Steroids

Steroids in Baseball

 

 

 

 

In the world of baseball there are many allegations stretching from betting on games to the steroid scandal.  The MLB does not do a good job of managing their franchise.  Commissioner Bud Selig is not doing enough to straighten out his league.  Compared to the NFL, NBA and MLS, Major league baseball is a laughing stock of American Sports.  I understand that those other organizations have their problems (Spy Gate and Tim Donaghy) but the MLB is far more ahead of them in troubles.  Steroid allegations are a key problem with the MLB and will end up killing the majors.  Steroids need to be completely abolished from the Majors.  Are steroids ruining baseball?

          Steroids are ruining the correct brand of baseball that should be played at a high level.  Last season an astronomical amount of homeruns were hit by players that were allegedly taking a performance enhancer.  Last season in the Mitchell Report, eighty six names were listed including thirty one all stars and seven former Most Valuable Players.  This is astounding.  Of those eighty six players, two cooperated with Commissioner Selig.  Both Jason Giambi and Frank Thomas had agreed to speak with Selig.  This is amazing because information from two people isn’t going to go very far.  Some players have came out and admitted their performance enhancer use while others continue to deny allegations that many people know are true.

          The discipline system in Major League Baseball has just met the standards that it should.  During the 2002 season, the suspensions were not going to do anything.  In one case, you weren’t even suspended.  In order of offenses, counseling, fifteen days, twenty five days, fifty days, and one year.  What I get out of this system is you can take steroids until you get caught once so you will only have to go to counseling.  In January of 2005 the system had an overhaul that didn’t change much.  All that this did is move every suspension up one offense and made your fifth offense be the commissioner’s decisions.  This wasn’t going to do anything for people, just a little slap on the wrist.  I really like the system put into place right now for this season.  Your first offense will cost you fifty games, second will be one hundred games, and your third is a lifetime ban.  This is how the system should have been in the first place.

          Steroids being completely taken out of baseball would be nearly impossible, but making the discipline much harsher is a good way to slow it down.  I know there are players that continue or are starting to juice right now and I don’t accept that.  Bud Selig has begun to take steroids out of baseball but will need to do more to do it completely.  Steroids are a big distraction in the league and have partially taken my interest away from the majors.  I don’t like watching a game and I think it is the homerun derby.