Today it came out that Ryan Braun tested positive for performance enhancing drugs. This puts him on a list that baseball players do not want to be on. This positive test comes as baseball seemed to enter the "post steroid era". Most people thought that steroids were finally out of the game after the mass rise in offense and home runs that lasted nearly 15 seasons. Braun was on of the top players in the game and was named the 2011 NL MVP. But now, just like McGwire, Sosa, Bonds, Rodriguez (Alex and Ivan), Giambi, Clemons, Palmeiro, Ortiz, and Ramirez, Braun's career will be forever tainted.
I have a very strong opinion when it comes to steroids in baseball, they have no place in the game, the record books, or in the hall of fame. Taking steroids or other PEDs is cheating and anyone who cheats in order to prosper should not be honored by being voted into the hall of fame or have a record stand. Hank Aaron hit 755 home runs naturally and cleanly. Barry Bonds took PEDs, cheated, and hit 762. That record along with his single season and Mark McGwires season totals should be discredited. Hank Aaron and Roger Maris should still be the rightful home run kings. Likewise, Roger Clemons' strikeout record should also be discredited and bestowed back to it's rightful owner, Steve Carlton. Most importantly, any player who ever took steroids as a means to become a better player and therefore cheated should never be allowed in the hall of fame. There is no room for cheaters in Cooperstown.
One argument people often make is that steroids helped revitalize baseball after the strike. This argument is just flat out false. Quick! Think of the best baseball moment after the strike and before 1999, if you said anything other than Cal Ripken Jr. breaking Lou Gehrig's games played streak record, you need to reeducate yourself on the game of baseball. The race to break Maris' record between Sosa and McGwire, while entertaining, has no place among baseball's best moments. Even if it later it did not come out that both were on steroids, it still would not be anywhere near my top baseball moments. Also baseball, America's pastime, was able to recover from the strike just because it is baseball. American people love baseball and it will always be highly popular. I am sure nobody doubted the NFL or NBA would not have recovered from their own respective lockouts this season. People quickly forgave the players and MLB because of their love for the game. If there was one true moment that brought baseball back into American hearts, it was not Sosa vs. McGwire in 1998 in was Ripken breaking Gehrig's record back in 1995, the year after the strike.
Couldn't agree with you more, even if you're a Mets fan,lol. It's not too often a Yankee fan and a Mets fan agree on anything.Ripken breaking Gehrigs record may be the greatest sports moment I've seen or will see in my lifetime. Although Jeter going into Cooperstown may be 1a. Since baseball came out and said PED'S were against the rules I believe that was everyone's second chance. If you're caught now it should be an automatic and immediate ban from baseball for life. Baseball will never do that though because it has become more about money than the sport. Just look at Ramirez, he applied for reinstatement and he gets his suspension cut from 100 games to 50 games. Baseball doesn't want PED'S out of the game because juiced up athletes provide power which translates to lots of scoring which translates to full stadiums which means $$$$$$. It's a shame this beautiful game has been forever tarnished. By the way I like the idea of a sports blog and would be interested in your take on Paterno and how that scandal has rocked and continues to rock the Penn St community.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comment, it is rare that mets and yankees fans agree on something. At some point within the next couple days I will have something on the PSU scandal and Paterno, I am working on it slowly but its also finals week so I am trying to balance it out it might be up here tomorrow.
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