Relieved of Duty

Once again, Bud Selig and Major League Baseball prove that they have no coherent grasp on how to run a league.

We've already stated our contempt for the man, but Selig has now robbed the World Champions of one of their best relievers for close to a third of the 2009 season, but also taken $1.25 million from a man who not only did nothing wrong, but did everything in his power to do right.

J.C. Romero, the winning pitcher in Games 3 and 5 of the 2008 World Series, was suspended for 50 games following a ruling that he violated Major League Baseball's policy on banned substances. So where did he obtain this nefarious narcotic that puts him on par with alleged criminals like Roger Clemens and Barry Bonds? Well, a Cherry Hill, NJ General Nutrition Center, of course!

That's right, Romero is being suspended for 50 games for the equivalent of a protein shake.

The supplement taken by Romero was called "6-OXO" and listed on its bottle are no ingredients that were on MLB's naughty list. Romero bought this new supplement because his previous product had required him to hoark down eight larger pills every day. Romero decided to save himself the hassle and bought the new product. He didn't even take the supplement, however, without first consulting Phillies' strength coach Doug Lien and his own personal nutritionist, who he had known for years. Add to that a letter sent out to players from the MLB Players' Union that any supplements purchased over-the-counter at a U.S. retailer were trustworthy.

Turns out that something in the supplement resulted in a positive test for Romero and, when he found out, he immediately stopped taking it. So please, tell us again how what J.C. Romero did is in any way comparable to those athletes who knowingly seek out and use illegal performance enhancing drugs?

The bottom line here is that Selig and company are in damage control mode after sweeping steroids under the rug for decades because, ya know, chicks dig the longball. Those in charge were complicit in the Steroid Era hoping that the truth would never come out. Well, of course, it did, and now they have to appear harsh and unforgiving on offenders, even ones who shop at the mall. There's no way to disguise what this is: propaganda in its purest form, a watered-down baseball version of McCarthyism to retcon (that's "retroactive continuity" to you non-comic book folk) the previous ambivalence toward rule-breaking-for-profit and promote this fantastical illusion about the "purity of the game."

If they were worried about the purity of the game, they wouldn't have put advertisements on the bases and allowed the All-Star Game to determine home-field advantage in the World Series.

No. Selig and company simply wanted to save face, so they'll punish an innocent guy for PR purposes. They take a chunk out of the bullpen of the defending World Champions for 50 games. Yeah, that's competitive integrity.

Through it all though, Romero is keeping his integrity. Some might criticize him for speaking out and not simply taking his punishment quietly like Yankees pitcher Sergio Mitre, who was suspended for the same substance as Romero, but his sole purpose was not to whine and complain, but to tell his side of the story and prove that he is not a cheater. He has said he will not appeal the suspension, but he is vocal about his integrity and innocence.

Last September, Romero was offered a 25-game suspension to begin immediately if he did the baseball equivalent of pleading guilty. Besides the obvious implications of not being able to compete in the post-season, Romero declined for other reasons as well, saying, "It wasn't a tough decision to make at all. I knew I wasn't going to accept that. Me accepting a 25-game suspension meant I was guilty of something. I knew in my heart I wasn't guilty."

What does it say about the state of the game when those who "break" the rules have more integrity than those who make them?

For your own "Free JC" t-shirt, to be worn to the first 50 games of the 2009 season (and to every Selig Family function), check out The 700 Level.

Image Credit: Flickr user rickyrhodes.