Baseball Mumblings

As the Spring Training inches closer and closer, I can't help but get one question out of my mind:

When will baseball be baseball again?

As most of you know, I'm a huge baseball fan. It is my favorite of the "major" sports. However, since 2003 (many will say it was before that) the word "steroid" (or any synonymous word) has been tossed around turning MLB into a Soap Opera.

And I'm ready to move on. I want to move on.

But it isn't that simple. Things have to be dealt with. What about the players that admitted steroid use and have since come clean and stopped? What about the players that juiced (according to evidence, at least) but won't admit it? What about the "average" players that juiced but nobody cares about?

Today, Deadspin accurately pointed out that everyone is the bad guy. The players, the union, the league, even the fans!

And, of course, there is the fact that an anonymous testing turned out to be not-so-anonymous. I'm glad Arod 'fessed up and told the truth, but somebody really owes ARod and apology.

So, perhaps the wrong question is being asked. Perhaps instead of asking "When can we move on?" we should be asking "Can we move on?"

I'd like to think we can, although I certainly don't have the answers as to how. I guess that's why those that have the answers are getting paid.

I'm glad we have guys like Jason Giambi, Andy Pettite, and now, Alex Rodriguez, who admit they have made a mistake and are willing to move on.

But then there is the other side, a side that knows/thinks (choose which ever you believe) that the art of escaping is with words.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. That speaks volumes considering that just one word can keep you out of jail. What word keeps you out of jail, you ask? The word, "knowingly".

We know Bonds said something that wasn't the truth while under oath. But was in an "accident?" Throughout all this Bonds drama, the question isn't if he took steroids. The question is if he knowingly took steroids. All this fuss is over that one word.

And of course I haven't even talked about this Clemens/McNamee situation.

Obviously we are learning a lesson throughout all this. One of the major reasons why the steroids era is dragging out so much is because of all the lies.

Which then leads me to a question that I'll end on. I'd also like to hear some of your thoughts on this.

Pete Rose is guilty of 2 major no-nos: Obviously there is the first one, he gambled. But then there is his second major no-no, he lied about it for over a decade.

So...we have something similar happening here with Clemens and Bonds. I'd like your thoughts on this...

Which bugs you more...Players using steroids or players lying about their steroid use? This question, of course, assumes that these players are guilty...which I suppose is another discussion.

I'll start. It bugs me more when they lie about it.