MLB Notes: The Rich Get Richer, the Complicity of Major League Baseball and the Question of Race

Roger Clemens is a Yankee, what a surprise. The bottomless pockets of George Steinbrenner will pay Mr. Clemens a daunting prorated salary of $28 million ($4.5 million a month) which comes out to roughly about $1 million per start. Let me first state my bias - I am a Red Sox fan and despise Clemens for a whole host of reasons. I understand the corporate turn the Red Sox have taken, but they and no other team comes close to the payroll Steinbrenner pays every year.

Here is my real point. This morning on Outside the Lines Bob Lee asked the question regarding race and Bonds' Home Run chase. The questions were skewed to show a division among the races (Latinos not included as usual). Evidently, Black Americans seem to think the scrutiny is more about race than steroids. I questioned this reality...until today. I think it is about both and here is why.

Bonds undobtedly used steroids and that is clearly undisputed to me...but it was undisputed at the time McGwire was using "some substance" while he chased Maris and no one cared then either. But, does Major League Baseball care about Clemens? Here is a guy turning 45 in August whose assault on the record books with 348 wins and 4,600 strikeouts is occurring at the same time Bonds chases Aaron. He was implicated in Canseco's book (he has been right about everything so far) and was mentioned in an affidavit by Jason Grimsley last year that he used steroids and HGH of which he never denied using. Only Pettitte completely denied the allegations.

So, where are the questions? Where is the scrutiny? Is he the golden boy? He, throughout his career has been just as surly as Bonds, equally as selfish and his career immediately after leaving the Sox skyrocketted winning four more Cy Youngs and putting up his best numbers in years especially the last two years. Just as 43 year old sluggers do not continue to improve and put on 60 lbs. of muscle, 44 year old pitchers do not continue to assault the record books without a little help. Is it about race? The question is a little more complicated this afternoon for me.

Update: Josh Hamilton is hitting .306 8 HR 17 RBI and slugging .650. Ridiculous. He is the story of the year. He has rookie of the year wrapped up if he continues. And Griffey, Jr. who to me is the loser in all the steroid hype has 567 HR and is batting .317. I will celebrate when he hits #600.