The Personal and Societal Ramifications of Abusing Performance-Enhancing Drugs in Major League Baseball
English Composition 102 (16103)
Mr. Benjamin Taylor
English Composition 102
Dr. Benjamin Taylor
The Personal and Social Ramifications of Abusing Performance-Enhancing Drugs in Major League Baseball
Since I have been able to walk, I have been endowed with the natural ability to not only play the great game of baseball, but excel in it. I sincerely thank my father for this, as he has bequeathed his love and passion for the game to me. My entire life has been centered around the competitive nature of sports. Whether it was baseball, football, soccer, golf, wrestling, basketball, and even tennis, I have played it as hard as I possibly could. However, there has always been something special when it came to baseball. I’m not exactly sure if it was the fact that my dad had an immense love for it that was reflected when he watched me on the field or that it simply brought me joy to be a part of America
It truly saddens me to hear the media sources and my surrounding peers refer to our day and age as the “steroids era” for major league baseball. I’m emotionally torn at the fact that baseball is significantly losing its place as “America
Primarily, there are multiple reasons why athletes choose to risk their careers by using performance-enhancing drugs, which is accurately portrayed in a recent official report to the baseball commissioner regarding this issue. It states that steroids, or more precisely known as anabolic androgenic steroids, are natural or synthetic versions of testosterone (the primary male sex hormone). They combine with the natural body processes to enlarge muscles as well as improve stamina and speed, all the while decreasing recovery time and allowing for a higher frequency of exercising.
“Steroids foster the anabolic process (muscle growth and the increase of muscle mass) and also limit catabolism (the breakdown of protein in muscle cells). As a result, steroid users can increase the muscle gain resulting from strenuous exercise and maximize the impact of a high protein diet. In addition, because of their anti-catabolic effect, steroids reduce the soreness that normally results from strenuous exercise, which allows an athlete using steroids to exercise more frequently, even daily. At least until a given anabolic steroid loses its efficacy for the user, larger doses generally result in more rapid gains in lean muscle mass and strength” (G. Mitchell, 2007). There are many obvious reasons why a professional
baseball player (such as Mark McGuire or Alex Rodriguez) would choose to take advantage of these drugs. Steroids give ballplayers many physical advantages which offer an edge over the rest of their competition. However, in the end the costs outweigh the benefits of using anabolic steroids as they contribute to severe health problems which can endanger the athlete’s life. Some of the adverse *effects of steroids (G. Mitchell, 2007) include:
Ø Psychiatric Effects
Ø Cardiovascular Effects
Ø Liver Damage
Ø Harm to Reproductive System
Ø Musculoskeletal Effects
Ø Prostate Problems
Ø Potential for Addiction
*Each of the adverse effects of steroids listed above can be found on pages 7-8 in the Report to the Commissioner of Baseball of an Independent Investigation Into the Illegal Use of Steroids and Other Performance Enhancing Substances By Players in Major League Baseball authored by G.J. Mitchell (December 13, 2007).
Moreover, the abuse of steroids has many societal ramifications that contribute to the downfall of professional baseball in regards to its reputable status as a prestigious organization.
“The problem of performance-enhancing substance being used in baseball has shaken the faith of
many baseball fans in the integrity and fairness of the contest before them and in the records that
have been achieved during what has come to be known as baseball’s ‘steroids era’” (G. Mitchell 2007). This is unquestionably one of the most prevalent problems with the increased use of steroids in major league baseball. Many dedicated fans, such as myself, are losing faith in the game and the MLB organization as a whole because the very morals that the sport has always stood for are being negated by the actions of its own players. Every single drug abuse investigation brings forth another opportunity for young athletes to lose their sense of good character and moral righteousness. Not only has the increase in steroid use projected a negative light in the eyes of baseball fans all across the country, it has also affected the younger athletes who aspire to make it to the “Bigs” someday. When a child who is still in the manipulative stages of their life hears how many professional athletes have unfortunately turned to illegally increasing their performance at the hands of outlawed substances, they assume it must be legitimate and their chances of following suit increase nearly exponentially. One specific example is when ex-baseball player Mark McGuire was investigated and found guilty for using performance-enhancing drugs.
“After the Associated Press reported in August 1998 that Mark McGwire was using androstenedione, a steroid precursor that was legal at the time, sales of that supplement increased by over 1,000%. McGwire may not have wanted to be a role model, but he was. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, by 2001, 8% of male high school seniors had used andro within the prior year” (G. Mitchell 2007). This statistic alone proves the amount of influence professional athletes have on kids, whether they be tee-ballers to high school all-stars. The fact that teenage baseball players began investing in an illegal steroid simply because a big-name pro did the year prior is simply disheartening. Changes must be made immediately.
In response to this article, I must truthfully admit that there was not much context that I was in disagreement with. The author of the article, G. Mitchell, was very outspoken and clearly voiced his opinion that the problem with steroids nowadays is an extremely upsetting travesty. It was hard to contest this voice when I am of the exact same opinion and am also hoping for the elimination of these drugs as soon as possible. I found the statistics found within the article to be very helpful and was able to inject them in my piece to illustrate my points (especially the alarming rate of high school athletes who turned to androstenedione soon after Mark McGuire was found to be using it). In my personal opinion, Mitchell could have added more personal commentary in his piece amidst all of the statistics and historical recordings. This would have given the article a greater sense of emotion and thus made it slightly more interesting. Also, Mitchell should have concluded the piece by offering suggestions as to how this growing problem in our society should be properly dealt with. This would have left readers with a possible “solution” to eliminating steroid use in Major League Baseball that would elicit greater results than the current administrative actions being taken. By failing to do so, there is no sense of closure to the issue and we are left with nothing to really look forward to. Mitchell simply stated the issue at hand and identified its components instead of analyzing it and deducting a resolution. However, besides investing in more voice and emotion as well as a final assertion, the article was very helpful and well-written. I have no other concerns with its content.
Major League Baseball needs to take more severe administrative action immediately to secure its reputation as one of the most respected sports in the world as well as protect the health of its athletes by completely eliminating all performance-enhancing drugs and their users. One possible solution would be to increase the frequency and rigor of drug testing. On top of this, the administration should deduct a large portion of the player’s salary that tested positive for drugs. Another suggestion would be to penalize the entire team for every failed drug test, possibly by paying a heavy fine from the team’s payroll and/or losing their draft picks for the upcoming year. By executing these actions, a level playing field would be protected in which no athlete has a competitive advantage over the other, no one would risk their career by experiencing long-term health problems due to steroids, and lastly the societal ramifications of such acts would be erased. The respect of the game would once again be restored and the important virtues that were instilled in me and many other aspiring athletes would finally be at the forefront. Instead of continually delaying the issue and the necessary actions it calls for, the administration must increase their deliverance of a solution. Once this task is completed, the focus of “cheating” and illegal practices in the game will be eradicated and, at the very least, my father and I can once again enjoy our beloved sport.
References
Mitchell, G. (2007). Report to the commissioner of baseball [pg. 5-9, 15-18]. (Adobe Acrobat Pro),
Retrieved from files.mlb.com/summary.pdf
