If PEDs were legal...

[mtangelsfan]

Keep believing in the fantasy that MLB and the players union care about stopping PED use.  

 

People believed it after BALCO, too.  

 

And people will probably believe it after the next massive PED scandal that comes out a few years from now. 

 

Same as it ever was.  

 

What is your response to the thoughts about players who can't afford the PED's or players who don't want to put that stuff in their bodies? 

[ten ocho recon scout]

I'm asking because I don't know the answer. But lets say one of these guys gets a prescription for low testosterone? Is he covered in terms of the testing?

If so, I would imagine that would be a huge loophole some guys are gonna exploit.

[Corona]

Trout would be the first ever 80/80 player.

[stormngt]

ya, we should stop trying to prevent things that give some players an unnatural competitive advantage (you know, cheating) and just legalize anything and everything because well, it makes the games more exciting. 

 

 

Please define what a natural advantage is and an unnatural one.  I often wondered what the difference between a ped or a player having Tommy John Surgery?  Or how about Colon's stem cell replacement?  Or how about nutrition supplements or weight training?

 

Please distinguish how one of those is unnatural and how others are not?  

[stormngt]

One thing that's not mentioned much is that some of these drugs, if misused, are dangerous to one's long-term health. 

 

Remember Lyle Alzado?

 

That's a sufficient reason for me why they should not be legal. Steroids and the rest of the lot are prescribed for medical conditions by a doctor, not to help someone hit home runs.

 

 

This is supposed to be a free country.  If the player wants to take the risk to his health isn't that his call?  After all isn't smoking or drinking alcohol if misused dangerous to  one's health?

[stormngt]

Great! Lets create a robotic arm that pitches a 200mph fastball! That would be exciting! 

 

 

Don't we have that with Colon??????

[stormngt]

 

 

Banning PEDs guarantees, legally, an equal playing field.

 

 

Yes, the playing field is equal today isn't it?????

[stormngt]

At any rate, I'll stop after this.  

 

With the current testing system, they might as well be legal anyway.  The only reason these 14 people got suspended was because of a paper trail that spans many years given up by a weasel who wanted to avoid prosecution.  Yet in all those years, only 1 got caught by MLB's own testing system, and the players union defended him and got him off the hook.  

Total joke.  

 

I agree completely!  If you can't have a realistic system to keep them out of the game than legalize them!  With the current system its impossible to keep them out of the sport.

[Dave Saltzer]

It's not cheating if they are legal, that's my point. You can't sit here and tell me with a straight face that the game is better now than it was when Bonds, Sosa, and McGwire were smashing 60+ a year. Football and basketball would have completely taken over American sports if not for the excitement the steroid era created. Yet we all sit here behind our computers and blast them? Sorry I'm above that.

I an look you straight in the face and tell you that the game is not better now as a result of PEDs. I can also look you straight in the eyes and tell you that I will not compromise my beliefs just to make it "easy" for those who are "above that". As I said in my first piece, most of the time I would rather do what is right over what is expedient. Aside from wanting to be right, I have found that when I do what is right, in the long run, I usually spend less time dealing with an issue than when sell out my beliefs.

[Schildog]

It could very well have been 0 in 2012 unless roided monsters had literally saved the game in the mid 90s.  

 

just throwing this out there. the growth in attendance from 96-97 was 5.1% whereas the growth from 98-99 was 1.5%.

 

baseball probably would have survived without sosa and mac.

[mtangelsfan]

I agree completely!  If you can't have a realistic system to keep them out of the game than legalize them!  With the current system its impossible to keep them out of the sport.

 

and again, what about players who can't afford them or don't want to put them in their bodies?

 

I, for one, won't ask players to do things they aren't down with just for my entertainment.

[Chimi]

Maybe we should make crystal meth legal in baseball. Who doesn't want to see a bunch of guys high as a kite thinking they are playing with a bunch of demons and other gremlins running around.

[stormngt]

and again, what about players who can't afford them or don't want to put them in their bodies?

 

I, for one, won't ask players to do things they aren't down with just for my entertainment.

 

The minimum wage for a minor leaguer is 500K  I tend to think they can afford them.

 

I am not justifying using them, just playing devil's advocate.

[mtangelsfan]

The minimum wage for a minor leaguer is 500K  I tend to think they can afford them.

 

I am not justifying using them, just playing devil's advocate.

 

We aren't just talking about major league players, are we?  You are justifying using them though.  In fact, you think players should use them.  It's really quite amazing.

[Ohtaniland]

If PED's were legal, Iannetta would be hitting at least .240

[Lifetime]

At any rate, I'll stop after this.  

 

With the current testing system, they might as well be legal anyway.  The only reason these 14 people got suspended was because of a paper trail that spans many years given up by a weasel who wanted to avoid prosecution.  Yet in all those years, only 1 got caught by MLB's own testing system, and the players union defended him and got him off the hook.  

Total joke.  

your facts are wrong.

[Lifetime]

Please define what a natural advantage is and an unnatural one.  I often wondered what the difference between a ped or a player having Tommy John Surgery?  Or how about Colon's stem cell replacement?  Or how about nutrition supplements or weight training?

 

Please distinguish how one of those is unnatural and how others are not?  

It's really not that complicated. TJ is a medical necessity to repair an injury. PED's are not medically necessary. There is a massive difference between, conditioning, taking vitamin supplements and taking PED's. Comparing them is laughable.  

[mp170.6]

I an look you straight in the face and tell you that the game is not better now as a result of PEDs. I can also look you straight in the eyes and tell you that I will not compromise my beliefs just to make it "easy" for those who are "above that". As I said in my first piece, most of the time I would rather do what is right over what is expedient. Aside from wanting to be right, I have found that when I do what is right, in the long run, I usually spend less time dealing with an issue than when sell out my beliefs.

 

Look, I'm not trying to bully everything you say, but this is something I asked you about the other day. 

 

Doing what's right and doing what's expedient are not necessarily mutually exclusive.  People have a wide spectrum of what is good and bad, right and wrong.  I'm sure there's plenty of people who feel the "right" thing to do is suspend A-Rod through 2014.  Others (like you) feel the "right" thing to do is ban A-Rod for life.  If the punishment hinged on everybody coming to agreement on what is "right" the argument would last for hundreds of years.  A-Rod will be long gone, and so will we. 

 

At some level, pragmatism has to factor in. 

[Ohtaniland]

your facts are wrong.

Yep the MLB is so upset with their golden boy A-Rod that ESPN cut in with an A-Rod Alert to show his first at bat in his return. It reminded me about how they used to cut in for Barry Bonds. Its all about ratings and cleaning up the game is secondary.

[Lifetime]

what does that have to do with this discussion?

[Lifetime]

http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=espn:9541288

[Ohtaniland]

what does that have to do with this discussion?

The hypocrisy of league attempting to clean things up while ESPN gives A-Rod the MLB marquee attention.

[FireThemAll]

Bottom line. MLB should make PEDs legal because they:

 

1) Extend a players prime (look at Bonds, McGwire for example)

 

2) Enhance ratings....we all know you were watching when Bonds was chasing down history.

 

and

 

3) Making PEDs legal would shut all of you know it alls on twitter and here up. Too busy crying about players cheating that you forget that YOU were the one who was watching Bonds in awe, and YOU were the one that is following this A-Rod story closely.

[Lifetime]

The hypocrisy of league attempting to clean things up while ESPN gives A-Rod the MLB marquee attention.

How the hell is that hypocrisy? It's hypocritical for a sports coverage station to cover the player who is not only involved in a high profile PED issue but is just now returning to baseball after a long stint in rehab? That has nothing to do with MLB's position on Arod or cleaning up the sport. That's a ridiculous statement.

[Lifetime]

"Yet in all those years, only 1 got caught by MLB's own testing system, and the players union defended him and got him off the hook.  

Total joke. "

 

 

Player Team Date announced Penalty Position Response Ref.

Alex Sánchez Tampa Bay Devil Rays April 3, 2005 10 days OF [a] [4]

Jorge Piedra Colorado Rockies April 11, 2005 10 days OF [5]

Agustín Montero Texas Rangers April 20, 2005 10 days P [c] [7]

Jamal Strong Seattle Mariners April 26, 2005 10 days OF [d] [9]

Juan Rincón Minnesota Twins May 2, 2005 10 days P [e] [9]

Rafael Betancourt Cleveland Indians July 8, 2005 10 days P [f] [12]

Rafael Palmeiro SS, GG Baltimore Orioles August 1, 2005 10 days DH [g] [14]

Ryan Franklindagger Seattle Mariners August 2, 2005 10 days P [h] [16]

Mike Morse Seattle Mariners September 7, 2005 10 days SS [18]

Carlos Almanzar Texas Rangers October 4, 2005 10 days P [j] [20]

Félix Heredia New York Mets October 18, 2005 10 days P [k] [22]

Matt Lawton New York Yankees November 2, 2005 10 days OF [l] [24]

Yusaku Iriki New York Mets April 28, 2006 50 games P [m] [26]

Jason Grimsleydagger Arizona Diamondbacks June 12, 2006 50 games P [n] [28]

Guillermo Mota New York Mets November 1, 2006 50 games P [o] [30]

Juan Salas Tampa Bay Devil Rays May 7, 2007 50 games P [p] [32]

Neifi Pérez GG Detroit Tigers July 6, 2007 25 games UT [q] [35]

Neifi Pérez (2) Detroit Tigers August 3, 2007 80 games UT [q] [36]

Mike Cameron GG San Diego Padres October 31, 2007 25 games OF [r] [38]

Dan Serafini Colorado Rockies November 27, 2007 50 games P [40]

José Guilléndagger Kansas City Royals December 6, 2007 15 games OF [t] [42]

Jay Gibbonsdagger Baltimore Orioles December 6, 2007 15 games OF [44]

Eliézer Alfonzo San Francisco Giants April 30, 2008 50 games C [v] [45]

J. C. Romero Philadelphia Phillies January 6, 2009 50 games P [w] [47]

Manny Ramirez SS Los Angeles Dodgers May 7, 2009 50 games OF [x] [49]

Edinson Volquez Cincinnati Reds April 20, 2010 50 games P [y] [51]

Manny Ramirez (2) SS Tampa Bay Rays April 8, 2011 100 games OF [z] [52]

Eliézer Alfonzo (2) Colorado Rockies September 14, 2011 100 games C

Guillermo Mota (2) San Francisco Giants May 7, 2012 100 games P [53]

Freddy Galvis Philadelphia Phillies June 19, 2012 50 games UT [54]

Marlon Byrd Free agent June 25, 2012 50 games OF [55]

Melky Cabrera San Francisco Giants August 15, 2012 50 games OF [56]

Bartolo Colon Oakland Athletics August 22, 2012 50 games P [57]

Yasmani Grandal San Diego Padres November 7, 2012 50 games C [aa] [59]

Carlos Ruiz Philadelphia Phillies November 27, 2012 25 games C [ab] [60]

Ryan Braun Milwaukee Brewers July 22, 2013 Season (65 games) OF [61]