Columnists, Editors Opine On MLB’s Latest Drug Policy

Reaction continues to MLB’s new performance-enhancing drug policy. THE DAILY presents a round-up from columns and editorials.

Ryne Sandberg (c) A Proponent Of Baseball’s New Policy

JUST RIGHT: MLB.com’s Mike Bauman wrote, “The right thing has finally been done for baseball. There will be questions about why it took so long, but there is no question that, finally, the necessary steps had been taken” (MLB.com, 11/16). ESPN.com’s Jim Caple: “If the end result for baseball is a cleaner, fairer sport and far less criticism, maybe it’s worth having had Congress stick its nose into someone else’s business” (ESPN.com, 11/16). Baseball HOFer Ryne Sandberg wrote on YAHOO.com, “MLB got it right and, as a result, baseball will get a huge boost” (YAHOO.com, 11/15). In Dallas, Kevin Blackistone writes, “The biggest benefit to society ... may be that kids who want to emulate [MLBers] will now try to better themselves through practice rather than prescriptions. But the biggest benefit to the game will be, undoubtedly, a restoration of integrity” (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 11/17).
TOO LITTLE: In Philadelphia, Stephen A. Smith: “If this satisfies you, consider yourself a fool. What happened to the two-year ban for first offenders? How about the lifetime ban for second-time offenders? ... I thought a lifetime ban was exactly that, a lifetime ban. Why on earth should someone ... have the right to have his case heard by an arbitrator?” (PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 11/17). In DC, Sally Jenkins writes, “We shouldn’t think for a minute the problem is truly solved. ... There’s little evidence that deterrents consistently work on elite athletes” (WASHINGTON POST, 11/17). In Denver, Richard Krieger: “The cheats are still ahead. And their lead is growing. While the politicians prodded and baseball yammered, researchers were quietly churning out a new generation of steroids for which there are no tests” (ROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWS, 11/17).

Columnists Say Fans, Media Share The Blame With Selig, Fehr For Not Reacting Faster

OTHERS SHARE THE BLAME: In Detroit, Drew Sharp writes, “In the sports public’s mind, steroid use was more easily permissible because their teams could benefit from warning-track power that turned into home runs and 88-mph fastballs that picked up another 5 mph” (DETROIT FREE PRESS, 11/17). In St. Louis, Bernie Miklasz adds MLB Commissioner Bud Selig was “slow to take a stand on steroids. But he wasn’t alone. I’m one of the many sportswriters who enjoyed the home-run show in the late 1990s without bothering to examine the reasons behind the sudden explosion of power” (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 11/17).

EDITORIALS: In addition to columnists, coverage of MLB’s new policy has spilled into the editorial sections of many newspapers nationwide.

GOOD MOVE: The CINCINNATI POST: “Instead of being an embarrassment, [MLB] is poised to become a model for fair play” (CINCINNATI POST, 11/17). The BOSTON HERALD writes MLB “finally gets it” (BOSTON HERALD, 11/17). The CHICAGO TRIBUNE: “Baseball had to adopt three strikes and you’re out for its very survival. If fans could turn against Rafael Palmeiro, they could just as well turn against the game” (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 11/17).

New Deal Should Shore Up MLB’s Integrity

RESTORING INTEGRITY: USA TODAY states the agreement “is a crucial step toward reclaiming the sport’s integrity” (USA TODAY, 11/17). NEWSDAY: “[MLB] took its most important steps in 85 years to reassure fans about the integrity of the national pastime. Not since the anti-gambling measures following the 1919 Black Sox scandal has baseball threatened to come down harder on players who jeopardize the image of the game with illegal behavior” (NEWSDAY, 11/17). The PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE states “It’s a tough program that could make fans forget the league’s previous foot-dragging and hand-wringing on the issue” (POST-GAZETTE, 11/17). The MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL: “Baseball finally has a genuinely tough policy on performance-enhancing drugs and other substances, and that fact can do nothing but help the sport and its reputation” (JOURNAL SENTINEL, 11/17).

GOOD FOR EVERYONE: The HARTFORD COURANT: “Selig got it right when he said the sport’s tough new drug testing policy ... will be good for the sport, good for the health of the players and good for the health of people all over the country” (HARTFORD COURANT, 11/17). The L.A. DAILY NEWS: “Fans can now watch baseball knowing that the athleticism on display is real, not juiced. And parents no longer need to worry that their kids will think the way to become a big league player is to abuse their bodies with drug” (L.A. DAILY NEWS, 11/17).

NOT SO FAST: The Cleveland PLAIN DEALER: “Baseball’s executives and union leaders could no longer hide. ... Other professional sports and the Olympics long ago cracked down on performance-enhancing drugs. Their efforts aren’t perfect — every year, some dopes get caught. Still, it’s a battle worth waging. Welcome, [MLB], to the fight” (PLAIN DEALER, 11/17). The CINCINNATI ENQUIRER: “Considering the ravages of steroid use and its social implications, baseball seems woefully detached from reality. ... Congress should keep the pressure on to ensure the testing program isn’t a sham. Baseball hasn’t earned an intentional walk here” (CINCINNATI ENQUIRER, 11/17).