This is the great debate regarding the thought of erasing stats from players who had been caught using performance-enhancing drugs. Make no mistake about it, they should have known what they were getting into and probably should have been smarter from the very beginning. There are consequences and it continues an old saying about for every action, there is a reaction. This is debatable and one that really requires a lot of thinking. By erasing the stats, would it also affect the wins and losses that had occurred in that time frame? Of those hits and Home Runs, it is debatable on whether to get rid of them but one thing is for sure, they do not have to be celebrated whatsoever. If anything, they can be referred to as just numbers and nothing more.
There had been the records set for the most Home Runs hit in not just for a single season but also for a career. Barry Bonds currently holds both records that have been obtained but have come into question due to the steroids allegation. It can even be traced to Mark McGwire during the great Home Run chase of 1998 along side Sammy Sosa. It does seem that it does follow Home Runs but possibly could be involved in other aspects.
It would also have to include having some congressional hearings over the issue of steroids. There had been a test given out in 2003 where only a few names got linked to it that was revealed. In fact, it just doesn't go for hitters but also pitchers as well. Roger Clemens has become the face of steroids for pitchers and has denied about using them.
To do that would involve an eraser and also the fact that it would take a long time to really figure out where to stop at. Looking at it from the outside looking in, what there could be would be an asterisk on the name in question. If anything, they could keep them out of the Hall of Fame. It would not be right to let someone who had been caught using performance-enhancing drugs period. Sure, it would mean leaving out many names but so be it.
The records should at the least get hit with an asterisk on their careers noting that they had been caught in the act. If anything, they should be accountable and dealt with this way. Steroids can be used for a medical purpose but not for the sake of becoming a superstar. There are those that are role models whether they want that position or not, because kids are going to look up to them. In final conclusion and final thoughts on erasing the stats, it is something to think about but could involve some potential changes in outcomes because again, it comes down to how many of those hits or wins in a pitcher's case have helped push their respective team to the top.
Major League Baseball is highly unlikely to do anything about it because there may not be a complete sense of knowledge on how long a player has been clean and how long they have cheated. Some of the Home Runs or major strike out in games could have made a difference. The only probable solution that could be done is with an asterisk on their name. While it’s not completely erasing them, it’s showing that they got caught cheating for sure. It can only be done with those that are known and not those that are suspected because of the operation of innocent until proven guilty.