The Rant

Well, where to begin. PED use has been one of the most controversial topics in baseball. Just a few days ago a new book came out by Jose Canseco who is one of the people responsible for revealing the ped use in baseball. He named one of the most special players in baseball right now- Alex Rodriguiez. But no one else ever has. My point, no one knows who did what when and that is the bottom line.

We don't only know who did what when, we also do not know how much an effect if any PEDs had. There are many myths that surround PEDs. Most of the facts prove that in baseball they have a minimal or no effect on performance. While they can be used to help mask pain, and sometimes help recovery, it still doesn't help a player hit the tiny ball coming at the ninety miles per hour. PEDs in fact, can hurt a players performance. Many players do not train properly to benefit from PEDs so they build muscle in the wrong areas, slowing their speed. Simply, there has not been enough studies to know exactly what they do, and most likely no one will ever be able to tell just what they do. But a lot of evidence points to no effect.

Furthermore, why start to penalize the PED users now? The effect of PEDs on baseball is questionable. There have been many cheaters who blantantly effected the outcome of the game with their cheating. They have been allowed to keep their records and be admitted into the hall of fame. We shouldn't have a different standard when dealing with PEDs. The precedent is set.

Many people base their thoughts on PEDs on myths.But, we can't credit them because they are only myths. Some of those include PEDs help players play longer. But, an athlete is at their prime around the age of 40. Which would explain players playing longer, and why Barry Bonds and many others such as Hank Aaron hit better aroung the age of 40.

People argue that PEDs are ethically wrong. They argue that they are illegal. But until this year most were not banned by baseball. They argue that they send the wrong message to tenns. But studies have proven that PED use in teens is actually declining and very few young athletes have pro athletes as role models.

Many believe that MLB should just move on. There will never be a way to know who did what when. The rules are tougher. Expectations are clear now. Simply leave the past behind and move on into the future.