Mistakes, Missteps, and Continued Incompetance: An Evaluation of the First Half of the MLB 2009 Season

There is a problem with this sport.

As the half-way mark in the 2009 Major League Baseball season is here. As expected by many sports writers, the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, Angles, Dodgers, and even Texas are holding steady as first place teams. Three of the teams mentioned here have the highest payrolls in the game; with the exception of the Phillies and the Cardinals, and Tigers, none of the middle-market teams are making much of an impact. It has to be noted that the middle market teams mentioned are leading the three least competitive and underachieving divisions in their respective leagues. So much for competitive parody in baseball—sorry Bud but yet again you failed.

For all the talk regarding records, Baseball’s steroid policy has become a joke. Manny Ramirez, one of the greatest right-handed hitters the Game has ever seen, was suspended for having a record of purchasing a feminine fertility drug…it wasn’t even in his system when he was tested. Rather, MLB suspended Ramirez after unjustifiably obtaining his medical files. There have been numerous other suspensions, many of them being relievers, but no one is really paying attention. The only evidence one needs is to watch Manny’s return to Dodger Stadium July 16^th.

The simple fact is that fans don’t go out to sporting events to feel down; they will overlook player faults because they want to be entertained and suspend their realities for a few hours. One would hope that players would be honorable and respect the traditions of the game…less we forget that many of our best players were drunks (Babe Ruth) or cheaters and liars (Alex Rodriguez, Barry Bonds). It is up to individuals to save this game, not the MLB brass.

Oh, and one can’t forget Baseball’s newest launch pad, aka Yankee Stadium. With $1.5 billion put into it, it’s hard to believe that the architects failed to envision a simple wind tunnel going out to left center field…Alex Rodriguez’s power lane as one might expect. So yet again the Yankees are undermining all that is genuine and respectable in the game today. This is no surprise.

Unfortunately nothing written here is a surprise. At best these examples illustrate a fundamental problem with this sport that no suspensions or fines can fix.

Recommendations:

1)      Bud Selig needs to step down as Commissioner

2)      A salary cap must be put into place for all teams

3)      Baseball’s steroid policy must become fairer and less partial…a good start would be to stop the banning of amphetamines, something that no other sport considers a steroid.   And for God’s sake, stop making the highest profile players targets for investigation!

Cultural Insensitivity in Baseball Coverage: ESPN Trips up on Steroid Reporting

Today I read an ESPN feature by Howard Bryant. In it he claims that the numerous baseball stars who have been caught using performance-enhancing drugs are using superior talent as well as their countries of origin to justify their actions. Not only does this argument border on ethnic stereotyping, but it is also simply factually wrong.

The above-mentioned article singles out Alex Rodriguez, Manny Ramirez, Sammy Sosa, and Barry Bonds (who happens to have been born in America and has no direct connection to any outside nation).

Now let’s be clear: I dislike Alex Rodriguez. I find him to be a narcissist with as much respect for the game of baseball as the seagull that got hit by Shin So Choo’s line drive at Progressive Field last week. However aside from saying he received and used the PEDs in the Dominican Republic, he never blamed the culture for the supposed vitamin supplements being tainted. In a unique gesture of mild humility, he admitted to cracking under pressure and being “a stupid kid.” A-Rod did lie, there is no denying that fact. But at worst it simply conforms some pretty awful personality defects that have nothing to do with the Dominican Republic.

Another Dominican implicated by Bryant is of course Sammy Sosa, ESPN’s newest victim of the same old stale story. Ozzie Guillen, manager for the Chicago White Sox, referred to Sosa as being “guilty.” aside from lying to congress (an unethical, illegal, yet common act nowadays), he is not guilty of anything baseball-related. Sosa tested positive for PEDs in 2003, when there was no penalty for steroid use. And while it is too early to predict how Sosa will respond publicly, he has not blamed his native country. In truth if Bryant chose to research his facts, he would see that Sosa has devoted a great deal of time and money in an effort to improve the quality of life for Dominicans. It doesn’t exactly mesh with the notion that this man would be willing to throw the country that he loves under the bus for his own personal defense, especially that he is longer even playing in the Big Leagues.

And at last it comes to Manny; there is no longer a need to wrrite his last name. It’s been written here that Manny is guilty of nothing more than trying to improve his sex life, a subject hardly worth discussing. It does however show how Major League Baseball’s grug policy goes too far and violates personal liberties (under no condition should MLB officials be allowed to access his medical records without permission). These arguments aside, at no point has Manny blamed his Dominican heritage (he was born in NY city) for this positive test of elevated estrogen levels.

It seems that Howard Bryant is taking the circumstantial facts these three players have ties to the same country and posses incredible talents and building a case off that.

It is a poor argument for at least two undeniable reasons: 1) The Major and Minor Leagues are dominated by Latin players, many of whom have ties to the Dominican. The pervasive nature of steroids in Central America is a problem and that is what Bryant should be talking about. And 2) Steroids increase a player’s strength; steroids do not improve a player’s insights into the game, his eye sight, or his ability to recognize pitches. Yes, steroids increase bat speed but that in itself is useless if Mariano Rivera chooses to throw a curve ball instead of his trademark cutter and a player can’t tell the difference.

The only thing worse than writing this inaccurate and culturally-belligerant article is the fact that ESPN felt compelled to publicize it as the featured article on their website.

The facts simply do not add up here.

Despite the dishonest acts done by these men, they have all blammed themselves, their desperation, or general ignorance for using steroids. That may be the most commendable acts done by these men; Howard Bryant can’t say the same.