From the horse's mouth we now know Jason Giambi used steroids and human growth hormone. In short, he cheated since 2001. He also lied about it which makes one wonder if Barry Bonds' denials are just as true.

How will Bud Selig react, and can he really do anything except continue his push for more rules? What will the Yankees do? Will they try to have Giambi's contract voided since he may have been damaged goods when he arrived in New York?

How should fans react? Do we get angry at the cheaters even though we lapped up all the hoopla when oodles of home runs flew out of ballparks? Or do we become cynics who consider this last ten-year's power boost to be a chemical-induced stain on the game?

Dave Pinto suggests shining the light of day on steroid use by allowing it under a doctor's supervision. His simple argument is "We're not going to stop steroid use by banning it." But rules are in place in baseball (and in all other sports) to make the game entertaining for the fans. Will fans want to watch baseball players hit 100+ home runs a year, many of those shots flying 500+ feet, knowing it's as much a result of biochemical engineering as inate skill?

A similar analogy is baseball's ban on corked bats. I could paraphrase Pinto's liberal steroid view by declaring, "We're not going to stop bat corking by banning it." Yet no one argued that such a ban should be lifted when Sammy Sosa got caught. The entertainment value of baseball is at stake. Fans want to see good play within the confines of the rules. It's a romantic notion even within the cut-throat business it is today.

Greg at The Cynical Fan wants a wait-and-see approach where we actuall investigate how steroid affect baseball. Maybe, but the adverse health effects alone would be enough of an argument to banning them. Years ago, NASCAR forced teams to use restricter plates at some race tracks. That way they wouldn't go so fast and lessen the risk of deadly crashes. We know for certain that restriction didn't harm the sport.

"Giambi Admitted Taking Steroids"

"Giambi On Steroids"