With spring training well under way and opening day just around the corner, it seems like ages since the 2007 baseball season ended. This winter was particularly arduous for baseball fans, with the traditional offseason practice of tracking free agent signings usurped by the damning Mitchell Report and the dismantling of former Yankees pitcher Roger Clemens by the press and a Congressional committee.
These are trying times for baseball lovers, and as we watch our favorite game come under the scrutiny of the nation the struggle to find some heroes amidst the cheaters, proven and unproven, is a natural reaction. The increasing desperation of the baseball world to find players worthy of being put on a pedestal is, however, yet another detriment to the game.
Take the case of Yankees pitcher Andy Pettitte. There is a trend amongst some fans and the baseball media to portray him as the anti-Clemens. This is not wholly illogical. His background places him in the realm of hard-working sports figures parents long for their Little Leaguers to idolize. Pettitte's deep religious faith, his domination while in Yankee pinstripes and his commitment to the sport give fans plenty to like.
Despite his public revelation that he did indeed use human growth hormone, his claim that he initially lied to protect his ailing father who supplied him with syringes, and his willingness to sit in front of the press and restate his guilt at the start of spring training paint him as a somewhat admirable figure.
Pettitte's apology itself also warrants some accolades. Pro athletes have a generally well-deserved reputation for being masters of the half-hearted apology, and in the wake of the Mitchell Report fans have been forced to listen to plenty of weak efforts.
Nationals catcher Paul Lo Duca, responding to the same accusations Pettitte faced, admitted that he had made a mistake, but refused to specify what the mistake was. Milwaukee pitcher Eric Gagne, at a press conference where it was thought he might perhaps go the same route, didn't even have the stomach for that. Sure, he apologized to his family and friends for having to go through the trauma of a loved one being accused of cheating, but it was not even the cheating he was apologizing for. Rather he, like many accused players, decided to take it upon himself to apologize for the very accusations he should be confronting and the distraction they have caused.
Pettitte, on the other hand, made no attempts to blur the truth with euphemisms and clearly accepted responsibility for his actions. He made no illusions about the fact that he used HGH, and stated simply and sincerely, "I'm sorry for the mistakes I've made" and that "whatever circumstances or repercussions come with it, I'll take."
But while it is easy and comforting for fans to turn Pettitte into a Clemens foil, it is dangerous for the future of baseball.
In the world of sports, his efforts to apologize are head and shoulders above the crowd, but they are lacking in some important aspects. Pettitte has had opportunities to admit wrongdoing before, like last year when the Los Angeles Times reported that former Yankee Jason Grimsley said Pettitte was a user, but he was firm in his denials. While honesty and guilt may have had something to do with his admission, it is almost certain impending legal issues were also a contributing factor.
More disturbing is the wording of his initial apology, when he said that, "if what I did was an error in judgment ... then I apologize."
If what you did wasn't an error in judgment, then you wouldn't be in trouble. Furthermore, although he has more recently seemed to grasp the fact that using HGH is a definite wrong, Pettitte still says that he only used HGH to heal faster, and not to gain an unfair advantage. The logic of this statement is truly baffling: Healing faster than other injured players doesn't give you an advantage? Also, given the drug culture in baseball and the motivating factors for use that Pettitte himself outlined, I personally find it hard to believe that, as forthright as Pettitte has slowly become about his usage, he only used HGH for two days in his entire career.
As painful as it might be for some fans, letting Pettitte off the hook even after his apology would be a huge mistake. There must be an understanding among baseball players that if you break the rules, you will pay, no matter how sincere you are after the fact. As hard as it may be to not let up on Pettitte after all the emotional trauma he has been through, having to not only admit his own wrongdoing, but also to give revealing testimony about his good friend Clemens, fans should continue to regard him as what he is - a cheater.
While the relevant authorities are pursuing the steroid issue by focusing on supply through the prosecution of dealers and giving little attention to the demand amongst players, baseball fans and media are in a position to have some influence over the factors they currently ignore. Refusing to allow players who cheated second chances in baseball or in the world of public opinion is an essential step to take in order to make it clear to baseball as a whole that fans will not stand idly by while the steroid issue remains the focus of half-hearted efforts that have yet to solve the problem. No apology should change this.
Dan Davidson '11 regrets the distractions from sports journalism this column has caused
