April 16, 2005

In the Batter's Box

with Eric LeBlanc

More steroids, John Rocker and fighting at Fenway

Alex Sanchez? Jorge Piedra? I think those pushing Major League Baseball for tougher steroid penalties were looking for some better first culprits than these two. Sanchez looks more like a stick than a He-Man. And most people are just thinking who is Jorge Piedra. But these two are the perfect ones to get caught for baseball in general.

The MLB has had enough of its top players getting bogged down in the steroid scandal. From Barry Bonds, Jason Giambi and Gary Sheffield to Mark McGwire, baseball's elite have taken a big hit. Making examples of two relative unknowns is just what the doctor ordered for PR purposes. The policy gets legitimized. The fans are not hurt by another fallen hero. And since these two players are not big stars, they can continue their careers as if nothing happened. Sanchez made his return Thursday in center field and in the three hole for the Devil Rays and was two for three with three runs scored. Like I said. It's just like it never happened.

I'm not saying that the testing is rigged or that star players are getting exemptions. But until a star is identified as a steroid user by the testing, I don't think these results will be readily accepted by the critics.

In other news, John Rocker is back and in Long Island of all places. Yes, the man whose disparaging comments about New Yorkers got him into a world of trouble and landed him out stardom, is trying to resurrect his career with the Long Island Ducks of the independent Atlantic League. The Ducks were a stop for Carlos Baerga in 2001 and Kevin McGlinchy in 2003 on their way back to the majors. Rocker hopes he can accomplish the same thing. The last time Rocker pitched was 2003 when he pitched one inning for the Devil Rays before succumbing to a torn rotator cuff.

I think it's time to forgive the guy. Everyone says something stupid every once in a while. His just happened to be said to someone who could distribute it to the national media circus. What he said was pretty awful, but the way he was treated after the incident was the tragedy of the whole affair.

Sometimes finishing a column is tough. But sometimes things just happen and the rest of the column writes itself. As I'm writing this on Thursday night, watching the Yankees and Red Sox duel it out on ESPN, I'm seeing the aforementioned Yankee outfielder Gary Sheffield and a fan getting into a scuffle.

I can't decide by looking at the replays if the fan was trying to punch Sheffield or just distract him. Anyway, I don't think Shef's first reaction should have been to push the guy. He needs to get the ball in before thinking of anything else. Then he went back and looked like he was going to punch him. But thankfully he thought better of it. We don't need another fan-player brawl like what happened in November with the Detroit Pistons.

What I find funny as ESPN is showing this replay over and over is that the two women sitting next to the guy who got shoved have completely different reactions to the whole situation. One looks genuinely scared and you can read her lips saying, "Let's go," while the other one has a look of wow can you believe this is happening right next to us. But I think the security guard who jumped in there right after it happened really helped the situation from spreading as it has done in the past. I can see a flashback of the Dodgers incident where a fan pulled off catcher Chad Krueter's cap and a melee broke out. And as if on cue, ESPN just showed that replay right after I finished the sentence.

So after suspensions, speculations, improbable comebacks and near brawls this week, the baseball season is looking a lot like the off-season so far. But as long as there is actual Major League Baseball being played, throw in anything else you want because I'll be watching.

Eric LeBlanc’s closest thing to a baseball brawl was when he was hit by a pitch in Little League. But since the pitcher was one of his friends, he waited until the next day at school to punch him in the arm. He can be brushed off the plate at (985) 758-2795 or by e-mail at EricL@heraldguide.com.