I've not been one for this drastic measure, but after seeing how easily Manny's not only been able to be forgiven, but embraced after his use of PED's has been rather disconcerting. Players have been forgiven before, Jason Giambi for instance, but they usually take a significant hit to their career, and only after much apologizing and coming clean. Manny's done none of that. Then again neither did A-rod.

I had not been a proponent of this measure because I thought that the court of public opinion would kill the careers of those who not only cheated in the game they loved, but also lied to their fans. For a while I was proven right. Palmiero, McGwire, Bonds, Clemens...all never recovered because of public outrage. But suddenly, out of just resignation to the fact that everyone was doing it, or because they're so good (not the old liabilities that Raffy or Barry were when their revelations came out) and in Manny's case likable.

This leaves me no choice. Those who are revealed to have used steroids, or test positive for steroids, get a lifetime ban. Sure, they'll get to appeal, plead their case, but other than that, no second chances. Think about this: who are the two most famous players who have lifetime bans in baseball? Pete Rose, who gambled on games, that he didn't play in, and Shoeless Joe Jackson who was guilty by association. Both cases were not widespread, and patholigical cases of cheating for a long period of time. Defrauding the game, the fans, its history.

If Manny gets away with it. If A-Rod gets away with it. Then we start to let the bar lower and lower until Baseball has as much credibility as the WWE.