Evan Longoria says 50-game suspension for a first offense isn’t working

Tampa Bay Rays’ Evan Longoria has spoken out about the Alex Rodriguez suspension. He thinks that it is unfair for A-Rod to be playing while he appeals this suspension at as the season winds down and pennant races heat up.

Longoria also thinks that the 50 game suspension for first time offenders isn’t working and isn’t a sufficient deterrent for players considering using PEDs. Major League Baseball just suspended 12 players 50 games for their PED use stemming from the Biogenesis clinic in Miami.

From SI.com’s Jimmy Traina for his Hot Clicks Podcast:

"There’s always going to be people that try and beat the system, regardless of what profession you’re in or what you do. . . . But as far as punishment goes, I definitely feel the risk needs to outweigh the reward. The risk of a 50-game suspension does not outweigh the possibility of a guy playing half or three-quarters of a season and putting up career numbers and getting the contract the next year based off their play. . . .I’m a voting member of the Major League Baseball player’s union, and my one vote by itself would mean nothing for changing policy, changing the way the punishment goes in the joint drug treatment and prevention program, but if everybody voted . . . because it seemed like an overwhelming number of players have spoken out on this issue whereas in the past it’s been very taboo, but it seems more players are starting to come forward and voicing their opinion negatively about cheating and PEDs.If it comes to this offseason or the next, where we have [a] formal meeting [take] place where everybody in the union is there, and we have keynote players in the game today speaking adversely, then policy could get changed. The penalties could get more severe because guys want it out of the game."