The use of steroids in major league baseball - Essay Example

Cheating the Purity and Integrity of the Game: The Use of Steroids in Major League Baseball In every game, millions of fans attend and cheer for their favorite team and favorite players in Major League Baseball. Fans are awed and fascinated by the sheer talent of the players they so admire. Yet what most don't know and refuse to acknowledge is that some of these players use steroids, or performance enhancing substances. Because of this the integrity of the game that is held dear by many Americans becomes questionable. Can it still be called sheer talent and skill in the sport when performance enhancing drugs are being used That is the question that every team owner, officer or administrator, coach, player, and fans must keep in mind. The widespread use of steroids in Major League Baseball indeed is a grave problem that needs to seriously be addressed by baseball officials and the government. Apart from the negative and potentially fatal side effects that the use of steroids poses to the human body, it also encourages young players to use the substance in order to improve their game and qualify in the major leagues (Mitchell, 2007). In an article in USA Today, Rep. Tom Davis, chairman of the House Committee on Government Reform, stated that "college athletes believe they have to consider steroids if they're going to make it to the pros; high school athletes, in turn, think steroids are the key to getting a scholarship. It's time to break that vicious cycle, and it needs to happen from the top down." (as cited in Jenkins, 2005, para. 8). In addition to this, the use of the substance by players to raise and improve their statistics is unjust and unfair to the other players who are honest, hard-working, and just plain talented (Mitchell, 2007). It is unfair for the younger players who are clean to be competing against other athletes who are pumped up with steroids. Again, this makes the validity of baseball records and stats questionable, as the use of steroids enables the player to attain a level of productivity that they would not have been able to achieve using their own talent, efforts, and abilities (Grossman, Kimsey, Moreen, & Owings, n.d.). Indeed, the substance abuse of Steroids in Major league baseball is a form of cheating - the players who use this substance not only cheats their fans, other players, and the league, but they also cheat themselves in believing that it is good for them. The purity and integrity of the game itself is then lost. Steroids Anabolic androgenic steroids are synthetic substances from testosterone, the primary male hormone responsible for anabolism and catabolism of protein in muscles resulting to increase in muscle mass and reduction of muscle soreness that is normally felt after strenous exercise (Mitchell, 2007). This permits the steroid users, then to exercise more. When steroids are regularly used for a longer period of time, eventually the body develops resistance to the effects of the drug, and larger doses are then needed to achieve the desired effects of the drug. When this occurs, significant adverse effects may arise. As the primary physiologic effect of steroids is to raise testosterone levels, steroid toxicity may result to manic-depression and aggressive behaviors, may contribute to heart attack and stroke, hypogonadism, and infertility (Mitchell, 2007). Steroid abuse may as well result to a severe case of acne as the sebaceous glands are stimulated to hypersecrete oil on the face and body (Mitchell, 2007). In addition to this, it may cause enlargement of the prostate gland, gynecomastia or emlargement of the male breasts, and speeds up the physiologic process of balding in men (Mitchell, 2007). In adolescents, the use of steroids may inhibit the natural growth process as it causes premature fusion of growth plate in the long bones of the legs and arms (Mitchell, 2007). Steroid use has also been claimed to greatly contribute to athletic injuries (Grossman et. al., n.d.). Lastly, as steroids are potentially addictive, steroid abusers may demonstrate behavior similar to that of those addicted to illegal drugs and amphetamines. These may be withdrawal syndrome, mood swings, fatigue, restlessness, aggression, loss of appetite, insomnia, and reduced sex drive (Mitchell, 2007). Combatting Steroid Abuse in Baseball As there was much evidence of steroid use in 2003, steroid testing in Major League Baseball began despite the drug being banned way back in 1991 under the Federal Controlled Substances Act (Grossman et. al., n.d.; The Washington Times, 2005). The stats were soaring high and homerun records were being broken just as much as the number of players in the injured list was increasing (Grossman et. al., n.d.). At this time, if a player is tested positive for the first time, the only consequence would be counseling, 15 days suspension for the 2nd positive test, 25 days on the third, 50 days on the 4th, and 1 year suspension on the fifth positive test (Grossman et. al., n.d.). These punishments, it seemed, were too lax and lenient for players to actually feel the urgency to stop using steroids if they already are using it, or to keep from starting to use the drug, if they haven't already. Accordingly, as steroid use was apparently becoming more rampant, baseball policies and testing became stricter. Instead of the above-mentioned punishments, the Major League Baseball Players' Association in late 2005 agreed to the new policy that if a player gets tested positive for the first time, there will be a 50 game suspension and 100 games on the second test (Grossman et. al., n.d.). On the third test, the player will then be banned for life with possible reinstatement (Grossman et. al., n.d.). Despite this, many argue that the baseball policies are still too lenient and that a lot of players still are able to get away with it. It seems as if the baseball commission is not making much effort to alleviate the problem and address the issues that surround steroid use (Jenkins, 2005). Because of Jose Canseco's book that reveals the widespread use of the substance in baseball and the grand jury testimony in the BALCO case, the House Government Reform Committee has intervened (The Washington Times, 2005).. What the committee on reform wants is for the baseball commission to actually admit that there is a serious problem with steroid abuse among players and to assure them that they are doing everything that they can to address the problem as there are a lot of young people who look up to baseball players (The Washington Times, 2005). Mitchell states that "no drug testing is effective" (2007, p. 4). As such, there were players who got away with using the substance, and those who switched from detectable steroids to the kind undetectable in urine (Mitchell, 2007). In combatting the proliferation of steroid use in baseball, Grossman et. al. proposes that the commission must (1) increase the punishment for the first offense, (2) increase the probability of detection by making the tests better, and (3) reduce the economic or financial incentives for performance by decreasing salaries that are based on performance (n.d., p. 14). To both the players and fans, statistics and performance are very important in the determinance of a player's skills on the field, and eventually determining salaries (Jenkins, 2005). In fact, Elliot Kalb, writer of the book Who's Better Who's Best in Baseball, claims that stats are the "lifeblood" of baseball (as cited in Jenkins, 2005, para. 24). As such, the use of steroids in baseball makes the legitimacy of stats and records questionable, and the integrity and purity of the game becomes tainted. The history of baseball, along with hall of famers of the early times - those who did not use steroids - will as well be tainted. As Hall of Fame pitcher Tom Seaver claims: the use of steroids in the sport "throws a dark shadow over the game. It's got to be cleaned up." (as cited in Jenkins, 2005). References "Getting to the truth about MLB and steroids." (2005, March 16). The Washington Times, p. A20. Grossman, M., Kimsey, T., Moreen, J., & Owings, M. (n.d.). Steroids and major league baseball. Retrieved May 6, 2008, from http://faculty.haas.berkeley.edu/rjmorgan/mba211/Steroids%20and%20Major%20League%20Baseball.pdf Jenkins, C. (2005, March 15). Players admit steroids changed baseball. USA Today. Retrieved May 7, 2008, from http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/2005-03-15-steroids-mlb-cover_x.htm Mitchell, G. J. (2007). Report to the commisioner of baseball of an independent investigation into the illegal use of ateroids and other performance enhancing substances by players in major league baseball. Retrieved May 6, 2008, from http://files.mlb.com/mitchrpt.pdf Read More