The Associated Press is reporting that Major League Baseball and the players’ union are working on an agreement to reduce Manny Ramirez’s suspension for using performance-enhancing drugs from 100 games to 50 games. If that’s true, it’s completely unacceptable.I don’t care that Ramirez sat out most of the 2011 baseball season. He chose to do that rather than serve the mandatory 100-game suspension for being caught using PEDs for the second time. He should not be rewarded for that cowardly act by having his suspension cut.
If MLB agrees to this, it makes a mockery out of their whole get-tough on PEDs stance, which was on shaky ground even after coming out with what many describe as a flawed agreement on blood testing for human growth hormone in the new labor contract. I gave MLB a lot of credit for going where none of the major US sports has gone before, but its drug efforts will take a serious hit if they allow Ramirez to avoid the full punishment he deserves.
I hope this is one of those situations where the leaked report causes so much outrage that MLB has no chose but to back down and refuse the request to shorten Manny’s suspension. If they do allow the reduced suspension, I never again want to hear Bud Selig talking about how clean his sport has become. It means absolutely nothing if you allow the penalties to be gutted.
Thanks to Googie man via en.Wikipedia for the photo.
Completely agreed. That Ortiz is also still allowed to play professional baseball is also a disgrace. He cheated, he got caught, he lied about it, he was exposed as a liar & cheater, and he still lies about it, and he's never truly been punished for it.
ReplyDeleteIndeed, I don't understand why Ortiz is not talked about with the same disdain reserved for Clemens, Bonds, McGwire, etc.
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