13 Baseball Players Given Suspensions For PEDs

from The Los Angeles Times: Los Angeles Times deputy sports editor Mike Hiserman chats with sports reporter Kevin Baxter about Major League Baseball's suspension of 13 players, including Alex Rodriguez--the highest-paid player in baseball history.

PED stands for Performance Enhancing Drugs. PEZ is a candy. Just to be clear.

Do these owners realize the carrot they are dangling in front of these players? They are offering them millions of guaranteed money for playing a game.

Money that will change the player's family tree forever. Money that will last them the rest of their lives. Money that will last them several lifetimes.

For example, let's look at Joe Mauer's, catcher for the Minnesota Twins, contract. Never heard of him? Don't worry. Outside of Minnesota most people wouldn't know Joe Mauer from Joe Piscopo? Who? Nevermind.

In 2010, Mauer signed a eight year guaranteed contract for the Minnesota Twins for $184 million dollars. That's not a typo, my friend. $184 million.

Let's assume that half of that will be eaten up by local, state and federal taxes, agent's commissions, publicists, lawyers and so on. After those deductions, Mauer will walk away with 92 million dollars. 92 million dollars.

Now other player want in. They want their 92 million. So to get it, they use PEDs. Why not? Baseball players are not tested for PEDs regularly. They are randomly tested. In some players minds, it's worth the risk of being caught to get the big contract.

If players really wanted to completely clean up baseball, they would demand that they be tested monthly and have their contracts rendered null and void if they were repeat offended. Don't hold your breath waiting on that to happen.

Do they deserve the big contract? In my mind, athletes are underpaid considering all the money they generate for sports magazines, blogs, TV shows and social media. .

But you have to understand, the human body isn't designed for the punishment that sports puts on them so PEDs gives an athlete more endurance, strength and stamina.

Do I endorse them? I don't care! I don't understand why some of these PEDs are banned. Especially the ones that aren't dangerous. And I especially don't understand fans who get bent out of shape when discovering a player has used them.

When you hold a 100 million dollar carrot out, players are gonna bite even with false teeth. People have killed for way less money. 


Live and let live.

This blog isn't saying that Joe Mauer is on PEDs. I was using his contract as an example of the money that some players could get if they play well. He's won three batting titles and deserves every penny of that contract. Relax.

vloghog