Steroids in Baseball: Tinker to Evers to a Second Chance

Fortunately, baseball is not completely about statistics.  It is difficult to compare numbers between any two eras due to all the variables, and adding unknown steroid use makes it almost impossible.  Every baseball fan has his or her own favorite players, and will rank players differently from other fans.

Even though Barry Bonds has the most home runs now, fans are still well within their rights to argue that Hank Aaron is still the home run king, that Babe Ruth is still the greatest power hitter of all time, or that Josh Gibson could hit the ball further than any man who has ever lived.

A player's greatness is all based on opinion, with statistics there only to back it up, and that will never change.

Because of this, steroid use is just another variable, such as the height of the mound or the distance of the mound from the plate, that has not remained consistent throughout the history of the game.

Another problem that surfaced once some of baseball's heroes were exposed as steroid users was how parents would be able to explain the situation to their children.  This was especially problematic for parents whose children were old enough to understand the concept of steroid use, and had the means to obtain it.

Although suspected and proven steroid users across the league have found success in multi-million dollar contracts, awards, and postseason success, parents and society still have to prove that these men did so without honor and, because they cheated, have lost their credibility.

Rafael Palmeiro was ready to become one of the few men in Major League Baseball history to accumulate 3,000 hits and 500 home runs in his career when he appeared before the United States House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.  While pointing his finger at the questioning senators, he declared that he had never used steroids in his life.

Later that same year, Palmeiro was suspended for 10 games for taking what the New York Times reported was a steroid called Stanozolol.

Parents can use Palmeiro as an example about how the public feels about those who cheat to get ahead.  Players like Palmeiro are the opportunity within this crisis.

No matter how successful he was in his career, or how much he earned during that career, he will never receive the same amount of respect, even in the cities he played for, as those who do not fall under the shadow of steroids.

The Mitchell Report may not have even happened were it not for the United States House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform's investigation into steroid abuse within Major League Baseball and the inability to police the illegal use of such drugs by its players.

The committee was worried that teenagers were being tempted to use steroids based on the example that professional players were setting.  Those who spoke before the committee were Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa, Curt Schilling, Frank Thomas, Jose Canseco, and as previously mentioned, Rafael Palmeiro.

During his opening statement in regards to a player being asked if they have used steroids, McGwire said, “If a player answers 'No,' he simply will not be believed.  If he answers 'Yes,' he risks public scorn and endless government investigations."

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