The National League Scorecard

With a mixture of boos and cheers, the much-beleaguered first baseman of the Baltimore Orioles, Rafael Palmeiro, is back on the field. Long before his finger-wagging denial of ever using the juice, and subsequent failed steroids test, a debate raged regarding the Hall of Fame credentials of the now-tainted slugger. My stance remains the same post-'roids on Palmeiro — he belongs in the hallowed halls in Cooperstown.

It may be an old sentiment, but too often, the media waits to pounce on the weak like a lion on a gazelle. Palmeiro's numbers, which are solid enough to give him undeniable entrance to the Hall, were brought into question even after eclipsing the 3,000-hit mark. Most voters sat on the fence looking for a career-defining moment to catapult Raffy into baseball's heaven. Though this may not be the moment he would have liked, Palmeiro has gotten it.

If Palmeiro is not voted into the Hall, he has an iron-clad argument behind him to platform for entry. If writers do not vote in Palmeiro, how could they without conviction vote for the likes of Mark McGwire or Sammy Sosa? Though it has never been proven by a urine sample that the big-time sluggers of the '90s used the juice, there actions are more audible than words.

Sosa is not even a shell of his former self.

Since Sosa's bat shattered in a flurry of cork in June of 2003, his batting average, home run totals, and public image have sunk faster than the Lusitania. Sosa has a mere 202 total hits since '03, as opposed to 213 strikeouts. Even if he didn't use steroids, a compelling argument could be made that Sosa's career ended when the life of his corked bat ceased.

Although the aforementioned Sosa and Mark McGwire "saved" baseball in the late-'90s, McGwire's legacy will be forever distorted by the fateful day he spent in front of Congress. Again, though a test has never revealed McGwire cheated, Helen Keller would be able to see that with the massive biceps, depleted numbers, and rabid injuries at the tail-end of his career, McGwire was a cheater.

The bottom line in all of this remains to be if you keep out Palmeiro with more hits and a comparable home run total to both men, keep out baseball's saviors.

Of course, the man vindicated in all of this is Jose Canseco. While he was destroyed by the media, as well as major league players, managers, and front office suits, the fact remains that Jose spoke the truth. Canseco said he thought Palmeiro, he tests positive. He says he injected McGwire, who wilted faster than a trample azalea in front of Congress. He said that Bret Boone told him he was on the juice, where is the flash-in-the-pan second baseman now?

Too many times, the persons vilified by the establishment that is athletes and writers take every opportunity to slander and disregard those who go against the same establishment. Though Canseco will never be a saint, his story should be used as an example for sports fans, players, and media members alike to think, research, and explore before a concrete, damning judgment is passed.

Wild Wild Card

With the usual suspects (Braves, Cardinals) running away with their respective divisions, and the NL West proving to be the worst division in baseball in some time, fans of the senior circuit have to be overjoyed with the five-team pack still vying for a wildcard birth.

Most baseball insiders give the advantage to the Houston Astros to come away with the playoff spot, and with good reason. Anytime your pitching rotation is fronted with Roger Clemens, Roy Oswalt, and Andy Pettitte, your squad could compete with any team in the league. Problem is, they aren't beating the teams they should beat, and it has left the door wide open for the four NL East teams to make it interesting.

Since taking two-of-three from the Diamondbacks to start the month of August, they are just 5-8, with series losses to the Giants, Pirates, and Cubs. In those eight losses, Houston is averaging less than two runs a game. The Astros finish out the month facing the Brewers, Padres, Dodgers, and Reds, all teams they should beat, but can they score enough runs?

They may not have to. The Mets, Nationals, Marlins, and Phillies collide throughout the months of August and September. Among the aforementioned teams, the Mets have the best record against NL East foes at 25-22. The Phils, Nats, and Fish are all sub-.500 against their division rivals. Where the Mets succeed against their rivals, they are downright atrocious on the road, with a record of 23-35. In fact, in the NL East, including Atlanta, only the Nationals have won at least 30 games in opposing ballparks.

All that being said, the most compelling reason to believe the Astros will come out with the wildcard could just be that the four other teams will knock each other out of contention.

NL Worst

Plain and simple, the National League West is downright embarrassing. How one team, most likely the Padres, will be allowed to enter the postseason is a giant black eye for the senior circuit. The biggest benefactor of whichever team will limp into the postseason from the left coast will be the team that finishes with the second-best record in the NL. First-place will draw the wildcard winner, unless the Astros regain the top spot and the Cardinals finish with the best record.

In any event, the "winner" from the NL West will be the lamb going to slaughter at the hands of the Braves or Cards. With such a hotly-contested wildcard race and a division (NL East) in which every team top to bottom would be in first-place in the West, its a shame baseball will have to watch another three-game first-round sweep in the postseason.

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