Cinderella Story, Part 2… Who’s to Blame?
Wednesday, February 18, 2009 18:13
OUR STARS, OUR SELVES
Pundits, philosophers, and various sports “punjabberwockers” have weighed in on the A-Roid revelations.
Almost all place the blame on, of course, A-Hole and his fellow players. Others blame the Commish, Bud Selig–whose initials flirt with cosmic perfection–and still more point to Major League Baseball Players Association head Donald Fehr as being the most sinister culprit.
This three-headed gorilla faces constant attacks in Blogville, on the ESPN networks and from just about every other media outlet.
But, if you listen carefully, the peals of angry opinion, analysis, and reportage ring shallow.
When the A-Shame story broke, I had my finger on the pulse of my television’s remote, and found myself quickly changing channels.
I could no longer take the deafening echo.
Imagine John Stewart flashing a patented “Daily Show” montage of identical tripe from every source on television; all pointing to the same 762 pound, three-headed gorilla while ignoring two equally weighty, and evidently, invisible cousins.
I shut off my television in disgust. Staring into the abyss and, upon reflection, one of those seldom acknowledged apes, all 755 pounds of him, appeared on my blackened television screen…
DIE-HARD FANS
For the record, I admit it. I am to blame for the steroids scandal. However, I will only bear that responsibility and share that dishonor if the legion of American baseball fans join me.
When the homers were flying out of American ballparks as the century began its slow turn, how many baseball fans questioned the new-found physical prowess of Bonds, Sosa, and McGwire?
How many fans from 1995 until now, ask “Hey, wait a minute, how did once slender guys get so big?” How many of us said, this isn’t kosher” and turned off ESPN?
When the Great Pumpkin took up residence on Bond’s burgeoning shoulders, did anyone bother to remember 10th grade biology that taught us the human head doesn’t grow after age 20?
It wasn’t like the sluggers’ physical changes were barely noticeable.
In a 2/9/09 Washington Post podcast, Michael Wilbon recalls a recent Orioles’ locker room encounter where he shared a “hug and a little pound” with a smallish guy, he didn’t instantly recognize. Turned out to be Sammy the Sham Sosa, who, according to Wilbon, had shrunk so much “he could ride in the third race at Aqueduct.”
Ouch.
At least I quit watching baseball in ’95. Well, I began to quit. When I saw the freakish physiques McGwire, Bonds and Sosa had acquired by the ’01 season, I knew something was up. Athletes don’t shatter 40-year-old records by the proportions these cheaters did year after year without the help of performance enhancers.
We, the fans, knew better. But few of us said a word.
Which brings the remaining 714-pound gorilla into focus…
THE STINKING MEDIA
ESPN’s primary goal when it comes to sports is to become Best Friends Forever with the athletes and execs the network (supposedly) objectively covers.
Instead of questioning whether the public was being duped, the SM led by the “Boo-Yah” Bunch reminded us how lucky we were to be “witnessing history.”
If you want a perfect example of just how far the American media has fallen, check out one article, courtesy of Reuters.com:
http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSTRE51914W20090210
In this article column, Daniel Trotta argues A-Fraud’s numbers “did not spike much” from 2001 – 2003. Trotta and his incompetent editors present a microcosm of how the national media fails the public not just in sports, but in every facet of American life…
Trotta’s statistical analysis, vis-a-vis A-Rod’s home run stats, begins with a warped comparison between the dimensions of Yankee Stadium and the Rangers Ballpark in Arlington.
“But the Texas ballpark where he (Rodriguez) played half his games is one of the most favorable in baseball for hitting home runs. Yankee Stadium, A-Rod’s home since 2004, is one of the most difficult for a right-handed hitter like Rodriguez.”
The left-field foul line at Arlington is fourteen feet deeper than that at Yankee Stadium. The dimensions of Yankee Stadium’s left-center power alley and centerfield are nine and eight feet deeper, respectively, than those in Arlington. Statistically, the last two variances are insignificant (2-3%).
The Reuter’s editors allowed Trotta to egregiously mislead his readers.
Their work goes downhill from there.
“The statistical analysis shows LITTLE DISTINCTION between the years (’01 to ’03), he (Rodriguez) says he doped and the rest of his outstanding career with the Seattle Mariners, Texas Rangers and now with the New York Yankees as the game’s highest-paid player… In a sign of power, Rodriguez averaged 52 home runs in those three seasons compared to an average of 42 in his 13 full seasons in the major leagues.”
For the record, 52 vs 42 home runs is much more than a little distinction.
Furthermore, including Rodriguez’s juiced years’ home-run outputs in determining his career stats deliberately skews the analysis in A-Roid’s favor.
The statistically accurate crunching of the player’s numbers should read as follows:
Rodriguez averages 36.8 home runs from 1996-2000. From 2001-2003 (on steroids), he averages 52. His home run output increases by 29-30% during those three admitted doping years. When we average Rodriguez’s home run output before and after the years he ADMITS to cheating we find his homer numbers are 25% greater when drug-enhanced.
(Remember, if players admit to lying, it’s very reasonable to doubt that they are being truthful when it comes to HOW LONG they’ve been lying.)
Even Mr. Trotta’s slanted analysis of Rodriguez’s homer output, (52 versus the career average of 42), reflects a 20% increase in output.
Let’s put that in perspective, even if Trotta’s editors didn’t bother to do so:
If Tiger Woods averages 300 yards per drive, a 20% difference gives him an average drive of 360; 25% – 375; 30% – 390. If Roger Federer serves at 120 mph, he jumps to 144, 150 and 156, respectively.
Trotta tries to paint over his homer stat distortion by correctly concluding that A-Roid’s batting average was not significantly affected during the years he says he doped.
True, A-Fraud’s batting average does not spike–again, assuming he isn’t lying about how many years he doped. But, interestingly, his slugging percentage averages .615 over that period, significantly higher than his career slugging percentage of .578 (admitted steroid years’ numbers included).
If we look at the other notable cheaters of the era, we discover that during Sosa’s doping years Sammy enjoyed a .306 batting average–33 points above his career average–and three .300+ BA seasons (1994’s .300 was the only other year Sosa achieved that milestone).
From 2000 through 2004, Bonds had whopping .341 BA, 43 points above his lifetime average of .298.
Mark McGwire’s 1997 and 1998 batting averages, while higher than his career numbers, were eclipsed only three other years in his career.
Rafael Palmeiro’s average during his juice era fluctuated between .324 and .260.
(The above numbers include the doping years numbers as part of the players lifetime stats. The more accurate comparison–drug-enhanced performance minus non-enhanced output–will reflect a significantly greater disparity.)
A logical explanation for inconsistencies in how steroids affect batting average–if indeed they do–probably has more to do with psychology than physiology. Players who know they are stronger and have maximized their bat speed, might be looking for the pitch they can hit 400 feet, thus eschewing discipline at the plate and resulting in more home runs and a lower average. Others may opt to wait out the pitcher and go for solid contact–not “trying” to hit the long ball–resulting in a more even increase in power output along with a higher average.
Whatever the criteria, the statistical analysis, even as Daniel Trotta applies the numbers to Alex Rodriguez, reflects much more than a “little distinction” between A-Shod’s drug-induced performance and the years he claims were drug free.
You can find stats here: http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/alltime/leaders?breakdown=2&type=0&sort=8&year=0
Do your own analysis.
No doubt you will reach the conclusion most people have: the players, Commissioner, and the MLBPA share significant culpability for the Steroid Era.
Please remember to also blame yourself, other die-hard fans, and the Stinking Media.
You know, for the record(s).
12 Responses to “Cinderella Story, Part 2… Who’s to Blame?”
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Nate Barlow
says:
February 19th, 2009 at 1:33 am
Awesome article, Gary!
Complicity abounds. I am one of those who blames the MLBPA more than the commissioner. Don't get me wrong, I think MLB was glad to look the other way as long as the Player's Association made it impossible to put a drug-testing system in place, since the inflated numbers brought in mucho dollars. But MLB did institute a minor-league testing program many years prior to the big-league scandal. The players union (and no other union) covers minor-leaguers, so they were able to do so without obstruction.
Again, I don't for a second think MLB wasn't glad that the MLBPA gave them an excuse to look away, but the MLBPA was the larger gorilla.
The players' interest in inflating their numbers is self-evident.
I lost faith in the media years ago. Whether its the sports cozy-cozy of ESPN or the lack of unbiased political reporting on the major news networks, the media stopped being a respectable counter to the forces-at-be a long time ago.
I admit, I never really suspected McGwire of cheating. Big Mac was always a big guy and a home run hitter. But of Sosa I was always suspicious; I remember when he came up. A big man he was not.
And what about Clemens' dominance way after what should have been his pitching prime? He beefed up with age. And pitching at the high a level when you're older is even more difficult than hitting.
Overall, I was in the minority at the explosion of home runs in baseball. I was raised in a family for whom baseball's history is a revered thing, and regardless of why balls were flying out of the park more, I've always considered small-ball a more interesting, strategic and truer form of the game. Epic game winners–Thompson, Maz, Fisk, Gibson, Ortiz–are one thing, amazing clutch moments in time. But constant balls flying out of the park is less exciting to me than a spectacular catch.
Nate Barlow
says:
February 19th, 2009 at 1:33 am
Awesome article, Gary!
Complicity abounds. I am one of those who blames the MLBPA more than the commissioner. Don't get me wrong, I think MLB was glad to look the other way as long as the Player's Association made it impossible to put a drug-testing system in place, since the inflated numbers brought in mucho dollars. But MLB did institute a minor-league testing program many years prior to the big-league scandal. The players union (and no other union) covers minor-leaguers, so they were able to do so without obstruction.
Again, I don't for a second think MLB wasn't glad that the MLBPA gave them an excuse to look away, but the MLBPA was the larger gorilla.
The players' interest in inflating their numbers is self-evident.
I lost faith in the media years ago. Whether its the sports cozy-cozy of ESPN or the lack of unbiased political reporting on the major news networks, the media stopped being a respectable counter to the forces-at-be a long time ago.
I admit, I never really suspected McGwire of cheating. Big Mac was always a big guy and a home run hitter. But of Sosa I was always suspicious; I remember when he came up. A big man he was not.
And what about Clemens' dominance way after what should have been his pitching prime? He beefed up with age. And pitching at the high a level when you're older is even more difficult than hitting.
Overall, I was in the minority at the explosion of home runs in baseball. I was raised in a family for whom baseball's history is a revered thing, and regardless of why balls were flying out of the park more, I've always considered small-ball a more interesting, strategic and truer form of the game. Epic game winners–Thompson, Maz, Fisk, Gibson, Ortiz–are one thing, amazing clutch moments in time. But constant balls flying out of the park is less exciting to me than a spectacular catch.
ernessa
says:
February 20th, 2009 at 12:41 am
I agree with Nate about steroids making sports much less exciting. I hate having to wonder if that homerun king is really knocking the balls out of the park or just on a great cocktail. If I were a great non-steroids-using hitter, I would publicly release my medical and testing records at the beginning of every season. Imagine how many more fans you would attract if they knew for a fact that they were watching natural talent.
Nate Barlow
says:
February 20th, 2009 at 1:01 am
What MLB (and the NFL, for that matter) really needs right now to clean up is blood testing. Right now both leagues' players unions have only consented to urine testing. Unlike anabolic steroids, human growth hormone does not show up in urine, but does show up in blood. So people like A-Rod could continue to lie about 2004 on, and if he had switched to HGH from anabolic steroids, the testing currently allowed would not contradict him. Another reason I maintain that while everybody is complicit, the players unions are particularly odious–and not just for baseball, but the other sports, too.
Gairzo
says:
February 20th, 2009 at 3:35 am
Wow, what a great P.R. move that would be. Never happen, though. The union will go to the mattresses to prevent that, and, if that doesn't work to pillory the rogue union member who dared to side against his bretheren.
Last thing Fehr wants is a divided house.
Gairzo
says:
February 20th, 2009 at 4:05 am
Once again, Nate, you've hit the bull-seye. If the leagues really cared about integrity of the game instead of the bottom line, they would ask Congress to pass the
Professional Athlete Integrity Law.
1.) Twice yearly, unannounced random blood testing.
2.) First offense: Full-season, unpaid, suspension. After first offense, random mandatory, monthly, blood testing AND all contracts are null and void and must be re-negotiated.
Also, I don't care if you're Jesus Christ and hit .722 before you ever got caught; once you are caught, your name cannot even be on a hall of fame ballot.
Lastly, any team that has more than, say, one player who cheats, cannot participate in the following years draft.
3.) Second offense: You are clearly a moron who lacks the common sense to appreciate the wondrous gifts God gave you. Go sell cars.
How fast would that solve the problem?
Nate Barlow
says:
February 20th, 2009 at 4:32 am
Hear, hear! But that should only be half the Act, since some of those provisions would only work inside the team sport structure and leagues. Would need equivalents for Olympians and individual athletes.
LenO
says:
February 22nd, 2009 at 4:59 pm
.
My firtst thought is hey its America, a free country, and if you decide to assume the risks of steroid abuse: Roid Rage, Testiculay Atrophy, Liver Damage, Tumor Growth etc. to improve your on field performance, have at it.
At the end of the day these players understand the risks they are assuming to reach the pantheon of their respective sports. When McGwire, Clemens, Bonds, Sosa, Tejeda, et al were using steroids, the sport had yet to ban the substances. We, the consumer, intuitively knew, that weight lifting and diet does not equal 240 strapping pounds over the course of a single off season. In 98, We contiued to consume the sport at a rate equal to the players injections. As McGwire and Sosa muscled homer after homer, the nation was held in rapt attemtion. Barry Bonds and A-Rod, two of the more gifted all around players to ever lace em up, are relegated as spectators, where they took quick notice, Home Runs=Media attention=Personal Agrandizement=Ego Satisfaction=Steroid Use.
Len O
says:
February 22nd, 2009 at 5:00 pm
Obviously, the message to our children that it is OK to cheat to gain an edge on our opponents can not be conveyed. It is incumbent upon parents, educators, coaches and teamates to share the same sports ethics. We have to protect them, their innocence until they are adults capable of adult decisions. My closing thought; if we are to ban Bonds, ARod, Clemens from the HOF or place asterisks for Performance Enhgancement, why not place an asterisk next to Mickey Mantles Season HR records or Pete Rose's All Time Hits record for the abuse of "Greenies", an amphetamine that was as common in the club house as trainers tape (Se Jim Bouton's Ball Four). That generations drug du jour allowed playes to play the get away game on a Sunday afternoon after a late nighter the day before or maybe get another workout in.
Gairzo
says:
February 22nd, 2009 at 9:37 pm
FYI everyone, Lenny is my greatest friend; we grew up together. He is very opinionated and an “insensitive bastard” but very lovable.
And sometimes very wrongJ
Mays, Mantle, and the greats of a generation ago used speed to overcome the effects of women and alcohol. They needed greenies to keep from dozing off in the outfield after a night of debauchery—to make the user play as he would normally, despite all that dastardly alcohol and sex.
To me, that’s a far cry from injecting HGH and steroids to grotesquely inflate your muscle mass and, ultimately, your statistical achievements on the field.
Willie Mays looks like a slightly shrunken version of his younger self like my dad—or me 50 years from now.
The stats prove beyond any doubt that Clemens and Bonds used drugs to negate the natural effects of human aging:
After the age of 34, Clemens enjoys three consecutive seasons in which his strikeout numbers surpass any season’s SO numbers from age 24-30 (except 1988’s 291). Take a look at the pitching stats for other greats—Gibson, Johnson, Spahn—if we were to draw a graph representing the ups and downs of their careers, they hit a wall somewhere between the age of 31-36.
Yes, Carton, Spahn and Gibson, among many others have great years after age 32, but their dominance, their stats, clearly reflect a downward trend.
No pitcher’s statistical chart I’ve looked at depicts any one of dominating the game as Clemens did after the age of 36. In fact, Clemens career stats—W-L, complete games,, ERA—were clearly, inarguably in decline beginning in 1993 to 1996, Then about ’97 good ol’ Roger again becomes the games dominant pitcher.
The time frame is damning. The numbers don’t lie.
Bonds?
After age 32 Bonds hits 480 Hrs, Aaron 325; Ruth 308, Mays 280. After 1995, the use of steroids became public and prevalent in the game.
The numbers, the time frame of the statistical aberrations, or the sheer size of Barry Bond’s head do not lie.
If Selig really cares about the integrity of the game, he would have the Elias Sports Bureau compose graphs of statistical accomplishments before 1994. Any player whose graph doeas not fall within 10-12% of the relevant statistical norm will be “asterisked” and banned from HOF induction.
Gairzo
says:
February 23rd, 2009 at 3:00 am
Today’s athletes earn enough income that being paid for one year of their life as their individual game's elites, would provide enough money for them and their children.
They are naturally blessed with great gifts other's don't have. When you have people, sometimes very young people, who watch you play and live part of their lives through you, you owe something. No you aren't responsible for other people's children, but, dammit, you owe something to the Fates, or the Gods,
I’ll even admit to the argument that the above statement is overly romantic, fine…Forget that sappy outlook. What about respect for the game? What about self-respect?
There is no historical evidence that any slugger before 1994 took anything to cheat the game. None. Mays or Mantle may have been on "greenies" for 10 games a year but that was to overcome that morning's hangover.
Today's athletes have unprecedented access to technology, and nutritional awareness; they don't have to take drugs to game the game. History's greatest fitness freaks like Gary Player or Pete Rose would marvel at the year round fitness regimens most modern athletes adhere to. Today, athletic careers can be extended beyond 15 years even after catastrophic injuries. They have advantages in equipment and access to therapies unavailable even 20 years ago.
If at age 32 Nicklaus has the exact same knee injury Tiger just had, his career would have been effectively over.
Imagine if Nicklaus used today’s equipment in his prime, or followed fitness regimens most modern day athletes avail themselves of.
There are already built in advantages for the contemporary athlete and they have every right exploit every legitimate one.
But, injecting HGH and steroids to increase physical performance is nothing more or less than cheating.
Nate Barlow
says:
February 26th, 2009 at 6:20 pm
The "greenies" use leads to an important point–intent. But while there may be no evidence that no slugger took steroids prior to 1994, I'm sure it happened. Somebody is always looking for an advantage, legitimate or not. 1994 just seems to be the turning point where things became an epidemic in baseball, just like they did for the NFL in the 1980s.
Conversely, while baseball may be on the hotseat now, that doesn't mean the other sports don't have guilty players, too. We can only hope that the scale of use in the other sports is equivalent to baseball's pre-1994 levels. After such revelations as the Lyle Alzado scandal, the NFL instituted rigorous testing. That doesn't mean players stopped trying. And, as I mentioned elsewhere, the NFL's testing is limited to urine. HGH only shows up in blood. Who wants to bet that a lot of football players are using human growth hormone?
Gary's "Professional Athlete Integrity Law" (with appropriate modifications to cover the case of individual sport athletes) must be implemented from a government standpoint. Otherwise, the player unions will always block what needs to be done.