Pete Rose or the Steroid Issue in Baseball. Which do you think has done the most damage to MLB?

Pete Rose: Back in the 1980's, Pete Rose agreed to a permanent ineligibility from baseball amidst accusations that he gambled on baseball games while playing for and managing the Reds; some accusations claimed that he bet on, and even against, the Reds.





Steroid abuse in MLB: Baseball players and owners have put in place a tougher policy against performance-enhancing drugs following increased attention created by a federal grand jury investigation into illegal steroid distribution.

Pete Rose or the Steroid Issue in Baseball. Which do you think has done the most damage to MLB?
Great question....I would have to say steroids though. The use of "performance-enhancing" drugs does cause alot of skepticism in record holdings and player stats. It has created chaos across the boards. What Pete did was wrong but I think the guy deserves a break after all these years. It really is a shame they will not put him in Cooperstown...he was an awesome player/manager.
Reply:If steroids use is not made a top priority to the officials in Major League Baseball, not only will it hurt the sport of baseball, but it will send a message to thousands of little league kids and others who look up to our baseball stars that it is OK to use steroids. Report It

Reply:So you have kids as young as 12 taking roids and by the time they are 30 (if they live that long) on kidney dialysis machines. Illegal use of steroids is a felony, period. Report It

Reply:Drugs aren't the answer for increasing performance in baseball, more hustle. Maybe if the greatness of Pete's work ethic as a player were used as a template for being on the top of your game instead of steroids, we would have more excitement on the baseball diamond. Report It

Reply:The steroid issue has had more of an effect on baseball as more people seem to have this problem! I think baseball knew it had this problem in the 90's but did nothing about it as Mark Mcguire and Sammy Sosa were making MLB money! It took them over 10+ years to do anything about this problem! I think anybody who has been caught taking steroids should be thrown out of baseball for life and their records taken from the books! How is this any less of a problem than gambling.
Reply:Steroids..hands down. The betting is one man's story. Sure, it was unprofessional and he was appropriately banned. (I say that despite the fact that I liked Pete Rose as a player and have no ill feelings toward him.) But, the steroid issue is much bigger. Also, it directly impacts records and performance.
Reply:Steroid use has done the most damage. It tells upcoming athletes that's its OK to enhance your performance illegally and not the natural way. They get paid millions and millions to fake play. Its no fun when you know a drug is to blame for there great home run record or longevity.


Shame really!!
Reply:pete rose and drugs are part of baseballs history, if you look back, pitchers used spitballs! used vaseline, players took Uppers(form of speed) to enhance themselves, pitchers have always been busted on doctoring the ball, i feel Pete should be in the hall of fame! he never bet againest his team EVER.. where u read that is bogus. as for steroid use, its probably been rampant for 10 plus years, Barry Bonds, contrary to bigots and racists has never admitted use, never been proven and enjoy him while we still have him! goodluck and great question
Reply:Performance enhancing drugs in general. Pete Rose is just one guy. Drugs are a systemic problem
Reply:The steroid issue has tarnished the game far worse than Pete Rose could ever tarnish it. Steroids have proven to be more widespread than Pete's gambling issues. By the way, Pete never bet against the Reds....always for them.
Reply:At this point I'd say it's the steroids, because it has tainted the game. Anytime a player does anything great now, there's the immediate question of whether or not they're using illegal substances. When Ryan Howard won the home run title last season, there were several national columns wondering about whether he used steroids, and the same issue comes up all the time on message boards and baseball forums. It's difficult for a player now to do anything without being questioned or doubted. And while Rose was the only high-profile bettor at the time, everyone knows that there are a lot of juicers.





What Rose did was horrible, and he deserves the lifetime ban. The difference is that baseball didn't become infected with gamblers, and Rose's actions didn't cause everyone to question the outcome of those games.





Finally, there was a sense of closure to the Rose issue when Giamatti came down firmly and banned him. That same closure doesn't exist with the steroids issue, because baseball has been so weak when it comes to laying down punishments. It took them several years to even agree to tests, and they dragged their feet on instituting something that even comes close to the level of scrutiny used by the Olympics for their testing.
Reply:By far the steroid issue is worse and has done the most damage to MLB. Everyone I know thinks Rose should be in the Hall of Fame and what he did was not that bad, it was wrong but not that bad. Steroids have ruined a lot of people image of the game and it is about to ruin a great record. I think that MLB is hiding a positive test by Bonds out of fear of the outrage it would cause if it became public. Steroids are a major black eye for MLB because it has tainted the numbers and MLB has been so lazy in making he rules tougher and fought against harsher punishments. I think steroids are forever going to taint the HR numbers and how people look at anyone who is having a great career and has a high number of HRs.
Reply:I'd say neither has actually damaged the game in reality. The Black Sox almost sank the game before it got going, which the only thing to do since was the strikes. But as far as tarnishing the image, I'd say roids simply b/c now whether you are ok with roids or against it, the argument still comes down to that you can't trust ANY player now, i.e. the whole sport suffers, whereas w/ Rose though he is a low life and a scoundrel and deserves his ban, the only image that was hurt was his own. Especially since Bart was so tough on Rose, unlike Selig is being w/ roids.





Oh, and for the record, Rose originally said he never bet, then said he did but never on a Reds game, then that he did bet on Reds games, but never that they'd lose, so I don't believe we've heard the whole truth just yet. But currently I believe the story goes he only bet on them when he bet on them to win, but also didn't bet every night, thus effectively telling bookies not to give good odds on the Reds on nights Pete didn't bet on the Reds.
Reply:I can remember way back when Pete rose was one of baseball's stars and then he was caught and given his punishment for his actions, all of these years later hoping it seems like, even expecting he'd be inducted into baseball's hall of fame even though he was wrong. The guy doesn't think he should pay the ultimate price, which for him is being denied. Exclusion from sharing in the history of his peers he needs to man up you did it you got caught!!!! Now recently he was on jay Leno I have to admit I began to feel maybe he should be eligible......and tried to rationalize his inclusion but,then he made comments re; Barry Bonds how steroids were not illegal in baseball until recently That Barry is being picked on to which I said WHAT???????? Until there are two records in B'Ball one for the "natural athlete" as opposed to the "synthetically enhanced" HOW IS IT ALLOWABLE FOR HIM TO BE THE NEW HOME-RUN KING???? That is just another pathetic example of inexcusable behavior on the field, in life.What does that say to impressionable young kids looking up to these people? And then you have a stadium filled with cheering fans, what are they cheering for a guy who so far has been able,and arrogantly so to beat the system. I think Barry has done more damage, not letting Pete Rose off the hook he's a bitter old man,oops maybe not "man"is the wrong way to describe him.
Reply:steroids are much worse and pete rose was a great base ball player
Reply:Niether, Bonds will hit 55 this year and shut everybody up the only thing people care about in the Pete Rose deal is how come he isnt in the hall of fame with all the best players in history.


Baseball always has something that threatens to tarnish the game because at the end of the day the game is seen through the eyes of the media whos sole job is to make things look as bad as possible.


Steroids, greenies, gambling, fighting, drugs, baseballs wound tighter, ballparks smaller, pitchings diluted.... the media builds everything up just to tear it down.


There is nothing wrong with baseball and there never will be, unless some mad scientist builds a robot that can hit a ball 9000 feet and passes him off as Mark Mcgwire Jr.
Reply:Rose no doubt about it. He knew what he was doing was wrong and still did it. He could control the outcome of games he wagered on! This guy is considered to be the gum under baseball's shoe.





Baseball has had steroid in it for eons now and all of a sudden it's a big deal when a few treasured records get broke. Had these records not been threatened nobody would care.





There are still a bunch of guys using and will continue to find new undetectable methods to increase their ability. Baseball is aware of this and that why they give you four chances and even then you can still play the game.
Reply:Definitely steroids. There is no other legitimate sport that allows the use of steroids and they even randomly test for use with punishment to follow if positive. Bonds has repeatedly denied using performance enhancing drugs but refuses to test for steroids. He could have put this whole issue to rest years ago by simply peeing in a cup but his repeated refusals simply leads us to question: What is he hiding?? If he breaks Hank Aaron's record, I'll simply look at him like the cheater he is!!
Reply:Rose never said he bet against his team. Gambling addiction is a disease - but the man loved the game. He played like a monster. I was at the Phillies game when he broke Stan M's record. Great memories as a kid. Thanks Pete.





A player with a DWI, or beating his wife does more damage (to society in general) in my opinion. The steroid use is much worse - plus the Senate wastedall that time with those stupid hearings...





Good question!
Reply:steroid issue for sure
Reply:Pete Rose only hurt himself not baseball or the image of baseball and should be in the Hall of Fame. In fact him not being in the Hall of Fame is a bigger blight on baseball than he ever will be.


The steroid issue is far worse for baseball, more far reaching and in fact game altering.
Reply:I think the steroids issue has had the greatest impact on baseball. The Pete Rose incident was basically an isolated thing. Pete Rose claims that he only bet on the Reds to win so he may have made his teams try harder. I don't think there's really any evidence that he caused his teams to lose games or did anything to throw the games. The steroids issue became widespread. No one knows exactly how widespread steroids have become in baseball and because of that, we don't know just which records and games were decided because of steroids. Even Barry Bonds is suspicious but cannot be proven to have used steroids. It's a shame that records have fallen and will fall, but without any way to prove that steroids were used, the records and game decisions will sit alongside every legiteimate stat out there.
Reply:ROSE ROSE ROSE! That man is baseball's biggest disappointment ever. He simply dishonored himself and the game of baseball.





They don't ban people over accusations. There was proof and Pete was busted red handed.





People have been using steroids for years and no one complained until now. Give a break.





If baseball was so gung-ho against the use of steroids then they would ban any player that tested positive instead of giving you "4" suspensions. HA! what a joke.
Reply:Steroids. Rose only hurt himself.
Reply:I think it is MLB's reactions and choice of responses to these issues that hurt baseball the most.





Pete was disruptive as a coach but as a baseball player he was one of the best ever. He embodied all the qualities in a player a coach, or promoter for that matter, could wish for. He should not have been so disrespected by MLB when he was receiving the Top Players of All Time award.





"Steriods" (the scandal name) but the individual medical names of the different ingredients were not illegal substances at the time Mark, Jose and Sammy were taking them. HGH wasnt illegal when that wave of players (maybe G. Mathews Jr.) were taking them either.


So MLB should just admit people did some things we didnt know were bad and hadn't banned yet. Although the last few seasons have been some of the most offensive and exciting seasons ever with 20/20 hindsight we now wish some players hadnt endangered their bodies taking some of the following substances. We have since banned the following substances.....





This is not an asterix on those individuals but on that time in general. People didn't know smoking cig's was deadly 40 years ago and that is a fault of the times not the people smoking.





People are always going to take risks "red lining" their bodies in the pursuit of greatness. That person is willing to risk the long term for the immediate short term.


Think Muhammed Ali,


any race car driver,


QB's in the NFL and concussions


snowboarders


Motorcross...





The reason these people are in the spotlight is for us to all learn from their stories and the lessons they (and we) learned. Just let them be them and keep the cameras rolling for the world to watch as they go.....





MLB should have the tougher list and they should keep updating it, but should also accept the responsibility for the "steriod era" scandal. Put it to bed and silence all the media clatter on it.


Barry took roids as did Sammy and Mark and it was the greatest show baseball has ever seen.


Barry has given up his well being for this game and they want to turn their backs on him. I think thats a shame, even if he is an ****** as a person. This is about Baseball !!





Just Educate the population as you learn MLB instead of pointing the finger and hiding like a kid who is scared of get the spanking.





Respect the people who brought you here, your actions are dispicible!!!
Reply:Definitely Steroids because when Bonds do break Hank Aaron's homerun record. mostly everyone thinks he cheated and use that junk to beat out Hank's record. Only a few believe that he is that strong.
Reply:Neither. The biggest blow to MLB is an ongoing issue, the vicinity play. How many runs could have been scored if the umps actually called an out when the player has the ball in his possession WHILE on second base. This is the biggest scandal in baseball history, and the unions and the commissioners office refuse to do anything about it.
Reply:Steroids. Hands down. A lot of the younger generation, unless they are serious students of the game, don't even know who Charlie Hustle is (sad). Steroids have irreparable harmed the game, and one can only hope baseball can move on from this.
Reply:Rose............
Reply:I believe steroids. It is going to change the history of baseball


in a false way. What Pete Rose did was not changing any


historical stats. And there are a lot of other players that have


done a whole lot worse than what Pete did. And everyone


turns a blind eye to it. I feel they are accepting drug use and


saying that it is OK. And saying that gambling is worse than


drug use. Which I don't understand people's acceptance of


drug use. I can't forget all the records that Pete has set. And


the player he was. I believe that should be remember. And


all these steroid users should be banned from baseball .


They are losers and should not be allowed to wear a base-


ball uniform. They are selfish and only thinking of themselves


and not the older players who came up the hard way in sports.
Reply:Steroids have been proven to cause cancer. Gambling doesn't. If you don't believe it, read Lyle Alzado's story. I rest my case.
Reply:Personally, I think it's the over-inflated salaries.





Families with kids only have so much disposible income, and it costs like $200. to bring mom, dad, and 2 kids to a ballgame--if not more! Then you hear players complaining about thier pay or demanding outrageous salaries. It makes you not even want to go to a game.





If they can get their organizations to pay them millions, they shoud go and get what they can. But...they also shouldn't be surprised when the fans stop paying them attention or going to games.
Reply:Back in 1980 Pete Rose under stress agreed to permanent ineligibility from baseball. Look he was under stress and made a bad mistake. Pete Rose is a good person and God had clean his sin with the blood of Jesus. With any doubt he belong into the hall of fame. Everybody made mistake. Bary bonds steroid user and he is close to pass the 755 homers mark. do he belong into the half of fame?
Reply:No doubt steroids. Oh ya... just to point this out, THERE IS NO PROOF BARRY BONDS HAS USED STEROIDS!!!!!! You people have to think 2 reasons. 1.What if that was you? Everyone saying you take steroids when there's no proof. 2.What ever happened to Innocent Until PROVEN Guilty? Now, I'm not saying that he is innocent. He may have taken them, but there's no proof.

Business