OT: McGwire finally comes clean

Fred · #1 01-11-2010, 05:03 PM

I applaud McGwire for finally breaking his silence. Sure, we pretty much already knew that he used PEDs, but for him to finally come clean has got to lift a weight off his shoulders. It'll be interesting to see if any other players want to "belly up to the bar" and own up to what they've done.

We pretty much know who a lot of the PED users are (Sosa, Bonds, Clemens and many others). I think that coming clean might actually do some good because then the era of PED abusers could have a little closure and baseball could just "move on".

rdwyer · #2 01-11-2010, 05:17 PM

No respect from me. I rather hire an ex-felon.

ethicsprof · #3 01-11-2010, 05:57 PM

i guess he really wanted to be the hitting coach.
always some external motivation to be truthful.
man, i love the deadball era.

best,
barry

whycough · #4 01-11-2010, 07:32 PM

Just saw Mark on MLB network with Bob Costas. Kept on saying steroids provided him no increase in strength; it was his hand eye coordination, a gift from God. Always good to throw God in there.

rdwyer · #5 01-11-2010, 07:55 PM

Oh, I get it. It was a Cardinal sin, right?

PolarBear · #6 01-11-2010, 09:31 PM

When I read the article on SI, my first thought was that with another HOF shutout, he's trying to make people think he's sorry, and worthy of the HOF.

yawie99 · #7 01-11-2010, 09:46 PM

I suspect McGwire is not so much attempting to enhance his Hall of Fame chances, which I think he essentially doomed with that pathetic showing on Capitol Hill a few years ago, but trying to minimize the circus atmosphere that was sure to develop once he returned to the Cardinals' bench. I don't know if the club or LaRussa encouraged him to finally speak today or if he did it entirely on his own, but it just seems too late to this Cardinal fan.

BlueDevil89 · #8 01-11-2010, 09:49 PM

It's all part of the plan to rehabilitate his reputation. Those who come clean get a pass (A-Rod, Pettitte, etc). Those who lied get denied HOF votes. Tony Larussa is trying to guide Mac back into the good graces of baseball. There's no sincerity, it's all just PR.

[If Mac had been elected into the HOF last week, do you think this announcement is ever made?]

ctownboy · #9 01-11-2010, 11:12 PM

Oh, for those who say my suggestion about punishment for cheating is a double standard (Gaylord Perry using the Spit Ball and being elected to the Hall of Fame), think about this, the Spit Ball is NOT criminally illegal to use.

Also, did Perry use the Spit Ball EVERY pitch he threw in the Majors? No. However, EVERY Pitcher who used steroids was aided with every pitch they threw. So even if Perry threw 10 or 20 Spit Balls a Game, he was NOT aided as much as Pettite or, allegedly, Clemens, for example, because EVERY pitch they threw was, in effect, illegal.

David

Rickyy · #10 01-12-2010, 01:56 AM

He came clean well not really - can't believe he said he would have hit homeruns without taking steroids.. that kind of ruined any sense of credebility right there...

I hope LaRussa knows what he's doing...hiring Big Mac as a hitting instructor could be a season long distraction...for him and his team...and he's already tightly wound.

ctownboy · #11 01-12-2010, 02:03 AM

Rickyy,

Guys like McGwire would have still hit Home Runs and probably led the league but they wouldn't have hit so many. That is because the pitchers wouldn't be throwing so hard and the hitters wouldn't be as strong and wouldn't be able to get the bat through the hitting zone as quick.

So instead of Home Runs, guys would be either be hitting more fly ball Outs or foul balls.

David

bobafett72 · #12 01-13-2010, 12:24 PM

Unless he's sniffing at the enshrined jockstraps of previous hall of famers.
He, bonds, Sosa, Arod, Palmeiro. Strip them of their "records" and accomplishments and show them the door. the back door.

Frank A · #13 01-13-2010, 12:44 PM

The only guy who seems to have not lied about all this is Canseco. Funny, I thought he was a blowhard, but he seems to be the only one who tells the truth. Maybe he should be in the hall for exposing all these guys.(just kidding)

mark evans · #14 01-12-2010, 02:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fred

I applaud McGwire for finally breaking his silence. Sure, we pretty much already knew that he used PEDs, but for him to finally come clean has got to lift a weight off his shoulders. It'll be interesting to see if any other players want to "belly up to the bar" and own up to what they've done.

We pretty much know who a lot of the PED users are (Sosa, Bonds, Clemens and many others). I think that coming clean might actually do some good because then the era of PED abusers could have a little closure and baseball could just "move on".

I don't see Clemens coming clean any time soon as he denied use under oath in congressional testimony in 2008 and perjury offense implicates 5-year statute of limitations, unless perhaps as part of a plea deal if he's prosecuted and senses a likely conviction.

Fred · #15 01-12-2010, 03:27 PM

Top 10 HR seasons:

1. Barry Bonds (36) 73 2001
2. Mark McGwire (34) 70 1998
3. Sammy Sosa (29) 66 1998
4. Mark McGwire (35) 65 1999
5. Sammy Sosa (32) 64 2001
6. Sammy Sosa (30) 63 1999
7. Roger Maris (26) 61 1961
8. Babe Ruth+ (32) 60 1927
9. Babe Ruth+ (26) 59 1921
10. Jimmie Foxx+ (24) 58 1932

The top six spots were filled in the years 1998-2001. Wow, what an era that was....

chaddurbin · #16 01-12-2010, 03:57 PM

mcgwire should be in the hall solely for the fact that he revived the american interest in baseball.

(i'm only half kidding)

triwak · #17 01-12-2010, 05:32 PM

At some point, pretty far into the future I would guess, history will more than likely recognize the "steroid" era as a true era of the game. And when I say "history," I mean writers, historians, politicians, fans... everyone. I think it will seem a bit revisionist to not then recognize those players who were standouts during that period. I know that doesn't sit too well with many of you, but future generations will probably be more forgiving, which will result in some of these "villains" (Bonds, McGwire, Clemans, Sosa, etc.) being inducted into the Hall. Gee, I've used a lot of quotation marks!

GasHouseGang · #18 01-12-2010, 06:24 PM

I don't think McGwire is admitting this now to try to get into the Hall of Fame. I'm sure he feels that is not going to happen. I think he was hoping to avoid a media circus every time the Cardinals were visiting another major league city and as he was trying to perform his duties as hitting coach. You know the media would have asked him endless questions about steroid use in every town the Cardinals visited. He's probably hoping that if he just admits it and lets everyone talk about it now, that by the time the season starts it will be old news.

glynparson · #19 01-13-2010, 06:14 AM

he did not play against a large segment of the population (Blacks), let alone the entire world. With all the crap he put in his body and how much he loved to play the game Ruth would have probably been first in line for the needle. Ruth has as much a right to the title as Josh Gibson or even Sadaharu Oh. I just don't understand the villification of the modern players who were trying to make their play better yet we idolize cheats like the blacksox or Hal Chase and drunks who likely worsened their performances like Ruth and Mantle? I understand baseball is one of those things where we always pretend the past was much more romantic then it truly was but you guys are students of the game you surely should know better.

Touch'EmAll · #20 01-13-2010, 10:03 AM

For McGwire it was a move in the right direction - instead of no move at all. He wants to be part of baseball for years to come (coaching) and simply had to fess up to something.

Remember 49 Homers as a rookie. How many HOF sluggers had the raw rookie talent to reach 49?

McGwire DID have talent above most in the era, let him in with asterisk - or in a newly formed separate wing of HOF for this era's players.

Also, for goodness sake - let Maris in the Hall !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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