Major League Baseball has major problems and chief among them is the alarming increase in steroid use by professional baseball players. Many authors and journalists discuss this topic by citing statistics and studies, but illustrator Adam Zyglis provides a stunning and compelling argument using only pen and paper to support his point. His remarkable caricature is a depiction of a baseball with the New York Yankees insignia stamped in the center with the number thirteen beneath the symbol. The side of the baseball has been cut open, and various pills and tablets are spilling out on the ground. The combination of drugs, the stamp and the player's number all allude to the infamous Alex Rodriguez, or A-Rod. Baseball in the cartoon represents MLB as a whole. On the surface, it is clean, well polished and coveted by fans and aspiring players alike. But, once the public peels back its impeccable exterior, scandals and secrets come to light, leaving the public with an empty and useless shell. Suddenly, fans are disillusioned with their idols and baseball's hopefuls find themselves without a role model. This illustration is the first layer of the complex consequences caused by steroid use that are responsible for MLB's current state of disgrace. The most notable impact that steroid use has had on baseball is the rapid decline of baseball's once revered fan base (Danielle 1). . Fans are abandoning America's pastime at a worrying rate as instead of pondering the outcome of a highly anticipated matchup between the Rangers and Yankees, fans are wondering which of their idols will be next to be pushed from their pedestal. Longtime fans are nostalgic for the 50s and 60s, when baseball players were held to the middle of paper...... which MLB faces today. This unique problem expands to incorporate the shift in target audience, the growing tension on and off the field, and most importantly the deterioration of the public's opinion of professional baseball. Baseball players abandon their once legendary morals, their fan base, and even their style of play. .Works CitedDanielle, Jessica. “Alex Rodriguez is an easy target.” New York Times Debate Room. New York Times, August 7, 2013. Web. September 16, 2013. Gould IV, William B. “The Punishment Fits the Crime.” New York Times Debate Room. New York Times, August 7, 2013. Web. September 16, 2013. Zirin, David. “The teams and the league should pay.” New York Times Debate Room. New York Times, August 7, 2013. Web. September 16, 2013. Yes, Donald. “One more step in a long, drawn out decline.” New York Times Debate Room. New York Times, August 7, 2013. Web. September 16. 2013.