Did Bud Selig turn a blind eye to steriods so the game could gain it's fans back during the time that baseball was eroding, then only now try to clean it up to hold his image.
218401
Sadly I would have to agree with you and say that everyone was turning a blind eye to the steroid problem.  The strike of 1994/1995 struck a serious blow to the game that really it has not recovered from.  I hope the independant investigator takes a long look at Selig.
622524
I woke up when Bowa was fired.  Love baseball,  but the manager was fired by the fox watching the hens.\n\nNow,  a change in ownership is the only solution.  I say Donald Trump should buy the Phillies for  his interest in (sic) gambling.. The team needs a name to blame, not some anonymous pussies from the main line
629886
I just watched it a little bit ago, and have to admit that it is hilarious to watch. That said, however, his actions were an embarassment to himself, his team and the game of baseball. He's been suspended for a week as a result, something I find appropriate.
132495
yea the only thing about me watching a baseball game live is i hardly pay attention watching the actual game and more on the people around me. you know talking.You are right thought its boring on tv.
322859
Doing that would legitimize the steroids, which would kill baseball in the eyes of WADA and the US Congress. They have to at least give lip service to the idea that they are taking this seriously.\n\nBesides, what's the point of having clean leagues if the tests are so easily beaten? How do you know that the clean players are clean?
467014
I read this in "Our Game," by John Thorn:\nDouglass Wallop put it nicely:\n\nSaturday morning and hurtling from the house with a glove buttoned over his belt and a bat over his shoulder, rushing to the nearest vacant lot, perhaps the nearest alley, where the other guys were gathering, a place where it would always be spring. For him, baseball would always have the sound and look and smell of that morning and of other mornings just like it. Only by an accident of chance would he find himself, in the years to come, up in the grandstand, looking on. But for a quirk of fate, he himself would be down on that field; it would be his likeness on the television screen and his name in the newspaper high on the list of .300 hitters. He was a fan, but a fan only incidentally. He was, first and always, himself a baseball player. \n\n\n...for my perspective, baseball is what connects me to my great-grandfather, whom I never met, and the child and young man I was, whom I shall never meet again.  And for all its intricacies, just the simple acts of hitting, catching, throwing, and running are more beautiful to me than all the verse and prose that have been poured over the game.\n\n\nPS Curling is boring too but soooo fun!
501248
No every generation has gone through this. Baseball is not the same as it was when you or I were kids, nor was that game the same as our parents, but on the basic level of the game it is the same the rosters have been set at 22-25 men since the early 1900s, the mound has been 60 ft 6 inches away from home plate since the early 1900s, basepaths 90 ft from base to base, the changes that have come about the DH, free agency, and unions have been talked about since the early 1900s. One of the biggest changes the BIGGEST in terms of how the game was played is on its way out, artificial turf. About 3-5 teams now have artificial turf, Minnesota, Toronto, Florida maybe or Tampa Bay any way from the early 70s to the 90s turf played a bigger role in baseball than anything it added speed, to both the offense and defense, made the stolen base much more of a threat, in the mid 70s almost every team had guys stealing 30-40 or more bases a year and these were succesful teams look at how the Royals of the 1970s were built and the success they had as a team, Amos Otis, Frank White, Willie Wilson later on even George Brett had some decent base stealing numbers. Just take a look at those teams from the 1970s. Anyway the 70s also had the beginning of free agency and people thought that would destroy baseball, baseball has lumbered on. In the 40s-50s and into the sixties people thought integration was going to destroy baseball, in the 40s it eas the war, before that the depression, and before that the White Sox scandal and many smaller and sometimes bigger scandal we never hear of involving gambling. So in closing  baseball is changing and staying the same it is bigger than the players although very few of them realize that, it will keep on making us happy and sad at the same time, it will keep us entertained and p i s s us off, it will destroy some players lifes by offering too much temptation (ie Pete Rose, Barry Bonds, Joe Jackson) and a lot of the players will rise above the fray and and tantalize us with feats of grace, power, and humility.
223993
For those of you who think that Barry Bonds is good for baseball keep in mind that he is a selfish jerk who only wants to break records and win a world series only so that he can finally claim that he is the best ever. And he accomplished all of this by taking steriods. Not only does he cheat, but he is an asshole as well. Why do you think Jeff Kent got out of SF? Kent won an MVP, Bonds was pissed about that and that Kent would stand up to Bonds when he would do outrageous stuff on a daily basis. Such as tell Dusty Baker that he wasn't going to play. If he ever passes Aaron, it will be a dark day in baseball history.
270082
I totally agree with you!  I am so sick of players retiring and "un-retiring"...Boxers used to be notorious for this, but now, it's extending to all sports, with the latest two examples being Clemens and Favre.  And in Clemens' case, they stopped a World Series game for his 'last pitch'.
583576
Yes, I agree. Torre's corporate management style has run it's course. The guys just do not seem to be having fun anymore. They always seem like guys just going to work, there's no fire. If you look at the rivals, the Mets are having a blast, they're always smiling & laughing, and they're having fun. Same with the Red Sox, especially the 2004 Red Sox, laughing & winning. It's a game, not just a business. \n\nI also agree re Sweet Lou, he would definitely bring some life to the Yankees, there might be some drama (there always is w/Pinella), but he would shake things up. Besides, Steinbrenner always likes hiring people from his past, and Steinbrenner & Lou have the history.
169426
Of course it is the begining of the season hope spring eternal who thought the angels would win in 2002 or the marlins in 03 or the d'backs in 01 or the twins in 91 or 87 or the oakland a's would build a great team in the early 70's or that the yankees would not once go to the post season from 1982-1995. Go Rockies Go Twins Go Devil Rays Go Pirates Good Luck and DO NOT LOSE HOPE UNTIL ALL HOPE IS LOST. Of course the White Sox Suck Eggs and wont win NOTHING
332531
Bonds had his "best" years during his steroid days and long after most players retire. So it's not just HR production, his Avg was affected as well. Steroids are not the only issue. Bonds is under huge scrutiny now as he approaches records. He also is suffering from the bad press because of his steroid usage. Coming off a year of not playing is hard, when your well past the age or retirement for most players it's more so. So for Bonds to kick the steroids, recover his timing and battle both age and the press it's likely a bit too much for him. If Bonds had any class he'd retired rather than come back this year. He was busted for steroids but hadn't passed any cherished marks that he wouldn't have passed without steroids yet. Bonds could have quietly been just another steroid user and gone to the hall of fame. His coming back this year threw his cheating in people's faces.\n\nAs for people coming to the park. The biggest and best fan draw is a winning team. HR hitters are fan draws for losing teams. If a team is winning the fans will come. The loyal fans come no matter who is on the roster. The folks who show up for a Bonds like player are rather few actually and don't come for long. Especailly today when everybody hits home runs. It's not like the days of Ruth when there were 3-5 people in all of baseball who could hit 30+ home runs. There are that many players on single teams today with HR totals like that. The HR is losing what draw power it had pretty quickly.
165467
I listened to a program about this on the radio. They said that back in the first part of the 20th century, Gambling on baseball was a plaugue that threatened the integrity of the entire sport. So they came down hard on gambling with extremely strict rules. Pete Rose was a casualty of those old rules.\n\nThe steriod users are not subject to rules that strict because they havent been written...YET. I see very tough rules coming down the pipe that may one day be the undoing of a future athlete, but not these guys today.
293068
Here's an analytical perspective. Baseball was THE SPORT of the Radio Age. Young Kids and their sports obsessed fathers sitting by a Radio listening to announcers describe "Towering balls hit by (Insert Ruth, Gehrig, DiMaggio, etc. here) that could reach the moon" They'd sit there and even keep an at home scorecard. Everything was described BIG. Curveballs went from head to toe. Home Runs were 400 foot blasts. All these descriptions filled a lot of space.\n\nTo this day some folks listen to radio broadcasts of Baseball instead of watching the TV Broadcasts. I watched the Yankee games with the sound off and turned the radio on until Michael Kay went to TV. Now I actually listen to the TV's sound.\n\nThen came TV. And we got to see that Pitchers spend a lot of time scratching themselves between pitches. Curveballs don't go head to toe. Oh yeah and 400 ft. is from here to where I parked my car.\n\nThen came the Highlight reel. This actually helped baseball for a while.\n\nThen came the digital age. Games, PC's (Or Macs), etc. Things started getting faster. Basball didn't. (And no help from the Human rain delay Steve Trachsel mind you.) Football, Basketball, and Hockey (All very condusive to TV) get faster. Video Games of those sports rival the pace of the real games. Baseball's games. Well, to this day only one company has gotten a Baseball video game right. Acclaim's All Star Baseball (Now out of business no longer making that game because all their other games stunk.)\n\nBaseball is sort of an Athletic Chess. It's just a slower game. They've tried to incease Home Run output in hopes of increasing interest. However, I think they failed. For years, Baseball was the US's answer to Soccer. Our slow defensive game with a 3-2 score. The anticipation for the one big blow. The Home Run to ice the game had us captivated. The same way the rest of the world waits for that moment the announcer yells GOOOAAAALLLLLL!!!!!!! But, Home Runs happen all the time now. \n\nSo now Baseball to the younger generation is a slow game with great highlight reels. Watching it for them is difficult. Some guy scratches himself a lot while the announcer tells you how great his record is when pitching in day games on the equinox if he's at least more then 450 nautical miles North by Northwest of Fiji.\n\nAll that said. I do love Baseball. So much.
524304
I am shocked, dismayed, diappointed, and above all I have to say also that the baseball writers suck. \nThe amazing year that Jeter had, only to be robbed because he wears pinstripes. He won a Gold Glove, Silver Slugger, came in second for the batting title.. the list of this man's accolades goes on and on....not to mention... captain, rookie of the year (back when), World Series MVP(back when)\n\nJeter exemplifies everything that baseball is all about... leadership, teamwork, strategy, effort, and true love of the game.\n\nHe was robbed, there is no doubt about it. Just like Robbie Cano was robbed last year for Rookie of the year.\n\nThe Baseball Writers...... SUCK
91746
Well, the more home runs that are hit, the more people make it out to the ball park, the more jerseys are bought, the more baseball cards are bought.  People like to see long home runs, not a hit and run, score when you can attitude.  The roids and humane growth hormones only furthered the skills of players.\n\nOnly recently when people such as Lyle Alzado died of steroid use did people begin to see the negative aspects.  Also, as sacred records start to fall (61 HR's in a season, Hank Aarons record, etc), people begin to wonder if they were broken fairly.\n\nCongress is also pushing the issue, wanting all sports to look at how they test for illegal drugs, steroids included.
69174
myself I think the deal about juicing has NEVER been proved. I mean come on people we are talking about a man that has played 20 years and has compiled some of the best stats EVER, and people want to trash everything he has done on whispers. Damn he started out on a crap team and lead it to be a contender. I think he has every god given right to be in the HOF. Look at some of the old timers in the hall... drunks, wife beaters, gamblers, I need not go on. I by far don't hate Barry and if most of the baseball public would get their heads out of their a$$es and get off the holier than thou seat they wouldn't either. Last I know he played in America ... ya know innocent until PROVEN guilty, and I don't mean people trying to make a quick buck with "tell all" books. Just my thoughts.....