With the recent suspensions of Melky Cabrera and Bartolo Colon for testing positive for the use of banned substances, the baseball media and blog sites have been running at a fever pitch. And while the opinions expressed in the media range far and wide on this hotbed topic, there are a number of common denominators in nearly everything that has been said or written on the subject.

MLB Commissioner Bud Selig and MLB Players Association executive director Michael Weiner have a good working relationship. It is time for these two to get together and readdress the PED issue. (Photo credit – Bebeto Matthews)

The most frequently mentioned common denominator is that while the current penalties for testing positive for PED usage have significantly reduced the number of cheaters in the game today, they have not, nor will they ever completely rid the game of those who will continue to try to beat (and cheat) the system. It is a simple matter or risk vs. reward – and make no mistake about it, the rewards are huge… multi-millions of dollars huge.

Another common denominator is that, to the man, everyone who has spoken or written on the subject agrees that stiffer penalties are needed to further reduce those tempted by this risk vs. reward thing.

Dodgers radio broadcasters Rick Monday and Charlie Steiner discussed the topic during a recent game and both feel that a first offense should carry a 100-game suspension and that a second offense should be a permanent ban from professional baseball. They both compassionately expressed that everyone makes mistakes, but they should not make a mistake of this magnitude twice. And while a 100-game suspension is a nice round fat number, I do not believe that even this is a strong enough penalty if the MLB truly wants completely rid the game of PEDs which, as mentioned about, will most likely never happen regardless of the penalties involved.

In my opinion, the only way that the MLB will attain a near 100% PED-free game would be to permanently ban a player from the game for a first offense; make it a death penalty to the player’s career. If every MLB player knew this going in (and trust me, they would) and they still choose to use PEDs, it most certainly would not be a mistake. In fact, it would actually be a criminal offense of trying to knowingly cheat (defraud) team owners out of millions of dollars, for which a permanent ban from baseball should be the least of their worries – as compared to say… a lengthy prison term.

Another deterrent to help attain a near 100% PED-free game (if the first offense permanent ban thing wasn’t in place, that is) would be to include an escape clause in every MLB contract that would render it null and void the instant that a player tests positive for PEDs. Here again, the players would know this going in. You tell me that a high-powered agent like Scott Boras wouldn’t impress upon his client to keep his nose clean if this were in place.

This brings me to what is perhaps the most disturbing common denominator of all – the fact that everybody, the players, the owners, the fans, the media… everybody wants something to be done about this, yet the MLB player’s union refuses, and I mean flat out will not get off of their respective asses to do something about this right now. Instead, they hide under the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) umbrella saying that it has to be voted upon by the rank and file. Ok, I’m good with that… just as I’m sure that all of the players are good with it too (well, all those except the PED users, that is). Buy why wait? Why not do it now? Why not call for a special vote on the matter right now instead of waiting until the CBA expires. Guess what? The current CBA went into effect on December 1, 2011 and remains in effect until December 1, 2016. That’s five years from now! Are you telling me that this extremely important issue will not be addressed again for five years? Come on guys, let’s get real hear. If you guys honestly care about improving the integrity of the game… your game, you need to get on top of this thing right here and right now.

I’m all for player’s rights and for owner’s rights, but damn it, guys, what about the fans’ rights? How about you guys policing your game? You guys are the ones being hurt the most by these cheaters (less the money, of course). These cheaters are getting the monster contracts, getting the MVP awards, getting Hall of Fame consideration instead of those of you who honestly and rightfully deserve these things. These cheaters are also blocking the path of minor leaguers (as all of you once were) from making it to the big dance. Your unwillingness to grab the bull by the horns and doing something about this right here and right now is seriously affecting a lot of people – including each and every one of you guys.

It’s time for you, the MLB players, to put your money where your mouth is… and vice versa