Dear MLB
via MLB.com:
One day after admitting that he used and tested positive for cocaine one time last summer, Rangers manager Ron Washington found himself answering questions on Thursday about his use of marijuana and amphetamines during his playing career. The extra attention was Washington's doing. During numerous one-on-one interviews Wednesday, Washington admitted to various news outlets that he did indeed use both drugs on occasion as a player.
"When you're young, you make mistakes," Washington said. "I wish I could take back the mistakes I did, but I can't. You make mistakes.
"But the mistakes you make when I was young have nothing to do with what I'm facing today."
Washington admitted Wednesday that he used cocaine once last summer at some point before the All-Star break. Immediately thereafter, he was told that he was up for a random drug test. At that point, Washington told Major League Baseball, club president Nolan Ryan and general manager Jon Daniels what he had done and that he would likely test positive for cocaine. Washington went public with his apology on Wednesday, and in subsequent interviews admitted to using marijuana and amphetamines during his playing career. Washington signed with the Kansas City Royals out of high school in 1970 and had a 20-year professional playing career with seven different organizations that included all or parts of 10 seasons in the Majors.
What a better way to start out the MLB season than another drug scandal. MLB, for the last 10 years, you've been my least favorite sport. From a ridiculous lack of parity, to a yearly borefest of 162 games that don't matter until August, to an even more boring playoffs, Major League Baseball has been in decline. But the number one knock against you is probably the biggest story and bullshit scheme in all of sports: the performance enhancing and illegal drug scandals of the past 20+ years. This week, Ron Washington, the manager of the Texas Rangers tested positive for cocaine last July, and admitted to using cocaine, marijuana and amphetamines during his career. He is not getting punished at all (or so far) by you, the league, or by his franchise. Nor was his All-Star outfielder, Josh Hamilton who came out as a crack and cocaine addict some years ago. Now, MLB, these are two isolated incidents, but indicative of a much wider problem in your sport.
Look at the professional leagues in the other 3 major sports: NBA, NFL, NHL. All three of these leagues have a no-tolerance policy for drug use, while you guys have coke fiends running around your bases. While the other leagues have no-tolerance and immediate suspension or banning for illegal substances and performance-enhancing drugs, you guys have apologetic press conferences and paid 90-game suspensions. Where you guys have the most tainted history of cheating, deception and lying up to a FEDERAL level, the other leagues are relatively blemish-free. Now, that's not to say that the other professional sports leagues are spick-and-span with no problems, but most of the issues from the NFL, NBA and NHL are issues of character moreso than hardcore drug use. I know I'd much rather have a slightly deranged Ron Artest talking to my child fans than a coked up Ron Washington doing the same...
MLB, you've been called America's Pastime for as long as I can remember. Since when does America's Pastime sniff coke though?? Or better yet, since when does America's Pastime sniff coke and get away with it?? That doesn't happen in any other league. For example, Chris 'The Birdman' Andersen was suspended indefinitely from the NBA for 2 years for his drug use. While he is now clean and is back in the league, it serves to say that the response was appropriate. Illicit drug use is something, that if taken seriously, should be treated seriously. MLB, it doesn't suffice to come out with press releases and put asterisks next to records if the behavior still persists. You guys might as well be the Major League Burnouts with all of the needles, snorting, snuffing and huffing that's been recorded in the last 20 years. Lord knows Darryl Strawberry will never be the same, and neither should the legacy of a league that's riddled with drug addicts...