Last October I started to blog about the St Louis Cardinals decision to hire Mark McGwire as their batting coach. The main point was going to be how before spring training began he needed to address the steroid issue. I had most of the post worked out in my head, but then I decided to wait and comment on it either on the first day of spring training or when Mark addressed it himself. Yesterday Mark revealed he had used steroids for almost 10 years, including the 1998 season where he hit 70 home runs. When I heard that I was glad he was finally showing some remorse for his actions. I was going to praise him for that. Then I read about his explanations for taking them.
He claims that steroids did not help him hit any home runs. He did hit 49 home runs as a rookie in 1987, but his totals were dropping. He was injured and didn't play much in 1993 and 1994, then his home run binge really took off. I have the same problem with his statements that I do with Barry Bonds. I have an excellent bovine excrement detector and when I read his claims it went off so loud I still have a headache from it. If you want to read more about his claims and the rebuttals to them click here, here, and here. I know there will be some who disagree with me, but I feel that any of those who are tainted by steroids do not deserve to be put in Baseball's Hall Of Fame. Obviously the voters seem to agree. To get in a player needs 75% of the vote. Mark has only recieved 25% the four years he has been eligible.
While I was working on this I recieved a phone call from My Buddy In Illinois. We were talking about this. He is a Cardinals fan but is not too enthused about Mark. I told him that originally I was going to call this post Coming Clean, but then I decided to call it Coming Clean Partway. He suggested using maybe, so I told him I would give him credit. He never reads my blog. Of course the fact that he doesn't have a computer has a little to do with that.
2 comments:
I thought the same thing about his "apology." He came across as the same arrogant douche that appeared before Congress (although why Congress needed to poke their nose into friggin' baseball is a topic for another blog). I don't think his records should be erased nor do I think an asterisk is appropriate, either (despite the fact he IS a douche). At the same time, NO WAY should he go into the Hall of Fame.
Still and all, I'm looking forward to Spring Training!
This is not Hall of Fame quality of achievements. It taints a lot of what might have been fairly accomplished during that "era" by other players (if any) who were clean and doing their athletic best.
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