ROID RAGE

I am furious at Raul Ibanez! You read that correctly. Now don't get the wrong idea, I have been a fan of Raul Ibanez since he first burst onto the scene with the Royals. Anyone who had him on their fantasy team that year, was certainly a lucky duck. But I am so ticked at Mr. Ibanez, and let me tell you why.

A few weeks ago, the curious case of Raul Ibanez was examined, in-depth, in the blogosphere. Raul Ibanez was off to an absolutely torrid start, which basically led to the inevitable Performance Enhancer question. Why wouldn't it? Although if you read Joe Posnaski's take, you may wanna hold your judgments. But I am not here to throw Raul Ibanez in a lake and see if he can swim. No, no, I am here to help Raul Ibanez redirect his anger.

You see, poor Raul's fast start was somewhat called in to question here by JRod of the Midwest Sports Fan Blog. Now if you really read it, the author of the blog is really giving Mr. Ibanez the benefit of the doubt for the most part. He does not flat out say, "get a urine sample, cause Ibanez is cheating." He says several times that the sample size is too small and he is correct.

Of course Mr. Ibanez issued a statement denying he has ever used any sort of performance enhancing drug or supplement. But he also went to the big old bag of athlete cliches and came out with the, "who cares what this guy thinks? He's just writing a blog from his parents' basement" attack.

It is a classic, for sure, but what Raul and other athletes need to first realize is that people can actually use computers in lots of places. For, example I am typing this from the living room of my own apartment, that I pay for. Also before labelling these bloggers (who are fans) maybe take a look around at the world and culture in which you currently live and work. How many of your fellow athletes have a blog? How about a Twitter account? Blogs are everywhere and the whole "parents' basement" line gets less and less relevant with each passing day.

And think about this. Isn't an athlete judging and stereotyping the blogging community just as a bad as the blogging community jumping to conclusions about athletes using steroids? And if, athletes hold such little stock in what they say, why do the go out of their way to rebuff and attack them? Hmmmm? Hmmm? But I digress. I need to help Mr. Ibanez.

Now, Mr. Ibanez, I can understand your anger, who wouldn't? I mean no one likes to be accused of cheating, right? But here's the thing Raul. (May I call you Raul?) Unless you live under a rock, you had to see these accusations or rumors coming about at some point. I am not here to judge you, Raul (for what it is worth I do not think you took any sort of PEDs) or to speculate reasons for your fast start, but merely to really paint a picture for you.

You see, you are mad at a blogger, not the media, a blogger, for hinting at the fact you may be using PEDs, when he was, for the most part, trying to stick up for you and typing what I'm sure plenty of people were thinking. Raul, you need to redirect your anger. It is not the bloggers or the media who you should be angry with. No,no. It's the likes of Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Jose Canseco, Mark McGwire, Rafael Palmiero, Miguel Tejada, Alex Rodriguez, etc. whom you should really be mad at.

These fellas have ruined everything. No big numbers shall ever be looked at the same way again. At least not anytime in the near future. Yes, Raul, it is frustrating, no doubt, but let's not unfairly take it out on the blogosphere.

Blame it on the little circus sideshow MLB put on in front of Congress.

Blame it on Sammy Sosa forgetting his English at just the right time.

Blame it on Mark McGwire not wanting to talk about the past.

Blame it on Rafael Palmiero emphasizing his lies with a glare and finger point.

These are the ones you should be blaming.

McGwire, Palmiero and Sosa, were all nice, beloved ball players, who let us down. Sure Sosa and McGwire were really large and muscular, but Raffy? Come on! Who suspected that?

But, because of their little Congressional sideshow, baseball players everywhere are now guilty until proven innocent and that's just how it is gonna be, maybe forever. Baseball fans really have no choice, we've been burned too many times already.

I'm sure there are plenty of players out there not using PEDs of any kind, but unfortunately, that won't matter. We thought Rafael Palmiero was a nice upstanding ballplayer and look where that got us! How are we to believe anyone? Hmmm? Hmmm?

Dustin Pedroia says his favorite baseball movie is Major League, but how do we know he is telling the truth? How do we know his favorite baseball movie isn't really The Slugger's Wife with Noonan from Caddyshack? The answer is....we don't.

So, sorry Raul, I can understand your anger and your frustration, but if you continue to put up monstrous numbers, people will talk, rumors will abound, and you have to accept this. And again, I do not believe that you are getting "help", but when it comes right down to it, that doesn't mean squat.

All I ask of you Raul, is you realize where exactly your anger should be directed, and why these accusations surface.

It is not the media's fault, it is not a bloggers fault, it is not the government's fault, and unfortunately it is not even George W. Bush's fault.

I know it downright stinks Raul, but the best you can do is just keep doing what you are doing and ignore the doubters and the shouters.

Oh and maybe pee in a cup.