Mistake From MLB

Melky Cabrera today asked to not win the batting title and Major League Baseball granted the request. The gesture by Melky is a fine one, it's too bad it fails simple math and opens a can of worms that MLB should have never opened.

When Roger Maris hit 61 home runs in 1961, Commissioner Ford Frick put an asterisk on the achievement because he played more games than Babe Ruth when he hit 60. It was a dubious claim at best and one that ended up becoming rescinded. Since then, no matter the scandal, MLB never disputed a record or achievement, at least officially. Until today.

Now that Melky Cabrera won't win the batting title, one could play revisionist history on anyone who broke cardinal sins of baseball (and using PED's basically constitutes this). Barry Bonds could surely lose HR titles, MVP awards and his amount as the all-time HR king. Roger Clemens can lose Cy Young awards. Yes, I know the court of public opinion will likely not recognize some records and Hall of Fame voters have penalized players who've tested positive for PED's, but MLB can't be in the business to legislate its records and awards. It's bad enough when the NCAA does it, we don't need another sports body doing the same.

The funny thing about this; the batting title isn't that important in the first place. Yet, we see Jose Reyes bunt for a single and sit out his last Mets game after the 1st inning to win it and now Melky decides that he doesn't to win something who's only formula of winning is math. Yet, MLB will make a decision about this, yet they won't add more replay when we know that the umpires are going to make a bad call in these playoffs (now if you want to play revisionist history, give Armando Galarraga his perfect game). MLB really needs to get it's priorities in order.