Baseball Stigma

OK, we have to talk about it. We have to talk about Alex Rodriguez, a.k.a., A-Rod, a.k.a., A-Fraud, a.k.a. A-Roid, a.k.a., A-Hole.



Sigh...



Where to start. So many arguments. So many comparisons.

I wrote a piece once, actually admitting I felt sorry for Alexander Emmanuel Rodriguez. Why? Because during a TV interview of him in pin stripes, my wife and I were having dinner and she said, "I hate A-Rod."

My wife is a casual sports fan, but she likes baseball more than any other sport. There's reasons for that, and, of course, she's a devoted Red Sox fan with me.

So, the sorrow for our man A-Rod came after she made that comment. I thought, "How much has this loathing for this man spread! I mean, here's my wife, who could not tell you which team A-Rod came up with...who could not tell you what position he would play with the Bronx Bombers, but loudly made sure we knew she hated him."

That's a pretty big accomplishment, as far as that goes. And, for a second, I felt bad for the guy. I mean, does anyone like him? You see some kids and many women with his jersey, but do they like him?

Now the roids sorta-admission. Shocker.

He hit 109 bombs during his 3-year tour in Texas, 57 at its peak. Now we know they were juiced bombs. Now we know his 553 lifetime bombs are tarnished.

Now we know there are 104 more names. Everybody is suspect now. We enter the new season, and the World Baseball Classic, wondering who juiced-up, and when.

I've said it before and I'll say it again: Baseball fans are a much different breed. They have a love affair with the game. It's visual stimulation without comparison. They're score keepers. They're stat readers. They're passionate writers of America's past time.

Like any love affair, having to put up with this roid mess is akin to learning the perfect Italian opera was using digital strings for that solo, that the tenor was really just moving lips to recorded lyrics.

It ruins the affair.

Why do we love the Babe...Mickey? We can we forgive them and not A-Roid? Bonds?

Because like those in attendance of a beautiful opera, the musicians, the actors...those players loved the game, too.

It's that simple. The likes of some modern day players don't give us the impression they love the game -- as much as we do.

I really think if A-Roid would start chewing tobacco things would change.

Anyhow, I don't know about you but I CANNOT wait for the bats to crack.