A-Rod Steroid Use Not That Shocking, Was It?

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I don’t believe millions of people gasped in unison when hearing the news Alex Rodriguez, along with 103 of his fellow Major League Baseball players, tested positive for steroid use in 2003.

Considering one of baseball’s most respected and well-liked players lied under oath (Rafael Palmeiro) or refused to answer the question (Mark McGwire) regarding their use of steroids, does it really come as a surprise to learn A-Rod was on the juice?

When Sports Illustrated broke the story over the weekend I literally shrugged my shoulders at the news. It’s not that I don’t care or condone steroid use, I simply don’t find his name being among 104 players testing positive to be all that earth-shattering.

It’s not like we didn’t know steroid use in baseball had become rampant. McGwire, Sammy Sosa and Barry Bonds looked more like linebackers than baseball players and were hitting home runs at a staggering rate.

Since the SI report became public, the purists are bemoaning their belief baseball’s image has been further damaged, this time perhaps beyond repair.

This idea that baseball belongs on a pedestal is laughable. Baseball’s image has been damaged for 90 years, ever since Arnold Rothstein fixed the World Series in 1919.

Name some of the biggest scandals to have ever taken place in the world of sports and baseball has generally been in the forefront.

If it wasn’t gambling or fixing games it was corked bats. If it wasn’t corked bats it was doctoring the ball. If it wasn’t doctoring the ball it was steroids. Strikes, free agency and anti-trust exemption are other issues that have highlighted the history of baseball.

Baseball ceased being America’s past time many years ago, especially since the 1994 strike caused the cancellation of the World Series. From that point forward, football has become the king of American sports and is in no danger of releasing its stranglehold.

Baseball purists shouldn’t be wailing at the news of A-Rod’s positive test results any more than they should at a dozen incidents that have occurred over the past century.

Bud Selig

Even more entertaining is A-Rod’s attempt to hide behind the confidentiality agreement that was supposed to keep the results of the 2003 tests quiet. A-Rod all but gave up that right when he lied to Katie Couric during an interview in which he denied ever using steroids.

Sure, the arguments made throughout all of these admissions from players were that steroids and other performance enhancing drugs were legal at that time, although only legal by MLBs rules mind you.

And why were they legal? Because the powers that be running MLB did nothing to prevent it. Make no mistake, everybody knew as far back as the mid-90s that steroid use was on the rise and no one did anything to stop it.

Selig and others at MLBs corporate offices new they needed something to rejuvenate baseball from the effects of the ’94 strike. In 1998, along came the greatest home run chase in the history of the game between Sosa and McGwire, and baseball was saved once again.

But that good feeling fans had reacquired for baseball soon vanished when the bottle of androstenedione was spotted in McGwire’s locker by a reporter.

Once news spread of androstenedione’s real use became public, baseball was again in the news for all the wrong reasons.

Baseball will survive this bump in the road like it has every other. The fans ire towards A-Rod and potentially the other names that may be released will last for a while but time, as it always does, heals all wounds.

But let’s not be shocked at this latest story of misfortune taking place in baseball. History has proven baseball it’s a haven for misdeeds of every sort and they’ll continue to take place in the future.