Stop Being a Prude Baseball. Let Them In.

As ugly as some of the past is for baseball, it is time to embrace it. Hall of Fame voters face the fact that some of your players used performance-enhancing drugs while they played your sacred game. Yes, they used steroids and baseball records fell, new ones were set -- along with TV ratings.

Clemens was brought to tears after being found innocent.

During the steroid era, baseball was watched throughout the nation more than ever before. Now "America's Pastime" is a clear third behind football and basketball, with no change on the horizon.

A few fixes could help quickly: using instant replay, quicken the pace of play and shorten your season.

Your plodding game worked in a slower world, and the nation was forced to watch baseball through box scores on the second page of the newspaper.

Embrace instant replay for close calls on the field but not for balls and strikes. We have the technology to make the right calls, so use it. Questionable calls can be reviewed quickly and efficiently. Ask the NFL or college football with any further questions regarding this matter.

As for the pace of play, enforce a pitch clock. Not only will pitchers be forced to make throws more quickly, batters would have to discontinue stepping out of the batter's box and performing stupid rituals every time before a new offer is made from the pitcher, thus quickening up the game.

Shorten your season. Your regular season is too long. There is too little emphasis placed on the postseason, when the game really matters. You have made improvements by adding another semi-series to the playoffs. However, instead of having your season end in October, finish in September. You would not have to fight against the NFL or college football for TV ratings. You have no chance of beating those behemoths in TV ratings with your current set-up. With football in the beginning of its season and meaningful match-ups not coming until later, more coverage would be placed on your World Series.

Now that I have successfully solved your most pertinent problems baseball and Commissioner Bud Selig, let's get to why I even started writing in the first place: your current stance on the steroid superstars, in particular Roger Clemens.

Clemens after striking out 20 batters in 1986

Do we know that Clemens took performance-enhancing drugs? A jury of his own peers said no, but America's suspicions have not been dampened much about the 1986 American League Most Valuable Player's steroid use.

What we do know is that the seven-time Cy Young winner had  four "down" seasons in Boston of a 4-plus ERA. Then moved to Toronto and went on to strike out a career-high 292 batters in his 13th season. He won four more Cy Young Awards and  posted a 1.87 ERA at the age of 42 for the Houston Astros after a five year stint for the Yankees.

Do it really matter? The numbers are not in Clemens' favor, but in his defense he was trying to fend off batters who hit the ball out of the park at the highest rate ever.


Superstars, such as Clemens, helped the bring the game back to prominence; since its end, the game has suffered. Should children look up to these players and their methods of cheating as a model to success? No, but in all honesty children should not look to many athletes as role models for life off of the field.

Bonds' enlargement of his muscles and head are not
natural, but his skills in the batter's box is undeniable. 

The players followed the rules that were set.

Baseball and Hall of Fame voters (former players and writers) benefited from the damage these players did to their bodies and now it is time to face your negligence.

Even former players, such as Reggie Jackson and Johnny Bench, are calling for Clemens and the -- as hard as it is for me to say this -- home run king Barry Bonds to be let into Cooperstown because they have been proven innocent in the court of law. Jackson told USA Today, "If you can beat Congress and federal judges buddy, you must have had a pretty strong case."

Players like Bonds hit as well as anyone in the game. Clemens was the best pitcher of my lifetime.

Get over yourself baseball. Let them in.

MLB Season Predictions

The beginning of the marathon that is the Major League Baseball season began today similar to the same way it did last year in that Jason Heyward hit a home run on his first at bat of the season. I was luckily back to my apartment a little early from fieldwork and caught the last eight innings of the Braves first game. No worries, I caught the first six outs on the radio on the way back to the apartment. In honor of the new season here are my picks to win each division.

AL East- The Boston Red Sox have too much speed, power, and pitching for any other team in this division to catch them. Adding OF Carl Crawford and 1B Adrian Gonzalez were enormous pickups. Gonzalez will thrive in a smaller park than what he has been playing in, Petco Park in San Diego. There is not a weak spot in the lineup, big bat after big bat. The New York Yankees can challenge if they can get the game to the 7th inning because of their strong bullpen. Their biggest problem is with their starting pitching. Boston Red Sox

AL Central- The race is wide open for the Central. An argument can be made for three teams, Twins, White Sox, or the Tigers, to win from what is the deepest division in the American League. I am going with the Detroit Tigers have the most win at the end of the season. They have a great starting pitching rotation and a solid defensive lineup. The Twins will threaten if 1B Justin Morneau is symptom free from his season ending concussion last season. The White Sox have plenty of power, but they have consistently underperformed and have to prove themselves first.  Detroit Tigers

AL West- The sexy "surprise" pick is the Oakland A's from the West, but I am having a hard time going against reining AL MVP Josh Hamilton and his Texas Rangers. They lost their ace with Cliff Lee signing with the Phillies and unless C.J. Wilson can step up their weakness in their starting rotation will be apparent. On the other side of the ball it is completely possible for the Rangers to score 10 runs a game with their strong offense. They know how to win and will continue to, but expect strong performances from Oakland and the Los Angeles Angels. Texas Rangers

NL East- My winner from the East may come as a surprise for some but those who really know me know there is no question where I am going with this pick. The Atlanta Braves will win the NL East. I know the Phillies have one of the best starting pitching rotations of all time but after that, what else is there? The oldest lineup in the majors. A weak bullpen. A potential MVP out until at least the All-Star Break. I said the Braves would win before the Phillies lost 2B Chase Utley to patellar tendonitis. The Braves have deep pitching and no weak link in their lineup, as they have in the past, and have added 2B Dan Uggla. I could keep going, but this is a preview for all if the majors. Atlanta Braves (duh)

NL Central- The St. Louis Cardinals have lost their number one starter. The Milwaukee Brewers have added Zach Grienke to become a better team. The Cincinati  Reds have the same team that won the division last year. All that said, I am taking experience and a city that will support their Cards. St. Louis may not run away with the title as they have in the past but they still have the best player in baseball, a winning manager, and a front office that will acquire necessary players to be winners. St. Louis Cardinals

NL West- A weak division that may be the most evenly matched from top to bottom. The San Francisco Giants won the World Series, but I am not sure they will even win their own division this season. The Dodgers have too much trouble in the front office, with the divorce of the owners, and the problems that will come with a rookie manager to win consistently. I am picking the Colorado Rockies. Look out for OF Carlos Gonzalez. He will become a star this season and they have a proven ace in Ubaldo Iminez who dominated last year in a batter’s park. the Rockies have finished strong the past few seasons and will continue that trend. Colorado Rockies