So Palmero Used Steriods, Get Over It

Rafael Palmero has tested positive for steroid use, and so he is now the first high profile Major Leaguer to suffer suspension in the league's new tougher testing climate. Congress, of course, wants to waste some more time and money on this issue because we certainly are not at war, everyone in America has affordable health insurance, we have restored fiscal responsibility to the budget, no genocide is currently underway in Darfur, nor a famine in Niger, the nuclear threats of North Korea and Iran have been dealt with, and China and India are not looking to challenge American economic leadership in the world.

Forgive me if I don't take political grandstanding in Congress too seriously. I much more prefer President Bush's not-so-thinly veiled continuation of his policy of being loyal to his friends, though they be crooks, because deep down, I think that even he chuckles when he repeats some rendition of "He's a good man," or "I looked into his soul," or "He told me he didn't do it, and so I believe him."

My bigger problem is not with Congress however. I have a problem with all of the fans who stopped watching baseball after the strike-shortened season in '94 and did not return to being fans until the historic 1998 McGuire-Sosa run at Maris' single-season home run record. Sure the camaraderie was great between the two. You couldn't have picked a better pairing to remind people of what they loved about the sport. But you also couldn't have picked a better pairing to put your money on for poster-children of steroid use. But back in '98, no one wanted to deal with steroid use as a problem - not the majors, not the Congress, not the fans. Everyone was just happy that balls were flying out of the park at record rates.

So now everyone wants to get on their holier-than-thou kick and wag their fingers at players and say shame on you. Well I would like to turn that accusatory, my shit don't stink, finger right back around. When you celebrate home run hitting that is unnatural, denying what your gut and brain tell you to be the case - that these guys are using roids - and when it is that steroid use that brings you back to the game, you are a hypocrite. These players needed steroids to hit home runs at unprecedented rates and the country needed steroids to enjoy the game again. How pathetic.

In other news this year, Ken Griffey, Jr. is playing in his first injury-free season in over 4 years and is showing he still has what it takes. The A-Rod-Sheffield paring have already combined to hit 52 home runs. Braves rookie Jeff Francoeur is second among right fielders in assists with 9 in only 31 games. Roger Clemens at age 43 is leading the majors with an ERA of 1.53, over a run and half better than his career average. Julio Franco turned 47 and might bat .300 again. The Yankees may not make the playoffs.