Gimmie Back My Pennant!

With today's news that a Miami anti-aging clinic has linked several MLB players with using HGH or other performance enhancing drugs, I find myself asking:

Can we have a re-do of the 2011 American League Championship Series?

Okay, I don't really want a re-do, but since Nelson Cruz is among those on the list of players newly accused, it stands to reason that he might have been a little sauced during the Rangers 4-2 series win vs the Detroit Tigers.

I have zero proof of this, of course, and the article linked above merely mentions his involvement in performance enhancing in 2012. But it's fun to speculate: During the 6 games vs Detroit, he hit a robust .364, hit 6 HRs and drove in 13. His OPS was an incredible 1.713. Tigers fans will recall that this offensive demonstration was rather offensive. He was a key cog (along with anyone who pitched to him) in the Rangers success in the ALCS.

(If you ignore the rest of his postseason offensive numbers, he was really killer in 2011!)

Naturally, if the rumors are true, who know how far the (alleged PED) goes for Cruz, or anyone for that matter.

Though to be sure, if Cruz doesn't have that performance vs the Tigers, we wouldn't have been treated to this wonderful display of defense:

 

Almost!

In all seriousness, we should stop pretending that we'll ever get past the steroid era, because it seems that players will always look for that way to get an edge. Players are still doing it because they want the prestige that comes with their big offensive numbers, and of course - they want to get paid. Back to Cruz for the money: in 2010 he was drawing a $440K salary. In 2011, it bumped up to $3.65MM, based on his solid numbers for the '10 season, batting .318, with 22 HRs and 78 RBIs in 108 games. Cruz saw a drop-off in batting average the following season, but saw his power numbers stay relatively level while still earning him a raise that saw him get paid $5MM last season.

Again, nothing has been proven - yet, that is - but this nonsense of players trying to dodge the system will continue to be irritating for those who love the game. I know that the numbers posted by those who have used PEDs won't get erased, much like I know I can't talk MLB into giving the Tigers another shot at the 2011 Pennant. But where does it end? Will the players ever respect the game, or will they continue to try and juice it up?

In reality, I have as much faith in the players to stop trying to cheat as I have for Bud Selig to come forward and apologize for this mess. After all, he let it happen for so many years, and it'll take 2 or 3 times as long to clean it up. If that ever happens.