This is me with my “Winter Meetings rally cap” on. Okay, so it’s not really a cap, it’s a soft cooler and I’m only wearing it right now in spirit (I’d look pretty funny at my kitchen table, reading the paper in it). In my heart, this is what I’m wearing. While wearing it, I am saying a prayer, doing a ritual dance and chanting in a low hum: “Power Hitter. Starting Pitcher. Power Hitter. Starting Pitcher.” Amen.

Peace,
Love,
AND BASEBALL,
Alyssa

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Updated Dec. 9: Please see "Batboy Announcement" in the comments on this post. You know Batboys, they are always doing stuff, whether it's picking up bats or giving umps baseballs or helping me monitor comments.

Well, it’s a sad day for baseball. The Mitchell Report has forever changed the sport we love and maybe even tainted specific memories we have made while watching. I have such fond memories of Gagne coming out of the bullpen. GAME OVER. The energy. The cheers. The closer that never let us down. I guess it should be no surprise that he was named, considering his performance decline in the last couple of years.
I don’t know what to think. I don’t know what to feel. My head is cloudy. I guess there is good news to be found, if one had to find the silver lining. The good news is that this is finally all out in the open. The good news is that baseball can hopefully move on and implement a stronger, independently conducted, testing system that is supported by the Players Association as well as MLB and that performance enhancing drugs may become a thing of the past.
I also think that there should be another report - we can call it The Milano Report for now, recognizing and celebrating the players of the steroid era that didn’t succumb to the pressure of using illegal performance enhancing substances. The players that excelled, even though they were at a disadvantage while facing their juiced opponents, should be commended for their strength, heart, natural ability and integrity. By the length of the list of players involved and the percentage of those most likely using but not named, maybe it’s the good guys that should have the asterisks by their names and should be singled out.
Please revisit my “Steroid And Botox Era” blog entry for more of my views on this topic.

Peace,
Love,
AND BASEBALL,
Alyssa