Was baseball saved by steriods? I say YES!!!?
480495
Sadly I would have to agree with you and say that everyone was turning a blind eye to the steroid problem.  The strike of 1994/1995 struck a serious blow to the game that really it has not recovered from.  I hope the independant investigator takes a long look at Selig.
950931
I absolutely understand where you are going with this question and I agree in part with what you are saying.  Koufax had a 12 year career.  The first 6 years were under .500 with an era well over 4 runs a game.  By todays standards that's actually okay.  Back in the 50's and 60's you were basically on your way out!!  Somewhere during the off season between 1960 and 1961 something happened.  What that was, who can tell.  It's like a light went off in his head and he suddenly learned how to pitch.  There is no denying the second half of his career but as you said many other pitchers have won more games.  I can give you a list of pitchers with close to 300 wins that are not in the HOF.  Baseball has many issues starting with Bonds right on down to a terrible playoff system.  The powers to be really need to sit down and take a long hard look at their position on matters that really count.  As for Koufax, we all know about his medical problems when he left the game.  That may have helped him more than anything else.  He was a very good pitcher who just happened to have 4 HOF seasons and then walked away from the game.  I'd say based on what we've seen over the past 20 years, yes, why not.  After all lesser players are in the HOF
1028485
Basketball. Baseball is a joke. Bud Selig's ruined that game. Say what you will about the NBA cap, but at least they have a cap.  When a team can buy a player they don't want or need just because their competitors want him...that's just a joke.  Also, there's no other major sport that I know of where a guy can be grossly overweight and still be a star.  \n\nAnd, don't get me started about the steriods thing.  MLB doesn't handle things very well and Bud Selig is spineless.
534633
Well, in order to spark my interest (I was not ALWAYS a baseball fan) my hunny assigned a "value" to each aspect of the game.  We would select a certain player for that night's game and if he got a single, I got a kiss, a double, I got a massage and so on.  It became worth it to watch the game because in the end, I benefited from watching it and cheering the players on.  I began to cheer for our team because I was going to be rewarded when they performed well.  It worked!! Now, I am a bigger baseball fan than my hunny is.  :o)
250748
Barry Bonds is a cheater.\nHe deserves in the Hall of Fame right after they let Pete Rose into the Hall.\nSammy Sosa, Jose Conseco, Mark McGwire, Giambi, Sheffield, etc. \nThey all knew the rules and broke them. Steroids have changed the game as we know it. Take the Home Run title away from Bonds and give it back to its rightful owner, Roger Maris.
124651
No, he is not.  Did you see how poorly he did this season when they were testing for steroids.  I think that he stopped using them this season so he would not get in trouble.  If you use steroids, why do you deserve to be on the all time homerun list? Plus, there's the whole cork in the bat incident.  He had to cheat to get his homeruns.
1144913
A liar from the point of view that no one in the world would either put/drink/inject something into their body unknowingly. As far as you guys saying, "quit hating". Well he got himself into this, he deserves what comes from it. I don't care if he breaks all the records in the world, he still is a cheater and cheaters in my book are losers who can't compete.\nEdit: 6/15/06\nI am sick and tired of people saying that steroids doesn't affect hand and eye coordination as well as bat speed. BS. It may not affect hand and eye coordination enough to be noticeable but it does affect bat speed. You telling me that a guy not on steroids has the same bat speed as one on steroids. No way. Plus you can add length of the batted ball also as being affected. Anyone hitting close to over 500ft per homerun should be looked at even if the batter knew what was coming like in batting practice. Also, I watched a show on the discover channel one day about weightlifting and guys on steroids. Guess what's the first thing to go on a person using steroids for a long time."His knees"......enough said.
899601
Uh.... no..... Homeruns are always the best.... :)
901807
Yes to both McGwire and Bonds.  Nobody has definitively proven they broke any rules of baseball.  Keep in mind that in the speculation of when McGwire took steroids it was not a banned substance.  Canseco?  I don't think his numbers were there.  He was great in the 80's and very early in the 90's but he did not have a HOF career.  He did however have a very good career.
1016788
I think anything they can do to prevent steroids is great!I think at first it would be a huge blow up but after a while players would just accept it and learn to play with their natural talent.
890928
Good to see Paul O'Neil's name come up. He and Mattingly were my favorites and remain among my favorites to this day. O'Neil was one of those players that brought an intangible to the games he played - a determined grit... a never surrender quality to every at bat. He carried this with him for every game he played.\n\nHe wouldn't give up and wouldn't let anyone else around him give up - a true warrior of the diamond.\n\nThis quality is seldom reflected in stats - a shame... On numbers alone, he wouldn't make the hall. In the minds and hearts of those who saw him play and witnessed his daily contributions - it matters not.
556668
Love the Rocket!  THE best pitcher of my lifetime (1973-Present).  If he would have started in Spring Training, he'd be out of gas by playoff time.  He's an old dude.  I have no problem with him waiting until now to come back.  Altough I didn't like the "maybe I'll come back, maybe I won't" business.  We all knew he was coming back.  The Stros made a great comeback in the second half of last season, and are set to do it again this year.  \n\nGo Stros!\n\nBut I did love watching my Buccos take 2 of 3 from them last weekend.  They got lucky on Sunday with the comeback from 4 down in the 9th.  That 18 inning game on Sat. night was one of the best I've ever seen.
588358
You betcha, my friend--sitting in upper reserved, section 327, with a perfect view.  Beautiful day by the bay, not much wind, and every other hard-hit ball to center died before it got anywhere today--which is why we knew Barry's shot was heading out: it was still rising over right-center.  But as with everything in baseball, you need context: Byung-Yung Kim owned the Giants today.  It was 6-0 Rockies when Bonds came up, and there were already 2 out, with Steve Finley on first.  Kim had walked Bonds his first AB, but with a 6 run lead he looked like he was going after him.  Count went full, and we all thought, here comes another walk....The other remarkable thing was that during each pitch there was almost total silence in the yard--nobody was cheering, everybody went quiet, like they didn't want any distractions.  Never heard anything like it...And then of course all hell broke loose when he hit it.  Some guy in the right-center bleachers had a glove on it and misplayed it, and the ball dropped over the side of the section onto the concessions below.  And some other guy who was in line for a beer saw it rolling his way and picked it up.  (True!)\n\nI know there's going to be a lot of screaming about steroids, and cheating, and racism, and asterisks, and who was better, and why, and bla bla bla....You know what?  I don't think there's a sports record you couldn't taint if you looked close enough.  To me, it's about the drama of the moment, and this one had it.  Lucky to be there.  (But glad it's over....oh, and the Rockies won anyway....)\n\nP.S.: I'm with you on the steroids thing.  Strength is fine, but as anyone who's ever hit a baseball knows, a half inch either way on the bat, and you have either a very strong popup or a very strong ground ball.  The reason hitting a baseball is the hardest thing to do in sports is because the hitter has exactly half a second from the time the ball is released to decide where it's going, and whether to swing or not--and if you do swing, you're as likely to miss as to hit, and if you do hit, 7 out of 10 times you'll be out.  Steroids may give you bulk, but they don't give you eyesight or bat speed.  Not that I'm saying Bonds--or anyone else who ever played the game--is totally clean.  But I just think the effect of steroids on home runs is overrated.\n\nAs for unfair comparisons: how many home runs would Babe Ruth have hit if he'd had to play against pitchers like Bob Gibson, Juan Marichal, Dave Stewart, Pedro Martinez, Dontrelle Willis...?\n\nP.P.S:  Aaron's record is safe.  Watched Bonds' play in left decline enough to know: his knees won't carry him the 3 seasons he'd need now to reach 755.
555006
First off, to the guy above me - try spelling "title" right before you type something.\n\nSecond, I have to say that I agree with the allegations that he did use steroids. ESPN the Magazine just had a story about him with a picture of him in '93 and one of him recently. Same pose (stretching before going to bat with the bat over his head). He didn't even look like the same person. However, I'm still undecided on whether or not he was aware that he was using steroids. But, it seems to me that'd be kind of hard not to realize that you're getting that much bigger that fast. On the other hand, you still have to have some talent and hand-eye coordination to make contact with the ball. So, it's not like steroids were the only thing that have propelled him to third all-time in HRs. There's talent there, too. But, I love the Giants and I love watching Barry play. I'm glad he's so close to the HR second place record and I hope he breaks Ruth's second place record and comes back again next year. His agent said that he expects him to return next year, just not sure for what team...be a DH in the AL or continue to play for the Giants? I think everyone should just lay off him, though, and let the man play baseball...for goodness sakes' it's just a sport...and, Ruth and Mantle, etc. weren't all exactly saints either...
365886
Amen Sister!\n\nI am happy as a lark in mid-june!\n\nA few years back they started the season 4-0 and ended up 72-90. So I am not saying they are going to win the WORLD Series, but I am enjoying it while it lasts.\n\nJustin Verlander starts today, and he's got a good arm. he's a flame thrower...I'd love to see them 5-0. But I dont want to jinx them by saying they will win.\n\nWe got some young good arms. Bondermen should have a break out year, and hopefully win 15-20 games. kenny rodgers will be a good influence on the young arms (just keep him away from any and all cameramen!!! lol).\n\nShelton usually doesnt hit for power, more for average. So this is just a phase he's going through. If he can hit close to .300 (or better) I'd be happy.\n\nIf Mags can stay healthy all year, along with Guillen we should be ok. Polanco is awesome, he just hits the baseball almost everytime he's up. You can count on him being at or above .300 this year.\n\nIf Pudge has the same kind of year he had in 2004, that would be great.\n\nInge is much better hitter when he doesnt catch.\n\nGranderson has speed, but needs to work onhis outfield play.\n\nMonroe is good.\n\nOf course the trick is too put ALL THINGS together at the same time.\n\nThe baseball season is a marathon (162 games), so it's still way to early to tell. But so far I like what I see.\n\nGiving where The Tigers have been at over the last 14 years. if they win 79-80 games I would be happier than a lark in mid-june!\n\nWe haven't had a winning season (.500 or better) in 12 years. This could be 13. \n\nAnd please dont get me started on the owner, he is more concerned with his other team to even care about The Tigers.\n\noh Wow! Did I just babble? Sorry, but I love MY TIGERS! MY TIGERS! MY TIGERS!\n\nI am happy to see them in 1st place, but I know it won't last.\n\nThanks for letting me babble!
1110394
Ball Four is a very good book even though it is now 36 years old.\nI think I remember seeing Jim Bouton on the ESPN show hosted by Bob Ley a short while ago.  Bouton said that if you gave a pitcher a pill that would guarantee 20 wins but cut 5 years from their life, most would do that.\n\nBut you are right, "greenies" were the stepping stone to steroids.  Luckily, the greenies are baned now as well.  I remember people saying that the lack of greenies, or amphetamines, would cause a bigger change in the game than the lack of steroids.  Supposedly it will be much harder to play everyday without the chemical pick-me-up.  It is impossible to say, but it does seem like more players are getting a day of rest from the lineup more often this year.  Or I could just be noticing it more because of the recent ban on greenies.
1031060
I agree w/ the HGH rumors swirling around Pujols.  The size of that guy's head is huge!  The timing of Grimsley's uncovering & Puj's injury seem like a coincedence, huh?\n\nI'd love to be wrong about this, but baseball players have proved me right soooo many times now.  Yeah, we do need players like Pujols as long as they're clean.  Major League Baseball needs major drug testing that includes a blood test for HGH.\n\nCheaters!!  Stop ruining our game!!\n\n(Oh yeah, the major cop-out has poked its ugly head out...  "he's not white"... give me a break.  Se_Roddy, you're the scumbag for using that old crutch.  I don't give a damn about the race/religion/ethnicity of a player.  Just don't cheat!  I sincerely hope Pujols is not cheating, but in this climate you're guilty until proven innocent and NOBODY except baseball players themselves can be blamed for this mess.  As an intelligent fan of baseball, shame on you if you're not questioning every single one of these guys because it's more than just Jason Grimsley & David Segui that are/were doing it...)