Is Drug Testing Working In Major League Baseball?
Bartolo Colon of the Oakland Athletics is the second player in the past two weeks to test positive for testosterone. Last week, San Francisco Giants slugger Melky Cabrera also tested positive for the banned substance. Both players were suspended for 50 games under the league's drug policy. The recent tests have sparked debate among members of the sports media community. Is drug testing in Major League Baseball working? I think so.
What is interesting about the players comments is that they did not use the traditional appeal approach to handling their suspensions. Colon and Cabrera both released similar statements revealing their intentions to serve out their suspensions rather than go through the appeals process. They both apologized to teammates, fans and their respective organizations for taking the substance. What is this? Players actually taking responsibility for what they put in their bodies? This is a far cry from the "steroid era" that caused a pair of black eyes for Major League Baseball during the past decade. As fans of the game, we have become accustomed to players denying use of performance enhancing drugs (PEDs), and going through the appeals process only to waste federal tax dollars on senate hearings and the infamous Mitchell Report. Players cheated back then, but without proper testing there was no way to prove it. Denial was imminent.
I grew up watching baseball in the "steroid era" and I have lost a lot of respect for the players that used PEDs. Barry Bonds is eligible for the hall of fame next year, and there is a very good chance that voters will not recognize the all-time and single-season home run leader. Baseball has done just about everything possible to erase the image that was created by players who cheated.
I think that current testing is catching players that are cheating, and these players realize that it is best to serve the suspension than be tried by the court of public opinion who has zero tolerance for cheaters. The suspensions and confessions of Colon and Cabrera are proof that what Major League Baseball is doing is working. Making the game pure again is the best thing for the fans and for the players.
I don't have a lot to say on this topic, as I don't know alot about it. Your research is awesome, though. I find it very interesting, though, that the athletes are accepting the punishment instead of fighting or denying what they're being accused of. In today's society, we're used to celebrities/athletes denying any little thing, which turns up more suspicion. It makes me wonder if they're learning their lesson, or is there something else behind it. Interesting.
ReplyDeleteThe thing about athletes is in this day and age they will due whatever they can to get a competitive edge on their opponent, and if that means cheating they don't care, I do agree doping is cheating but with the huge salary these players get and all the pressure they have to perform can you really blame them.
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