WHo Would Have Thought Viagra Could Have Such An Effect on your Swing?

So Rafael Palmeiro is a steriod user. Add him to the list of meaningless accomplishments of the last ten years in basebal. Raffy, Barry, Jose, McGwire, Sammy, Bret Boone. Oh, did I say that? Am I just bitter because he hit .170 for the twins in his month try-out. Probably. But I point it out to show the pure meaninglessness of statistics amassed in the last ten years. Palmeiro recently became only the fourth player in history to collect 500 Home RUns and 3000 hits. Even Babe Ruth never did that. But, like Barry Bonds 73 dingers, its completely utterly bullshit. The 'steriod era' as we are now going to refer to it, is generally believed to have begun in 1993 or 94. Raffy's numbers prior to 93? Season totals of 8, 8, 14, 26, 22. In 1993 Raffy turned 29, the age at which most plays 'top out.' His next 5 full season totals? 37,39,39,38,43. Then at age 35 he hits 47 home runs, a feat he repeats at age 37. Come on. THis is a guy who hit 8 home runs in his athletic prime. I know people can improve their swing - but that's an awful lot of improvement.

Raffy has Hall of Fame numbers for sure, but they are hardly legit, and his legacy is totally in question now as he under investigation for lying under oath to congress. But Raffy is really just the new whipping boy for Steroids. Bonds has had that job for last two years, but he's not playing so we need someone new to turn on. THe problem with this mentality is it really takes the focus away on how WIDESPREAD the problem is. It is not a few players, its the fact that the WHOLE FRICKING LEAGUE conspired to turn the other ways as mediocre players racked up huge numbers got big pay checks and filled seats. Lets look at another player, Brett Boone. Boone has played his entire career in the Steriod Era. His 250 HRs as a second basemen make him an outside shot at the Hall at best, his .266 batting average will not help. But here's a guy who hit an average of 12 homers a year for the first five years of his carear, managed to scrape out 24, 20, and 19 and then suddenly hit 35 at age 33. What? (Oh he also hit .331 that year). This is not a high profile player, just a 2nd basemen who decided he wanted to be a little more competitive.

I can't help but look at ever player now a wonder, does he, doesn't he? 10 game suspensions are a joke. One of the greatest baseball players of all time was banned for throwing a world series he hit .367 during. If someone is actively cheating they are ruining the game. Until DOnald Fehr and the silly players association gets behind the drug testing policy whole-heartedly we'll never really know if our favorite players are superstars, or just super pharmcy shoppers.