Baseball and Steroids
Astros shortstop Miguel Tejada is charged with lying to Congress over testimony he gave regarding steroids, a charge he is expected to plead guilty to.
Doug Benc, Getty Images
After a report surfaced that Alex Rodriguez failed a 2003 drug test, the star admitted he used steroids as a member of the Texas Rangers from 2001 to 2003.
Charles Krupa, AP
Roger Clemens is under fire for insisting in a hearing that he did not use performance-enhancing drugs, despite what his former personal trainer has claimed.
Pablo Martinez Monsivais, AP
Barry Bonds, baseball's home run king, faces charges of lying to a jury after testifying he did not use steroids, despite reports that he did fail drug tests.Click through for more players who have been accused of taking performance enhancing-drugs or tested positive.
Paul Sakuma, AP
Jose Canseco admitted he used steroids in his book "Juiced," and also named several of his former teammates as performance-enhancing drug users.
Mark Wilson, Getty Images
Giants minor league catcher Eliezer Alfonzo was suspended last June for 50 games after he failed a drug test.
Chris Graythen, Getty Images
Braves top prospect Jordan Schafer was suspended 50 games last season by the commissioner's office for violating the minor league drug program. Schafer was reportedly caught in possession of human growth hormone.
Elsa, Getty Images
In 2007, outfielder Jose Guillen received a 15-day suspension following media reports linking him to performance-enhancing drugs. Guillen's suspension was eliminated as part of baseball's new agreement on drug testing.
Jamie Squire, Getty Images
Outfielder Jay Gibbons was suspended in 2007 after being linked to HGH use. Following the suspension, Gibbons admitted receiving human growth hormone in 2005 and apologized, but was released by the Orioles before they opened the regular season. Gibbons signed a minor-league deal with the Marlins last month.
Scott A. Schneider, Getty Images
In December 2007, Orioles second baseman Brian Roberts issued an apology and admitted to using steroids on a single occasion in 2003 shortly after he was named in the Mitchell Report.
Doug Benc, Getty Images
"If you did that, you'd have to go back and change all kinds of records, and the [home run] record was very important to me," Aaron said. "It's probably the most hallowed record out there, as far as I'm concerned, but it's now in the hands of somebody else. It belongs to Barry. No matter how we look at it, it's his record, and I held it for a long time. But my take on all of this has always been the same. I'm not going to say that Barry's got it because of this or because of that, because I don't know."Look, we all know how stupid Selig's idea is. Bonds hit the home runs and he hit them in games that count, so the home runs have to count. No one is ever going to forget that Bonds was on steroids and whenever people mention his record, they'll mention that and they'll mention Aaron in the same breath.
Really, Aaron needs to be commended for the way he's handled this situation. More than one ex-player would scream and yell that they should have their record back, but Aaron has been pure class since it became clear that Bonds would break his record. He understands that nothing that Bonds can do will take away his own 755 home runs and that the public will always hold his 755 up as a pure number, no matter how many home runs Bonds or A-Rod hits. Now if only Bud Selig could see the same thing.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
2-14-2009 @ 12:16PM
Brian said...
Hank Aaron did show how much of a classy guy he is by conceding his all timehomerun crown to Barry Bonds. Whether Bonds did steroids or not, the record belongs to him. It will take another steroid user (namely Alex Rodriquez) to surpass Bonds on that list. I'm sure Barry Bonds will show the same class towards A-Rod that Aaron showed Bonds. My question is, considering that Hank Aaron does not have the greatest admiration for white people, would he be as classy towards Mark McGwire or Jim Thome if they, not Bonds, had broken his record?
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2-14-2009 @ 1:49PM
riprunride said...
You don't know what Hank's admiration for white people is, so why is this even a question? Also, think of when Hank played. We know he received death threats from white people, so did his family, he wasn't allowed to stay in certain hotels with his teammates or eat at certain restaurants all because of his skin color. So ask me again why you question whether he would be as classy to a white person breaking his record?
2-14-2009 @ 4:18PM
fareastla said...
Brian, I'm a white guy and I used to play baseball for a living. After my career ended, I began selling cars and used what little celebrity I had as a tool to generate customers. Two of my customers were Hank and his brother Tommy Aaron. They always treated me with dignity and respect and both of them came back and bought from me again and again. The press often blows things out of proportion; which is what I personally think they've done with "the Hank Aaron is prejudice" story. The Aaron family always treated me with respect. PS I took my old girlfriend's son to see a game in which Barry Bonds hit a home run too. After the game I took that child down to the clubhouse where Barry, Jim Leyland, and Denny Nagle all autographed baseballs for him and Denny even got the whole team to autograph that night's line-up card and then he signed it "My first major league win." Barry even told the child why he wore that cross in his left ear. You should have heard that kid re-tell that story. Now you know something good about those people you seem to despise! God bless you!!!
2-14-2009 @ 5:25PM
ynotony358 said...
Its 2009, the country's in the tank, and we're still yapping about a bleeping G A M E !
The Feds are spending money that could go to better use and worst of all NO ONES EVEN PROVED ANYTHING YET!
Its like, GROW UP America, and put that money to better use. ITS A BLEEPING GAME!!!!!!
2-14-2009 @ 12:18PM
sergeantruss said...
AS far as I am concerned, Bonds, McGwire, Sosa and any other cheater holds no records. None would have achieved the records they have without cheating. I cannot believe anyone enables these idiots by not taking away their records. Cheaters never deserve recognition.
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2-14-2009 @ 12:41PM
Matt Snyder said...
Sosa?
You're gonna need proof on that. He's never been included in anything other than a "hey, he got really big and hit a lot of home runs" list.
2-14-2009 @ 12:26PM
Butch said...
I agree with Brian that Aaron wants no part of this controversy and has handled it with class. I do believe deep down he doesn`t agree with it.
If they want to do something ban them from the HOF.
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2-14-2009 @ 12:31PM
pal621 said...
OMG Bonds and A-rod should and will be band form baseball just like Pete Rose, you break the rules and the law you loose. If they are allowed to be in basebal and enter the hall of fame what kind of message does that send to our youth??? Send these over paid worthless so called players away for good.
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2-14-2009 @ 2:16PM
snackdog1 said...
Get a dictionary and look up the word band? Then have somebody other than you read it. I'm sure you are concerned about the youth of America, but concern yourself with your own children if you even have some. If your children use drugs are you going to blame major league baseball, the NFL, the NBA...? Get real. Baseball has changed and you can bet everyone knows when and why it changed. It is the Canseco's not the A-Rods who let people like you become the moral majority. You probably never even seen Pete Rose play baseball. I think you are maybe, 20, am I right?
2-14-2009 @ 12:33PM
dinohealth said...
WHAT A CLASS ACT! HANK HAS FINALLY SPOKEN OUT! HE IS TOTALLY CORRECT! A TRUE LEGEND! BONDS DOES OWN THE RECORD IN HIS OWN RIGHT, AND ACCORDING TO THE RULES (OR, LACK OF) OF HIS GENERATION! THAT IS HOW IT OUGHT TO BE! MLB OOWNS THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE MESS WE ARE IN, AND LOOKING FOR SCAPEGOATS IS NOT THE WAY TO OWN UP TO IT. SELIG SHOULD TAKE A CUE FROM BONDS AND STAND UP! LEAVE THE PLAYERS ALONE, NEW RULES, ENFORCE THEM, AND MOVE ON!
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2-14-2009 @ 12:33PM
jwallstrom said...
If cheaters can hold records where does it end? The Nobel prize to someone who falsifies their research? Why not?
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2-14-2009 @ 12:48PM
jeff said...
There will be no HOF for any of these cheaters. Anybody who supports Bonds, Clemens, Rodriguez etc..., need to understand they tarnished the game. Does not matter black or white THEY ARE CHEATERS. WHY DID ROGER MARIS'S RECORD STAND FOR 37 YEARS????? These guys are a disgrace to the player before them. Guys like Aaron,Carew,Gibson,Koufax,Ruth
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2-14-2009 @ 4:24PM
Al Lolich said...
Whoa there "Jeffie"...!!!
Don't include Babe Ruth in this group of "Do-Gooders". The Babe was a known boozer during most of his career. Alcoholic beverages were an illegal substance during The Prohibition period of the 1920's -30's. There's no difference between illegal alcoholic bevereges then, and illegal steroids now. Illegal is illegal, no matter how you look at it. Don't be guilty of having the double standards that most other baseball fanatics are guilty of having.
2-16-2009 @ 4:18AM
Dr. Carpenter said...
Hey, Jeff. can you believe this guy just compared steroids to alcohol? So he knows a little history and just wants to flex his technical muscles by talking about legal versus illegal substances. Do i need to mention that steriods lead to muscle growth unlike bud light...or do i need to mention how much longer people can stay in the game by injecting the fountain of youth in their ass? Answer me one question...what would Dale Murphy's numbers be if he decided to start injecting steroids after physical decline in the 80s when he hit more hr's and rbi's than anyone in that decade? Would he then be considered a hall of famer...?
2-14-2009 @ 12:54PM
Martin said...
First, Mr. Selig is not thinking of suspending A-Roid because of a failed drug test, but rather because A-Roid has now ADMITTED to using steroids in violation of the rules of baseball, which rules have been in effect since at least 1991.
Second, athletes who have won gold medals have had them taken away years after determining that had used steroids. Certainly, someone can insert in the record book an asterisk after Bonds name with a statement that because he used steroids in violation of the rules of baseball, his record number of home runs will not be recognized by major league baseball. Yes, he hit them, just like Marion Jones finished ahead of all of the other sprinters in her races, but ask her where her gold medals are?
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2-14-2009 @ 1:13PM
DYCUS said...
You people are just yelling about something Bonds hit the home runs and he should be homerun king and I am white just get over it.
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2-14-2009 @ 1:20PM
elysianfields08 said...
yes , bonds will show the same class . From prison
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2-14-2009 @ 1:21PM
hrczar55 said...
The real culprit in this issue is BUD SELIG! He should be fired, not given a raise. This leak now confirms HE has known all along there was a steroid problem and has acted as an arrogant holier than thou pompous ass. He was disgraceful in his behavior when Bonds broke the record and now that the world knows he had information that confirms Bond's is not alone with roids, it is even more disgusting. HE NEEDS TO GO PERIOD. The past is the past get over it and diligently work to clean up the future. Aaron was class act when Bonds broke the record and continues to be. There is nothing to gain from punishing players for the past.
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2-14-2009 @ 1:48PM
stevetrueheart said...
Every baseball player uses whatever he can to get an advantage, period! This is taught, especially at the professional level. The league may come along from time to time and "outlaw" certain methods (spitter, amphetamines, steroids, etc.) but this will not stop any baseball player from looking for the "next advantage". For you purists out there, you may not like these facts, but it is true. Anyone who is a realist will understand this. Let the records stand the way they occur, and ge the hell out the way.
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2-14-2009 @ 1:54PM
Jeff said...
I think that no matter what bonds is a good player and the only thing that the juice did was let the ball go alittle further you still need to have the eye to hit the ball and the juice as far as I know dose not help with eye sight sure maybe a few balls might not of made it into home run area but all that says to me is that he still would of gotten there should he of lied No but he still was a good player
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