Baseball is going with a new steroid policy. Fifty games for a first offense, 100 for a second, and a lifetime ban on the third.
I don't have a problem with the new plan, but I didn't think the old program was too weak. What people forgot is that the worst punishment is the damage to the player's reputation. Do you think the extra 40 games is going to act as a deterrent? The real reason not to do steroids from a player's standpoint is that if you get caught you are outed, and everything you did before or do after will be questioned. I really doubt anyone will ever get to the three strikes you're out stage. Steroids are not addictive like other drugs that have caused players to test positive multiple times.
The inclusion of amphetamines is interesting. The penalities for greenies are not the same as for steroids. First offense is mandatory additional testing, then 25 games, 80 games and then commissioner's discretion. Greenies are a part of the game and have been for a long time. Jim Bouton first wrote about it in "Ball Four." I don't understand why guys don't just switch to nodoz, vivarin or red bull.
I respectively disagree with this commentary as it is too narrowly focused. It ignores the fringe players, the players who are in Triple AAA or AA trying to get to the majors, or the guys on the bench trying to hit that pinch hit homerun. They don't have a reputation, no stats to be questions because they are not noteworthy. If they are caught and suspended for 50 games, they will likely not get another chance because they will be cut. If they were out only ten games, it is less likely their career would be impacted.
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