Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Pudge Rodriguez

Baseball is wrecked.

Actually I don't follow it as much as I used to. Whatever the facts are or turn out to be, Pudge is a darn good guy and treats avg people like me respectfully. He must have signed 100 autographs this weekend from people, both kids and adults, stopping him along the way, or even when we were eating. I asked him when he was going to quit signing every single time someone asked and he says "when they get tired of asking". Good answer.

Reality is, we'd have to hold out just about every hitter that played in the 90's and early 2000's from the HOF, not named Jim Thome.

This era tainted the entire sport. Do we deny the HOF to an entire generation of players because they are alleged to have used performance enhancing drugs? Unless they are proven in a court of law, are they not innocent until proven guilty?

It's a tough call for the voters. I think the only answer is to hold the players in this era to a higher production standard. If someone is alleged to have juiced and would normally have just made it in, no.

If it's obvious that they would have made it in, even had they not used, as in the case of Ivan Rodgriguez, gARod, Barry Bonds (though it pains me to do so), Roger Clemens and a few others, then they should probably be voted in. Well, after Pete Rose and Joe Jackson are allowed in.

Yep.

Amen to Pete Rose.

I would agree in that pro sports is controlled by organized crime. It's no longer a game, but big business and big money with billions being bet. I watch it to see great plays, but only get really interested in college ball.

Just an observation. The pitchers were juiced. The hitters were juiced. How does that play into the equation?

I'm a fan of baseball. I'm not a fan of steroids. Does blame fall on the agents, owners and MLB front office too? Everyone profited on this. There has been tons of finger-pointing over the past few years and nobody ever asks the question to the others involved.

Congratulations to Pudge on retirement. Juice or no, he was a tremendous Catcher.

Heck, Mickey Mantle didn't draw a sober breath for 40 years, but he remains a baseball icon.

I don't buy into the whole juicing is cheating thing. It definitely won't be stopped now, the ball has been rolling for too many years.

20% decline in MLB home runs in 2009 compared to 2000 at the height of the steroid era.

In 2011 MLB had 4.28 team runs per game.

In 2000 MLB had 5.14 team runs per game.

There has been a marked decrease in home runs and scoring since 2006 when the new testing and suspensions program started.


Steroids do effect performance. One need only ask themselves why a player would risk a 50 game suspension for first offense if it doesn't give them an advantage, a 100 game suspension for 2nd offense and a lifetime suspension for 3rd offense.

Only a nutjob would buy and inject something into their system that risked their career, reputation and health, if it didn't provide them with a competitive advantage.

I don't entirely disagree with you, but when I was talking about rolling the ball, I guess I was thinking wider than just baseball.

I do not endorse the use of steroids, and I can say with complete honesty that I have never taken them (Other than a dose of prednisone)but there will always be an element who feels like they need to go that route.

As long as that element is there, the market for masking agents will be strong.

No they just need to get off their asses and really do something to them when they catch them. Drugs you're out now for life all your stats come out of the record books.

It does seem like a bit of the old "Gag on a gnat and swallow a camel" where Pete Rose is banned for life and Barry Bonds is good to go.

Yep.

Regardless of any juicing, it's nice to know Pudge is a decent guy around other people. I met a HOF baseball player (multiple batting titles, World Series ring, etc.) about 5 years ago through a mutual friend at a party, and he was one of the Top 10 biggest jerks I've ever met in my life. In fact I had to go find my wife and bring her over to see the display. She still laughs about it.

Nice to know there are some nice guys in ML baseball.

That was the intent of my original post MD, that here's a very ordinary guy who happens to be a supremely talented pro sports star. I've known plenty who weren't that way at all myself and Pudge is a breath of fresh air.

Dude, take a chill pill would you? From the general tone of most of your posts, I'm certain there are many that would call you the same POS as you called Pudge.

1.) Talent doesn't come in syringe.

2.) How is it "unfair" when it was available to everyone that played in that period?

Due to baseballs Collective Bargaining agreement, the owners couldn't not test between '94-'04. This was one of the sticking points that led to the strike in '93. The Players Association wouldn't go for testing. It was Wild West time, and anything went. That era was what it was. The playing field was level for all if they chose it.

3.) I don't kiss Democrats!

Two different problems. I've met Pete Rose, and he is a jerk. I've met Barry Bonds, and he is a jerk. Arrogance oozes from each by the bucketful.

Baseball has been touchy about gambling since the Black Sox Scandal. Rose bet on his own team. Bad idea, and he knew the consequences. Personally, I think enough is enough. He could have committed any number of felonies and be out of prison in the 20 years since he was banned. Let it go.

Bonds? He is not good to go quite yet. I don't think the BBWA will treat him kindly when he first becomes HoF eligible.

This was not suppose to be about 'roids, but about a great player who is a good dude. The 'roid era is a fact, and a part of history. Since '04, testing has taken care of it. Fans have to live with it, and get over it.

I tire of the casual fan and the armchair athletes stirred into a frenzy by ESPN and Sports Talk radio. The faux indignation that the Sports Media has incited over the topic closely resembles the MSM covering the political scene. They know the topic is controversial and the will go at length to get people stirred up about and keep them tuned in. Let's make this easy for all you baseball Democrats:

Bush Owned a % of the Texas Rangers.

Conseco played for the Rangers and says he stuck everybody in the ass with 'roids.

Therefore, it's Bush's fault!

Feel better?

Good to hear Pudge is down to earth. JG, thanks for sharing.

1. If you don't think steroids were performance enhancers, then you have not been paying attention and don't understand the game.

2. That's crazy logic. That's like saying everyone at the poker table had the opportunity to cheat, so cheating is alright.

That is honestly the craziest thing anyone has said in this thread. Not every player wanted to risk their reputation, health and career in order to inject themselves in an effort to enhance their performance. Not everyone is a scumbag that thinks cheating is alright if everyone has the opportunity to do so.

P.s. The strike was in 1994. Strike 3, grab some pine.

'94 is right. Phillies beat the Braves in the NLCS in '93, so I try to wipe that year out of my memory banks. Not my first swing and miss. The meat of the story is valid -owners wanted testing, the players association refused. The CBA ran for 10 years.

No drug will make Clark Kent hit a 96 mph fastball. That takes talent.

Performance enhancement drugs - nice Sports Talk radio lingo. Steroids are strength drugs, they won't help anyone dance the Swan Lake and the Met. Steroids along with resistence training can make one stronger, but how many homers did Arnold Schwartzenegger hit? Too many of you think that a little juice is all it takes to be a hero. Back to Sports Talk radio for you.