Yeah, right. I know steroid use in baseball isn’t exactly important news today, but I happen to enjoy baseball. Lately, there has been heavy preasure on Czar Selig (a man I don’t really care for, but that’s another story) to implement a tough steroid use policy for Major League Baseball. At the beginning of the season, under the agreed upon policy, the worst that could happen to a player testing positive three times was a 60-day suspension. Not 60 games, days. Recently, Selig recommended stiffening that policy to a 50-game suspension for a first offense, 100 for the second and a lifetime ban for the third. Sounds reasonable to me.

Historically, baseball has gone to extreme lengths to maintain the integrity of the sport. When the White Sox were paid the throw the World Series in 1919, baseball’s first commissioner implemented a law that banned any player involved in any way with gambling on the sport. It even bans players who don’t come forward with information about other players gambling on the sport. It’s a strict law for a reason. Once something like the World Series can be bought, there’s no point in watching baseball as a sporting contest. It’s nothing more than entertainment. Much like professional wrestling. Some might argue that pro wrestling is doing fine. While I agree, there are some problems with that sentiment; 1: Pro wrestling is doing great in the U.S. It’s not as popular in other countries. Baseball is popular all over – it’s an olympic sport. 2: How many people, mainly kids, look up to people like Derek Jeter, Chipper Jones or Sammy Sosa? Do you think more or fewer people think of Goldberg or Stone Cold Steve Austin in the same light? Nothing against either wrestler, but their sport has no integrity. When someone wins the championship, it’s because the outcome was scripted that way. You’ll notice there’s no betting on pro wrestling. Gambling presumes a legitimate contest. If it’s not legitimate, it’s fixed, and people don’t like that.

Steroids are the same thing. The only way any integrity is maintained is if all the players participated in the same steroid regimen, in which case it’s a waste of money because everyone’s benefitting from the same enhancements. Some people may respond differently to the drugs, but then most people respond different to various types of training.

My favorite thing about all this is the players trying to be against Selig’s recommendation without sounding like they’re trying to hide something:

“Whatever policy you have, I think people are going to say, ‘Well, it should be stricter,”‘ New York Yankees captain Derek Jeter to The New York Times.

“If there is a significant number of people proven to take steroids, obviously it’s working,” “If it’s not working, then beef it up a bit.” San Francisco Giants first baseman J.T. Snow to The San Francisco Chronicle.

“That’s too much, I think — that second time is almost a whole season. A guy should have at least three chances (before being banned),” Oakland Athletics pitcher Octavio Dotel to The San Francisco Chronicle.

Three chances at breaking the rules before you’re banned? I would think after sitting out 2/3 of the season for a second offense, even the dumbest players would figure it out. Shoeless Joe Jackson, a sure hall of famer, couldn’t read and he was banned without any warnings.