MLB points finger back at Rafael Palmeiro

"I have never used steroids, period."
Originally uploaded by wonderbread74.

Score one for Jose Canseco.

Despite famously pointing his finger at Congress and vehemently denying Canseco accusation of steriod use, Major League Baseball suspended Baltimore's Rafael Palmeiro for steroid use.

Canseco told us that Palmeiro was using more than Viagra in his book, Juiced, but many scoffed at Canseco's character and trustworthiness.

After today, you can still villify his book, but note that one of his major points has been proven correct. Should we not re-examine his other accusations towards Sammy Sosa, Mark McGwire and Bret Boone?

What about Palmeiro, now? Is it safe to say that his iffy Hall of Fame credentials have gone out the window? Sure, along with his reputation. While Palmeiro didn't live by the long ball or seem outrageously bulked up like the other fingered sluggers, it's safe to say his steroid use considerably lengthened his career, thereby padding his career numbers.

Steroids not only add muscle quickly but they, more importantly for a baseball player rigorously pushing his body everyday, the function of steroids for Palmeiro has kept him healthy for nearly twenty seasons. It's likely that Hall of Fame voters will punish him for his steroid transgression but discount his consistent numbers over such a long period of time.

Consider Palmeiro the first historical casualty of Baseball's Juiced Era.