2009 Baseball Season/Off-Season Discussion

[Layne Staley's Sunglasses]

Henry Aaron: 755
George Herman Ruth: 714

[Drew]

Hahahaha.....I love your new name Garry! 

A-Fraud indeed!!! I watched the interview yesterday and thought what a completely jerk-off. He wouldn't even answer the questions asked. All he did was prance around like the little bitch he is and made himself look even more like a loser.

I wish baseball would kick this asshole out for good!

[tim_m]

Hahahaha.....I love your new name Garry! 

A-Fraud indeed!!! I watched the interview yesterday and thought what a completely jerk-off. He wouldn't even answer the questions asked. All he did was prance around like the little bitch he is and made himself look even more like a loser.

I wish baseball would kick this asshole out for good!

How can you say he didn't answer? He said infact he did take banned substances. He said he took them for 3 years. He said he wasn't sure exactly what was given to him. He said there was a lot of people around to give them stuff, doctors, trainers, nutritionists. He said he wasn't fully aware he tested positive until the SI story came out. How is this not answering any questions? Those sure sound like answers to me! He answered every damn question he was asked. Why should they kick him out, honestly, what has he done that the other 103 players on that list haven't done or 100's of others? At least he has admitted what he did has owned up to his mistakes and is taking complete responsibility for his stupid actions and he said this multiple times during the interview.

[Drew]

Well let's see....

A-Fraud couldn't remember what he took or where he got it when asked. Yeah...right!

He knows exactly what he took and where he got the steroids. Don't sit there an play like 'I can't remember.' What total crap! He even tried to take the spotlight off of him and start blaming the S.I. reporter saying she tried to break in his house. The guy is a complete loser and jerk-off! Once again, we have another scenario of the 'blame someone else' nation' in full swing.

He's only sorry and apologetic cause he got caught! PERIOD! 

[AxlsMainMan]

I would have been more upset if he got busted with coccaine or pot, because there is NO good that can come out of either of those, and that would do nothing but hurt his performance. 

Yeah, because pot greatly affected Michael Phelps performance..

Ive always hated A Rod but to be honest, after that interview, I kind of like the guy now.

I can totally understand where he is coming from. When guys like McGwire, Bonds and Sosa amongst others are roided and out hitting and out performing u, it makes your contract look even worse.

So, I can see where he almost felt pressured to keep up.


I personally don't get as upset with guys like A Rod and Bonds using Roids, cause they were HOF'ers without the shit.

I have problems with guys who are scrubs, Sammy Sosa, Brady Anderson etc etc who go from shit to superstar. 

ARod will hit u 40 and drive in 130 while hitting 315 clean

So what if he goes up to 50, 150 and 330?

Its a jump but not like going from a 200 hitter to hitting 280 with 60 plus HR's.

And what about all those kids out there who worship and idolize A-Rod, D?

You think it's real noble that thanks to the piss-poor example he's set, lots of kids out there are one day gunna' be contemplating taking steroids?

Yeah, he's a true hero.

[Mal Brossard]

I've never been a big A-Rod fan (I do give him props for signing more autographs than most of the Yankees' big stars... or at least I've gotten him more times than most big-name Yankees), but at least he admitted to using after being outed.  Unlike half of these assholes/jackoffs/scumbags who continually dance around it, say the test was tainted, it was accidental, or some other crap.  Better to admit it when caught than to dig yourself deeper.

[GeorgeSteele]

A-Fraud couldn't remember what he took or where he got it when asked. Yeah...right!

But that was all the way back in 2003! It was a different culture back then!  Apparently, players were swapping syringes like it was LSD at Woodstock in the 60s.  What a joke...

Have to say, though, he's been more forthright after getting caught than a lot of those other clowns, gotta give him that.  But the way he smeared that SI reporter was not cool, assuming he's lying, which of course I am.

[pilferk]

You threw in one line about him maybe being guilty, then you proceeded to write a whole composition of how the testing system is flawed.  You're going to tell me you're objective?

Please, don't answer that.

Too bad, I will.  And there was more than one line....it was the whole point of the post.  Again....reading comprehension is your friend.

And yes, that's the definition of being objective....looking at both sides.

I acknowledged the facts we had that showed he might be guilty.  I didn't think it would be all that worthwhile to recap or rewrite the SI article, since everyone had apparently read it, already.

Then I explained why I was willing to wait for more information before I formed a concrete opinion.  You know...explained why I was waiting to make an informed decision rather than just lynch him out of the gate? Talked about stuff NOT already apparent and convered?

Maybe that's a foreign concept to some...I don't know.

And the testing isn't "flawed".  It' just not perfect.  That's why they do, in the "real" testing, 2nd (and sometimes 3rd) sample collection.  For what MLB was after....the error rate wasn't all that concerning.  They EXPECTED it, actually.....and if the positives had been at 5% or under, they would have nixed the idea of drug testing BECAUSE they knew about the error rate.  So, for it's purpose, it wasn't flawed at all.

For trying to hold an individual accountable for the results...it is flawed, at least in the way they administered it for the survey in '03 (but not when they instituted "real" testing in '04-/05).  That's just the way it is.  It's a moot point in Arod's case, but it might not be in the next guys, or the guy after that, or the guy after that (if any more of the 103 remaining names come out). 

Pills, patches, or creams, the syringe stays.

That's fine...I just figured in the interest of accuracy (and it's looking more an more like it WAS oral) you'd want to at least poke fun at him (deservedly so) correctly.

[pilferk]

But that was all the way back in 2003! It was a different culture back then!  Apparently, players were swapping syringes like it was LSD at Woodstock in the 60s.  What a joke...

Have to say, though, he's been more forthright after getting caught than a lot of those other clowns, gotta give him that.  But the way he smeared that SI reporter was not cool, assuming he's lying, which of course I am.

I suspect it's more like he doesn't know the exact names.  He went to "someone" who got him either a couple different pills, or a couple different powders.  They explained what they were, generally, and how to use them.  But they probably didn't give him...or he doesn't exactly remember...the "real" names of the substances. 

If you get an antibiotic....are you going to remember the exact name (Zithromax, Tetracycline, Penicilin, etc) of what you took?  Or just that you took an antibiotic?

I know..they're world class athletes.  You'd expect them to pay more attention to EXACTLY what they're putting into their bodies.  But...and maybe this is because I see stuff LIKE this all the time at work....I don't find this one TOO hard to believe. 

There's stuff in the interview I have a hard time swallowing (the fact he says he was NOT told he failed the test...and the stuff about the SI writer..and other things, too), so I'm not going to sit here and say he told the whole truth during that interview.  But I don't think it's so far fetched that he didn't know the exact names for "the stuff" he was given.

[faldor]

If he explained it the way you just did pilferk, I may have believed him. But he was quite vague, so I don't buy it.  I'm not believing Alex told his "dealer", "I'll take 20 of those, 15 of those, and a handful of those". That would be completely idiotic and irresponsible.

And let me clarify my ALMOST feeling sorry for Alex.  Don't get me wrong, I still can't stand the guy and love that he's a proven cheater, BUT he's obviously not alone.  It seems he was unfairly targeted here, while the 103 other names remain anonymous.  Schilling may be right.  Maybe all those names should be released, otherwise every other player may be viewed as guilty by the general public.

[pilferk]

If he explained it the way you just did pilferk, I may have believed him. But he was quite vague, so I don't buy it.  I'm not believing Alex told his "dealer", "I'll take 20 of those, 15 of those, and a handful of those". That would be completely idiotic and irresponsible.

No, what likely he said to his supplier was:

"Hey...I'm looking for something that will give me some extra power, but I don't want to really bulk up.  I don't wanna put on 10 to 15 lbs, just increase the mass and power of what I do  have....what do you have that will do that".

And whoever was dealing for him (and given the combo, it was someone who knew what they were doing) said something like:

"What you want is to stack a couple of different things.  I got these two powders.  You use one for 6 weeks then stop for two, the other for the full 8 week cycle.  It'll keep you lean and mean"

That's vastly overgeneralizing, probably...and the supplier may have said something like "I've got these two powders called [blah blah] and [blah blah]"...either using the street names or using the clinical names (which are a mouthful and not easy to remember). 

I'm just piecing together what I think MAY have happened, IF he's telling the truth.  All his "I didn't ask the right questions" sorta leads me to that conclusion, without him actually being super specific in his story.    Could also be the guy is lying through his teeth...but it's not such a leap to believe THIS piece of the story.

And let me clarify my ALMOST feeling sorry for Alex.  Don't get me wrong, I still can't stand the guy and love that he's a proven cheater, BUT he's obviously not alone.  It seems he was unfairly targeted here, while the 103 other names remain anonymous.  Schilling may be right.  Maybe all those names should be released, otherwise every other player may be viewed as guilty by the general public.

Again..the issue is that amongst some of those 103 players...some of 'em ARE going to be the victims of false positives.  So if all 103 names come out....the media and general public aren't really going to get the answers they think they are.  And those players will be lynched...many of them fairly, but at least SOME of them unfairly.

I mean....I suspect they're all going to come out anyway, at some point.  The dam has too many holes now NOT to come tumbling down.  I just worry about how it will be handled and what it will do to the sport (which is already pretty badly beaten up).

Oh, and let me chime in:  I don't feel sorry for the guy at all.  He cheated.  His decision, his actions.  He deserves whatever he gets.

[GeorgeSteele]

Good article providing the opinion of the former union head:

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3896888

He makes some good points in terms of questioning the health risks of taking steroids, but I don't know how he can say with a straight face that there are no "performance-enhancing" drugs.  What more evidence does he need?  Does David Eckstein need to hit 73 homers to convince him?

[Drew]

A-Fraud couldn't remember what he took or where he got it when asked. Yeah...right!

But that was all the way back in 2003! It was a different culture back then!  Apparently, players were swapping syringes like it was LSD at Woodstock in the 60s.  What a joke...

Have to say, though, he's been more forthright after getting caught than a lot of those other clowns, gotta give him that.  But the way he smeared that SI reporter was not cool, assuming he's lying, which of course I am.

I'm not buying it at all! Give me a break, he took illegal steroids and you cannot tell me the prick can't remember what he took. What? Did the fool take steroids blindfolded? 

He's had plenty of chances to be forthright before now. Remember the interview on shitty CBS? Why wasn't honest at that time? NO, he lied instead. Pathetic! The only reason he's sorry and apologetic now is because he got busted outright!

[Layne Staley's Sunglasses]

Maybe he should go see a composite sketch artist and describe what his dealer looked like! 

People don't come clean until they have to.

I want those other names.

[GeorgeSteele]

If you get an antibiotic....are you going to remember the exact name (Zithromax, Tetracycline, Penicilin, etc) of what you took?  Or just that you took an antibiotic?

Amoxicillin.  Was about 3 years ago.

A-Fraud couldn't remember what he took or where he got it when asked. Yeah...right!

But that was all the way back in 2003! It was a different culture back then!  Apparently, players were swapping syringes like it was LSD at Woodstock in the 60s.  What a joke...

Have to say, though, he's been more forthright after getting caught than a lot of those other clowns, gotta give him that.  But the way he smeared that SI reporter was not cool, assuming he's lying, which of course I am.

I'm not buying it at all! Give me a break, he took illegal steroids and you cannot tell me the prick can't remember what he took. What? Did the fool take steroids blindfolded? 

He's had plenty of chances to be forthright before now. Remember the interview on shitty CBS? Why wasn't honest at that time? NO, he lied instead. Pathetic! The only reason he's sorry and apologetic now is because he got busted outright!

I was being sarcastic before -- SUCKA!  Just kidding, point is, I agree with you about not knowing what he took.  Where we differ, however, is that compared to other guys that have gotten 'busted', he's been pretty contrite.  For example, who else in the Mitchell Report -- other than Pettitte -- has made any kind of public mea culpa comparable to A-Rod's admission?

[Layne Staley's Sunglasses]

Let me be the first to admit that I took steroids from March-June of 2007.

[Bodhi]

I would have been more upset if he got busted with coccaine or pot, because there is NO good that can come out of either of those, and that would do nothing but hurt his performance. 

Yeah, because pot greatly affected Michael Phelps performance..

you do realize that Phelps was NOT smoking pot during the Olympics right?  He would have been caught with all the drug testing they do.  So you are right, pot did not affect Phelps performance, because he wasnt doing it...

are you saying that smoking pot wouldnt hurt his performance?...Ill be willing to bet if he was smoking up right before his races he would not have won 8 gold medals....I'm not understanding your argument...

[AxlsMainMan]

I would have been more upset if he got busted with coccaine or pot, because there is NO good that can come out of either of those, and that would do nothing but hurt his performance. 

Yeah, because pot greatly affected Michael Phelps performance..

you do realize that Phelps was NOT smoking pot during the Olympics right?  He would have been caught with all the drug testing they do.  So you are right, pot did not affect Phelps performance, because he wasnt doing it...

are you saying that smoking pot wouldnt hurt his performance?...Ill be willing to bet if he was smoking up right before his races he would not have won 8 gold medals....I'm not understanding your argument...

So you're telling me at age 23, he just randomly decided to try pot last week?

If it had, or would have any affect on his performance, I don't think he'd be smokin' herb at any juncture in time.

[sandman]

the guy's whole legacy is built upon individualism, and now it's going down the drain. 

of course the guy's sorry NOW. everyone that gets caught cheating is always so sorry. first we find out about him cheating on his wife and now he's cheating the game loved by millions. what a class act! 

and on top of that, he's had years to compare the strategies of bonds, clemens, pettite, etc.

him "coming clean" (why anyone believes anything a cheater has to say is beyond me) is calculated and was a plan devised with lots of counsel.

[Bodhi]

So you're telling me at age 23, he just randomly decided to try pot last week?

If it had, or would have any affect on his performance, I don't think he'd be smokin' herb at any juncture in time.

He was not smoking pot before or during the olympics...he would have flunked several drug tests if that were the case...I have no idea if he just started smoking pot...but he did smoke pot and he is  a moron who just cost himself about 100 million dollars...

He obviously could care less about his performance right now, since he has no races anytime soon.  But smoking pot certainly does not HELP his performance at all...can you think of an example where pot has had a positive effect on some ones athletic performance? Cause I can give you hundreds of examples of steroids helping athletes performances...that was the origin of this topic, at least A-rod was doing a drug to better himself as a baseball player...