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WASHINGTON — President Bush, who threw out the first pitch as Major League Baseball returned to Washington on Thursday night, said "the steroid issue has been a cloud over baseball and it will be until fans are convinced the situation has been cured."Bush, during an interview in the Oval Office before the Nationals entertained the Arizona Diamondbacks, added: "That's what baseball has got to understand. And I think they do understand it."
Bush, who was managing general partner of the Texas Rangers from 1988-94, has thrown out the ceremonial first pitch three times in the past, "but this one has a different twist for me — as president in the nation's capital."
Because he's been on the mound previously, he likened this first pitch to his second inaugural address.
"I'll be able to take in a lot more of the moment and absorb it, to really get outside myself and get a sense of the atmosphere," he said.
Jose Canseco, who played for the Rangers from 1992-94, wrote in his tell-all book, Juiced, earlier this year that teammates Ivan Rodriguez, Rafael Palmeiro and Juan Gonzalez used steroids. He also said Bush must have known about the drugs.
"Of course not," said Bush, who added he spent much of his time away from the Rangers in 1994 while running for governor of Texas. "I don't remember any discussion with owners, general managers or managers saying so and so was using steroids. The Canseco allegation about Palmeiro, Rodriguez and Gonzalez was immediately rejected by those guys."
Bush added: "I do know hurling accusations is not good for the game. It's really important for baseball to deal with the subject and it has. During the last two years there has been an honest appraisal. And a public outcry and a lot of exposure. The sport is now beginning to address the issue seriously."
The president, who urged the sports world to attack the steroid issue during his 2004 State of the Union address, said the recent suspensions of more than 30 minor leaguers and two major leaguers as a result of testing positive for banned substances will help.
"They've been called to account," he said. "And hopefully that will be a cleansing of the sport."
What to do about records linked to steroids "is going to be up to the experts — people who follow the game, love the game and work in the game," he said.
Bush became the first chief executive to attend an opener at RFK Stadium since Richard Nixon 36 years ago.
Bush continues tradition of presidential opener
WASHINGTON — With a hasty windup followed by a pitch that sailed above a generous strike zone, President Bush opened the Washington Nationals' inaugural home game Thursday night and ended the city's baseball drought of more than three decades.
Bush emerged from the dugout in a red Nationals jacket to mostly cheers, some boos and lots of camera flashes. Waving to the crowd, he walked straight to the mound and promptly threw a high pitch toward home plate. Nationals catcher Brian Schneider reached up and snatched the ball cleanly, sparking more cheers.
Joe Grzenda, the last pitcher in the Washington Senators' final home game in 1971, provided the ball he had used in that final game.
The president walked back across the diamond to another round of cheers from fans packed into 46,000-seat RFK Stadium. He waved and smiled before disappearing into the dugout.
Bush watched the game from a box behind home plate with baseball commissioner Bud Selig, first lady Laura Bush, daughter Jenna and others. He left the ballpark after watching five innings.
Under a blue sky and mild temperatures, Bush executed the ceremonial first toss with the skill of a guy who knows baseball. He was a part-owner of the Texas Rangers before running for governor of Texas.
According to White House spokesman Scott McClellan, Bush practiced his windup before traveling to Rome last week and most recently on Wednesday. He and Schneider had a private warm-up session at the stadium on Thursday.
Bush's pitch came 95 years to the day that President William Howard Taft did the same at a game between the Senators and Athletics, the beginning of a tradition.
The Senators left for Texas in 1972, but baseball returned to the nation's capital with the home opener against the Arizona Diamondbacks.http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseb...steroids_x.htm
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Originally Posted by BuckFoston
