Derick Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
After the recent investigation stemming from Anthony Bosch and his Biogensis lab that has reportedly supplied performance-enhancing drugs to numerous MLB players, including New York Yankees‘ Alex Rodriguez and Milwaukee Brewers‘ Ryan Braun, the integrity of the MLB has again been further degraded by steroids.
Ever since the late 1990s, when steroids became a major part of baseball lore, most casual baseball fans haven’t associated big name players with the game. Instead, steroids are often the first thing that comes to mind. On the off chance it is a player, it’s Mark McGwire, Barry Bonds, Sammy Sosa or Alex Rodriguez. But even still, that’s only because of their deep steroids association.
It’s been one scandal after another. First came BALCO, then came the Mitchell Report and now, most recently, the Biogensis Lab. No matter where the MLB turns, steroids always seem to be waiting around the corner. Despite their best efforts to clean up the game, virtually no progress has been made.
Doping in sports is something that has been around longer than many people realize. Some say that it could possibly date back to Ancient Rome times and the gladiator days. In baseball, it’s something that players have been using since they found out how it can positively affect their game.
Baseball used to be Americas pastime and something that many cherished and many still do today. But more and more is baseball becoming a dirty game. It seems that every month or so we hear of a new player that has used or is allegedly using performance-enhancing drugs. It’s degrading the great game and many are losing respect for the players, both past and present.
It’s beginning to reach epidemic proportions and soon baseball will be spiraling out of control. It’s easy to speculate and suggest things that baseball can do to try to clean up the sport, but it’s not as easy as one might think. There are protocols and procedures that need to be followed to get anything done.
In the meantime, baseball will continue it’s fall from grace, as the game gets dirtier and dirtier with each passing steroid user. What was once America’s pastime is now fast becoming ruined by performance enhancing drugs.
Brian Skinnell is a writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter and add him to your network on Google.
