I have found it difficult to find any information coming from players themselves on why they uses steroids. Truthfully, none of them want to talk about it. But I did manage to come across a few articles on Mark McGwire and Barry Bonds. McGwire is willing to admit to his mistake, he wants to move on with his career and life. Bonds is a different story; he had denied and denied. But I was able to find some articles about his use that came through trainers and others that were close to him.
In 2005, former Oakland Athletic, Jose Canseco released his controversial book Juiced. The book revealed the rampant use of steroids by not only Canseco himself, but he exposed many other top athletes for using performance enhancing drugs. The news cast a long and dark shadow over all of professional baseball, one that would remain there for many years. Pretty soon, most every major slugger in the big leagues was being put under the spotlight, and unfortunately, many of them were using steroids. Soon after Mark McGwire set the record for number of home-runs in a season at 70 in 1998, he was exposed for using steroids. McGwire amassed much weight and muscle in a short amount of time raising suspicion amongst fans and major league baseball alike. His record was tainted when in 2011 he admitted to using steroids on and off for years, he apologized saying that he wishes he never used any drugs to enhance his game. McGwire still works as a batting coach for the 2011 World Champion St. Luis Cardinals. I found a great article where McGuire opens up to his steroid use and talks about his mistakes and how he is trying to move on. I admire that he was able to open up about his mistakes, and talk about them to the world.
It has proven difficult to find articles on Barry Bonds and his use of steroids. He just wants to forget that it happened and move on. But as you can tell, steroids might help players to perform better; but it will keep them out of the Hall of Fame. It is viewed as cheating, cheap, and unfair. It is something that will follow players like Barry Bonds and Mark McGwire for the rest of their careers in the Major Leagues, and for the rest of his life. But McGwire is still working in the Major Leagues? So what has been the real reproductions for these players? There is no permanent ban from Major League baseball. So what is stopping them from using?
The biggest mark of shame that our beloved San Francisco Giants have had to endure is that of the Barry Bonds saga. Arguably the best hitter to ever play the game, Bonds holds records for both most home runs hot in a single season, 73, and most home runs hit in a career at 762. AT&T Park was practically built for Bonds so fans could watch him launch balls over the brick wall and into the water of McCovey cove. He was a loved by every Giants fans out there, and feared by every pitcher who faced him. Bonds was born with a beautiful and natural left handed swing, he was a great hitter in his early career, and he became the best while wearing a Giants uniform. But soon, after it was known that Bonds had used performance enhancing drugs, he became what some felt to be a burden to the team and to the league all together. But Bonds tried to deny it all the way to the Supreme Court, when everyone knew he was guilty, then he just pointed fingers at everyone but himself.
So what would drive this naturally talented player to use steroids? Is it the pressure to be the best? Advise from trainers? Here are some words from Barry Bonds on the charges put against him for the use of steroids...
"All you guys lied! All of y'all and the story have lied. Should you have asterisks behind your name? All of you lied. All of you have said something wrong. All of you have dirt. When your closet's clean, then come clean somebody else's ..."
"What did I do? What did I do? What are you going to apologize for when you're wrong? This is old stuff. I mean, it's like watching Sanford and Son. It's just rerun after rerun after rerun. It's almost comical, basically. We've got alcohol that's the No. 1 killer in America, and we legalize that. You've got tobacco, No. 2 or 3 killer in America. We legalize that. There's other issues. It's become Hard Copy all day long. Are you guys jealous? Are you upset? Disappointed? What? ..."
"I don't know if steroids are going to help you in baseball. I just don't believe it. I don't believe steroids can help eye-hand coordination [and] technically hit a baseball."
-- Feb. 22, 2005,
his first public comments after his grand jury testimony was leaked
As you can tell, Bonds was in no way apologetic for using the drugs, he never even really gave an explanation as to why he did it. He later came out a said that he didn't know that he was taking steroids, that his trainer was giving them to him unknowingly. It was sad for many fans to have to deal with this reality. It was sad for me, and it left a harsh taste in my mouth for a long time. Here is an article that I found about the known use of steroids by Bonds. It was known by many that he was using; daily.
But finally, we are starting to see a time in baseball again where it is uncommon for players to be using steroids. The last few years we have seen the pitchers shine on the mound as they are bringing the game to the next level Pitchers like Tim Lincecum who are making the change for the better, who are bringing the excitement the right way, through practice and raw talent. These new and clean players are restoring a faith once lost in many baseball fans. They are the heart and soul of the league. Sure, there will always be meat bags like Alex Rodriguez (and the whole NY Yankee organization for that matter) that will try to tip the scales in an unfair manner; (winning World Series with money) or using steroids. But there are still many many players out there that shine, and many teams that thrive without the billion dollar budget. They are the players and teams that speak for baseball. They are they ones that I want to see play, and see win.
This is a great post because baseball and steroids is always a big controversy in the media!
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