Where's the Sosa Steroids Book?
A couple of San Francisco Chronicle reporters made a name for themselves and enhanced the investigative credentials of their newspaper by publishing "Game of Shadows," an investigative look at Barry Bonds' alleged steroid use.
Where's the Chicago Tribune investigation of Sammy Sosa? Seems like local journalists let Sosa waltz into Chicago, fake his way to fame and fortune, and then waltz back out again relatively unscathed. This in spite of his Incredible Hulk act, in which he went from skinny mediocre player to huge great player to skinny lousy player with remarkable haste. His baseball fortunes rose and fell with the circumference of his neck. But then, so did the fortunes of his employer.
The question isn't just whether Sosa was juicing, it's whether Cubs officials knew about it. Did Dusty Baker know? Did Don Baylor know? Did Jim Hendry know? Andy McPhail? Ann Marie Lipinski?
Who knows? Maybe. The Tribune's affiliation with the Cubs already violates the ethical standards observed across the profession. It shows that business comes first at the Tribune, journalism second. And when it comes to business, keep in mind that the Cubs' expensive effort to get rid of Sosa cost Tribune shareholders 3 cents per share. What would a steroid scandal have cost them with Sosa still here?
Now it may be true that there's not as much evidence in Sosa's case. There's no BALCO implosion to provide the smoking gun. But we just can't be sure the Tribune has looked into it very vigorously. Think of the awkwardness that might cause at the water cooler on the top floor of the Tribune Tower. That's what's so insidious about this Cubs-Tribune alliance: we can't trust the largest daily newspaper in this town. Nor the largest TV station, largest radio station, local cable channel, regional magazine, tourist magazine, Spanish-language newspaper, red-faced tabloid, et cetera ad nauseum.
Where's the Chicago Tribune investigation of Sammy Sosa? Seems like local journalists let Sosa waltz into Chicago, fake his way to fame and fortune, and then waltz back out again relatively unscathed. This in spite of his Incredible Hulk act, in which he went from skinny mediocre player to huge great player to skinny lousy player with remarkable haste. His baseball fortunes rose and fell with the circumference of his neck. But then, so did the fortunes of his employer.
The question isn't just whether Sosa was juicing, it's whether Cubs officials knew about it. Did Dusty Baker know? Did Don Baylor know? Did Jim Hendry know? Andy McPhail? Ann Marie Lipinski?
Who knows? Maybe. The Tribune's affiliation with the Cubs already violates the ethical standards observed across the profession. It shows that business comes first at the Tribune, journalism second. And when it comes to business, keep in mind that the Cubs' expensive effort to get rid of Sosa cost Tribune shareholders 3 cents per share. What would a steroid scandal have cost them with Sosa still here?
Now it may be true that there's not as much evidence in Sosa's case. There's no BALCO implosion to provide the smoking gun. But we just can't be sure the Tribune has looked into it very vigorously. Think of the awkwardness that might cause at the water cooler on the top floor of the Tribune Tower. That's what's so insidious about this Cubs-Tribune alliance: we can't trust the largest daily newspaper in this town. Nor the largest TV station, largest radio station, local cable channel, regional magazine, tourist magazine, Spanish-language newspaper, red-faced tabloid, et cetera ad nauseum.
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