A-Rod and MLB from a Personal Perspective

While I am more into football (soccer) and American football, I do like other sports, and baseball is one of them. After seeing the ESPN report about the use of steroids with A-Rod, I decided to write an article concerning what has happened.

I decided to visit Bleacher Report to write about A-Rod. Before writing, I read an article about Major League Baseball written by Alexander Freund titled: "Why Jason Stark is Wrong about Alex Rodriguez and Steroids."

After examining the two viewpoints, I have decided to write an article based on the premise "He or She Who is Without Sin, Please Cast the First Stone" and "Do Not Judge So that You Are Not Judged."

Present Baseball Players

What A-Rod, Jose Canseco, and other baseball players have done is terrible, but it does not irreversibly damage baseball. The use of steroids and all forms of drugs in baseball and other sports must be universally condemned.

The people who play sports and consume drugs are not good role models. They deserve to make restitution to the people they defrauded. The restitution should rest on the governing body of Major League Baseball.

I cannot believe that A-Rod was NOT aware that he was using steroids. He and many other consumers should have been aware before making a decision that would cost them heavily.

A-Rod had family, friends, and supporters who were with him in the beginning of his career. The same applies to Jose Canseco. They flushed all of that down the toilet when they began to act as God or any superior being.

It appears that fame and fortune has been linked intrinsically with lack of judgement and the attitude of "I'm invincible," which blocks all forms of effective decision making and effective judgment.

Past Baseball Players

What Alexander Freund has written in his article is true. It is a shame that Major League Baseball had a tarnished reputation when it came to segregation.

It is for this reason that many African American baseball players went to Cuba and other Latin American countries to excel in their chosen sport.

I also have to wonder what baseball history would have been if Babe Ruth and others were to compete with African American players.

Babe Ruth and other baseball players in the past have been guilty of many things and had vices that are now acceptable in 21st century America.

There is no need to elaborate, as Bleacher Report readers can read the article linked previously.

Media and the American People

The people who should also be at fault for what has transpired are the media and those who have preconceived notions that an athlete has to be perfect.

We have elevated today's athletes and have praised them in excess. We have placed great expectations on our athletes, including baseball players, to be perfect. The reality is that such perfection does not exist.

Resolution

Major League Baseball is NOT dead, and it will be around for a long time. The demand for 100 percent perfection must stop. The media and the people who believe the lavish praise on the athletes must be stopped.

We must accept our athletes as human beings instead of some sort of machines. The way it can be accomplished should be through a source for serious discussion.

The baseball players of today must own up to their drug use and take serious steps to clean themselves. Major League Baseball should make the laws governing baseball much stricter.

In order to honor the baseball players of past and present, it is important to honor ALL of them for their contributions. Justice would be served if they were to be honored with all of their accomplishments, either big or small.

While this is not a long term solution, it is a start.