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Let Steroids Users Into Hall of Fame

Baseball should allow performance-enhancing drugs

By Nick McMaster, Newser Staff

Posted Jun 20, 2009 10:33 AM CDT

(Newser) – The Hall of Fame has become baseball’s weapon of last resort against players who’ve used performance-enhancing drugs. Baseball writers can’t ban drug users from the sport or take away their money—but they can deny them a spot in Cooperstown. This crusade is senseless, writes Zev Chafets for the New York Times. Millions of Americans use “performance-enhancing” drugs—think Adderall or Lexapro—why can’t MLB just be honest about what players are doing?

“If everyone has access to the same drugs and training methods,” reasons Chafets, “then the field is level.” Steroids are changing the game, but the game—its equipment, rules, and demographics—has never stopped changing anyway. The only thing, in the end, that fans will not tolerate is “the sense that they are being lied to.”

[Images (2)]

[Quotes (1)]

Fans cheer as Texas Rangers' Sammy Sosa heads toward home celebrating after hitting his 600th career home run in 2007. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

Former Giants left fielder Barry Bonds waves to fans in San Francisco in April. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

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Like it or not, chemical enhancement is here to stay. And it is as much a part of the national game as $5.50 hot dogs, free agency and Tommy John elbow surgery.
- Zev Chafets

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COMMENTS

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Showing 3 of 23 comments

wwwonderer

Jun 22, 2009 6:25 AM CDT

I understand your thoughts Alexandria. If that's the case, what's going to stop the overambitious dad from applying steroids in the womb? At the same token, I think it's just as unfair for women to compete in beauty, er... I mean 'talent' pageants, with fake breasts and fake hair. How can ANY woman take a compliment for her beauty, when that SAME beauty can be purchased by anyone. At the same token, how much will people worship these athletes when then find that they can purchase similar 'talent'.? Maybe fan admiration goes down, and maybe that's good. With the financial crisi the world has been going through lately, rescaling ALL (espcially ENTERTAINMENT) INDUSTRIES seems inevitable in order to maintain good societal balance.

paul123

Jun 22, 2009 6:01 AM CDT

Food for thought, from: http://www.sportingo.com/baseb... "Unfortunately, it is just a guess where to rank the players from the Negro Leagues for several reasons. First, many of them never played in MLB, or when they did, they were past their prime. For instance, the legendary Satchel Paige did not start pitching in MLB until he was around the age 42 or 43, depending on which date of birth you believe. Second, the statistics from the Negro Leagues were incomplete. Third, those statistics are almost meaningless when comparing them to the MLB statistics, since the quality of the Negro Leagues were hard to determine. Fourth, the leagues were different statistically. From 1930 to 1950, the batting average in the Negro Leagues was .308, while the batting average in MLB was .269. This difference was apparently (from what I read - including quotes from Negro League hitting stars such as Buck O'Neil) the result of a lack of pitching depth in the Negro Leagues.". Yes, this too is an opinion piece, and I think it minimalizes the black players too much, but still it basically says you cant compare the two leagues.

paul123

Jun 22, 2009 5:49 AM CDT

anch, If taking 'roids were not going to improve Mark McGwire's performance, why would he have taken them. Or why would anyone take them if they weren't going to provide some benefit to them. I'm sure they weren't taking it for the side effect of shrinking testicles. So there is your proof. Mark still would have been a good player, but I think the 'roids enhanced his stats, nobody with a brain can argue that. So there is your proof. I don't have to go back in time like you have suggested and blah blah blah. I dont have brains, imagination, reasoning? I've got more than you pal, which at this point isn't saying much. Let's agree to disagree, and please take an anger management class.

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Let Steroids Users Into Hall of Fame