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Friday, January 09, 2009

Murray Chass on Baseball: Romero Joins a Unique Group

What does that have to do with Romero? Well, he cheated (even though he denies or maintains he didn’t know that he was cheating) and he got away with it to the extent that he was able delay his 50-game suspension and pitch in the World Series.

My feelings on the subject were aroused by an e-mail from a reader, a municipal bond lawyer and former Tampa Bay season ticket holder now living in Denver. He said I could use his name, but his firm may become involved with Major League Baseball and I wouldn’t want to affect that potential arrangement.

Romero, the lawyer wrote, was “busted twice with Andro in his body,” yet is allowed to pitch in the post-season and star for the Phillies. Calling Romero an illegal player, he said, “I think world series star suspended for being a drug cheat (yet allowed to play when it mattered) is a pr disaster for baseball that they have tried to spin on the rest of us.”

The lawyer was especially concerned with the reaction of his 9-year-old son with whom he watches games on television.

“Now I don’t know what to tell my son Jimmy,” he wrote. “Is it right to say the Phillies cheated? I think it is. They had a player that (no matter the circumstances) benefited from the andro-like testosterone in his system (as late as Sept. 19th - Met fans may have a beef here too). MLB had the multiple evidence on him BEFORE the World Series and still didn’t whack him. He was a critical player in the Series. I don’t think you can say the Series was played on a level playing field given those facts. Do you?”

Jimmy’s gonna get you, Romero! Jimmy holds grudges!

Repoz Posted: January 09, 2009 at 06:28 AM | 24 comment(s) Login to Bookmark
  Tags: mets, phillies

Reader Comments and Retorts

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Statements posted here are those of our readers and do not represent the BaseballThinkFactory. Names are provided by the poster and are not verified. We ask that posters follow our submission policy. Please report any inappropriate comments.

   1. catomi01 Posted: January 09, 2009 at 06:48 AM (#3047272)
Sure...tell Jimmy that...as soon as you prove to me that A) no one on the Rays 25 Man Roster from April 1 to August 31st or during the Playoffs "cheated" B)no one on Rays 40 Man Roster after Sept. 1 cheated...and that C) The andro-like testosterone in Romero's body actually made him a better player. Until then, sit back, watch the game and enjoy the fact that your hometown team is actually relevant for the first time in their existance. Tell your son they tried their hardest, but this time, the other guys won....buy the kid a BJ Upton or Scott Kazmir Jersey, and enjoy what could be very good 4-6 year run for a team that has had very little to celebrate the last decade.
   2. X-Roid User Posted: January 09, 2009 at 06:58 AM (#3047278)
Yeah, that andro is some frighteningly powerful stuff.</eyerolling>
   3. Athletic Supporter leads the nation in drifters Posted: January 09, 2009 at 07:28 AM (#3047280)
What is a "unique group"?
   4. Gambling Rent Czar Posted: January 09, 2009 at 07:36 AM (#3047283)
snark all you want, but Murray Chass is spot on here.
   5. akrasian Posted: January 09, 2009 at 07:41 AM (#3047284)
<Dodger Fan>Obviously, the fair thing to do is to have the Dodgers and Rays meet for the real 2008 championship, since the Dodgers were apparently cheated out of the NL title by Romero</Dodger Fan>
   6. Forsch 10 From Navarone (Dayn) Posted: January 09, 2009 at 07:56 AM (#3047286)
They had a player that (no matter the circumstances) benefited from the andro-like testosterone in his system

Actually, he has no idea whether Romero benefited.
   7. Crashburn Alley Posted: January 09, 2009 at 08:11 AM (#3047289)
Romero was tested before the playoffs and came up clean.

So, stick that in your pipe and smoke it. And then get suspended for smoking it.
   8. CFiJ Posted: January 09, 2009 at 01:27 PM (#3047315)
What is a "unique group"?


A group like no other...group.
   9. jacksone (AKA It's OK...) Posted: January 09, 2009 at 02:16 PM (#3047329)
Romero was tested before the playoffs and came up clean.


God damnit Crashburn, what the hell did we tell you about letting facts get in the way!? THINK OF THE CHILDREN!
   10. Shooty: Applying to be Fearless Leader Posted: January 09, 2009 at 02:20 PM (#3047331)
My feelings on the subject were aroused by an e-mail from a reader, a municipal bond lawyer and former Tampa Bay season ticket holder now living in Denver.

Ooooooh. A muni bond lawyer! I am all ####### ears.
   11. Rusty Priske Posted: January 09, 2009 at 02:26 PM (#3047335)
Wait a minute... I thought it was established that Romero ingested something that wasn't on the banned list and was getting punished unfairly.

Has something changed?
   12. Bad Doctor Posted: January 09, 2009 at 04:34 PM (#3047432)
Calling Romero an illegal player, he said, “I think world series star suspended for being a drug cheat (yet allowed to play when it mattered) is a pr disaster for baseball that they have tried to spin on the rest of us.”

Yes ... and "Guy who had 225 yards from scrimmage in AFC championship game and Super Bowl suspeneded for being a drug cheat (yet allowed to play when in mattered)" is ... mentioned in 6-point font under the classified ads.
   13. I Am Not a Number Posted: January 09, 2009 at 04:44 PM (#3047445)
What is a "unique group"?

Maybe he meant eunuch group.
   14. jacksone (AKA It's OK...) Posted: January 09, 2009 at 06:31 PM (#3047602)
Yes ... and "Guy who had 225 yards from scrimmage in AFC championship game and Super Bowl suspeneded for being a drug cheat (yet allowed to play when in mattered)" is ... mentioned in 6-point font under the classified ads.


Rhodes was suspended because he was caught drinking and driving http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2925395. Was he suspended a different time?
   15. Bad Doctor Posted: January 09, 2009 at 06:50 PM (#3047630)
Rhodes was suspended because he was caught drinking and driving http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2925395. Was he suspended a different time?

My apologies ... I'd always heard "violation of substance abuse policy" and I swore there was some PED discussion in reports when the suspension came down. I never heard anything about drinking and driving.

Damn, that always struck me as such a good argument about the unfairness of fan/media reaction to PEDs in baseball vs. football ... I just wish it were true!
   16. gef the talking mongoose Posted: January 09, 2009 at 06:55 PM (#3047640)
I am all ####### ears.


A symptom, no doubt, of your unregenerate andro use.
   17. Cris E Posted: January 09, 2009 at 07:17 PM (#3047673)
My apologies ... I'd always heard "violation of substance abuse policy" and I swore there was some PED discussion in reports when the suspension came down.

Well you see the NFL has a certain level of substance abuse, just as any group does. That's why they have to have a policy. But they have no PED use, just the best athletes in the world. They're so good they don't need PEDs. PEDs are for lesser folk trying to be like NFL players. EDIT: Or, of course, drunk drivers.
   18. phredbird Posted: January 09, 2009 at 07:58 PM (#3047755)
neyer's take on this is pretty good.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/blog/index?name=neyer_rob
   19. base ball chick Posted: January 09, 2009 at 08:12 PM (#3047778)
baseball player who takes money to LOSE a game = baseball player who takes a not banned powder bought in a national chain store which is contaminated with a banned chemical which has not proved to do anything whatsoever except excite baseball writers

jeezus gawd

if chass really thinks that someone who tested trace positive for andro months before the WS but not DIRECTLY before/during the WS is the EXACT same as throwing the WS to gamblers for money he seriously got mental problems
   20. The Bones McCoy of THT Posted: January 09, 2009 at 08:26 PM (#3047794)
A symptom, no doubt, of your unregenerate andro use.


Well played...RDF.

Best Regards

John
   21. Moneyball can't buy you love (Joey B.) Posted: January 09, 2009 at 08:31 PM (#3047804)
Wait a minute... I thought it was established that Romero ingested something that wasn't on the banned list and was getting punished unfairly.

That of course is an opinion, and an argument that the arbitrator heard and obviously rejected.

In case it isn't crystal clear at this point, let me spell it out: the policy is that the player is ultimately responsible for what goes into his body.
   22. cercopithecus aethiops Posted: January 09, 2009 at 08:45 PM (#3047820)
That of course is an opinion...

Actually, I'm pretty sure that was sarcasm.
   23. base ball chick Posted: January 09, 2009 at 09:39 PM (#3047893)
joey

yeh a player is responsible for what goes into his body

but if a guy buys a bottle from GNC that is marked "Vitamin C" and theres no other ingrediewnts marked on it, it is hardly reasonable to accuse him of "cheating" if that bottle is contaminated with steroids (don't laugh - bottles of plain vitamins actually HAVE ben found to be contaminated)

it doesn't mean he can't be punished under baseball laws, but he did NOT "cheat" - unlike, say, miguel tejada

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