A-Rod's Future (Bans, Injuries and Fraud)

[Divinity]

To be fair Pettitte only used HGH to recover from an injury in 2002, we aren't talking about anabolic steroids here, we're talking about a substance that was neither illegal, nor against the rules of the sport until 2005

He was using it to help rehab from an injury, not to help him pack on 20 pounds of muscle, and his use was very limited.

He was also one of the only guy's to come forward and be honest about it unlike most other players connected to PED's, who deny, deny, deny until they're trapped in a corner.

[User Name?]

Goddamn you're a homer. Steroids are steroids.

[mvp 78]

Remember when everyone was amazed at how honest Palmeiro was in front of Congress? Sports writers and fans always want to believe in their "heroes." Laughable.

[Bellhorn04]

Goddamn you're a homer. Steroids are steroids.

You don't think there are degrees of abuse?

[User Name?]

You don't think there are degrees of abuse?

For the purposes of this discussion, if you get caught using, you get caught using. A guy may use once and get caught, and another may use all the time, but does that make him different in the eyes of the rules when receiving their respective punishment? Does the guy who only used once not get branded as a past steroid user? If you use and get caught, you got caught cheating regardless of your usage patterns.

And for the record, Petitte's statement that he "only used to recover from a surgery" could be bullshit for all intents and purposes.

[redsoxrules]

According to repports, if Arod tries to appeal his suspension he will get a lifetime ban from MLB and
apparantly he is going to appeal it.
Is this guy an idiot? especially when he still has 60 MIL left on the table after 2014.

[mvp 78]

According to repports, if Arod tries to appeal his suspension he will get a lifetime ban from MLB and
apparantly he is going to appeal it.
Is this guy an idiot? especially when he still has 60 MIL left on the table after 2014.

It goes against the CBA. The union should fight this.

[Divinity]

For the purposes of this discussion, if you get caught using, you get caught using. A guy may use once and get caught, and another may use all the time, but does that make him different in the eyes of the rules when receiving their respective punishment? Does the guy who only used once not get branded as a past steroid user? If you use and get caught, you got caught cheating regardless of your usage patterns.

And for the record, Petitte's statement that he "only used to recover from a surgery" could be bullshit for all intents and purposes.

HGH and steroids are NOT one and the same. He didn't take it to enhance his performance.

Andy is a honest and decent guy, which is why he stepped up and made these admissions, he's also deeply religious. I think it's likely he was in fact telling the truth.

The way I see it, if they did it before the league banned the substance, it doesn't matter. It was not against the rules of the sport they played, so it's irrelevant as far as I'm concerned.

If you want to blame someone for the prevalence of steroids in the sport from that time frame, you have to blame Bud Selig and the players' association, who fought tooth and nail to keep steroids off the testing list.

You can point fingers at general managers and staff for turning a blind eye, but it's the decision-makers who should have done something about it sooner.

[User Name?]

HGH and steroids are NOT one and the same. He didn't take it to enhance his performance.

Andy is a honest and decent guy, which is why he stepped up and made these admissions, he's also deeply religious. I think it's likely he was in fact telling the truth.

So what? It's a banned substance. Why he took them is irrelevant. And he's so religious that he cheated and only confessed when the authorities were hot on his trail . Join the rest of us in reality.

The way I see it, if they did it before the league banned the substance, it doesn't matter. It was not against the rules of the sport they played, so it's irrelevant as far as I'm concerned.

And that's why i'm calling you a homer. Andy's a cheater, just like Manny was. And neither you nor i have any proof that he didn't continue using afterwards.

If you want to blame someone for the prevalence of steroids in the sport from that time frame, you have to blame Bud Selig and the players' association, who fought tooth and nail to keep steroids off the testing list.

That's a cop-out. Selig didn't tell them to cheat.

You can point fingers at general managers and staff for turning a blind eye, but it's the decision-makers who should have done something about it sooner.

Or i could first and foremost point the fingers at the players, who were the ones sticking needles up their ass. Stop making excuses for players just because you like them. Homer.

[jacksonianmarch]

The union has no interest in fighting this fight for him. MLB cannot suspend a guy for life due to roids unless they've been caught three times. But actively trying to obstruct MLB's investigation is likely why theyre trying to ban him for a long, long time

[a700hitter]

Pettitte is a cheater, liar and a huge hypocrite. He was a known huge hypocrite long before HGH came into the stor. Remember that he went to Houston to be close to his family. Well, they gave him a big fat contract. TheYankees were scared about his elbow. After that contract was up and his arm was still sound, the Yankees wooed him back with big bucks. Being close to his family had its price.

[Divinity]

And that's why i'm calling you a homer. Andy's a cheater, just like Manny was. And neither you nor i have any proof that he didn't continue using afterwards.

How was using HGH prior to 2005 when MLB banned it considered cheating? I'm pretty sure to cheat at something that require's you do something that's against the rules and gives you an unfair advantage, which he didn't.

Prior to 2005 all players were free to take HGH as they wanted. Pettitte also said if had been been banned back then he wouldn't have taken it.

Was it stupid? Yeah, it was stupid. Was it desperate? Yeah, it was probably desperate. Was it cheating? No, I don't think so.

Comparing Pettitte and Manny is like apples and oranges. Manny took actual steroids, which were banned by MLB since 1991. Manny gained a huge amount of muscle/power after he started using them.

What Manny did was cheating, just like Clemens, Giambi, and A-Rod who all took steroids well after they were banned.

Pettitte is a cheater, liar and a huge hypocrite.

My post above addresses why I don't think players who took HGH prior to 2005 were cheating.

What did he lie about though? I agree with you about him being a hypocrite, but that's about it.

[a700hitter]

How was using HGH prior to 2005 when MLB banned it considered cheating? I'm pretty sure to cheat at something that require's you do something that's against the rules and gives you an unfair advantage, which he didn't.

Prior to 2005 all players were free to take HGH as they wanted. Pettitte also said if had been been banned back then he wouldn't have taken it.

Was it stupid? Yeah, it was stupid. Was it desperate? Yeah, it was probably desperate. Was it cheating? No, I don't think so.

Comparing Pettitte and Manny is like apples and oranges. Manny took actual steroids, which were banned by MLB since 1991. Manny gained a huge amount of muscle/power after he started using them.

What Manny did was cheating, just like Clemens, Giambi, and A-Rod who all took steroids well after they were banned.




My post above addresses why I don't think players who took HGH prior to 2005 were cheating.

What did he lie about though? I agree with you about him being a hypocrite, but that's about it.

I am pretty sure that HGH and steroids were banned substances prior to 2005. There was just not an enforcement mechanism for the cheaters. Also, they didn't have a test to detect HGH. Finally, obtaining the HGH was a crime. So let's add criminal to Pettitte's description.

[User Name?]

^Yeah, let's stop calling him a cheater. Criminal fits him much better. Contradicts the notions of a "deeply religious" person if you ask me.

[Divinity]

I am pretty sure that HGH and steroids were banned substances prior to 2005. There was just not an enforcement mechanism for the cheaters. Also, they didn't have a test to detect HGH. Finally, obtaining the HGH was a crime. So let's add criminal to Pettitte's description.

Steroids were banned in 1991. HGH wasn't banned until 2005.

Obtaining marijuana is a crime too, is anyone who take's a hit of weed a "criminal" ?