Why Congress should care about baseball & steroids

Because they are the only organization that can make the changes Bud Selig refuses to make.  And if anyone could be more useless in that role, well I think it would be impossible.

Anyone who has ever met me knows I am a Met fan.  As such, I love to hate Roger Clemens.  When he went to pitch for the Astros I felt like he was the gift that keeps on giving.  Finally the Rocket would have to face pitchers.  I am not sure I can say this here but he is a jackass, in my opinion.  It's funny, feelings about him today seems to break along party lines; Democrats didn't like him and Republicans did.  I never saw my own party affiliation as being part of my opinion.  He bothers me because he is the kind of player who imports violence into a non-violent sport and that bothers me.  A lot.  Plus he is a bully, does anyone like a bully?  I could also go on and on about how is a selfish, non team player (he asked to be taken out of game six of the 1986 World Series, which most people think cost the Sox the Championship that year and one of his recent contracts kept him off the road, nice way to support your team.)

Ok, it's gross that the trainer kept the syringes and gauze, what's up with that?  There is also something to the criticism that Congress may have better things to do like get us health care and out of Iraq but I go back to the point a: if they don't force the issue no one will.  Love it or hate it, baseball is the American pasttime and the use of steroids hurts the sport.  Roger Clemens, despite being a symbol for all that is unholy and evil such as hummer and nastiness, is also an amazing athlete.  Or maybe not so much.  I don't think he needed them, unless it was to extend what most can agree has been a long and outstanding career.  I hate him and can see that.  Ty Cobb was a jerk, too but that doesn't mean he couldn't pitch.

So Roger — ps.  I can die a happy woman after seeing Shawn Estes hit a home rum off you at Shea stadium (really, Roger's ERA at Shea is like 7.8 and he has all sorts of demands about how he has to walk out a special walkway to protect him from fans who are still angry that he threw a bat at Mike Piazza) but seriously, come clean.  It will be good for you and the sport.  And really, it's not all about you. 

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Joe Torre was right

New York is an interesting place.  The city is full of everything you can ever want including a lot of sports.  Being a huge media market, it can afford two big baseball teams; the Yankees and Mets.  The manner in which both teams treated their Manager shows there is more than just a river that separates the two.

 

I would like to say this shows that one team has a lot more integrity than the other but the Mets have fired more good people than I can count and anyone who is a real baseball fan appreciates the Yankee franchise.

 

At the end of the season both teams had a decision to make, whether to keep their manager or find a new one.  Despite their train wreck at the end of the season, the Mets decided to keep Willie Randolph.  Yes, they went from having a seven and a half lead over the Phillies just weeks before the end of regular season play, they failed to reach the playoffs.  As a Met fan, this is not so surprising.  Seeing as the only inning that matters is the ninth — if they are ahead by 7 runs going in, they may lose the game while going in seven behind they may win.  I have watched them do this, and also break my heart more often that I like to remember, countless times.  They stuck with Randolph because he is a good manager and has done an excellent job.

 

Joe Torre was not technically fired but was offered a one year contract that cut his pay by over 30 percent.  As the second most winningest coach in the Yankees' history, it was a total slap in the face and he was right to walk away.  He doesn't need the aggravation or that sort of treatment.  I believe he brought that team to the playoffs just about every year he was there, if that is not a great track record (this is 12 years of success), what is?  George Steinbrenner's penchant for firing managers is legendary and he didn't discuss his thought process behind this ridiculous decision with me so I cannot even claim to understand what they did.  Any problems they had with Torre should have been discussed privately.  If they wanted him gone they should have given him a chance to retire — he has had a great career, anyone would understand that he may be tired of such a demanding job.

 

The Yankees (né the Orioles in Baltimore and renamed the New York Highlanders when they moved to NY and the current Orioles were the Milwaukee Brewers before moving to Baltimore) have one of the longest and greatest histories in baseball.  While my Mets were born in 1962, the Yankees formed their team in 1901 and are one of the oldest teams in the sport.  This recent episode may not be the worst thing they have done but it certainly is not their finest hour.  Other than strikes, which do irreparable damage to any sport, behaving this way hurts as well.  With so many sports calling out for the public's attention, this is not the time to give fans any more reason to turn the channel or just not pay attention.

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