Thursday, July 14, 2011

Mistrial

I am not as distressed about steroid use in baseball as I once was, partially because the various sports are all over the map in acceptance of use. I love track and field. The Jamaicans are not rigorous about their testing. Now no one else matters, though Tyson Gay should.

I very much thought that the US Congress should not be creating their own People Magazine moment by having hearings about steroid usein baseball. Never should have happened. Clowns.

But when you lie to Congress, it should be a big deal, and being rich enough to hire top lawyers should not change that.

Therefore, I think the prosecution of Roger Clemens should go forward, even though a series of stupid events got us here and it's expensive.

For the record, though Roger Clemens was an exceptionally good pitcher in his 20's, from age 30-33 he was only an average pitcher. His steroid use pretty clearly starts during the 1996 or 1997 season. Following a normal career trajectory, he would have likely ended up with 220 wins, 2400 strikeouts - something like that. A good career, but nothing near a HOF one. When I am asking myself whether someone should go to the HOF, I don't so much ask myself whether he used steroids, as whether he would have made it without them. Therefore Bonds and A-Rod yes, all other steroid users no.

Clemens, no chance. Viewed that way, risking steroid use was a good bet for him. Made a lot of money, might go to Cooperstown.

2 comments:

rotator said...

Lying to congress should be a big deal? worthy of a couple of million
to prosecute? What about demonstrable falsehoods by the politicians themselves both congressional and executive? Oh,
they are not under oath....
Or what was the oath of office all
about?? http://clerk.house.gov/member_info/oathoffice.aspx

Assistant Village Idiot said...

Well, that's a fair return, rotator. When we lie to them it's a felony, but when they lie to us, it's campaigning.

Still, we should socially demand honest behavior whenever we can.