Knabbing a Hall of Famer

MLB's steriod testing policy hit paydirt on Monday when it was announced that Rafael Palmeiro tested positive for a substance called stanozolol, a powerful anabolic steroid that is not available in dietary supplements, according to a newspaper report. While he isn't the first to test positive, he is by far the biggest name to come down with suspendeditis...but more importantly he is the first ballplayer that testified before a congressional sub-commitee last March to test positive. In fact, when he did testify, I believe he said the words, "I have never used steroids. Period. I don't know to say it any more clearly than that. Never." (he was also waving a pointed finger at the panel). Too bad what he said in that quote could be correct, but go figure that he would start using only after almost 20 years in the bigs, and only after MLB had a brand new testing policy.

What is interesting about all of this is what came out today- that Palmeiro tested positive in May, not in the last month, not in the last two months, but May. It is part of the policy that once a test comes up positive, the player can appeal the ensuing suspention, and with a granted appeal, the news will never surface (the reasoning is that if someone tested positive for steroids and could correctly argue the terms of the test, then they won't be outted to the public for bad publicity). Knowing that however, recently Raffy got his 3,000th hit, putting him in exclusive company, and prior to this positive test making him a lock for the Hall of Fame...all of those fans who came to watch him in Baltimore on his chase for 3,000 and all of the fans who came to watch him in Seattle, when he finally got the hit were cheated, as unknowinly to them (but known to Palmeiro) that he was caught cheating. If I was a father taking my son, or heaven forbid my family to a ball game for just the chance to see such history, AND later found that it was under false pretenses...I would be seeking some legal action.

After all is said and done with whether or not Palmeiro is currently on the fast track to the Hall or not, this is a story that whether you like it or not isn't going away. Steroid testing was the right move for baseball in the long run, and for too long MLB turned a blind eye to a known situation for monetary gain. There are kids in high schools and colleges all across the country who for years have been taking anabolic steriods and/or growth horemones, because they knew it was possibly the only way to get into the "show".

For far too long baseball has failed it's once largest fan base, if they aren't changing the times of World Series and playoff games so that kids are unable to stay up to watch thier favorite team play in the greatest playoffs in sports, then they are avocating (by not having a policy to show how wrong choices will ruin your chance at fame/fourtune) the use of illegal substances. Shame on baseball, shame on Palmeiro, and shame, shame on Jose Canseco, for being all so right...for such a scumbag, it's sad to say that he might be a an angel in devil's clothing.