Asterisks on Baseball Records

[SmootSmack]

Regardless of what you think of baseball, Barry Bonds or any of the other alleged steroid users, do you guys think that the records that have been broken in recent years should have asterisks on them? Specifically Sosa’s, McGwire’s and Bonds’ (or is it Bonds’s?) ?

I understand the argument that it’s good public relations to do it and show to the youth of the world that steroid use shouldn’t be encouraged. However, if steroid use was not illegal until 2003 in baseball then how can you punish someone for doing something that wasn’t illegal (even if unethical) before then? If the NBA decided to push the 3-point line back two inches starting in 2006 then you wouldn’t put asterisks on players who set 3-pointer records before the line was moved back right? When DC changed the drinking age to 21 (from 18) they didn’t go back and arrest (or whatever) the people who were drinking at ages 19 and 20.

There’s no asterisk next to Hall of Famer Gaylord Perry for using an illegal spitball for his entire career. If Sosa gets an asterisk it won’t be for using an illegally corked bat at least once in his career. So why should baseball go back and essentially punish McGwire, Sosa, Bonds and whoever else by putting an asterisk next to their names in the record books for something that wasn’t even illegal in baseball?

Looking ahead, hopefully we can move ahead with a steroid-free league. But what’s done is done.