From the mailbag

Reader CB offers some views on my column on Oconee County's proposed restructuring ...

I have followed Oconee county government the past 8 years and have had discussions with various Commissioners during that time concerning a number of issues. It has not been unusual during that time to hear expressions of frustration with the Chair, principally because of lack of inclusion of the 4 Commissioners in decisions of the Chairman which were often brought to the Board for a vote with inadequate background provided to the Board which would aid them in a decision to vote yea or nay. They are often in a position of having to publically challenge the Chair on an issue or just quietly vote for it or vote "no" knowing the Chair has made promises to someone or some group which is then unhappy with the 4 for the vote.

Just telling the Chair to do better won't change anything. There has to be some motivation to change which has not happened. Not only does the Chair control and limit his own communication but he also controls and limits the communication by the department heads. Some have stated they will not talk to the 4 Commissioners without the Chair's OK. That will change once it is clear the Department heads are hired and fired by the full Board, not just the Chair. As far as I know you nor any other media member raised the question of the department heads challenging the proposed ordinance publicly. It is appropriate that they have input but to do so in such a public way, with a list of questions that were handed to the media rather than to the Board members indicates to me that the Chair has enlisted the county employees in his defense. That is just a good indication the county employees have loyalty to one person and not the full Board and all county taxpayers. It is a conflict for them to try to influence a policy decision in that way.

You and other media folks have missed a key issue. That is the impact of the 4 Commissioners on the last budget process. It was a painful experience for them to have to hold the budget in check and not take the easy way out by raiding the rainy day fund. Those department heads who spoke out publicly as well as some of the most outspoken opponents of the ordinance are giving payback for the Board's budget cuts.

I have been highly critical of the Board at times but in this case I support what they are doing. They did a good job holding the budget in check and they have finally taken action to change a process that has them sitting there like a piece of furniture until the Chair tells them to vote. Don't forget, all 5 run for office county wide and we all vote for all 5. I want all 5 to be able to do their jobs effectively and that has not been the case. This change will make it possible for them to do that.

Reader BRM offers 'unconventional' views on PEDs ...

I don’t understand why an issue such as steroids, that is supposedly about parity for the players, is such a huge issue. MLB is clearly not interested in parity, especially with regards to home runs. From home plate to center field, stadiums vary from 389’ to 435’. Seems to me that a 46’ difference in length is going to make a much bigger difference than steroids. Then take into consideration some fields are played on Astroturf, some on grass, some have flag poles on the playing field, some have inclines in center field, some have ivy, some have Green Monsters, some have wider fields, some have shorter left field walls, some have shorter right field walls, some have baseball humidifiers, some have roofs and thus no wind, some are a mile above sea level, some have designated hitters, etc. You begin to realize there is no parity in baseball even now, not taking into consideration differences over time periods.

I think there is a greater naivety with respect to baseball records that needs to be addressed, the idea that a record is not impacted by time without the influence of steroids. When Hank Aaron broke Babe Ruth’s record, he had better bats, better balls, better trainers, better nutritional information, easier travel to road games with air planes, and that does not even go into an analysis of the sizes of the fields. The game is so fundamentally different from Babe Ruth to Hank Aaron that 715 home runs by the 30s is not 715 home runs by the 70s. Forty years from now 762 home runs will not be the same as 762 home runs today. Babe Ruth and Hank Aaron’s accomplishments have to be viewed in different lights because there is no good measuring stick now and there will be no good measuring stick 100 years from now.

If parity is not an issue, then what have steroids actually done for the game of baseball? I make an important distinction between what steroids have done for baseball and what the media and critics of steroids have done for baseball, since steroid witch hunters have had a decidedly negative impact on baseball. Only a few years after baseball was at an all time low when the World Series was cancelled, baseball was back at an all time high with the home run chase of Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa. I didn’t hear Bud Selig complaining about steroids then. Steroids let Barry Bonds extend his career to become the all-time home run king, another ratings hike. With recent revelations about Manny and Big Papi, steroids at least had some kind of impact on the Red Sox rallying from 3-1 to finally break the curse of the Bambino. Steroids let me see Roger Clemens pitch in person.

Imagine if your favorite childhood hero was able to play two or three more seasons with the help of steroids. Would people really turn down the chance to watch them in person one more time, even if it were aided by PEDs. I know I wouldn‘t. If more players used PEDs, there would be more diving catches, longer and more frequent home runs, shorter recovery times from injury for our favorite players, extended careers, and so on. From every objective standpoint, the game of baseball is better with steroids.

But steroids are illegal, right? More accurately, steroids are illegal in the United States. Have the players juice up in the Caribbean. Problem solved.
But what about player’s safety or children who will emulate their favorite players behavior? If MLB were concerned about player’s safety or children’s safety there would be 50 game suspensions for DUIs or using tobacco, both are more dangerous than PEDs.

In the end, if people are really that concerned with steroids, then ban all of the players accused of using PEDs and start a league of players made up of PED users. The fans will choose better baseball, the MLB will be bankrupt in 10 years, and it will all be a moot point.