Sammy You Are Three Years Too Late For My Attention

Over the past three years, we, the baseball viewing public, have been subjected to a similar transgression like any Hollywood marriage—a bogus report, public humiliation and great theatre.

Hearing today that Sammy Sosa's name allegedly shows up on some list of known drug users, or suspected steroid users, or whatever it is, my reaction is simple and unchanging: does it really matter anymore?

Today we live in a society were you are guilty until proven innocent. Money now more than ever equals power, and peaking into other peoples day-to-day lives has launched the careers of persons who have no business being in the public eye (Big Brother, New York goes to Work, A Shot of Love, Bromance are just some of the shows and individuals that come to mind).

We have the recession, which has impacted the world wide markets and subsequently destroyed the livelihood of so many people. But I’m being told this is news and I have to care three years after the fact—after Rafael Palmeiro, Alex Rodriguez, Roger Clemens, Barry Bonds all had their day in the ‘limelight’—that Sammy should get his turn?

Please, spare me.

As baseball fans, we’ve had our hearts ripped out by the constant speculation and “alleged” reports and rumors of some of the greatest baseball players of all time. I’m frankly just sick of it.

Now I’m not saying to sweep this under the rug. But in a time where there are others to cheer for, and bigger worldwide issues at hand, we should stop the presses for a man who ‘allegedly’ took steroids? A man who played in an era where home runs were as common place as at bats? A man who according to baseball reference.com made a staggering $124 Million over his career?

I don’t have it in me to care anymore.

We shouldn’t be wired to idolize baseball players anymore, but we do. We shouldn’t keep cheering for larger-than-life sluggers who the following week are busted for steroids (Manny, you really cut me deep) but we continue anyhow. We shouldn’t have to worry about the next hot streak our favorite hitter is on, but we will continue to.

Unfortunately steroids are as much a part of baseball culture as spitting sunflower seeds. We shouldn’t be spending our time worrying about how steroids have affected the game. We know it has, and we should move on.

Even though the Mitchell Report was a poor attempt to give us the “who" and "why,” it is no longer as relevant. If you want to waste your time trying to figure out how many home runs Bonds would have hit or how many wins Clemens legitimately had, that’s fine.

I rather sit and enjoy Raul Ibanez (no stranger to the steroid debate, as recent events have indicated) continue to have the monster season he’s having. I would love to watch Roy Halladay continue his march towards his finest season, Ryan Howard hitting tape-measure home runs, Chase Utley’s relentless everyday hustle, Chipper Jones continue to hit just about everything, (okay, maybe not at the moment, but you get the idea) and all the new fresh faces (David Price, Tommy Hanson) that this game has to offer.

This is all significantly better than wondering\debating the same questions we have been for the last couple of years: Should Bonds' record be erased? Should any of them be in the Hall of Fame? Will Greg Anderson (Bonds ‘trainer’) ever talk?

Let’s stop giving life and continued existence to these fallen heroes and their stories. Let’s focus on those players that deserve our attention. To the new generation of baseball players and heroes to come…we are all watching you.