Writing the Pine

Still the sweetest swing in baseball...

I had first chosen Dustin Pedroia as it would be devastating to know that even a small (he’s like 5′7) player would succumb to the pressures and temptations of steroids. The pesky, #2 hitter would change the image of the stereotypical steroid user. (Not a big home run hitter, etc.) However, I’ll refrain from that choice by taking the route Al Gore did during the Presidential election of 2000. Gore knew he had won but instead decided to have faith in our democratic system- a flawed democratic system at that. Steroid testing has been more stringent since 2003 and although it’s a flawed system, to have no faith in MLB’s testing policy would be a wrong step for baseball. Besides look at all the progress our democratic system has made since then. (Queue My President is Black by Young Jeezy). So my choice is someone pre ‘03.

With that said, it would be absolute jaw dropping for me if Ken Griffey Jr. used steroids. Keep in mind, while McGwire and Sosa were resurrecting baseball in 1998, Junior mashed 56 home runs in that same year, his second consecutive year with 56. Now, you might think “Griffey!? No way because he’s been hurt too much” but the notion of Griffey using ‘roids would absolutely be crushing to baseball in the sense that it would disprove so many beliefs in what steroids does to a ballplayers ability. The X-factor has always been his injuries. Whether it’s fair or not, true or false, nowadays you can look at a player’s numbers throughout their years and have a pretty good idea if they’ve done ‘roids or not (see David Ortiz, Clemens in his 40’s). Although I’ve only been on this earth for twenty some odd years, there is no doubt in my mind Ken Griffey Jr. was the most gifted baseball player I have ever seen. There was no one better in centerfield and not a sweeter swing anywhere. While I’ve tormented with the indecisiveness of career choices in my life, watching Griffey play made me 100% sure that God put him on this earth to do one thing – play baseball.

But it wouldn’t shock me if he used ‘roids because I’d be a kid crushed at seeing one of his favorite players fall from grace, but because it would lead me to believe that the whole talk about steroids making ballplayers better is total bullshit. I don’t care what anyone says, there’s no drug, supplement or cream that could make a person read balls off a bat and track em down like Junior did. No man made pharmaceutical could make a man swing like Junior. Just impossible. Junior was the epitomy of God given talent. The physics of his swing was perfect. His power effortless. And besides, he’s been hurt too much to say that ‘roids make you more durable. It would shake this whole debate. Turn the tides completely. I’d look at Bonds, Mcgwire, Clemens differently, with a little more understanding and sympathy. I’d let them in the hall of fame because it would make me think, maybe it wasn’t the ‘roids that made these guys superhuman. Just like people say, ‘roids don’t make you hit home runs, you still gotta hit ‘em.

So while Pedroia would paint a different picture of the steroid baseball player, Ken Griffey Jr’s admission would bring down the “Walls of Jericho.” It would make me forever question how much steroids help a person play baseball, if any at all.

And maybe that’s what baseball needs right now- a shift from thinking how much performance is enhanced by these drugs and focus on the natural talent and honed skill it takes to be a part of the Show.