Steroids and Baseball

A new era of baseball is in progress. Pitchers with 210 strikeouts a season, hitters getting over 500 home runs a year with 40 stolen bases. All regular statistics nowadays, but are they legit? Ever since the late 1980s many sports figures (mostly baseball) have been linked to PED’s (Performance Enhancing Drugs). Some of these athletes include the biggest names in baseball. Even though the testing and tolerance level has grown stricter and stricter over the years drug use has continued to increase

 In 2003, there was a scandal involving BALCO (Bay Area Laboratory Co- Operative) which was accused of supplying players with PED’s. This was a turning point in professional sports. A call from U.S Track Coach Trevor Graham gave the USADA (United States Anti- Doping Agency) a list of runners accused of taking an undetectable steroid.  They were also accused of supplying MLB players with banned substances, like, Anabolic Steroids, HGH (Human Growth Hormone), and other performance enhancers. Some athletes associated with BALCO were Barry Bonds, Jason Giambi, Bill Romanowski, and Marion Jones..

                When you hear the word “steroids”, one name always comes to mind immediately: Barry Bonds. Bonds is well known for two things: his association with steroids, and, breaking Hank Aaron’s home run record. The home run record is a controversial topic because it’s debatable as to whether all his HR’s should count. Bonds had about a 20- year career in the MLB and they have all come into question.

                To add more controversy to the issue, in 2003, 104 names were on a list that contained all the players who failed drug tests that year. Those names were kept secret until this year when they were leaked to the press. They included, Alex Rodriguez, Manny Ramirez, David Ortiz, Roger Clemens, and Andy Pettitte. Alex Rodriguez said the reason he took steroids, was because of the incredible contract he signed with the Texas Rangers. He claims he felt pressured to do well and took them for two years, 2001- 2003. He also claims he stopped when he was traded to the New York Yankees. Roger Clemens also fought a highly publicized case in court over the accusation he faced, and Andy Pettitte admitted taking HGH (Human Growth Hormone) in 2004, claiming he wanted his pitching elbow to heal faster in time for the playoffs. Ironically, all these players play, or have played, for the Yankees.

The problem with banned substances continued in June 2009 when Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Manny Ramirez was suspended 50 games for taking the illegal substance, hCG (Human chorionic gonadotropin). hCG is a women’s fertility drug taken by steroid users to restart their natural testosterone production. Ramirez apologized, and that was the extent of his punishment. Then about halfway through his supension, Ramirez and David Ortiz were said to be on the infamous 2003 doping list. Ramirez really didn’t comment on this, as he was already suspended for the newest drug use case. Before a game at Yankee Stadium, though, Ortiz held a press conference and he stated that he was taking the drugs as a prescription that was by his physician.

                Steroids have detrimental effects on the body. Even after stopping steroid use, the side effects can still occur. Some side effects include arthritis, destruction of joints and ligaments, and alteration of the heart structure. It can cause heart attacks, sudden cardiac death, and congestive heart failure. Regardless of the benefits they bring to an athletic career, the side effects cannot be argued, and neither can the effects they have had on the reputation of professional sports.