Source: ARod faces lifetime suspension

[Sea Ray]

One could argue that by not testing for steroids, reaping the benefits of the 1998 home run race between two steroid users in Sosa and McGwire and the 2001 Bonds 73-homer season, and then crying "foul!" once baseball was once again one of the most-followed sports in America and the public put two and two together to deduce that steroid use had happened, that Selig may have proverbially injected everyone by not only not dissuading, but encouraging steroid usage in the sport.

Selig's tenure as commissioner may be remembered as much for talking out of both sides of his mouth as it may be for revitalizing the game after strikes.

Why does Selig get the "blame" for not testing sooner? It takes two to tango and he couldn't do it w/o the Players Assoc. These things take time. I have a few issues with Selig but this isn't one of them

[Sea Ray]

Aw, come on, everyone knows that all of the troubles of Pete and A-Rod are Bud Selig's fault. Bud's always picking on those blameless icons.

As Reds fans we know how to blame the Commissioner when our star is in trouble. I briefly fell into that trap as well. However that fateful Press conference in Aug of 1989 shook me out of that

[Mutaman]

Why does Selig get the "blame" for not testing sooner? It takes two to tango and he couldn't do it w/o the Players Assoc. These things take time. I have a few issues with Selig but this isn't one of them

He gets the blame for DOING NOTHING. He turned a blind eye to what was going on because baseball was raking in too much money. He was a commissioner who for years was more concerned with making owners money than making sure the playing field was level. Selig stood by silently as players made a mockery of the game.

Now, after the cow is long out of the barn, he decides to pursue the Biogenesis suspensions with the eagerness of a fundmentalist zealot.

A Hall of Fame that is in chaos and records that no longer mean anything. Some legacy, Bud.

[savafan]

A Hall of Fame that is in chaos and records that no longer mean anything. Some legacy, Bud.

Oh, they mean something. They mean that if anyone ever gets close to breaking them, they'll find themselves scrutinized under the microscope of public opinion that they're playing under the advantage of illegal chemicals and supplements.

[Mutaman]

Oh, they mean something. They mean that if anyone ever gets close to breaking them, they'll find themselves scrutinized under the microscope of public opinion that they're playing under the advantage of illegal chemicals and supplements.

Breaking what? For example, who now holds the record for most Home Runs in a season? Personally, I have no idea.

[Dom Heffner]

He gets the blame for DOING NOTHING. He turned a blind eye to what was going on because baseball was raking in too much money. He was a commissioner who for years was more concerned with making owners money than making sure the playing field was level. Selig stood by silently as players made a mockery of the game.

Now, after the cow is long out of the barn, he decides to pursue the Biogenesis suspensions with the eagerness of a fundmentalist zealot.

A Hall of Fame that is in chaos and records that no longer mean anything. Some legacy, Bud.

If the players don't cheat there is no one to test.

This is like blaming someone for having their stuff stolen because they didn't lock the door.

[Rojo]

This is like blaming someone for having their stuff stolen because they didn't lock the door.

So the phrase "looking the other way" never, ever means anything to you?

What's a Commissioner for if MLB is supposed to be ruled by the Honor System?

[Plus Plus]

If the players don't cheat there is no one to test.

This is like blaming someone for having their stuff stolen because they didn't lock the door.

Except in this situation, you wouldn't have a law or procedure for prosecuting people who steal. So what's to dissuade people from stealing, if there's no way to catch them or punish them?

Maybe it's a mentality thing- I don't think you can do literally nothing to solve an ongoing problem and then cry foul about it later. And to address the "it takes two to tango" point, I don't remember (to be fair, I was very young) any declaration of Selig's during 1998 or 2001 that steroid testing needed to be implemented ASAP- it seemed to come about following Bonds' decline, and was directly related to the "Bonds is a jerk, so let's all witch-hunt his steroid past" thing.

[savafan]

Breaking what? For example, who now holds the record for most Home Runs in a season? Personally, I have no idea.

Like it or not, it's Bonds with 73. Did he do it cleanly? No, but MLB refused to asterisk the record, so there you go.

[Mutaman]

Like it or not, it's Bonds with 73. Did he do it cleanly? No, but MLB refused to asterisk the record, so there you go.

My point exactly.

[Kingspoint]

Like it or not, it's Bonds with 73. Did he do it cleanly? No, but MLB refused to asterisk the record, so there you go.

There's plenty of time to correct that.

[Chip R]

ARod has dropped his lawsuits.

http://m.espn.go.com/mlb/story?storyId=10420424

[RedsBaron]

ARod has dropped his lawsuits.

http://m.espn.go.com/mlb/story?storyId=10420424

Aw, I thought he was going to be vindicated!

[KronoRed]

Bummer

[George Foster]

I think Arod has had a dose of reality. If he sues everybody associated with baseball including his own union he stands a good chance to never play MLB again. He would be blacklisted.

I think he now feels he has a year to get healthy, maybe play some baseball in central America, or Japan and make a comeback. If he is healthy, and produces wherever he decides to play baseball someone will sign him for the 2015 season.