If casual fans can get over their anger that Alex Rodriguez somehow violated the sanctity of America's Pastime, they'll realize just how absurd it is that the Major League Baseball Players Association is not under more fire for having these 2003 test results released in the first place. Or, check that. "These" was a bad word choice in that sentence because I should have said, "this." A-Rod was singled out. There are 103 others who tested positive, and none of them are having to deal with the outrage of those who are choosing to overreact to the situation.
Please realize I'm not exonerating Rodriguez in the situation. I'm saying that the Union, for their part, needs to be taken to task for several miscues in this entire saga. First of all, the tests in 2003 were supposed to be confidential. It's easy for fans to cry foul, label him "A-Roid," call him a cheater and scream from the mountaintops that they've never cheated in their life. To those, I say: If you are the patron saint of baseball, maybe you should find a new line of work.
Can you imagine if confidential files in your workplace were released to the public? What would happen? It's conceivable that A-Rod could sue the Union for defamation of character, considering confidential information was somehow leaked and that he was singled out.
The next issue was that the Union didn't destroy the test results immediately. Reports first surfaced that the Union didn't destroy the results because they were desperately trying to claim many of the tests were false positives -- in an effort to prevent the implementation of mandatory testing. In response to this, the Union offered a three-page statement where they accepted absolutely zero blame for anything. They also deny the allegation that Gene Orza was tipping off players before they were tested.
The Union didn't mention any of the allegations that it was ultimately their fault A-Rod's name -- and his name only -- was released for a Sports Illustrated story. They also fail to mention the fruitless efforts of Orza to prevent the testing system from being put in place by baseball.
No surprise here, as the union is nothing if not unaccountable.
Hat-Tip: Rob Neyer
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
2-10-2009 @ 12:44PM
db1219 said...
Oh, please!!! Give me a break! Look, the MLB players association had the evidence and assumed that the report was going to be destroyed. Why? Because the players on that list were big money-makers for their respective teams and the MLBPA. For them to say that they were not complicit in A-Rod's exposure is a joke---they were the ones who had the list!! Here's a baseball fan's suggestion---release the list to the ditrict attorneys prosecuting Barry Bonds so that they will have some more proof to use against him. And stop hiding behind the baseball players---stand up for yourselves.
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2-10-2009 @ 1:17PM
Jane said...
A-Rod was set up and it's sickening. And all the sanctimonious phonies make me want to puke.
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2-10-2009 @ 1:51PM
brooklynboy955 said...
the true villians are bud selig, donald fehr and gene orza. until congressional pressure is placed on these gentlemen, there will be no reason to believe that the illegal use of steroids will end.
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2-10-2009 @ 5:31PM
Bobby said...
I'm not sure what the issue is here. First of all the MLBPA should be federally prosecuted for conspiracy involving knowledge of players using illegal drugs. Yet they stand behing their shadowy curtain and nobody does anything. Congress should subpoena all records involving drug testing from the MLBPA IMMEDIATELY !!!! The Union and their members should be held accountable. They are not above the law as much as they would have us believe they are. Until the american public stands up and says "ENOUGH!!!" not much will change. Remember just a short time ago everyone thought Jose Canseco was a liar and A-Rod was a saint???? My how things change.
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