Time to level the steroids playing field, By: Phil Sherman

August 26, 2007

Let me say that I was appalled by your choice of putting Jason Giambi on the front page of the sports section on Aug. 18 ("Pettitte yanks brake") and doing so in grand scale.

This guy took steroids and is a cheater. It seems like the media is giving him a free pass because he "cooperated" with baseball officials. He openly admitted he did "that stuff," and I'm sure it wasn't his first positive test, either.

So if Barry Bonds, Sammy Sosa, Mark McGwire, Rafael Palmeiro all "cooperate" with baseball officials, they will get a free pass as well? The message this sends children is that it's OK if you cheat because eventually you will get a free pass.

If it were up to me, all players who get caught using steroids would be banned for life from the game and their records stripped. They should not get a second chance because they know what they're doing (taking steroids) is destroying the game's integrity.

Pete Rose is banned for betting on the game, yet there are players who have been caught using steroids more than once who are still playing today? Doesn't make much sense.