...And so it begins. Yet again.
It was announced this week that Jhonny Peralta would begin working out with the Tigers in advance of his potential return on September 27th from the 50-game suspension handed down by Major League Baseball for his role in the Biogenesis scandal earlier this year. Now, given the Tigers' recent struggles, going 3-6 so far this month, Miguel Cabrera's nagging injuries, Jose Iglesias still battling shin splints, and a first baseman who hasn't been hitting like himself this year, the Tigers could benefit greatly from Peralta's comeback.
Dave Dombrowski has already alluded to Peralta being used in the role of super-utility guy (think Don Kelly with an actual bat); he'll be taking grounders at third, short, and second base; and fly balls in the outfield. A sensible move, given the many concerns facing this team's lineup right now. Jose Iglesias has been a revelation defensively at short, and he's put up surprisingly good offensive numbers as well, but there's a definite drop-off in power when compared to Peralta. Cabrera's health is still such that Jim Leyland has said he'd even consider putting Victor Martinez at the hot corner to give Miggy a rest, and Martinez has never played a single inning at third base at any level of professional baseball. If the thought of VMart starting at third base isn't enough to scare you into welcoming Jhonny back to the Tigers with open arms, then I can't help you.
Not to mention, the left field platoon of Andy Dirks, Matt Tuiasosopo, and Don Kelly has been beyond awful this year. Dirks' OPS is down 200 points from last year, Tuiasosopo has had a drop-off in the second half that's been all too reminiscent of Brennan Boesch's rookie season, and there is no reason that Don Kelly should ever start a Major League Baseball game, ever. And at this point, even if you discard the idea of Jhonny starting for the Tigers at any position again, there is absolutely nobody to come off their bench that can hit worth a damn. Given all that, you'd think the addition of a potent offensive weapon like Peralta, assuming he can get back to pre-suspension form, would be a no-brainer. The man's done the crime and served his time, and that should be the end of it.
And in a perfect world, it probably would be.
Unfortunately, all too many baseball fans and lazy sportswriters seem to feel the need to continuously get on their moral high horses and rain down judgement on a seemingly arbitrary scale. As if somehow, a Tigers World Series victory would be 'tainted' if Peralta were allowed to play. As if Peralta playing at an All-Star level before his suspension didn't already do so. As if Melky Cabrera's own All-Star caliber first half last year, and his performance in the All-Star game that gave San Francisco home-field advantage, didn't do the same to the Giants' World Series win. As if damn near every World Series that has been played since about 1990 or so can't be considered 'tainted,' if we apply that same ridiculous standard.
Already, there's been much screaming about the precedent set by the Giants last year with Cabrera, and how they didn't bring back their steroid user for the playoffs, therefore the Tigers should abide by the same standard. Here's the difference though, apart from an actual failed drug test: The Giants didn't need Melky come playoff time. If anything, the Giants went on a tear late in the year after Melky was suspended. Meanwhile, the Tigers haven't exactly been setting the world on fire since Peralta's departure, and they absolutely need his bat, be it on the bench or in Jim Leyland's starting lineup, if they want any shot of winning a World Series this year.
And it's not as though the Tigers would be doing anything that just about every other team in the playoff hunt this year isn't: the Yankees, Pirates, Dodgers, Braves, Orioles, Indians, and Royals all have at least one player that has been busted for PED's at some point in their career, and the Rangers have indicated that they're more than happy to have Nelson Cruz back for this postseason, as well they should be. So why should the Tigers put themselves at a needless competitive disadvantage when none of the teams above have any intention of doing so?
At the end of the day, as has been the case for so many greats of the game over the years, a lot can be washed away and overlooked about a man's character, if he happens to excel at hitting a baseball.
And I've got a feeling that if Jhonny Peralta should happen to come through with some clutch hits this October, history and the Tigers' fanbase will look far more kindly on his transgressions.
I suppose, though, if you're fine with cutting off your bench to spite a "cheater," then you're certainly entitled to your opinion. But come October, when the Tigers are in the unenviable position of depending on Ramon Santiago, who is hitting at about the same level as the singing hot-dog guy at Comerica Park, I doubt you'll be singing the same tune.
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