Mark McGwire admits to long-term steroid use!

[Kevin Finnerty]

Mark McGwire finally nutted up and admitted to long-term illegal steroid use! (Well, he did so what little nuts he has left.)

McGwire admits to steroid use | MLB.com: News

McGwire admits to steroid use

Will appear on MLB Network tonight to discuss admission

By Matthew Leach / MLB.com

ST. LOUIS -- Mark McGwire acknowledged on Monday that he used steroids during his Major League playing career, including in 1998 when he broke Major League Baseball's single-season home run record.
McGwire made the revelation in a statement issued to news outlets on Monday afternoon. McGwire will address the situation further in an interview with Bob Costas on MLB Network at 7 p.m. ET on Monday. The program will be simulcast on MLB.com.

"I used steroids during my playing career and I apologize," McGwire said in the release. "I remember trying steroids very briefly in the 1989-1990 offseason and then after I was injured in 1993, I used steroids again. I used them on occasion throughout the '90s, including during the 1998 season. I wish I had never touched steroids. It was foolish and it was a mistake. I truly apologize. Looking back, I wish I had never played during the steroid era."

The Cardinals announced in October that McGwire would be the team's hitting coach for the 2010 season.

Following tonight's exclusive interview, MLB Network's Matt Vasgersian, Mitch Williams, Joe Magrane, Tom Verducci and Ken Rosenthal will discuss their reactions to the conversation. Costas will provide reaction from location in California and MLB Network's Harold Reynolds and Peter Gammons will also provide commentary.

McGwire's full statement reads as follows:

"Now that I have become the hitting coach for the St. Louis Cardinals, I have the chance to do something that I wish I was able to do five years ago.

"I never knew when, but I always knew this day would come. It's time for me to talk about the past and to confirm what people have suspected. I used steroids during my playing career and I apologize. I remember trying steroids very briefly in the 1989/1990 off season and then after I was injured in 1993, I used steroids again. I used them on occasion throughout the nineties, including during the 1998 season.

"I wish I had never touched steroids. It was foolish and it was a mistake. I truly apologize. Looking back, I wish I had never played during the steroid era.

"During the mid-90s, I went on the DL seven times and missed 228 games over five years. I experienced a lot of injuries, including a rib cage strain, a torn left heel muscle, a stress fracture of the left heel, and a torn right heel muscle. It was definitely a miserable bunch of years and I told myself that steroids could help me recover faster. I thought they would help me heal and prevent injuries too.

"I'm sure people will wonder if I could have hit all those home runs had I never taken steroids. I had good years when I didn't take any and I had bad years when I didn't take any. I had good years when I took steroids and I had bad years when I took steroids. But no matter what, I shouldn't have done it and for that I'm truly sorry.

"Baseball is really different now -- it's been cleaned up. The Commissioner and the Players Association implemented testing and they cracked down, and I'm glad they did.

"I'm grateful to the Cardinals for bringing me back to baseball. I want to say thank you to Cardinals owner Mr. DeWitt, to my GM, John Mozeliak, and to my manager, Tony La Russa. I can't wait to put the uniform on again and to be back on the field in front of the great fans in Saint Louis. I've always appreciated their support and I intend to earn it again, this time as hitting coach. I'm going to pour myself into this job and do everything I can to help the Cardinals hitters become the best players for years to come.

"After all this time, I want to come clean. I was not in a position to do that five years ago in my Congressional testimony, but now I feel an obligation to discuss this and to answer questions about it. I'll do that, and then I just want to help my team."

Matthew Leach is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

[Welpe]

Not surprising but very disappointing. McGwire was one of my favorite players when I was a kid.

[dash_riprock]

Roger Maris still holds the record for most home runs in a single season (61).

And they had to shove him out of the dugout to tip his cap after #61.

[PeteBooth]

[QUOTE]

Originally Posted by Kevin Finnerty

Mark McGwire finally nutted up and admitted to long-term illegal steroid use! (Well, he did so what little nuts he has left.)

McGwire admits to steroid use | MLB.com: News

McGwire had his chance to "come clean" with Congress. His statement to Congress was a joke and he made a fool out of himself.

McGwire has seen other stars who have come clean.

1. Giambi - received standing O when he was a member of the Yankees
2. Manny
3. AROD
4. Petite

All the above were treated ok by the fans when they came back. Also, perhaps by admitting he took the "roids" will lead him to good standing with writers for the Hall.

IMO, it took way too long for McGwire to admit he took the juice.

FWIW: IMO Baseball is a joke of an organization. There still is NOT a test for HGH. Testing for HGH must be by blood sample and the Players Union renegged on giving blood samples. So even today players could still be taken the 'stuff" because there is not a test for it.

If they do vote players into the Hall who took the juice then they should re-consider Pete Rose and Shoeless Joe Jackson who in actuality never took the money. Cheating is Cheating however, baseball seems to draw the line when it comes to gambling and we will wait and see what happens to the Steroid era.

Also, people do not care. It's more of a media "thing" then anything else. Heck if a player was an android and your team won the WS the people would not care.

Pete Booth

[Kevin Finnerty]

Originally Posted by dash_riprock

Roger Maris still holds the record for most home runs in a single season (61).

And they had to shove him out of the dugout to tip his cap after #61.

Both extremely good points.

Wow!

[Kevin Finnerty]

Pete,

You can add Miguel Tejada to the list of well-received contrite juicers. Miggy was the guy who victimized poor Raffy Palmeiro, when he slipped the unknowing Raffy some juice and told him it was vitamins. Then Raffy threw Miggy under the bus. It was like when Sheffield and Bonds claimed that they thought the juice they were doing was flax seed oil and aspercreme.

We'll ultimately know how important admitting it is when A-Rod and Manny go in the Hall, and Bonds, Sheffield and Palmeiro do not. McGwire's stock was low for more than one reason, so he was never a sure-fire Hall of Famer even without the joke performance before Congress. But Raffy, Barry and Manny are all first-ballot locks without juicing findings.

[johnnyg08]

let's not forget Mark's arch rival, Mr. Sosa in this conversation...in his last years, he didn't accidentally look 50 lbs lighter.

[SAump]

Originally Posted by johnnyg08

let's not forget Mark's arch rival, Mr. Sosa in this conversation...in his last years, he didn't accidentally look 50 lbs lighter.

How many of them juicers also stole forty bases?
http://www.baseball-almanac.com/hitting/hi4040c.shtml

[Kevin Finnerty]

Good call!

[Rich]

Originally Posted by Kevin Finnerty

Mark McGwire finally nutted up and admitted to long-term illegal steroid use! (Well, he did so what little nuts he has left.)

I'm posting this twice in one week:

In other news, water is wet.

[JRutledge]

The last time I checked Steroids were legal when Mac was playing. And Maris and others had the ability to take the same drugs and amphetamines during their time (and did). I like what Bobby Knight said about Gatorade last night that is also a performance enhancer as well. So if "5 Hour Energy" and other substances that give you a boost too, but for some reason we think Steroids is the automatic elixir to make you better. There are a lot of players that were tested for Steroids and they were not much better than anyone. But I digress.

Peace

[Durham]

Well, he made a choice to use and it was his to make. The thing I find odd in all of this, was because he used BASEBALL enjoyed huge success both with the fans and in the pocket books. When he used it was not illegal and now sports writers want to keep him out of the hall. I could care less if he ever gets in, the point I am trying to make is that he is now one of the scape goats for MLB. They wouldn't regulate it, they made money off it, and all people can talk about now is that he did use it. We all knew he and they were using and we didn't care then. We loved him and them for it and we gave a lot of rich ppl a lot of money because they were using it.

[justanotherblue]

You still have to see it to hit it. Amphetamines have been in the game for a long long time. There are several HOF members, that would they be evaluated today, would not be inducted because of their on and off field activities. They were not the best of men, but, they could play the game. Time will tell if Big Mac will be inducted, he was great for the game, donated and established charities within his communities. He was an multi year all-star and gold glove winner. If you keep him out, there are many others doing great things that also must be kept out.

[justanotherblue]

Originally Posted by Durham

Well, he made a choice to use and it was his to make. The thing I find odd in all of this, was because he used BASEBALL enjoyed huge success both with the fans and in the pocket books. When he used it was not illegal and now sports writers want to keep him out of the hall. I could care less if he ever gets in, the point I am trying to make is that he is now one of the scape goats for MLB. They wouldn't regulate it, they made money off it, and all people can talk about now is that he did use it. We all knew he and they were using and we didn't care then. We loved him and them for it and we gave a lot of rich ppl a lot of money because they were using it.

Exactly, LOTS of money!!

[alillard88]

In the interest of accuracy, baseball may not have had any specific rules concerning steroid use at the time, but in 1990 steroids became illegal to possess without a valid prescription. So, they were illegal, just not against MLB rules.