Labeled the best player in the game throughout his career, Yankees player Alex Rodríguez was hailed as the legitimate heir to the home run crown, the only one who could break Hank Aaron’s record without cheating. His image was not perfect (just Google “Madonna”), but his work ethic and talent were unquestioned. After a revealing Sports Illustrated article and an emotional admission, his road to baseball immortality, which includes the all-time home run record and potential induction into the Hall of Fame, has been tarnished forever.

This is by no means the first scandal involving performance enhancing drugs, however. Many stars including Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens and Mark McGwire have also been caught in the whirlwind of steroid injections and accusations. As more and more evidence concerning performance enhancing drugs becomes available, baseball experts are informally calling the 10 years between 1995 and 2005 the Steroid Era. Beyond the discussion of how to reduce the use of steroids in baseball, the most pressing issue is how to interpret statistics from that era. Some claim that any records achieved during that time should become void, and players suspected of steroid use should not be considered for the Hall of Fame. Instead of throwing away records and leaving legendary players on the doorstep of the Hall of Fame, however, we need to view their careers in the context of their era and still recognize them for their achievements.

According to Jose Canseco’s tell-all book on performance enhancing drugs, Juiced, roughly 85 percent of players used an illegal substance to enhance their playing ability during the Steroid Era. While there is no record of this many players “juicing up,” there is evidence that at least 104, or about 8 percent of total players, failed a drug test administered by Major League Baseball in 2003. It is essential that the other names from that test be revealed along with Alex Rodríguez’s, so that innocent players can be freed from suspicion. Major League Baseball, along with the help of Congress, should continue to investigate past steroid use and gather as much evidence as possible to distinguish between players who did and did not use steroids. With that information, it will be possible to induct players suspected of drug use, but with a special message on their plaque in the Hall. In addition, all records should include the dreaded asterisk symbol, to signify that the record holder used performance enhancing drugs. If there is uncertainty whether or not a player used performance enhancing drugs, the induction should be blocked until the player is proven innocent.

When we judge players based on their talent, it is easy to rank and subsequently name the best in the game. Some argue that the addition of steroids in the mix creates a certain gray area between talent and success. However, this is not true for all players. Consider the case of A-Rod. One of his best statistical seasons came in 2002, when he belted 57 home runs and drove in 142 runs. His next best season, 2007, included 54 home runs and a career-best 156 runs batted in. Even though Rodríguez has allegedly been clean since 2003, he put up similar numbers four years later. As arguably the best player of his generation, Rodríguez deserves a spot in record books and in the Hall of Fame, with a note that states the extent of his drug use.

As for the current and future superstars involved in the scandal, the message remains the same: if you choose to cheat, your career will be forever tainted. This, however, does not mean we have the right to erase their statistics. Until recently, the line between legal and illegal substances was unclear. While there is no excuse for knowingly crossing the line, we cannot hand out life excommunications as we did to Pete Rose. The talented players will be recognized, and the many kids who emulate their every move will learn how cheating and cutting corners degrades your accomplishments. There is no need to delete the Steroid Era from baseball history.