Friday, May 8, 2009

Steroids in Baseball

I happen to think that much of what is reported about the current issue of steroids in baseball is overblown and unnecessarily sanctimonious. Yes, the use of such drugs is problematic, not least in reference to their use by youngsters. I understand also the feeling of betrayal when a favorite player, maybe especially a star like Alex Rodriquez or Manny Ramirez, is implicated. But very rarely do we have anything approaching the full story, and the endless moralizing so prevalent in the media gets a little tiresome under those circumstances. Maybe you disagree, but let me point you to this review written by Allen Barra of the new Rodriquez biography, which Barra demonstrates is especially egregious in its finger-pointing and innuendo. Maybe it won't change your mind entirely, but it may make you see that this is somewhat more complex an issue than many want to acknowledge, or deal with in a reasoned (as opposed to emotional) fashion.

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