Baseball Takes A Deep Breath

This weekend in virtually every Major League Baseball clubhouse there a had to be a collective sigh of relief. In a move that was almost evident from the start due to the strength of the MLBPA, the MLB decided to not suspend any players linked to steroids or HGH in the past. This means players like Jose Guillen of the Kansas City Royals and Jay Gibbons, assuming he gets picked up, do not have to serve their previously assigned 15 game suspensions. It also keeps players like Paul Lo Duca, Andy Pettitte, and Paul Byrd off the hot seat. However, in the court of public opinion, these players will still be penalized in a different way and suffer. But personally, I think it is a bad move for the MLB not to carry out their suspension on a proven cheater like Gibbons, Gullien has some holes in the story, but these players cheated and it was just this past season. I think going three to five years back and giving someone like Pettitte a suspension is ridiculous, but the players within the past six months need to punished and 15 games is nothing to begin with. Bud Selig's alternative punishment for the rescinded suspensions is community service, which I have to kind of laugh at.  But the biggest sigh of relief felt this past weekend had to be from those players not mentioned in the Mitchell Report and have completely gotten away with cheating in one of our nation's finest sports. I'm glad this situation was taken care of swiftly but I don't believe that it was the right decision at all.

FrugolfVarsity Captain

181 days ago

Score 1

I agree, Why spend all the time and money on the Mitchell report if after getting it, It's ignored.If the purpose of the Mitchell report was just to give MLB a blck-eye, then it was successful.

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RomiezzoLegend

181 days ago

Score 0

What about for the players who don't play baseball anymore. Guys like Lenny Dykstra (I don't know how he came to mind first)? I think they should all get the same punishment, and the best punishment is to pay some sort of fine, I guess.

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JuTMSY4Legend

181 days ago

Score 2

I don't think a fine works. Its either an exercise in futility for the rich or extremely damaging for those who now work other jobs, have a decent nest egg and will simply leech off the system later. I say, if you've been caught you deserve the penalty and we give all mlbers a month to come clean with no penalty. After that any past or current use is penalized as normal. Take the PR hit now or risk it later

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RomiezzoLegend

181 days ago

Score 1

Yeah, I guess you're right. A fine doesn't really work. Your idea seems a lot better.

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Sj-hypocycloidRed-Shirting

181 days ago

Score -1

Attendance figures will continue to rise or at least remain steady. As long as that happens, it will be business as usual for MLB. And why should they do anything? There is nothing to compel them to act. Conscience? Well, that hasn't worked too well in the past.

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Pas493JV Squad

180 days ago

Score 0

I feel like with past players, we cannot fine them, they are now in the court of public opinion and no one looks upon them the same way we would have without knowing what we do now. There is no doubt that people like Clemens, McGwire, Sosa, Palmeiro and others would not be living a much better life right now

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