After the release of the much-anticipated Mitchell Report, some analysts, investigative reporters, players (not surprisingly), and fans are bothered with it.
Why?
Since the offensive explosion that came about in the late 1990s, fans have become skeptical as to whether or not the players were using performance enhancing drugs, thus hurting the integrity of the game. Countless hours were spent at the water cooler debating who was a "juice head." We finally have a list of players who are linked to steroid use. Yes, debate will continue for names left off the list (still looking for the name of Raul Mondesi), but this is a foundation we can build off of.
Even though it is suspected that no action will be taken against these players, even Mitchell suggested to Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig to forego such actions, at least we know a group of players who cheated the game. It is punishment enough that these players' names will be forever linked with steroid use.
Here's my reaction to some of the players:
- I was actually glad to see Roger Clemens' name on the list and I'm a Yankees fan. This is a guy who has been a pompous jerk over the last few years. He told the Yankees he was going to retire after the 2003 season. Fine, no problem. But then he joins his buddy and co-steroid user Andy Pettitte in Houston because he wanted to be closer to home. Then, he debates a few seasons later if he should pitch for the Boston Red Sox, Yankees, or Astros. Wait Roger, I thought you wanted to be closer to home? Then he pulls that publicity stunt earlier in this past season getting on the public address system at Yankee Stadium saying he was back. Oh my goodness gracious.
- Back to Pettitte, I was real sad to see his name on the list. He's been my favorite pitcher for a long time and I was very shocked to see that.
- Finally there's an explanation for Chuck Knoblauch's rocket arm. It was the juice that made him overthrow first base by 15 feet and hit television anchor's mothers in the stands.
- Barry Bonds. Shocker.
- Didn't like seeing Brian Roberts' name on the list. Even though he played in the same division as my Yankees, he is a fun player to watch and root for.
- We now have an explanation to why John Rocker was so angry.
- I blame steroids for Kevin Brown punching a wall, thus causing a broken hand which made him miss time in the 2004 season. Then he tries to pitch Game 7 of the ALCS and was miserable. Ugh.
- I thought it was all the extra weight and that 6-to-12 swing that helped Mo Vaughn hit all those home runs.
- The feel-good story of 2007 has been quickly forgotten thanks to Rick Ankiel making an appearance in the report.
- And I'm still looking for Mondesi's name. I will keep you posted.
Everyone has names they suspected would be included in the list but aren't, including myself. And I'll continue to speculate and debate those players used performance enhancing drugs. Everyone will.
Also, there are players we all hoped would not be on the list (I commented on a fellow blogger's post that I hoped Bernie Williams, Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, and Mariano Rivera wouldn't be on the list - phew!) and were left off.
Some people thought this was a dumb investigation and a waste of time. There are others, like myself, who thought this was an important one. There is a lot of gray area in this situation, but the bottom line is we have names. We know there are some players who are linked to steroids. It's a good start to getting baseball back to a level playing field.
Other players, especially the young ones, will see their fellow ballplayers' names on this list which casts a dark cloud over the game and will think twice about taking these drugs. There will still be players who do it. Hell, we have had a system of laws in this country since the foundation but people break them everyday.
We should look at this as a step in the right direction for this beloved game. I know I do.
Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard is closing in on Roger Maris’ former single-season record of 61 home runs. Howard currently stands at 56 home runs with 17 games remaining in the Phillies’ schedule. So I ask you this, if Howard hits 62 or more, would you consider Howard the single-season home run king? I’d say no.
Here are your candidates: Babe Ruth (60 in ’27), Maris (61 in ’61), Mark McGwire (70 in ’98), Sammy Sosa (66 in ’98), Barry Bonds (73 in ’01), or possibly Howard.
I still consider McGwire the single-season home run king when he hit 70 in 1998. Yeah, he was bigger than he was when he first came up as a rookie in 1987, but if you look at a simple statistic, it doesn’t really matter. McGwire hit 49 home runs that season, setting a rookie record, and he was nearly a twig.
Most baseball players get bigger as their careers elaborate. For example, Bernie Williams was pretty small when he first appeared in the early 1990’s and he became much bigger. But it does not mean at all that he was on steroids.
There have been many breakthroughs in weightlifting and expanding muscle mass since ’87. McGwire never to me appeared to look awkward according to muscle mass distribution.
Now, when it comes to Bonds, therein lays a different story. McGwire was always a power hitter. Bonds averaged just about 33 home runs a year from 1986 through 2000; his then career-high was 49 achieved in 2000. Then out of nowhere, boom, 73! That is a number extraordinarily higher than every other one of his single-season totals in 15 years of Major-League experience.
Like McGwire, Bonds was a skinny little twig when he started playing in the Major League, but he never had the power like McGwire had. Bonds was a guy who could hit for a good average, hit 20-30 home runs, steal 30-40 bases, and drive in a solid amount or runners each season. Then he became a power hitter in 2000, out of the clear blue sky. Can anybody say "conspiracy?"
But, if there is anyone in the league who can challenge Bonds’ record, it’s Howard and Albert Pujols. There is a significant chance Howard can pass Maris this year and many people will consider him the single-season home run king, which is fair. Everyone has their reasoning for why they believe certain players did or didn’t "juice."
I hope one of the two is able to break Bonds’ record, though. It bothers me, and millions of other baseball fans, that a guy who cheated the game has that glorified of a record. It boiled my blood when Bonds passed Willie Mays’ mark of 660 and then Ruth’s of 714. Now he’s 25 away from tying Henry Aaron for the most all-time. Granted, nothing has been proven yet whether Bonds has or hasn’t taken anabolic steroids, but there is a significant amount of speculation.
There is one thing I don’t understand about this whole Bonds fiasco: Why don’t they subpoena him and make him take the witness stand? It is the only way we will find out for sure. If in fact he did not take steroids, then all the power to him and he deserves the record(s). Until then, no one will ever know the truth.
The saddest aspect about this whole steroids speculation, is the fact that every player that comes close to the home run records or has a career-year is going to be questioned. People will be talking around the water coolers discussing whether they believe the player is taking steroids or other performance enhancers and it really is a shame. Especially to the players who have worked hard their entire life to live the dream of being a Major League ballplayer and never did anything to cheat the game. Those are the players to feel sorry for and it really is a shame this is going to happen.
Sports are my life. I'm a diehard New York Yankees, Giants, and Rangers fan as well as Tennessee Volunteers football and North Carolina basketball. I can't stand watching the NBA regular season.
I work at ESPN as a Production Assistant, which means I cut some pretty sick highlights.
I enjoy writing mostly about my favorite teams because they are what I am most passionate about.
My aspiration is to be a play-by-play broadcaster for Major League Baseball and the National Football League. I was a broadcaster for the New England Collegiate Baseball League's Torrington Twisters in 2004. The games streamed worldwide via internet.
After the release of the much-anticipated Mitchell Report, some analysts, investigative reporters, players (not surprisingly), and fans are bothered with it.
made him overthrow first base by 15 feet and hit television anchor's mothers in the stands.
would you consider Howard the single-season home run king? I’d say no.
then career-high was 49 achieved in 2000. Then out of nowhere, boom, 73! That is a number extraordinarily higher than every other one of his single-season totals in 15 years of Major-League experience.
record. It boiled my blood when Bonds passed Willie Mays’ mark of 660 and then Ruth’s of 714. Now he’s 25 away from tying Henry Aaron for the most all-time. Granted, nothing has been proven yet whether Bonds has or hasn’t taken anabolic steroids, but there is a significant amount of speculation.
