Major League Baseball is facing an image crisis. On Thursday of last week, Los Angeles Dodgers slugger Manny Ramirez was suspended for failing a drug test. In February, New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez, one of the best players in the league, admitted that he had used performance-enhancing drugs. Barry Bonds, who holds the record for career home runs, is being investigated for using steroids. Many of the recent records set for pitching and hitting may have been tainted by players’ steroid use. In a recent USA TODAY article, Atlanta Braves third baseman Chipper Jones stated that he feels the cloud of suspicion over the sport "has ruined it for everybody."

 

In small groups, divide up the articles about Major League Baseball in the Sports section and as individuals, read your assigned story. Next, adopt the role of a marketing firm that works for MLB. Your job is to give baseball fans some more upbeat news about the sport, so that they continue to support it. Find at least three pieces of positive news about the league and compose a press release (a promotional statement written about a company or organization) that you could send to newspapers, in the hopes that your content gets published. Share your press release with classmates.