Last season Jhonny Peralta hit .303 with the Tigers, had a .815 OPS, and was valued at 3.3 wins above replacement player. He was also suspended for 50 games because his involvement in the Biogenesis PED scandal.
Because the 31-year-old shortstop was free agent who fully served his suspension, the St. Louis Cardinals signed Peralta to a four-year $52 million contract. And for that, the Free Press' Shawn Windsor says St. Louis has defiled their once sacred Cardinal Way tradition.
Detroit Free Press: Look, I’m not interested in rehashing what performance-enhancing drugs have done or not done to the game. Frankly, neither are you. But I find it a little rich when an organization known for the self-congratulatory slogan, “the Cardinal Way,” signs a PED violator.
The slogan, if you’re not familiar with it, arose from the organization’s reputation to scout and develop home-grown talent. Over the years, however, it has come to imply much more, giving its adherents a sense of sturdy righteousness, armor in a game gone mad with money.
"I'm not interested in rehashing what performance-enhancing drugs have done or not done to the game" is a little like saying "I'm not a racist, but..." What follows is almost surely a rehashing of the PED scandals' impact to the game. Windsor didn't disappoint.
Everyone except sportwriters, apparently, understands the Cardinal Way, the Penn St. Way, the ______ Way patter is a lot of marketing bluster. Teams, including the Cardinals, field players who can win baseball games--even if they aren't worthy enough to lead an Our Lady Of Augie Busch High Church Of Cardinal Baseball mass.
That's why repeat drunk driver David Freese was a Cardinal for five seasons and why the Cardinals tried to keep Scott Spiezio around have his substance abuse problem was discovered.
Peralta got caught. He served his suspension and is back in baseball. Just like countless players served their suspensions for corking bats, doctoring baseballs, and throwing at hitters.
The Cardinals obviously think Peralta can help their club. Given that fact, there's no good reason they shouldn't have signed him. And certainly no good reason for anyone to be butthurt because Jhonny Peralta continues to earn a living playing baseball.
