Neyer: Is it time for stiffer punishment for baseball’s drug cheaters?
From SABR member Rob Neyer at Baseball Nation on February 1, 2013:
Today might have been one of MLB Network’s finest moments. When the big story broke, MLBN was all over it, with Matt Vasgersian and Harold Reynolds, casually attired, anchored what became nearly a two-hour discussion that included Bob Costas, Ken Rosenthal, Tom Verducci, and Peter Gammons. I appear on the network occasionally — and will appear later this week, and again next week — but I’ve been critical from time to time, and there are whole shows and people I can’t really stand to watch.
Today was great, though. I’m not saying I agreed with every inch of the commentary, but it’s just wonderful that one can turn on the television and find wall-to-wall coverage of a breaking story like this.
One of the topics that came up repeatedly: punishment.
Not so long ago, there was no penalty for using (supposedly) performance-enhancing drugs. First there were no rules against steroids (et cetera), then rules but no testing, then rules and testing but no penalties, and finally rules and testing and penalties. And those penalties have been stiffened: there’s a 50-game suspension for a first offense, 100 games for the second, and permanent for the third.
But with every major new revelation, there are calls for stiffer penalties.
Read the full article here: http://mlb.sbnation.com/2013/1/29/3929534/mlb-steroids-drug-policy-penalties-alex-rodriguez-gio-gonzalez-nelson-cruz
Originally published: February 1, 2013. Last Updated: February 1, 2013.