Hey guys, guess what? Some players in Major League Baseball used steroids. Did you know this? Yeah, some of the best players in the game like Roger Clemens, Barry Bonds and Alex Rodriguez have used steroids in the past. No seriously it’s true. Surprised? Really? Hmmm
Enough already, I’m tired of a week of sports news because one of the best players in baseball has used steroids. It’s not news anymore, it is something we should come to expect. At this point in time just about any player in the league could come to the mike and say, “I used steroids and performance enhancing drugs,” and I wouldn’t be surprised.
What we have to remember is that steroids don’t necessarily just make you a big hulking muscular mess, they help with rehabbing injuries and better conditioning. You can be the largest man alive and still not be able to hit a baseball. And that is what some people are saying, the impressive thing isn’t that Barry Bonds hit 73 Home runs, the impressive thing is that he walked 177 times. In 2004 Barry Bonds walked 232 times and was on base over 60% of the time. That is amazing, and guess what Steroids don’t improve your eye site.
No Joe Schmo from Anytown USA can take a few shots in the ass and all of a sudden point 70+ homeruns. It just isn’t possible.
Now I’m not condoning steroids, but there are a few things we have to clear up here.
1. Steroids were not illegal in Major League Baseball until 2001. However the policies were not strict then. Just a 15 game ban. Basically a slap on the wrist.
2. Prior to that date, steroids were not banned by MLB, however they were illegal in the United States. Anyone found to be using drugs could be suspended a game or two for conduct unbecoming, but really look at the 80’s Mets. So many of them were pot heads, not a single one lost time.
3. Something that isn’t known to exist, cannot be illegal. Obviously if MLB cannot test for a substance and if somehow that substance is FDA approved, it can’t be illegal in the League.
4. In 2003 Major League baseball conducted a test of around 1,400 players to see how rampant steroid and illegal substance use was. Out of that number, 104 tested positive for some substance. These results were to be destroyed by the union and only known by the Justice Department. Why they weren’t destroyed? I don’t know. Why were names even ON the tests I don’t know. Doesn’t make sense.
5. Apparently, when 5-7% of the league is using a banned substance, MLB deemed that it should institute better testing and longer penalties.
So basically any player who used Steroids Prior to 2001 should not be punished, there were no penalties prior to that date, and I don’t believe there is any standard for grand fathering them in.
For the 104 players(including Alex Rodriguez) that tested positive in the 2003 survey, those results were supposed to be confidential, again why even have names on the bottles, so those players should not be punishable.
What it comes down to is from the early 1990s with the bash brothers in Oakland until 2005 should be viewed as the steroid era. The records that happened in that era should stand. Each era has it’s own skewer of records. No way is any pitcher in this day in age winning 474 games in their career ala Cy Young. Those kind of numbers don’t happen unless you are using a dead ball.
But when a sample of 1,400 players yields a 5-7% range of players using banned substances, we have to assume that a greater number were ACTUALLY using. Simply because there were substances back then that still couldn’t be tested for. Even today MLB does not test for HGH.
When a generous portion of the league is using steroids, it is very difficult to ignore records. The pitchers that threw those walks to Barry were probably on something too, look at Roger Clemens and Andy Pettite.
Will steroids ruin baseball? No, I don’t think they will. Should we punish the players that test positive now, by all means yes. Should players that admit to testing positive or who are revealed to test positive in the survey of 2003 be lambasted and strung up? No.
Who do we have to blame? The players? The Owners? Society? the Drug Companies?
Just about everyone is to blame, would the consumer be happy if games ended 1-0 all the time? no probably not. Would players be happy if there were no more $252 million contracts? No probably not. Would the owners be happy if they weren’t selling out stadiums and if they didn’t have their own TV networks? No Probably not.
Steroids were used, they are still used, there are still substances that are banned which are sold at GNC. There is a list of banned substances, it is made public to each and every player, but how many actually understand it? There needs to be better communication among the Union and player as to what is or isn’t banned. Possibly a line that they can call or a representative on each team that must approve each substance.
But how can you police people who live in other countries where these substances are readily available. Possibly have players sign waivers. Either you subject yourself to having every substance you take approved by somebody or you sign this waiver that says you know and understand and if you test positive there are more strict penalties.
The fact that steroids were used is a problem, but it’s part of a bigger problem of deception and lies. No longer is it ok to just go on CBS with Katie Couric and say you don’t use steroids. Because there will be questions, people will dig up test results and expose you.
Tell the truth or don’t take the interview. And when you are caught, divulge all details about you, don’t throw anyone under the bus, but come clean. Do what Andy Pettite did, tell all that happened, explain that you are sorry and that’s that. If you cover it up, if you are unsure of your answers, we will ask questions. We will think you are lying again.
Take a cue from Roger Clemens, Miguel Tejada and Barry Bonds: repeated denial of the truth will eventually make your lie bigger, and when it comes time to judge you for the hall of fame, or for your own legacy in the game, you will have been forever tarnished. You may not get the recognition you deserve, not because of mistakes you made, as we all make them… but because of the lies you told to hide from them.
The truth will set you free.
Posted by Matt Groff 
