Melky's misdeeds laughable, diabolical

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Johnnie LeMaster got booed because he couldnt hit. Marvin Benard got booed because he got paid. Jack Clark got booed because he occasionally forgot the number of outs. Atlee Hammaker got booed because there were about three of him in any given season, one of which always ended up on the disabled list. In other words, lots of Giants have been booed in San Francisco for lots of reasons over the years, but the one who was never booed even once may end up being the least popular of all.Yes, its another round of Melky, Melky, How Could You? only with the discovery of the fake web site designed to hide his testosterone use making it all the more fraudulent.RELATED: Baggarly -- Melky Cabrera's deception included fake web site
In fact, the web site really is more egregious to fans than the actual PED use, because it shows a consciousness of fraud and embrace of dishonesty that merely using the offending hormone doesnt touch. And while fans love hits and runs and heroics of any kind, seeing all that done with a metaphorical middle finger aimed at all of them does not sit at all well with the customers.In fact, it is stunning to think that Cabreras success will be held against him far more vehemently that the failures of all the others. Not because he broke rules to do it, but because he (or his representatives; the distinction is a narrow one) went to such devious technological lengths to do so.In a land built on high-tech, he committed a high-tech crime to hide a low-tech crime. Stock fraud combined with sweat equityyeah, thatll play in Silicon Valley, The Land That Territorial Rights Forgot.Yeah, this one hurts the true believers more than any of the others. Even Barry Bonds, who was loved in San Francisco far better than anywhere else, wasnt so much deceiving anyone as he was flipping off people in bulk, and people understood the reasons for thator they made up their own. Cabreras feels different, not because it is new, but because it is so, well, calculated. Yeah, the true believers are going to hate him a good long time.On the other hand, those of us who have found the cynics eyepiece a more accurate instrument for the portrayal of the world of play-for-pay will actually find Cabreras sham an invigorating advancement in the art of attempted deception. Fraud meets sham at a party thrown by hoaxits diabolical, and its laughable, all at the same time.Giant fans, though, arent likely to forgive. Theyre still grumbling about all the other ones they mocked over the years, but they arent overtly rude when their targets return for some ceremony or other. LeMaster and Benard and Clark and Hammaker put in their time, and were at least trying their sincere best. Cabrera was, too, but in a way that makes his work even more distasteful to those who cheered him on the most.Not all of you, true. Some see the numbers and say, I dont care if he robbed an orphanage lemonade stand to get them, he got em and thats all I care about. But youre cynics of another bent, the If youre cheating youre trying, and when you cheat, cheat big crowd. Hey, youre an interest group too.But the romantics are outraged, and will stay that way. Theyre funny about their feelings, theyve invested in a lot in my team is the best team and my players are the noblest players, and youre not shifting them off that.Except maybe now. For awhile, anyway. The next Melky Cabrera is out there somewhere, and hell have better strategists.But with the way Giant fans think their luck is running right now, hell probably be a Dodger.Ray Ratto is a columnist for CSNBayArea.com