The Daily Procrastinator

I grew up with baseball. It’s been a part of my life and my family since my first visit to Veterans Stadium in the 70s. Like any lifelong relationship, baseball and I have had our ups and downs. We were no longer on speaking terms after the 1994 strike, and only gradually, over time, did I return to a position of sentimental appreciation, even though I no longer follow the season and stats closely.

The recent news from Sports Illustrated that Alex Rodriguez tested positive for the use of performance-enhancing drugs in the 2003 season of “confidential” testing is not surprising. Major League Baseball, led by Bud Selig, and the players’ union, led by Donald Fehr, have worked together to craft the weakest drug policy in all of professional sports. The two groups appear to have a longstanding agreement that the league would look the other way as long as the big hitters kept delivering longballs to keep the fans in the stands. But much to their surprise, the plan backfired.

Barry Bonds pursuit of Hank Aaron’s home run record was met with shrugs instead of fanfare. Congressional inquiries, tell-all books and trainer accusations left the public sentiment ranging from something between lukewarm indifference at best, and outrage at worst. An entire generation of the sport has been tainted. In the post-1994 period, it seems that more players were juiced than clean. While we long suspected as much, seeing the list of confirmed names is disappointing.

So what now for A-Rod? He’s locked in to a long-term contract with the Yankees, so his future isn’t in jeopardy. What’s at risk is his reputation. His response to the revelations will forever influence public opinion and the legacy that he leaves behind when his time on the field has passed. Will he address the charges head-on like Andy Pettite, confessing, apologizing and moving on, or will he go down in history defiant, forever tarnished by the stigma of the lie, like Roger Clemens or Barry Bonds?

I have no doubt that A-Rod has been spending the past several days entrenched with agents, lawyers and players’ union reps, trying to craft statements that address the charges. After all the lies, I have a suggestion for him: give honesty a shot. Nothing will ever change what has been done, but history may be more likely to judge him kindly if he stands up and takes responsibility like a man rather than evading the truth like a weasel.

Maybe if he talks to the fans openly, honestly and apologetically, he’ll manage to maintain a legacy that reaches beyond his teammate-inspired nickname of A-Fraud.