What do Mike Cameron and Jordan Schafer have in common? Well, yes, both are outfielders. But both also have been suspended for violating baseball's drug policy.

Cameron is an established big leaguer with 200+ home runs and three Gold Gloves to his credit. He was nailed at the end of last season while with the San Diego Padres for testing positive for a "banned stimulant," which resulted in a 25-game suspension to start 2008.

Cameron returned to the playing field Tuesday in fine fashion, going 3-for-5 for his new team, the Milwaukee Brewers. He also had a few words to say about -- well, we're not quite sure:
That's personal and it was all wrong in the first place. You guys got some bad information -- or bad information was distributed -- and I'm going to leave it at that. I'm so tired of talking about it. Every time I see my name there, it's always "that guy." … It's over and done with.
I can't really parse most of this, but here are some key phrases to consider:
  • it was all wrong in the first place
  • you guys got some bad information
  • I'm so tired of talking about it
  • it's over and done with
Now we turn to Schafer, a top prospect in the Atlanta Braves organization. Schafer will miss this season's first 50 games because of a suspension for the use of human growth hormone. Here's some of what he has to say about his situation:
It's not what it seems. It's different, but I really can't comment. I have to just let people think (what they will) and move on, and people will see by the way I play when I come back it was nothing like that. I'm the same player I've always been. It has nothing to do with any of that.
And the bullet points:
  • it's not what it seems
  • I have to move on
  • it has nothing to do with any of that
First off, that's pretty nice work from the rookie. He says mostly the same things that Cameron does, only without the sense of entitlement that a multi-million dollar contract brings.

Second, what if there's some truth in what these guys are saying? What if "it was all wrong in the first place" or "it's not what it seems" are reasonable representations of reality? I'm not claiming to have inside information here, I'm just engaging in a little thought experiment.

If guys are getting suspended in situations where maybe they shouldn't be, then what? Is this the price we're willing to pay to keep folks comfortable in the belief that somehow the children are being saved from steroids? In other words, is it more acceptable to drag a few players under the proverbial bus in the name of The Cause than to let folks slide like they have for the past however many years?

These aren't easy questions. I don't have the answers. Do you?