Graham's Word: MLB Needs To Start Being Serious
Submitted by Chris Graham on Thu, 08/01/2013 - 9:17am
Enough is enough…..
Major League Baseball needs to set an example this time when it comes to Alex Rodriguez and the other players that are involved in this whole entire Biogenesis situation. It should be a lifetime ban for Rodriguez. I don’t think it will come to that unfortunately but that is what the punishment should be. With all that Alex has done to deceive baseball, the players, and the fans he should never be allowed to be in the game again.
If MLB really wants to try and get rid of steroids in the game, then they need to start imposing severe punishments. The Ryan Braun “punishment” is an absolute joke. He could really care less at this point. All players really care about in the end in today’s game is money. Braun still has over tens of millions of dollars due to him in salary when he comes back and that doesn’t include bonuses and incentives.
So, Braun is just sitting in his recliner watching the rest of the season on the TV with this extended vacation he is on. Do you think he really cares if his MVP Award was to be stripped from him? (Which it won’t) No, he really doesn’t. He still gets to come back, play the game, and make his millions.
Steroids and other PED’s will never go away no matter how tough penalties get. It is just the way some athletes are today. They will always look for a leg up on everyone else and they will always try to be at least a step ahead of the drug policies. With that said, if MLB starts taking a “zero-tolerance” stance against PED use, it may and probably would result in a dramatic drop in use. The problem with that? The player’s union would never agree to a “zero-tolerance” or “one and done” policy.
The owners and general managers could start by putting in “null and void” clauses in player’s contracts for violating the drug use program. If players violate the policy the contract and all of the money involved should be killed right away no exceptions, no excuses.
Once the player has served the suspension, the team he was with should have the opportunity to sign him again to a new contract, if not, then he should be put on the free agent market to allow other teams a chance to sign if they choose.
The only way to alleviate this problem baseball has been dealing with now for decades is to hit the players where it hurts the most and that is the checkbook.
And let’s not forget, the biggest way to stop PED use is to combat it before players get to professional baseball. That’s right, start talking about how bad these drugs are when they are kids. Not only will it ruin their careers before they begin but it will severely take a toll on the body as they age. Parents and coaches need to make kids aware of this issue and just how serious it really is.
All in all, I hope MLB starts putting an iron fist to this issue.
