Steroids have been on the wrong end of Major League Baseball for a long time now.
Baseball originally banned the use of steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs in 1991 and by 2003 players were being forced to take random drug tests.
This has reduced the probelm of players cheating, but hasn’t eliminated it entirely.
The most current victims in baseball’s hunt for steroids came late this summer in the form of two Bay Area stars, Melky Cabrera for the San Francisco Giants and Bartolo Colon for the Oakland A’s. Both players have been suspended for 50 games without pay and are missing their teams’ playoff push.
Fifty games without pay may seem a bit extreme, but it’s only right. By taking this kind of a stand against steroids, MLB lets everyone know that it means business.
Players using drugs, that can affect the outcome of their games will not be accepted because it is unfair. The league should keep the search for steroids going, and maybe even try to do more because steroids were clearly helping both Bay Area players cheat the game.
Colon, 39, was having the best year of his career. His numbers skyrocketed over the past year. Many people speculated that this was more than just a second wind for an aging pitcher, but the result of using steroids
Many feel the same about Cabrera, whose numbers have spiked. Two years ago he was a forgotten man on the Atlanta Braves and now he’s the All-Star Game MVP and finished the season with the best batting average in the National League.
They each started their suspensions after the All-Star game in July. In an interview with ESPN, Colon said that he was sorry to his teammates and the league. Losing Colon and Cabrera were big losses for both the A’s and the Giants
Despite warnings and suspensions being issued from the league, players continue to use steroids because they have found ways to continue to beat the system. Colon and Cabrera are not the only players to get hit hard by the MLB.
Giants’ relief pitcher Guillermo Mota was suspended for 100 games this season for his second offense.
Last year’s NL MVP Ryan Braun was also seemingly caught, but he appealed the results and got off on a technicality. He didn’t miss a game this season.
MLB needs to continue to do more frequent drug tests to prevent the use of steroids so cheaters like Cabrera and Colon don’t continue to hurt the game of baseball.
