Baseball Players' Motives

Baseball players have really changed in the last decade. Every year their salaries expand. Whether a player performs to the high level everyone expects them to or not during a season they still receive enormous compensation because they signed a contract. This is why some unfortunate teams stay at the bottom of the league or division. Some of these athletes will be ready and willing to sign over to another team or get traded since they want so much money and there contract is about to run out. Being loyal to a team is a thing of the past as salary takes a top priority rather than winning a championship. If certain baseball players truly feel this way they should have never entered the major leagues to begin with.
Another issue most recently many are concerned with is the illegal performance enhancing drugs some ball players take to gain a huge advantage in the sport. A lot of controversy and focus has evolved around popular superstars such as Barry Bonds and Jason Giambi for using steroids. Their career statistics and accomplishments thus far are being reviewed under scrutiny. When players go from hitting 25-35 homeruns in a year to bashing 50-60 homers out of the park it does leave a hint for suspicion. It is a known fact that most baseball players get better and put up better numbers as their career progresses. Though it makes fans, teams, owners, promoters, scouts, and all others involved in the baseball world wonder when a minor, mainly average player on a team greatly exceeds his potential by increasing his statistical totals by far. As an example this could be driving in over 100 RBIs, scoring over 100 runs, and batting over .320 in addition to going on a homerun explosion. This is not impossible, its just highly unlikely for some players.
The baseball commissioner has been urged to crack down on the case on players using performance enhancing drugs. Baseball should be a clean sport, where no particular player or team should have a competitive advantage( other than great ability and talent) over the other. For some hard-working individuals that play to their highest capability, achieving the greatest honor of all, winning a World Series which for most is a distant dream. This is what the game should be about, not competitive advantages, greed, and lack of team commitment. Drug testing is being enforced for the right reasons despite how some feel about the issue. The negative attention and focus on players is what they don’t like. The media is responsible for that.
Players are too proud and worried about their careers to come right and admit they have used drugs such as steroids at first. They will deny all claims from the reporters from major television networks. Pete Rose wanted to keep his private gambling on sports a secret for so many years, but people still forgave him when he revealed the truth. Sports athletes in general are so ashamed and reluctant to comment on these kind of highly publicized illegal activities. Lying all the time eventually catches up with people and in an athlete’s case it can really eat at them. Usually after a player retires or is severely injured to point where he will never be able to play baseball again is when the truth finally comes out.
Another way players have changed is the problems not only with drugs such as steroids, but the possession, use of drugs and narcotics off the field as well as criminals records they have formed. This results sometimes from alterations with the public, brawls that break out at bars, reckless driving, violations involving DUIs, and stupid crimes they commit out of anger and misunderstandings. Using a firearm on someone for stealing or borrowing one’s cell-phone too long is not a smart way of handling such a petty situation. No one knows why these athletes really do such stupid things. They only put themselves in a bad position to the media and general public. Large news organizations harp on such stories when they occur like nothing else going on in the country or world is as worthy of reporting. Professional baseball players receive more publicity than they care to whether it’s positive or negative. These athletes are viewed to be role models for kids, but the way some act and present themselves doesn’t qualify for such a position.
Working hard in the off season as well as practicing on a regular basis while improving major and minor deficiencies is pivotal in becoming a great player and helping a team win. There are many veteran and young players who are disciplined and focused on strengthening fundamentals and further developing skills. Well-known favorites such as Ted Williams, Ty Cobb, Hank Aaron, Tony Gwyn, Nolan Ryan, Cal Ripken Jr., Ken Griffey Jr., and many others have set the tone and paved the way for young and old ballplayers. There is no denying talent, but there is a noticeable difference between great ability and artificial ability. When baseball players take measures to over extend their potential and ability through the use of drugs they only bring shame to themselves. Fans and spectators will always respect those athletes who give an all out effort all the time and muster up everything they’ve got to win. That’s the qualities of a great baseball player.
Practice makes perfect is an old adage. Obviously no one can be a perfect baseball player. Managers and coaches however, need to work with players more thoroughly on fundamentals. Slumping players especially should work with hitting and pitching coaches to get their swing adjusted right or gain pitch control. This is vital in regards to improvement in performance. Otherwise, when there is a facet or tidbit a player doesn’t know or is able to figure out they continue to play poorly game after game. This normally results in striking out a lot, giving up too many hits, making constant errors in the field, and not contributing to the team to help win games. It’s really that simple. That’s the why people are wrong about ball clubs with long history of losing. It’s not a bad luck or curse hanging over the teams it just lack of player contribution and repetitive low-keyed level of play. Teams are not going to develop into a powerhouse just because they make trades in the off-season or even during mid-season. They are going be championship caliber ball clubs when they function by executing on plays, using fundamentals correctly, delivering when needed, and combining outstanding efforts together as a team. More time spent working on weaknesses and simple, little areas of the game like batting strokes and fielding proves to be the difference in winning and losing.
For years to come there will be speculation and controversy in baseball and teams like the Yankees will unfortunately dominate the sport due to a rich, greedy owner and hand picked top of the line talent each year. Progress can be made though for smaller, undeveloped teams and underdogs will occasionally pull off surprises and garner glory, though it’s the players themselves who will decide how America’s national past time will evolve. They will bring joy and increased popularity or shame, rebellion, and disappointment to many die heart fans, coaches, and supporters. The game should be cherished for the desire and love to play rather than the salaries, high revenue taken in from ticket sales and vendors. Hopefully baseball players will follow their heart and not listen to the brain. Doing what’s right can only lead to good things in such a exciting sport.