Big Mac is back. Since hitting coaches don't do that much, there won't be much to say about his impact on the 2010 Cardinals. This story, ironically enough given the figure involved, is all about the past. Let's delve into it, shall we?
I'm often critical of the uneven way in which players associated with steroids are treated by the media and the public at large. Some, like Barry Bonds and Rogers Clemens, become pariahs. Others, like last night's heroes Andy Pettitte and now even Alex Rodriguez of all people, more or less go on with their lives and careers, their legends somewhat tarnished but mostly intact. The key -- apart from the avoidance of really stupid litigation -- seems to be whether or not the steroid guy in question is able to carry on with the baseball portion of his career. Pettitte and Rodriguez have given us something new to talk about since their names popped up on the PED lists. Our last memory of Mark McGwire, however, was of his awkward congressional testimony and his exhortation that we not dwell on the past. A past which, in his case, almost certainly involved the copious use of performance enhancing drugs. As a result of that day in 2005, McGwire has been in the wilderness. A Hall of Fame afterthought. One of the heads on the steroids Mount Rushmore.
But unlike a lot of the PED guys -- whom you all know by now I tend to sympathize with more than your average pundit -- I don't lose a lot of sleep over the way McGwire has been treated. His performance in front of Congress was not undeservedly mocked. But more than being merely ridiculous, his testimony that day represented a truly missed opportunity. An opportunity if taken could have spared baseball so much of the steroid sturm und drang it has suffered these past four years.
Unlike Rafael Palmiero, Sammy Sosa, Jose Canseco, Curt Schilling or any of the others called before the committee that day, Mark McGwire stood alone as someone with both the freedom to speak about steroids without fear of retribution -- he was out of the game by then -- and the integrity and popularity required to bring reason and thoughtfulness to bear on the issue of performance enhancing drugs. Barry Bonds was hated before steroids, and to a large extent so was Roger Clemens. Jose Canseco is a joke of a human being and Ken Caminiti was a tragedy. Mark McGwire was different. He was about as close a thing baseball had to a hero at the time of his retirement, and he was thus uniquely positioned to do something good, yet failed.
What would the past four years have looked like if, on that fateful day before Congress, Mark McGwire had said "Yes, I took steroids. Here's why. This was my cost-benefit analysis. I'm not thrilled with myself, but the choices I made were not unreasonable given the incentives and disincentives in place. I'll happily answer any questions you have"?
Initially, of course, it would have caused a firestorm. But that happened anyway. In the long run, however, the national conversation about performance enhancing drugs would have been elevated a bit, as we all would have had to deal with the fact that a guy all of America looked up to was taking them and being honest about them. Sure, some would have still called him a cheater and continued to beat the drum they're still beating today. But others might have thought twice and realized that Major League Baseball, the media, the fans and everyone else involved contributed some to the environment in which baseball found itself, and I believe that moment -- had it been effectively seized by McGwire -- would have led to a lot more thinking, reason, perspective, and compassion and a lot less bloviating when it comes to steroids.
Of course McGwire didn't do that, and he's been in self-imposed exile ever since, his reputation in tatters, and his Hall of Fame chances virtually non-existent. I haven't shed many tears for McGwire over this because he, perhaps more than anyone, could have prevented all of this madness.
But it has been more than four years now, and based on the accounts of McGwire I've read, they haven't been easy ones. I don't believe the death sentence -- even a self-imposed one -- is appropriate punishment for McGwire's sins, and I'm happy to see that he is coming back to the game.
I don't want or expect an apology or a public statement about McGwire's PED use at this point. There's not much for us to learn or him to say, to be honest. I also don't really care what this means for McGwire's Hall of Fame case. Sure, McGwire's normalization of relations with the baseball world might help, but the Hall of Fame has become such a complicated institution anymore that we're silly to wait for it and its voters to weigh in. And we're just as silly to care.
No, this is more about something smaller, yet more important. Redemption. No, not in the form of some maudlin media mea culpa or figurative group hug, but personal redemption. Redemption gained by McGwire's getting back to basics. By passing along his knowledge of hitting -- the single greatest gift he was ever given -- to the next generation. By returning to the healing ho-hum day-to-day existence of baseball. By offering, one hopes, some wisdom and perspective earned through his own experiences, both good and bad. It's my hope that through this process, he can maybe come to realize the opportunity he had and let pass before Congress in 2005.
It is also my hope that McGwire's is welcomed back. Not with open arms by one and all -- that's probably too much to ask -- but at least with some degree of wary acceptance. That a man who was once erroneously thought to be one of baseball's saviors, and then erroneously thought to be one of its villains, finally be allowed to be seen for what he truly is: a supremely gifted, yet supremely flawed man.
LET THE CIRCUS BEGIN,,,,,,,,,, Mac, take you MEDICINE AND MOVE ON
In the article, you mentioned that McGwire should have openly discussed the "cost benefit analysis" in his testimony to Congress - ok - so let's discuss it. He made millions, and got his name in record books - BENEFIT. He may never get in the Hall and he no longer respected by true fans of the game - COST. Only he can decide whether it was worthwhile - but I feel no obligation to "ease his pain."
Good stuff, Craig. Well said.
Craig,
Is this your personal absolution for Mark? I hope so, because the purposeful scam he played on both baseball fans and players was more damaging I believe than 8 players throwing a series for money needed to pay rent.
Who was Mark McGwire before he bulked up on steroids? Only the most avid baseball card collecting fans might know and most of those would not have recognized him (in his steroid induced physical tansition) had it not been for his name printed on the cards. What would they remember of him before steroids? His trek from the minors to become an ok hitter for a short time?
What he played on the game, his fellow players, and especially the fans was a sad satirical joke! He didn't remain a good hitter, no, he became an insulting aberration, hulking and overshadowing of one of the most honorable player and records held in all of baseball. What he owes to the fan base and especially to the Marris family goes well beyond tears at a senate hearing and certainly well beyond another sneaky return to baseball.
I hope when he least expects it a sports commentator jumps all over him with a direct question about what he did and expecially why he hasn't had the hulking man guts to come clean about it.
The reason Bonds and Clemens were made pariahs (beyond the fact that they were already hated, as you mention) was because they continued to lie absurdly in the face of significantly damning evidence. Pettitte stepped up and said "I took them and I'm sorry." The media storm lasted all of two days, and he was forgiven. My issue with Mac (and Bonds and Clemens) is not so much whether or not he used them, but that he didn't have the cajones to tell the truth. Who knows? Maybe those cajones were shrunken away. For now, I'll say he could still come clean and be forgiven like Pettitte.
Craig, what world do you live in? If McGwire had admitted steriod use before Congress he would be in jail. Do you really think that Alberto Gonzales would have missed the chance to clamp down on illegal drug use? Did steriods actually cause the boom in homeruns? I think not. I think dry baseballs caused it. Why? Since 2006 the humidity of all baseballs has been controlled. The number of dingers has dropped dramatically. Denver is the poster child for dry baseball. But, of course, I could be wrong and all those homeruns in Denver were caused by teams juicing it up every time they came into Denver.
Also please explain to me how steriods are PED. Steriods make you bigger and stronger, but do not in themselves enhance performance. Bennies and cocaine are PED, your reflects are quick after taking them. Bennies are still used by over 10% of all MLB players (legally with a doctor's note). Were any of the Yankees using PEDs last night?
I think this is a great opportunity to begin to put some closure on that era and move baseball forward. I've been a life long Cards fan and of course a Big Mac fan. I think he was the one that fell on his sword for every other player. It will good to see him back around the ballfield again and I think it will be good for the Cards and for baseball.
I think Mark McGwire should not be given a chance for redemption. For the egregious crimes he committed against humanity they should lock him up and throw away the key. Maybe even the death penalty.
(Do I sound like a baseball hall of fame voter or what?)
You know what? It was the culture of the time. Over and done with that thanks. I took them too. I'm a good person. I know other good people that took them as well.
Willmose: they never would have gone after him. Rafael Palmiero tested positive for PEDs mere weeks after telling Congress under oath that he had never taken a damn thing. If they didn't go after him, they wouldn't have gone after Mac.
But your point is taken that it's not a good idea to admit to drug use before Congress. Still, McGwire knew what he was going to be asked about. If he had wanted to talk about it -- which, as I said, could have been a good thing for baseball -- his lawyer could have called up the committe counsel beforehand and said "Mac wants to talk freely about what he's done and what he's taken and why. He's not going to out anyone else -- he's no snitch -- but if you want to here some unvarnished truth about this stuff rather than have my guy take the fifth or ramble on without answering your questions, grant him limited immunity and he'll talk."
Craig - are you upset that some 'roiders have been villified more than the ones like Pettite and Pay-Wad who are now given heroic accolades?
McGwire lost a chance to speak openly, and has paid for it. Maybe he can reclaim some of the good-will he lost, maybe not. Seems like a crap shoot when some can say "I only did once to get better" or "I only did it for a couple seasons because the weight of expectations was too much" and get away with it, but some others can say nothing and get all the wrath of the fans on them.
I'm not saying I agree with McGwire's non-comments - in fact I'd like to see the 2003 list published in its entirety - but when Pettite and Rodriguez get a pass when I feel they are obviously not coming 100% clean I feel there is a MAJOR DOUBLE STANDARD with a lot of fans and pundits.
Good luck to McGwire.
Craig, good article. I would suggest to you, though, that the reason Bonds, Clemens and McGwire became pariahs while others did not was not because they were finished with playing baseball, but because they never admitted to any wrongdoing and treated the fans like idiots. A-Rod and Pettitte and others at least made attempts to come clean, whether they were totally honest or not.
I have never really understood the steroid free-for-all. To be sure, I think steroids are harmful to those who use them. And I think they create the threat of harmfulness by users toward others through artificially induced psycho-belligerance that results from the overblown masculinity of testerone hyping in the human body. Moreso, I think their use is both unfair and coercive toward others to do the same, thus spreading the endangerment. The only thing they accomplish is a track record of accomplishment that says the individual doing the accomplishment is actually that good, when in fact they are just hyping on a high they can not possibly achieve or sustain naturally. In short, the user lives a lie in order to achieve the adulation they can not receive otherwise, and that they can not earn naturally - adulation that is then itself a lie. Translated, steroids are just plain wrong, and it is right to outlaw them.
But let's get back to some semblance of reasonability. Back in the McGuire heyday, they weren't illegal. They were used in widespread fashion in at least some professional sports. And it wasn't considered any more wrong then by them then by so many others today over viagra or any number of other so-called enhancers that saturate the television airwaves - enhancers that are just as wrong and just as damaging even if not recognized as such. We dare to flood the airwaves with such trash, and in the process teach any number of vulnerable youth that using drugs for pleasure is good, yet we hypocritically castigate our sports "heroes" who bought into the lies at a time when the rest of us did so too.
So what's the beef? Give the guy a break and give him some credit for having accepted what others taught as acceptible and nobody said otherwise. As for steroids, yes...let's get them out of the system. But remember the fine line between time periods when it was acceptible and when it no longer can be given the multitude of evidence emerging over its' dangers.
I will say this, there has never been a case of reported failed test, a trainer stating under oath, or a former team mate saying that Mac had played under the PEDs...his 'crime' he didn't want to focus on the past, but should be done in the future about PEDs in baseball...hmmm If you ask me, which no one did, Mac's treatment by MLB and sports writers does seem unfair!
Why do the Cards need a "high profile" hitting coach when they can observe the best natural hitter in baseball everyday in Albert?
Let's see if Barry Bonds gets the same chance at redemption. I seriously doubt it.
A teammate most certainly has said that McGwire used PEDs while playing. It's in Canseco's book.
To me, McGwire hiding for the past four years does not qualify him for any sort of absolution, much less an invitation back into MLB. Even A-Rod has shown more remorse. McGwire shows none.
He apparently believes that the public is stupid. He's probably right.
To be fair, Bonds has a history of being a big jerk to people in general and McGwire, even in his self-imposed exile, had been helping a lot of hitters with techniques and stuff over the past few years (read the linked USA Today article from 2008).
Different people, different personalities. Even without the steroids stuff, Bonds probably didn't want anything to do with the game after his playing days were over. And I say this as a guy who, generaly speaking, admires Bonds more than most people do.
hitting coack, come on,,,guy couldnt hit is weight,,before and after steriods,,
Let the guy try to make a living. If he is really a poor hitter, but was just on drugs, then he can't possibly be help to the newer players. Even criminals out from the pen are allowed and encourged to get a job if they can. Lets see what happens to him on the job.
shely
No one else on the St. Louis team is a consistent hitter. Pujols is Pujols and doesn't need a hitting coach to speak of. Others do. Matt Holiday won't be back as the owner won't pay the bucks. I also believe Larussa won't be around much longer and he wants McGuire to have a normal post baseball playing days life. Mark is a wonderful man and father who did something he regrets and didn't need too, and is sorry about. He hit 49 dingers as a 220 lb. rookie in one of the toughest HR parks, Oakland. His attorney advised him not to say anything at the Congressional hearing as there was legal exposure for 7 years. That is coming to an end soon, and then I think we will hear more about what he wrongly did. Bud Selig's lie of saying to Congress he had no idea that baseball had a steroid problem is far worse than any player's testimoney. He's a flat liar or he was locked in a closet for 5 years. Baseball locker rooms looked like football locker rooms all of a sudden, and HRs were flying out in record numbers. Can a commissioner be so stupid? Not even Bud Selig.
BA is one of the worst stats you can use to describe how good a hitter is. And again, what's with the weird comma usage, are you that poster Steve?
@ CC, I assume even if McGwire admitted he took 'roids during the '98 HR chase, the statute of limitations would have run out by the time he testified before Congress? But as you mentioned, not going after Palmeiro meant they probably wouldn't have gone after Big Mac either.
@ PJC
This is laughable. He was a 23 year old rookie who lead the league in HR's and won ROY. He's been known since he came into baseball.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/awards/awards_1987.shtml#ALroy
Oh yeah, and if there ever was an argument about people taking steroids in the '60s or '70s, Maris should be at the top of the list. He hits 28, 16, 39 and then 61 HR's and never hits more than 33 in a season afterwards. Get off your high horse.
I think all of you who judge are a bunch of hypocrites.
This is a game - certainly not life or death.
How would you like the entire country to judge and evaluate your performance in the workplace? And don't give me any of that "I'm a paying fan" bull. Government workers are paid using your tax dollars - does that give you the right to promote them, condemn them, and pass general judgment?
What a world that we live in - you live your lives so perfectly - and you have so much free time in your lives to worry about others transgressions.
Let these guys play ball. If you don't agree with the way they lead their lives - then don't watch them. Let MLB police the game. The game evolves as the players and technology evolve. It will never stop.
Excellent bit of thoughtful writing, Craig. I don't agree with all your conclusions, but you have the distinction of trying to treat both the broader issue and the case at hand with fairness and intelligence.
I would add that I think even Bonds hasn't been as vilified. Yes, he's a pariah, but he's also still invoked as a great player all the time - how many times did I hear his 2002 playoff run mentioned in the past week without a trace of irony? But McGwire is relegated to the dustbin of baseball history, a one trick pony who took 'roids, hit some dingers, and didn't do much else. A successful stint as a batting coach could, if nothing else, show that he was more than just a home run king.
I also would note that there is a story here about Tony LaRussa. Not many men would take this sort of risk, but it's clear LaRussa remains his own man, and also a man whose loyalty to friends transcends other concerns.
The Mike above me stated a lot of what I wanted to say, but I feel compelled to add...
McGwire was, and I'll assume still is until proven otherwise, a good person. When he came to St. Louis, he took a 3 million dollar a year contract, and 1 million of that went to charity. You think at the time he couldn't have made a lot more money somewhere else?
Was he a perfect example for people to follow? Apparently not. I'm of the opinion he should have come clean about what he did a while ago.
But to call him a horrible person and claim he only did it for the money and the fame... learn to judge a little less, please.
OK you say McGwire should have openly discussed the "cost benefit analysis" how about all you A - Hole sports writers and baseball in general that made billions on him, Sosa, Palmero, Bonds. Every one knew what they wer etaking, every one filled their pockets with th cash from their mamoth shots. You are all jokes and pathetic coninuning this witch hunt of thesesn great ball players. Taken or not taken, the roids do nothing to take away any of these players greatness. There is no hall of fame with out them in it.
You should research steroids a little more. Oral steroids can be harmful to the liver if taken in excess for a prolonged period. Injectable steroids have absolutely no negative side-effects whatsoever: not even "roid-rage" because it's been proven time and time again in medical tests that "roid-rage" doesn't exist.
Aside from those points though, I agree with your other comments.
As a Cards fan, it pleases me to see McGwire returning to the Cards as a batting coach. Even if he isn't a great batting coach, he will give the team a boost of confidence having such a big name on the team and the fans will be greatful to know that he still cares about STL. I know the STL fans have forgiven him and can't wait to see his return. Welcome back, Mac.
It's strange to read an article by Craig and not have any references to the Yankees stealing, cheating, or killing innocent people.
If you take every third, sixth, and tenth letter, divide by six, and add two letters, there is a secret message implying that Joba is a killer robot from Venus.
McGwire is a cheater and liar. He wasnt a great hitter anyways unless you count chemical assisted homeruns. I remember when he broke the record, my friends and I stopped everything we were doing to see him hit. What a shame what he became!
http://boston.sportsthenandnow.com/
Willmose,
How many home runs did the players (suspected or amitted) hit after the big swell of media activity hit.. Can you look at the before and after numbers and realistically make the claim that they do not enhance performance..
I think you are at best a little niave...
What's MacShooter going to do at batting practice, hand out needles. No way he deserves to be in MLB. I hope the fans rip him back to retirement.
Let's not dwell on the past.....Welcome back Mac!
Let he who is without sin....................
I wonder if I am the only one getting the McGuire story when I try to open another story on Girardi? The McGuire article was very good and the responses are quite varied, depending on who people hate. It would be nice to see the other one, too.
Couldn't have said it better myself!
speak for yourself StlFan. not all fans have forgiven him. those who have respect for the game in its purest form still have reservations about his actions.
Let's face it...It all boils down to the pundits like or dislike of a player. Bonds wouldn't talk to the press, so he is hammered every chance they get. They also didn't like Manny or A-Rod. Big Papi got a free pass. Bonds has been dumped on for six or seven years an the stupid grand jury can't put him away. Why because they can't prove anything and the real reason...HE BROKE HANK AARONS RECORD.But also remember how Hank was hated whern he broke the Babes record. It's the fickle press and so called baseball lovers (who have probably cheated and lied more than you can imagine). I say WHO CARES..
....cast the first baseball???? let's not throw religion into this mix. it's just some good clean fun amongst baseball fans. that's it.
I give Mark McGwire lots of points for coming back to St. Louis to face his toughest critics - all of the people who were "believers" and were then so crushed when they thought they had been duped. There are no fans in the country like the loyal "Cardinal Nation". I think he will earn his "forgiveness" because it will take guts to come back here and face the people who put him on that pedestal.
O.K., I am not advocating the use of steroids. But, hear me out. There is no way that steroids helped Barry Bonds or Mark McGuire "see" the ball better or Roger Clemens be more accurate with his pitching or be able to put more spin on the ball. Physically, you do not have to be muscle bound to hit homeruns (e.g., Derek Jeter). So, in my opinion, steroids do nothing to "enhance your performance". What steroids and growth hormones do is help you heal from injuries much faster. Longevity is one of the keys to a Hall of Fame career. If you avoid becoming injured; or, recover from an injury much quicker by using human growth hormone, than you will have a better chance of compiling more impressive statistics.
Again, I am not advocating the use of steroids or human growth hormone. But honestly, if there is a substance that you can take that will keep you healthy or heal quicker and you are aware of the potential side effects, what is wrong with that? I wish that any discussions in the media about "Performance Enhancing Drugs" would at least mention what these drugs really do.
I liked Mac back in his day, but what is he going to teach the kids? How to mix steroids and Adro in such a way that they won't get caught? I say no. It opens the door to all the other cheaters to be treated as other than what they are. They had their chance, the cheated, it's over.
Welcome back Big Mac. Real Cardinals Fans are happy to have you
MG as a hitting coach? Joke...
McGwire needs a bra like these girls http://bit.ly/sportsboobs
I wa so happy to hear that Mac was coming back to the St. Louis Cards!!!!
Didn`t he have the bottles in his locker? It seems like he wasnt trying to hide them. I am sure the fans in good old St. Louis will give him a great welcome. If I still lived there I would be one of the first. He brought baseball back after the strike and brought all the fans back again!!!! He made all of ST. Louis so very proud of him and the baseball team. Leave him alone, Tony is the kind of friend everyone would hope to have. Be that friend to Mac!
Reinstate Pete Rose!
To dispell the widely held belief that steroids weren't illegal during the 'steroid era'.
Steroids became a Class III controlled substance in 1990, it became illegal to trafick in steroids in 1988.
So during the 'steroid era' as fas as the Fed was concerned it was illegal to obtain and use steroids without a perscription.
Now, during this time, steroids were technically prohibted by MLB, but there was no testing system in place or real punishments for steroid use.
Big Mac never tested positive for steroids because of the lack of testing. He did however admit to using Andro, which at the time was not banned by MLB but was banned by every other pro sport, college sports and the Olympic committee.
I have no opinion on him returning to St Louis as their hitting coach, but I will not deny a man his right to earn a living in his chosen field.
When has the game ever been "pure"? In the 20s and 30s when the game was segregated? 50's, 60s and 70s when amphetamenes were rampant, or 80s/90s/00s when steroids were prevalant? The "purity of baseball" is just as much of a farce as the mock outrage most people have over cheating in baseball (which is also rampant since the beginning of the game).
Sorry for the double post, here is the link I got my fact from:
http://www.drugpolicy.org/drugbydrug/steroids/
I think people forget that ther were potention legal issues for admmitting to steroid use when McGuire had to go before congress. I personally wish he would have said nothing. People are so quick to forget all the charity work he did when he was active in baseball and alot of his charity work was never publicly reported. This is a man who truely loves others, who got in a bad situation by showing some bad judgement. I think he is also a very honest and caring individual. I am glad to see him back in baseball and I hope he makes a great hitting coach.
He was and still is a cheat. That's how he'll be remembered. He chose to distance himself from everyone involved in baseball and isolate fans in the progress. Now, he wants back in the game and expects to be received by all as if nothing happened?
Go back into your whole, Mac, and don't come back out.
Wow! A reasonable, rational, no hysterics analysis of a part of the PED controversy. Very refeshing. I'm not interested in a pound of flesh, and I'm glad that he is back.
You must not be a true St. Louis fan, because as most of the cardinals fans posting here would agree that they are happy to see Mac back and will likely forgive him.
He should be welcomed back, he saved the game itself during that great season he hit 70. After the last strike, baseball was in serious trouble. I don't care what they say he did, or what he did, the man had and showed more CLASS than 99% of pro athletes do. He should be in the HOF.
I agree Mark McGwire might've used the public forum the hearings presented him to inject a note of reality into the steroid debate. Which it sadly lacks to this day, with rare and shining exceptions. Such as your columns on the subject.
Would it really have been wise for him to tell the truth to Congress, with it in witch-hunting mode? That's not a reliable or predictable animal, and one that's seldom averse to offering up a human sacrifice for the sake of being seen to "do something."
And isn't the real question, "What the Hell is Congress doing interfering in, and wasting time on, baseball?"
Tell me; was taking steroids illegal back then? Did any of these guys violate the law? Was it immoral? Wasn't steroid use viewed by the players asssoc, the managers and the owners with a wink and a nod?
Baseball is still about stats just as it has been for over a hundred years. Good stats equate to good pay; great stats equate to great pay. What is or was wrong with trying to improve yourself. We have characterized it as wrong and the people as using then as fakes or failures. That is not the case. Most of these people were good if not great players in the first place but were to improve their level of play by their competitiveness, by the fans and by the system.
These men are just human beings with both great skills and traditional human failings that we all have. They don't deserve our forgiveness because they didn't do anything wrong. They earned their stats, millions of dollars and they deserve to be in the hall of fame; including Mr. Rose.
Sorry Craig your an idiot, was not Mcguires fault that baseball took a hit. How about blaming the real culprit & that was Bud Selig & his merry band of greedy owners, baseballs were flying out at record levels & money was pouring in at record levels. It was a concerted effort by all, not just Bonds & McGuire. McGuire wasn't the first guy to go before Congress & look bad. All the Commisoners were there too & they all sound like little boys caught in a lie.
Enough Already! We all know these guys used PEDs, and there is a list of 100+ names floating in the ether that is like the large elephant in the room, as we all await the next large bit of excrement to come forth. The only way to move on is to publish the entire thing. Unfortunately, the list was not destroyed, so it will forever be used to indict the next poor sap who discusses this issue under oath unless it is made public.
From my perspective, the issues is more about the 'method' of cheating, and less about the cheating itself.
Baseball has a long history of glorifying their heros, enshrining even those that scuffed, pine-tarred, corked, or otherwise enhanced their efforts, into the hall of fame.
Baseball has moved on to address the issue head on, as best it can within the collective bargaining framework. Let it go!
Thanks, Craig! Thought provoking. I have a hard time giving a free ride to any of these guys, the 'bad' guys or the 'good' guys. The guy who really should be taking the heat, is the guy who turned head, or had it in the sand. ". . . best interests of the game . . .", ". . .integrity of the game . . . ". Where were you, Bud?
No way. He's a cheater. Rose is/was a gambler - whats the difference? He doesn't deserve any more of a second chance than does Pete Rose.
Chuck, you just need to go home. Mcgwire and Sosa not only saved baseball from it's imminent strike ridden death, but he above anyone else was a true statesman. Do I like that he took steroids? No. But ask yourself that if that home run derby hadn't taken place, where would baseball be today? I rest my case.
McGuire is a disgrace. On that fateful day before Congress he "lawyered-up", embarrassed himself, his family, his name and MLB. He cheated and he lied about it. All for the money. And what about the players who had to go out and get real jobs, decent players who got cut, but who refused to cheat. They don't have millions but they have their integrity. McGuire has none. Really, what did he tell his kids? I'm sure, out of desperation, he lied to them. Does the man have no shame. When "Bud Lite" Selig became the commissioner it was the beginning of the end for baseball. An owner as commissioner. And he knew for years about the steroid problem. But the revenues were flowing so he decided to address it another day. How about today Bud? I mean you have two admitted drug users, Pettite and A Rod, playing in the World Series. But not a word from Bud or a question from the sport hacks/writers, the guardians of the game. Not today please, ah, we'll address it in the off-season. Pathetic.
I'm a McGwire fan, but what about that bottle of Andro that everybody saw in his locker? Oh, I know, he was keeping it for a friend!
I'd like to remind all these so called Cardinal fans just who it is you're so anxious to welcome back. This is the guy that was a big grouch most of the time and was not fan friendly at all. I haven't forgotten how he thumbed his nose at St. Louis by faxing in his resignation without so much as "see ya" to the fans. Even when he did come back for some event - I forget what, he spent all of about 30 seconds on the field and then bolted again. No thanks Mark, for all your home runs I remember a ton of strikeouts. I see no need to teach that to the rest of the team.
He will teach them to shoot up in the butt, as to leave no tracks, hit 50 homers and to hit .235 - what a find!! Only LaRussa
Craig-
You are a jerk! You probably have zero atheletic ability and take great pleasure being a critic. How about this, dont throw stones if you live in a glass house. I am sure you have broken any laws or "cheated". BS, you have sped, yea yea going with the flow of traffic and its not the same. Sure you dont dye your hair, dude your a moron who picks on people. This guy saved the game, did as much or little as many of his cohorts and has taken the brunt of it all. Lets hear you blast A-Fraud or Pepe from the Yankees. How clean id this titile or the previous ones? Dude just go away your such a one sided jerk off I cant belive I am even posting this
Craig Calcaterra. I've never heard of such a lame reason for treating two men of equal crimes different. McGwire deserves a break where Bonds doesn't because he helped some hitters? Get real. And your excuse that McGwire was not the supposed jerk to people that Bonds was is equally false. They were both cheaters and they were both jerks, so find another reason to treat the black man as a greater criminal than a white man because you sure failed here.
@ Mike and all others ready to forgive...
I assume you all haven't taken into consideration the fact that there were "ACTUAL VICTIMS" in the steroid age of baseball. Yes..... VICTIMS!
For the hundreds of CLEAN minor leaguers waiting in the wings, and working hard, that couldn't make their way to the majors, because their paths were blocked by overpaid drug using egomaniacs who were able to maintan their big league status through the cyclical benifits their wealth/PED use afforded them....
...not only were these clean kids cheated out of a lifelong dream, but they were cheated out of a significant amount of money in contracts they would have been earning at a big league level.
At some point, the media will finally wake up and focus in on the fact that there was actually a crime committed.
My heart, along with so many of my other former minor leaguers hearts, all weep for Mark McGuire!
I trust and like Mark more than most people and congress.
he was a great player. A new start and fresh page.
WTF. What a prick; not McGwire, Calcaterra. Damn, a REAL writer that walks on water and personally speaks to God on a daily basis; probabibly to tell him where God is wrong and how he can fix it. What an ass.
I am not surprised that McGuire and only McGuire received an opportunity at "redemption".
But if McGuire is receiving an oportunity, then Sosa, Palmero, Canseco, & Bonds should be extended the same opportunity.
Until that happens McGuire will have received better treatment than Sosa, Palmero, Canseco, & Bonds. I wonder why...........
@ A Mac Fan
People also forget all the great charity work Bernie madoff does for charities!
People are funny that way. They become sooooooo philinthropic when it's other people's money that they are earning. The cheaters are always the best people. ...until they are exposed. ...and once they are exposed, they stop their charities, they disappear from the radar, and they forget "how great" they are "supposed to be".
hmmmmm.... Maybe it's because they weren't so great after all?
I wonder if Big Mac has offered any of his 1983-2003 salary to any of the career AAA prospects in the Oakland A's and StL Cardinals organizations??? Did he give a dime to that career minor leaguer who was waiting for his shot, but was blocked by Big Mac's steroid pumped body standing in his way???
Big Mac, More like Big Whopper! Please go back to your dark place. You've done enough damage to the game.
Rich Hartmann
Boy I am so sick of people acting high and mighty about this. I have been a personal trainer for the past 12 years. I train competitive atletes, children,retirees and the average housewife. I am not now nor have I ever been a supporter of steroids. I do however see the bigger problem. It starts young. Kids are given every incentive to perform in sports. When they get older they are admired and often given a pass when they act out and get in trouble. If they ever make in to professional sports they are idolized and payed an outlandish ammount. What has happened in this ammount of time is such an unfair ammount of importance is put on sport performance. Not making wise choices. Excuse after excuse. Only when they are caught do we as spectators hold them accountable.But I, along with everyone else watched as Mcguire hit his homeruns. We want our athletes to be larger than life. That's what we paid for correct? If they get injured, they aren't allowed time to heal. So what happens? They start enlisting "help". There are families to feed, lawyers to pay, endorsement contracts, and yes a ton of money on the line. So how do you convince a 27 year old pro athlete to not use "help" when the difference could be millions of dollars in the pros, or losing their job to one of the millions of college athletes waiting to take their place for less.
Don't condem the man. Look at the system in it's entirety. If we want the system changed start with the young kids who are playing now. Show the kids that there are much more important things in life than throwing a touchdown,hitting a ball, or sprinting a quarter mile. Make them accoutable for their actions now so they'll know how to be accountable when they are older.
Your post in non sense. I imagine you are just trying to make people like myself ... post some crazy stuff ...
Don't defense McGuire ... he could be as guilty as Alex, etc.
Now, I do agree he deserves a chance to be back ...
I don't even watch baseball anymore. A-Rods knocking balls out of the park. Pettitte's pitching no hit inning after inning. I have better things to do then watch Steriod enhanced gorrilas cheating while the legit players are dwarfed by these no morals, do what it takes to get ahead and win, all about me, jerks.
Rich Dickmann,
And you blame that on Mark McGuire, your an idiot along with this idiot blogger. Do you know that he(McGuire) took PEDs? Hell now, you just want to jump on the bandwagon. Again I say to you, where is your talk about A-Fraud, Clemens, Petite ??? These are all admitted or proven users. How about you mispeel a word and we bar you from your stupid remarks. Your a fool, maybe a fool who was in the minors and didnt get called up. No one is garenteed a spot on the big roster and if you had smarts you would know that and that even if there numbers were good in the minors that dosent always (
I'm sick of writers on Viagra and Rogane heaping abuse on McGwire. He walked away from baseball because he felt he was past his prime when he could have taken a plush DH contract like any number of over-the-hill players. When he was taking andro, he acknowledged it and it was not a banned substance.
McGwire is a class act. So he didn't make a good impression before Congress. He's a ballplayer, not a speechmaker.
McGwire doesn't owe baseball anything. Baseball owes him.
Lou,
Finally someone with common sense. I agree with you 100%.
You cant break the law if it isnt a law.
Give McGuire a break, he didnt point a finger and say " I never had sex with that woman" or worse, I have never taken any type of PED (Palmerio). Your reading posts from losers who are surely not without sin. Some sorry ass examples hiere to try and justify beating down a man, who at worst used a little bad judgement (A at the time legal substance) and best a player who saved the game after the greddy bastards went on strike. and for you Rich Hartman that was a crime. How many of your precious minor leaugers lost out on that deal, you fool
Who was Mark McGwire before he bulked up on steroids? He hit 49 homers in 1987, and no less than 22 every year thereafter until 1992. And I'm not 'an avid baseball card collecting fan'. Please do just a minute of research before posting this stuff. Clearly he probably took PED's starting sometime in the mid-1990's when his production began to slip. That's when you notice the physical changes. But he hit 30+ homers for years prior with the slight build you say would make him so unrecognizable. But hey, facts just get in the way of a good post, right?
As a resident of St. Louis I can guarantee that he'll be welcomed back with open arms and greeted as the missing hero he is. Of course he used some type of enhancement drugs, but at the time were they looked at as "cheating"? I don't think so. The enhancements he was taking were soon to be outlawed, but at the time they were not.
The guy was a great hitter, with or without andro. Come on home and teach our boys how to hit Mark. And welcome home.
okay...first of all, if you're doing to discuss the man, how about spelling his name correctly? It's McGwire.
I'm a Cardinals fan who will be delighted to see Mac back in a Cardinal uniform.
First of all, there has never been ANY hard evidence that he used steroids. He wasn't in the Mitchell report. You have to give me more than the word of Jose Canseco...a bankrupt man trying to sell a book.
I have never understood why McGwire has been made the devil incarnate and whipping boy icon of the steroid era. Yep, he used Andro. It was in full sight in his locker and he bought it at GNC. Not banned by baseball. After the fuss, he immediately stopped using it.
I have to shake my head over all the folks saying he should be banned forever. IF he used steroids, he did it with the full knowledge of MLB. Yes, it was illegal, but it was ignored. You think the man had no talent?? If all it took was using steroids, then why weren't a whole lot more players knocking out 450 footers??? Please! Nowadays, Manny Ramirez, Alex Rodriguez and Andy Petitte test positive to PED's, serve their sentences and come back to cheering crowds. You can't have it both ways. Why the hypocrisy?
You want his record taken away?? Well, you'd better start getting the ready to take down a bunch of plaques in the HOF. What about the rampant cocaine and amphetamine use in the 50's, 60's and 70's??
Did he look bad in front of Congress? You betcha! I think he took the advice of his lawyers. I can't say I wouldn't have done the same in his place.
The man has earned the job. Let him do it without all this stupidity rehashed. If you want to get your undies in a bunch and refuse to set foot in Busch Stadium...well...more tickets for me! Welcome back Big Mac!
DJThree,
OK First of all the mans name is McGwire not "MAC" you moron,
Second, you havent seen the Mitchell report or the list of the 100 other users, so shut up LOSER,
Third of all, despite Canseco being a loser, he hasnt been wrong about anyone he has named yet-FOOL,
Forth of all what sentence did A-Fraud do, or Petetite you azzwipe
And finally, really cool comparing this crap to illegal drugs, you must be s street dealer and know all about this stuff, your a loser and you cAN HOP into bed with you correctly spelled "Big Mac" and have a love fest you simplistic foolish moronic idiot!
How can a power hitter be a good hitting instructor? I don't get it. (That's OK though, there are a lot of things I don't get)
Many missed the point. He not only cheated and would NEVER have broken any records if he hadn't done so, but he spit in our faces by lying and taking credit for something that drugs did not Mark McLiar. He's not man enough to admit the truth and now his suck up buddies like the author will make a career out of writing to defend him. He's a gutless coward and should be barred from baseball.
Who cares anymore? After the 1994 fiasco between the players and owners, I don't spend money on baseball. I loved watching it, but I fell out of love with MLB.
Awww...does somebody want to fight on the playground later?
Why doesn't anybody hate on Babe Ruth, who didn't have to compete with minorities for a roster spot, who faced one pitcher all nine innings, who sometimes had the fences moved in for him, who rarely played night games. What an overrated SOB. He never faced a Pedro Martinez or Mariano Rivero.
I favor McGuire and he answered all the questions correct. Barry Bonds is the one who took steoids constantly to build up his body because he was so jealous of McGuire he wanted to pass him up. Bonds need to be in a court room and questioned about his use. McGuire is a person that would not downgrade another player to benefit himself. I am also glad that he was the one to break the record of Roger Maris not Bonds. That record stood for 37 years and even if Bonds hit more home runs he didn't past one of the greatest records in baseball. He should have been voted into the Hall of Fame but jealousy got the best of many players. That's what it is all about. Hank Aaron passed Babe Ruth's record but it took him many many months to do it not the short time it took Babe Ruth. I think McGuire and Ruth are the best in baseball and cannot be replaced.
I'm curious how much McGwire can actually help. He spent time this off-season "helping" Bobby Crosby, which didn't amount to anything. He also tutored Matt Holliday, who started the year horribly.
Calm down on your jealousy. McGuire doesn't owe anything to anybody. I watched McGuire hit that home run passing the mark of Roger Maris just as I watched Maris hit his 61st home run with the Yankees. The Maris family was happy to see McGuire and glad that he was the one to do it and so am I. Barry Bonds is the one that used steroids in heavy doses so he could pass Mark McGuire. Jealousy got the best of him. Hank Aaron passed the mark of Babe Ruth but it took him months longer to do it. McGuire was the best one to hire for hitting coach and he sure knew how to hit that ball. McGuire does not downgrade other players and answered the questions accordingly.
I have not seen my two comments on this board. Do you have a second page? I replied to one of them and it should be under his statement.
Barry Bonds should have been barred from baseball. In fact they should take his record away because he became heavy on steriods after he witnessed the record passing of Maris. Other than that he wasn't interested in home runs but jealousy got the best of him. He should be called in to answer questions about his steroid use because they know he used them constantly.
Of course Ruth didn't have to face minorities because they were not allowed to play with white players. Get a grip. That was in the 20's and 30's. Thank god for Jackie Robinson whose team broke the barrier and he was one of the greatest. People of all races should be able to play the game if they qualify. And what about Ernie Banks one of the most respected players in baseball. When he came up to hit the croud went wild.
I'm no longer a cards fan, I'm now a cubs fan. Cheaters should be banned for life.I watched them every day and now I'll watch the Cubs or anybody else.
I still don't understand why people think using something that wasn't illegal when he used it is such a big deal. Look at the size of NFL linemen 30 years ago and now. You can't tell me they're not getting helped by something. McGwire is still one of the best, a classy guy, and yes, I believe he missed an opportunity to show up this little "better than thou" circus when he had the chance. I always assumed he was working out and making judicious use of what was then legal (androstenedione was legal at the time, and was NOT classified as a steroid). He brought baseball from the brink after the strike and gave us all something to cheer on. Let's clarify: he wasn't a cheater, he was doing what was possible with the body he had and he made a great run at it. So don't be calling him a cheater unless you can throw an unjuiced stone, term paper, or lab notes that only you ever did. You've never cheated in your life? If you insist otherwise, you just did.
"I have better things to do then watch Steriod enhanced gorrilas cheating while the legit players are dwarfed by these no morals, do what it takes to get ahead and win, all about me, jerks."
Like work on your spelling, I assume.
If baseball in the "steriods" era is such a waste of your precious time, why are you screeching about it instead of watching TV or working on your lawn?
It is a truth almost universally acknowledged that El Hombre, Mr. Albert Pujols, is the best player active right now. As far as I've ever heard, he's legit, not to mention devout. If you have better things to do than watch that guy, you crazy.
I guarantee nearly all of the people condemning these guys would have done the same thing if they were in that situation. They probably already have done something ethically questionable to propel their career or feed their family.
McGwire is a great man and baseball player. He holds the rookie record for HRs (49). He is the alltime home run average leader (1 HR every 10 at bats). He won a world series ring. He has a longtime organization that helps abused kids. When he retired he had 30 million dollars coming to him and gave it back to the Cardinals!!!! When did you last see ANY professional athlete do that? Most all pull a Stephon Marbury (take the money no matter if they are playing or not). How can you possibly label a man as honorable as Mark McGwire a cheat?
The sportswriters have been COMPLETELY UNFAIR to McGwire, they keep bringing up congress, which only a few players were singled out to testify. Manny Ramirez just used banned substances THIS YEAR did NOT apologize and he can play ball, yet McGwire can't coach????? The majority of players in the 90s used something now banned. Players are still using them. Welcome back Big Mac, a true hall of famer!
As an avid baseball fan all my life, I had the opportunity to follow Mark McGwire. If you think that he "bulked up" like Barry Bonds did late in his career, you are wrong. Look at the rookie baseball cards for both players. McGwire was always huge. The guy hit 50 homers as a rookie, and kept up those #'s over his whole career. He wasn't like Palmeiro, Sosa, or Bonds who grew freakishly big and started pounding out 40 more homers per year than he had ever been able to hit. Do the research. I say McGwire belongs in the hall if any other player from that era does. He was never found guilty of anything, and didn't test positive for anything illegal, and if you think he should have thrown himself on a grenade for whatever reason, you are also wrong.
To "Church of the Perpetually Outraged ",
Don't you think your comment "...and if there ever was an argument about people taking steroids in the '60s or '70s, Maris should be at the top of the list. He hits 28, 16, 39 and then 61 HR's and never hits more than 33 in a season afterwards. Get off your high horse." is a little off base?
What are you saying, that he took steroids just in 1961 to set the record and then went off them?
I was a Maris fan growing up and the man got no recognition until AFTER he died.
I do not know what to say, right to the point. Thank You.
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