12/21/24
October 21, 2003
Time for baseball to face the (drug) music?: "As it stands now, baseball's drug-testing program is a toothless exercise in public relations. There are no penalties for positive tests and no random, out-of-competition tests. And, by baseball's reckoning, it's OK to have some players pumped up on steroids as long as it's not too many. ... The 1994 Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act pushed through Congress by Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah, a state where supplement-makers flourish, is particularly in need of a fix. ... DSHEA enabled androstenedione, used by Mark McGwire during his 70-homer season in 1998, to be available for over-the-counter sale even though it was banned as a steroid by the Olympics, the NFL, the NCAA and other sports -- with the notable exception of baseball. ... Ephedra, another supplement banned by most sports, also was left uncontrolled by DSHEA. Used to lose weight and boost athletic performance, ephedra has been linked to scores of deaths, including 23-year-old Baltimore Orioles pitcher Steve Bechler. "
posted by worldcup2002 to baseball at 06:07 PM - 10 comments
[aside] Why is it that the word "whiny" is constantly being attached to the words "baseball fans" of late--I'm beginning to resent it a bit. Baseball fans are no more whiny than fans of any other sport (maybe there are just a few more Red Sox fans than Liverpool fans lurking around here). [/aside] Now for the substance of your post: baseball's fangless drug policy is a sham and a shame. How many baseball players do fans look at nowadays and sort of knowlingly say to other fans "well of course he can hit the ball a mile, just look at how he is "bulked up"; bulked up being the code word for on drugs. I've heard this in relation to Giambi, Bonds, and Brett Boone, just to name a few high profile ones. I was surprised when I didn't hear it much about Javy Lopez this year (maybe it's the fact that he actually slimmed down and didn't gain a ton of muscle mass). That said, the Players Association ought to step up to the plate to stop the whispering for the good of the game. What makes Baseball exempt where other sports are not. Baseball players should be held to the same standards as professional athletes in other sports. I mean, c'mon, the only drug Babe Ruth used was probably Whiskey. Hank Aaron, perhaps not even that. Unless something is done to address this, all these monster numbers lately may eventually end up with asterisks next to them.
posted by trox at 08:52 AM on October 22, 2003
I always thought of baseball as more of a skill sport anyway - hitting is as much skill and talent based as it is atheltic. Kinda like golf. No matter how bulked up you are, you still have to have vision, timing and balance. So the bi-products of being juiced - strength, speed - have an application that is after the fact (being able to hit). I'm not convinced that 'roids turn pop-outs into homers (stadiums and a deepleted talent pool of pitchers do that) -more like turning wall scrapers into 500 foot bombs. Besides, you look at some of the guys out there who are equally obviously juiced - Brad Fullmer, Gabe Kapler come to mind - and still haven't had 25 homer seasons and I think it paints more of a picture of 'roids not having as deep an impact as they do in genuine strength and speed sports. Actually I think the one area where 'roids impact baseball the most is in injuries. Too much unnatural muscle growth for an activity that really is quite natural (swinging). Like cats with torn oblique muscles and pulled rib cages- groin injuries too. So while I can't stand 'roiding in most sports, I don't think it affects ball that much - McGwre, Bonds, Sosa, Giambi, Boone et al are all very good hitters regardless. And then you look at guys like Ramirez and Guerrero who strike me as being obviously not on juice (I don't think Ramirez even exercises) and how good they are and I think an argument can be made.
posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 10:02 AM on October 22, 2003
What, no whiny baseball fans? Can we stop with the divisive bullshit? You're well on your way to a half-dozen people showing up in every football thread shitting on them. And no-one needs that. Especially the SpoFi football fans that aren't you.
posted by yerfatma at 10:14 AM on October 22, 2003
WC, WC, WC [billsaysthis shakes his head in sadness], don't you know better?
posted by billsaysthis at 11:07 AM on October 22, 2003
I apologize, trox, Weedy, yerfatma and bill. To you and all the other SpoFi baseball fans. I am sorry.
posted by worldcup2002 at 12:28 PM on October 22, 2003
wc2k2 - I thought it was kinda funny. No worries.
posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 01:19 PM on October 22, 2003
Thanks, Weedy.
posted by worldcup2002 at 02:03 PM on October 22, 2003
No worries wc2k2, just trying to foster some peace, love, and understanding.
posted by trox at 03:47 PM on October 22, 2003
WC: Now you really owe me an apology! Calling me a baseball fan and all!
posted by billsaysthis at 04:10 PM on October 22, 2003
What, no whiny baseball fans? I mean, this could cause a nullification of the Yankees win, no? Giambi has been subpoenaed, you know! They might have to recall the World Series! C'mon!