THE LAST STRAW?

Don't tell me Darryl Strawberry is suffering from some illness. I've
already heard it. Don't tell me it's wrong for baseball to take back
the only thing he has to live for, the game. That's ridiculous. The
only person who can help Darryl Strawbery at this point is himself.

As Strawberry serves his third and, in all probability, final
drug-related suspension, I sit back and wonder what could have been?

This was a guy who was the most feared hitter in the National League
when he starred for the Mets in the 80's. Strawberry, one of those
athletes with the rare combination of speed and power, hit 335
homeruns over a 17-year career, the last nine of which he missed more
than half the games he could have played in.

If he took better care of himself, Strawberry at age 37, easily would
have had his place secured in Cooperstown. Instead, Strawberry turned
himself into a junkie. He took his ability for granted and will now
have the rest of his life to wonder why.

Baseball doesn't need a guy like Strawberry any more than we need
another Scream sequel. It's time for Strawberry, the 1983 NL Rookie of
the Year, to move on for his own sake. How many second chances can we
give this guy?

The more we say Strawberry's addiction is an illness, something he
can't control, the more relapses he seems to have. How about saying
enough is enough?

Granted, the eight-time NL All Star has had some tough breaks, such as
his bout with colon cancer in 1998, but at some point he must be held
accountable for his actions.

Strawberry is a grown man who has to learn to make grown-up decisions.
He's solely to blame for his situation. No one did this to him, he did
this to himself.

Not too many people get as many chances to reinvent themselves like
Strawberry has. Maybe if the outside world turns its back on him, the
Yankee outfielder will wake up and acknowledge reality. He'll have no
choice. The public won't care if he's in the gutter or not once he can
no longer help a team win baseball games.

I hate it when people say drug dependency is an illness, and the abusers
are the victims. Quit making excuses. It takes more guts to say no than it
does to give in to temptation anyway.