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Essay on Use of Steroids in Baseball

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Use of Steroids in Baseball

Since Major League Baseball all-star Ken Caminiti openly admitted to Sports Illustrated to have used steroids during his career, steroid use as a muscle and performance enhancer has been uncovered and become a big issue Major League Baseball is wrestling with. The “ongoing and delicate subject, baseball’s dirty, little secret that is no secret anymore,” is a huge and growing problem (Curry B20). Now that light has been shed on the issue, critics are beginning to realize the magnitude of this problem and do not like it. Steroids are a cheating virus that is spreading quickly. Users cheat other players, themselves, the fans, and the game itself. Action must be taken to rid Major League Baseball of this virus …show more content…

At least half the guys are using steroids” (Caminiti in “Totally Juiced”). Verducci commented, “Steroid use, which a decade ago was considered a taboo violated by a few renegade sluggers, is now so rampant in baseball that even pitchers and wispy outfielders are juicing up” (Verducci). Though the real number probably lies under twenty percent, it is a significant enough number to have a detrimental impact on the game.

The correct term for the steroids being used is anabolic androgenic steroids. Anabolic describes its effect of increasing muscle mass. Androgenic describes its effect on the development of male sexual characteristics. They are commonly referred to as anabolic steroids, “juice,” “‘roids,” or simply steroids. Despite all the negative accusations of using anabolic steroids as a muscle enhancer, the fact is they do work. They increase strength and muscle mass, improve fast twitch muscles, and ultimately allow an athlete to transcend physical limitations and reach a higher level of performance. Texas pitcher Kenny Rodgers said:

Basically, steroids can jump you a level or two. The average player can become a star, and the star player can become a superstar, and the superstar? Forget it. He can do things we've never seen before. You take a guy who already has great hand-eye coordination and make him stronger, and without a doubt he'll be better. (Rodgers in “Totally Juiced”)

Renowned steroid researcher Charles E. Yesalis of Human Kinetics

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