21
2013
The Steroid Era Is Not A Thing Of The Past
An article by 
The current period of baseball has often been labeled the “Post-Steroid Era”, but there is nothing “post” about it. Yesterday we learned that over 90 baseball players’ names lie within the records of the now infamous Miami Biogenesis clinic; enough athletes to field ten teams. We talk about steroids as if it’s a thing of the past–something of the days of Clemens, Bonds and McGwire — yet it is seemingly as present as ever.
There have been estimations ranging from 15% all the way up to 90% of how many players were using in the proclaimed ”Steroid Era” of the 1990s to early 2000s; some claim everyone was juicing. The fact of the matter is nobody — other than the players themselves — knows for sure how many were on some form of PEDs, and the same goes for today’s game. We now know of almost one hundred of them in today’s game that are linked to a single PED/steroid clinic and there are undoubtedly others who are using who have yet to be caught. Who is to say that the game is any cleaner than 1999?
Sure, there are stricter penalties in place, but is that stopping anyone from using? The almighty dollar still far outweighs the risk for these players. Ryan Braun is now committed to Milwaukee through 2020 for roughly $140 million dollars. Alex Rodriguez is the highest paid baseball player ever, and still has nine figures left on his deal with the Yankees. Manny Ramirez, Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire combined for three quarters of a billion dollars in salary over their careers. Their names are mud, their reputations are forever tarnished, but they will be sitting pretty for the rest of their lives.
Would you take a magical pill, illegal or not, if it were to increase your salary by ten-fold? Let he who is without sin cast the first stone. The problem will never be solved, but testing will not make a significant impact until it hits the players where it hurts, their wallets.
Make it so the first offense is an entire season–unpaid–and the second time is a lifetime ban with a one-time “parole” after two years, which there have been rumblings about. On top of that, make it so that every MLB contract must have a clause stating that if you test positive for performance-enhancing drugs, your team has grounds to void your deal.
This type of punishment would never go through with the MLBPA since they, like many of their cheaters for clients, value money over the sanctity of the game. It is time for Major League Baseball to take a stand and put an end to this problem once and for all. They have the toughest PEDs testing of any sport by far, but has done little to alter the issue at hand.
Player are not afraid of the test or its penalties, especially after Braun showed in 2011 that you can overturn it with one hell of a lawyer and blaming the tester instead. MLB needs to get its act together and start creating effective ways of stopping PEDs from getting into the systems of its players.
The penal system in place that was thought to have been working has clearly failed. It is time for the Commissioner’s Office to put some real teeth into their bite. Major League Baseball needs to take back this hallowed sport from the toxic, tainted wasteland that it has become, where no records are trusted and nobody gets into Cooperstown. Then, and only then, can we close the book on this period known as the “Steroid Era”, and justly put a “post” in front of it.
As it stands now – especially after this recent Biogenesis superstorm – there is still much work left to be done, and calling this the “Post-Steroid Era” is all too reminiscent of another premature declaration of success:
About the Author: Clayton Collier
Clayton, a Long Island native and die-hard Mets fan, started writing online about three years ago. He is currently a Journalism major with a minor in Broadcasting at Seton Hall University. Although very disappointed with the current state of the team, Clayton remains hopeful that the young prospects in the farm system will bring the Mets back to a respected franchise in baseball once again. Besides writing for MMO, Clayton is also a staff member at 89.5 WSOU, Seton Hall's modern active rock radio station. You can contact Clayton by following him on Twitter: @Clayton_Collier or E-mailing him at MaybeNextYearMets@yahoo.com
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NL East Standings
| Team | W | L | Pct. | GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Braves | 23 | 18 | .561 | - |
| Nationals | 23 | 19 | .548 | 0.5 |
| Phillies | 20 | 22 | .476 | 3.5 |
| Mets | 16 | 23 | .410 | 6.0 |
| Marlins | 11 | 31 | .262 | 12.5 |
Last updated: 05/18/2013
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I didn’t look at the author of the post and thought it was done by Delcos because it was so well written. Good job, Clayton.
Off topic: Seriously, who lights a cigar like that?
The pics he used for this article were almost as good as the article itself.
Well done, indeed.
I still believe MLB has no one to blame but themselves for this embarrassment. They let it build for a decade or more to the problem it is today. Then want to come in and play at being all indignant now, claiming they will straighten it out??
Much like anything else, it’s probably going to take just as long to clean up as it did to reach these proportions.
Thanks for the positive feedback guys!
The fact that the Miami News Times, the paper that broke this story, refused to give MLB the documents because of their failures to correctly handle steroid speaks volumes to how little of a handle baseball has on the steroids issue.
The players have too much power in the game, but this is something that MLB can’t afford to waver on; they need to take back the game.
Off topic, here’s something SA fans will like:
http://www.nypost.com/p/blogs/baseballinsider/offseason_winners_and_losers_national_56p1f5J3tjIvGrNZMaIXyJ#axzz2O0FdTmKs
Interesting.
I like this one better:
http://www.beyondtheboxscore.com/2013/3/19/4117534/2013-team-preview-new-york-mets
2013 Team Preview: New York Mets
‘Bold Prediction: The team starts off hot, Wheeler and d’Arnaud join them mid-season and catch fire, and the team pushes itself into the playoff race. A swift move for an outfielder coupled with some Orioles-luck, and the Mets end up in the Wild Card play-in game.’
************************************************
Thanks SRT
Bold Prediction??? Well, more often than not that’s just what they are, Bold prediction who never pan out. This team will be competing for last place….
I think they for sure are a step up on the Marlins but that is not consolation for sure. Just saying that for every article you can find overly negative you can find one overly positive and chances are it’s right in the middle.
This.
We need more black cats.
Here’s a bet proposal, Alex. You believe the Mets won’t win more than 72 games. I believe they will win 85. Do you want to bet on whose win total prediction they will be closer to?
Your number will be 72. Mine will be 85. If they win 79 games or more I win. If they win 78 games or less, you win.
The stakes: The loser has to abstain from posting here in any way shape or form for 2 weeks starting with the day after the last day the Mets play an official game in 2013 — whether that’s the regular season or postseason.
Bet or no bet?
Alex, do you want to take this bet or not? It would be nice if you at least reply and just said yes or no. Don’t worry, I won’t bash you if you chicken out.
If Alex doesn’t reply, any of Sandy’s other misbelievers want to take this bet?
some odd choices in there. AZ as the top winner? And toronto not appearing on the list?
And my pet peeve, with this type of list, is the tendency to only look at the new (inflow) and not the old (outflow). So yes, Atlanta added 2 Uptons (though I would not be so sure that BJ is a “premium talent” nor was it a reasonable price). And I would be real happy if they were both out in the Mets OF right now.
but, they gloss right over the fact that they lost Chipper, Bourn and Prado. So to a large extent, they were just replacing guys, so you really have to look at the net difference.
not in the past. But way, way more sophisticated now. You don’t see the huge bulk ups really (not like body builders in the old days) but more targeted drugs it seems.
players have been cheating since the beginning to get an edge. And probably always will be looking for a loophole to exploit, or a rule they can get away with breaking.
the real test will be as more of these guys age, and we see what starts happening to them physically. Some already have broken down and developed serious ailments. That might be the only thing that gets through to some of these guys.
Clayton, I do think it’s OVER, for the most part. Why? Because there is no more heavy steroids usage the way Clemens and Bonds juiced. Proof? No more players in their twilight years having career seasons. No more 50+ HR seasons.
And players are getting caught, unlike before — Manny, Braun, Melky, Byrd, Romero, Mota, Ruiz, to name a few. These players all got caught through the testing procedures that didn’t exist in the past. So yes, testing works.
Is it perfect? No. Nothing is perfect. There will always be attempts to circumvent current PEDs testing procedures. But for the most part, I have confidence in the stats players are putting up these days. Prior to PEDs testing, I didn’t and there was no way to tell with certainty what was real and what was chemically induced.
So even if you want to nitpick, MLB’s program is mostly a success. It’s cut out most of the heavy cheating. And the playing field is much more even than it was when Bonds and Clemens played.
Baseball isn’t the only sport. The NBA and NFL has an obvious steroid issue. Is time sports steps into the 21st Century and allows for monitored HGH therapy. It’s common knowledge men lost testosterone as we age. No reason why these athletes shouldn’t take HGH. As long as its properly monitored.
I am a proponent of allowing teams to void a contract based on a positive test. It only seems fair. Most employees know that if they test positive for a controlled substance they run the risk of getting fired. It is surprising that MLB has not gone this route. Not to mention that teams are paying players based on an expected performance and the drug misrepresented that performance. Maybe the test and fire system would only be advantageous in the majors but I do think it would have the longest effect on curbing use.
I agree totally Clayton….
The Steroids Era will NEVER go away….
It has moved to the point counterpoint part of the program but it will remain with us forever…
Think or it in the same way as Virus/AntiVirus….
Someone invents a problem and makes a ton of money, Someone invents a test to find it, original someone finds a new way to do it to get past testing, a new test is created, Etc…etc….
This is a war that will go on pretty much forever until such time as they allow them and they are accepted or a test is created that will immediatly test for elevated levels of hormones that can be administered every day and before every game.
It’s become a Technological war now and it will continue because the money involved it too much to resist. Both for the manufacturers of the PEDs and the Doctors who administer them and the Players who can add 5-10 Million or more to thier contract if they take them and get away with it.
And the war to keep them out will only ever be as good as the testing is….
And we know the Union will never let it happen enough to stop the practice.
Until such time as the UNION decides to eradicate it as their members are the main VICTIMS of it when you get right down to it…PEDS will be part of this game!