Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan said yesterday that baseball was finally addressing the use of steroids and performance-enhancing drugs by major leaguers after previously ignoring the problem.
In one of Ryan's first public appearances since being hired as Texas Rangers team president last month, the career strikeout leader said he is confident the sport will find a solution.
“Baseball turned its back on the problem and ignored it,” Ryan said. “Anytime you realize you have a problem, the longer you go without addressing that problem, then when you do decide to address it, the tougher it is to do. I think that's where we are with baseball.”
Ryan, 61, spoke to about 300 fans attending an open house at The Ballpark at Arlington. He took about a dozen questions, including whether he thought baseball could solve the steroids problem itself or if federal intervention was needed.
“It's painful to go through. But I feel like we are headed in the right direction,” Ryan said.
Beckett hurting
Josh Beckett's back pain began when he landed on a soft spot after his first warm-up pitch. He threw five more, then walked off the field before an exhibition game against Florida even started.
“We'll just have to wait and see how it feels tomorrow” was Beckett's only comment three hours after he felt back spasms and called catcher Jason Varitek to the mound following his sixth warm-up pitch.
Around the horn
DODGERS: Third baseman Andy LaRoche tore a ligament in his right thumb trying to catch a pickoff throw. He will have surgery tomorrow and miss eight to 10 weeks, taking him out of a two-man competition at third and making Nomar Garciaparra the probable Opening Day starter.
MARINERS: Ichiro Suzuki is 0-for-14 this spring.
ATHLETICS: Designated hitter Jack Cust was taken for X-rays after being hit in the head by a pitch in an exhibition game.
