OT: McGwire finally comes clean

[tbob]

NEW YORK (AP)—Mark McGwire finally came clean, admitting he used steroids when he broke baseball’s home run record in 1998.

McGwire said in a statement sent to The Associated Press on Monday that he used steroids on and off for nearly a decade. During a 20-minute telephone interview shortly afterward, his voice repeatedly cracked.

“It’s very emotional, it’s telling family members, friends and coaches, you know, it’s former teammates to try to get a hold of, you know, that I’m coming clean and being honest,” he said. “It’s the first time they’ve ever heard me, you know, talk about this. I hid it from everybody.”

McGwire said he also used human growth hormone, and he didn’t know if his use of performance-enhancing drugs contributed to some of the injuries that led to his retirement, at age 38, in 2001.

“That’s a good question,” he said.

He repeatedly expressed regret for his decision to use steroids, which he said was “foolish” and caused by his desire to overcome injuries, get back on the field and prove he was worth his multimillion salary.

“You don’t know that you’ll ever have to talk about the skeleton in your closet on a national level,” he said. “I did this for health purposes. There’s no way I did this for any type of strength use.”

McGwire hit a then-record 70 homers in 1998 during a compelling race with Sammy Sosa(notes), who finished with 66. More than anything else, the home-run spree revitalized baseball following the crippling strike that wiped out the 1994 World Series.

Now that McGwire has come clean, increased glare might fall on Sosa, who has denied using performing-enhancing drugs.

“I wish I had never played during the steroid era,” McGwire said.

McGwire’s decision to admit using steroids was prompted by his decision to become hitting coach of the St. Louis Cardinals, his final big league team. Tony La Russa, McGwire’s manager in Oakland and St. Louis, has been among McGwire’s biggest supporters and thinks returning to the field can restore the former slugger’s reputation.

“I never knew when, but I always knew this day would come,” McGwire said. “It’s time for me to talk about the past and to confirm what people have suspected.”

He became the second major baseball star in less than a year to admit using illegal steroids, following the New York Yankees’ Alex Rodriguez(notes) last February.

Others have been tainted but have denied knowingly using illegal drugs, including Barry Bonds(notes), Roger Clemens(notes) and David Ortiz(notes).

Bonds has been indicted on charges he made false statements to a federal grand jury and obstructed justice. Clemens is under investigation by a federal grand jury trying to determine whether he lied to a congressional committee.

“I’m sure people will wonder if I could have hit all those home runs had I never taken steroids,” McGwire said. “I had good years when I didn’t take any, and I had bad years when I didn’t take any. I had good years when I took steroids, and I had bad years when I took steroids. But no matter what, I shouldn’t have done it and for that I’m truly sorry.”

Big Mac’s reputation has been in tatters since March 17, 2005, when he refused to answer questions at a Congressional hearing. Instead, he repeatedly said “I’m not here to talk about the past” when asked whether he took illegal steroids when he hit a then-record 70 home runs in 1998 or at any other time.

“After all this time, I want to come clean,” he said. “I was not in a position to do that five years ago in my congressional testimony, but now I feel an obligation to discuss this and to answer questions about it. I’ll do that, and then I just want to help my team.”

McGwire said he wanted to tell the truth then but evaded questions at that hearing on the advice of his lawyers.

“That was the worst 48 hours of my life,” McGwire said.

La Russa immediately praised McGwire’s decision to go public.

“His willingness to admit mistakes, express his regret, and explain the circumstances that led him to use steroids add to my respect for him,” the manager said.

McGwire disappeared from the public eye following his retirement as a player following the 2001 season. When the Cardinals hired the 47-year-old as coach on Oct. 26, they said he would address questions before spring training, and Monday’s statement broke his silence.

“I remember trying steroids very briefly in the 1989/1990 offseason and then after I was injured in 1993, I used steroids again,” McGwire said in his statement. “I used them on occasion throughout the ’90s, including during the 1998 season.”

McGwire said he took steroids to get back on the field, sounding much like the Yankees’ Andy Pettitte(notes) two years ago when he admitted using HGH.

“During the mid-’90s, I went on the DL seven times and missed 228 games over five years,” McGwire said. “I experienced a lot of injuries, including a ribcage strain, a torn left heel muscle, a stress fracture of the left heel, and a torn right heel muscle. It was definitely a miserable bunch of years, and I told myself that steroids could help me recover faster. I thought they would help me heal and prevent injuries, too.”

Since the congressional hearing, baseball owners and players toughened their drug program twice, increasing the penalty for a first steroids offense from 10 days to 50 games in November 2005 and strengthening the power of the independent administrator in April 2008, following the publication of the Mitchell Report.

“Baseball is really different now—it’s been cleaned up,” McGwire said. “The commissioner and the players’ association implemented testing and they cracked down, and I’m glad they did.”

[chiprop]

Is this news to anyone?

[RichR]

“You don’t know that you’ll ever have to talk about the skeleton in your closet on a national level,” he said. “I did this for health purposes. There’s no way I did this for any type of strength use.”

Still lying though - "Did this for health purposes" yeah right.

[calvindog]

Yeah, I have to agree. That one line does scream out as a pretty obvious lie.

[PolarBear]

I really wish Baseball would ban all those associated with PED's.

This is worse than what Rose did in my opinion.

Once banned, then that should also exclude your stats from being officially counted. Not that they don't exist, but that they aren't officially recognized by MLB.

That would leave Maris and Aaron officially back on top of the HR records.

[Fred]

I applaud McGwire for finally breaking his silence. Sure, we pretty much already knew that he used PEDs, but for him to finally come clean has got to lift a weight off his shoulders. It'll be interesting to see if any other players want to "belly up to the bar" and own up to what they've done.

We pretty much know who a lot of the PED users are (Sosa, Bonds, Clemens and many others). I think that coming clean might actually do some good because then the era of PED abusers could have a little closure and baseball could just "move on".

[rdwyer]

No respect from me. I rather hire an ex-felon.

[ethicsprof]

i guess he really wanted to be the hitting coach.
always some external motivation to be truthful.
man, i love the deadball era.

best,
barry

[whycough]

Just saw Mark on MLB network with Bob Costas. Kept on saying steroids provided him no increase in strength; it was his hand eye coordination, a gift from God. Always good to throw God in there.

[rdwyer]

Oh, I get it. It was a Cardinal sin, right? :)

[PolarBear]

When I read the article on SI, my first thought was that with another HOF shutout, he's trying to make people think he's sorry, and worthy of the HOF.

[yawie99]

I suspect McGwire is not so much attempting to enhance his Hall of Fame chances, which I think he essentially doomed with that pathetic showing on Capitol Hill a few years ago, but trying to minimize the circus atmosphere that was sure to develop once he returned to the Cardinals' bench. I don't know if the club or LaRussa encouraged him to finally speak today or if he did it entirely on his own, but it just seems too late to this Cardinal fan.

[BlueDevil89]

It's all part of the plan to rehabilitate his reputation. Those who come clean get a pass (A-Rod, Pettitte, etc). Those who lied get denied HOF votes. Tony Larussa is trying to guide Mac back into the good graces of baseball. There's no sincerity, it's all just PR.

[If Mac had been elected into the HOF last week, do you think this announcement is ever made?]

[mintacular]

To hell with McGwire. His only asset was his ability to hit homers and pick up his doughnut of a son. At least Bonds was an all-around great player and was HOF bound with or without his (alleged) use of steroids...

[Abravefan11]

I agree with Steve that any shot he had at the HOF died on Capitol Hill.

He wants to get back into baseball and someone sat him down and told him this will not go away. So he's doing what he should have done a long time ago and though it may be too late for the HOF, it will allow him to get back into the game and eventually just do his job.

[Pup6913]

I guess its time to buy some of his cards. May go down like the Black Sox's scandal or Rose. They seem to go down well after several decades of being honest or caught in something. Maybe a good investment even though now its is bad one. Aren't there quite a few incodences where something major in MLB occured and after a while people forget or disconclude the issue when the next big thing happens and all is better and the prices shoot back up:confused:

[calvindog]

He's a victim. He didn't take the steroids for strength purposes. God. It's his lawyers' fault.

Now when will that other ignoramus Sosa sort of confess?

[rhettyeakley]

I don't condone it as it is really terrible to have done them in the first place, however, at least it didn't take him 25 years to do it (a la Rose). Also, I don't think anyone gave ARod a free pass on anything as he was pretty much crucified when it came out.

I am all for people admitting when they have done something wrong, whether it is sincere or not. So, while I still don't think any more highly of McGwire now than I did before I also don't think any less of him than I did before because at least he is coming clean about it now (something not too many others have proven they are willing to do). I would like this to start a trend so that at least the record can be set straight, but I'm not holding my breath.

-Rhett

Edited to add: I never really thought much of McGwire in the first place so here I am still not thinking highly of the guy.

[Jim VB]

He's a victim. He didn't take the steroids for strength purposes. God. It's his lawyers' fault.

Now when will that other ignoramus Sosa sort of confess?


I'm sorry. I don't understand the question.

Habla Espanol?

[ctownboy]

Rhett,

In my opinion, A Rod should have gotten MORE criticism than he did.

He signed the 10 year, $250 million dollar contract and then used steroids to improve his stats and justify that contract.

After years of being asked and ALWAYS denying using steroids, A Rod opted OUT of his contract and signed an even BIGGER one. Then and only then did he come out and say he used steroids.

Of course, he said he used them BEFORE they were banned and being tested for. So, by delaying his admission, he was able to sign a larger contract AND not get punished for prior use.

If he had been a MAN, he would have admitted his use BEFORE he opted out of his old contract. By doing that he would have been honest but probably not been able to get a bigger contract. But I guess having been already paid $200 million dollars is NOT enough to live on these days....

If I were Bud Selig, I would say enough of this crap. I would give ALL players, past and current, a one week window to confess to their sins (using steroids and PEDs). Those that did would get a free pass (if it was before the steroid testing came into use in 2004. For those who admitted to using after testing began, they would get the normal punishment).

For those who DIDN'T admit their cheating and lying (and stealing of money they probably wouldn't have gotten if they didn't chemically enhance) during this grace period, if they are found later to have used, then they automatically get banned from baseball for life and their stats removed from the books.

This means no eligibility for the Hall of Fame and no job opportunites in baseball, EVER.

If these cheaters are so much of a sociopath that they can not bring themselves to admit publicly that they lied and cheated then they do NOT deserve forgiveness or any of the benefits of being in or around Major League Baseball.

[slidekellyslide]

I wonder if 100 years from now people will be collecting PED users who can't get into the Hall of Fame the same way we collect gamblers who threw World Series games?

And on another note, my wife's chances at the Hall of Fame went down the tubes today as she got her first dose of steroids. :)

[ctownboy]

Oh, for those who say my suggestion about punishment for cheating is a double standard (Gaylord Perry using the Spit Ball and being elected to the Hall of Fame), think about this, the Spit Ball is NOT criminally illegal to use.

Also, did Perry use the Spit Ball EVERY pitch he threw in the Majors? No. However, EVERY Pitcher who used steroids was aided with every pitch they threw. So even if Perry threw 10 or 20 Spit Balls a Game, he was NOT aided as much as Pettite or, allegedly, Clemens, for example, because EVERY pitch they threw was, in effect, illegal.

David

[teetwoohsix]

I think the bottom line is all of these people's names are tarnished forever,coming back years later and admitting you did them doesn't make me look at any of them in a better light.

You will still associate their accomplishments with "juice".

I agree that A-Roid seemed to skate right past it all,so to speak-yeah,he was under scrutiny for awhile,but IMO got off easy,compared to Bonds.

McGuire should have "manned-up" years ago,but only did it now that there's something in it for him-simply pathetic.

[Kenny Cole]

Let me play devil's advocate. Much as it pains me, I have to agree with Rob Neyer on this issue. If you have a chance to enhance your ability to perform your profession -- a profession which is one of the most competitive in the entire world -- and there is no specific baseball rule against doing it, I suspect that it gets done. If it is use PEDs or lose your spot (and the millions that come with having that spot), there ain't an issue about what's gonna happen. Those who think otherwise are rather detached from reality IMO.

I'm not saying that I agree with it, but I understand why it happens and am much less perturbed by it than others appear to be. I understand it was illegal, as were the greenies that Aaron, Mays, and many other icons apparently took during the 60's and 70's, but there was no baseball rule against it. In that regard, where is the horror and chagrin about the amphetamine epidemic of the 60's and 70's and the HOFers who did them? They were illegal too. Do Mays and Aaron get kicked out of the HOF because they took amphetamines for the express purpose of enhancing their performance on the field? I doubt that would be the popular sentiment.

Perhaps I'm overly cynical, but it seems pretty clear to me that people have been cheating, or attempting to cheat, pretty well since baseball (or any other sport for that matter) began. I have heard it said that if you aren't trying to cheat, you aren't trying to win. Steroids are just the most recent in the long line of efforts to use performance enhancers, and I doubt they will be the last. For those of you who want to talk about the purity of baseball during the "golden years," I suggest that baseball was no purer then -- they just cheated differently.

As for the suggestion that Selig should do anything about McGuire's confession, that simply makes me laugh. IMO. he was as complicit in creating the current situation as was McGuire, Sosa, and any other player you want to name. So were the owners. They knew and could have cared less because McGuire and Sosa were bringing fans back into the stands and everyone was making money. So were the rest of the juiced players. If the shit hadn't hit the fan, you would never have heard Selig say a word.

McGuire cheated. So did a whole bunch of players before him, including many who are now in the HOF. I'm not sure that I'd vote for McGuire for the HOF in any event, but his usage of steroids isn't the reason for that. 'Nuff said.

Kenny Cole

[ctownboy]

Mr.Cole,

The Commisioner's Office had rules against steroid and PED use as far back as 1993, the problem was the Player's Union would NOT go along with those rules. So, there was no teeth in the rules. Because of this, baseball was powerless to do anything about the cheating UNLESS they wanted a strike.

They didn't and they let it pass. It was ONLY when Congress stepped up and started talking about revoking basball's Anti-Trust exemption did the Players Union take notice and decide to start working with the Commish's Office and put some rules (with teeth) into writing.

So, there WERE people wanting to clean things up but it was the players themselves who refused to do so.

I remember some White Sox players saying they were willing to take drug tests to prove they were NOT cheating and they took heat from the Players Union and other players for doing this. The reason they stepped forward was because they didn't want to get labeled cheaters and wanted people to know they were playing by the rules and being fair about it. They wanted the fans to TRUST baseball.

[Rickyy]

He came clean well not really - can't believe he said he would have hit homeruns without taking steroids.. that kind of ruined any sense of credebility right there...

I hope LaRussa knows what he's doing...hiring Big Mac as a hitting instructor could be a season long distraction...for him and his team...and he's already tightly wound.

[ctownboy]

Rickyy,

Guys like McGwire would have still hit Home Runs and probably led the league but they wouldn't have hit so many. That is because the pitchers wouldn't be throwing so hard and the hitters wouldn't be as strong and wouldn't be able to get the bat through the hitting zone as quick.

So instead of Home Runs, guys would be either be hitting more fly ball Outs or foul balls.

David

[ChiefBenderForever]

The tears were a nice touch.

[Buythatcard]

As far as I am concerned, asterisk or no asterisk, Roger Maris still holds the record for the most home runs in a season by a non steroid user.

[keithsky]

What's sad to me is out of the top 10 home run hitters 4 are acussed of steriods. Mcgwire, A-Rod, Sosa, and Bonds. I don't think Griffey did them but if he was ever found to use them that would be half of the top 10. If that doesn't deserve and asterik nothing does

[Jim VB]

I find the McGwire discussion a little silly. I wouldn't vote him into the HOF. Period. Not because he used steroids. But because he's a lifetime .260 hitter. I would also not vote for Jose Canseco or Dave Kingman. They were purely one dimensional players and not HOFers in my book.

[Abravefan11]

Jim - I think that's the best point made in the thread so far.

[thekingofclout]

He's a victim. He didn't take the steroids for strength purposes. God. It's his lawyers' fault.

Now when will that other ignoramus Sosa sort of confess?

Jeff. "Ignoramus" is one of the all-time underrated words. Nice call.

Oh, I get it. It was a Cardinal sin, right? :)

An absolutely beauty of a pun!

As far as I am concerned, asterisk or no asterisk, Roger Maris still holds the record for the most home runs in a season by a non steroid user.

I concur.

I find the McGwire discussion a little silly. I wouldn't vote him into the HOF. Period. Not because he used steroids. But because he's a lifetime .260 hitter. I would also not vote for Jose Canseco or Dave Kingman. They were purely one dimensional players and not HOFers in my book.

Jim. Using the .260 BA as your criteria. What is your position on Killebrew (.258) ?

[insidethewrapper]

McGwire is a cheater like all the rest. He took steroids so he could play more games and this increased his home run total. Without steroids we would be looking at a Dave Kingman career (good but not HOF).

[whycough]

The Babe is still the greatest home run hitter of all time. Don't be fooled by the Maris extra games, the Aaron extra at bats, and the PED users extra rocket fuel. Repeating a lie doesn't make it true.

[Frank A]

Joe Morgan brought up another good point. how many good players never got there chance because so many guys were juiced. None of these suckers should ever get in the hall

[Robextend]

I look back and remember his hugs and celebration with the Maris family and I feel sick. He apologized to them, maybe the guilt was killing him over the years. But according to him it was only for injury purposes, yea ok.

I wonder how many laughs did McGwire and Sosa have talking about how they were juicing that entire year and pulling a fast one on MLB and all its fans???

[Jim VB]

Jim. Using the .260 BA as your criteria. What is your position on Killebrew (.258) ?


Here's the list, that Baseball Reference uses, of players comparable to McGwire. It's a very interesting list.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/friv/scomp_bat.cgi?I=mcgwima01:Mark McGwire&st=career&compage=&age=

Of this entire list, only McCovey and Killebrew are in the HOF. You could make a case that those guys hit their HR's back in the day that 40 in a season, and/or 500 in a career meant something.

However, I'd have to say that, using my criteria, they're both borderline guys. I do think Harmon was more deserving than McCovey though.

[mark evans]

I applaud McGwire for finally breaking his silence. Sure, we pretty much already knew that he used PEDs, but for him to finally come clean has got to lift a weight off his shoulders. It'll be interesting to see if any other players want to "belly up to the bar" and own up to what they've done.

We pretty much know who a lot of the PED users are (Sosa, Bonds, Clemens and many others). I think that coming clean might actually do some good because then the era of PED abusers could have a little closure and baseball could just "move on".


I don't see Clemens coming clean any time soon as he denied use under oath in congressional testimony in 2008 and perjury offense implicates 5-year statute of limitations, unless perhaps as part of a plea deal if he's prosecuted and senses a likely conviction.

[Fred]

Top 10 HR seasons:

1. Barry Bonds (36) 73 2001
2. Mark McGwire (34) 70 1998
3. Sammy Sosa (29) 66 1998
4. Mark McGwire (35) 65 1999
5. Sammy Sosa (32) 64 2001
6. Sammy Sosa (30) 63 1999
7. Roger Maris (26) 61 1961
8. Babe Ruth+ (32) 60 1927
9. Babe Ruth+ (26) 59 1921
10. Jimmie Foxx+ (24) 58 1932

The top six spots were filled in the years 1998-2001. Wow, what an era that was....

[chaddurbin]

mcgwire should be in the hall solely for the fact that he revived the american interest in baseball.

(i'm only half kidding)

[triwak]

At some point, pretty far into the future I would guess, history will more than likely recognize the "steroid" era as a true era of the game. And when I say "history," I mean writers, historians, politicians, fans... everyone. I think it will seem a bit revisionist to not then recognize those players who were standouts during that period. I know that doesn't sit too well with many of you, but future generations will probably be more forgiving, which will result in some of these "villains" (Bonds, McGwire, Clemans, Sosa, etc.) being inducted into the Hall. Gee, I've used a lot of quotation marks!

[GasHouseGang]

I don't think McGwire is admitting this now to try to get into the Hall of Fame. I'm sure he feels that is not going to happen. I think he was hoping to avoid a media circus every time the Cardinals were visiting another major league city and as he was trying to perform his duties as hitting coach. You know the media would have asked him endless questions about steroid use in every town the Cardinals visited. He's probably hoping that if he just admits it and lets everyone talk about it now, that by the time the season starts it will be old news.

[glynparson]

he did not play against a large segment of the population (Blacks), let alone the entire world. With all the crap he put in his body and how much he loved to play the game Ruth would have probably been first in line for the needle. Ruth has as much a right to the title as Josh Gibson or even Sadaharu Oh. I just don't understand the villification of the modern players who were trying to make their play better yet we idolize cheats like the blacksox or Hal Chase and drunks who likely worsened their performances like Ruth and Mantle? I understand baseball is one of those things where we always pretend the past was much more romantic then it truly was but you guys are students of the game you surely should know better.

[birdman42]

Glyn, I was thinking the same thing as I read Ken's post. We've already had the "whiskey" era and, more to the point, the "greenie" era. Are you going to hammer everyone who used amphetamines, from Mantle to Schmidt? Not likely.

I read an interesting POV that steroid use is more vilified because it affects home run records, and home runs are more spectacular and widely followed than, say, ERA or stolen bases. Is there evidence that steroids enhance hand-eye coordination the way amphetamines can? Yeah, Bonds had help getting the ball out of the park, but he still had to hit it first.

Bill

[Touch'EmAll]

For McGwire it was a move in the right direction - instead of no move at all. He wants to be part of baseball for years to come (coaching) and simply had to fess up to something.

Remember 49 Homers as a rookie. How many HOF sluggers had the raw rookie talent to reach 49?

McGwire DID have talent above most in the era, let him in with asterisk - or in a newly formed separate wing of HOF for this era's players.

Also, for goodness sake - let Maris in the Hall !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[bobafett72]

Unless he's sniffing at the enshrined jockstraps of previous hall of famers.
He, bonds, Sosa, Arod, Palmeiro. Strip them of their "records" and accomplishments and show them the door. the back door.

[Frank A]

The only guy who seems to have not lied about all this is Canseco. Funny, I thought he was a blowhard, but he seems to be the only one who tells the truth. Maybe he should be in the hall for exposing all these guys.(just kidding)

[Robextend]

It is funny that it seems a lot of what Canseco said has been validated.

Are we now waiting for a Bret Boone press conference?

[PolarBear]

The HOF could have a special steroids era syringe display right next to Geadel's shirt.

[keithsky]

Maybe they should put Canseco in the HOF for bringing all the riods out in the forfront and exposing this thing in his books. Otherwise MLB won't have done anything.

[Chris Counts]

Now that McGuire has "come clean," do you believe him that Tony LaRussa didn't know about his steroid use? I certainly don't. And there's no way Bud Selig can claim ignorance here either. Yet mark my words, at some point in the not so distant future, both LaRussa and Selig will be on Hall of Fame ballots ...

[Runscott]

“You don’t know that you’ll ever have to talk about the skeleton in your closet on a national level,” he said. “I did this for health purposes. There’s no way I did this for any type of strength use.”

Still lying though - "Did this for health purposes" yeah right.

If he hadn't have said that, I think the rest of his 'coming clean' was handled very well. Even the guy sitting in the courtroom with him, whose son died from steroid use, said he understood McGwire's previous response to Congress, once he heard that McGwire had asked for immunity. Let's face it, Congress doesn't handle baseball problems very well - any better than they handle anything else.

So I give McGwire's confession higher marks than any previous other than Andy Petitte, who's the only one who truly handled it the correct way.

Scott <=== now posting annually