Trust No One: The True Meaning Behind A-Rod's Steroid Scandal

"I did take a banned substance. And for that, I am very sorry and deeply regretful."

Just days after allegations surfaced that Alex he had used performance enhancing drugs, Alex Rodriguez, perhaps baseball's best player today, admitted to ESPN's Peter Gammons that he did knowingly take steroids during his tenure with the Texas Rangers, from 2001-2003. 

Rodriguez did what Bonds, Clemens, and McGwire (among others) have failed to do-be a man and admit fault.  

But there's much more to take from this than the fact that A-Rod did steroids. True, he was supposed to be the one to bring legitimacy to the record. Now? Now all faith is lost. Even as a fan who's disliked A-Rod since the day he left the Rangers, he held a place in my heart as the man who would truthfully be the home run king and unseat the much maligned Barry Bonds. 

What we need to take from this is that any one single player, no matter now good or how poor, could have been or be using performance enhancing drugs.  Who can we really trust now?

Yes, it is unfair that A-Rod's name was leaked from a supposedly confidential filing that should've been destroyed.  But look, what's done is done.  In all honesty, nothing can surprise me now. 

Release the names of the 103 other players who tested positive for banned substances.  Sure, no legal ramifications would come of this, since MLB didn't establish any punishments until the 2004 season. 

But now that the poster child for baseball has been removed from the throne, it should only be fair that the others be brought down with him. Let's see how bad this really is.

I think Rodriguez made an interesting statement during his admission. He spoke of the era being "loosey-goosey", essentially a very laid-back society where the use of performance enhancing drugs was a way of life, condoned by other players in the organization. 

I mean, just look at who was on the Rangers with A-Rod. Juan Gonzalez and Rafael Palmeiro. Two known steroid users.  How could A-Rod escape that? It just gets you thinking. How many St. Louis Cardinals were juiced? How about Chicago Cubs' players?  The Giants?

As I said earlier, no names that may be released will surprise me now.  It's more a feeling of fear.  Fear for the legitimacy of the game as a whole, not just the home run record. 

Think of some of the names that could be released.  Players who we admire, who we think "naw, they would never take PED's". Albert Pujols, anyone?  David Ortiz?  Man-Ram? Lance Berkman?  David Eckstein?! 

Okay, probably not Eckstein. And sure, maybe Papi and Pujols and the others are innocent. But hey, we all thought A-Rod was innocent, too. Hell, he told Katie Couric he didn't take PED's. You just don't lie to Katie Couric. The truth will come out.

Another year, and another steroid scandal. Forget about the feel good stories.  No Tampa Bay Rays, no Josh Hamilton. It seems like this has been the case for some time now. McGwire, Sosa, Palmeiro, Bonds, and now A-Rod. Some of the biggest names in the game, names that changed the way baseball was seen across the country, have all be tarnished. 

Alex Rodriguez's case could be the worst. Sure, swiftly accepted the allegations in order to retain some character points with the fans. But there's a story bigger than A-Rod now.  

No one can be trusted.  Not one player, no matter how good they are or how much we like them. The poster boy has fallen, and with him goes down the integrity of the MLB.  Rodriguez will keep the A-Fraud label for as long as he lives, but not for the way his teammates see him.

No, A-Fraud will now be known as the liar that was supposed to save baseball.