MLB Batting Champ suspended 80 games for PED (Gordon)

[Dru Edwards]

Miami's Dee Gordon suspended 80 games for PED use. He was last year's batting champ. It appears it isn't just the big home run hitters taking PEDs.

Unfortunately, he just signed a 5 year $50M contract based on last year's performance. We don't know when Gordon started taking PEDs though so it can't officially be tied to last year's season.

Your thoughts?

[IndianaGeo]

Frankly, I think anyone caught doing PEDs should be banned from the game for life. I played in the minor leagues and I wonder sometimes if some of those players took them and then, in turn, gave themselves the edge over guys like me that didn't take them.

IG

[Dru Edwards]

Originally Posted by IndianaGeo

Frankly, I think anyone caught doing PEDs should be banned from the game for life. I played in the minor leagues and I wonder sometimes if some of those players took them and then, in turn, gave themselves the edge over guys like me that didn't take them.

IG

You never know. There may very well have been some guys that jumped ahead of you due to PEDs. You lived a lot of our dreams buy playing baseball. How long did you pursue it?

[Rondoraymundo]

Don't look now but isn't Barry Bonds the hitting instructor for Miami? I guess no one could see that coming.

Actually, I think MLB should be testing Stanton.

Last year the NFL suspended over 50 players who violated the substance abuse policy. If you banned suspended football players for life for PEDs some franchises wouldn't be able to field a team.

[DenverSteve]

IMO. They should either let them take whatever they want and forget about it, or they should fire and ban them from the game on the ....2nd offense. First offense should be a full-season ban. IMO.... or if they deflate the balls.....

[Acousticado]

Originally Posted by PastorSteve

IMO. They should either let them take whatever they want and forget about it, or they should fire and ban them from the game on the ....2nd offense. First offense should be a full-season ban. IMO.... or if they deflate the balls.....

Too much of that stuff and their balls will not just deflate, but shrivel. For anyone with brains, just not worth it.

[Gitarre]

I agree with a lifetime ban and any records/wins are deleted from the archives. This should go for any sport. My preferred sport is cycling and the abuse of PED's was and still is, ridiculous. I was a decent cyclist but the feats I've seen some people accomplish and still see today, is way beyond normal. if I were king, you cheat, you're out for good. By simply suspending or fining an individual, athletes are more likely to cheat knowing they'll come out of the other end with a job.

[Acousticado]

Originally Posted by Gitarre

I agree with a lifetime ban and any records/wins are deleted from the archives. This should go for any sport. My preferred sport is cycling and the abuse of PED's was and still is, ridiculous. I was a decent cyclist but the feats I've seen some people accomplish and still see today, is way beyond normal. if I were king, you cheat, you're out for good. By simply suspending or fining an individual, athletes are more likely to cheat knowing they'll come out of the other end with a job.

...and still more money than brains.

[posternutbag]

Originally Posted by IndianaGeo

Frankly, I think anyone caught doing PEDs should be banned from the game for life. I played in the minor leagues and I wonder sometimes if some of those players took them and then, in turn, gave themselves the edge over guys like me that didn't take them.

IG

If you played after about 1980 (or roughly in my lifetime) they did, and it did. I know three former NFL players. I know 2 were using PEDs as early as high school. My default position is that most elite athletes are using something. Tougher rules just breed better drugs.

And about baseball specifically, it isn't just power hitters. I think the crackdown has helped, you don't see middle infielders hitting 40+ home runs a year like you did in the late '90s to early 2000s (Brett Boone...), but I think most players are still on small maintenance doses and probably use more later in the season to help combat injuries. Baseball in particular is such a grinding season, the little injuries add up, and a little testosterone or HGH will help with the nagging injuries.

[catdaddy]

Originally Posted by IndianaGeo

Frankly, I think anyone caught doing PEDs should be banned from the game for life. I played in the minor leagues and I wonder sometimes if some of those players took them and then, in turn, gave themselves the edge over guys like me that didn't take them.

IG

I agree with this. I've been involved in discussions about PED for years and I've heard people defend their use in various questionable ways but I've never seen a counter to the argument that those who use them are stealing careers from players who abide by the rules. If these users were simply cheaters perhaps a half-season ban would be appropriate but for stealing careers from more deserving athletes they should receive a lifetime ban.

[zabdart]

The temptation, despite whatever suspension policy, exists. The question is: if you could increase your income by $5 million per annum by taking PEDs, despite the dangers, would you do so?

[DenverSteve]

Originally Posted by zabdart

The temptation, despite whatever suspension policy, exists. The question is: if you could increase your income by $5 million per annum by taking PEDs, despite the dangers, would you do so?

If the consequence of being caught is NO income - no. But it is relative and will different for everyone. By leaving the system status quo they know that if/when caught they will serve a suspension and then return - there is only a short-term financial consequence. However, if the consequence is one-year suspension for the first offense and lifetime ban for the second then I believe the consequence of using far outweighs the benefit of using.

What keeps most of us from driving 100mph on the freeway? Loss of driving privileges and huge fine plus insurance cancellation or double the cost. MONEY.

[aknow]

Originally Posted by Dru Edwards

Miami's Dee Gordon suspended 80 games for PED use. He was last year's batting champ. It appears it isn't just the big home run hitters taking PEDs.

Unfortunately, he just signed a 5 year $50M contract based on last year's performance. We don't know when Gordon started taking PEDs though so it can't officially be tied to last year's season.

Your thoughts?

Deserves a lifetime ban from pro sports. End of story.

[aknow]

Originally Posted by posternutbag

If you played after about 1980 (or roughly in my lifetime) they did, and it did. I know three former NFL players. I know 2 were using PEDs as early as high school. My default position is that most elite athletes are using something. Tougher rules just breed better drugs.

And about baseball specifically, it isn't just power hitters. I think the crackdown has helped, you don't see middle infielders hitting 40+ home runs a year like you did in the late '90s to early 2000s (Brett Boone...), but I think most players are still on small maintenance doses and probably use more later in the season to help combat injuries. Baseball in particular is such a grinding season, the little injuries add up, and a little testosterone or HGH will help with the nagging injuries.

Actually, the opposite is true. Chronic steroid intake causes loosening of tendons and ligaments. Especially during the time you cease using. Also, it constantly damages the endocrine aspects of your body which afford soft tissue repair. When you play with nagging small injuries, they grow.

[Wadcutter]

Uh, what's PED?