A-Rod, Steroids, and Random Bits

So I just finished watching A-Rod's entire interview with Peter Gammons, and he may have saved his hall of fame chances. He came off as poignant and genuine, which for Rodriguez is a mighty feat. However, this is a deeply rooted issue that affects Major League Baseball as a whole.

First of all, about the A-Rod Hall of Fame debate. He claims that he only took steroids from 2001-2003, during his Texas Ranger years; right after signing his at the time historic 10 year, $252 million contract. It makes sense then that a person as worried as A-Rod about his image would do everything he took to live up to his anointment as the greatest player in baseball. Compare his three seasons in Texas with the rest of his career:

2001-2003: .308 avg/54 hr/132 rbi
1996-2008: .306 avg/42 hr/124 rbi

Clearly, steroids played a part in his Texas years, bolstering his home run total to 12 over his career average, and his slugging percentage a good thirty points over the same span (.578 career vs .614 2001-2003). But in the overall scheme of things, with or without his steroid use, Alex Rodriguez was always going to be one of the best players in baseball.

He also said he was naive and didn't know what he was doing, and that things were "loosey goosey." This also makes sense, as an 18-year old phenom drafted out of high school, he was already batting .358 and belting 36 homers by the time he was 21. And remember, A-Rod is an impressionable person, always the one to do what's expected of him, because he's soooo worried about what people think about him. So when he says that he didn't know what he was doing, it makes sense.

Then you look over the roster that A-Rod had in Texas in those years and it even becomes more apparent that he's become a victim in this steroid era (as opposed to one of the enablers of the juicing). Just look at the names he played with, all linked to steroid use:

Rafael Palmiero, Ken Caminiti, Ruben Sierra, Juan Gonzalez, Kenny Rogers, Ivan Rodriguez... The list goes on.

The point is, not all of them were pushers, but the culture of the Texas Rangers (and MLB at large) is bred on the big numbers, the home runs, the stats. Steroids just gave these people an edge, wherever they could take it. And that's where A-Rod fits in - he was anointed the next home run king (way too early in his career) and he needed to make sure that he was going to get there. Youthfully and stupidly. And now that he's apologized openly, which is more than either Clemens or Bonds has done - he's cleared his plate. Now he has nine years left to prove he's still got it.

As for his as-of-yet broken record? I think it's time that Aaron and Maris had their mantles back. And if A-Rod breaks the record, give him a twenty home run handicap.

Random Bits

- Whoever MIA's maternity doctor is should be fired and stripped of her medical license. I'm sure the exposure was everything behind this decision, but what doctor in their right mind lets a woman who is due on the night of the Grammy's to perform on said stage with thousands of screaming fans, a choreographed dance routine and dozens of strobe lights?

- The only reason "I Kissed a Girl" was ever popular is because if it was called "I Kissed a Boy" nobody would have given a shit.

-Heroes looks like it's back on track. The dialogue still sounds like it's written by a fifth grader though. Maybe poach some of the writers from Lost? Wait, what? They fired Jesse Alexander last season? Hmmm...