Steroids in Baseball
Analysis of Steroids in Baseball
Introduction
Steroids have apparently become extremely predominant throughout the years in Major League Baseball. Players have taken advantage of this illegal substance in the United States to increase their skills, speed, power, and abilities to overpass challenging competitors. This competition arises from teammates or even future prospects that may threaten to take their position. It is said that a large percentage of these professionals have been taking steroids to improve their performance and therefore gaining new records. Steroids and other stimulants have damaged athlete’s physical appearance, has increased injuries and created an uneven competition between professionals.
Physical and Mental Health
Baseball players seem not to care about the serious consequences a human being may suffer from consuming steroids. Some of the most serious effects of this illicit substance are high blood pressure, heart disease, liver damage, cancer and an increase risk of ligament and tendon injuries. Throughout the course of the 2002 season many injuries have been reported and a significant amount of players have been placed on the disabled list.
[pic] (Figure 1)
An important change has occurred from 1997 through the end of the 2001 season. Last season, the Major leagues reported a total of 467 players in the disabled list, which is about 18 players per week. One may notice a significant change within four years, where injuries have increased a total of 20 percent (Chart 1). Furthermore, the cost for players in the disabled list has increased 130 percent from the cost in 1997.
Ken Caminiti, a retired baseball that admitted taking steroids throughout his career has suffered many serious injuries. After 1996, Caminiti never played another season without going on the disables list, with mostly muscular injuries- strained hamstring, strained quadriceps, strained calf muscle and a ruptured tendon in
Introduction
Steroids have apparently become extremely predominant throughout the years in Major League Baseball. Players have taken advantage of this illegal substance in the United States to increase their skills, speed, power, and abilities to overpass challenging competitors. This competition arises from teammates or even future prospects that may threaten to take their position. It is said that a large percentage of these professionals have been taking steroids to improve their performance and therefore gaining new records. Steroids and other stimulants have damaged athlete’s physical appearance, has increased injuries and created an uneven competition between professionals.
Physical and Mental Health
Baseball players seem not to care about the serious consequences a human being may suffer from consuming steroids. Some of the most serious effects of this illicit substance are high blood pressure, heart disease, liver damage, cancer and an increase risk of ligament and tendon injuries. Throughout the course of the 2002 season many injuries have been reported and a significant amount of players have been placed on the disabled list.
[pic] (Figure 1)
An important change has occurred from 1997 through the end of the 2001 season. Last season, the Major leagues reported a total of 467 players in the disabled list, which is about 18 players per week. One may notice a significant change within four years, where injuries have increased a total of 20 percent (Chart 1). Furthermore, the cost for players in the disabled list has increased 130 percent from the cost in 1997.
Ken Caminiti, a retired baseball that admitted taking steroids throughout his career has suffered many serious injuries. After 1996, Caminiti never played another season without going on the disables list, with mostly muscular injuries- strained hamstring, strained quadriceps, strained calf muscle and a ruptured tendon in