It's a Shame About Ryan
Yesterday Ryan Howard hit his 57th homerun of the year. It actually would have been his 58th if an umpire had correctly ruled on Saturday that a fan interfered with a ball hit by Howard before it fell into the field of play.
Now you might say, “Pocho, what’s the big deal?” The major league record for homeruns in a season is 73 and there’s no way that Howard is going to hit 17 more in the next two weeks to break that record. And you would be 100% correct. There is absolutely no chance that Howard will hit 74 this season.
So why do I care? I care because if Howard hits five more homeruns between now and October 1st, he will be the first batter to hit 62 homeruns since Major League Baseball began testing for steroids.
Should Howard succeed, he will actually be the fourth player in MLB history to surpass Roger Maris’ previous record of 61, a record that lasted for 37 years. Barry Bonds hit 73 in 2001. Mark McGwire hit 70 in 1998 and 65 in 1999 and Sammy Sosa hit 66 in 1998, 63 in 1999, and 64 in 2001. But the accomplishments of all three of them have been shrouded by the cloud of the steroid controversy.
I still remember the race between McGwire and Sosa in 1998. Like a lot of other sports fans, I had been put off by baseball’s labor troubles and was pulled back into the game by the race. I usually have a pretty bad memory, but I can still recall being on the phone talking to my college roommate as McGwire’s homerun blast barely cleared the fence. It was a great moment. I was witnessing history in the making. Something I might never see again. Or so I thought. Who knew then that it would happen five more times in the span of three years.
After the steroid controversy blew open, Congress held its hearings, and I saw McGwire choking back tears, those fond memories were flushed down the toilet. I actually felt betrayed. Since then I’ve mostly stayed away from the game. I barely remember the last time I saw a game at Dodger Stadium.
So that’s why it matters to me. I want to see someone without the taint of steroid scandal hit 62 and put an asterisk on Bonds, McGwire, and Sosa. Unfortunately, even if Howard does it, I doubt I’ll be watching and I know I won’t feel the way I did back in 1998. Despite any evidence, there will be a part of my brain that can’t help but think "I bet Howard just hasn’t gotten caught yet." And that’s the shame about baseball in the post-steroid era.
Now you might say, “Pocho, what’s the big deal?” The major league record for homeruns in a season is 73 and there’s no way that Howard is going to hit 17 more in the next two weeks to break that record. And you would be 100% correct. There is absolutely no chance that Howard will hit 74 this season.
So why do I care? I care because if Howard hits five more homeruns between now and October 1st, he will be the first batter to hit 62 homeruns since Major League Baseball began testing for steroids.
Should Howard succeed, he will actually be the fourth player in MLB history to surpass Roger Maris’ previous record of 61, a record that lasted for 37 years. Barry Bonds hit 73 in 2001. Mark McGwire hit 70 in 1998 and 65 in 1999 and Sammy Sosa hit 66 in 1998, 63 in 1999, and 64 in 2001. But the accomplishments of all three of them have been shrouded by the cloud of the steroid controversy.
I still remember the race between McGwire and Sosa in 1998. Like a lot of other sports fans, I had been put off by baseball’s labor troubles and was pulled back into the game by the race. I usually have a pretty bad memory, but I can still recall being on the phone talking to my college roommate as McGwire’s homerun blast barely cleared the fence. It was a great moment. I was witnessing history in the making. Something I might never see again. Or so I thought. Who knew then that it would happen five more times in the span of three years.
After the steroid controversy blew open, Congress held its hearings, and I saw McGwire choking back tears, those fond memories were flushed down the toilet. I actually felt betrayed. Since then I’ve mostly stayed away from the game. I barely remember the last time I saw a game at Dodger Stadium.
So that’s why it matters to me. I want to see someone without the taint of steroid scandal hit 62 and put an asterisk on Bonds, McGwire, and Sosa. Unfortunately, even if Howard does it, I doubt I’ll be watching and I know I won’t feel the way I did back in 1998. Despite any evidence, there will be a part of my brain that can’t help but think "I bet Howard just hasn’t gotten caught yet." And that’s the shame about baseball in the post-steroid era.
posted by The Pocho at 12:20 PM
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