'One and Done' Approach Needed for MLB
A little venting here on the case of steroids/PED's in baseball. I know this would never pass with the Player's Association in a CBA agreement but if you want to completely get rid of steroids/PED's, the MLB and the MLBPA need to have a 'one and done' approach about it. You eventually send an overwhelmingly strong message to players and players-to-be that it truly is a zero tolerance policy. If there was a 'one and done' rule.....no LAW, the players would get the message. If you expect me to believe players 'didn't know?' Give me a break. They know exactly what they're taking, and how wrong it is. Nothing 'accidentally' gets into your system.
The last thing future players want to do is ruin their shot before even being able to pull the trigger. The future players want that multi-million dollar contract. If you put forth the toughest drug testing program, and back it up with a lifetime ban, it would erase 97% of players using steroids or PED's. It wouldn't be 100% because I'm a realist living in the real world, and know that there will always be some idiots out there that think they can beat the system.
Here is my message to players currently taking PED's and/or steroids: You will get caught. It's not a matter of if, but when. Most of you will get caught before you reach the big show and you will be left to answer yourself this one question as you see all your hopes and dreams get flushed down the toilet: Was the juice worth the squeeze? In my head if you use; you are a cheater, and should never be able to play the game again (except your local community slow pitch softball leagues). If you're not good enough naturally on the field then you're not good enough. I have realized that, and found I have professional-level talent in the broadcast booth (PED-free).
I want to see another Ruth, Mays, Ripken, Cobb, Robinson, Williams, and so on but I doubt that will ever happen. It is truly a shame.