WHY NO MENTION OF DRUG USE HAUNTING INDIANS BY BASEBALL MEDIA?

AP photo 10/22/07 from NY Daily News*** Why the discriminatory treatment of the Indians? They want to be like the big guys, and here's their chance.

• If they're the Yankees--even though no one on the present Yankees has been accused of taking steroids (the last time any player on the Yankees was mentioned in that regard was 6-7 years ago, Clemens accused in 2001)--the baseball media ran headlines this week about Jeter and team "steroids" questions.

So why not give the Indians--who had a post season pitcher who refused to deny taking HGH up to and including his 2007 post season appearance--the same courtesy as you do the Yankees? That is, run headlines implying "steroids" talk might be a problem.

• Instead, you have an entire article talking about how 2007 ended for the Indians without a single reference to being swamped by media the night of the deciding game vs the Red Sox in the ALCS, with their pitcher Paul Byrd literally backed against the wall, forced to answer questions about his drug use. (Having been outed by ESPN employees that day in the SF Chronicle--a few days earlier and the revelation might've helped...the Yankees).

Baseball media won't give he poor Indians equal treatment. It's unfair.

• (MLB.com): "Once they arrive, the Indians will find reporters and fans simultaneously patting them on the back for their and American League Division Series win over the Yankees and asking them what went wrong when they blew a 3-1 lead in the AL Championship Series against the Red Sox....

Indeed, letting the season play out through its natural wax and wane was, perhaps, the club's greatest strength in '07".... (Really? Fascinating). sm

• (MLB.com): "The Tribe's division rivals, the White Sox and Tigers, have both learned in recent years the toll October can take on pitchers' arms. The Indians, who aren't expected to take any special precautions with Sabathia and Carmona this spring, hope to avoid such a trend.

"You're talking about two big, strong guys," general manager Mark Shapiro said of Sabathia and Carmona. "But obviously, you worry about the unknown. They're conditioned well, both mentally and physically, but you never know."

• Nor can the Indians know for sure if last year was their one shining moment or the beginning of something special." (See Paul Byrd backed against wall..AP photo.) sm

From MLB.com article by Anthony Castrovince, "Indians Must be Mentally Strong in 2008," 2/5/08

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