Alex Rodriguez and foregiveness

So now, after all this time and all the denials, Alex Rodriguez has “formally” apologized. And not through a statement read by his attorney or PR functionary, but in the form of a hand-written letter. (I wonder what soer of planning went into the decision to present the apology that way, rather than typed out. And don’t you just love the way these celebrities take “full responsibility?” What, are they going to blame someone else for a potion of their misdeeds?)

Forget that it comes so far after his suspension, or that he’s trying to get back into the good graces of the Yankees and the fans. So what should be make of this?

There is no shortage of articles and opinions about this latest development that are readily Google-able, so I’ll leave that to you to find them.

Many fans and members of the media have heard all this before: the routine one-size-fits-all apologies, the promises to do better, etc. It’s not surprising they adopt a ” fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice shame on me” attitude. How can parents try to teach their kids the value of sportsmanship and doing right when confronted by those who try to circumvent the system by using banned substances. (This as Biogenisis owner Tony Bosch was sentenced to four years in prison).

Why are some players easier to “forgive” than others? Look at Andy Pettitte, the Yankee pitcher who admitted to taking human growth hormone. His explanation that he was doing it for the team, in an effort to return from injury quicker, stuck some as almost admirable. But isn’t that the same for all the athletes? Their improved performance helps the team succeed, which in turn makes the player more valuable. This isn’t a totally altruistic system here.

And, to be fair, the teams are not blameless either. For years, former MLB commissioner Bud Selig had been accused of turning a blind eye and deaf ear to what was going on, drug-wise. The benefits of pharmaceuticaly-enhanced performances brought fans back to the ballparks after the devastating strike of 1994-95. What a wonderful time we had rooting for good guys like Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa.

Likewise, the Yankees attempt to try to come off as the wronged party is ludicrous. Like they didn’t know what they were getting when they traded for him in 2004 and re-signed him as a free agent in 2007.

In fact, I’m so cynical, I’m wondering if there isn’t a case of the tail wagging the dog, the the media fanning the flames so the A-Rod wants to remain relevant. ESPN The Magazine makes Rodriguez their cover story for the current issue.

But in retrospect, we feel cheated, that the numbers they put up don’t mean anything. Players with 500 home runs are no longer shoe-ins for the Hall of Fame and many “clean” athletes are tarred with the steroids-era brush.

So do you think this will be Rodriguez’s new walk-up song?