Yarmuth ask question that has dual answer

In the hearings on PED use in MLB, US Rep John Yarmuth asked the question of MLBPA head Donald Fehr if there has been any scientific evidence that the use of performance enhancing drugs, (PEDs), actually improve performance.

The answer to Yarmuth's question is "yes" and "no". Because the science has been completely inconclusive. But I also think that Yarmuth has COMPLETELY missed the point. And that point is that it is NOT whether or not drugs actually give someone an edge or advantage, but that the drug users THINK that they do.

As a Boston RedSox fan I use as an example the ages old argument of Bucky "F'ing" Dent. Every RedSox fan, including me, still believes that Dent used a corked bat to hit his HR that sent the Yankees to the World Series. And years later we learned that MANY MLB players used, (and suspicions abound even today), corked bats which they believe help them get an edge to get more hits and even more power.

The problem? It was scientifically proven on the Discovery Channel's MythBusters show that a corked bat does NOT provide any power advantage over a non-corked bat. Their tests even went so far as to prove that a corked bat is actually WORSE for generating power or solid hits, because the cork inside the bat acts as a shock absorber to the impact of a ball hitting it, actually REDUCING the force to drive the ball! That is proven. Corked bats do NOT give hitters an advantage and even have proven to give more of an advantage to pitchers than hitters! The only thing a corked bat is, is slightly lighter, which may allow a hitter to have a slighter faster swing, but since the ball is deadened by the impact, it is not going to go anywhere. Yet, we still hear of hitters using corked bats, (although banned by MLB), because they believe it gives them an edge. Regardless of how wrong-headed that may be.

The same is true for PEDs use. Whether or not it does give athletes an edge is completely a MOOT point Mr Yarmuth. The point is that MLB players THINK it does. And by using those PEDs they are setting the expectation to all high school and even little league athletes that if they are not as "strong as they want to be", "as fast as they want to be", "or as quick as they want to be", then taking PEDs MIGHT be your ticket to a scholarship or even a professional sports career.

Mr Yarmuth, your question is interesting, but completely invalid.