Very little can surprise me these days, so the news Phillies' reliever Antonio Bastardo received a 50 game suspension for his involvement in the Biogenesis case produced a yawn.
The alleged brain trust of MLB is determined to clean up the game. Good luck, fellas. This latest round of suspensions came about largely if not only because a disgruntled employee or investor (I cannot remember which and I am too lazy to look it up) blew the whistle in the first place. Being jilted, wronged or insulted remain powerful incentives for revenge.
One thing is certain in big-time sport: athletes are going to continue to cheat as long as they develop a walk-on-water syndrome from an early age and as long as huge riches are in the offing. From an early age the ones who show talent are pampered and showered with gifts, both hard and soft. They are told they are special, that they are subject to a different set of rules and standards. They are never told they could be caught; indeed, even if they were warned most of them wouldn't believe it.
Inevitably, some great rich talents are caught in the net like the mighty Lance Armstrong or Alex Rodriguez; and, as we learned again today, so are some poor schmucks like Antonio Bastardo.
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