Youkilis On PEDs: 'It's Crazy To Think Guys Are Still Trying To Get Away With It'
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Many major leaguers -- both current and former ones -- have come out recently and voiced their opinion about Major League Baseball's drug-testing policy.
In light of baseball writers not voting any players into the Hall of Fame and the recent controversy surrounding the Biogenesis clinic in Miami, the issue of performance-enhancing drugs in the sport has again become a very hot topic.
Yankees third baseman Kevin Youkilis is the latest player to add his two cents about PEDs in baseball.
"If guys are going to cheat, they're going to cheat," Youkilis said, according to the New York Daily News. "They're also going to get caught now more than ever. Some guys believe in stricter rules, some guys believe that what's working is working. I never really think about it other than when guys get caught. It's crazy to think guys are still trying to get away with it, because the testing is unbelievable."
Youkilis has been in the big leagues since 2004, and the veteran claims that he's never even felt tempted to use a performance enhancer to gain an edge on the field.
"I never even thought about it," he said. "I was always secure with myself. I was just trying to make it to the major leagues, and if I couldn't do it, I couldn't do it. I take more pride in the fact that I've done what I've done without all that stuff. I've always been of the mindset that you have to be secure within yourself about what you've done in your career. You have to live with what you do for the rest of your life. You have to live with it.
"I know I've been clean my whole life, and I feel fortunate that I never felt like I had to go that route."
The gritty 33-year-old is of the opinion that the league's disciplinary policy for cheaters is strong. As it currently standers, first-time offenders receive a 50-game suspension, second-time offenders receive a 100-game suspension and third-time offenders are banned for life. Only seven players were caught last season.
That speaks volumes to Youkilis.
"With the testing now, if you do it you're getting caught," Youkilis said, according to the newspaper. "If you think about how many guys are in the big leagues, that's a very small percentage. Less than 1 percent? That's not bad. I don't think any sport will ever be 100 percent clean. It's life. Everywhere you go, there's a flaw. If less than 1 percent are doing it, that's a great thing."
Do you think MLB's drug-testing policy is strong enough, or does it need to be stricter? Sound off with your thoughts and comments below...
