Steroids

For those of you who haven't heard, Jose Bautista blasted his 51st and 52nd home runs today. There have only been 26 players in the history of baseball to ever hit 50 home runs is a single season; it's really a remarkable accomplishment. But for some reason, Jose Bautista hasn't been getting any pub for what he has done this year.

The article recently by Damien Cox on the "questionable" hitting success of Jose Bautista this season enraged me intensely. I generally like Damien Cox's articles, but this article was written purely to generate talking points for the FAN590. It was such a terribly written piece that the writer needs to be taken to task.

I won't link you to the article which is the basis for this article, but I will give you a brief summary:

With the 2010 class recently inducted, we can look forward to the 2011 class. 

There are really only two surefire locks to be inducted in 2011, and one tossup first ballot.

Here is a list of candidates who will appear on the ballot and whether or not they will get inducted in 2011. 

This is not indicative of whether or not they'll get in at all, JUST in 2011.

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For any person involved in professional sports there is often a discussion of what their legacy will be after they leave the sport.  Even players who were never all-stars can leave a legacy as a hard worker, great teammate, or role player.

Some peoples' legacy can be defined by a single event, such as a great win or a heartbreaking loss.

It seems that nary a week goes by without another player being indicted on, or at least suspected of, charges of using PEDs. While the juicers', and their suppliers' house of cards, fell in the MLB, PED investigations and suspensions have now proliferated to the NFL, professional cycling, and other sports.

One thing is clear: These substances, the people who use them, and the people who distribute them are not going away.

Every conviction represents just a drop out of the vast ocean purists believe professional sports are sinking in.

It seems that nary a week goes by without another player being indicted on charges of using PEDs. While the juicers', and their suppliers, house of cards fell in the MLB, PED investigations and suspensions have now proliferated to the NFL, professional cycling, and other sports.

One thing is clear. These substances, the people who use them, and the people who distribute them, are not going away.

Every conviction is only a drop in the vast ocean that the purists believe professional sports are sinking in.

"The so-called 'steroid era'—a reference that is resented by the many players who played in that era and never touched the substances—is clearly a thing of the past."—Bud Selig, Jan. 11, 2010

Listed below, are the points and counterpoints about if we should be as outraged about amphetamines as steroids:

Point: Yes, amphetamines are cheating just like steroids.

Counterpoint: No, steroids enhance performance while amphetamines enable performance. One makes you better while the other gets you on the field to play baseball.

P: Amphetamines do more than just get you on the field.

With steroid testing now implemented all around Major League Baseball and an era known best as "The Steroid Era" coming to a close it's just about time we got to ranking the players who juiced during the in the era.