Clemens to testify

By Brad Minkow
Feb. 12, 2008

This Wednesday, Roger Clemens will have a tall order in front of him. Not only is he scheduled to testify to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform in regard to his use of performance-enhancing drugs, but he must also bear the weight of an entire sport on his shoulders.

Along with Clemens’ burden to defend his own honor, he is the last support beam holding up Major League Baseball. Whereas superstars of the game like Barry Bonds, Rafael Palmeiro and Gary Sheffield have all but admitted to allegations of steroid-use in the Mitchell Commission Report, Clemens has remained steadfast in his defiance to having ever taken performance-enhancing substances. Every optimistic fan of America’s pastime is hanging on to Clemens, for if he goes down with his colleagues, the sport will crumble alongside him.

Perhaps no sport relies as heavily on statistics as baseball. Batting percentages, earned-run averages and home-run totals are the foundation of a game with a rich history. For that reason, baseball has been able to sustain itself for over a century. Fans need not worry about missing one game, for a simple visit to the Sports Section of any local paper can convey an entire, three-hour story. But what if these tales are built from lies?

For better or worse, baseball is the only major sport where numbers and statistics matter. In the National Football League, the game is ever evolving, with players getting bigger, faster and stronger by the day. What matters most is the competition on the field, explaining why stars like Shawne Merriman of the San Diego Chargers only get slaps on their wrists for failing mandatory drug tests. Numbers may mean even less in basketball, when the best player of all time, Michael Jordan, only ranks third on the all-time scoring list. In the NFL and NBA, stories are told through championships, not the record books.

Baseball is different. It has always been about one baseball and one bat. There have always been four bases, nine positions and fastballs. And along for the ride, from beginning to end, have been statistics. These numbers allow us to compare players from different generations. They allow us to enfranchise players from the Negro Leagues who for so long had been disenfranchised. Most importantly, statistics in baseball speak about character. From Cal Ripken playing in 2,632 consecutive games to Tony Gwynn’s pursuit of batting 0.400 in 1994, heart has always been there.

And sometimes, statistics don’t need to be gigantic. Kirk Gibson was only one-for-one when the injured slugger pinch-hit the game-winning home run in the 1988 World Series. As he limped around the bases, his lone hit demonstrated as much heart and character as more than 500 home runs.

But there will be no more love in the hearts of many if Clemens is found guilty of steroid use, and even worse, perjury to a grand jury. Baseball fans have become accustomed to watching their heroes lie, cheat and scramble to hide evidence. Whereas most stars have denied or ignored claims en route to eventual guilt, Clemens aggressive determination to defend his name is something fresh. He brings newfound hope that maybe character still matters in Major League Baseball. But unfortunately for Roger, if he is proven to be just another piece in this never-ending puzzle, he will lead the descent of our country’s most revered pastime.

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Clemens to testify

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