Is Arod's performance enhanced?

[gocgo]

I am an Arod skeptic. While the media is going gaga about how the ball is jumping off his bat and how remarkable it is for a 39 year old man on the decline of his career to be performing at such a high level after sitting out a year, I remain doubtful.

Some would say he is probably being tested multiple times a week.  Actually, he will be tested randomly 9 times this year and every year that he plays - 3 blood tests, 6 urine tests according to Section 3.D of the league’s Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program which specifies that any player disciplined for violating the drug program shall be subject to mandatory follow-up testing, including six unannounced urine collections and three unannounced blood collections over the 12-month period following the violation as well as each subsequent year of the player’s career as long as he’s on a 40-man roster.

I'd like to point out that Arod has never tested positive for PEDs, even though he has admitted to doing them.  He was only caught because the lab he was working with was busted.  He knows his way around the testing as do the other MLB players who faced suspensions but never tested positive for PED's. 

 

Is Arod a changed man?  Would he lie again to the fans of baseball who have forgiven him and come out to support him?  Color me skeptical.

[gunnarthor]

I think so.

[gil4]

Anyone who could hit like he could hit is capable of putting together a hot streak at age 39.  He's healthy for the first time in several years.  He will probably feel his age by July.  Talk to me about his hitting then 

 

Plenty of people thought they knew their way around testing procedures only to have the testing technology catch up to them.  I'm sure he knows he's one-and-done now. Has too much money to lose if he's suspended again. 

[gocgo]

He may know he's one and done, but he may think it's worth the risk....reputation is already shot, so he can only improve it...one and done is better than not playing again.  I dunno, but I do know that I don't trust him.

[biggentleben]

I think an era of fans who don't trust their superstars is exactly what Bud Selig wanted to create.  We'll end up with a Hall of Fame that is a quagmire for years, we'll have people who aren't sure what to make of historical numbers, and players will forever be looked at with an eye of suspicion.

 

Meanwhile, baseball is recording record profits, has seen more growth on a global scale than in decades previous, and may have some of its finest on-field product since the days of Mays, Mantle, and Aaron with the young talent on the field currently.  And you know that Bud is more than happy to take the credit for that, nevermind that he was more than happy to support McGwire/Sosa in 1998 when it seemed to be bringing baseball back from the strike and possibly putting some positive spin on his horrid image.  He had no issue jumping all over Barry Bonds' jock as he chased both the single season and then the career home run record.  It was only in the last few years of his time as commish that he came out so strongly against PEDs because the public tide had turned so strongly against them.  Bud's a typical used car salesman, and baseball deserved better.  Talents like A-Rod deserved better.  We as fans sure as hell deserved better.

 

</soapbox>

[USAFChief]

I think an era of fans who don't trust their superstars is exactly what Bud Selig wanted to create.  We'll end up with a Hall of Fame that is a quagmire for years, we'll have people who aren't sure what to make of historical numbers, and players will forever be looked at with an eye of suspicion.

 

Meanwhile, baseball is recording record profits, has seen more growth on a global scale than in decades previous, and may have some of its finest on-field product since the days of Mays, Mantle, and Aaron with the young talent on the field currently.  And you know that Bud is more than happy to take the credit for that, nevermind that he was more than happy to support McGwire/Sosa in 1998 when it seemed to be bringing baseball back from the strike and possibly putting some positive spin on his horrid image.  He had no issue jumping all over Barry Bonds' jock as he chased both the single season and then the career home run record.  It was only in the last few years of his time as commish that he came out so strongly against PEDs because the public tide had turned so strongly against them.  Bud's a typical used car salesman, and baseball deserved better.  Talents like A-Rod deserved better.  We as fans sure as hell deserved better.

 

</soapbox>

I don't follow. Bud Selig wanted fans to mistrust players so baseball could enjoy record profits?

 

I think the reason many people mistrust A-Rod is solely due to the actions of A-Rod.

[gil4]

I don't follow. Bud Selig wanted fans to mistrust players so baseball could enjoy record profits?

 

I think the reason many people mistrust A-Rod is solely due to the actions of A-Rod.

Baseball had the wink-and-nod approach to PEDs for years and enjoyed the resurgence and profits from the HR boom. Then, when the public outcry reached a certain level, the league changed course and had no problem dragging the names of the players through the mud to show how tough they were on enforcement, even when the PED use was from the period when they were essentially complicit.

 

A-Rod has definitely done things to deserve our distrust and scorn, but I'm sure there were a lot of players who took the lie and ride it out approach and it worked. The league certainly didn't create an atmosphere where coming clean and moving on were attractive options.

[Mike Sixel]

I don't get why anyone cares if he's using or not. I've never understood all the angst over PEDs frankly.

 

It is possible he is, it is also possible he's on a hot streak. Before the PEDs, he was one of the best hitters in baseball history.

[markos]

 

Anyone who could hit like he could hit is capable of putting together a hot streak at age 39.  He's healthy for the first time in several years.  He will probably feel his age by July.  Talk to me about his hitting then 

I agree with this. Let's see how he is doing after a few months of The Grind and after he gets dinged up a little bit.

[ashbury]

 

I don't get why anyone cares if he's using or not. I've never understood all the angst over PEDs frankly.

Banned PEDs are the ones that carry significant long-term health risks, as I understand it. When more than a few players use these, there is a coercive effect on other players to take them or get left behind.

 

You brought up the larger question, and here's a counterargument, but if we want to broaden the discussion away from ARod I suggest someone start a different thread.