Pinstripe Alley: An SB Nation Community

Navigation: Jump to content areas:


Pro Quality. Fan Perspective.
Login-facebook
New Blog: Along The Olentangy for Ohio State Fans!

Sharing My Thoughts On Steroids

In the aftermath of the revelation that Boston sluggers David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez were on baseball's black list, I found myself to be experiencing many different emotions.  I know this will seem unnatural for many of us burly sports fans, but I'm going to try to get in touch with them, and find my true position on PED use in baseball.

 

Joy - This was the first and most obvious. FINALLY a star player for the Red Sox is exposed as a steroid user. Hopefully we can begin to put to bed the ridiculous ideas being spewed from Red Sox Nation that they have the only clean team in baseball.

Frustration - Again we only get a very brief glimpse of the mysterious 104 names. It's become painfully obvious that eventually, every important name on that list is going to come out. Can't we just do that already?

Anger - Now this was the least easily definable. There is something about this entire saga that just makes my blood boil, and in an entirely different way than is usually portrayed. I just can't stand the stance that Major League Baseball has taken on this entire issue. I will try and flesh this out.



Fact: According to various pieces of research, the use of Performance Enhancing Drugs was widespread in what is now considered the "Steroid Era" of baseball.

My Conclusion Either a) those in charge of the league (Selig, Fehr, etc.) were aware of this, and allowed it to continue, or b) those in charge of the league were not aware of this, and can therefore be labeled as hopelessly incompetent.

Fact: In 2003, MLB conducted anonymous testing, with the intention that if a certain quota of positive results were found, a penalty system would be implemented in 2004. The quota was met, and a confidential list of 104 positive test results was created, but not immediately destroyed.

My Conclusion: After many years of steroids being used in baseball, MLB finally decides to make an attempt to diagnose the growing issue.

Fact: Since the beginning of MLB administering punishments to those who test positive for PEDs, many players have been damned in an ever growing witch-hunt to "clean up the game."

My Conclusion In accordance to the outrages of many "holier than thou" sports writers and sports fans, Bud Selig has been at the head of the attempt to prevent the use of steroids in the game. So, the same administrators who allowed the game to develop in such a way (as we have already established with fact 1) through either their consent or incompetence, are now leading the charge to defame the players who took advantage of the system.

Now don't get me wrong, Bud Selig did not march up to Barry Bonds and demand that he start to take "the clear" so that the Giants could sell some more tickets. However, the idea that Bonds is being held accountable for the failings of an entire ERA of baseball by the purists is outrageous.

Imagine the following scenario. Two competing engineering firms are competing for one contract. Engineering Company A works entirely with tools made in the United States, at standard cost and quality. Engineering Company B is able to import tools from China. Now it has been made clear by those in the engineering profession that although a competitive edge can be gained from using the Chinese tools, it undermines American business, and they don't want any part of it. However, there is no punishment for using Chinese tools, and there is no way to check whether or not they are being used. If you're running an engineering company, and you begin to see many of your competitors use Chinese tools to gain considerable profits with no administrative consequences, how can you justify to your employees the business that you are losing by continuing to buy American?

Bringing the analogy back to baseball. Imagine that you are an 18 year old prospect from the Dominican Republic in the early 90s. There is no policy against using steroids in Major League Baseball. You're not terribly well off, and baseball seems like your one real chance to escape your situation. Can anyone honestly say that they wouldn't give themselves that advantage because of the integrity of the game? What if using steroids is the difference between making it on a roster and staying in the Dominican Republic?

Now I'm not condoning what was done by the players. I think that it would be great if baseball was played on an even field. I think that there are plenty of players who have never used PEDs, and are wrongfully slighted because of it. My position is that the wide use of steroids was spawned, not by individual players, but by a flawed system.

And now the creators of that system are out to find out what has "ruined" our beloved game so much.

Poll
Well, now that I've said my bit, what do you think?
You're crazy, steroids are ruining baseball, and the players are to blame
1 votes
Interesting ideas, but I'm not sure if I agree
2 votes
Well done, sir. I completely agree.
3 votes
My thoughts on this subject can't be contained with any of the first three choices
4 votes

10 votes | Poll has closed

0 recs  |  Comment 0 comments |

Story-email Email Printer Print

More from Pinstripe Alley

Mark Teixeira Facts

Sep 2010 by Brandon C. - 25 comments

Bomber Links: Ivan The Dominant

Aug 2010 by Lord Duggan - 27 comments

Comments

Display:

Comments For This Post Are Closed


User Tools

Welcome to Pinstripe Alley, an SB Nation blog about the 27-time - and reigning - World Champion New York Yankees.

Community Guidelines
Start posting about the Yankees »

Join SB Nation and dive into communities focused on all your favorite teams.

Connect_with_facebook

FanPosts

Community blog posts and discussion.

Recommended FanPosts

Reggie_wall_small
Dear 2010 A.J Burnett...
Mantle_monument_park_small
Appreciating the Platoon
Colevatar_small
Thank You, Yankees Fans

Recent FanPosts

Small
Trying to understand what’s wrong with Derek Jeter
Mickey-mantle-at-yankee-stadium-1963-photographic-print-c10115880_small
Count down to the playoffs-Time to think about roster and rotation
Empire_small
Need some help
Lou_gehrig-thumb-300x385-166929_small
Survival Football and Football Pickem
Costanza_small
I'mGivingYouAFantasyFootballFanpost
Reggie_wall_small
Slow Clap For Marcus Thames
Derek-jeter-1_small
The Almighty CC Sabathia
Yankees_small
A.J. Burnett?

+ New FanPost All FanPosts >

SPONSORS

SBNation.com Recent Stories

Texas Rangers Michael Young, left, is held back by Texas Rangers third base coach Dave Anderson (obscured) after being called out at third by third base umpire Alfonso Marquez, front right, to end a baseball game against the Minnesota Twins, Sunday, Sept. 5, 2010, in Minneapolis.  Rangers manager Ron Washington (wearing sunglasses) looks on. The Twins won 6-5. (AP Photo/Paul Battaglia) +1 updates

Twins Top Rangers 6-5 Thanks To Controversial Ump Decision

LOS ANGELES CA - SEPTEMBER 04:  Jamey Carroll #14 of the Los Angeles Dodgers is pulled off the bag as Darren Ford #34 of the San Francisco Giants steals second base in the eighth inning at Dodger Stadium on September 4 2010 in Los Angeles California. The Giants defeated the Dodgers 5-4.  (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images) +1 updates

Dodgers' Slide Continues With 3-0 Loss To Rival Giants

BOSTON - SEPTEMBER 05: Jonathan Papelbon #58 of the Boston Red Sox heads for the dugout after he is pulled in the ninth inning against the Chicago White Sox on September 5 2010 at Fenway Park in Boston Massachusetts.  (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

White Sox Score Four In 9th, Hand Jonathan Papelbon His Seventh Blown Save Of 2010

More from SBNation.com >


Managers

Mo_rivera_small Travis G

Ed_valentine_2_small Ed Valentine

Senior Writer

Dsc00073_small jscape2000

Contributing Writers

Small 3460kuri

Lou_gehrig-thumb-300x385-166929_small Brandon C.

My-face_small Lord Duggan