No Forgetting About Steroids

I've written about it before, but the long shadow cast by baseball's steroids era is hard to get away from. For me, unfortunately, it makes me wonder about feats like Jose Bautista's home run binge for the Toronto Blue Jays.

For those who would like to just forget about those lost years, this morning's story about ongoing questions about Alex Rodriguez's relationship with a doctor accused of dispensing performance-enhancing drugs to other players, had to be a gut check.

A-Rod, who has Hall of Fame stats and has admitted using steroids, can't get away from the issue. Just last week, MLB was questioning the New York Yankees about the third baseman's cousin who travels with A-Rod. The same cousin who suggested he use the very substance that got him in trouble in the first place.

Unfortunately, Rodriguez has no credibility. He denied for years that he had used them. Then he admitted he had. Of course, his admission had lots of wiggle room. As in most of the steroid mea culpas offered by players, A-Rod claimed to have taken a substance that he didn't realize contained anything that was banned.

It's all pretty hard to believe. Finely tuned athletes putting whatever junk their cousin or workout buddy suggests into their bodies. Not many have come out said they used the substances because they wanted to keep up with the competition. Or they did to make sure they got that next big contract. At least that would have the ring of truth.

I've said it before, but I think it's a shame that baseball has been tarnished. Rodriguez said during his admission that wanted to begin to earn back the trust of the fans. It will take a long time for baseball to do the same.