'roids

[BigD4VT 11]

I actually like McGwire. He's a likeable guy. As far as the record goes...there isn't anything you can do about that. I don't think we'll ever see any record stricken from the books. I'd like to see an asterisk on there but even that won't happen as long as these guys deny using drugs.

[VHSFan999 10]

When Big Mac came as a rookie he weighted about 190 lbs and in 1998 when he hit 70 homeruns he weighted 275 and was considerably more musclar. An after you add in his testimony on steriods I defiantely believe he was on steriods.

[beano5 14]

i dont get it....Lance Armstrong and the rest of some of the biggest athletes are getting accused with steriod usage....is it because they are so good and they have grown alot since they started??? people can get bigger by lifting...

[bluefieldRocks 14]

I still think Big_Mac used steroids, i mean look at his arms. I dont care if you've been lifting weights for 20 years or not. Thats crazy

[Bluefield_Rules 46]

I'm sick of hearing about steroids, but I'll jump in here on the McGwire debate. I had a friend who was/is a huge Big Mac fan and I told him six years ago that the guy was juicing. His refusal to answer questions during the Congressional hearings and his deflecting of the questions only cemented my opinion that he took them.

[BigD4VT 11]

From 1901-1993 the 50 HR plateau was reached 18 times, including:

1927 Babe Ruth 60

1961 Roger Maris 61

 

From 1994-2004 the 50 HR plateau was reached 18 Times, including:

2001 - Bonds 73

1998 - McGwire 70

1998 - Sosa 66

1999 - McGwire 65

2001 - Sosa 64

1999 - Sosa 63

 

That is not a coincidence.

[beaverbaseball 10]

The fields were deeper back then

[wavefan64 10]

I could really care less if they are juicing or not, heck, it makes baseball worth watching. But you have to look, you can take a guy who is on roids, looks like he should be in the WWF, put him in the majors, but he still has to hit a baseball. McGwire juiced, plain and simple. People do get bigger from lifting, but if you look, when you are way past your prime, you have to get a little something to help you out....McGwire juiced...Look at his freggin arms. Look at guys who have lifted for years and years, their arms aren't that big. I think all signs point to roids on that one guys.

[BigD4VT 11]

Back when? 1993?

 

There are many factors that contribute to the HR explosion. The newer parks are smaller, the pitching is thinner due to expansion, but the biggest factor is the widespread use of performance enhancing drugs.

 

Mark McGwire was asked point blank by members of congress if he used steroids but all he said was "I'm not here to talk about the past". He wasn't on trial, he didn't have to answer the question, but if he's innocent why didn't he JUST SAY NO?

[bluefieldRocks 14]

He better be carefull

I herd using steroids make your memeber shrivle up like a sun dried tomato...lol

[beaverbaseball 10]

Well even if these athletes did use sterioids you have to have plenty of talent to hit that many home runs

[GMan 3,569]

The way I see it...the baseballs are juiced so why not let the players get juiced???

 

Also, they should allow pitchers to use the grease, a file, or anything else that will make their pitches harder to hit.

 

Then, they need to move the fences back to about 500 feet and let the hitters use aluminum bats. And since the fields will be larger by doing that, they should move the bases further apart, add an extra infielder and two more outfielders.

[Lance 228]

I saw a thing on mythbusters or one of those shows a while back where they took vintage baseballs and launched them at a wall with a pitching machine and measured the distance they bounced back from the wall...they seemed to determine that they were all pretty much about the same...or that the "juiced ball" theory didn't seem to have anything to support it.

[BigD4VT 11]

The ball was definitely "juiced" in 1987 but I don't think it was in other years.

 

I think what needs to be done now is stricter drug testing to make sure nobody is using, and raise the pitchers mound back up to the pre-1968 level. That will even thing's out more for the pitchers.

[beaverbaseball 10]

I agree they should have more drug tests for the players. Like once a month so they defenately cannot being on the juice

[Beamerball 566]

Selig's proposal: Third strike and they're out

Associated Press

 

NEW YORK -- Baseball commissioner Bud Selig asked players to agree to a 50-game suspension for first-time steroid offenders and a lifetime ban for a third violation under what he called a "three strikes and you are out approach" to doping.

 

In a letter sent this week to union head Donald Fehr, Selig proposed a 100-game ban for a second offense. He also asked the union to ban amphetamines, to have more frequent random tests and to appoint an independent person to administer the major-league drug-testing program.

 

"Third offenders should be banned permanently. I recognize the need for progressive discipline, but a third-time offender has no place in the game," Selig wrote to Fehr. "Steroid users cheat the game. After three offenses, they have no place in it."

 

Under the rules that began this season, a first offense gets a 10-day suspension, with the penalty increasing to 30 days for a second positive test, 60 days for a third and one year for a fourth. For a fifth positive, the penalty is at the commissioner's discretion.

 

Baseball currently has no penalties for amphetamine use by players on 40-man major-league rosters. Amphetamines are banned for players under minor-league contracts.

 

"Last winter, we reopened our agreement to deal with steroids," Selig wrote in the April 25 letter, a copy of which was obtained Saturday by The Associated Press. "I am asking you now to demonstrate once again to America that our relationship has improved to the point that we can act quickly and effectively deal with matters affecting the integrity of our great sport."

 

Reached Saturday, Fehr said the union was not yet prepared to discuss Selig's proposal.

 

"We'll respond in due course," Fehr said, adding he anticipated replying early next week.

 

Some players began thinking about Selig's proposal Saturday.

 

"That would get it out of the game -- in a heartbeat," Kansas City Royals pitcher Brian Anderson said.

 

New York Yankees player representative Mike Mussina said he wanted to study the proposal before responding.

 

"I don't know if Bud's trying to get out in front and make us the good guys or the bad guys," said New York Mets pitcher Tom Glavine, a senior union leader.

 

"I happen to be able to believe that our program is a good one and if we leave it alone, it's going to do what we want it to do," Glavine told the AP in Washington. "But if everybody has their mind set on making it tougher, then you're going to have to take the time, continue to look at it and continue to look at alternatives. It's not something you can expect to happen in two weeks or two months. It's going to take a while, but I still think that it's something, that if it's deemed to be changed, you can probably get something done by next season."

 

Baseball players agreed during the offseason to reopen the drug agreement, which was not set to expire until December 2006. The new rules, which began in March, for the first time instituted suspensions for a first positive test for steroid use. Four players have received 10-day bans, all with relatively low profiles -- Tampa Bay outfielder Alex Sanchez, Colorado outfielder Jorge Piedra, Texas minor-league pitcher Agustin Montero and Seattle minor-league outfielder Jamal Strong.

 

The new agreement, not scheduled to expire until December 2008, has been criticized by many in Congress as not tough enough and several congressmen threatened to propose federal legislation.

 

"I continue to believe that time is of the essence in addressing this issue," Selig wrote to Fehr.

 

Several congressmen cited the World Anti-Doping Agency code as their ideal. It calls for a two-year ban for a first offense and a lifetime ban for a second, unless there are mitigating circumstances.

 

Some in Congress were also concerned that baseball's program is administered by a committee of management and union representatives, and several wanted a ban on amphetamines, long referred to as "greenies" in baseball.

 

"It is time to put the whispers about amphetamine use to bed once and for all," Selig wrote. "To the extent that our culture has tolerated the use of these substances, the culture must change."

 

Selig, Fehr, Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa and Jose Canseco were among those testified before the House Government Reform Committee on March 17. Baseball has retained the communications firm of former White House press secretary Ari Fleischer to assist on steroids and other matters as congressmen pressed for action.

 

"This is what can happen when you shine a little light," said Dave Marin, spokesman for committee chairman Tom Davis, a Virginia Republican. "Davis' primary goal all along has been to encourage a little more self-policing. Kudos to the commissioner."

 

Selig disclosed the letter to Fehr in a memorandum the commissioner sent Friday to team owners, presidents and chief executive officers.

 

"This letter follows a personal meeting with Don and several telephone conversations during which I expressed my fervent views on the subject of the use of performance-enhancing substances," Selig wrote in the memo, which was also obtained by the AP.

 

"It is my strong opinion that, regardless of whatever incremental progress we may have made under the current agreement, we continue to have a serious integrity issue with regard to our current policy and our great game," Selig wrote. "Prompt, decisive and dramatic action is needed to address the use of performance-enhancing substances because of the unfairness of such use to the rest of our players who want a level playing field."

 

Selig said he will make alterations for 2006 to the drug-testing program for players with minor-league contracts, who are not covered by the collective bargaining agreement. Currently, the minor-league penalty starts at 15 games for a first offense and then escalates to 30 games, 60 games and one year, with a fifth offense bringing a lifetime ban.

 

"These changes will include tougher discipline, including a permanent ban for a third offense, stricter regulation of amphetamines and greater reliance on independent experts," Selig said.

[BigD4VT 11]

This would work. Congress must have scared some sense into Selig. Problem is the union will never let it happen.