The definition of the word “slander” is the action or crime of making a false spoken statement damaging to a person’s reputation. The internet has coined the phrase “keyboard warriors” for people who type out statements that can be potentially dangerous to a person’s reputation.
Athletes draw the attention of many of these warriors, whom if they ever said the things they typed to their faces could potentially be jailed for it. Unfortunately, steroids in baseball is still such a hot topic, that many a regular person likes to wonder aloud about assumed steroid usage by players.
How is a man who already throws 100 miles per hour going to throw harder?
Noah Syndergaard reported to camp Sunday and told reporters he — seriously — gained 15-17 pounds of muscle, wants to throw HARDER in 2017.
— Anthony DiComo (@AnthonyDiComo) February 12, 2021
Noah Syndergaard spent the winter eating bowls of venison and wants to throw harder this season. I have nothing to add to that. #mets
— David Lennon (@DPLennon) February 12, 2021
On the surface the muscle gain seems legitimate. He last pitched on Wednesday, October 5th in the NL Wild Card game versus the San Francisco Giants. The Mets season ended two innings after he left the game. Syndergaard has ostensibly had four months off to train, and the money to hire the best trainers to maximize training. If you have ever joined a gym and said you wanted to gain muscle, you have heard of going on a protein diet.
So why or why is there seemingly always someone willing to suggest/imply steroids was a part of the growth?
It is understood that the dark cloud that rained homers on baseball still lingers in the not-so distant past and it would be naive to suggest that every baseball player is 100% drug-free. That said, the “guilty until proven innocent” phenomenon that lingers around any athlete that comes to camp bulked up must stop! The saying is “innocent until proven guilty” and baseball does do drug testing to attempt to catch anyone who is guilty.
So if you are that person trying to start up a conversation in a Facebook group or on Twitter by haphazardly tossing out the word “steroids”, STOP IT!
Let’s enjoy the fact that baseball is back. Let’s talk about way too early divisional predictions or hopes and beliefs that your favourite baseball team will improve. This is the easiest time of the year to focus on the positive so put on those rose coloured sunglasses and enjoy the ride. Don’t let a needle burst your bubble!