Baseball Rant

The first sport I became a fan of was baseball. For a variety of reasons, I've become less and less a fan. Perhaps what gets me the most about the game is that nowadays, the biggest story on ESPN is who's the newest player to be accused of using performing-enhancing drugs.

For those who don't watch sports news too often, LA Dodger Manny Ramirez was suspended for 50 games today for using hCG, a substance banned by Major League Baseball. At first, it didn't get to me that much, which is a testament to how accustomed I've become to these kind of stories.

But then I heard a few interviews from ESPN baseball analysts.

Tim Kurkjian said something about how players have been cheating in baseball since it's inception, then went on to say that fans really don't care, as long as they win. Um...well let me say it. I CARE.

Then, what really got me angry was the interview of Steve Phillips. He was asked where the Dodgers would be when Manny got back.

I'll try to paraphrase what Phillips said. He claimed that 'the Dodgers are too far in first place in the NL west division. They're a really good team. They'll hold on to that lead until Manny comes back in July, then go on to the playoffs with Manny leading them. It's a special year for the Dodgers.'

WTF

Yeah, they're in first place by a lot. But that's because they had Manny in the lineup. Manny is an RBI machine. And even when Manny's not doing well, teams have to always account for him. He gets on via walk because teams pitch around him. This leads to more runs. Think about it this way, take ANY team's best player away from a team, do they do as well? The Yankees are next to last in the AL east without A-Rod (who, btw also took performing-enhancing drugs), even with the highest paid team of any sport ever. Did the Patriots make the playoffs without Tom Brady? Would the Cavs be so good without Lebron James?

Plus, the reason they are so far in front in the NL west right now is because during the beginning and ending parts of the baseball season, teams play the majority of their games against teams within their division. That has made these games up until this point super important in the division standings. And now that the teams have finished those games and will play the majority of their games against teams outside the division, Manny gets suspended. If he was suspended to begin the season, I think the standings in the west might be different. But there's no way for us to know. Baseball, you're losing me as a fan.

Tim, I CARE. For now, at least.

Is it football season yet?