Steroids in Baseball

How big is too big, how strong is too strong? The use of steroids in baseball causes an increase in success. The question is, has the use of steroids in baseball helped a few players get their records? I believe so. Look at players like Jose Canseco, Barry Bonds, and Mark McGwire. They used steroids without the league knowing. Steroids in my opinion enhanced these players’ bodies with an extra boost of strength. I like how a man like Jose Canseco admitted to the use of steroids and decided to write a book about his days in the major leagues called Juiced.

A common steroid used in the sport of baseball is an anabolic steroid. Anabolic steroids are the synthetic derivatives of the naturally occurring male anabolic hormone testosterone. The word anabolic comes from a Greek origin meaning, “to build.” Another word for anabolic is androgen meaning “masculinizing.” According to Dr. Wadler, athletes take these steroids primarily to increase muscle mass and strength. Steroids are most commonly injected into the body but may also be taken orally (Wadler 2).

Steroids are not something to fool around with. There are dangerous health hazards of anabolic steroids. Men may actually experience terminization while females may experience masculization. Some side effects for men include impotence, development of breasts, shrinking of the testicles, and even difficulty or pain while urinating. Some side effects for women include facial hair growth, deepened voice, and breast reduction. There are other side effects that may result for both men and women, which include acne, rapid weight gain, liver damage, premature heart attacks and strokes, and weakened tendons (Wadler 3).

Steroids can be addictive just like smoking is. Present evidence suggests that long time steroid users may experience a characteristic of addiction. This involves cravings, withdrawal symptoms, and difficulty in stopping steroid use (Wadler 4). Many steroid users have difficulties stopping even though they know its bad for them.

In earlier days of baseball, “trust” was an important word that related to collective bargaining agreement and steroids because they both go in hand. A huge reason why Major League Baseball had no drug testing was because of trust. Now of days, trust isn’t all that important. Players can not be trusted anymore because too many players are using steroids. Among ballplayers, the association must find a way to either prove or disprove steroid use. A member of the association can not just go up to a random baseball player and ask if they use steroids. The reason is because someone can not rely on a player to come forward and say, “I use steroids (Morgan 2).”

In Jose Canseco’s point of view, steroids are the future. He believes by the time his eight-year old daughter, Josie, had graduated from high school, a majority of all professional athletes in all sports will be taking steroids. Even though Canseco believes in steroids, he still gives a warning to people that the use of steroids should not be used without proper medical advice and expert supervision. If one is going to use steroids, stay away