No doubt by now you've heard about Milwaukee Brewers star Ryan Braun's suspension for performance-enhancing drug use. Aside from the obvious jokes about Braun and even Aaron Rodgers' short-sighted bet about Braun's innocence, we're looking at something new in baseball. Perhaps now PED users will be punished, no matter who they are.
Of course, they already ended Rafael Palmiero's career, so it's nothing new. What is new, however, is that it could lead to the suspension or even banning of Alex Rodriguez. Since both have been linked to the Florida clinic, Biogenesis, that provided PEDs, this might be a precedent.
As USA Today mentioned, five years ago, these kinds of suspensions wouldn't have happened.
As for A-Rod, he's been identified as being involved with biogenesis. His already damaged reputation is taking a further hit, and there are calls for him not just to be suspended, but banned for life. I agree. Even the game's top stars should not be spared from punishment, even if they are stars. In fact, it's because they're stars that they should get these punishments.
Indeed, A-Rod's reputation as a serial violator of MLB's drug policy has put a massive target on his back. All the haters who've been seething for years are finally starting to smell blood to get the man out of baseball for good. But we still don't know whether A-Rod will go the way of the Black Sox or Peter Rose just yet. We'll have to wait and see.
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