MLB Chief Might Reinstate Aaron as Home Run King, Suspend Rodriguez

[BettorsChat]

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Is baseball's steroid scandal about to make Hank Aaron the once and future home run king?

Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig reportedly is considering restoring the crown to Aaron, who lost it in 2007 to Barry Bonds.

Bonds is set to go on trial on March 2 on obstruction of justice charges related a federal investigation into the BALCO steroid scandal.

Bonds' trainer was indicted on charges he supplied steroids and other performance-enhancement drugs to baseball players through BALCO, leading to speculation that Bonds also had used steroids, allegations he denies.

"This is breaking my heart, I don't mind telling you that," Selig told USA Today in an interview published Thursday, disclosing that he is considering removing Bonds from the top of the home run list.

Selig is reportedly also considering suspending New York Yankees All-Star third-baseman Alex Rodriguez, who admitted Monday night in an interview with ESPN that he had used steroids from 2001-2003 while a member of the Texas Rangers.


Sports Illustrated first reported that sources confirmed Rodriguez had tested positive in 2003.

Bonds broke Aaron's record of 755 home runs on Aug. 7, 2007, while playing for the San Francisco Giants.

Rodriguez, 33, reached the 500 home run plateau faster than any player in history, and is given the best chance to break Bonds' record. Rodriguez currently has 553 home runs.

Bonds and Rodriguez are the latest baseball greats to fall from grace because of performance-enhancing drugs.

On Wednesday, news emerged that All-Star shortstop Miguel Tejada might be deported to the Dominican Republic after pleading guilty to lying to Congress about using steroids.

Selig told USA Today he knows that the players union will challenge attempts to suspend Rodriguez, who admitted using steroids in 2003 when he was with the Texas Rangers. The testing policy's penalty phase wasn't instituted until 2004.

But the commissioner said he sent a memo banning the drugs in 1997 and reminded players and coaches that they were illegal without a ************.

"It was against the law, so I would have to think about that," Selig told USA Today. "It's very hard. I've got to think about all that kind of stuff."

Rodriguez would be the first player suspended who didn't test positive during the penalty timeline.

Tejada appeared Wednesday before a federal magistrate and said he lied to congressional investigators who asked about steroid use by major league ballplayers. He also acknowledged purchasing the drugs while playing with the Oakland Athletics.

"His guilty plea in this case may subject him to detention, deportation and other sanctions at the direction of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement," said a letter outlining Tejada's plea deal.

The misdemeanor charge of making misrepresentations to Congress can lead to as much as a year in jail. But federal guidelines call for a lighter sentence. Tejada is scheduled to be sentenced March 25, during spring training.


FOXNews.com - MLB Chief Might Reinstate Aaron as Home Run King, Suspend Rodriguez - Local News | News Articles | National News | US News

[garth]

What about all the other players who tested positive for steroids at the same time A-Rod did? Are the ones who are still active going to be suspended as well? What a can of worms...

[hokie99]

So let me get this straight. Selig thinks A-Rod should get punished and suspended because his name gets leaked after he was promised anonymity on a drug test he took almost 6 years ago? WTF is that? Just because the other 103 names weren't leaked they get off scot free? Only Bud Selig could see this as a logical solution to an enormous series of problems.

[garth]

So let me get this straight. Selig thinks A-Rod should get punished and suspended because his name gets leaked after he was promised anonymity on a drug test he took almost 6 years ago? WTF is that? Just because the other 103 names weren't leaked they get off scot free? Only Bud Selig could see this as a logical solution to an enormous series of problems.

Bud Selig's a fuckin' genius.

[weazel079]

Selig needs to be canned.

[kbsooner21]

This is a fucking joke...

[savage1]

I don't think anyone should be suspended but returning the Home Run Championship to Aaron would me happy if Bonds is found guilty.
If Pete Rose can't get into the HOF because he gambled as a manager and NOT as a player, then there would be a certain amount of fairness by stripping away the HR championship from a CHEATER who was a PLAYER.

[garth]

I'm definitely not a Bonds fan, but how would Selig strip Bonds of the record? Will he alter the stat records? Can he go back in time and make it not so that those balls went over the fence and were recorded as runs on the official score sheet for the team for whom Bonds played? Selig can't erase those home runs....or whatever number of them that would legitimately return the crown to Aaron. That's just dumb. Yeah, Bonds cheated but who can say how many he would have hit without roids? Without the roids he would have still been one of the top few hitters of all time. Maybe some of his record numbers of intentional walks would have turned into home runs. Who can say? It's done. It's tainted, yeah, but it's done.

[harold_bush]

Most people consider Aaron the all-time HR King anyway.

[flarendep1]

Selig =




17 million a year for this ass

Fuck baseball

[savage1]

I'm definitely not a Bonds fan, but how would Selig strip Bonds of the record? Will he alter the stat records? Can he go back in time and make it not so that those balls went over the fence and were recorded as runs on the official score sheet for the team for whom Bonds played? Selig can't erase those home runs....or whatever number of them that would legitimately return the crown to Aaron. That's just dumb. Yeah, Bonds cheated but who can say how many he would have hit without roids? Without the roids he would have still been one of the top few hitters of all time. Maybe some of his record numbers of intentional walks would have turned into home runs. Who can say? It's done. It's tainted, yeah, but it's done.

Then by the same logic, Pete Rose, one of the greatest players of all time, should be admitted to the HOF; what he did was gamble, which had nothing to do with his onfield performances and he did it AFTER his playing days were over.
I guess they don't think that unlike drug tests, lie detectors are necessary/important enough to determine which players are gambling on in itself would seem to be some kind of a contradiction for Rose's not being permitted into the HOF.

[garth]

Then by the same logic, Pete Rose, one of the greatest players of all time, should be admitted to the HOF; what he did was gamble, which had nothing to do with his onfield performances and he did it AFTER his playing days were over.
I guess they don't think that unlike drug tests, lie detectors are necessary/important enough to determine which players are gambling on in itself would seem to be some kind of a contradiction for Rose's not being permitted into the HOF.

I'm not sure your argument about Rose is based on the same logic as mine. Denying someone admission to the Hall of Fame doesn't involve re-writing baseball statistics. I doubt that Bonds will get into the hall of fame either, regardless of what happens with his designation or non-designation as the home run king. I do, however, tend to agree with you about Pete Rose. He's not a wonderful human being but neither are a lot of the current residents of the Hall. Let Pete in.

[ToDaClub]

Don't forget Roger Maris, will they give him back the single season record?

[garth]

Don't forget Roger Maris, will they give him back the single season record?

exactly. My son and I were at Busch Stadium the day that McGwire hit number 61 in 1998. We flew to St. Louis and back the same day to watch that game. That is the loudest roar I've ever been a part of at a sporting event. If the Cubs could have gotten one more run in the top of the 9th, he would have gotten one more AB. I think he broke the record the next night. but we know now that record is tainted as well....actually, it's not a record any more because of Bonds, but with either Bonds or McGwire they were rhoided up.

[savage1]

I'm not sure your argument about Rose is based on the same logic as mine. Denying someone admission to the Hall of Fame doesn't involve re-writing baseball statistics. I doubt that Bonds will get into the hall of fame either, regardless of what happens with his designation or non-designation as the home run king. I do, however, tend to agree with you about Pete Rose. He's not a wonderful human being but neither are a lot of the current residents of the Hall. Let Pete in.

Perhaps it is closer to an analogy/comparison than anything else.