Baseball and Steroids

Okay, I for one am getting a little tired of the TV drama.   

By way of background, let me start by saying I am somewhat of a baseball fan.  Not a fanatic, just a fan.  My team is the St. Louis Cardinals.  I've seen them play in a few different cities.  When our family goes to New York, we've gone to Yankee and Shea stadiums to watch a game.  We've also seen the Nationals and the Orioles play home games.  I watch the playoffs on TV, but I don't travel to Florida for spring training or have my garage painted in Cardinal red or anything like that.

I'm 45, so I grew up with a lot of the names in the news right now.  I didn't name my son Roger or Barry or anything, and I know these guys are definitely not role models for America's youth, nor are they supposed to be. 

Regarding steroids, Major League Baseball was negligent for years but they finally have a drug policy.  To me, if you violate the current policy, you should be punished.  But to go back in history and pick on a few players: Bonds, McGuire, Clemens, etc. is ridiculous.  There were dozens, if not hundreds of players taking performance enhancing drugs back then.  It wasn't against the rules.  They were all trying the latest thing to get ahead, stay ahead.  It's a sad chapter in baseball, but really extends to many other sports as well, football, track and field, cycling, etc.. 

I will say that Bonds and Clemens should have just fessed up in the first place.  It's never a good idea to perjure yourself...although who knows, maybe they really are innocent.  My motto has always been if you do the crime, you've got to be ready to do the time.  Unless your name is O.J..

Punish all the current violators, but let the press and the US Government get out of the witch hunt business.  If you put up the right numbers (Bonds and Clemens) you should be elected into the hall of fame.  But I've heard a bunch of sanctimonious, wussie-boy baseball writers state they will vote to keep them out.  Get a life boys!!  Spring training is right around the corner...let's play ball!