On December 17, 2007, Senator George Mitchell published his 20-month study on Major League Baseball players that used anabolic steroids and human growth hormone (HGH).
Eighty-nine current and former players were named in the Mitchell Report, but there were many unmentioned players that have used performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs).
The report signaled that the MLB was not yet making an attempt to get over the steroid era.
Thanks to the steroid era, numerous records and achievements have an asterisk placed next to them. Whether or not a player deserves a milestone and a place near the top of the record books is constantly debated, all courtesy of PEDs.
Steroids and HGH have caused doubt in the fans' and media's mind that a particular player is clean. If a player's power numbers jump from year to year, automatic doubt spreads across baseball nation as to whether or not a player has been using illegal drugs.
This is getting really old and has been for four or five years.
It is nearly impossible to calculate the number of current and former players that used PEDs. The MLB will never catch every single player, and even if they get a good number, not everyone can be punished.
The legacies of great players such as Roger Clemens, Jason Giambi, Gary Sheffield, Barry Bonds, and Miguel Tejada have been tarnished forever and, in some cases, may keep them out of the Hall of Fame.
Baseball needs to put an end to this era soon and forget about any player's use. If they don't end it, numerous players' records and accomplishments will be debated and, in some sense, a new record book will have been formed.
Seemingly everybody is tired of player after player being accused of steroid use. The MLB will never catch every PED-using player, so why even try?
PEDs have tarnished the game and put every player under a microscope.
We have all heard of and seen for ourselves the dramatic incline of home runs and other offensive statistics. It is clear that steroid use is still common throughout the Big Leagues and doesn't seem to have an end any time in the near future.
But with the amount of players that have used and are using PEDs, how can Major League Baseball put an end to the steroid era? There are a few possible solutions:
They could put a lifetime ban on any player caught, but that seems pretty harsh. Another solution is to keep any player caught using out of the Hall of Fame starting in a few years. Or they could simply allow the use and every player could be free to use PEDs if they wanted even though the game would change dramatically.
Nonetheless, the steroid era has to come to an end quickly. Just the wondering and doubt that if any particular player is clean has driven baseball fans up the wall.
PEDs are terrible to a person's body and also terrible to sports. Professional athletes who use them are a bad influence on young and aspiring athletes.
The players that have used PEDs, caught or not, need to come forward, admit, and apologize for their use. It would take away a lot of distrust in the game and keep some respect for the players.
Take a look at the A-Rod fiasco; reports found that he had used steroids while with the Texas Rangers and an entire ruckus broke out. Press conferences were held and the news was all over USA Today, ESPN, news stations, and many other large news companies.
If this were to happen for each of the star players that were caught, imagine what would become of Major League Baseball. The League would be disgraced and a large amount of the fan base would be lost.
This is a plea to the MLB to put an end to the steroid era. They will never catch everyone and that seems unfair. Not all players can be punished and PEDs ruin the game. Fans are sick and tired of the constant debate over a player's career numbers.
So, Major League Baseball, put an end to the steroid era. I, as a fan, speak not only for myself, but for the rest of my baseball fanatic colleagues.
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