PED Crack-Down and What It Means to Baseball

 If you haven’t heard the reports that came out last night, MLB is about to get the answers they’ve been wanting since the whole Biogenesis story broke last year.  Reportedly, at least 20 players will be named and suspended due to their connection to the Biogenesis facility in Miami and their use of Performance Enhancing Drugs.  Included in those players are: Alex Rodriguez, Ryan Braun, Nelson Cruz, Gio Gonzalez, Melky Cabrera, and Bartolo Colon.

The owner of Biogenesis, Anthony Bosch, has agreed to talk to MLB and give potentially incriminating (for the players accused) information to MLB.  This all stems from the fact that MLB has sued Mr. Bosch because he has been unwilling to work with them.  If you remember, it was reported that Alex Rodriguez supposedly tried to buy and may have bought documents from Biogenesis, to keep out of MLB’s hands. 

I was listening to the Red Sox game last night when the story broke (please see below where I give a brief recap to the Red Sox’s 17-5 win over the AL leading Rangers).  I don’t know if all the excitement and confusion played into what the announcers were saying, but things were coming rapidly.  They were reporting that players linked to Biogenesis could receive 100-game suspensions, that Yankees had been trying to distance themselves from Alex Rodriguez for the past few days, and Seth and Sam Levinson of ACES were also being implicated.

As far as the suspensions are concerned, if there is proof that these players were given PEDs by Biogenesis, then I do think suspensions are in order.  This is not about MLB out for a witch hunt, this is about keeping the game clean for everyone.  If these players (and their agents), are trying to find ways around MLB’s PED policy and scheming and lying in the process, they need to be punished. 

These players are seen as idols to millions of people, children and adults alike.  Do we really want to set the example that cheating and polluting our bodies is okay, as long as you’re getting awards and tons of money in the process?  I don’t think so.  I take health supplements, and I am always aware of what I am putting in my body.  Shouldn’t a Major League Baseball player know what he is putting in his body?  Wouldn’t he want to know (referencing the claim that some players use that they just take whatever their agent/trainer/etc. gives them without questioning).  These players need to be held accountable.

Another issue that is being raised is how can we compare these players who have been linked to PEDs (past and present) to the players that (supposedly) never did PEDs?  Alex Rodriguez had been seen as the best player in baseball for years before he was implicated in PED use.  Before him, Ken Griffey Jr. was seen as the best player in baseball.  Griffey has never formally been accused of PED use, and I’m not sure of many who are willing to accuse him of it with all the injuries he suffered in the second half of his career.  If A-Rod hadn’t taken PEDs (remember, he has admitted to it once already), would Griffey still be considered one of the best (if not THE best) players in the past 20 years? 

Robinson Cano is another player that could be linked to Biogenesis.  His name supposedly has come up on a few of the lists that MLB has contained.  However, Gio Gonzalez, whose has been linked from the start, will most likely not be facing suspensions, as what he supposedly obtained was legal. 

I think I need to point out that Dustin Pedroia is represented by Seth and Sam Levinson, the agents reportedly behind the scheming with Biogenesis.  At this time, the Red Sox are reporting that MLB has not contacted them about any of their players being linked to the investigation.  Do I think Pedroia did PEDs?  No.  Look at him- he looks more like an average guy that most players in the Majors.  Do I think other players on the Red Sox will be linked?  I’m not sure.

At this point, there are really more questions than answers.  All we know now is that Anthony Bosch will talk to MLB.  We don’t know what he’s going to say and who he’s going to implicate.  There’s reportedly a list of players name and “code names.”  Is he going to explain person by person who took what?  Will this be enough evidence for MLB to issue those 100-game suspensions? 

There really is too much unknown right now to speculate what will happen.  I’ve heard that this “list of names” will be released today, in two weeks, and by the All-Star Break.  No one knows.  I do know that I am disappointed in the players who did cheat.  Please, keep the game clean, at least for the fans.

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As I mentioned earlier, the Red Sox routed the Rangers 17-5 last night.  JBJ, Drew, Carp, and Salty all had home runs.  Ortiz, Drew (2), Pedroia, Iglesias, Nava (2), and Salty had doubles.  Ortiz managed to pull off a Triple, his first since 2011, by hitting the ball into the corner.  Dempster had a nice outing: 7.0 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 2 HR, 1 BB, and 6 SO.  The Red Sox scored in every inning except the 8^th inning.