Another month, another bombshell in the world of baseball and PED use. According to the New York Times, David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs in 2003. This is the first time that David Ortiz's name is directly related to steroid use. The infamous list of 102 players that tested positive in 2003 was supposed to remain anonymous, however, the leaks have given us 4 of those players. Monthly, we have to go through the same steroid discussions with different players. If baseball continues to let the list remain secret, and having these leaks come out, it will be impossible to move past the steroid era. That is why baseball needs to just release all the names on the list at once, so we can finally move on.
Think about it, this week the baseball headlines should have been trade rumors and deals, who is the World Series favorite after the trades, and other positive stories. Now once again, we are dragged trough this steroid discussion cycle. The same cycle that we went through with Alex Rodriguez, Manny Ramirez, and Sammy Sosa, the other names released on from that list. Sportscenter will be dominated by analysts saying they are not shocked, but a little surprised. Frankly, I'm tired of it, but the ends seems no where near. There is still 98 names on that list that still haven't come out. Instead of having monthly leaks, we need to get this all out, right now.
I find it funny that when someone tests positive for steroids, the public demands that the player tells the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. We need to demand that same standard from baseball. Give us the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, starting with the list of names. Therefore, we'll spend a week yelling and screaming about how negligent baseball was for the span of 10-15 years, and we can debate whether the people on the list deserve to ever make the Hall of Fame. Then after that week, it's over. No more secrets, no more shock, no more outrage.
"Oh, but it's not fair to the other 98 names, they want this list to stay a secret." While it would be unfortunate for those players, I'm convinced that their names would eventually come out anyway, by the leaking process we are currently experiencing. It may not be next month, or the month after that, but one of these days, their name will come out. Then we'll start the round of Sportscenter discussions again. I'm more concerned about the dwindling majority of players that didn't take steroids, but might be concerned that people think their name is on this list. It is also unfair for Alex Rodriguez, David Ortiz, and Manny Ramirez to take all the heat for a group of people who's names are not in the public.
This steroid era has pained baseball for long enough, there needs to be a stop to it. For baseball to completely move on, everything needs to come forth to the public. That all starts with this "anonymous" list of players keeping baseball hostage from moving forward. Baseball needs to take control, and release these names and maybe we can finally put this disturbing era behind us.
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The list was first said to be anonymous, so releasing it wouldn't be fair to the players (although their poor decisions shouldnt really be rewarded). But, I agree that by leaking the names slowly, a bigger commotion is made than there should be. I say they either put all the names out, or stop releasing one or two players every few months, unless it has occurred in the present season (like the one causing Manny's suspension).
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