Suggestion to Bud Selig

By Joe

Just a quick thought today...

I recently heard David Wells suggest that players who fail a test for steroids in the MLB should be immediately banned from baseball, forever. I see what he's trying to accomplish here, although I think it's a little too extreme. While I do think it's an embarrassment to the game, and players should be punished severely, I don't believe that banning players for life is the answer. Nor do I think that owners, or the players union will ever agree to such a harsh and final punishment.

Here's my suggestion. Keep the punishments the way they are now, (I believe it's 50 games for a first offense, and increases every time after) but from now on, first time offenders are immediately ineligible to be on the ballot for the Hall of Fame.

I believe this gets to the root of the problem. Players don't respond to short term punishment, and owners won't allow their investments to be expelled from the game. So attack cheaters where it'll hurt them the most, their legacy. After all, that's why players really use steroids. They want to always be remembered as one of the best. Well, you can't be remembered as one of the best if your jersey's not in Cooperstown.