Mac admits using steroids...

[frikativ54]

I agree with this statement as well, he admitted it because he was forced to. But why would the Cardinals want a hitting coach that admitted he was a cheater? I don't get that.

He wasn't forced to do anything. Neither Bonds nor Clemens came clean, even when caught red-handed. McGwire could have persisted in his obfuscations. Instead, he did the right thing.

Hopefully, more players will follow suit. But I doubt if HOF-eligible or near-eligible users would come clean, because they risk tarnishing their names. The cost to their reputations is just too great.

I doubt that many from this era were clean. As a Bagwell fan, I am just being honest when I say that I'll bet he used. It was part of the era, an unfortunate one at that.

I've heard that between 50-80% of MLB players used in the steroid era. However, I don't have the evidence to corroborate that statement. It would be harder to find a list of who didn't use back in the 1990s.

[grenda12]

Will this take the spotlight off Tiger Woods.

[Rboitano]

If anyone feels like they need to sell their Mac game used bats, email me.
Rboitano@charter.net

[WadeInBmore]

I guess I am also a bit concerned about Mac tarnishing others reputations. And, again, I'm just hypothesizing. The entire steriod issue seems to spread like the flu once one player that uses appears on the roster, then the norm seems to be, that others follow suit or atleast try it out.

Now, having said this...I worry about Pujols. I know that I'm gonna get chewed out for saying that, but is Big Macs guilt and admission going to potentially tarnish Pujols' image. I'm just speaking my mind and haven't done any research but...did there careers over lap? did Big Mac influence him in any way? did Matt Holliday really turn the corner as a hitter once he started working with McGwire?

Call them fear, concerns...what ever you'd like, but as a fan of the game and as a former player who went to spring training with the Dodgers and worked out with numerous other teams I really can't express how much this one hurts. Kind of makes what Frank Thomas said when he hit his 500th..."the right way".

I'm glad that he came clean and I'm sure he probably feels some sort of relief to boot. Obviously he knew what he was going to have to pay the piper at some point with his return to the game. Shocked...not really. Disappointed...intensely.

I'm not accussing any players in my above statements, but, man, I am worried about the backlash. Think about all the other players he affected because he cheated...money, opprotunity, "value", etcetera. With every new admission I feel a small piece of me cries aloud, for the game and the people.

When all the steriod talk first surficed back in the early 2000's I remember writing a sign when I went to the game that perhaps explains my sentiment best...

Eu tu baseball?

wade

[frikativ54]

Call them fear, concerns...what ever you'd like, but as a fan of the game and as a former player who went to spring training with the Dodgers and worked out with numerous other teams I really can't express how much this one hurts. Kind of makes what Frank Thomas said when he hit his 500th..."the right way".

Wade,

I never realized that you played ball. That's pretty cool.

[Ozric]

I'm a bit more cynical about the whole thing. I really think that his arrogance still supersedes his intellect and that he was genuinely surprised that he was so low in the HOF voting. It was a calculated effort (in his mind) to hopefully increase his chances to get in the hall. If there's any remorse coming from him at all, it's because he didn't make it into the HOF and was a slap on his ego.

[STLHAMMER32]

I'm a bit more cynical about the whole thing. I really think that his arrogance still supersedes his intellect and that he was genuinely surprised that he was so low in the HOF voting. It was a calculated effort (in his mind) to hopefully increase his chances to get in the hall. If there's any remorse coming from him at all, it's because he didn't make it into the HOF and was a slap on his ego.

Its not about the Hall of Fame if it was he would not have waited years after initially getting on the ballot and he would not have waited weeks after this years hall of fame voting took place. The guy did not want to be in trouble with the law and did not want to have to drag family and friends into the situation because eventually he would have to implicate others involved. He did not lie but basically admitted already in front of congress without having to go through the legal process. Lastly the fact that he admitted steroid use does not in fact help his hall of fame chances in the eyes of several voters who have already discussed it.

This is about Mac not being a distraction for his team when the season starts and I am sure it feels good to get the truth out for him. Saying this is about arrogance is absolutely foolish.

[David]

The problem for Bonds and Clemens, versus other players like McGwire, is legal. McGwire never denied it in a legal setting, while Bonds denied use under oath to the Feds, and Clemens denied under oath to the Congress and brought a lawsuit based on the claims he never used. The two have painted themselves into a corner, as, even if they wanted to admit to using PEDs and come blean, they can't as they would be in big legal trouble.

[cohibasmoker]

So I am trying to understand the McGuire incident. A poor kid in the inner City uses and/or sells illegal drugs. If he is caught, he is arrested. If the investigation shows that other people knew about the sales, they too are arrested for conspiracy.

But, if you are Mark McGuire and other "Star" baseball players and/or the Commissioner of baseball, it's OK.

Just my opinion - hopefully I didn't offend anyone.

Jim

[whatupyos]

So I am trying to understand the McGuire incident. A poor kid in the inner City uses and/or sells illegal drugs. If he is caught, he is arrested. If the investigation shows that other people knew about the sales, they too are arrested for conspiracy.

But, if you are Mark McGuire and other "Star" baseball players and/or the Commissioner of baseball, it's OK.

Just my opinion - hopefully I didn't offend anyone.

Jim

Jim,

Correct me if I'm wrong. I'm interested in criminal law and know the law pretty well, but I also could make mistakes. But, just becasue someone admits to use, you have to find evidence against it. Anyone can claim they used drugs but a claim alone won't get you arrested. I'm trying hard to understand your statment so forgive me if I'm misunderstanding. You mentioned if an inner city kid is caught he will go to jail....key word is caught. If the kid is caught you have evidence, i.e. drugs, pipe, papers, whatever. In McGwire's case you only have the confession that he used, no evidence.

I still think you have to have evidence that someone knew of another's use to get arrested. It has to be something solid. But I could be wrong. Generally the police only care about the top of the line suppliers not the casual recreational users, but again I say generally.

Aaron