Jeff Schultz

By leland

February 9, 2009 3:31 PM | Link to this

Dear Mr. JS—you kinda scared me this time. I want to keep turning around and look back like a scared cat. Your pal, Leland

By John

February 9, 2009 3:46 PM | Link to this

While I do think that A-Rod admitting his guilt will tarnish his legacy, I don’t think it will as much as Bonds and Clemens and McGuires has been tarnished for constantly denying the obvious. Baseball players are human; they make mistakes. Most of us would like to say we wouldn’t have done it, but for that much money, who can really say they would have passed. Most of realize by now that taking the juice was probably more normal than not; sad fact of life. So pretty much every slugger and fastballer is already suspected. Now we know A-Rod did. We can all move forward. Fans are forgiving. Just ask McGuire.

By JoeDawg

February 9, 2009 3:47 PM | Link to this

Pete Rose , had he come clean and said due to my gambling addiction , “I gambled on Pro Baseball” , what you said about the american public is true , if we can forgive Bill Clinton for the unprofessional behavior displayed by him , we can forgive just about anything as long as you man-up and tell the truth .

By Rob

February 9, 2009 4:30 PM | Link to this

I have never really understood the “issue” on steroids in baseball and how it’s an advantage over others. But if these guys were using these drugs BEFORE they were illegal, think they should be left alone. Never really an A-Rod fan but glad he at least admitted this now instead of keeping the denial going and getting in more trouble.

Will be interesting to see how Bonds/Clements come out although I personally think our government lawyers could utilize their time on more important things than if Bonds/Clements lied about using steroids. I’m sure targeting A-Rod would have made their day.

There is testing now and guys are being caught and dealt with by MLB. I just think everything before steroids were considered illegal should be over by now. I’m sure MLB knew something was going on and if they didn’t do something then, move on now and let’s clean up the game going forward. As a fan, I’m just tired of the same nonsense over and over. I have never seen anything that proves any of these guys got an advantage from steroids, so why keep going after the big name guys for something that wasn’t illegal at the time? Move on. Now if someone knows of something that discusses how steroids helps a player, tell me where to find it. Would like to see what’s out there.

By SC

February 9, 2009 4:39 PM | Link to this

Rob are you really that stupid. What proof do you need? How about players in their late 30’s don’t hit 70 home runs in a season. They just don’t. It is so naive to think that these players didn’t benefit.

By BrassBALL

February 9, 2009 4:44 PM | Link to this

It seems that, though most laughed at Canseco and his “most MLB players are using steroids”, it’s now looking like he was closer to being right than being wrong. Wonder what all the “purists” thing about all that is coming out now? Do they just shut baseball down all together? Do they disallow any of the records established during the late 90’s until now? Just how long has baseball been using steroids? the past 20 years? The past 30 years? There is no way that all will be caught as the chemists are always 3 yrs. ahead of the tests that come out. What a fine, fine, mess!

By Jeff Schultz

February 9, 2009 4:56 PM | Link to this

Leland: Repent! … John: Bonds, Clemens and McGwire (by his silence) have denied things for so long and so forcefully that I don’t think people will be quite as quick to forgive them. But I do think they would in time. … Rob: There’s so much misinformation out there about when it was legal and illegal to juice in baseball. Fact: It was illegal as far back as 1991 but NOBODY ever talks about that. Most people think it’s 2003 because that’s the year baseball actually began testing. Further, it has ALWAYS been illegal to obtain drugs without a prescription, whether it was against a sport’s rules or not. (For the record, I try to avoid typing in all CAPS..) …

By BANNED

February 9, 2009 4:56 PM | Link to this

I suspect that baseball has been involved with steroids much longer than the baseball purists will admit. It’s just now that they are getting cuaght with testing. Steroids have been around much longer than the tests and I suspect so have the steroids.

By BANNED

February 9, 2009 5:03 PM | Link to this

oops….I hit the wrong key. I meant to say that steroids have been around much longer than the testing and probabably for a long time in baseball. I’m afraid that it always will be in some form or another.

By Ed

February 9, 2009 5:07 PM | Link to this

I would love to know how many Braves were juiced. I’m sure every team had a few. Think Chipper is sweating??

By GumbyWilliams

February 9, 2009 5:26 PM | Link to this

Im so glad to hear about the confession of using steroids by A-Rod. Alex Rodriguez is certainly destined for the hall of fame and would have made it whether he came clean or didnt. But I felt that A-Rod would never lie about it again after getting caught. He has kept it a secret for six years, but I felt that if the news ever came out that he took performance enhancing drugs, then A-Rod would own up to it, which is what he did. I say put A-Rod into the Hall of Fame when his playing days are over because he was going to be great whether he took steroids or not. Its not easy to determine who belongs in the hall if they took performance enhancing drugs, but I would certainly allow some guys to get in the hall provided they didnt try to hide their use of steriods. In the case of Rafael Palmero, Sammy Sosa, Mark McGuire, Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens; all of them certainly worthy of first-ballot HOF consideration, I would NOT vote any of those guys in unless they openly admitted to taking performance enhancing drugs. If all five of those guys admitted using it, then I would allow them in to the HOF because their play on the field merited HOF consideration because they were among some of the all-times greats based on their performance on the field.

By D

February 9, 2009 5:37 PM | Link to this

It’s too late to come clean once you’ve already been outed. He’s not sorry he did it, he’s sorry he was caught. I hate that “coming clean” AFTER the fact actually means something to people. ARod has had many opportunities to tell the truth and he hasn’t.

By bmc

February 9, 2009 6:02 PM | Link to this

One down, 103 to go.

By Jeff Schultz

February 9, 2009 7:05 PM | Link to this

D: You make a good point about post-outing confession. But it’s better than no confession at all — and certainly better than endless denial. … JS

By CaliChopper

February 9, 2009 7:55 PM | Link to this

Come clean? He denied it till he got caught. If he had told the truth the first time we would have forgiven him, I’m not sure bout now. I’m leaning towards no…

By CaliChopper

February 9, 2009 7:57 PM | Link to this

Come clean? He denied it till he got caught. If he had told the truth the first time we would have forgiven him, I’m not sure bout now. I’m leaning towards no…

By Matt

February 9, 2009 8:42 PM | Link to this

I will never forget before the ‘99 season Chipper said he was working out 4 hours a day and improved his bench press from 170 to 340.

By Steverino

February 9, 2009 9:49 PM | Link to this

Amen to that, Matt. To Chipper’s credit, he seems to have weened himself off before the crackdown. Methinks the steroids made him even more fragile and were not worth the effort or subterfuge.

By Najeh Davenpoop

February 9, 2009 10:37 PM | Link to this

This was the first thing that occurred to me when I heard about A-Rod admitting his steroid use too. If he had answered “yes” instead of “no” to Katie Couric two years ago, there would have obviously been a huge media firestorm then too, but if anything the reaction would have been a lot more positive towards him for coming clean unprovoked. The canned apology he gave today would have seemed much more sincere if it had come without provocation. I’d like to see some other high-profile steroid user who hasn’t been outed yet have the courage to do this.

Pretty weird feeling, agreeing with Jeff Schultz…

By leathermannine

February 9, 2009 10:57 PM | Link to this

Any truth to the rumor that Selig took HGH for his apparent brain defect allowing this to go on? So he had to cower to the owners, but above all it was Selig’s responsibility to keep the game’s integrity intact. To my knowledge he has taken 0 responsibility for his lack of action.

Aaron took a lot heat for breaking the Homerun record and perhaps more stress and heartache for the drive and courage he showed. I heard Selig was at his 75th Birthday celebration. I hope Selig brought a sincere apology for being a coward and allowing such questionable actions to taint a solid man and career.

There is an asterisk(*) that belongs in baseball and it goes right beside Bud Selig’s sorry name. How could you be the commissioner that brought baseball back and be the one that watched it’s downfall.

Baseball is all about numbers. For the most part they are flawed for the past 15 years. This sport is broken. See the Yankess Wall Street payroll and then rest of the league short of the Red Sox - and they still manage to complain. The fly in the ointment for the sport was the Devil Rays perserverance…it may never get fixed.

By pavard

February 9, 2009 11:39 PM | Link to this

I’m personally just tired of hearing about steroids. I wish the media would drop it already….We all know that quite a few MLB players were doing this back then. Its old news. Write about something else.

By Art Vandelay

February 10, 2009 12:37 AM | Link to this

A-Roid is A-Fraud. Whatever records he may set over the course of his career are every bit as tainted as Bonds’ HR record or Clemens’ Cy Youngs. If he wants to agree to reset his career stats starting now, then I’d accept the legitimacy of his stats.

And don’t tell me you’re falling for that “it was only 2001-2003” garbage. He’s still lying and trying to minimize the amount of juicing he’s done over his career, because he can’t afford to have anyone know that his entire legacy is a sham.

MLB has been perpetrating a massive fraud on the public for years, and Bud Selig should be held accountable for allowing it to happen on his watch. His greed blinded him to the fact that baseball was being destroyed by rampant cheating.

By Coach (Skip and Pete will be missed)

February 10, 2009 12:38 AM | Link to this

Jeff, you really don’t want baseball to come clean.

Because if it did, the rest of this enormous iceberg would emerge from the depths of an ocean of lies and drown the game we all love.

Jose Canseco has yet to reveal the deepest and darkest secret of all. What is it you ask? I’ll put it starkly. Only a fool would believe that Canseco and McGwire were the only two players who were juiced out of their minds on those dominant Oakland teams from 1988-1992.

One of those players is already in the Hall of Fame and there you have it. Connect the dots for yourself.

By Art Vandelay

February 10, 2009 12:38 AM | Link to this

A-Roid is A-Fraud. Whatever records he may set over the course of his career are every bit as tainted as Bonds’ HR record or Clemens’ Cy Youngs. If he wants to agree to reset his career stats starting now, then I’d accept their legitimacy.

And don’t tell me you’re falling for that “it was only 2001-2003” garbage. He’s still lying and trying to minimize the amount of juicing he’s done over his career, because he can’t afford to have anyone know that his entire legacy is a sham. There’s no honor in “coming clean” (which he hasn’t) AFTER you’ve been caught in a lie.

MLB has been perpetrating a massive fraud on the public for years, and Bud Selig should be held accountable for allowing it to happen on his watch. His greed blinded him to the fact that baseball was being destroyed by rampant cheating.

By BugKiller

February 10, 2009 12:44 AM | Link to this

Actually Jeff, out of the 104 names in MLB who tested positively, there are 98 we don’t know.

We know *AFraud, *Bonds, *Clemens, *Palmiero, *Sosa, and *McGwire were juicing at the time.

And I’m pretty sure Canseco was playing, and so was Ken Caminiti, right?

So that makes the count 96 players we don’t know.

But then you think about a player at the hot corner for the Braves, who has had one truly outstanding season where he hit over 40 homers for the only time in his career (hmmm)… UKnowWho, the guy who was formally an iron horse and who now seems to only play about 120 games a year because of nagging minor injuries, which as we all know are a hallmark of steriod use…

… now, I’m not accusing UKnowWho of anything, just saying, because of what’s been going on, the use of cool logic would let any clear-thinking person down that particular track.

But I wonder, Jeff, why you talk about anyone without mentioning UKnowWho, and any circumstantial evidence and peculiar coincidences surrounding him and the current state of his career.

Unfortunately, we won’t find out until most all of these guys are done for years, and many of them will be in the HOF before we may find out for sure.

All I know is that guys like Jay Mariotti, who have a vote in the HOF, who have just got done decrying everyone playing in the last 15 years or so and their inflated numbers will finally do the right thing and ELECT DALE MURPHY AND HIS 100% CLEAN NUMBERS, WHICH SUDDENLY LOOK MUCH MORE IMPRESSIVE, INTO THE FREAKING HOF WHERE HE FREAKING BELONGS!!!

Do you concur with my last, at least, Schultzie?

By Ken Stallings

February 10, 2009 1:22 AM | Link to this

Baseball needs to do something dramatic to regain the positive influence it once had on American culture. The commissioner needs to invoke the legacy of Kennesaw Landis and step to a microphone with photos snapping by the hundreds and say words like this:

“I am hereby invoking the duty of the commission to protect the public interest of baseball. All players who have tested positively for steroids will be stripped of all record achievements and will be banned for life from eligibility for the Hall of Fame. Any team where 20% of the active roster is proven guilty of steroid useage will have all post-season accomplishments and season titles permanently erased from baseball records.”

The NCAA already does this. So, it’s not without precedence. Further, it is the right thing to do. Pete Rose suffers a lifetime ban from the sport in all capacities not merely the Hall of Fame. Yet can it truly be said that his betting on baseball tarnished the sport more than the steroids era?

Frankly, not even the Black Sox scandal — which ushered in the Landis use of overriding powers of the commissioner — tainted the entire sport the way steroids and HGH have already done. Fans no longer cherish the sacred records of the sport, considering them permanently tarnished by organized and widespread cheating to enhance performance.

So far, no significant players from the Atlanta Braves has been proven to take steroids. If this is due to reality and not fortunate lack of attention, one wonders how many championships the Braves might have won. Not that this matters now. But what does matter is that so many who were once considered the best in the game are now revealed as worse cheaters than Pete Rose ever was.

It is also time for the obligatory reminder that Dale Murphy’s achievements in the sport are overshadowed by the offensive explosion that took place after he retired. Once all the records of the cheaters are expunged, Murphy’s achievements rightly place him firmly back into HoF consideration to join other honest players of his era such as Mike Schmidt. Then we can also get Andre Dawson in the hall where he belongs also.

You see, it isn’t merely the fans these cheaters cheated. But also honest players such as Dawson and Murphy, unfairly omitted from HoF consideration. It is to these men, also, that the commissioner owes bold action.

By Ken Stallings

February 10, 2009 1:30 AM | Link to this

Can we not please crush this myth that there was a time where steroids and HGH use in baseball was legal? From day one of human time, use of HGH and steroids always required a doctor’s prescription and had to be administered by a doctor according to very strict federal and state laws.

Steroids and HGH have always had limited medical uses. Only for those uses could they be legally ingested. Every baseball player who used them used them illegally per state and federal laws. People who were not licensed to transport them across state lines violated federal laws passed by Congress and regulated by the Food and Drug Administration.

Which may lead some to ask why haven’t all these players been arrested? Good question! They should be! But not everyone who violates a law is prosecuted for it. Often it comes down to justifying the expense of the investigation and trial.

But legal? Never!

By John

February 10, 2009 3:17 AM | Link to this

I find it strange that a baseball player can charge the mound and punch a pitcher in the mouth…yet if I run at someone and swing at them I will go to jail.

There are different laws for sports players.

So given that, let them all steroid up. Let them all smoke crack, snort cocaine, smoke mary-jane. Let them do whatever they want. All they are to me is something to watch on a TV channel. And I have 99 channels to choose from.

By Rob

February 10, 2009 6:29 AM | Link to this

SC - You don’t know me so be bigger than name calling.

Prove that Bonds hit his HR’s due to steroids? How does steroids improve hand/eye coordination? It happened. That was accepted in the time and we need to get over it and spend time on something important.

By Coach (Skip and Pete will be missed)

February 10, 2009 6:53 AM | Link to this

Ken Stallings, ever heard of the five year moratorium on prosecution? How about the statute of limitations? A-Roid committed his crimes more than six years ago, which leads to the real question. Why was this information sat on until now, who is manipulating the situation and for what reason?

By Andruw Jones

February 10, 2009 7:26 AM | Link to this

OK, I confess I took Roids and now that I cant take them anymore I am garbage.

By Ty

February 10, 2009 7:27 AM | Link to this

Jeff, the main problem I have with your article is that it paints A-Rod as being more “honest” than Bonds or Clemens. The truth of the matter is that he did not come clean until test results called his performance into question. A truly honest person would come out with the truth before they were forced to by the media or a whistleblower. This begins the debate of whether or not A-Rod is sorry because he did something illegal or because he got caught.

By Bobby Cox

February 10, 2009 7:32 AM | Link to this

I took Roids as well. Remember when I got mad at my women and broke that coffee table? However instead of injecting them I put the “juice” on my finger and pick my nose, now my knees are shot. You ever see me “run” out to the mound now. It’s sad I tell ya. Stay away from the roids…

By David

February 10, 2009 8:28 AM | Link to this

If only the established media did as much to report on the corruptions in our government as they do to report on the corruptions in our professional sports. This country really has it’s priorities out of whack.

By MoveON

February 10, 2009 8:31 AM | Link to this

Steroids are here to stay. Accept it! It gives a boring past time a little shot in the arm and gives it some excitement. If they want to do it and risk their health, let ‘em do it. They get paid mega-bucks to perform and that’s just the way it is. Whatever you can do to be better is fine with me. Let it go people. You are trying to stop an avalanche with a small shovel!

By Todd Green

February 10, 2009 8:48 AM | Link to this

If this guy stay in baseball, the League owes barry Bonds a lot in compensation for blackballing him… Racism still is live and kicking.

By Will

February 10, 2009 9:00 AM | Link to this

I just don’t understand the stupidity and ignorance of people who say, “If they were using steroids BEFORE they were illegal…”

In what jurisdiction of the United States of America was it legal to use steroids for non-medicinal purposes?

Someone, please tell me.

By Will

February 10, 2009 9:05 AM | Link to this

If it is against the law, then it goes without saying that it is against the rules of the game.

I just don’t understand the stupidity and ignorance of people who say, “If they were using steroids BEFORE they were illegal…”

In what jurisdiction of the United States of America was it legal to use steroids for non-medicinal purposes?

Someone, please tell me.

By Jeff Schultz

February 10, 2009 9:16 AM | Link to this

Najeh: You agree with me? Don’t worry. It will be our little secret. Pavard: News is news. If the all-time home run hitter (Bonds) is under a federal investigation for lying to a Grand Jury in a drug case, it’s news. If one of the game’s best players (Rodriguez) admits he used steroids for three years – which likely aided him in performance and recovery – it’s news. Just the way it is. Coach: I disagree. If everybody came clean, it would come closer to saving the game than drowning it. The era of steroids players is tainted regardless. And which “Steroids” player is in the Hall? Bugkiller I’m not sure who’s on the list. So even if those guys did steroids (duh) at some point, they might no have tested positive in that test. Follow? As far as UKnowWho, who is UKnowWho? And even if you answer that, I have never thrown a name against the wall and I never will – unless I speak to that person in an interview first. Yes, I could list a handful of players who could be possible steroid cases. But that wouldn’t really be fair. It’s funny how the media often gets accused of writing about too much stuff or being irresponsible with accusations, yet others think we should call players out. Can’t have it both ways. … On Murph: I also have a HOF vote. I have checked him on the ballot every year. I have said before that I would like to see him in the Hall but I also don’t think it would be a travesty if he wasn’t voted in. He’s on the border. Ken Stallings: Thank you. I’ve written this repeatedly but apologists always want to claim, “But it wasn’t even illegal!” Uh, yes, it was. David: Yep, you caught us David. We all have secret meetings to make sure we catch every steroid-using athlete but look the other way when we get word of government corruption. I’m personally aware of several double-agents in the CIA currently but I have no interest in writing it.

JS

By dancingator69

February 10, 2009 9:19 AM | Link to this

Frankly, I’m sick of hearing about steroids in baseball. They’ve been used in nearly all sports including bodybuilding, cycling, track and field, football, baseball, etc. at all levels (including olympics, pro, high school to some degree) since the late 60’s (the east Germans and Russians perfected it use). The record books for all sports involved should be marked with an asterisk, during that period, noting that there was wide use up until real testing was imposed in sports and let it go at that. Enough already!

By Jack is the greatest

February 10, 2009 9:41 AM | Link to this

It’s time for Tiger Woods to come clean!

By Kendawg

February 10, 2009 9:44 AM | Link to this

Has A-Rod come completely clean? During his interview, he said he didn’t know what he was taking. Does anyone seriously believe that? I think he knew exactly what he was taking. He says he was young and naive. He may have been relatively young, but I don’t believe he was naive. I think he knew exactly what he was doing. He was cheating and now he’s a liar. How stupid do these athletes think the public is?

By Pi

February 10, 2009 10:13 AM | Link to this

Would a pitcher be more apt to take steroids, (because the one thing that steroids do is inhibit inflammation and swelling. A pitcher’s worst enemy.)

By Ted Striker

February 10, 2009 10:21 AM | Link to this

I never took steroids but I once wore women’s panties….

Before you judge me, perhaps I should explain the fantasies of Miss June……..

By wartdog

February 10, 2009 10:23 AM | Link to this

To the commentor who claims he never sees what these guys gained from performance-enhancing drugs..Uh MVPs, Home Run records, Cy Young awards, World Series appearances, Post season appearances, multimillion dollar contracts and huge endorsement deals! Could they have accomplished allthese things had they not been on the juice? Perhaps, but we will never know will we? If MLB did testing back then they suspected there was a problem and in finding that there was tried to sweep it under the carpet. All 104 who tested positive should be banned from baseball as well all those at the top of MLB at the time!

By TOMY fOURNIER

February 10, 2009 10:52 AM | Link to this

Ster….what???…they use everything…and the poor of this….they get much more money/”MORONS”!!!!

By Drew

February 10, 2009 10:56 AM | Link to this

Pointing my finger several times at you:

I did not have sexual relations…with that woman….Ms. Lewinsky

By KC Kid

February 10, 2009 11:02 AM | Link to this

Hey Kendawg,

Unfortunately a lot of people in the public are still stupid enough to pay hard earned money to see these clowns play baseball.

MLB is totally broken and has been for years. Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa, Raphael Palmero, Roger Clemens. Inter-league play. Home field advantage to the winner of the “All-Star” game, where most of the best players are on steroids and stay home anyway. Small market teams that generally can’t compete. World Series games with a first pitch at 9:20 PM.

Bud Selig doesn’t have the power or brains to fix it.

It used to be fun, now it’s a total joke. Go to a Georgia or Georgia Tech game instead. More fun, less money. Who gives a rip about MLB anymore? It’s dead.

By matt

February 10, 2009 11:15 AM | Link to this

Anyone rememeber Javy Lopez? You may not as he essentially disappeared after his contract year with the BRaves. That year he hit .328/43/109. He did this playing in only 129 games. The year before he played in only 20 less games. His numbers that year?? .233/11/52. The year he balled out was 2003. Coincedence??? I think not. I think you can go back to A LOT of players and find years like that and have to raise an eyebrow at them. It’s a shame.

By Jeff Schultz

February 10, 2009 11:16 AM | Link to this

Kendawg: That comment about not knowing what he took initially struck me as odd and, yes, a lie. But then I thought about it. How many times have we taken pain killers or something from the doctor and only knew them as “pain killers,” not the drug name. So I think it’s plausible he knew about the steroids, the effect of them, etc., without knowing the actual name. I’m not sure what he would be gaining by not saying the actual name. But what do I know. …. PI: Steroids don’t make you big. Steroids help the body recover so that you can run more, lift more, do everything more. So, yes, pitchers take steroids because it helps them recover from injury. They don’t have to take it to make them bigger. … JS

By Random

February 10, 2009 11:16 AM | Link to this

leathermannine: “Any truth to the rumor that Selig took HGH for his apparent brain defect allowing this to go on? So he had to cower to the owners, but above all it was Selig’s responsibility to keep the game’s integrity intact. To my knowledge he has taken 0 responsibility for his lack of action.”

Au contraire, mon frere — there was no “lack of action”. There’s a theory out there that Selig deliberately squelched Fay Vincent’s 1991 steroid initiative and engineered his ouster to prevent the steroid problem from being addressed.

“Aaron took a lot heat for breaking the Homerun record and perhaps more stress and heartache for the drive and courage he showed. I heard Selig was at his 75th Birthday celebration. I hope Selig brought a sincere apology for being a coward and allowing such questionable actions to taint a solid man and career.”

Au contraire, mon frere — I think rather that Aaron owed Selig his sincere gratitude for helping derail any questions about Aaron’s own use of PEDs from ‘69-‘73.

“There is an asterisk(*) that belongs in baseball and it goes right beside Bud Selig’s sorry name.”

Au contr — no, wait. You got it right that time.

Check this out, from Protrade, a sports equipment journal:

The San Francisco Chronicle, in a May 3rd 2005 article quoted former Major League pitcher Tom House of the Atlanta Braves as saying that steroids were rampant in the game in the late ’60s and throughout the ’70s.

House, perhaps best known for catching Hank Aaron’s 715th home run ball in 1974 in the Atlanta Braves bullpen, said he and several teammates used amphetamines, human growth hormone and ‘whatever steroid’ they could find in order to keep up with the competition.

…

Henry Waxman, 17 March 2005: “In 1973, the year I first ran for Congress, the House Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce concluded a year-long investigation that found—and I quote—‘drug use exists…in all sports and levels of competition…In some instances, the danger of improper drug use—primarily amphetamines and anabolic steroids—can only be described as alarming’.”

…

Bowie Kuhn, and the powers that be at the time, quietly squashed the entire tawdry episode and with good reason: it would cast suspicions on an African-American slugger who was challenging one of baseball’s most cherished records: The career record for home runs.

…

The only question remains: What did Bud Selig know and when did he know it?

Fay Vincent circulated a draft steroids policy in 1991. Selig knew that if the scab of steroids was picked off, the puss of the 1973 Atlanta Braves would be oozing all over the game. The scandal of Hank Aaron’s HR record being tainted by steroids use would have been a PR disaster at the time and. personally, extremely painful to Bud Selig who, after all, is a long-time friend of Hank Aaron.

Hence the boardroom coup which ousted Fay Vincent and made Bud Selig ‘Acting Commissioner’, while still maintaining his position as the owner of the Milwaukee Brewers, a blatant conflict of interest.

So long as Bud Selig remains in charge of Major League Baseball, the American public will never get to the bottom of the steroids scandal which has sullied the game. He has too much of a personal vested interest in Hank Aaron.

[end excerpt]

By Kentavo

February 10, 2009 11:48 AM | Link to this

If you don’t think money ruins everything, the I present: Article A: performance enhancing drugs in sports and in particular the national pasttime Article B: The silly bowl/BCS system in college football

There is not other reason for both debacles than the huge amount of $$$ at stake.

By Kentavo

February 10, 2009 11:51 AM | Link to this

If you don’t think money ruins everything, then I present: Article A: performance enhancing drugs in sports and in particular the national pasttime Article B: The silly bowl/BCS system in college football

There is not other reason for both debacles than the huge amount of $$$ at stake.

By Johnathan

February 10, 2009 11:51 AM | Link to this

Isn’t it funny how people can sit behind a keyboard and screen, call themself Bugkiller or Steverino and throw accusations at players? People, there were 104 positive tests in 2003. There were over 1200 players tested. That means that 1100 players didn’t test positive in ‘03, or a little over 90%. That’s a lot of very good players. And, now idiots like Bugkiller and Steverino are going to throw players under the bus because they had a good year sometime between 1997 and 2003. That’s ludicrous, irresponsible and just plain ignorant. Chipper Jones won the batting title last year, guys. He had a pretty magical year in ‘99. No doubt. But, he followed it up with some pretty good years. Anyone want to bet that he isn’t one of the 104 names? He went from 170 to 340 on his bench?? Please point us to one credible source that says that, or that attributes someone saying that. That is simply an lie. The days of accountability and being a man are obviously over with cowards like you two sitting behind your computer, blogging and throwing out accusations with no way to know who you are. That’s very sad. Fact remains that Chipper Jones will be in the Hall of Fame, has never been linked to anything like this (as haven’t 1100 others in MLB in 2003), and will go down as one of the best baseball players ever. So, I’m sorry but your accusations aside, you’ll simply have to live with that.

By Horner's Corner

February 10, 2009 1:08 PM | Link to this

Great post Jonathan, I couldn’t agree more. In my opinion, Chipper’s recent injuries are a strong indicator that he doesn’t/hasn’t used roids. It seems pretty normal for a guy to have more difficultly staying healthy as he gets older. It was guys like Clemens, Bonds and Palmeiro who continued to perform at higher and higher levels late in their career that were suspicious.

By the way Bugkiller, I noticed Dale Murphy hit 44 HR’s in 1987 (the only time in his career he hit 40+). Murph was only 31 yrs old at the time, but for the next several years his numbers started getting progressively worse and by the time he was 36 his career was essentially over. I’ll just come out and say it… I think Dale Murphy was on the juice in 1987. It’s the only logical explanation behind his one monster season followed by his rapid decline.

By Rafael Belliard

February 10, 2009 1:13 PM | Link to this

my bad.

By Bravo in SATX

February 10, 2009 1:56 PM | Link to this

So, ummm, to change subjects, it looks like Huddy is having a good rehab so far…What are the chances he energizes the Braves and pushes them past the Mets during a late season chase for the pennant? All the steroid talk is giving me a headache!

By Ted Striker

February 10, 2009 2:00 PM | Link to this

@ Horner’s Corner 1:08 – You said…”I think Dale Murphy was on the juice in 1987.”

Dude. The only juice Murphy was on in ’87 was either apple or orange.

By BugKiller

February 10, 2009 2:21 PM | Link to this

Jonathan and Horner, obviously, y’all ain’t too logical in your brain-thinking process because I said I am not accusing UKnowWho of doing steroids.

What I am alluding to, is that you could look at his career, and with using logic and common sense, see circumstantial evidence that could point to possible use of steroids.

Not definite proof, nothing beyond circumstance. But it’s there. The magical year in 99, followed by years of nagging injuries of the joints and tendons that follow steroid usage.

I hope beyond hope UKnowWho didn’t use. But is anyone safe from insinuation anymore?

That is the point I was making. And the facts are, journalists and columnists should paint EVERYONE with this brush, hoping peer pressure builds within the system itself to force those who did to finally come clean or be exposed by those who are sick and tired of being painted with that brush.

Or someone like Canseco who needs money.

Either way, the circumstantial evidence surrounding UKnowWho, Mike Piazza, and every other player from the era who has seen a few great years followed by years of injury that never occurred before in their career (because, let’s be honest, some guys are just snake-bit), is fairly overwhelming.

And I’m sorry y’all can’t see that.

By the way, I believe Javy did. Without a doubt in my mind. His going from a terrible year, to an outstanding year, to more terrible years followed by all of those joint and tendon injuries is an indicator for sure.

By Jonathan

February 10, 2009 2:55 PM | Link to this

Bugkiller, 55% of marriages end in divorce, many because of infidelity. Are you above insinuation that you cheated on your wife because you were married during these dramatic divorce numbers? Should I make that leap about any player when only 9% tested positive in 2003? When 90% of players didn’t test positive, yes I think they deserve the benefit of the doubt.

Joints and tendon injuries? He had back issues (mostly oblique), hamstring (muscle caused by his move to LF), a knee injury (caused by wet grass in SF) and a thumb injury (caused by a spill over a guy’s back at 3B).

A few great years? He has 20 HRs in 13 straight seasons. He had 100 RBIs in 8 straight seasons. He won the batting title last year after finishing second the year before. His power numbers per AB have stayed exactly consistent. Do some research and then spit your accusations. C’mon…

By BugKiller

February 10, 2009 4:04 PM | Link to this

Jonathan, you’re either a complete idiot, or the product of a failed educational system.

I’m going to choose a combination of the two.

What the frak do you think the hamstring (tendon) and the knee (joint) are?

And the thumb injury was tendon related.

Dude, it’s been proven that steriods don’t help you hit a baseball. God-given talent does that.

But it has been proven that they help you be able to work out more, thus becoming stronger faster, or adding more muscle than your body can handle, allowing you to hit that baseball much further through sheer force of strength.

Again… one year of 45 homers. Far above his yearly career average.

Again, Jonathan, you inability to make logical assumptions that don’t require the leap you’re insinuating they do, and your complete lack of knowledge of anatomy have left you well out of your element.

The fact remains that ANYONE with suspicious circumstantial evidence linking to possible steroid use is not above suspicion anymore.

The fact that you refuse to see that because someone happens to be your favorite player makes you naive at best, an enabler at worst.

What are you going to do when your son or daughter exhibits all the traits attributed to being a meth addict, Johnny Boy, much like your certain favorite ball player has some logically deduced anomalies connecting his playing career to PEDs.

Are you going to ignore it then, too? Say that their teeth falling out is just a product of bad dental hygiene or some such nonsense?

By BugKiller

February 10, 2009 4:12 PM | Link to this

To further explain:

Use of steroids makes you more inclined to getting the kind of nagging tendon and joint injuries we’ve seen from guys like Bonds, McGwire, and your favorite.

Meaning, someone else may have slipped on wet grass and been okay after a day or two.

Not see their games played cut by 30 to 40 games due to an injury that wouldn’t heal.

And again, the hammy is not a muscle, it’s a tendon.

By Chopdawg

February 10, 2009 5:43 PM | Link to this

I doubt seriously the drug problem in baseball is any more dramatic than it is in any other occupation. Let’s test accountants, cable-TV repair guys, clerks in department stores, & see if any more than 8.6% of them abuse drugs (the ratio’s probably much higher for fanatic right-wing radio talk-show hosts).