What's hindering Major League Baseball.

What are the two things that are bringing what was America's past time down, simple money and steroids/performance-enhancing drugs.

As it relates to money, this year alone marked one of the biggest spending sprees for one franchise, the New York Yankees.

For three players, the Yankees spend a combined total of $432 million dollars, to bolster their team, sure their were good pickups, ace pitchers CC Sabathia and AJ Burnett along with first baseman Mark Teixera, but you can't win championships by stacking teams, it may have worked for Steinbrenner in the past when they world championships in 1999 and 2000, but in their most recent appearances in 2001 and 2003, they were defeated by the Arizona DiamondBacks and Florida Marlins.

What will this spending spree bring, with Sabathia and Burnett, the Yankee's rotation is quite possibly the best in Major League Baseball joined by the returning Andy Pettitte, former ace Cheing Ming Wang and reformed closer Joba Chamberlain.

With Teixera, the Yankees have cemented their first base position for the next eight years, no longer will they have to platoon players like the Yankees did last season with Doug Mientkiewicz, Mark Kotsay, Nick Swisher and Jason Giambi. Although I am surprised, Steinbrenner didn't go after Ryan Howard, whose now back with the defending champion Phillies after signing a three year, 54 million dollar deal yesterday.

But with all this money spent, I still don't see the Yankees getting past the Red Sox in the AL East.

Now onto Manny Ramirez, a player with tremendous talent and a lot of baggage, since playing in Boston.

With all the free agents taken this off season, whose to blame, that Manny hasn't signed, Manny or his agent Scott Boras.

Who turns down a one year, 25 million dollar deal?

Now, because of all the issues going on with Manny, the Yankees, the Washington Nationals, the New York Mets, the Texas Rangers, the Anaheim Angels and the San Francisco Giants have lost interest in signing Manny.

As a Giants fan, I wouldn't mind having Manny, especially after losing Barry Bonds, there has been no home run hitting pop in our lineup for the last two years.

Sure the Giants, have made moves in getting shortstop Edgar Renteria and pitcher Randy Johnson, but they need to do a whole lot more, getting Manny would have helped, but I think Ramirez is asking for way too much.

Now onto the dark side of Major League Baseball, the steroid era.

The steroid era, has caused a permanent effect on the Hall of Fame voting, now with Mark McGwire and Jose Canseco currently on the ballot, and barely earning 20 percent of the vote each year. (You have to earn 75 percent or more to be inducted).

Now with Barry Bonds, and this does hurt to write, because I have been a loyal Barry Bonds fan for years and have been ignorant to all the people I knew from my time in active duty telling me he is on steroids, or he is juiced, I never believed it.

But with all the news that has broke, with all the false court testimony, all the rumored failed drug tests, I am so embarrassed to say I even I was a Barry Bonds fan.

Now onto the guy who was meant to be the savior for MLB, and the guy who was to break Barry Bond's home run record, Alex Rodriguez.

Rodriguez's career may have been tarnished, with the recent news that broke of Rodriguez along with 104 major leaguers tested positive for anabolic steroids in 2003, when AROD was with the Texas Rangers.

The same year that AROD won the AL MVP oddly enough for a team that finished in last place. In 2003, AROD hit 47 home runs, winning the AL Home Run title and brought in 118 RBI's.

Oddly enough, who accused AROD before the news broke, Canseco, with his book, "Vindicated", where Canseco accused AROD of taking steroids since 2000. References to Rodriguez were included in Canseco's second book, "Vindicated," after Canseco passed a lie detector test with questions about Rodriquez's alleged steroid use.

The publisher of Canseco's previous steroid accusing book,"Juiced", pulled references to Rodriguez because Canseco had not witnessed Rodriguez using steroids according to Canseco's former lawyer, Rob Saunooke.

What does this mean, AROD may now be in the same boat as McGwire, Canseco, Roger Clemens and Barry Bonds as players who may have never be welcomed into Cooperstown.