Steroids in Baseball

Steroids in Baseball

Of the top 14 homerun leaders in baseball history, six took steroids and other PEDs (Performance Enhancing Drugs) and six played before the steroid era when steroids and other PEDs were legal, leaving only two legitimate leaders. Those two are Jim Thome and Ken Griffey Jr. Thome has bulked up a considerable amount in the past few years and Griffey had several teammates who took illegal drugs, so their records are not without suspicion. As professional sports, especially baseball, become more popular, players risk their careers by using steroids and other PEDs. Taking steroids is cheating, and as competition continues to grow, steroids are becoming a large problem in Major League Baseball (MLB).

It’s a fact: MLB players are taking steroids. The problem is that if the players are caught, they receive a 50-game suspension for the first time and a 100-game suspension the second time. Fifty games is not even a third of the MLB season and that player is cheating! The most recent major case of steroids was Melky Cabrera of the San Francisco Giants. He hit two home runs and was named the MVP of the All-Star game. He was on pace to win the batting title, before he was caught. His punishment was that he was removed from the team roster and his name was not included on the team World Series championship shirt. Instead of signing a $50 million contract he received a 2-year $16 million contract from the Toronto Blue Jays. Poor him, he is only making $8 million a year. That is not a harsh enough punishment. Another major case of steroids was Barry Bonds, the MLB career home run leader. Barry Bonds claims that he never knowingly took steroids, but the proof is there in the testing. One conceivable conclusion is that...