http://www.grantland.com/blog/the-triangle/post/_/id/49258/baseballs-ped-problem-wont-seem-to-go-away (of of ESPN.com)
It started with some of the supposed "greats" such as Sammy Sosa , Mark McGwire, Rafael Palmeiro, Manny Ramirez, and the biggest: Barry Bonds. It continues today in supposed "great" players such as Alex Rodriguez, Nelson Cruz, Melky Cabrera, Gio Gonzalez, and David Ortiz. It's the steroid era in the MLB. A time in which players all around the MLB are trying to gain an (unfair) advantage.
This article talks about four players who have received steroids from a clinic in Florida and how they feel about their decisions and defending themselves.
The question that I would like to discuss is this: Should Major League Baseball legalize some steroids so that some players don't have the unfair advantage and put everyone on equal playing ground? The actual number of players doing steroids is unknown. If it's something that "every player is doing," then it's beyond the point where players are gaining an unfair advantage, and to the point where the players who aren't doing roids are getting gypped. If only a select few are doing steroids (which is what I'd like to believe but see as unlikely), then the MLB needs to crack down and start doing some serious mid-season drug testing. The second seems like it would be more effective because even if the MLB legalizes some steroids, then some players will seek out stronger ones and the cycle will never stop. But if Major League Baseball ends up suspending a bunch of players (especially today's stars) then ratings will continue to fall for an already dying sport. Even though it's a no-win situation, I'd like to see the latter as baseball has always been one of my favorite sports and it's a shame to see players who won't just play for the love of the game.
I completely agree with you. The MLB should really crack down on its players and do some serious reevaluation of its drug testing. I also believe that the number of players using steroids is much larger than anyone thinks and that they are gaining an unfair advantage against those who are being true and honest about their careers. Also, if the MLB would give out larger punishments for players who use steroids, the numbers might possibly go down. However, I disagree with you that players who take steroids are not in it for the love of the game in your last sentence. Many of them take the steroids to stay in the game that they love and keep close to their heart.
ReplyDeleteNo steroids, eh? Tell that to the guy in your profile picture.
DeleteThat's just not true... Alex Rodriguez took roids in 02-03 I believe (the prime of his career)... Gio Gonzalez, Melky Cabrera, and Nelson Cruz are all very young players. I'm not sure the timetable that McGwire, Bonds, Ortiz, Ramirez, Sosa, or Palmeiro took them, but Manny died off at the end of his career so it's likely that he took them during his prime. I'd say that it's fair to speculate that Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa, and Barry Bonds took steroids during their 70+ homerun seasons (all occurring in these players' primes). So based on these facts, it's completely wrong that these players take steroids to stay in the game and would be more accurate to say that they started taking steroids during their earlier years and it continued throughout their career.
DeleteAnd any player who takes steroids has no real love or respect for the game, only a love and respect for money and fame.
The other large percentage of steroids comes during recovery from an injury, but that's a whole 'nother topic.
Why not just juice everybody up with steroids and see a game played between elites? Sure if I were a baseball fan no steroids would sound nice, it's just not going happen in this day in age in any sport.
ReplyDeleteBecause: a) You are then playing a game in which the outcome is decided by who goes on the biggest roid rage at the right moment, b) Good pitching beats good hitting. It doesn't make the game that much more entertaining if the pitchers are on steroids too because it will continue to keep the games low scoring and the only scores will come when somebody gets lucky enough to make solid contact and blasts it 400 ft, c) It disrespects the game, and completely tarnishes (what used to be known as) America's Pastime.
DeleteNo offense Jack, but people like you are part of the reason baseball is a dying sport. People can't just sit around and relax and watch a baseball game like they used to... Everything is go go go and the sports we watch reflect this society: If it's not violent and action-packed, then it's boring and not worth watching.
Did you only read my first sentence, Alex? It'd be great if there were to steroids in baseball. It's just not feasible in this day in age. That being said prior to the use of steroids there were the best baseball players to ever live (Hank Aaron, Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, etc.). The steroid greats of recent times (A-Rod, Barry Bonds, Sammy Sosa) are only on par with the greats of the early 20th Century. Why is it that the Willy Mayeses of the world could hit further in the '20s than a slugger such as Ortiz with modern technology and advanced strength training should have the advantage. I mean Mayes hit 660 HRs in 22 seasons which is an average of 30 per season; meanwhile Ortiz is averaging a smidgen over 25 HRs a year in 16 years. In 2001, one of the years A-Rod admitted to using PED-s he hit 52HRs and had 200 hits which hadn't been done since 1932, it's almost as though the players of today (minus Pujols) can't be as good as the record breakers of old unless PEDs are used. So why not use PEDs for everyone? It'd certainly make the game more interesting. Believe me when I say I think great pitching is a great skill but 1-0 games are boring. I will say however that I have this same problem with soccer, the defenders and goalies of the top tier teams are spectacular, the lack of scoring and large amounts of passing with no immediate purpose make it hard to watch sometimes; does this mean that players aren't skilled enough to score? No but a back and forth game holds interest; in football and basketball many games go back and forth and there is action. Frankly I'm just not interested in seeing a great pitcher take 10 minutes to strike out three batters every inning, especially when baseball is the only sport of for five months.
DeleteOk, well steroids can be cut down if the MLB cracks down on drug testing. Players that lack the necessary resources to get these steroids wouldn't have access to them. And Jack, there are two reasons that today's "greats" can't match the older "greats." a) I guarantee that there were no pitchers in the 20's throwing 90 mph fastballs then coming with a 70 mph changeup, then a 2 foot dropping curveball. Baseball is gradually becoming more and more a pitcher's league. b) Baseball parks are a lot larger today then they used to be and this is pretty obvious to any baseball fan.
DeleteIt may make the game more interesting for some people like you, but some traditionalists like myself want to keep the game the way it was meant to be played: Steroid free.
Also, it's a little bit ignorant to just use the homerun statistic when trying to compare hitting.
DeleteI agree with you. Players that are taking steroids are completely ruining the game and it is very disappointing. The other disappointing thing is how much they lie about it. They are flat out cheaters and everything they have done throughout their careers could be jeopardized. I would love to see the MLB start cracking down on the players, but I don't see that happening in the near future.
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree with you Alex. I do believe that if the MLB does some serious mid season steroid tests and ends up suspending a few stars they will realize that they aren't going to make as much money and it is quite a stretch, but they might realize that doing steroids is not going to help them.
ReplyDelete