I tend to agree with what he has to say about steroids...particularly about the point of the media driving this story beyond what fans care about. BUT COLOR ME SHOCKED THAT ANY MANAGER WOULD ADMIT TO WHAT HE ADMITTED TO IN BOLD, BELOW!!!! http://houston.astros.mlb.com/NASAp...content_id=979053&vkey=perspectives&fext=.jsp Steroid talk getting old Current testing policy is tough enough Baseball Perspectives Larry Dierker Barry Bonds didn't need to improve his performance, according to Larry Dierker. (Ben Margot/AP) MLB Headlines I don't know about you, but I've about had it up to the gills on steroids. It reminds me of the Pete Rose watch in the spring of 1989. The Cincinnati beat writers were going nuts in Plant City. They had to write a Rose story every day, even though on most days there were no new developments. It makes you wonder who's driving, the editors or the fans. My guess is that the guys on the desk are deciding what the readers want to read about and what the writers should write. Am I the only guy who wants something different? In 1969, Jim Bouton was traded from the Seattle Pilots to the Astros and we became teammates. He was keeping notes that year for his book, "Ball Four." The biggest news that came out of that book was that the players were taking diet pills, called greenies, though they came in different colors. Now they call them amphetamines, or speed. We didn't think it was such a big deal. Why would we? The team trainers were handing them out as diet supplements. The ones we had were orange and shaped like footballs. I think they were pretty mild, but I also think some of the guys had their own supplies -- some not so mild. The everyday players used them, but most pitchers did not because they didn't have to drag themselves out there day after day. Several years before that, another pitcher by the name of Jim Brosnan wrote a book called "The Long Season." In it, he revealed that many Major League players were fond of drinking alcoholic beverages. Both of these secrets have plenty of ink, but nothing like what is going on now with the steroids. The cocaine story that broke in Pittsburgh in the early 80's, in my opinion, was more scandalous than drinking or taking diet pills. Steroids, like amphetamines, have legitimate medical applications. Taking greenies or steroids without a prescription is illegal. So is using cocaine. But the stimulants and muscle builders are taken in an attempt to improve performance. If Mark McGwire and Barry Bonds took steroids, they had to be crazy. They didn't need to improve their performance. But I can understand why a player with marginal talent would be tempted to try them. It could be the difference between making $50,000 and working another job in the winter and making $300,000 and taking the winter off. Drinking too much is deplorable and sometimes ends in tragic accidents. It cannot possibly improve a player's performance, and neither can cocaine. What I have not seen in the newspapers is the differentiation between recreational intoxicants and drugs that may turn a warning track fly ball out into a home run, or drugs that can make a guy who is hurting all over his body feel like playing ball with passion. But for now, I really don't care. It appears that some players have taken steroids just like some tossed down gin and tonics or snorted cocaine all those years ago. This is the world we live in, like it or not. And I am satisfied that steroids are not an issue anymore. When I was managing, I suggested that a few pitchers learn to doctor the ball to make it move more, thus improving their performance. I couldn't get one single guy to try it. Why? Because they were afraid of getting caught. Do you think guys are concerned about getting caught using steroids? I do. I think the current policy is tough enough. Many players could go without pay for a couple of weeks. But few, if any, would want to get busted now, after all the hoopla. Still, it is just a matter of time before it will be something else. I know some baseball records may have been broken by guys who may have used steroids. So what? It's sad, I know. But, as they say, it's not my life and it's not my wife. And the baseball record book is not the Bible. Those who think baseball is holy will know the implications of the steroid story and they will view the record book accordingly. You don't need an asterisk to know that Roger Maris had 590 plate appearances when he hit 61 homers, while Babe Ruth had 677 when he hit 60 in 1927. Cy Young won 511 games, pitching his whole career in the dead ball era. Every serious baseball fan knows that he would not have won nearly that many games in the live ball era. Personally, I'm ready to move on to something more enjoyable -- like watching few ballgames
There was a great article in this weeks' SI on the subject as well. (Reilly wrote a great column on it as well in "the life of reilly") I don't think there is too much hoopla over steroids. Yes its a lead story on a daily basis these days....but this is a problem that seemingly goes beyond MLB. I think the fact that it IS on the front page every day shows what a national problem this is. Steroids are drugs...illegal drugs. To me, there is no difference in these guys injecting steroids and them injecting heroin....both illegal drugs that SHOULD carry jail time. Instead, you have some of the wealthiest and most talented people on the planet asking for 5 chances.....FIVE.... before they get suspended for a year....not put in jail for a year...but suspended. All this is doing is showing America's youth that if you become an athlete, you can do what you want (i know that seems to go for most things but moreso for this)
I think the media cares far more than the public at large about this issue. The response from the public when Congress got involved was pretty much, "why is Congress getting involved?" We all KNEW this crap was going on at some level in the game....and attendance numbers were HUGE. This is not being treated in the press as a national health epidemic...it's been an indictment of baseball and those whom we suspect were using. That's all it's been, except for some lip service paid to the fact that kids get caught up in this mess. Dierker's point that the press is running this story into the ground, even when there's no new news to report is exactly how I feel.
Baseball for me has been ruined by this scandal and by the lack of a salary cap. They have major work to do and I don't think I can return to the game as a fan until these things are resolved. I'm sure baseball will make it without me but I'm also pretty sure I will make it without them. Regarding Dierk's suggestion to some pitchers that they doctor the ball, I don't even consider that to be in the same stratosphere with using steroids. If you are caught doctoring a ball or corking your bat a suspension is warranted but if you are caught using roids, you should get a one year suspension the first time and lifetime banishment from the game the second time.
i don't either...i'm still very surprised to hear him say this, though. this is the culture of baseball...it's always been this way. as rome says, "in baseball, if you're not cheating, you're not trying."
Dierker has mentioned many times how other aspects of cheating are not only accepted, but encouraged in baseball. However, scuffing the ball and stealing signs never killed anyone... and they aren't against the law either. Those little things have been part of the game for years, and does NOT take away from the game... if and when someone who does it gets caught, they should get suspended for a few games and move on. Bottom line is you can't compare using small tricks and tips to taking steroids... it's not even in the same ball park.
You think all those people were making it up? Barry Bonds was tested for steroids. I understand he was never caught, but he also had an incredibly truncated run of excellence before he retired.
Barry Bonds- Never tested - Admitted user Mike Scott - Denied adamantly he never used - Tested every game and no evidence. Big difference in my opinion. If the umpires had caught Scott then there'd be a case. But despite buckets of baseballs, complaints, and concerns, notta shred of credible evidence. And plenty of split fingers have been unhittable. This was not that unusual.
Bonds, like every other player, was subjected to random tests under the drug policy in place the last couple of year. Scott was only unhittable for 1 season - 1986. In 4 other seasons he was above average, park adjusted. Isn't it interesting that he was SO much better in 1986 than in any other year of his career? But fine, you're right. I won't win this argument. But I think you're naive if you believe that there's no chance Scott scuffed the ball.
There is a chance...5...10% maybe. It takes a great cynic to have absolute faith that nothing unordinary ever happens without outside stimulis. His best year was the second season he threw the split finger if I remember. He can't help it that the batters adjusted (or did steriods to catch up).
You mean the last "year"? The random drug tests still in use today don't test for Human Growth Hormone... which is what Mr. Size 9.5 Hat used. Also, prior to this years tests the system wasn't up to date with all of the latest strains of steroids. Either way, he's admitted to cheating... and it was quite obvious he was, but Mike Scott never admitted it and it wasn't obvious either. Plenty of pitchers have an amazing season and then are sub-par for the rest of their career.
in fact, a lot of times it's laughed about or joked about when he's brought up. and i laugh along. doctoring the ball would easily, easily be on par with steroids. steroids make every swing harder and faster, doctoring would make every pitch move weirder and be harder to hit. same concept. and i would say this issue has definitely been overplayed compared to how much fans care. so much righteous indignation like it wasn't staring us in the face the whole time and we (fans and media) didn't go right along with it. those records count because we wanted them to count and we were happy to cheer for them, regardless of the massive size of the individuals involved. now the media has to appear to care very much so that they can't be accused of not caring (and congress, the king of grandstanding, is definitely going to act like they care) and while i think fans care, it's not to nearly this extent. guys hit homers because they discovered weight rooms. some also discovered the guys selling steroids in the weight rooms, but they all discovered the weight room and that's why they are so strong and cranking them out.
I definitely do not like that statement by Dierk - encouraging cheating is low and classless. Maybe I am naive but I believe there is true glory and doing your best within you natural ability. I always thought Dierk to be a character guy but I see I was wrong...
Are you serious? Every pitcher doctors the ball in some way... everytime a new ball is thrown out to them they take off their glove and rub the ball down, some even lick their fingers first.... It's part of the game. Now I'm not saying I encourage scuffing/doctoring, but it certainly isn't on the same level as steroids. For one, steroids are illegal... they also effect EVERY aspect of the game while that player is on the field or in the lineup. Scuffing/doctoring the ball only effects the game at that given time when that player does it and considering how often balls are changed in a game, it can't happen but more then a handful of pitches a game... at most. I'm not saying it's right, but it's far from the same especially since steroids were/are so wide spread.
There is a book about the 1986 playoff game (game 6) against the Mets (I think it is called "The Greatest Game Ever Played"). In it there is mention how one time Bill Doran swallowed a piece of emory board once when the umpires went out to check Scott. If an umpire suspects a pitcher is using a scuffed ball, the first person he should check is the catcher.
Right, it was steroids that did in Mike Scott. But it only affected guys who hit against him, because the 80s were still low-scoring, pitching dominated years.
