Frank (Pseudolus),

No, I would not ban Sammy Sosa for using a corked bat once. If, however, it was determined that each and every home run was the result of a corked bat, then yes, I would like to see a pretty major response.

Performance enhancing drugs, steroids, etc., are another story. The essence of sport is one human competing to the very best of his/her ability against an opponent, whether than opponent be the clock, another person or just him/herself. A drug that is designed to artificially build stamina, strength, muscle tone or muscle speed should not just be frowned on, they should be banned. They move human achievement into the area of science, where only the rich will survive (I am speaking of all sports, even the "poor" ones, not just baseball. You see this in the Olympic area, where even cold medicines are illegal.) And then there are the residual effects - of 10, 11, 12, 13 year old boys and girls taking drugs that will destroy their bodies just because they think they need to in order to hit 70 home runs or complete a quadruple jump. Is banning such a user from their respective HOF drastic? Yes, and maybe over the top. It certainly will never happen. But I want to know when my favorite player pops one out of the park it was not the result of a juiced ball, a corked bat, or some chemist's laboratory.

Freightdawg

[p.s. that's "dawg." No self-respecting, flea-bitten, mangy old hound mutt would ever accept being refered to as a simple "dog."
;-) ]