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 Major League Baseball should follow the law
Posted Thu February 18, 2010 12:00 pm, by Michael A. written to Major League Baseball
Write a Letter to this Company
Over the last few years, many baseball fans have been pelted with news that their favorite players got caught using illegal substances. Baseball took a black eye and moved on. However, it does not seem that Mr. Selig took the situation as seriously as he should have.
You see, Federal and state laws dictate what substances are unlawful and what the penalties are for using and selling these items is. Internal reprimand from Mr. Selig, an individual baseball club, and the media is not enough punishment. Each and every person within MLB's payroll - player or not - should be subject to the law. It looks to me that, because MLB hands down suspensions and fines and that's it, too many people are still getting off far too lightly. The Congressional hearing was more of a media circus than a penalty.
Regardless of what the Players Association or Labor Agreement says, a broken law is a broken law. Anyone caught with anything unlawful in the country they get caught with it is subject to the law. Players like Bonds, A-Rod, and McGwire should have faced legal issues for using illegal substances. What part of "illegal" does MLB not comprehend? People broke the law and weren't made subject to the penalty for their crimes! Frankly, by not doing so, this makes everyone in MLB an accessory to a crime for not adhering to the law of the land which they operate in. United States law and the laws of all 50 states usurps whatever rules MLB makes, and MLB cannot make rules that contradict the law, period. Fine if there are additional internal penalties, but that's not everything that should happen. If I bought anabolic steroids and was caught, I couldn't use my job as an excuse to avoid the law. Why do baseball players? Alex Rodriguez admitted he used steroids, which is to say he admitted he broke the law. All he got was a commendation for admitting he did something wrong. He should have been forced to explain everything, hand over his dealer to government authorities, and face the music. He got a free pass because he makes money! Mark McGwire? Same situation! He just admitted he lied to Congress - another crime!
It's time MLB gets with the program and hands over anyone who is caught having anything to do with anything illegal to the proper authorities. Anything less is a crime in itself!
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by jeishere Posted Fri February 19, 2010 @ 5:07 PM
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Interesting letter. I just don't see how this would work. It would
be like me calling the police and telling them that my parents told me
they smoked some weed back in the 60's and to come arrest them.
They players probably aren't in possession of the drug and it may not
even be detectable in their system anymore. Should anyone who has
ever admitted to using an illicit drug anytime in their past be
subject to arrest?
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by olie Posted Thu February 18, 2010 @ 10:22 PM
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The drugs McGwire used were not actually illegal at the time he was
hitting home runs. They were banned by the IOC and NFL, but not MLB.
At that time. (Source: Wikipedia. I'll admit to being lazy here, but
I figure this info would have been refuted by now if incorrect.)
Whether or not criminal charges should have been filed is not up to
MLB. That would have been up to the law enforcement officials at the
time. Same as with A-Rod and Bonds.
Here's an analogy. At this time it is legal for me to consume alcohol
in Wisconsin. It is legal for me to buy it, possess it, consume it.
If I am caught drinking on the job, or I have alcohol in my system
while at work--the punishment is up to my employer. As long as I
don't drive with a prohibited amount, law enforcement can't do a
darned thing.
Same with McGwire's steroids. Were they legal for him to purchase,
possess, consume? Yes. Did his employer, AT THE TIME, have a policy
regarding those steroids? No.
Did he cheat? Sure. But there's not a lot that can be done about
that now, except to put an asterisk next to his name. And maybe keep
him out of the Hall of Fame.
Another analogy would be the infamous Pete Rose. He bet on baseball.
Is that illegal? Not in some states. Did his employer, AT THE TIME,
have a policy regarding this betting? Oh, yeah.
Did he cheat? Not sure. But MLB can keep him out of the HOF and has
been extremely successful in doing so.
Or poor Shoeless Joe Jackson. Evidence shows that he did not conspire
to throw the World Series. However, he was part of the Black Sox
Scandal, so he will never be in the HOF.
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In the case of illicit drugs, yes, the law can get involved. But I
don't think the use of steroids is ILLEGAL, is it? Don't I have the
right to bulk up all I want?
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it is
by Arienti Thu February 18, 2010 @ 1:11 PM
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