The Remedy for Baseball's Scandal

[hudsonvalley]

Long before the Mitchell Report came out it has been clear that MLB has turned a blind eye to performance enhancing drugs. Why? Some say the Players Association. And it is true they are a strong and powerful force in baseball. Not the whole story. A broad and multifaceted fraud has been perpetrated on their fanbase. There is talk of what to do about it. There is talk of asterisks and keeping players out of Cooperstown. Or staying away from the game. Pshaww

The top three reasons for juicing the game are, in this order: Money. Money. Money. Chicks dig the long ball. There is only one way to remedy this. Simply put a fraud has been perpetrated on fandom. Some lawyer with season tickets should start a class action suit against MLB, the Playahs Association, and the individuals named in the Mitchell Report.

It would be a perfect way to sort it out, no Fifth Amendment jive in a civil suit. Get them on the record. All of em. And take the award, should there be one to lower, across the board, ticket prices, and reimburse inflated past ticket prices.

There is a direct connection to high salaries for the players, increased revenue from viewing and attendance. The reason for their conspiracy of silence is the money. Now they should pay. And the shame of having them answer questions on the stand would give the American baseball fan a sense of justice and closure. Take the cheater's money away, their motive for cheating. THEN put them in the Hall for all to see. Take the money from the owners who winked at fraud.

 

[JayBay]

I can't completely disagree with your view on this...having said that - I'm not sure I totally agree, either.

My biggest problem with all this is the dishonesty involved. Why did it take being busted for all this to happen. Where's the honest guy, who's grateful to the sport of baseball for providing him wealth beyond his dreams, who comes forward and says, "I messed up, I took performance enhancing drugs, and I need to come clean about it. I'll take my punishment, and hope that baseball will allow me to play again when it's all said and done".

We don't see any of that. Nobody wants to take ownership of what they've done. Nobody came forward to accept responsibility for their actions. They just played the 'ol deny, deny, deny. That - to me - is what's sad about all this. It really sends a piss poor message about the integrity of the men who play the sport, and casts a negative shadow on the players still doing it the right way.

Not really a response to your post as much as it is venting on the topic.

 

[Dave]

Don't forget the cocaine, the alcohol, the extra-marital affairs. Baseball's got it all. Well, except maybe decent role models, but it's got everything else.

 

[GOCOUGS2002]

This really comes down to leadership, or lack thereof, from the Commissioners office and the Players Association. Both entities have the DUTY and RESPONSIBILITY to uphold the integrity of the game. You can’t expect that from the Owners, GMs, and managers of the teams, they are paying or being paid to win games.

The Commissioner and the Players Association should have implemented comprehensive random drug testing at all levels of the game at first rumor of players using performance enhancing drugs and leveraged stiff penalties for testing positive.

Just think if that decision was made in the early 1990’s we wouldn’t be discussing placing an asterisk next to Bonds 73 home runs for a season or 762 total homeruns.

It should also be noted that this problem is not limited to Baseball, the 2006 Tour de France winner was stripped due to alleged doping and most of the front runners of the 2007 race were disqualified due to alleged doping a couple stages before the end. Marion Jones….need I say more?

It is sad that SOME athletes, people that children admire and think of as heroes, don’t take that responsibility seriously.

 

[hudsonvalley]

Don't forget the cocaine, the alcohol, the extra-marital affairs. Baseball's got it all. Well, except maybe decent role models, but it's got everything else.

But the difference is that those actions and drugs don't enhance a player and enable him to make more money, or raise ticket or advertising revenue.

 

[merkinmullet]

This is a tough one, as I am a fan of the game. It hurts a bit to see the greatest pitcher and hitter of baseball, in Clemens and Bonds, be wrapped up in such a disgrace. Perhaps it wouldn’t be so disheartening if all involved in the report were a bunch of middling players trying to stay in the Bigs. These two heroes are frauds, but I do not believe ANY drug can make even a great player the best. The best are still the best with or without the “clear”. Their talent and drive is in the top percentile of the game regardless of what goes into their bodies. Roger and Barry were, are, and will be exceptional for all time. They, however, are frauds. They misled us to nearly irreconcilable depths. As fans, our hopes and dreams were on the shoulders of pure god-like giants, only to find they were in bed with the devil. For me, it is not the drugs; it is the deceit that makes me feel betrayed.

 

[hudsonvalley]

I agree with your sentiment, merkin. That's why I think they should be stripped of MONEY. It's all they ever cared about.