dougalmac
08-23-2009, 12:53 PM
Alyssa:
I read your well-written blog about steroids in MLB and agree with everything you say, but I have to take a little exception to what you wrote Bud Selig, because I think Selig and his policies in general have hurt MLB. You're right that he should take responsibility for MLB not taking a decisive stand against performance enhancing substances.
Your points about the money to be gained by MLB from the "home run excitement", etc. is Selig's main motivation. If as an owner he and other owners in MLB didn't stand to gain from their lack of action, it wouldn't have been tolerated. I think that's why Congress wanted a full investigation into the practices and policies of MLB under Selig, as a result of the steroids controversy.
The main problem is Selig is an owner, and the commissioner of baseball should be someone who is impartial and always advocates and adheres to what is best for MLB fans, players and owners. This "fox guarding the hen house" is what got us to where we are in MLB, and Selig bears the main responsibility for that.
It kills me to think that there should be an asterisk next to any players accomplishments, but because of steroids and Seligs lack of action to regulate this area, we will always have that underlying taint of the records achieved by players like Bonds, McGuire, and others. As someone who loves MLB and has been a fan since I was 6 years old, I love all the things you described that make baseball great.
To have that soiled by a commissioner who doesn't have the guts or integrity to keep MLB honest is a travesty. What kind of message does it send to today's 6 year olds, who are falling in love with MLB like I did? Just because there has been cheating in baseball since the beginning doesn't make it right or mean that it should ever be tolerated. There will always be weak people in any area of endeavor who lack the integrity, pride, and guts to do things the right way.
I believe the majority of the players, coaches, and owners want to do things the right way, and respect the game and the legacy of MLB. They want to know if they win the World Series, it was because their team was the best for all the right reasons. Thanks for sharing your thoughts about baseball, I always enjoy the sweet, reverant way you talk about the game.
And congratulations to you and David on your recent marriage, I wish you both a long lifetime together of love, happiness, great health, great wealth, and a close and loving family. Salude!
I read your well-written blog about steroids in MLB and agree with everything you say, but I have to take a little exception to what you wrote Bud Selig, because I think Selig and his policies in general have hurt MLB. You're right that he should take responsibility for MLB not taking a decisive stand against performance enhancing substances.
Your points about the money to be gained by MLB from the "home run excitement", etc. is Selig's main motivation. If as an owner he and other owners in MLB didn't stand to gain from their lack of action, it wouldn't have been tolerated. I think that's why Congress wanted a full investigation into the practices and policies of MLB under Selig, as a result of the steroids controversy.
The main problem is Selig is an owner, and the commissioner of baseball should be someone who is impartial and always advocates and adheres to what is best for MLB fans, players and owners. This "fox guarding the hen house" is what got us to where we are in MLB, and Selig bears the main responsibility for that.
It kills me to think that there should be an asterisk next to any players accomplishments, but because of steroids and Seligs lack of action to regulate this area, we will always have that underlying taint of the records achieved by players like Bonds, McGuire, and others. As someone who loves MLB and has been a fan since I was 6 years old, I love all the things you described that make baseball great.
To have that soiled by a commissioner who doesn't have the guts or integrity to keep MLB honest is a travesty. What kind of message does it send to today's 6 year olds, who are falling in love with MLB like I did? Just because there has been cheating in baseball since the beginning doesn't make it right or mean that it should ever be tolerated. There will always be weak people in any area of endeavor who lack the integrity, pride, and guts to do things the right way.
I believe the majority of the players, coaches, and owners want to do things the right way, and respect the game and the legacy of MLB. They want to know if they win the World Series, it was because their team was the best for all the right reasons. Thanks for sharing your thoughts about baseball, I always enjoy the sweet, reverant way you talk about the game.
And congratulations to you and David on your recent marriage, I wish you both a long lifetime together of love, happiness, great health, great wealth, and a close and loving family. Salude!