McGwire admits steroid use

[Shag]

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=4816607

NEW YORK -- Mark McGwire finally came clean Monday, admitting he used steroids when he broke baseball's home run record in 1998.

McGwire said in a statement sent to The Associated Press on Monday that he used steroids on and off for nearly a decade.

"I wish I had never touched steroids," McGwire said in a statement. "It was foolish and it was a mistake. I truly apologize. Looking back, I wish I had never played during the steroid era."

McGwire also used human growth hormone, a person close to McGwire said, speaking on condition of anonymity because McGwire didn't include that detail in his statement.

McGwire's decision to admit using steroids was prompted by his decision to become hitting coach of the St. Louis Cardinals, his final big league team. Tony La Russa, McGwire's manager in Oakland and St. Louis, has been among McGwire's biggest supporters and thinks returning to the field can restore the former slugger's reputation.

"I never knew when, but I always knew this day would come," McGwire said. "It's time for me to talk about the past and to confirm what people have suspected."

He became the second major baseball star in less than a year to admit using illegal steroids, following the New York Yankees' Alex Rodriguez last February.

Others have been tainted but have denied knowingly using illegal drugs, including Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Sammy Sosa and David Ortiz.

Bonds has been indicted on charges he made false statements to a federal grand jury and obstructed justice. Clemens is under investigation by a federal grand jury trying to determine whether he lied to a congressional committee.

"I'm sure people will wonder if I could have hit all those home runs had I never taken steroids," McGwire said. "I had good years when I didn't take any, and I had bad years when I didn't take any. I had good years when I took steroids, and I had bad years when I took steroids. But no matter what, I shouldn't have done it and for that I'm truly sorry."

Big Mac's reputation has been in tatters since March 17, 2005, when he refused to answer questions at a Congressional hearing. Instead, he repeatedly said "I'm not here to talk about the past" when asked whether he took illegal steroids when he hit a then-record 70 home runs in 1998 or at any other time.

"After all this time, I want to come clean," he said. "I was not in a position to do that five years ago in my congressional testimony, but now I feel an obligation to discuss this and to answer questions about it. I'll do that, and then I just want to help my team."

The person close to McGwire said McGwire made the decision not to answer questions at that hearing on the advice of his lawyers.

McGwire disappeared from the public eye following his retirement as a player following the 2001 season. When the Cardinals hired the 47-year-old as coach on Oct. 26, they said he would address questions before spring training, and Monday's statement broke his silence.

"I remember trying steroids very briefly in the 1989/1990 offseason and then after I was injured in 1993, I used steroids again," McGwire said in his statement. "I used them on occasion throughout the '90s, including during the 1998 season."

McGwire said he took steroids to get back on the field, sounding much like the Yankees' Andy Pettitte two years ago when he admitted using HGH.

"During the mid-'90s, I went on the DL seven times and missed 228 games over five years," McGwire said in the statement. "I experienced a lot of injuries, including a ribcage strain, a torn left heel muscle, a stress fracture of the left heel, and a torn right heel muscle. It was definitely a miserable bunch of years, and I told myself that steroids could help me recover faster. I thought they would help me heal and prevent injuries, too."

Since the congressional hearing, baseball owners and players toughened their drug program twice, increasing the penalty for a first steroids offense from 10 days to 50 games in November 2005 and strengthening the power of the independent administrator in April 2008, following the publication of the Mitchell Report.

"Baseball is really different now -- it's been cleaned up," McGwire said. "The commissioner and the players' association implemented testing and they cracked down, and I'm glad they did."

[Frazod]

Originally Posted by penchief

Yes, I've been a Yankee fan since 1970. But the reason I point to Mattingly is because he is a classic example of a great player who won't make the HOF because of injury and premature retirement. The same fate that probably would have been in store for McGwire had he not taken steroids.

So I'm not saying Mattingly should be in the HOF because I don't necessarily believe that. He didn't have the necessary longevity and he fell probably two additional HOF caliber seasons away. What I am saying is that Mattingly was the superior player and therefore, no way McGwire deserves HOF consideration based on the numbers he put up fraudulently.

Rewarding those who juiced by validating the numbers they put up when juicing cheapens the accomplishments of those players who didn't cheat (past and present) while also doing a disservice to the integrity of the game.

JMO.

Boy, you certainly ignored the hell out of my question, didn't you?

[Baby Lee]

There is a qualitative difference between 'performance enhancement' and 'staying healthy'

I'm no supporter of 'cheaters' but it continues and continues to strike me as wierd that the argument that these guys are bad people is that they took something that kept them healthy and helped them heal from injury.

The stance that people should suffer injury without regeneration outside the 'natural order' in order for their achievements to mean anything to us, the viewing public, seems on SOME level as craven as the stance that cheating isn't a big deal.

ANd I don't buy for a second penchief's half-warmed argument that 'cheating that gets results is worse than cheating that doesn't.' Cheating is cheating insofar as something is actually banned and you consume it. If you consume something that isn't banned at the time you consume it, but later is, you are not a cheater, but that says nothing about how we should look on your achievements in relation to a later cheater. Whether you cheated, and whether you inflated your performance are two distinct questions.

[Royal Fanatic]

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

Amphetamines actually allowed the players the ability and stamina to put up the numbers in the first place. Guys like Hank Aaron extended their careers past 20+ years because of drugs like this. How is that not more important? How is that not enhancement? It just seems to me like an enormous double standard for you to sit here and forgive others for doing exactly the same thing.

I must have missed the part where you provided a link to the evidence that Hank Aaron used amphetamines.

The fact is that you have no idea whether or not Hank Aaron used amphetamines. You don't have a failed drug test to point to. You don't have an admission by Aaron. Hell, you don't even have an accusation by any of his peers. You've got nothing other than your own wild speculation. It's a red herring that you've thrown into the discussion in an attempt to excuse the behavior of guys like McGwire, Bonds, and Sosa.

When you can provide ANY evidence AT ALL to show that (1) Aaron used greenies, and (2) the greenies actually helped, then you'll have a valid argument. Until then, your argument is bogus.

[penchief]

Originally Posted by frazod

Boy, you certainly ignored the hell out of my question, didn't you?

I didn't ignore it I just thought you were changing the subject and taking a jab at me. Didn't think it really had any relevance to the question of artificially inflated stats and HOF players.

That said, I don't have a problem answering your question. Most people would say that what the Yankees do is free enterprise. I don't disagree but my position on payroll is that I think there should be a salary cap in baseball just like there is in football. I'm all for it.

I'm not a Yankee fan because they win. I'm a Yankee fan because I grew up watching the Yankees. I started liking them when they were a miserable team. Back when Shafer.....was the......one beer to have......when you're having more than one. Before Steinbrenner. Before free agency. My first favorite player was Joe Pepitone.

The best Yankee teams have been built through the farm system and good trades. I'll admit that last year was one of the few times that the Yankees actually hit on free agency but most of the time free agency has been a bane to the Yankees.

But yes, I'm all for a salary cap because I root for the pride and the tradition of the Yankees, not the payroll.

[Frazod]

Originally Posted by penchief

I didn't ignore it I just thought you were changing the subject and taking a jab at me. Didn't think it really had any relevance to the question of artificially inflated stats and HOF players.

That said, I don't have a problem answering your question. Most people would say that what the Yankees do is free enterprise. I don't disagree but my position on payroll is that I think there should be a salary cap in baseball just like there is in football. I'm all for it.

I'm not a Yankee fan because they win. I'm a Yankee fan because I grew up watching the Yankees. I started liking them when they were a miserable team. Back when Shafer.....was the......one beer to have......when you're having more than one. Before Steinbrenner. Before free agency. My first favorite player was Joe Pepitone.

The best Yankee teams have been built through the farm system and good trades. I'll admit that last year was one of the few times that the Yankees actually hit on free agency but most of the time free agency has been a bane to the Yankees.

But yes, I'm all for a salary cap because I root for the pride and the tradition of the Yankees, not the payroll.

Yeah, a miserable team with more than double the championships of any other team in baseball. I always wonder how you New York people were able to find the strength to soldier on through the lean years.

But back to steroids. Shall we put an asterisk by Alex Rodriguez's stats as well? How about Jason Giambi's? Seems like there's juice flowing all over the place.

[penchief]

Originally Posted by Baby Lee

There is a qualitative difference between 'performance enhancement' and 'staying healthy'

I'm no supporter of 'cheaters' but it continues and continues to strike me as wierd that the argument that these guys are bad people is that they took something that kept them healthy and helped them heal from injury.

The stance that people should suffer injury without regeneration outside the 'natural order' in order for their achievements to mean anything to us, the viewing public, seems on SOME level as craven as the stance that cheating isn't a big deal.

And I don't buy for a second penchief's half-warmed argument that 'cheating that gets results is worse than cheating that doesn't.' Cheating is cheating insofar as something is actually banned and you consume it. If you consume something that isn't banned at the time you consume it, but later is, you are not a cheater, but that says nothing about how we should look on your achievements in relation to a later cheater. Whether you cheated, and whether you inflated your performance are two distinct questions.

And I don't understand why people keep ignoring the gist of my argument in order to accuse me of arguing something that I'm not.

As I said, I don't condone cheating. Nor do I condone the use of amphetamines. But until you can prove to me that amphetamines impacted the record books in any way, let alone as dramatically as steroids have, you won't convince me that I'm wrong simply by painting my argument to be something that it isn't.

The power statistics put up by guys like Bonds, McGwire, and Sosa when they were juicing are a statistical anomoly directly attributed to use of steroids. Had they not used steroids their numbers would have been no greater than what they had produced before and no greater than those who came before them in baseball history (taking into account the smaller ball parks, of course).

For that reason, guys who were not on a Hall of Fame track before they started juicing should not receive HOF consideration based on fraudulent numbers that were a result of their juicing. McGwire and Sosa both fall into that category, as far as I'm concerned.

[penchief]

Originally Posted by frazod

Yeah, a miserable team with more than double the championships of any other team in baseball. I always wonder how you New York people were able to find the strength to soldier on through the lean years.

But back to steroids. Shall we put an asterisk by Alex Rodriguez's stats as well? How about Jason Giambi's? Seems like there's juice flowing all over the place.

Well, I was nine years old at the time and had little concept of their history. I watched them because I lived in WPIX land.

As far as Rodriguez and Giambi go? I honestly believe that Giambi is one of those who did inflate his numbers dramatically via steroids. So yes, give him an asterik. That said, Giambi is nowhere near a hall of fame player.

I'm going to preface my opinion on Rodriguez by telling you what I think of him first. I don't like him. I wish he were not on the Yankees. If he were on any other team I'd say the same thing I'm about to say. Rodriquez has an opportunity to play clean for the next 10 plus years. I think he will have a chance to redeem himself based on what he does over that period. And I'd be happier if he played out his career on another team. Having said that, even before he admitted his use I would have guessed he was using just by the way his body had changed.

[Frazod]

Alex Rodriguez and Mark McGwire are TIED on the all time home run list!

Hey penchief, were you here with your torch and pitchfork when A-Roid got outed? I don't recall.

[penchief]

Originally Posted by frazod

Alex Rodriguez and Mark McGwire are TIED on the all time home run list!

Hey penchief, were you here with your torch and pitchfork when A-Roid got outed? I don't recall.

As far as I know, he isn't up for the Hall of Fame.

That said, I don't like Rodriguez. Never have. Hated when the Yankees got him. Wish he was gone tomorrow. But what am I going to do about it? If you want to see what I think about Rodriguez's HOF chances read the post I just made.

I think he has a chance to produce numbers in the future aside from the years that he juiced that would allow him to be considered. If it were based soley on his juicing years I'd feel the exact same way about his HOF consideration that I do McGwire's. McGwire's juicing period is the only reason he's even considered. He would not even be sniffing the HOF otherwise.

If Rodriguez didn't make it I wouldn't shed a single tear. And if it were because he juiced I'd say it served him right. As a Yankee fan, I'm more disappointed that guys like Mattingly and Munson never got to play long enough to get consideration.

[KC_Connection]

If a player's numbers are arrived at artificially then I don't think he can be considered a Hall of Famer. As far as the uppers go, if I had enough evidence to believe that they skewed the playing field as much as steroids did I'd probably agree with you. But the evidence that we have doesn't suggest that is so.

You might as well take out everybody in the HOF, then, because they all used amphetamines to improve their performance on the field. The things were practically handed out in clubhouses for decades.

The steroid numbers stick out like sore thumb.

The major reason for the HR numbers climbing in the 90s was juiced balls, not juiced players. Players have been on steroids since the 70s, and some are still on them.

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by Royal Fanatic

I must have missed the part where you provided a link to the evidence that Hank Aaron used amphetamines.

Hank Aaron admitted to amphetamine use in his autobiography. Did you really think this is my first time arguing this subject?

The fact is that you have no idea whether or not Hank Aaron used amphetamines.

No, the fact is that he admitted to using them...like everybody else he played with.

You don't have a failed drug test to point to. You don't have an admission by Aaron.

Actually, I do. Read his book.

Hell, you don't even have an accusation by any of his peers. You've got nothing other than your own wild speculation. It's a red herring that you've thrown into the discussion in an attempt to excuse the behavior of guys like McGwire, Bonds, and Sosa.

I haven't excused those players' behavior at all. I'm merely trying to understand why they are being treated differently than the "cheaters" that came before them.

When you can provide ANY evidence AT ALL to show that (1) Aaron used greenies, and (2) the greenies actually helped, then you'll have a valid argument. Until then, your argument is bogus.

#1. Aaron did use greenies.
#2. It's impossible to prove how much greenies helped him, just as it is impossible to prove how much steroids helped Mark McGwire. That's really an irrelevant question, anyway, though. Is one form of "cheating" somehow better because it doesn't help as much as another?

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by frazod

Yeah, a miserable team with more than double the championships of any other team in baseball. I always wonder how you New York people were able to find the strength to soldier on through the lean years.

But back to steroids. Shall we put an asterisk by Alex Rodriguez's stats as well? How about Jason Giambi's? Seems like there's juice flowing all over the place.

Gary Sheffield...Roger Clemens...Andy Pettitte.

[KC_Connection]

Willie Mays was supposedly an amphetamine user too....might as well kick him out too while we're at it.

As the sporting industry exploded in the 1920s, athletic trainers and their charges immediately saw the possibilities of using his research. Even the Big Bambino himself, Babe Ruth, injected himself with extract from a sheep's testicles, hoping for increased power at the plate (and in the bedroom). He attempted this only once, and it made him incredibly ill; the Yankees covered the story by telling the press that the Babe just had one of his famous bellyaches. Even though the Yankees tend to celebrate all things Babe Ruth, they have never, to my knowledge, had "Sheep Testicles Day" at the stadium.

Babe Ruth, too?

[Frazod]

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

Gary Sheffield...Roger Clemens...Andy Pettitte.

Boy, we're going to need to a shit ton of asterisks, aren't we?

[RippedmyFlesh]

Some guy on the jay lemo show said it best
"You don't care if the guy in a porno took viagra why do you care if a baseball player took steroids?"