Steroids In Baseball And The Effects On The Players

In recent years, Major League Baseball has taken some scrutiny because of steroids in baseball and the effects on its players. Baseball has always been a popular sport and some of its players are looked at as heroes. With the "Steroid Era" in baseball, some people are taking a second look at the sport and hoping this era is over.  

Steroids are a substance that many athletes take to enhance their game. The positive effects of steroids are what draw so many athletes to this substance. Muscle definition is increased, muscle mass is increased and strength and training effectiveness is improved so it is not hard to understand why players will subject their bodies to this. The negative effects of steroids are what people tend to forget about. Chances of becoming depressed are increased, muscle craps are more common and there is an increased risk of muscle tears, infertility and decreased testicular size.  

Major League Baseball first began trying to combat the steroid use problem in 1988. The Anti-Drug Abuse Act was created and this made it illegal to distribute or possess steroids with the intent to distribute or use. Two years later, this law was felt to not be strong enough so it was replaced with the Anabolic Steroids Control Act.  

Many big name players have been accused of or have admitted to using steroids and Mark McGwire was one of the first names to be recognized. In 1992, he was involved in an FBI sting but people involved refused to discuss anything relating to McGwire. In 1998, androstenedione was found in McGwire's locker. This was the year he was going head-to-head with Sammy Sosa for the title of most homeruns in a single year. McGwire went on to hit 70 homeruns that year and he later admitted to using steroids. With his known use of steroids during that very successful year, many people say his record is tainted because of his steroid use. 

In 2003, a young pitcher for the Orioles died from heat exhaustion and it was found that he had ephedra in his system. This was the year Major League Baseball began drug testing during Training Camp. It was revealed that between 5% and 7% of players failed their drug test. Drug testing is now mandatory in baseball and if you refuse the test, it is treated as an automatic fail. 

Many big name players have been linked to steroid use. Alex Rodriguez has been confirmed as using steroids during 2003. That year, he won the American League home run title and was the MVP. Barry Bonds failed drug tests in three separate years and is the current leader for the most homeruns ever hit. These are just two big name players who have been linked to steroid use, and many people are reluctant to look at their careers as entirely legit because of their steroid use. Only time will tell how these men will be treated and how their steroid use may affect their admittance into the Hall of Fame. 

References: 

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/11/AR2010011103729.html

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/2005-03-15-steroids-mlb-cover_x.htm