Spending $50 Million dollars to tell baseball fans all across
the country that players are juiced, stats are inflated and that
baseball has suffered is like letting your dog out after it has
already soiled the carpet. True baseball fans knew all along.
Here are a few observations that led us to believe the scam
was on:
1. MLB Expanded!
When two new teams come into the league the have to dilute all
of major league’s pitching. When you add 2 professional franchises
to the league those franchises are going to have to fill pitching
staffs for all their farm teams. That means finding 100 prospective
professional prospects. When pitching become diluted so skyrockets
batting averages.
2. Batting Averages!
When baseball players bat .300 and above they earn multi-million dollar
contracts. When basic utility players start averaging 20 home runs with
.300+ averages, the “superstars” of the league demand $100 million contracts.
3. Superstars of the League!
When exceptional players start having to compete with ordinary players for
large contracts and (in effect) advertising revenue, they have to find an edge.
4. Finding an Edge!
The Oakland A’s capitalized on “bigger/stronger” with the Bash Brothers. The
players that pumped iron, got physically huge and slugged little baseballs for
what seemed like miles. Effect? More home runs meant more fan interest. Home
run production equated into big dollar contracts. Now bigger meant richer.
5. Everyone Wants to Hit the Long Ball!
Why bunt? Why hit and run? Why sacrifice? Home runs guarantee a secure contract.
So what happens to players facing the middle to twilight of their career?
Outside enhancement. Steroids. Supplements. Whatever it takes.
6. Who Has the Drugs?
Trainers, medical staffs and hanger-ons all want in on the action. Most
could find, supply and deliver the goods. And as one player jumped aboard
others soon followed. It wasn’t for health, it wasn’t for glory, it wasn’t
for records…it was for the MONEY!
Baseball fans figured Barry Bonds was on steroids. He thought the Hank Aaron
home run run and his record as an MVP was going to give him sanctuary, It
did not. Mark McGuire got out before he was taken down. He is still up for
possible grand jury perjury charges along with Raphael Palmeria caught red
handed.
Now Roger Clemens and Andy Pettite. They supposedly took human growth hormones
at a time when HGH was not even tested for in players. And the list goes on.
So does perjury and steroid/supplement use keep Barry Bonds out of the Hall
of Fame? Roger Clemens? If you take one you have to allow for the other?
Is there a contingency plan for Hall of Fame nominees from the steroid era?
Real baseball aficionados no longer see baseball as a sport but entertainment.
The NBA doesn’t test for marijuana on their players and reportedly 70% of these
players are users. But NBA ratings have free fallen since Magic Johnson, Larry
Bird and Michael Jordan hung up their corporate sponsored basketball shoes.
The NBA is no longer a sport (as seen in our recent Olympic performances), it
is entertainment. The NFL will soon follow. When did sports become on par with
Championship Wrestling?
Can baseball save its credibility? What is credible these days? As long as MLB
continues to lie and tell us that they are out to save the sanctity of the game
yet allow the continuation of all the cycles stated above then they have turned
the game into just a bastardization of our former American pastime.
Author: MJ Ferruzza
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Guest blogger