Mark McGwire* admits steroid use

[redsrbetter]

He admitted to using Andro and HGH. Both of which are used for strength gaining purposes. But Andro wasn't illegal at the time. And he said he only used HGH a couple of times.

None of which we know whether or not to fully believe, but I simply have my doubts that a man can truly believe he wasn't trying to get stronger when in fact he was. And he definitely cannot deny that he did get bigger and that he did hit more HRs while he was getting bigger.

And I have to say I agree with your posterchild theory. You are right, we never know who may or who may not have done it. I wish we could have a guarantee, but there simply isn't one. I just hope every fan can have somebody to look at and say, here is a guy that hit for power and did it the right way. Like McGwire said; "I hate that I played in that era."

[NYgiantsfan5689]

McGwire doesn't seem to be able to grasp the fact that he himself is one of the main reasons he "hates he played in that era"

[cjkalt]

No way he would get my vote now. Honestly, I might have before (probably not) but no way now. His whole career was a lie. His whole career was a cheat. No way he deserves to be in the Hall.
Posted via Mobile Device

You guys have to get over the fact people used steroids during the era, hitters and pitchers both used them equally in the pursuit of a couple MPH or an extra 10 ft on his bombs.

Mark McGwire to me is a different case than Barry Bonds because 1) He never lied 2) He never had a huge transformation in his body (he was always a HR hitter) 3) His story generally fits the timeline

1) He never lied- The media has complained in tons of pieces they wished people wouldn't lie and admit they did it. Players like Roger Clemens and Alex Rodriguez lied about taking them before doing it. Andy Pettite did not, he came clean and the media gave him a pass and it won't affect his HOF candidacy.

So why is Mark McGwire being treated more like Arod/Clemens than Pettite when he never lied? Just like realmofotalk said, it wasn't Congress's buisness to ask him those questions, and he USED HIS CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT to remain silent, that is no crime and that isn't weak. No players knew what the consquences would be for talking so he took the advice of his lawyers and remained silent. That should not be held against him in any way.

2) He was always a HR hitter, the best way to show this is to look at his career stats (Mark McGwire Statistics and History - Baseball-Reference.com) He hit 49 as a rookie in the late 80's before the steroid boom... He always had the stroke and the natural power. You can see the injuries in the 93 and 94 seasons, and he used steroids to get back on the field in 95 and put up slightly better numbers (Part due to steroids, part to the lack of very good pitching in that era)

3) As i mentioned before his talk about when he uses steroids fits in with the timeline above

We as the media and fans asked for honesty, how can we have a double standard for a player that has done that the 1st time?

He is a HOF and it will be a joke if the media's double standard prevents him from his place in history

[cjkalt]

If any one person who's a known steroid user gets voted in Pete Rose should immediately follow.

He already should be in the hall, its a joke he isn't...

[GiantsFanatic]

Great tweet by Rob Neyer, and will answer your question GF

"Mark McGwire doesn't think the steroids helped him hit home runs, just get back on the field after injuries. Guess no one told him you have to be on the field to hit home runs."

There you have it.

So if he tries to do whatever he can to get on the field to play and help his team win, he's considered a cheater for using something that wasn't banned in his profession?

The difference between McGwire (roids) and Maddux (lasik) is that lasik is not illegal. Neither are eye glasses, or contacts.

Steroids do give people strength. If they didn't , why would people take them? Ok, for health purposes. That is also true, but as NYgiantsfan just pointed out and many of us though about last night; even cheating on a health boost is still cheating. Where would Griffey be if he used roids simply for health purposes and was able to be on the field a lot more than he was?

Steroids do not help your hand eye coordination. He was already one of the best in the world at that. Making to the MLB is proof of that. Steroids do help you go from 49 Hrs to 70. He hit monster shots his whole career. But sometimes those balls that would have been long fly ball to the warning track, they went out of the ballpark for him because of his newfound body mass.

Lasik comment was a remark stating players do whatever they can to get an edge, I know Lasik is legal.

[GiantsFanatic]

You guys have to get over the fact people used steroids during the era, hitters and pitchers both used them equally in the pursuit of a couple MPH or an extra 10 ft on his bombs.

Mark McGwire to me is a different case than Barry Bonds because 1) He never lied 2) He never had a huge transformation in his body (he was always a HR hitter) 3) His story generally fits the timeline

1) He never lied- The media has complained in tons of pieces they wished people wouldn't lie and admit they did it. Players like Roger Clemens and Alex Rodriguez lied about taking them before doing it. Andy Pettite did not, he came clean and the media gave him a pass and it won't affect his HOF candidacy.

So why is Mark McGwire being treated more like Arod/Clemens than Pettite when he never lied? Just like realmofotalk said, it wasn't Congress's buisness to ask him those questions, and he USED HIS CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT to remain silent, that is no crime and that isn't weak. No players knew what the consquences would be for talking so he took the advice of his lawyers and remained silent. That should not be held against him in any way.

2) He was always a HR hitter, the best way to show this is to look at his career stats (Mark McGwire Statistics and History - Baseball-Reference.com) He hit 49 as a rookie in the late 80's before the steroid boom... He always had the stroke and the natural power. You can see the injuries in the 93 and 94 seasons, and he used steroids to get back on the field in 95 and put up slightly better numbers (Part due to steroids, part to the lack of very good pitching in that era)

3) As i mentioned before his talk about when he uses steroids fits in with the timeline above

We as the media and fans asked for honesty, how can we have a double standard for a player that has done that the 1st time?

He is a HOF and it will be a joke if the media's double standard prevents him from his place in history

So your going to put someone in the HOF based on if he lied or not, nice logic their. I wonder how many times did anyone that is already in the hall lied, should we remove them from the hall aswel?

[redsrbetter]

I think the difference between McGwire and Pettite is that Pettite admitted it right away when approached. McGwire worded around it.

Like I said before, as far as the Congress decision goes, I don't blame the guy. I would have done the same thing probably. But I still would have let it out before I ever even went through that charade.

And if I don't think McGwire is a HOFer, I feel the same way about Pettite and all of the rest. Lied or not, if they did it, they definitely cheated.

[realmofotalk]

The real difference between McGwire and Pettitte is that Pettitte's job isn't to hit home runs, which by far is the biggest stat everybody associates with steroids. Yeah, it was nice that Pettitte showed contrition, but let's be real here. Pettitte was never under a cloud of suspicion in the magnitude of that of Big Mac.

[redsrbetter]

Yes but I don't like to overhype a steroid user's possible loss to the HOF more than any other steroid user simply because he had more of an impact on the game.

What I mean is; just because McGwire is the bigger name, doesn't mean Pettite isn't just as much the cheater.

To me, there is no difference if you are a hitter or a pitcher. The hitter wants to hit more HRs. The pitcher wants to throw the ball harder and have an edge over the hitter who would otherwise hit that HR.

[redsrbetter]

Sincerely apologize to anyone who read my post above before I edited it. Clearly, if you look at your keyboard, you will see how that mistake could happen.

Hopefully we can move on...

[Saber]

The best part of this is the "if he cops to it, we forgive him" crowd that immediately turned around and yelled "burn him!" as soon as he copped to it.

That won't get you any more confessions, kids.

Also, you can't compare steroid use to Pete Rose's gambling. At least roiders are trying to WIN the game.

[DirtyKash]

His whole career? The guy hit 49 homers a rookie...a clean rookie.

Not so fast. Canseco says that he had been injecting McGwire himself back during their Oakland days, ever since the start. I tend to believe Canseco who has never told anything but the truth in these matters.

Jose Canseco: Mark McGwire, Tony La Russa lying about PEDs - ESPN

[redsrbetter]

Canseco may stretch the truth a bit though. He did write in his book that he was in the bathroom stall with McGwire countless times injecting eachother.

Now, in an interview with Tom Verducci and Victor Rojas, after many attempts to get it out, Canseco finally admits that it was only once or twice.

[Providence A's]

Not so fast. Canseco says that he had been injecting McGwire himself back during their Oakland days, ever since the start. I tend to believe Canseco who has never told anything but the truth in these matters.

Jose Canseco: Mark McGwire, Tony La Russa lying about PEDs - ESPN

Well, I guess we'll never know for sure unless McGwire comes clean even more...or Canseco has video evidence or something.

[cjkalt]

So your going to put someone in the HOF based on if he lied or not, nice logic their. I wonder how many times did anyone that is already in the hall lied, should we remove them from the hall aswel?

He also has HOF stats...