So
far I’ve been writing based on hard evidence, granted it’s my evidence to
support my claims but it is statistical data nonetheless. Today is a bit different since there
are facts but nothing that can be quantified by 1’s and 2’s and gives fans no
solace if they had a good reason to or not. The Steroid Era has been a stain on the sport that can never
be washed off; but what’s worse than the taint of the PED is the person in
charge of it all.
I
hate Bud Selig; yes this is an abrupt thing to say but it’s true I really do
not like the man. This isn’t to
say he hasn’t done good things for the sport, if it wasn’t for him we wouldn’t
have the Wild Card spot and more recently the extra Wild Card that gets 1 more team
into the playoffs per league. I
love the Wild Card and it was a brilliant and profitable addition to the
game. When baseball was taken out
of the Olympics (more or less do to MLB and their unwillingness to let the
younger players go and play for their countries) he created the WBC or World
Baseball Classic and again that was a good and profitable idea. But to me his complete and utter
mishandling of the steroid situation erases all that he’s done for the sport.
Yesterday
the news broke that the Biogenetics scandal that the owner/founder of the
company was going to speak up and name names. Selig has taken it upon himself to no seek 100 game
suspensions to every player that has been mentioned in leaked documents. Some players mentioned are Ryan Braun,
Alex Rodriguez, Melky Cabrera, Evereth Cabrera, Bartolo Colon, Jhonny Peralta,
Nelson Cruz and Robinson Cano. Yes
these are some pretty big names to be on this list and if they test positive
for steroid use they all deserve to be punished by the rules set by the MLBPA
(Major League Baseball Player Association) and the owners.
I’ve
done some research and looked for the specifics of the steroid policy and the
one thing that stands out is the punishments for use of steroids and conviction
of use. On the first offense the
player is suspended 50 games, a second offense is 100 game suspension and a
third offense is a lifetime ban.
So here’s my first question about the potential 100 game ban that is
going to be levied onto these players, who actually has failed a drug test
recently? Melky Cabrera has failed
a drug test but has already done his punishment; he hasn’t failed a second time
so why does he get punished again?
The other players haven’t even had their first offense so who exactly
does this constitute as a second offense as the Commissioner is trying to claim
it as. Again the rules are very
clear in this matter and Selig is abusing his position as Commissioner to
punish players that he feels “beat his system” and, to me at, least is very
clear.
In
the end I don’t feel that, if this punishment actually does happen and as its
been reported, doesn’t fit the crime at all. If they had failed a test and had been beyond a doubt
convicted of taking steroids then a punishment is acceptable to me but right now
I just don’t see the evidence that they TOOK the drugs to warrant
suspension. Many may say that yes
they do need to be punished because of the evidence they may have taken steroids
or at least paid for steroids. The
question gets very muddled in personal opinion and peoples beliefs. In the end to me I want proof that they
are currently taking steroids before I want to see punishments and I certainly want
to punishments to fit the crime and not because of some persons personal vendetta.
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