Baseballs Cloud of Controversy
Although Baseball has never been a stranger to
controversy. From the 1919 Chicago Black Sox,
to Pete Rose betting on baseball, to Sammy Sosa's
corked bat. And now the on going soap opera of
Barry Bonds suspected steroid use, it is in no
way hurting in the ratings and fan department.Why
is this?I think I have the answer, but of course,
it is just my opinion.Remember the baseball of
the 70's and 80's, the days of the tight uniforms
and relief pitchers being driven to the mound
in carts that looked like big baseballs.It was
the days when a slugger only needed to hit 28
home runs to lead the league in homers, and the
triple crown didn't seem like an impossibility.
The days before anyone had coined the term set
up man for the pitcher that came in in the eighth
inning, and the only thing intimidating about
a relief pitcher was his mullet.Lets face it,
and no pun intended, baseball needed a shot in
the arm.I mean who wants to go to a game and watch
batters hit singles all day. I sure don't.Thank
God for Maguire, Bonds, Sosa, Ken Griffey jr,
Palmero, etc. Regardless of what they were pumping
into their bodies, they made baseball exciting
again.And why is all the focus of suspected steroid
use on the sluggers only? What about the pitchers?
They are bigger and bulkier than ever, and more
and more can rush a fast ball up their at 100
plus mph.
Why are they not under a microscope?If guys
like Barry Bonds are going to be criticized for
using performance enhancing drugs, than perhaps
they should ban pitchers from having Tommy John
surgery because it is considered performance enhancing
surgery.As you may or may not know, after this
surgery, a pitcher always comes back with better
velocity on the ball.Cheating and baseball go
hand in hand. From doctoring up the baseball,
to corked bats, to steroid use. If a player can
find an angle to improve his game and believe
that he can get away with it, he most definitely
will.
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