PEDs HAVE DESTROYED THIS GREAT GAME OF BASEBALL

"Hi Boys and Girls, my name is (INSERT VIOLATOR HERE), I play for the (INSERT TEAM HERE), but I tested positive for drugs and cheated.  I am now suspended for 50 games.  What I did was wrong.  Don’t be like me. I am not a role model. A role model works hard to achieve their goals.”

Looks like we have a big problem in Major League Baseball if this New Times story is true, read HERE. The above statement was a statement I put together in the summer when Melky Cabrera was caught cheating and admitting to using PEDs, read WHEN SUNSHINE TURNS TO DARKNESS for insight on that. Now look, because this issue of PEDs use is such a wicked web, and I'm no lawyer, I can't sit here and tell my audience that I have it all figured out. I don't. Sure, there are accusations everywhere about who used, who didn't and when they could have used and when they didn't use. Bottom line, the only one that truly knows is that player and God. BYB would love to ban all players that are caught, but something needs to happen for me to go further. These players would either need to admit it, like Melky Cabrera, or they would need to be found guilty. I know, I know, it's no easy task, none of it is, but it's so hard to just read a news item and just point fingers. I'm trying to give the benefit of the doubt.  I feel like I can't just blanket the whole thing and jump on the "accusation wagon". None of us truly know. Again, It's a wicked web and it makes me queasy.

(Note: not the actual incident)
Late yesterday I came home from work and went to throw out some garbage in my kitchen. I opened up the can and found my son's Alex Rodriguez card in the trash. Puzzled, I asked him about it.  He told me a kid in his class told him that ARod cheated and told me he didn't want it anymore. Now look, he's 10.  He's old enough to read the Internet and thanks to athletes who use and get caught, he knows what PEDs are now. Unfortunately for me, I now have to parent alittle harder to explain not only cheating, but Performance Enhancing Drugs. Not exactly something in my parent handbook.  But, it's funny, when he said he threw out ARod's card,  in some regard, I was proud of him. He understood right from wrong.  Cheating isn't allowed, he got it. In another regard, I was crushed.  If these reports of Alex Rodriguez, Nelson Cruz, Gio Gonzalez and Bartolo Colon and others are true, and I stress the importance of truth here, It is the ultimate blow to baseball, to sports and Bud Selig has to wake the hell up.

The report simply said this: "Major League Baseball is gathering and reviewing information regarding Tuesday's report in the Miami New Times that linked at least seven Major Leaguers to performance-enhancing substances via a recently closed clinic in Miami, but also expressed confidence that the developments demonstrate the scope of the sport's anti-doping efforts.

The newspaper said that records it obtained connect the Yankees' Alex Rodriguez, the Nationals' Gio Gonzalez, the Rangers' Nelson Cruz and others to Anthony Bosch, the former owner of Biogenesis, an anti-aging clinic in Coral Gables, Fla. In the cases of some, Bosch's handwritten notes indicated that players obtained human growth hormone and other substances from him." Here is the full story from MLB.com HERE.

Here is a portion of MLB statement. Full statement is HERE:  “We are always extremely disappointed to learn of potential links between players and the use of performance-enhancing substances. These developments, however, provide evidence of the comprehensive nature of our anti-drug efforts. Through our Department of Investigations, we have been actively involved in the issues in South Florida. It is also important to note that three of the players allegedly involved have already been disciplined under the Joint Drug Program... Vigilance remains the key toward protecting the integrity of our game. We have the best and most stringent drug testing policy in professional sports, we continue to work with our doctors and trainers to learn what they are seeing day-to-day and we educate our players about the game’s unbending zero-tolerance approach. We remain fully committed to following all leads and seeking the appropriate outcomes for all those who use, purchase and are involved in the distribution of banned substances, which have no place in our game... We are in the midst of an active investigation and are gathering and reviewing information. We will refrain from further comment until this process is complete.”

When it now trickles down to my son, I have some thoughts on this. Trust me. PEDs are running wild and my kid is crushed. When that happens, I want to circle the wagons. So, in other words, this is more about baseball now... This is about my family.

So, I simply revisit an idea that Bleeding Yankee Blue had that was ignored by Major League Baseball this past summer. Once again, I believe that if implemented, it will surely end this epidemic, or at least slow it down to a grinding halt. Quite simply, we shame these offenders.  I detailed this idea when Melky Cabrera was caught, and admitted his guilt. The idea is simple: You put these players in front of a camera. You have them talk directly to the fans, to the kids. You make them read a script and, I'll use Bartolo Colon as the example here below, remember he was another player who admitted guilt:

(Below is the statement I would force failed testers to use as a new policy suggested by BYB)
“My name is Bartolo Colon, I pitch for the Oakland Athletics this season, but I tested positive for drugs and cheated.  I am now suspended for 50 games.  What I did was wrong.  Don’t be like me. I am not a role model. A role model works hard to achieve their goals.”

This Public Service Announcement should be shown on MLB or Sports productions around America, at the Super Bowl, before Tennis matches and on baseball pre-game shows.  Everyone should see it.  But that's not all, that player should also pay a nice fat fine.  This hits these players in the ego and in the pocketbook and in addition to all of that, these violators should be suspended for an entire 162 game season meaning, that season is erased. In other words, if they are caught in August of 2013, there stats don't count.  On their baseball card it would read "Suspended for PEDs", just like it would read "Out for Season with Injury."

Quite frankly, this is the smartest, most comprehensive idea to keep players from using.  I am sick of my son asking me why players "cheat" if they're already talented.  Pretty smart question for a 10 year old, I don't have an answer, do you?   I'm tired of explaining why PEDs are bad.  Now it's time for the players to explain to kids why it's bad, so, a Public Service Announcement from the player himself should do the trick. Why? Because I may be a parent, but I do my job, I guide my kids. I also teach about personal responsibility. So why not have these guys do it too?  Hey ARod, if this report is true, why don't you tell my son why you cheated? (In fairness, ARod denies the charge by the New Times, read HERE.)

Why don't you tell my kid why it's wrong Alex?  Why don't you tell my kid why he shouldn't do it?  I already do, but kids worship athletes and you guys need to set the example!

And message to MLB... Implement my idea. It's easy to do!  From this point forward, if a player violates the PEDs agreement, it should be considered a violation of MLB Rules and it would automatically void any involvement from the Players Association.  These players need to step forward like men and take their lumps. They need to do it without protection of lawyers, agents, the Player's Association or their teams. If they are so "adult" about making a decision to cheat, then they need to be "adult" about handling their punishment on their own.

Sure, read this post and poke holes in it if you want, you're entitled. But I know I'm not the only one who thinks that enough is enough. It's time to drop the hammer. Shame these violators, because we all know MLB will never ban these violators from baseball.  So, do the next best thing, take away their stats, embarrass them and let them talk directly to the kids about personal responsibility, because I gotta tell ya, your little PEDs handbook just ain't working.  Wake up Bud, wake up.



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