By Rex O’Rourke
San Francisco Ca. – Does Barry Bonds get it? Mark McGwire? Roger Clemens? Alex Rodriguez? Do they understand what a forgiving; some might say too forgiving, society we are? Barry Bonds is a grouch. This is no secret. Barry should be smart enough to know that members of the press, after enjoying time with Barry like time with the dentist, would never let him get the best of them. Any chance to bring this surly slugger down would be jumped upon like seagulls around a French fry. Some contrition would do the trick. It worked for Andy Pettitte. It could have worked for Barry. I guess Barry’s ego (contained in that enormous noggin) would never allow that. Roger Clemens has invented new words to weasel out of admitting he used steroids. He probably lied to Congress and worse yet, he takes the American public for fools. As for Mark McGwire, all I can say is Mark, do you enjoy going outside, or to a movie or restaurant? Why would you continue to allow yourself to be a pariah? Why would you lie or conceal information to Congress? The andro (I’m aware it was legal at the time) was in your locker in plain sight for Pete’s sake! We’re not going to ask for the money back. We all know you were juicing more than Jack LaLanne.   Just come clean and get on with your life. You could spin this into a positive, appearing in high school gyms across the country, speaking out against the dangers of steroids. It’s like going to rehab and then appearing on VH1’s Behind the Music; you get a mulligan! Just ask Aerosmith, Guns and Roses, and every hair band from the eighties. Jason Giambi will get a rousing ovation the first time he steps in the batters box for the A’s in the Bronx. I guaran-freakin’-tee it!  He was a good ballplayer who came clean (sort of) and provided enough clout at the plate to be remembered fondly. As for A-Roid, I was hoping he was clean. I thought it would be great to see him break the all-time home run record (taking it from Bonds) and do it legitimately. Just so you don’t think I’m a being a “homer†Yankee fan, I’ve stated publicly on this site that I’m worried no team with A-Rod will win the World Series. He’s a great talent who, at times, presses and fails in the clutch. Still, if you ask most astute baseball people if they’d take .300, 40, 120 and near gold glove D, the answer would most certainly be yes, despite the tack-on homers. That said, and taking into account some of his short comings (real or imagined) in the clubhouse, it would have been compelling theatre to see an honest assault on the record books. I guess we can forget about that. The distraction created by this will not be good for the Yankees, a team lacking strong middle defense, and health/youth at catcher. It looks like we were all duped again. I feel used.  Mr. Aaron, Mr. Ruth, Mr. Mays, and Mr. Maris, you’re looking better every day!Â
Until next week,
Rex         Â
