For starters I am angry at The Player's Union and Bud Selig and I am deeply disappointed in Alex Rodriguez.
Mr. Rodriguez, I have supported you since you've been in pinstripes. You have had naysayers from the beginning, but being the Yankee fan that I am I supported you. When they called you A-Fraud, or got pissed because you had a slump of a year in 2006 even though you had over 100 RBI's (which is still pretty incredible.), I said leave the guy alone. When you girly slapped the ball away from Red Sox Pitcher Bronson Arroyo I said, big deal. When you shouted out at Blue Jay's Howie Clark distracting him from catching a fly ball. I said that Howie was a big baby and that if he can't focus catching a fly ball because someone yelled out Ha! then he shouldn't be in the Major Leagues. When Yankee haters would wear those blondie masks making fun of your jaunt in Canada with a hooker. I just thought they were pathetic because they had no real answer for the homeruns you made them eat all season. Between Joe Torre and even Yankee fans who, from time to time, like to give up on you when you strike out a lot. I was there defending you. If you want me to keep defending you I would hope that tonight, on ESPN with Peter Gammons, that you tell the truth about steroids and what you have done. I still believe steroids or no that you are one of baseballs greatest talents and I think that you can make this better for yourself as long as you do the complete opposite of Barry Bonds, Rafael Palmeiro and Mark McGwire.
This is a witch hunt no question and one of these days the reporters will get it wrong and some athlete will suffer because they couldn't prove in a court of law these allegations. I think that in order for Baseball to recover the glory of its former years it must discard of Bud Selig and if not all or most of the heads of the Player's Union. They must impose tough new rules on steroids for future players. This must be done in the next few weeks before Spring training officially begins otherwise the list of names will keep growing with no end in sight. THIS MUST STOP NOW!
As I continue this article I'm watching the interview with Peter Gammons. A-Rod has admitted to the Steroids from 2001-2003 as a Texas Ranger. To say that Alex Rodriguez was being honest seems to be mostly correct and that is a great thing. To say that Alex Rodriguez is sincere in his apology--well, that's hard to say. I have never personally liked A-Rod he always seemed to be the opposite of Derek Jeter, in one word, selfish. But I have always tried to give him the benefit of the doubt. In all honestly he has proven to be a liar, as my good friend Cody, so aptly put it. He has disgraced himself, his team and his sport and there is no getting around that. The irony here is we will see what kind of player he can truly be when you take away his stats. From this interview I don't get the impression that it has sunken in fully with this man that, no matter how much he grovels, he will never be in the Hall of Fame even if he breaks Bond's record. This will be his greatest test can he actually put numbers aside roll up his sleeves and play baseball with the sole purpose to win World Series and to help the team. Is he capable of this? I don't know but as Cody said, we're stuck with him for 9 more years. He's obviously not going to go to jail and the Yankees aren't going to boot him, so I only have this to say:"If he can focus and get the Yankees a few World Series wins--if he can at least pretend to be a selfless player dedicated to winning championships and playing as a team, then you will not hear any complaints from me Mr. Alex Rodriguez. It is now up to you to make up for what you have done--it's time for you to set a good example to kids playing the sport and to the game itself."
Baseball cannot continue to have this drip, drip of names leaking out every couple of years. I love the game of Baseball I've loved it my entire life to me it is America's Pastime and it can be again. I have to have hope that in a few years I can take my son to the new Yankee Stadium to see these players that are larger than life do the impossible things we've seen them do year after year. But I also want him to look at these players and feel, just by looking at them, that they love this game that it's not about money and it's not just about stats, it's about playing 9 innings on a lazy Sunday afternoon and taking your licks at the plate. This is the only way to get past the era of steroids I just hope the sport is up to the challenge.
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