Griffey Jr Retires: Steroid Free Star

[BradleyERyon]

Re: Griffey Jr Retires: Steroid Free Star

Come on guys. I could not disagree more with those accusing Griffey. Griffey has given us no reason to suspect him of PED use. If good stats alone are reason enough to suspect a player of PED use then we've got a lot of guys that need to me looked at. I just don't understand the schadenfreude of some folks. For myself, until I see any evidence to the contrary I will consider Griffey a first ballot hall of famer who was one of the best centerfielders in the game's history.

[cjclong]

Re: Griffey Jr Retires: Steroid Free Star

Gameused, I think we agree and disagree to a certain point. Let me put it this way. I don't THINK Cal Ripken used steroids. Do I KNOW that. Of course not, I didn't follow him around every day while he was playing. I guess the difference between you and me is that if I don't think a player used steroids, and there has never been any real evidence that he did, if someone did a thread saying Ripken was their favorite player and was steroid free I wouldn't feel called on to respond with a" how do you know he didn't post", when I don't think he did and there is no evidence he did. I guess that is the difference.

[3arod13]

Re: Griffey Jr Retires: Steroid Free Star

I think it's more about that it's possible any player during that era could have, more than it is about accusing them of doing so.

I do agree that if someone says Griffey Jr. used, then proof should be there, vice just giving an opinion.

I honestly didn't think Arod did. Well, SURPRISE!!!

[Jags Fan Dan]

Re: Griffey Jr Retires: Steroid Free Star

My own opinion is, in this day and age, it's tough to call anybody steroid-free with any certainty. And I must say that Griffey went from 20-30 HRs a year, to nearly 60, back to 40s. And then his body began to break down. So I can definitely see why some people are suspicious of him.

[cjclong]

Re: Griffey Jr Retires: Steroid Free Star

I guess I tend to subscribe to the legal presumption that a person is innocent until proven guilty. One person points out that Griffey's production peaked at around the time of the steroid era and that he broke down shortly thereafter as some proof he used steroids. The other side of the coin is that his production spiked at about the same age that it has spiked for most power hitters whether they played in 1920, 30, 40, 50, 60, etc. He also broke down as he grew older and some of his injuries were caused by his style of play (breaking a bone on an outfield wall is damn sure not steroid related) plus because he was a more of a natural athete and didn't do stretching exercises, etc. that led to injuries. Also, he was nortorious for not lifitng weights which is usually something those that benefited from steroids did. Since no one has ever made a credible accusation I say as far as we know he didn't and go on. Outside of the fact that there were others who did at that time, and remember, the testing and even Canseco's estimates tend to show the majority of players did not use steriods, there is no evidence he did use other than speculating about factors that are as much proof of non use as they are use. I hope that players like Ripken and Griffey didn't use steroids, as the majority of players during there time didn't, and would be disappointed if they did. I feel that there are some people here who get their pleasure from specualting or trying to prove that everyone used drugs. The facts are whatever they are, but why some people delight in speculation on players using drugs and in some cases accusing them of doing so is beyond me.