Selig mulls action on A-Rod, HR mark

[joejoesox]

Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig told USA Today in Thursday's edition that he is contemplating whether a suspension of Alex Rodriguez might be appropriate in the wake of the Yankees third baseman's admission to the use of banned substances from 2001-2003.

 

Furthermore, as Barry Bonds approaches a March 2 trial date on charges of lying to a federal grand jury about performance-enhancing drugs, Selig added he was considering the reinstatement of Henry Aaron as the rightful home run king in the official record books.

 

The only asterisk that needs to be placed is next to Bud Selig's name, for allowing that entire era to exist without stepping in and nipping it in the bud before it became what it is today. He seriously needs to be canned and replaced.

Edited February 12, 2009 by joesaiditstrue

[Dick Allen]

If he suspends ARod, he must suspend every player who tested postive during that confidential test. Just because his name was leaked doesn't mean he should be subject to more penalties.

[mmmmmbeeer]

The only asterisk that needs to be placed is next to Bud Selig's name, for allowing that entire era to exist without stepping in and nipping it in the bud before it became what it is today. He seriously needs to be canned and replaced.

 

If ARod is suspended, they damn well better suspend the other 103 players whose names we don't know. Talk about getting a raw deal... an anonymous test that he didn't even have to take, and he's going to get suspended for someone illegally leaking his name 6 years later? Selig REALLY needs to go.

 

[LittleHurt05]

I dont understand how he can suspend him now, when during the years that he admitted to the steroid use, there was no penalty against it. You cant just make up penalties six years later.

 

 

[lostfan]

God I hate Bud Selig.

[southsider2k5]

God I hate Bud Selig.

 

 

^^

 

He needs to suspend himself. He alone had the powers to fix this problem years ago. Selig hides behind the union for not allowing him to institute testing, but he convienently doesn't mention that the Commissioner of Baseball has the ability to put changes into the game, with no one else's approval, if he deems them to be "In the best interests of baseball".

 

It might not start with Selig, but the final responsibility lies with him, as he could have fixed this at any time.

[shipps]

Mr. Burns doesnt have a clue

[Harry Chappas]

The thing that is getting to me about all of this is these dickweeds think we are that stupid that we believe they are truthful and what not. The not knowing what they were taking and not suing the people that erroneously gave them this stuff. Going on 60 Minutes or before Congress and lying then changing their tune.

[The Critic]

Selig is a hard-core muller.

He is badass when he mulls.

It's when he acts that he looks like an imbecile.

But MULLING?....no one better.

[Soxbadger]

If baseball and the Fed keep dicking these players around eventually the public will start to support the players.

[Kyyle23]

Selig is a hard-core muller.

He is badass when he mulls.

It's when he acts that he looks like an imbecile.

But MULLING?....no one better.

 

 

Completely agreed. He has been mulling Pete Rose for the better part of the last 14 years

[Steve9347]

I f***ing hate Bud Selig.

 

MLB players have been cheating for decades... since the dawn of the game. If you take out these records you'd better remove anyone who was ever on amphetamines or used a corked bat or anything of that nature.

[Cubano]

Selig has zero credibility.

[Whitewashed in '05]

I agree with everything everyone is saying. Selig let this happen so he needs to shut up. It's really absurd to try to single out A Fraud. Just retire now Selig... wait those 17 million sure sound nice for another couple years.

[YASNY]

I have to say, I have a different opinion on Bud Selig than the majority. First of all, Selig seems to be getting the blame for the steroid era. Well just step back in time bit, say to 1994 ... and remember the season without a World Series. Then look at the backlash from the fans after that season and the one when they avoided a strike/lockout because the fans were so vocal. The union wouldn't let baseball implement the PED tests. Yes, it was known in the late 90's around the game that PED's were part of the equation and Selig let it continue. But his hands were tied. He could not force the issue and cause another work stoppage over it. At that point in time, his best recourse was to sweep it under the rug and that's what he did.

 

In the mean time, baseball is as healthy and vibrant as it has been in a long time. More butts in seats now than there ever has been. I credit Bud Selig's leadership for a big part of that fact.

[earthshiner]

^^^

agree, plus I think most fans, including Selig, didn't want any of this to be true. When McGuire was hitting 50 HRs a year you didn't want to think that it was PEDs, you wanted to think that he was finally healthy again. The magic was back in the game. To find out that so many guys were cheats was devastating when you could no longer ignore it. If this did break in the 90s the game would still not have recovered. I'm starting to think Selig is wiser than we think.

[greg775]

Throw in jail the guys who lied to Congress. Continue to try to get the names released of the guys who took Roids. Make them talk about it like a-Rod. No suspensions, no asterisks. True baseball fans know Aaron is the true HR king. We'd need too many asterisks like somebody said.

[WilliamTell]

He was too busy trying to contract the Twins and Expos instead of lookin at steroids earlier this decade.

[southsider2k5]

I have to say, I have a different opinion on Bud Selig than the majority. First of all, Selig seems to be getting the blame for the steroid era. Well just step back in time bit, say to 1994 ... and remember the season without a World Series. Then look at the backlash from the fans after that season and the one when they avoided a strike/lockout because the fans were so vocal. The union wouldn't let baseball implement the PED tests. Yes, it was known in the late 90's around the game that PED's were part of the equation and Selig let it continue. But his hands were tied. He could not force the issue and cause another work stoppage over it. At that point in time, his best recourse was to sweep it under the rug and that's what he did.

 

In the mean time, baseball is as healthy and vibrant as it has been in a long time. More butts in seats now than there ever has been. I credit Bud Selig's leadership for a big part of that fact.

 

I disagree totally with your statement YAS. Bud Selig alone had the power to do something about the drug problem in baseball. He has the ability to take a unilateral action if he deems it "for the good of baseball". It was a power that Landis insisted on when he took over after the Black Sox scandal. This power still exists to this day. He could have instituted any level of testing and penalties that he saw fit. Instead he negotiated it with the union, and besides how long it took to institute, it became so watered down, even to this day, that it is almost counterproductive. If Bud Selig wanted Olympic style testing, it could be done tomorrow, and there isn't a damned thing the union could do about it. They couldn't even sue because of the baseball anti-trust exemption.

[Texsox]

I have to say, I have a different opinion on Bud Selig than the majority. First of all, Selig seems to be getting the blame for the steroid era. Well just step back in time bit, say to 1994 ... and remember the season without a World Series. Then look at the backlash from the fans after that season and the one when they avoided a strike/lockout because the fans were so vocal. The union wouldn't let baseball implement the PED tests. Yes, it was known in the late 90's around the game that PED's were part of the equation and Selig let it continue. But his hands were tied. He could not force the issue and cause another work stoppage over it. At that point in time, his best recourse was to sweep it under the rug and that's what he did.

 

In the mean time, baseball is as healthy and vibrant as it has been in a long time. More butts in seats now than there ever has been. I credit Bud Selig's leadership for a big part of that fact.

 

 

I disagree totally with your statement YAS. Bud Selig alone had the power to do something about the drug problem in baseball. He has the ability to take a unilateral action if he deems it "for the good of baseball". It was a power that Landis insisted on when he took over after the Black Sox scandal. This power still exists to this day. He could have instituted any level of testing and penalties that he saw fit. Instead he negotiated it with the union, and besides how long it took to institute, it became so watered down, even to this day, that it is almost counterproductive. If Bud Selig wanted Olympic style testing, it could be done tomorrow, and there isn't a damned thing the union could do about it. They couldn't even sue because of the baseball anti-trust exemption.

 

I have to agree with you both. I also think somewhere in the middle was the right course of action.

[Texsox]

If he suspends ARod, he must suspend every player who tested postive during that confidential test. Just because his name was leaked doesn't mean he should be subject to more penalties.

 

Just because events caused him to be made public, he should not be punished? Some people get caught, others do not. Happens all the time, for stuff more important and much less important than this. I see no problem in punishing some, we know we will never catch them all.

[Balta1701]

Rodriguez's former teammate, Jamie Moyer, chimes in. (This is about 1/3 of the interview quotes. Looks like he really went off on him)

Those were the days when Rodriguez appeared to be on his way to the Hall of Fame.

 

Now?

 

"I don't see how he has a chance," Moyer said yesterday. "Who in their right mind would vote for anyone who got caught taking that stuff?"

 

Rodriguez last week became the biggest name in baseball to confess to using steroids. He said he used them from 2001 to 2003, after he signed a 10-year, $252 million contract with the Texas Rangers. Rodriguez's confession came after Sports Illustrated reported that he was one of 104 players to test positive for steroids during what was supposed to be an anonymous survey test in 2003.

 

Moyer said he was disappointed in Rodriguez.

 

"It's about respecting the game," Moyer said. "I'd be disappointed in anybody in that situation.

 

"When people have had an impact on your life, you want to feel for them. But how can I feel for him? To me, if you're doing it, you know it's illegal. I commend him for coming out and saying it, but why didn't he say it seven years ago?"

 

Asked if his sons, now teenagers, were disappointed in Rodriguez, Moyer said: "I'm sure they are. We've talked a little about it. It's also a lesson. One day he's a Hall of Famer, and in a 24-hour period he's not because of a poor decision. That's a shame."

 

Rodriguez, 33, became the youngest player to reach 500 homers when he did so with the New York Yankees in 2007. He is on course to one day break Barry Bonds' career record of 762. Bonds has long been suspected of using steroids.

 

In addition to 553 career homers, Rodriguez has won three MVP awards.

 

Are those numbers tainted?

 

"Of course they are," Moyer said. "This changes everything - the way people look at him, the way people act toward him. It's a shame. What does he have to play for now?"

[BearSox]

I think the news rules should be...

 

1st Strike - 162 game ban, so basically a whole season.

 

2nd Strike - Lifetime ban.

 

However, a lot of the steroids are a couple years ahead of the testing, so that's why this needs to be blood tests and they need to be frozen. The players union would never allow this though, but if we want to clean out baseball, this would be the best course of action, IMO.

[WilliamTell]

I think the news rules should be...

 

1st Strike - 162 game ban, so basically a whole season.

 

2nd Strike - Lifetime ban.

 

However, a lot of the steroids are a couple years ahead of the testing, so that's why this needs to be blood tests and they need to be frozen. The players union would never allow this though, but if we want to clean out baseball, this would be the best course of action, IMO.

 

I wouldn't mind something like that, or even a 3-5 year ban for the 2nd offense, which could end their career anyways. What I don't want to see if Selig trying to punish A-Rod or anyone that did steriods before the required testing started. Selig has no one but himself to blame for not getting involved in steriod testing. He should've gotten involved at least a decade ago.

[Balta1701]

I wouldn't mind something like that, or even a 3-5 year ban for the 2nd offense, which could end their career anyways. What I don't want to see if Selig trying to punish A-Rod or anyone that did steriods before the required testing started. Selig has no one but himself to blame for not getting involved in steriod testing. He should've gotten involved at least a decade ago.

That doesn't mean he can't take steps to clean up the record book.