RUNNING HEAD: CHEATING IN THE MLB LITERATURE REVIEW 1

Cheating in the MLB Literature Review

The University of Texas at El Paso

RWS 1302

Oscar A Reyes
CHEATING IN THE MLB LITERATURE REVIEW 2

Abstract

Cheating has become a big problem for the MLB. With more traditional ways of cheating

being around the sport for a while, more advanced ways of cheating have sparked the sport in the

1980s with the uprising of performance-enhancing drugs. Reasoning behind each players

decision to cheat varies, some do it for the extra advantage while others for the wealth. Substance

use or any other form of cheating such as doctoring a baseball bat often results with outside

observers questioning if they benefit the player, with the data provided it has demonstrated it

does but only along with the skills one player already possesses. The MLB is no stranger to

dealing with these types of situations, while it shows they are moving in the right direction to

reduce cheating acts in baseball, many believe there is still work to do. The purpose of this

literature review is to analyze the different routines that circulate around the topic and how it

influences further behaviors.

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Introduction

Cheating has been a part of sports since its beginning roots, from ancient Olympics to

modern Olympics. Baseball is no exception when it comes to the subject of cheating with

leagues like the MLB facing significant problems. The most significant period of time for the

MLB was known as the steroid era, where many believed a number of players used performance-

enhancing drugs, with the likes of Barry Bonds and Sammy Sosa. Cheating techniques in

baseball range from altering a baseball bat to the grounds crew team adjusting the baseball field

to benefit the home team. Two forms of cheating are described by Broshuis: traditional cheating

and new-age cheating. Traditional cheating referring to the more traditional methods, such as

doctoring a baseball by the use of foreign substances and new age cheating leaning more to the

constant use of performance-enhancing drugs. With the acknowledge of the two different forms

of cheating, throughout this whole essay they will serve as background information when

engaging in the reading. The following questions will be reviewed in order to understand the

current situation the MLB is facing when dealing with players deciding to cheat:

Why do baseball players engage more in cheating?

What is the relationship between substance use and athletic performance?
How does doctoring a baseball bat affect its release?
How is the MLB managing cheating in baseball?

Why do baseball players engage more in cheating?

Baseball just like any other sport the competition gets stiffer, and as an athlete one is

always looking for that extra advantage over their opposition. Some athletes earn that extra

advantage while others are given that extra advantage. The saying, hard work beats talents is

widely recognized as motivation for athletes to strive for greatness but few ever take that route.
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One of the most common responses, and especially to steroid cases, is to increase ones

performance with many believing it is the only way to get to the top. Jay Hoffman a physiologist

who once took steroids would agree as well as he claims in a interview with Adam Hadhazy

(2009), I wanted the opportunity to play professional football, and I thought I needed to do

something to compete with the athletes coming out of Divisions 1. (para. 26).

Broshious states Moreover, professional athletes do not play sports to recreate or

exercise; the play sports to make money. Justice Scalia correctly states that baseball has the

purpose of entertaining fans, and also correctly states that players play sports to make money in

a response to Justice Scalia answer to the question that would be similar to, what is the shared

purpose of baseball? In another article, Michael F. Austin mentions a similar statement (2009),

According to Aristotle it is reasonable to risk ones life for great things, and this is something

that the magnanimous person is willing to do. It is reasonable, when the circumstances require it,

to risk ones life for moral excellence (p.52). While both statements would not be direct answers

to a specific question, both authors would agree with each other that a player would risk it all by

using performance-enhancing drugs to get better opportunities for himself.

There are many reasons why baseball players cheat and with this question leaning more

into the use of performance-enhancing drugs, traditional or new age cheating it almost always

come to the same respond, to get that extra advantage.

What is the relationship between substance use and athletic performance?

Many observes of the game would link a players outstanding performance to the use of

performance-enhancing drugs. In a survey composed of 20 individuals, they are asked four yes

or no questions regarding to cheating in baseball. One of the questions being, Do you feel the
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application of performance-enhancing drugs play a big role on ones performance? in which

80% of the answers were yes.

Figure 1 The chart shows the public's stand on performance-enhancing drugs on athletic performance
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The graph shows a strong agreement on performance-enhancing drugs playing a big role

on a players performance, but is it precise? First, we have to know what something like steroids

does to a person. Anabolic steroids relate to testosterone in which they promote tissue growth

and are widely used by many athletes to increase their overall performance and allows them to

recover quicker from previous workouts. In the article, On the potential of a chemical bonds:

Possible effects of steroids on home run production in baseball, Tobin (2008) before going any

further on the experiments states, It is therefore reasonable to assume that a 10% increase in an

athletes muscle mass will also increase the force exerted by those muscles by about 10%.... If

we assume that the length and technique of a batters swing remain the same, it follows that work

done by muscles on the bat, and therefore the kinetic energy of the bat, can also be increased by

about 10% through the use of steroids. (p.17). Gives a brief interpretation on how with the use

of performance-enhancing drugs can benefit a player with just a small proportion of

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increasement in ones overall performance.

Source: 1 R.G.Tobin. (2007) On the potential of a chemical bonds: Possible effects of steroids on home run production.

On the graph above, out of different models being used (Adair and Sawicki), it shows

that with an increase of 4% in ball speed it can impact the number of home runs produced by at

least 50% to 100% as Tobin claims. Further speculating and as it is shown in the graph, the use

of steroids couldve help with the outcome of the increase of 4% in ball speed. While many focus

on how steroids could help baseball players on the batter box, the same results could happen in

the pitching mound. Roger Clemens, a well-known pitcher in his time for his accomplishments in
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the diamond, was one of many from the steroid era who many claimed was involved in the use of

performance-enhancing drugs. Tobin applies the same analysis of an additional 10% of ones

muscle mass increases the force exerted by those muscles by 10% into a pitchers outlook but

with it increasing a pitcher ball speed by about 5% or 4-5mph. Claims (2007), There is a

significant correlation between average fastball speed and earned run average (ERA), with an

increase of 4-5 mph translating to a reduction in ERA of about .5 runs/game. (p.18-19) with him

relating it back to the use of steroids.

With many studies done on how performance-enhancing drugs could affect a baseball

players with his performance (especially hitters), many agree one cant tell if the use of steroids

is the cause of their production being done. However, it is not immediately clear that a baseball

player would see an improvement in performance by using steroids. On the one hand, the logic

of increased strength implies that a hitter in baseball could bat the ball with more force. On the

other hand, the hitter must first make contact with the pitched ball, and increased muscle mass

may inhibit his ability to do so. (Schmotzer, Kilgo, & Switchenko, 2013, p.22). Aside from

steroid use, there are still many skills one player must perfect in order to successfully perform

the action required if its either to hit the ball or throw it. But as it has shown steroid use can

significantly give the player an edge by means of something so small like swinging the bat

quicker in which it can result in more hits being produced and more likely, home runs.

How does doctoring a baseball bat affect its release?

Adjusting any object by any means for better results ends up resulting in a more useful

item and doctoring a baseball bat is no exception. Doctoring a bat works by alternating a regular

baseball bat from its original state by the means of shaving or rolling the bat and redesigning it to

impersonate its original state (legal state). Just like the other cheating methods used in baseball,
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it gives the athlete an unfair advantage over his opposition. The most common method that

would be done in the Major-League Baseball would be corking a bat since this method is mostly

used on wood bats, the only type of bat in the league. With doctoring a baseball bat being a

problem in the sport and variety of people considering it cheating, does doctoring a baseball have

a positive effect on the release of the ball?

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The definition of a corked bat is well presented, A corked bat is a wood bat in which a

cylindrical activity is drilled axially into the barrel of the hat. The Cavity is filled with a

light inert material such as cork (Nathan, Smith, Faben & Russell, 2011, p.576). Many athletes

find it helpful to have a bat that is lighter to further improve their swing velocity which benefits

them with more constant contact with the ball. Three studies examined the effects of corked bats

while performing similar testing techniques, using bats (normal & modified) and testing them

against numerous pitches. How bat modifications can affect their response used three wood

bats for their experimentation, two of those being modified, one with cork and the other with

high elasticity elastomeric balls (super balls) to demonstrate changes in the BBS (Batted-ball

speed) which shows how fast is the baseball exit speed. Corked bats, juiced balls, and humidors:

The physics of cheating in baseballs used four bats: Unmodified, hollow, corked, and a control

(identical to unmodified). This study demonstrated the change of each bats COR (coefficient of

restitution), which is the ratio of final to starting velocities after two bodies have collided. The

final study, A study of the Barrel Construction of Baseball Bats also demonstrated changes in
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the exit velocities for each collision with the help of four corked bats.

Source: 2 Alan M. Nathan, Lloyd V. Smith, Warren L. Faber, & Daniel A. Russel. (2011). Corked bats, juiced balls, and

humidors: The physics of cheating in baseball.

As the table above demonstrates, there is very little difference between the four different

bats when it comes to their COR. All the studies tend to agree with one another that there is very

little edge between a normal wood bat and a modified wood bat. However, the studies How bat

modification can affect their response and Corked bats, juiced balls, and humidors: The

physics of cheating in baseball do agree on a very small aspect of a modified bat. However, a

lighter bat can be easier to control and may increase the likelihood of a player making contact

with a difficult pitch (Nathan, Cruz, Smith, & Russell, 2010, p.4), So, while corking may not

allow a batter to hit the ball farther, it may well allow a batter to hit the ball solidly more often
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(Nathan, Smith, Faber, Russell, 2011, p.577). The two statements can be worded differently but

stick to the point that lighter bats results more in players hitting the ball more frequently. Since

1970 only six players have been caught using some type of modified bat and one of them being

Sammy Sosa. While the number of players to use a corked bat doesnt seem to increase for the

time to come, recalling the small effects a modified bat can do can slightly affect ones

performance.

How is the MLB managing cheating in baseball?

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With more traditional methods of cheating managing isnt a big problem as controlling

new age cheating methods. The MLB took action against steroid use in the game with the

outlawing of them in 1991 and later establishing drug tests in 2003. While many theories

circulate on why the MLB delayed the process of drug testing players, Gottlieb claims (2014),

The ability of exponentially greater offensive production to draw fans to the game was made

clear though, and it may be for this reason that MLB is hesitant to completely remove PEDs from

its sport. (p.619). Explaining the MLB took advantage of the benefits the attractions were

producing without considering the impact it was leaving on the game. As time has passed the

MLB has shown it has taken greater action against the use of performance-enhancing drugs.

They have implied harsher punishments on players who are caught with performance-enhancing

drugs: First violation an 80-game suspension, second violation a 162-game suspension, and
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finally a third violation results in a lifetime suspension from the MLB.

Source: 3 Gabriel Fisher (2015) Chart: Home runs in major league baseball keep falling since the
crackdown on steroids

Increasing action against the use of performance-enhancing drugs in the league have

shown noteworthy results, the graph above demonstrates that around the early 2000s the league

started to introduce drug tests the amount of home runs per year decrease and have ever since.

Broshiuos would agree the MLB is going in the right direction when talking about performance-

enhancing drugs, While MLB has moved to correct the perceived problem of new age cheating

in the form of PED use, it simultaneously continues to ignore traditional cheating in the form of

doctoring a baseball or altering a bat. but feels they are not taking the same action against more
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traditional ways of cheating (p.121). Broshious states (2012), Because the rate of detection and

subsequent enforcement for traditional cheating is so low to render it virtually negligible,

traditional cheating remains rampant. Moreover, the penalties assessed vary from a mere ejection

to a suspension of ten games. These penalties pale in comparison to the suspensions assessed for

a new age cheating in the form of PEDs., and throughout the whole article that both methods

still end up with the same result, breaking the rules (p.127).

Both Gottlies and Broshuis have stated their stand on the situation and both respond with

ways to overcome cheating in the MLB. Gottlies, disagrees with how the league has not been

aggressive towards eliminating performance-enhancing drugs. Gottlies states (2014), By teams

taking a more forceful stance, MLB can finally achieve its asserted goal of liberating its sport

from an epidemic of PEDs. (p.637), he hopes for teams to take a stance and be able to revoke

ones contract if caught with any performance-enhancing drugs. Broshuis wants more

enforcement being done on more traditional ways of cheating such as regularly checking the

baseball to even x-raying baseball bats before a game.

As sports has shown athletes continue their methods for success until proper rules have

been set and actually followed by authority. The MLB continues to eliminate any sort of cheating

in its game but as opinions circulate around the topic cheating, the way the MLB is handling it

will have many answers.

Conclusion

Throughout the essay the questions have been analyzed and answered through the help of

the data provided. The current situation with cheating behaviors has settled down throughout the

years but continues to give the MLB problems especially with the use of performance-enhancing
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drugs. The variety of methods currently being used in baseball today play big roles on the game,

proper punishment must be in place for any technique that brakes the law. With the knowledge

that players will continue to risk their careers in order to receive greatness one must also

acknowledge that as time passes newer cheating techniques will strike the sport. The proper

authority must be set in place to further eliminate upcoming threats that can affect the game and

its purpose.

References

Austin, M.W. (2009). Magnanimity, athletic excellence, and performance-enhancing drugs.

Journal of Applied Philosophy, 26(1), 46-53. doi: 10.1111/j.1468-5930.2009.00408.x

Broshuis, G.R. (2012). Restoring Integrity to Americas Pastime: Moving Towards a More

Normative Approach to Cheating in Baseball. Texas reviews of entertainment and

sports law, 14(2), 119. http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2194553

Fallon, L.P. (2002, September). A study of the barrel constructions of baseball bats. Retrieved

from https://www.uml.edu/docs/A%20Study%20of%20the%20Barrel

%20Constructions%20of %20Baseball%20Bats%20by%20Fa%E2%80%A6_tcm18-

60852.pdf

Gottlieb, B. (2014). Avoiding contractual liability to baseball players who have used

performance enhancing drugs: Can we knock it out of the park? Albany Law Review,

77(2), 615-637.

Hadhazy, A. (2009, February 11). Do anabolic steroids make you a better athlete? Retrieved

from https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/a-rod-steroids-better-athlete/
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Nathan, A.M., Smith, L.V., Faber, W.L., & Russell, D.A. (2011). Corked bats, juiced balls, and

humidors: The physics of cheating in baseball. American Journal of Physics,

79(6), 575- 580. doi: 10.1119/1.3554642

Schmotzer, B., Kilgo, P.D., Switchenko, J. (2009) The natural? The effects of steroids on

offensive performance in baseball. Chance, 22(2), 21-32.

doi:10.1080/09332480.2009.10722955

Smith, L.V., Cruz, C.M., Nathan, A.M., & Russell, D.A. (2005) How bat modifications can

affect their response. The impact of technology on sports. APCST, Tokyo, 33-38.

Retrieved from https://ssl.wsu.edu/documents/2015/10/how-bat-modifications-can-affect-

their-response.pdf

Tobin, R.G. (2008). On the potential of a chemical bonds: Possible effects of steroids on

homerun production in baseball. American Journal of Physics, 76(1), 15-20. doi:

10.1119/1.2787014