The A-Rod Effect: What Alex Rodriguez Has Done to Baseball

That's how many homers Alex Rodriguez could hit in a single season.

Why?

Performance-enhancing drugs.

Alex Rodriguez was, as we're all familiar with, caught using steroids after winning awards for his amazing batting statistics.

This concept has gotten very familiar to the baseball world. But now, it affects all baseball players.

I call it, the "A-Rod Effect."

The A-Rod Effect is that now any guy who can hit home runs is accused of being on steroids. People are getting more conscientious of the number of home runs a player is hitting.

It basically just causes more suspicion and tension for fans and reporters. Players are falling victim to accusing news reporters and other paparazzi.

For example, Ryan Theriot lifted a few balls into the stands. Now newspapers across the country are asking, "Is he on steroids?"

If it weren't for Alex Rodriguez, would that question be coming up?

No.

Because of him, we are starting to doubt our own players and sometimes even our loyalty to our team.

It makes me wonder why somebody would want to be so dishonest to take performance-enhancing drugs anyway. You're going to get caught.

Remember Sammy Sosa?

After he got caught, everyone was buzzing.

Song parodies were written. Mocking photos were posted. But that still doesn't stop people like Alex Rodriguez.

Why is the eternal struggle to be great taking over the good name of American baseball?

Why can't people just accept the fact that we aren't perfect and no many how many drugs you take, you aren't going to be?

Even though it is illegal to use steroids, some people break the rules and use them anyway. They get caught. And they make everyone apprehensive.

Now we can't watch a season of baseball without seeing a guy hit a lot of homers and wondering if he took the drugs.

I don't really mean to point out Rodriguez in general. But he's the scapegoat everyone is looking at right now.

The point I'm trying to make, bluntly, is that if A-Rod hadn't used steroids, there would be no "A-Rod Effect." Everyone in baseball, and sports altogether, would be much better off.