Cheating in Baseball Games - Essay Example

Cheating in Baseball Games The Issue Posnanski’s “Cheating and Cheating” was all about the use of amphetamines or steroids in baseball game as a way to build more muscle; increase the players’ energy level including their ability to overcome exhaustion. As a result of taking amphetamines, baseball players are able to make more home runs (Posnanski). Aside from the act of ‘stealing signs’, it is clear that the use of amphetamines or steroids in sports is an indirect way of cheating the game (Posnanski). According to Posnanski, one of the best baseball players named Ken Williams in 1922 was also using steroids to win games (Posnanski). To improve the athletes’ overall performance, a lot of baseball players today are also using the same technique. Due to the fact that cheating has been evident throughout the history of baseball games, Posnanski’s argumentative response to Pete Hamill – one of the New York Times writers, is that baseball game has always been played in a dishonest way. Position the Writers Have Taken Moller is more likely to break rules in exchange for his goals. Contrary to the stand of Moller, Posnanski and Ashby has both taken the position that athletes should not break the rules when it comes to the use of ‘performance enhancing drugs’. Rhetorical Arguments It is true that a lot of baseball players are cheating in baseball games through the use of ‘performance enhancing drugs’. In fact, almost all outstanding players in baseball games are secretly using steroids (Moller). In the article written by William Moller entitled “We, the Public, Place the Best Athletes on Pedestals” provided some reasons why athletes such as the baseball game players are using drugs that can help them win baseball competitions. In line with this, Moller explained that it is common for the general public to treat the winners as ‘gods’ (Moller) or a ‘hero’ (Posnanski). For this reason, some students with low academic performance are more than eager to win the game. Because of hunger for fame or fortune, a lot of past and current school or professional athletes end up using illegal drugs (Moller; Posnanski). Although commonly used by the athletes, the amphetamines and steroids are not the only illegal drugs that can be use to enhance athletes’ performance. In reality, some athletes are also using other types of performance enhancing drugs such as Aderall, dope, Stanolozol, Ritalin, HGH, and Balco products to win the game (Ashby; Moller). In the process of violating the general rules of the game, the use of performance enhancing drugs can weaken the integrity and fairness in sports because athletes who choose not to use any of these drugs can be in a less advantage position to win the game (Ashby; Posnanski). Therefore, it is clear that in some extent, the use of performance enhancing drugs can seriously distort the true meaning of sports. As we all know, playing a good sport is all about being able to open accept victory and defeat. Therefore, regardless of the type of drugs used in enhancing the performance of the athletes, one should not disregard the fact that the cheating the game is really unethical. Just like in any sports, the ability of each athlete is being measured based on their overall skills, talents, performance, endurance, and physical strength (Ashby). Each time an athlete decided to use ‘performance enhancing drugs’, respect to other players can be compromised. On top of the ethical issues or concerns, there are other reasons why these drugs should not be use in sports. First of all, the use of these drugs can trigger short-term side effects (Moller) or long-term harm in the health of the players (Ashby). For instance, Ashby explained that the process of injecting oneself with steroids more than the recommended dosage can cause the end-users to suffer from health problems related to endocrine, development of tumors in kidney and liver, heart-related problems and psychiatric issues. Aside from finding it more difficult to quit the drug, the use of amphetamine can cause the end-users a feeling of restlessness, nervousness, sleeping problems, headache, stomach pain, nausea and vomiting, loss of appetite, diarrhea, and weight loss (Medline Plus; Posnanski). In rare cases, amphetamines can cause chest pain, shortness of breath, seizures, or hallucination among others (Medline Plus). Similar to steroids and amphetamines, drugs such as Aderall, dope, Stanolozol, Ritalin, HGH, and Balco products can also trigger side effects. As a common knowledge, it is illegal to use of drugs such as dope in sports. As such, Even though the use of steriods can be legall taken with necessary medical supervision, Ashby pointed out that steriods should never be used in sports. Therefore, aside from the issue on sports integrity and health-related problems, the use of ‘performance enhancing drugs’ can bring about serious legal problems on the part of the players. Argumentative Statement to the Naysayers After facing the need to choose between having a low grade in school performance or to break the rules, Moller said that it was so much easier for him to break the rules by taking steroids in order to become a good A-Rod player than to have a better grade in school activities. Considering the twisted mentality of Moller, it is best for this person to consider the long-term effects of his action. In general, sports activities in school is only one stage in life wherein the students may choose to become active. With this in mind, Moller can anytime lose his fame in sports right after completing school. In case Moller can have the opportunity to join a professional baseball team, he can still lose his fame by the time he reaches a certain age. In case Moller would focus on improving his academic performance, there is a higher chance wherein Moller can enjoy better quality of life in the future. Aside from having a better long-term career option, having a good academic performance can also help Moller build more confidence about himself as a person. It is part of reality that hospital admission and medication requires a lot of money. Considering the possible health consequences of becoming totally dependent on the use of performance enhancing drugs, people such as the case of Moller can face serious financial problems when they reach the old age. Specifically the financial burden caused by psychological or physical illness does not outweigh the benefits associated with winning a baseball game. For this reason, naysayers should think twice before they decide to cheat a baseball game. Conclusion Aside from being strictly regulated, the integrity of sports activities such as a baseball game should be well preserved at all times. Regardless of the argument, something unethical will always remain unethical. In fact, the use of distorted art of reasoning will never make something unethical turn out to be ethical in the eyes of the readers. For this reason, when joining any kind of sports, it is important to educate people about the need to restrict or ban the use of performance enhancing drugs. At all times, the long-term health, financial and legal consequences of cheating any kind of sports game does not outweigh the short-term fame associated with winning the game. In general, rhetoric argument aims to persuade the readers using information that will support one’s claim. For this reason, educating people about the long-term health, financial and legal consequences of using performance enhancing drugs is essential. Using general facts and figures, it is possible for the writer to easily convince the readers about why athletes should never break the rules when it comes to the use of ‘performance enhancing drugs’ in sports. Total Number of Words: 1,264 References Ashby, April. "Why Steroids Have No Place in Sports." n.d. Web. 8 November 2014 . Medline Plus. "Dextroamphetamine and Amphetamine." n.d. Web. 8 November 2014 . Moller, William. "We, the Public, Place the Best Athletes on Pedestals." n.d. Web. 8 November 2014 . Posnanski, Joe. "Cheating and Cheating." 1 March 2010. Web. 8 November 2014 . Read More