Baseball Crank: BASEBALL: Famous Last Words

August 2, 2005

BASEBALL: Famous Last Words

I have never intentionally used steroids. Never. Ever. Period, . . . Ultimately, although I never intentionally put a banned substance into my body, the independent arbitrator ruled that I had to be suspended under the terms of the program.

Perhaps, in retrospect, the denial under oath before Congress was a bad idea. On the other hand, Bill Simmons looks like a prophet for writing this last week:

The current era of juiced balls, ravaged pitching staffs and a drug program best described as "Um, you guys shouldn't do that stuff" has rendered everything else irrelevant.
As Palmeiro closed in on the 3,000-hit/500-HR club last week, the media swirl had a guess-we-have-to-cover-this feel, almost like when Ryan Seacrest got a star on Hollywood Boulevard. That's no knock on Raffy . . .

Please note: I'm not accusing Palmeiro of anything. He was at the right place at the perfect time, just like Judd Nelson peaking when over-the-top performances in enjoyably cheesy movies were all the rage. Whether either guy needed drugs to complete the effect is beside the point. . .

POSSIBLY UNRELATED NEWS STORY: Barry Bonds will not play this season.

UPDATE: If you like, you can take this survey on steroids and Palmeiro.

Posted by Baseball Crank at 9:10 AM | Baseball 2005 | Comments (6) | TrackBack (1)

Comments

I refuse to make a Viagra joke. I also think it shows that newer generations of steroids has made them more subtle, and therefore, more dangerous, both for the user and the integrity of sports.

When you look at guys like Big Mac, Sosa, Bonds, and I want to add Clemens to the list too. These are all big guys who got a lot bigger. In Bonds' case, it was ridiciulous, as he was a Hall lock even before 2000.

Everyone comments on how steroids makes you bigger, lets you train harder, lets you recover faster. However, one other affect, the most important one in sports, is that it makes you FASTER. I would guess that Palmeiro benefited from that side effect, since he is not bulked out.

You react faster with a good eye for the strike zone, you are simply a better hitter. It also emphasizes what I wrote last week, that we really have to change what we consider a HOF milestone, as trainign methods (both legal and illegal) extend fruitful parts of careers. When Mickey retired, everyone said it was a shame he was so injured, few comments on his being 36, and his last great year at 32.

Posted by: Daryl Rosenblatt at August 2, 2005 10:01 AM

The guys who really get hurt are those who were clean throughout but get lumped in with the crowd of users. Who knows who used or didn't? I sure have no way of knowing.

Posted by: LargeBill at August 2, 2005 11:36 AM

Speaking of Viagra and denials . . . did anyone else think of this comment:

"I did not have sexual relations with that woman, Ms. Lewinsky."

Posted by: Geek, Esq. at August 2, 2005 12:56 PM

I am surprised that there wasn't more speculation about Palmeiro using steroids before the Canseco book came out. When he turned 30, he had 155 home runs. Now, at 40, he is pushing 600? Hmmmm.

Posted by: WD at August 2, 2005 4:36 PM

Any thoughts on the legal difficulties Palmeiro might face? Is Congress going to investigate?

Posted by: wally at August 2, 2005 5:38 PM

One thing to disagree with Simmons' quote. Spare me the sympathy for the pitchers. Half of the people in baseball caught with steroids are pitchers. The media should be paying more attention to the doping on the other side of the ball.

Posted by: wilson at August 3, 2005 11:18 PM