Evan Longoria Weighs In On BioGenesis Suspensions

Yesterday, the other shoe dropped as Major League Baseball finally dropped the hammer on the the players implicated in the BioGenesis scandal. In addition to the penalty handed down to Ryan Braun a couple of weeks ago, twelve players were suspended for 50 games, with Alex Rodriguez receiving a 211 game suspension that would take him out of the game through the 2014 season.

Naturally, news this big elicited reactions from other players in the game, and Evan Longoria was no exception. Longoria turned to Twitter to share his thoughts on the situation.

Longoria, quite succinctly, summed up the present state of affairs in baseball in two tweets. major League Baseball presently has the toughest penalties of the four major sports for PEDs and drug abuse, yet is seemingly criticized at every turn for the past. Meanwhile, if someone gets suspended for PEDs in the NFL, it is generally shrugged off by the public, and considered not to be a big deal.

Perhaps the double standard has to do with the rich tradition and history that baseball has, compared to the NFL. Or it may have to do with how so much of baseball’s lore has to do with the numbers aspect. Regardless, Longoria is correct. It was a sad day for baseball, but it was one that needed to happen. These suspensions bring us all one step closer to closing the steroid and PED chapter of the game, and get us closer to having the game we love back in the forefront for all the right reasons.