Re: Sosa tested positive in 2003 per NY Times

[Outshined_One]

I came to terms with this years ago. It sucks, but if you were a fan of any team with a superstar not named Ken Griffey Jr. in the 90's or early 2000's, you had to deal with issue this on some level.

 

 

Why the assumption that Griffey Jr wasn't juicing?

 

I've been debating who, out of everyone that's played baseball since 1985, would be the absolute most devastating name for baseball to have revealed as a steroid user.

 

Junior Griffey would probably be #2 behind Ripken. I'm open to other names and suggestions, though.

 

Jeter? Maddux?

 

Good choices. I was also thinking Pujols and Mo Rivera.

[Rob]

What's the difference between Jeff Bagwell, Frank Thomas, and Ken Griffey Jr.?

 

I'd venture to say that if you really feel compelled to say one of them probably did it... you should feel the same of the others.

[OleMissCub]

I guess nobody is free from suspicion now, but I think Frank Thomas was completely legit. He was a monster his entire career.

 

 

his entire career that almost exactly spanned the Steroid Era?

 

Yes, the guy who hit 257 HR including three 40+ HR seasons and a 38 HR season before 1998*.

 

 

 

 

*I'm aware that players juiced before 98, but I think that is the year that is generally considered to be the start of the "steroid era".

[Rob]

I came to terms with this years ago. It sucks, but if you were a fan of any team with a superstar not named Ken Griffey Jr. in the 90's or early 2000's, you had to deal with issue this on some level.

 

 

Why the assumption that Griffey Jr wasn't juicing?

 

I've been debating who, out of everyone that's played baseball since 1985, would be the absolute most devastating name for baseball to have revealed as a steroid user.

 

Junior Griffey would probably be #2 behind Ripken. I'm open to other names and suggestions, though.

 

Jeter? Maddux?

 

Good choices. I was also thinking Pujols and Mo Rivera.

 

Jamie Moyer might do just as much as any of them. The penultimate crafty player who gets by almost without physical ability... if he used, that'd cast just as much doubt on the game as anybody else.

[Derwood]

I guess nobody is free from suspicion now, but I think Frank Thomas was completely legit. He was a monster his entire career.

 

 

his entire career that almost exactly spanned the Steroid Era?

 

Yes, the guy who hit 257 HR including three 40+ HR seasons and a 38 HR season before 1998*.

 

 

 

 

*I'm aware that players juiced before 98, but I think that is the year that is generally considered to be the start of the "steroid era".

 

I think most people consider the Steroid Era to be 1990-2005

[OleMissCub]

I think most people consider the Steroid Era to be 1990-2005

 

and I think you're wrong.

[Derwood]

I think most people consider the Steroid Era to be 1990-2005

 

and I think you're wrong.

 

Ok

[Butterscup1679666578]

I guess nobody is free from suspicion now, but I think Frank Thomas was completely legit. He was a monster his entire career.

 

I'm with you. The guy was a freakin' giant the second he came into the league. I'd be surprised if it came out that he roided.

[AlwaysaCub]

I guess nobody is free from suspicion now, but I think Frank Thomas was completely legit. He was a monster his entire career.

 

I'm with you. The guy was a freakin' giant the second he came into the league. I'd be surprised if it came out that he roided.

 

Thomas orchestrated the White Sox collective refusal to take the 2003 tests so they would count as positive to trigger the testing program. He's also the only player to cooperate with the Mitchel Report. He cares.

[OleMissCub]

I guess nobody is free from suspicion now, but I think Frank Thomas was completely legit. He was a monster his entire career.

 

I'm with you. The guy was a freakin' giant the second he came into the league. I'd be surprised if it came out that he roided.

 

Thomas had a very consistent and typical career arc for a traditional power hitter. He never hit over 43 HR's in a season and during the "height" of the steroid era from 1998-2003 he only averaged 26 HR. He did however have a brief power resurgence in 2006 when he hit 39 HR. Nevertheless, he never had an out of character spike in power like most of the known juicers did.

[SpongeWorthy]

I guess nobody is free from suspicion now, but I think Frank Thomas was completely legit. He was a monster his entire career.

 

I'm with you. The guy was a freakin' giant the second he came into the league. I'd be surprised if it came out that he roided.

 

Thomas had a very consistent and typical career arc for a traditional power hitter. He never hit over 43 HR's in a season and during the "height" of the steroid era from 1998-2003 he only averaged 26 HR. He did however have a brief power resurgence in 2006 when he hit 39 HR. Nevertheless, he never had an out of character spike in power like most of the known juicers did.

 

Not to mention he was a tight end at Auburn in the mid 80s. He was 6'4" 250 back then. Dude was always a beast. (Disclosure: I have always been a big Frank Thomas fan).

[jam1975]

I just came here to see Roast's reaction.

 

Has anyone heard from Roast? Someone stop by his apartment and check on him.

[BigSlick]

I think most people consider the Steroid Era to be 1990-2005

 

and I think you're wrong.

Except for all the Juicers on Tony La Russa's A's teams from the late 80's to early 90s?

 

Steroid era most definitely extends to at least the early 90's, sorry OleMiss, you can be as obstinate as you want to be

[Sammy Sofa]

I guess nobody is free from suspicion now, but I think Frank Thomas was completely legit. He was a monster his entire career.

 

I'm with you. The guy was a freakin' giant the second he came into the league. I'd be surprised if it came out that he roided.

 

Thomas had a very consistent and typical career arc for a traditional power hitter. He never hit over 43 HR's in a season and during the "height" of the steroid era from 1998-2003 he only averaged 26 HR. He did however have a brief power resurgence in 2006 when he hit 39 HR. Nevertheless, he never had an out of character spike in power like most of the known juicers did.

 

Not to mention he was a tight end at Auburn in the mid 80s. He was 6'4" 250 back then. Dude was always a beast. (Disclosure: I have always been a big Frank Thomas fan).

 

Big Frank was practically running around screaming and demanding that people test him. I'd be stunned if it came out he was usuing.

[Sammy Sofa]

I think most people consider the Steroid Era to be 1990-2005

 

and I think you're wrong.

Except for all the Juicers on Tony La Russa's A's teams from the late 80's to early 90s?

 

Steroid era most definitely extends to at least the early 90's, sorry OleMiss, you can be as obstinate as you want to be

 

Yeah, it hits it peak later in the decade, but PED's very likely stretch back into the 70's.

[BigSlick]

Reminder that steroid use doesn't mean your home run numbers jump through the sky or that you suddenly become better at baseball

 

many players begin using steroids to come back quickly from injuries, etc. etc.

[A-Cal]

i really really hope pujols never ends up being a user

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Yeah, it hits it peak later in the decade, but PED's very likely stretch back into the 70's.

 

Further.

[E.J.]

I just came here to see Roast's reaction.

 

Haha. He was the first thing I thought of when I saw the news. Let's hope he's handling it well and isn't in a dark corner somewhere sucking on a Tequila bottle.

[Keener98]

i really really hope pujols never ends up being a user

 

See Im the exact opposite. Yes Im an ass, but Ive got way too many Stl fans around me, and I would love to be able to rub it in their faces like they have to me with Sammy.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

i really really hope pujols never ends up being a user

 

why is that?

[Butterscup1679666578]

i really really hope pujols never ends up being a user

 

See Im the exact opposite. Yes Im an ass, but Ive got way too many Stl fans around me, and I would love to be able to rub it in their faces like they have to me with Sammy.

 

twins.

[Sammys Boombox]

It's really disappointing; it was nice to be able to play ignorant and say there was no proof, but in the back of my mind I knew better. If Sammy admits his mistake and apologizes to the fans I see no reason not to forgive him.

[Sammy Sofa]

Yeah, it hits it peak later in the decade, but PED's very likely stretch back into the 70's.

 

Further.

 

You're preaching to the choir. I personally think they showed up in baseball in the 60's.

[Guest]

I came to terms with this years ago. It sucks, but if you were a fan of any team with a superstar not named Ken Griffey Jr. in the 90's or early 2000's, you had to deal with issue this on some level.

 

 

Why the assumption that Griffey Jr wasn't juicing?

 

I've been debating who, out of everyone that's played baseball since 1985, would be the absolute most devastating name for baseball to have revealed as a steroid user.

 

Junior Griffey would probably be #2 behind Ripken. I'm open to other names and suggestions, though.

 

Greg Maddux would probably also be pretty bad since he has kind of been held up as the mirror image of Roger Clemens as a guy that did it the "right way". If it were to come out, for example, that Leo Mazzone had some "trainer" that put his staffs on a HGH regimen and that is why Smoltz, Maddux, Glavine, etc had such extended periods of dominance that would be a huge revelation.

 

I'd say Griffey would be at the top just because the most attention seems to be paid to HR hitters and HR's are what people want to see. That and Griffey was always such a likeable guy and has never had any sort of suspicion like a majority of the other big HR hitters.

 

I'd think for pitchers, as you said, Maddux would have to be at the top of their list.

 

Jeter (as somebody else mentioned) would certainly be up there as well because of the whole NY thing.