Sosa To Retire, Pharmacology Mourns Loss

Well, well, well.

Does the phrase "circling the wagons" mean anything to you folks?

Former Ranger-Cub-Oriole and freak of nature Sammy Sosa announced recently that he may retire before the start of this season. Sosa's agent cites chronic injury and poor performance as reasons for the seemingly sudden decision of the 37 year old outfielder, also stating that Sosa will become a free agent and will not be designated as officially retired.

Let me be the first to say, SO LONG, SAMMY.

It would be so easy if we fans could simply look the other way when our favorite stars gain 30 pounds of muscle over a couple of months, or in some cases, when they LOSE 30 pounds or more over the same time. Cutting out fast food from your diet? Simply stopped working out? Of course, we believe you. We're just fans, after all. We don't really know any better.

Why don't players like Sosa, Bonds, et al, simply tell us what they think of us: they think we're all idiots. They think we either don't know or don't care what our favorite players do to get to that 60 homer shape. They think that we're a bit too naive to believe that baseball is swimming in performance-enhancers, that when confronted with the truth we simply won't care enough to turn our backs on the game.

They're right. We are all that and more.

How obvious does it have to be? Do you really think that ballplayers can undergo such a dramatic physical change without either steroids or divine intervention? Do you care? If you did, you'd let professional baseball know. You'd stop going to games. You'd stop buying their merchandise. You'd stop begging the players for autographs, just so you might make a few bucks from it.

In other words, you'd stop being a SUCKER.

Now, there's nothing wrong with being a fan. Hey, I'm as big a fan as you're likely to meet. But I don't throw my money at pro baseball like I used to do. To me, pro baseball as it was meant to be died about 20 years ago. I will probably always be a fan, but I can no longer accept the sickening pack of lies that the baseball powers-that-be expect me to swallow. They could see the players balloon like comic book heroes. They saw the turnstiles go crazy. They put 2 and 2 together.

They didn't ignore it. They EMBRACED it.

Now, they want you to embrace it, as well. When Sosa retires, the proof of whether or not he used steroids could be lost forever. Will baseball continue to be allowed to support this blight upon the grand old game? Will players like Sosa continue to get away with blatant cheating and destructive training habits (allegedly, right?)?

Well, that's all up to you.


Clinton Riddle

This site is 100% Steroid Free

Steroids and the Government

Does MLB enjoy a sort of privilege when it comes to the conduct and habits of its employees? After all, the professional ranks of baseball are just that, professional, and thus the Major Leagues should be handled like any large corporate entity that has failed to police its own members and operate within the boundaries of ethical business practices.
What I have not heard mentioned yet, is the fact that the use of steroids or any potentially harmful substance by the pro ballplayer could void any insurance, medical, life or otherwise, that the TEAMS might carry on said player. Many teams hold special insurance plans on their players; reference the Jason Giambi scandal, for a good example. Why do you think that Giambi has not spoken the magic words,"I took steroids"? That kind of admittance could void any disability insurance or related coverage that the Yankees hold on him, and thus cost them a whole heck of a lot of money.
Millions.
Now consider that every team that carries a player who uses steroids, or even a substance more benign than that, theoretically anything that can can affect the long-term health of a player under contract, could cost the Majors AND Minors millions upon millions of dollars, not to mention the possibility that charges of insurance fraud will start to surface; if there can be any question raised as to whether the teams had even a hint that any members of their team had used any harmful substances, the trial lawyers are going to declare a holiday in honor of the years of litigation with which professional baseball will provide for them.
What do you guys think? Does baseball have a responsibility to its fans, or is baseball no longer a sport, but an entertainment?
Is it too late to save the Game from itself?


C.Riddle
The Grand Old Game