Steroids + MLB

When you hear the word "baseball", do you automatically associate it with steroids? I didn't until recently. Originally, when I thought of baseball, I would think of families, nice weather, beer, popcorn, etc. It's quite unfortunate that America's favorite pastime has to be tainted with this. An article from SFgate.com states the penalty that a player would receive if he were to be tested positive for the use of steroids. The penalties are as follows: 1st offense: Treatment 2nd: 15-day suspension or a fine of up to $10k (without pay) 3rd: 25-day suspension (without pay) 4th: 50-day suspension (without pay) 5th: 1 year (without pay) Now, I don't know about you, but for me this is a slap on the wrist. In 2004, Sammy Sosa made almost $17M. Do you think he is going to miss $10k? I don't think so. MLB needs to be a little more serious on this issue. If I had the choice, the first offense would result in a one year suspension without pay and mandatory treatment. No fooling around. It's no wonder why the House Government Reform Committee is getting involved in this issue. Normally I would say that the HGRC must stay out of this, but I believe it is due to the lax nature of the association. In addition to the pressure that is being put onto the association, it is imperative that kids understand what they are dealing with. They need to be educated on the effects of steroids. I just hope that Sosa, McGwire, Canseco & everyone else realize that this isn't just about how many home runs you can hit, it's about family, and the true love of the game.