THE 50 HR CLUB...a very telling list.....

[Archive]

Posted By: Al C.risafulli

Obviously I don't know who used and who doesn't.

But a history of injuries to tendons and long muscles, punctuated by monstrous seasons of 50 home runs, to me, is a sign of steroid use. A-Rod has shown us that you don't need to be a big, bloated, gorilla like Jose Canseco to be a steroid user.

Therefore I will consider every player from the 1998-2003 era - including Griffey, Pujols, Ortiz, Jeter, Posada, Varitek, etc - GUILTY of using steroids. There were no tests until 2003, baseball made it clear that "chicks dig the long ball," clubhouses permitted steroid dealers on the premises and hired inexperienced "strength and conditioning coaches," and there is still no test for HGH. I now consider all players guilty until proven innocent, and since no player can possibly prove himself innocent, I will just assume they all used. I'm already over it, and I can now comfortably recognize the greatness of Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens.

I will also consider any player who had a miracle season, far ahead of his peers and far beyond any other season in his career, during which time reporters noted his hair was falling out "in clumps," GUILTY of using some sort of PED.

I will also consider any player who played baseball after the 1960s GUILTY of using amphetamines.

If an edge is available to a professional athlete, they will take it.

-Al

[ScottFandango]

lookslike we may be adding another name to the list this year

PUJOLS....

i think he will definately be on the top part of the list@!

so does Bill James who thinks Pujols may be the Best right handed hitter ever!

[philliesphan]

It's too early to tell on Pujols. No one is arguing his greatness -- but he still doesn't have enough years in the majors to qualify for the HOF.

Howard is not a PED user. There are a lot of question marks on the bottom half of the list, but we should not forget that there can be strong home run hitters today...and not associate everyone on that list with steroids.

[ScottFandango]

i just drew the line on the chronological list....its not a list of users or non users.....some on the bottom list ARE clean...

PS I really enjoyed reading through this thread...great comments...

[FrankWakefield]

I think Pujols is a genuine ballplayer.

Howard in the same sentence with Pujols, no way. He's a good, solid player. But Howard has 199 home runs in 6 seasons, 565 RBI's, hitting .276, OBP of .375, slugging .582.

And you put that up there with 351 home runs in 9 seasons, 1062 RBI's, .335 average, .428 OBP, and .631 slugging. If Howard hits about .460 each of his next 3 seasons, bangs out about 51 home runs and 160+ RBI's each of those seasons, then he'll reach where Pujols is now. Not gonna happen.

[philliesphan]

Frank-

In no way was I trying to compare Ryan Howard's stats to Albert Pujols. They are sluggers of a different class. Scott was talking about Pujols...and I, as a Phillies Phan, wanted to bring up one of the non-PED users on the bottom half of the list.

To be clear on Howard, though -- it is a tad unfair to say he's played "6 seasons". He was a September call-up in 2003, played half of 2004, and has only played half of 2009. He only has enough games under his belt equivalent to four full seasons. Pujols, on the other hand, has played 8 full seasons coming into this year.

[FrankWakefield]

Hey Marc,

You are right about Howard only having a tiny piece of that first season, that does make the comparison slightly unfair. He hits home runs to all fields, and averages one HR every 12.1 at bats. That is better than Pujols' one HR every 13.9 at bats. I think I'm still about right on Howard needing to hit .460 with about 50 home runs to catch up.

Would it not be neat to see the two on the same team, I'd bat Albert 3rd and Ryan 4th. And I'd let the pitcher hit 8th....

I saw Joseph Blanton pitch once during his senior year in high school, he attended the little high school here in my home town. So I cheer your Phils on from time to time!!