Steroids in Sports

[Ithorian Clergy]

Sammy Sosa is definitely going to the Hall of Fame. 

And I'd wager that is definitely not going to the Hall of Fame.

Um, okay.  Reason?  Outstanding numbers.  When you have 500+ HRs and 1,500 RBIs, there must be some reason.  Love to hear it.

 

[Jeff]

I'd say the biggest thing he has going against him is his .274 career average, plus the corked bat will keep some of the writers from voting from him on the first pass.

[Ithorian Clergy]

I'd say the biggest thing he has going against him is his .274 career average, plus the corked bat will keep some of the writers from voting from him on the first pass.

The corked bat may be an issue.  I'm no fan of Sosa's, but the man has amazing career numbers.  The .274 average is not an issue when you are 500+ HR/1,500+ RBI.  Names that come to mind immediately are Dave Winfield and Mike Schmidt, just off the top of my head.  Sosa has similar power numbers and average to those Hall of Famers.

The corked bat did initially slip my mind.  I guess when you add that in with the steroid accuastions, he does kinda look like a cheater.

[Mikey D]

Corked bat = known cheater.  Like Jeff said, it's going to influence some voters.  And I find it hard to believe, almost impossible even, that he used a corked bat once (and got caught).  While we'll never know, how many of those numbers are inflated because of a corked bat (and possibly steroids)?

[Darth Slothus]

worse is that if you go into most WM's now..in the toy section, there's a baseball's sluggers-type of book that has McGuire,Sosa,Griffey Jr. on the cover and the book is mostly about them.

Sosa= corked bat,steroids?
McGuire= Andro..what else(man, did he ever bulk up) Amazing what happens if  you're a more likeable player how MLB won't go after you if you're encroaching on a record--even if you suspiciously bulked up suddenly.

Griffey= I'll say he's legit/ there's been talk about greediness and selfishness, up for speculation. At least he didn't seem to bulk up over nite like the aforementioned.

I see this kids book at all WM stores...makes me do this whenever I see it.

[Morgbug]

Marion Jones wasn't clean?  I'm shocked, shocked I tell you.

I refuse to believe most, if not all, of the sprinters and most of track and field for that matter, were not every bit as dirty as Ben Johnson at the time, before that time and since.  It certainly goes back to the 70s and well before likely, given the Eastern European "look" of the time.  I'm still waiting on Carl Lewis' liver to give out on him and the subsequent deathbed confession.

[Scott]

Marion Jones wasn't clean?  I'm shocked, shocked I tell you.

I refuse to believe most, if not all, of the sprinters and most of track and field for that matter, were not every bit as dirty as Ben Johnson at the time, before that time and since.  It certainly goes back to the 70s and well before likely, given the Eastern European "look" of the time.  I'm still waiting on Carl Lewis' liver to give out on him and the subsequent deathbed confession.

Spoken like a typical whiny Candian who can't let 1988 go...let it go man, let it go. 

[Morgbug]

If you're happy having your cheaters win while mine get prosecuted, I'll let it go.   

[Nicklab]

WHOA.  SI is citing 4 independent sources that say A-Rod tested positive for steroids during the 2003 season.

[Jeff]

Wow, A-Rod confesses - "I did take a banned substance. For that, I'm very sorry and deeply regretful".

When this story broke last week, I was expecting the "deny and ignore" PR machine to squish the story, I wasn't really expecting him to come clean let alone come clean so quickly...

[Morgbug]

Funny that the big surprise is the admission of guilt.  I'm not really surprised or disappointed that Arod did roids.  They're out there and most higher end athletes are on them, in one form (undetectable) or another.  The only illusion is that some people think most athletes aren't on them.  Yeah, you can make a case based on certain sports probably, but I think the use is rampant.  Period. 

[GrandMoffNick]

It makes me super mad. Now we have the best player in baseball, who will be around for another ten years, using steroids which means it will never go away. Thanks so much guys for making a big chunk of the years I have been a huge baseball fan, ones that will be "asteriked" for eternity.

[Matt_Fury]

You think that they'd give him something to make him come through in a clutch situation.

[evenflow]

I didn't read through the thread but I sometmes feel like i am the only one who doesnt care if they take steroids. I find baseball boring and if it takes steroids to hit massive homeruns...so be it. I dont think its that big of a deal .

[Neal]

I didn't read through the thread but I sometmes feel like i am the only one who doesnt care if they take steroids. I find baseball boring and if it takes steroids to hit massive homeruns...so be it. I dont think its that big of a deal .

I tend to agree.  If these guys want to destroy their bodies to make more money, I say "go for it".  I know that some people complain about the sanctity of the game and the hallowed records that are being broken.  If that's the main concern, then just put an asterisk on the entire Steroid Era.  Let there be two sets of records.