PRESS RELEASE

SOURCE: Casablanca Sports

Zapote, Costa Rica -- "Babe Ruth didn't do steroids? How do you know?" Those were the words of Houston Astros second baseman, Jeff Kent, trying to make a case for the possibility of steroid use among baseball's all-time greats. As if baseball didn't have enough problem's these days, now a former All-Star, and current second-rate player, is trying to defend allegations of steroid and banned substance use among MLB players today, by speculating that steroids could have been used by baseball's immortals.

Although Kent's statements are absurd and seemingly unfounded, they are not completely ridiculous. There was widespread use of steroids among the medical community as far back as the 1930s, but they were used for medical procedures and treatments, not for the enhancement of athletes. The problem with Kent's statements, and many other of his baseball brethren, is that the word accountability, doesn't seem to resonate loud enough among MLB players, managers, and executives. No matter how you want to slice it, steroid and banned substance abuse is a major problem today, not only in MLB, but in all sports.

That is not to say that MLB is responsible for the use in other sports, but baseball influences millions of American's, needless to say the other professional sports leagues in the US. Taking accountability for its use among MLB, would speak volumes and set a great example, that would resonate throughout the sports world.

During the 2003 season, as part of the collective bargaining agreement between MLB and the player's union, that staved off a possible strike, provisions were made to have random MLB players tested for banned substances. If more than 5% of the players tested positive, then mandatory testing for all of MLB could be implemented. Needless to say, more than 5% tested positive and that is what brings us to this past off-season of discontent. Not only did MLB see its best player traded from a last-place team to a first-place team, and the team trading him having to give $67 million away just to get rid of him, but banned substance use, whether admitted or speculated, among MLB players, has become a major topic of contention, putting all that is sacred about America's favorite pastime in question.

At the center of the controversy is BALCO Laboratories, the California-based company that is under Federal Indictment for an illegal steroid distribution ring. It was the source of many MLB players' nutritional supplements, most notably San Francisco Giants future Hall-of-Famer, Barry Bonds. Bonds' trainer and longtime friend, Greg Anderson, worked at BALCO and has admitted to giving several MLB players steroids. It is unclear who the specific players were, but Bonds is not believed to be one of them.

Then, when things finally seemed to be calming down, the shot-heard-round the baseball world was back again. News reports out of the San Francisco Chronicle, not only alleged that Bonds was given steroids by BALCO, but also mentioned Jason Giambi, Gary Sheffield, and the Oakland Raiders, Bill Romanowski, as other athletes who received illegal drugs from BALCO. There were several other professional athletes mentioned in the story, which has potential to send shockwaves throughout the sports' world. The four BALCO employees being charged in the Federal Indictment, including Bonds' trainer, face long prison terms and huge fines if found guilty.

"The bottom line is that MLB players have used banned substances in the past to enhance their performance on the field, are now using them, and will continue to use them," said BetCBSports Senior Odds Maker, Dan "The Man" Johnson. "With all the pressure athlete's face in today's sports landscape to be the best, they know that being the best translates into astronomical contracts and worldwide fame. As a direct result of that pressure, the concept of actually playing a sport because you love the game and respect it's history, is being completely lost in the shuffle."

"It truly is sad that instead of fielding questions about the upcoming season and what its possibilities are, MLB superstars like Barry Bonds and Sammy Sosa, have to answer questions as to whether or not they are on the 'juice.' As a lifelong baseball fan, it hurts my heart to think what MLB has become, and how far away that is, from what America's pastime is in its' purest form."

There is no doubt that this issue is far from over. It is only a matter of time before the first MLB superstar either, admits willingly, or by virtue of a positive test, that he is using banned substances such as steroids, or THG, to help him compete. In effect, that player will be saying it is worth the risk to become a better player, and cheating is OK in today's all-or nothing sports society.

Do we really want to see Bonds' home run record with an asterisk? Does the Dominican Republic, where native son, Sammy Sosa, inspires the entire population to dream, need to hold its head in shame? It is now up to MLB as a community to answer that question. The one thing without question is that something must be done, and must be done quickly, before America's pastime is tarnished forever.