I think that baseball, being the great American pastime, has some work to do on their image and their expectations of players. But as I said, I still love my 2004 Sox and I will never pass up any baseball game.