Baloney Being Baloney

As a former reporter, the part of the Manny Ramirez saga that bothers me most is probably different from the one that bothers you.

I long ago stopped worrying about steroids in baseball. Gaylord Perry cheated his whole career, but I don't recall any0ne ever bemoaning his diminished ethical standard, his abdication of role model responsibility or his unholy tinkering with the record books.

Moreover, we now have a critical mass of Hall of Fame candidates with steroids links: Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa, Alex Rodriguez, Rafael Palmeiro, Roger Clemens, Ivan Rodriguez and now Manny Ramirez. Are we really going to keep them all out? This list includes three of the greatest players of all time.

Contrary to what we've been hearing, Ramirez's suspension is not a black eye for baseball; just the opposite. It shows that baseball drug testing works. In fact, Ramirez didn't test positive for steroids; he got caught trying to hide steroid use. That demonstrates a certain amount of nuance and sophistication in the baseball drug testing.

What bothers me is the disingenuousness and the incredibility of his response. Of course, Manny himself did not respond or in any way face the public for his suspension. His statement was written by his handlers and dispersed to the media without his involvement. Ramirez himself is off to his mansion -- or one of them -- without ever having to answer questions about steroid use. Say what you like about Alex Rodriguez; he at least stood up to the grilling that followed revelations of his steroid use. (The disingenuousness of his answers is also a matter for discussion, but for another time.)

Then there is the utter fatuousness of Manny's claims. It's hard to imagine that Scott Boras and his braintrust of publicists, lawyers and other truth-twisters believed that the statement they released would slow the rush of recrimination. The statement claims that Ramirez was prescribed HCG for an unnamed medical problem. Please.

I'm no chemist, but from what I gather, there is no medical condition for which a world class male athlete would be prescribed HCG. And I'm no psychologist, but I play a human on TV, and were I facing the opprobrium due Manny Ramirez for allegedly committing the cardinal sin of my profession, I would be as specific -- not as vague -- as possible if I had a legitimate defense.

There is something else about his explanation that rankles. It's the newest fauz apology strategy: not taking responsibility by claiming to accept it. The statement asserts that Ramirez must ultimately accept responsibility for his "mistaken" use of this masking agent following a a description of how it was his physician's fault. This is the latest twist on the non-apology apology, in which someone not the least bit contrite regrets that people were hurt. Says mistakes were made. Apologizes to family and friends, but not to the victim. Etc.

I don't really care if Manny Ramirez is using a drug that makes him a better baseball player. I don't really care that Manny Ramirez is full of shit. I am insulted that Manny Ramirez and his entourage cynically expect that I'm stupid enough to believe the steaming pile they have served up for my consumption.

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