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+--- Thread: McGwire Cheated (/thread-5879.html)
McGwire Cheated - ruby23 - 01-21-2010
Fergie, not a fan of McGwire's:
<!--quoteo-->QUOTE <!--quotec-->NEW YORK -- Ferguson Jenkins says Mark McGwire owes an apology to all those pitchers who gave up his home runs.
The Hall of Fame ace sent an open letter to The Associated Press this week, telling the former home-run king: "You have not even begun to apologize to those you have harmed."
"How many pitchers do you think he ended their careers by hitting numbers of home runs of them?" Jenkins said during a telephone interview Wednesday.
Jenkins also maintained he would have known how to handle the bulked-up McGwire, who hit a then-record 70 homers in 1998 and followed with 65 the following year.
"It's tough to hit a home run off your back," Jenkins said. "In my era, Seaver, Gibson, Drysdale, Carlton, there were so many guys that would have probably knocked him on his butt. He wouldn't have hit home runs the way he did in that era."
Thirty years ago, Jenkins himself became one of the first players caught up in baseball's struggles with drug discipline. Commissioner Bowie Kuhn suspended Jenkins following the pitcher's arrest in Canada on charges of cocaine possession, but the penalty was overturned by an arbitrator less than two weeks later -- the first time a baseball commissioner's ruling was reversed. A judge gave Jenkins an absolute discharge: no fine, no jail term and no record.
Hired in October by manager Tony La Russa as hitting coach of the St. Louis Cardinals. McGwire last week admitted he used steroids for a decade, including when he broke Roger Maris' season home-run record in 1998. Jenkins is one of several Hall of Famers to criticize McGwire, a group that includes Goose Gossage and Carlton Fisk.
Hank Aaron has said he's willing to forgive McGwire, tied for eighth with 583 home runs.
"You have yet to apologize to all the pitchers you faced while juiced," Jenkins wrote. "You altered pitchers' lives. You may have shortened pitchers careers because of the advantage you forced over them while juiced. Have you thought about what happened when they couldn't get you out and lost the confidence of their managers and general managers? You even managed to alter the place some athletes have achieved in record books by making your steroid-fueled run to the season home run record."
Fifty-one pitchers gave up a total of 57 homers to McGwire in what turned out to be their final major league seasons, according to STATS LLC, among them Bert Blyleven, Orel Hershiser, Dennis Martinez, Charlie Leibrandt and Donnie Moore.
Jenkins said in his letter that McGwire needs to apologize to several constituencies.
"You need to apologize to your family for depriving them of your presence as time goes on because you are likely going to die earlier than if you had never relied on andro to carry you to all your successes," he said.
McGwire admitted at the time of the home-run chase in 1998 that he used androstenedione, a steroid precursor that was made a controlled substance in 2004, when it also was banned by baseball.
Jenkins dismissed McGwire's assertion that he took steroids because of injuries and that they didn't help improve his performance. He also didn't think McGwire will make a very effective hitting coach.
"La Russa is his buddy," Jenkins said. "That's the only reason he got to be hitting coach. I'm not sure a home-run hitter can teach a good hitter, a contact hitter, how to play, how to hit. He swung for the fences most of the time. How you going to teach a guy that's a .240 hitter to put it in play?"
Jenkins, who plans to make appearances at spring training for the Chicago Cubs, was especially vocal about McGwire's scant Hall of Fame support: He doesn't expect it to increase. He also thinks the admission last week was directly related to McGwire re-entering baseball.
"He wasn't going to stay in hiding the rest of his life. Why did it take five years? Why didn't he come clean as soon as he quit?" Jenkins said. "They'll be a lot of pressure put on him by a lot more reporters come spring training. He really hasn't touched on what he ought to be saying to the public or to fellow ballplayers. If you're going to hold a press conference, hold a press conference."<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
McGwire Cheated - Ace - 01-21-2010
I thought that was awesome.
McGwire Cheated - Rappster - 01-21-2010
THIS is the Fergie who sounds like Jesus...
McGwire Cheated - HTC - 01-21-2010
Awesome. Whitey Herzog kind of ripped him too.
Link.
And Cardinals fans call Fergie a hypocrite.
Link.
McGwire Cheated - jstraw - 01-22-2010
Once again, my favorite Cub.
Got a link for that?
McGwire Cheated - cigar - 01-22-2010
<!--quoteo(post=76929:date=Jan 21 2010, 09:39 PM:name=HTC)-->QUOTE (HTC @ Jan 21 2010, 09:39 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->Awesome. Whitey Herzog kind of ripped him too.
Link.
And Cardinals fans call Fergie a hypocrite.
Link.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Of course they do. They didn't say a word about Jack Clark ripping his ass though. They won't say a word about Whitey either.
McGwire Cheated - Fella - 01-22-2010
<!--quoteo(post=76937:date=Jan 21 2010, 11:13 PM:name=stevestonescigar)-->QUOTE (stevestonescigar @ Jan 21 2010, 11:13 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=76929:date=Jan 21 2010, 09:39 PM:name=HTC)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (HTC @ Jan 21 2010, 09:39 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->Awesome. Whitey Herzog kind of ripped him too.
Link.
And Cardinals fans call Fergie a hypocrite.
Link.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Of course they do. They didn't say a word about Jack Clark ripping his ass though. They won't say a word about Whitey either.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
They actually booed Jack Clark at the Cardinals winter warm-up convention thing, and of course gave a standing O to McGwire.
McGwire Cheated - Butcher - 01-22-2010
<!--quoteo(post=76940:date=Jan 22 2010, 03:29 AM:name=Fella)-->QUOTE (Fella @ Jan 22 2010, 03:29 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=76937:date=Jan 21 2010, 11:13 PM:name=stevestonescigar)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (stevestonescigar @ Jan 21 2010, 11:13 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=76929:date=Jan 21 2010, 09:39 PM:name=HTC)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (HTC @ Jan 21 2010, 09:39 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->Awesome. Whitey Herzog kind of ripped him too.
Link.
And Cardinals fans call Fergie a hypocrite.
Link.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Of course they do. They didn't say a word about Jack Clark ripping his ass though. They won't say a word about Whitey either.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
They actually booed Jack Clark at the Cardinals winter warm-up convention thing, and of course gave a standing O to McGwire.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Best Fans in Baseball©
McGwire Cheated - cigar - 01-22-2010
<!--quoteo(post=76940:date=Jan 22 2010, 03:29 AM:name=Fella)-->QUOTE (Fella @ Jan 22 2010, 03:29 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=76937:date=Jan 21 2010, 11:13 PM:name=stevestonescigar)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (stevestonescigar @ Jan 21 2010, 11:13 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=76929:date=Jan 21 2010, 09:39 PM:name=HTC)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (HTC @ Jan 21 2010, 09:39 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->Awesome. Whitey Herzog kind of ripped him too.
Link.
And Cardinals fans call Fergie a hypocrite.
Link.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Of course they do. They didn't say a word about Jack Clark ripping his ass though. They won't say a word about Whitey either.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
They actually booed Jack Clark at the Cardinals winter warm-up convention thing, and of course gave a standing O to McGwire.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Really? I missed that. So they booed the guy who ripped on the cheater but gave the cheater a standing O? Bwahahaha. Fucking idiots.
McGwire Cheated - ChiefKodiak - 01-25-2010
<!--quoteo-->QUOTE <!--quotec-->Best Fans in Baseball©<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
LOL, priceless! I've been reading a book by Stephen King about the 2004 Red Sox, and he makes fun of the 'roids users throughout the book, while praising Manny Ramirez. I guess the joke is on SK.
McGwire Cheated - The Dude - 02-26-2010
I bolded my favorite part.
<!--quoteo-->QUOTE <!--quotec-->JUPITER, Fla. (AP)—Mark McGwire said he’s saddened his estranged brother wrote a book that chronicles their use of performance-enhancing drugs and reiterated his claim that he only took them to heal from injuries.
McGwire said Thursday he’s so up set with his brother, Jay McGwire, that he doesn’t believe reconciliation is possible.
“I don’t plan on ever seeing him again,” said McGwire, the new hitting coach for the St. Louis Cardinals.
The youngest of the five McGwire brothers and Mark’s junior by more than six years, Jay McGwire lived with Mark and was a frequent clubhouse visitor during McGwire’s time in Oakland. His book, “Mark and Me: Mark McGwire and the Truth Behind Baseball’s Worst-Kept Secret,” is scheduled for publication Monday by TriumphBooks.
Mark McGwire used the word “sad” seven times to describe the book in his 8-minute question and answer session with the media on Thursday.
“You try to be a good person, you try to take care of somebody, be a good brother,” said McGwire, trailing off. “It’s sort of sad. It’s a sad day for my family. I don’t know how a family member could do something like that.”
Last month, McGwire admitted taking steroids and human growth hormone during the 1990s, but said he only did so to recover from injuries—not to improve his performance.
Jay McGwire says recovering from injuries was the primary reason for his brother’s decision to use drugs but that Mark McGwire also knew the steroids were helping him gain size and strength.
“He had to do something to try to sell a book,” Mark said. “I know the reason why I did it. I know it from the heart and I told you guys that already back in January.”
Jay McGwire says in the book that he persuaded his brother to start using steroids regularly in 1994 and set him up with a supplier. He says Mark regularly used an array of drugs through 1996 that included Deca-Durabolin, human growth hormone, Dianabol, Winstrol and Primobolan. McGwire later used androstenedione, a steroid precursor that wasn’t banned by baseball until 2004, when it became a controlled substance.
“I’ve already come out and said what I’ve done and apologized,” Mark said. “As far as I’m concerned there’s really nothing new. It’s kind of sad as a brother what he’s done, but I’ve moved on from it.”
Jay McGwire, a former bodybuilder who turns 40 on May 5, said he was introduced to steroids by friends in 1989, beginning with pills of Anavar. He says his brother only gave in to using steroids after an injury-filled 1993 season.
McGwire hit 70 homers for the Cardinals in 1998, shattering Roger Maris’ record of 61 set in 1961.
At Phillies’ camp on Thursday, Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt commended McGwire for his apology, but he isn’t sure if the public fully accepts it.
“He needed to clear the air, sort of pave the way for a smoother year for himself. It’s not going to be smooth by any means,” said Schmidt, who is serving as a guest instructor with Philadelphia. “He’s going to have to talk about it wherever he goes, but I’m happy for him. It was a great start for his new career as hitting coach.
“He stated that his usage of steroids didn’t help his power output. He may believe that and it may be true, but I don’t think that’s what the public wanted to hear. They probably wanted to hear an admission that his numbers were increased and his position in history was probably elevated to some degree by the use of steroids. Again, I think that’s what the public wanted to hear.”
<b>The brothers haven’t spoken since 2002. They fell out after Jay McGwire’s stepson, Eric, tickled Mark and caused Mark to spill coffee on himself. Mark then swatted Eric on the backside. Jay’s wife, Francine, then refused to attend Mark’s wedding.</b>
St. Louis manager Tony La Russa received an advanced scouting report on the book and didn’t expect the release to disrupt the Cardinals’ camp.
“Somebody I knew read an advanced copy,” La Russa said prior to morning workouts. “He said that (Jay) said some stuff—it wasn’t really first-page-to-last-page damning stuff about Mark.”
Neither Mark McGwire nor La Russa plan to read the book.
“What’s the point?” La Russa said. “It’s stuff that’s already been gone over a bunch of times. I don’t know what it’s going to change.”<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->