Dear Barry Bonds...Congrats on a Tainted Record

Dear Barry Bonds,

Congratulations. You've achieved baseball immortality. From this day forward, when people think of the home run, they'll think of you—and the stink you've left on the game of baseball. 

To be fair, you aren't the only person whose name will be associated with the Steroid Era. 

But you will forever be its poster child.

Then all the children in attendance scurried onto the field and swept up the sweets.

But perhaps my loathing of you is a bit harsh. After all, I shouldn't be blaming just you for perverting baseball's record books—there are plenty of parties who could've prevented Major League Baseball's home run record from becoming a bad joke.

To wit:

Bud Selig

I'm not the first person to point a finger in Mr. Selig's direction, nor will I be the last. 

The Commissioner has made plenty of missteps—the 1994 work stoppage, a financial model that renders certain markets useless, his choice of hairstyles—but his most infamous gaffe is certainly turning a blind eye to steroids as the balls flew and the records fell. 

There finally appears to be adequate testing and punishment in place, but it's too little too late. The damage has been done—and the fans will never be able to look at power hitters the same way. 

The Players' Association

If Donald Fehr and Co. really cared about their players' physical and mental well-being, they would've been behind steroid testing years ago. Instead, they've done everything in their power to prevent testing and limit punishment. 

I often wonder how Fehr can sleep at night...but then I remember that pure evil never rests.

The Media

Some people want to blame the media for everything that's wrong with the world. I don't generally subscribe to that theory—but in this case, the press is as guilty as anyone. 

Writers and analysts witnessed firsthand how players were hulking up—but said nothing about it until the you-know-what hit the proverbial fan. Many of these folks have admitted as much, but their mea culpas can't repair the damage wrought by their complacency. 

The Enablers

Finally, Barry, there seems to be no shortage of former players who believe your new home run record to be legitimate. After all, they point out, you never tested positive for steroids. So what? Michael Jackson's never been convicted of child molestation...but that doesn't mean I'd let him be a kindergarten teacher. 

Unfortunately, the Joe Morgans of the world are willing to look past the resounding physical evidence and forsake common sense. I guess they think it's normal for a player over 35 to hit 258 home runs in five seasons. 

Of course, these morons also conveniently forget that maybe the reason you've never gotten caught for steroids has something to do with the fact that, until recently, MLB's testing policy was grossly inadequate.

And oh yeah—there's no test for Human Growth Hormone.

A hundred years from now, when historians and baseball fans look back upon the early 21st century, perhaps they'll feel the same shame and disillusionment I feel now. Or perhaps they'll look back at the Steroid Era as the dawning of a new day. 

Perhaps, Barry, they'll view your chemical enhancement as a stepping-stone towards a broader interpretation of the term "athlete."  And perhaps when they're heading out to the ballpark in 2107 to watch a cyborg break Cal Ripken's consecutive-games record, they'll be thinking of your groundbreaking achievement.

As for me—I'm just looking forward to the day when all the evidence surfaces and there's no longer a dispute about the legitimacy of your record. 

The truth always comes out eventually, Barry. And I, for one, can't wait until it does.

Bitterly yours,

Dave