I have a feeling every team will be affected by this report. Don't tell me it hasn't happened on every team. Don't buy that.
Yea for real. I continue to hear that the so called experts from that four letter network (as my friend Charlie Steiner likes to say) that the epidemic isn't as wide spread as we are lead to believe. There is no way that it is a contained few that are quilty and I really think there will be some big names and names we would have never believed linked to this report.
Though I think baseball has unfairly taken the brunt of the criticism when it comes to professional steriod use, I really hope that this report turns out to be proactive rather than turning the MLB into a circus. If I were Selig (and I really wish I was, man would that be an awesome job) I would take this report and use it as a huge leveraging tool with the unions. What Selig needs to do is say, the future of baseball is now, we need to recognize the past and learn from it. No asterix, no suspensions, no fines. Take this information and make the best of it. Everyone starts with a clean slate, MLB included, however, this will never EVER happen again. With the list of names, and I really believe that it will be, take it to the unions and slap it in their faces and say SEE it WAS a problem and it WAS prevelant, therefore from now on, there WILL be mandatory blood testing, no if ands of buts about it. With these testings will come a revised disciplinary plan. This report is chance #1, we all know its illegal and will not be tolerated, therefore you have been warned. First offense will be chance #2 and carry with it a 81 game suspension, Second offense will be strike three as they say in baseball (get the connection there?? I'm a clever one) and you're out of the league.
Baseball will be just as exciting and entertaining without steroids, hey if they were all on steriods, wouldn't the results be the same if they were all off steroids?? I have been a fan of baseball since I was born and I absolutely love the game, to the point where my passion sometimes scares me, as well as others who quite don't love the game like I do and I have always believed that baseball was held to a higher standard than other sports and was always a classier organization. Baseball doesn't seem to have the contoversies that other sports do, their players aren't involved in the legal and moral issues that other sports are more known for, so I believe baseball has to take a very strong stance once this report comes out and shows the public that they are very serious about righting this wrong and cleaning up the game.
I know that was a lot of rambling, but I really love baseball and this report kind of scares me but at the same time carries hope that this may be the piece that baseball needs in order to start over again.