Alex Rodriguez, better known by his nickname A-Rod, was considered to be one of the best baseball players in history. He’s the youngest player to hit 600 homeruns and over the course of 20 years has won numerous league awards and honors. Rodriguez is also signed to the richest Major League Baseball (MLB) contract worth $275 million over the course of 10 years.
Now all of his achievements are thrown into question. Facing a 162-game, the entire MLB season, in the wake of performance-enhancing drug scandal that rocked the MLB. Originally suspended for 211-games, the longest non-life time ban in the history of the MLB, an independent arbitrator reduced his suspension to the entirety of the 2014 MLB season as well as any post-season play the Yankees may be involved in early this year.
Rodriguez still feels he is being unfairly treated and is now appealing his suspension in federal court. An article written by Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe states that A-Rod is unlikely to win this appeal.
Where do I stand on the suspension? I am firmly on the side that he deserves the suspension. There are documents linking him to a clinic that has sold performance-enhancing drugs to other MLB players, such as Antonio Bastardo of the Philadelphia Phillies, and he has also admitted to taking steroids in the early 2000s, citing pressure to perform.
All sports, not just baseball, should be played by the skill and determination that each athlete can bring to each and every game. The passion each player brings should mean more than the drugs they could take to make them “better” players. Nothing is greater than a moment of flawlessness on the field, ice, court, or whereever your favorite sport is played.
Getting back to A-Rod, in my opinion, he’s playing the victim in a course of events set off by himself. The only person he should be blaming is himself. He should know how hot the subject of steroid and performance-enhancing drugs use in the MLB is. It’s insanity is what it is.
The scandal and suspension throw everything he has done in the career into question. How many of his achievements were gotten through unethical means? His career is tainted by the decision to use steroids, for whatever reason he chose to use them.
Do I feel bad for him? Absolutely not. He willingly chose to use steroids. He brought this all on himself. At the end of the day he’s only got himself and no one else to blame.
