Mark McGwire’s Media Assault was Orchestrated by Ari Fleischer
1-liner, Baseball, Cheating, Drugs, ESPN, Frauds, Media Gossip/Musings January 12th. 2010, 10:00amMark McGwire’s Media Blitz: We’ll get to reaction in a bit, but first, here’s how McGwire came up with his big reveal. After seeing Alex Rodriguez botch his steroids “apology” last February, and watching as Roger Clemens and Barry Bonds continued their silly denials, Ari Fleischer’s PR team planned a rollout for McGwire: He’d start with the AP and talk to a couple ESPN reporters over the phone, the St. Louis media, and the NY Times. His first TV interview was with Bob Costas at the MLB Network – it should be noted that “Costas is represented by IMG, which owns half of Fleischer’s company.” And here’s a dig at ESPN, or perhaps Peter Gammons: “An interview with ESPN is to be scheduled, but because it’s not exclusive, its thunder will be muted … McGwire wanted to be interviewed at length by a smart interrogator.” [NYT]
97 Responses to “Mark McGwire’s Media Assault was Orchestrated by Ari Fleischer”
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January 12th, 2010 at 10:04 AM
I didn’t read the link, but I thought Gammons wasn’t with ESPN anymore?
January 12th, 2010 at 10:05 AM
how did he botch it? the questions were minimal after that press conference, almost forgotten when the playoffs began. a-rod handled it beautifully after the pathetic peter gammons interview, unless that is what you meant.
January 12th, 2010 at 10:06 AM
He isn’t. With MLB. Anyone listen to Mike and Mike talk to LaRussa this morning? It was weak.
“Did you know that he was taking steroids?”
“I found out yesterday, same as everyone else”
Next question…
January 12th, 2010 at 10:07 AM
I thought A-Rod handled it well, releasing that Centaur stuff so no one even cared about the steroids.
January 12th, 2010 at 10:08 AM
Mike and Mike went on ad nauseum about this; I know it’s the story of the day but jeez, I thought my head would explode. They both sound so sanctimonious it’s so annoying.
January 12th, 2010 at 10:08 AM
I’ve been thinking about this. For awhile I thought that McGwire did the right thing by refusing to talk about possible steroids use, showing that he was above it. But in retrospect, with how Alex Rodriguez screwed his up but came off relatively ok as the season went on, confessing and doing so with a slick PR rollout was probably the smartest thing McGwire has done. It almost doesn’t matter if anyone buys his reasoning or not, he’ll undergo scrutiny for awhile and spring training will include a media following around him at first, but then the season will start and people will begin to focus on other things.
I still think he gets in the Hall at some point though, because as others have already said, you can’t separate what of his accomplishments were due to natural ability and what was from steroid use.
January 12th, 2010 at 10:08 AM
I didn’t but I heard them play a clip of it on my way to work. He said something about McGwire didn’t cheat the game, he was only trying to recover from injuries. I’m not sure how the Mikes followed up that answer during the interview, but they weren’t fans of it during discussion later in the show.
January 12th, 2010 at 10:10 AM
mike and mike are weak.
/fixed
January 12th, 2010 at 10:10 AM
It’s on the front page of SI that some Virginia congressman told congress in closed door meetings that he was a roider, but he was afraid of legal repercussions.
whoever Tom Davis is.
January 12th, 2010 at 10:11 AM
mike and mike are tough to take. I thought buster olney was more offended than i thought he would be. I guess its mostly because big mac said that they didn’t help him it home runs they only helped him stay on the field which is obviously broken logic. i only listen to mike and mike until dp comes on, it also means i’m late for work. again.
January 12th, 2010 at 10:11 AM
Mike and Mike are the last two guys to tackle a steroid topic. It would be like a hollywood actor going after plastic surgeons. Or Brett Favre getting mad at Rush Limbaugh for taking pain killers.
January 12th, 2010 at 10:11 AM
the more (?) i listen to mike greenberg, the more i believe he suffers from a severe case of arrested development. dude just comes across as someone who has the mentality of a junior in high school.
January 12th, 2010 at 10:12 AM
ESPN’s investigative reporter TJ Quinn said there was a statute of limitations for McGwire to admit use after denying it under oath (under his lawyers’ advisement because he wasn’t granted immunity) in front of Congress in 2005. That statue expired in 2006. So if McGwire said this has been bothering him and he’s wanted to get it off his chest, why didn’t he in 2006, 2007, 2008 or 2009 after the statute expired?
January 12th, 2010 at 10:14 AM
i just don’t get why this big mac crap is such a big story. this is akin to going gaga over bobby knight having a temper.
“bobby knight has a temper? really???”
January 12th, 2010 at 10:15 AM
So if McGwire said this has been bothering him and he’s wanted to get it off his chest, why didn’t he in 2006, 2007, 2008 or 2009 after the statute expired?
he didn’t need a job then
Matzah and Meatball are atrocious
January 12th, 2010 at 10:16 AM
I should clarify: My ride to work is about 10-15 minutes. I turn the Mikes on in hopes of catching a guest such as a coach, player, reporter or analyst. If anything, it gives me something to get riled up about before going into work. I leave ESPN Radio off until 10 a.m. then turn on Cowherd, although I’m going back and forth between him and DP today.
January 12th, 2010 at 10:16 AM
yeah this is a waste of air time story. more important, what the fuck happened to his neck in his life to make it look like that?
January 12th, 2010 at 10:16 AM
I bailed on M and M years ago, went with Czaban. Once he was dumped, I switched to ipod. I, foolishly, tried Stephen A last week and was greeted by ‘Robbie Alomar was one of the top 2 or three shortstops of all time’ ….. Back to the ipod, and O.A.R. they never dissappoint
January 12th, 2010 at 10:17 AM
i just don’t get why this big mac crap is such a big story. this is akin to going gaga over bobby knight having a temper.
“bobby knight has a temper? really???”
I kind of agree with this. McGwire is picking the right time to bring this up because talk about it will dissipate after spring training starts. Also, it’s not as though everyone in the country didn’t already think this was the case. I think his HoF ballot numbers the last couple of years support that point: the BBWA was convinced he juiced and they turned out to be right. They should still now get over themselves and vote him in.
January 12th, 2010 at 10:17 AM
Woodson wins Def POY.
January 12th, 2010 at 10:17 AM
Ari Fleischer’s PR team planned a rollout for McGwire: He’d start with the AP and talk to a couple ESPN reporters over the phone, the St. Louis media, and the NY Times.
I hope he didn’t pay too much for this service
January 12th, 2010 at 10:17 AM
Yeap, that’s the answer I was hoping to solicit because it’s what I arrived at.
LaRussa is, too. He’s been completely moronic about this whole situation.
January 12th, 2010 at 10:18 AM
Neckne comes from steroids.
January 12th, 2010 at 10:18 AM
yeah this is a waste of air time story. more important, what the fuck happened to his neck in his life to make it look like that?
I’d say it was a hesitation wound
regards,
Dr. Artie Lange
January 12th, 2010 at 10:19 AM
clown i’m not a packers fan and i’m still pissed about the way larry fitz was allowed to run him over to catch passes
January 12th, 2010 at 10:20 AM
i wish someone had a clip of someone calling in and calling golic out for taking steroids in his playing career after he lambasted a player for doing the same thing. that was classic radio.
January 12th, 2010 at 10:20 AM
It’s probably because he’s been drunk the whole time.
January 12th, 2010 at 10:20 AM
A-Rod’s victory when is his first at-bat of ‘09.
Greatest “fuck everyone” moment in some time.
January 12th, 2010 at 10:21 AM
but he didnt deny shit in front of congress. He didnt want to talk about the past. Remember?
this is a joke. Fuckin liar. You didnt take it for injuries you took it for homers. I dont care that he took steroids i just hate these half assed confessions.
January 12th, 2010 at 10:21 AM
his admission isn’t the story, but that interview was. hearing him say that that it was just his God given talent and hand eye coordination that created all those HRs was pretty pathetic. even when Costas gave him a chance to say that in retrospect they may have played a part, even if he wasn’t taking them for the purpose he claimed, he said they didn’t help him hit the ball. that was just sad and pathetic.
January 12th, 2010 at 10:22 AM
Was that today? He did talk (parse words) about his own steroid use this morning.
January 12th, 2010 at 10:22 AM
I refuse to try Stephen A — Of course, I would have to live stream him because the Fox sports station in this town somehow prefers to put on MadCow instead of sports talk. On the sports station. Brilliant. So that leaves me with M&M. I am weakening though, not sure if I will last the week listening to them.
/I’m thinking of trying silence.
January 12th, 2010 at 10:23 AM
I hope this is the only McGwire post you have planned. fucking Fraud with a capital F
January 12th, 2010 at 10:23 AM
Wait, it’s ManCow–
/what the hell ever
January 12th, 2010 at 10:24 AM
Agreed. That was not fair or fun to watch.
Yes, you’re right. BUT, according to McGwire and it was independently confirmed by Tom Davis, the ranking congressman on that steroid committee, McGwire wanted to admit steroid use (he did to Davis before the hearings) but only if he was granted immunity. He was not, so therefore, he couldn’t “talk about the past” under his lawyers’ advisement.
January 12th, 2010 at 10:25 AM
Next to Curtis Painter entering the game.
January 12th, 2010 at 10:26 AM
Next to Curtis Painter entering the game.
“IF YOU DON’T LIKE IT, GET OUT OF TOWN!!!?!”
January 12th, 2010 at 10:27 AM
To be moronical.
Yeah!
Like the dumbest mother fucker that ever lived.
January 12th, 2010 at 10:27 AM
no, this was a couple years ago. someone called in saying they were someone else (might have been a deadspin person, actually), and the awkwardness was fantastic.
January 12th, 2010 at 10:28 AM
you’re next Lebron
January 12th, 2010 at 10:29 AM
OM f’ing G!!!
January 12th, 2010 at 10:30 AM
May I ask why he deserves to be in? Purely numbers?
LaRussa knows the ABC..xstyxyzr of denial
January 12th, 2010 at 10:30 AM
can someone please tell me what he brings to the Cardinals as a hitting coach? Aside from all the jokes about ‘roids. As ‘hurt’ as he claims to be/been, I think this job is a way for him to get back into baseball, and try to show that he does have some value for the Hall.
January 12th, 2010 at 10:31 AM
here’s the link: http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/rumors/post/Golic-admits-to-steroid-use-during-national-radi?urn=nfl,53112
it was the troy williamson issue that spurred callers to call into the show.
January 12th, 2010 at 10:32 AM
May I ask why he deserves to be in? Purely numbers?
Numbers that indicate what he did on the field. If you have letters or symbols which also show he should be in, then by all means, share.
January 12th, 2010 at 10:34 AM
here’s the link: http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/rumors/post/Golic-admits-to-steroid-use-during-national-radi?urn=nfl,53112
it was the troy williamson issue that spurred callers to call into the show.
I remember seeing Greeny’s face turned ashen white, as if they had served pulled pork sandwiches at his Bar Mitzvah. He couldn’t get to a commercial fast enough.
January 12th, 2010 at 10:35 AM
Can’t wait until Favre is kept from the HOF for illegal abuse of PEDs.
January 12th, 2010 at 10:35 AM
Well, it’s beyond naivety and denial. So moronic sounds good to me.
January 12th, 2010 at 10:36 AM
I’m just saying I don’t see why he should get in, his HR totals are clearly inflated. Even if you buy a bit of his argument, then his ability to get on the field was aided by the PEDs to overcome injury. He has the HRs, helped by roids, etc. He is a lifetime .263 hitter, who had 5 insanely good seasons aided by roids and perhaps his rookie year that was not. He wouldn’t get my vote.
January 12th, 2010 at 10:38 AM
then for the next few days he did his holier than thou speech that he does. i think he did the same to that redskins player who twittered that ’skins fans are stupid and should shut up.
ugh, getting irritated thinking of it. time for miles davis.
January 12th, 2010 at 10:38 AM
Someone give this man a Hall card. If McGwire goes in, Dave Kingman should as well.
January 12th, 2010 at 10:39 AM
Can’t wait until Favre is kept from the HOF for illegal abuse of PEDs.
They’d have to close the Steeler and Raider wings from the 70’s first
January 12th, 2010 at 10:40 AM
I love when people articulate exactly what I’m thinking in a more coherent way. It just makes life so much easier. +1 cleet.
January 12th, 2010 at 10:41 AM
I’m just saying I don’t see why he should get in, his HR totals are clearly inflated. Even if you buy a bit of his argument, then his ability to get on the field was aided by the PEDs to overcome injury. He has the HRs, helped by roids, etc. He is a lifetime .263 hitter, who had 5 insanely good seasons aided by roids and perhaps his rookie year that was not. He wouldn’t get my vote
BA=inaccurate way to gauge a player’s worth.
Unless you can figure out a way to separate which HR’s, hits, and RBIs were created by his natural ability and which were a product of his steriod use, then it’s unfair to disregard all of it. Obviously we may disagree on this point, but I guess if we’re going to dissect what HR’s were steriod assisted then we should also dissect Mickey Mantle to see how many of his HR’s were assisted by greenies.
January 12th, 2010 at 10:41 AM
IMO the only way these guys (bonds, Mcgwire, Clemens, etc) get into the hall is if they create a whole new wing in Canton for the Steroid Era. There could be like a huge Needle above the entrance, every bust would have a before and after picture of the players, and then video clips of them denying this before congress or in court.
January 12th, 2010 at 10:43 AM
IMO the only way these guys (bonds, Mcgwire, Clemens, etc) get into the hall is if they create a whole new wing in Canton for the Steroid Era. There could be like a huge Needle above the entrance, every bust would have a before and after picture of the players, and then video clips of them denying this before congress or in court
I think this is a little over the top (and probably purposefully so), but I am certainly on board with the notion that any player who admitted or was proven to have taken steriods and gets into the Hall should have that prominently noted on their plaque.
January 12th, 2010 at 10:45 AM
canton or cooperstown, whichever you like.
January 12th, 2010 at 10:45 AM
The problem is that you don’t and won’t ever know who was and who wasn’t using. So, basically you’re punishing McGwire for admitting it, while possibly (probably?) voting for other steroid users for the Hall. Either you exclude the whole generation, or you put the users in too. And, once again, let’s not act as if the Hall is a bastion of integrity. Plenty of scumbags and cheaters in there already.
January 12th, 2010 at 10:45 AM
what about the idea of the hall making a rule that if you are ever suspended for steroid use from now on you cannot gain entry to the hall. i’m undecided based on a lack of knowledge of the accuracy of testing
January 12th, 2010 at 10:45 AM
Thanks WC. I always get those mixed up.
January 12th, 2010 at 10:45 AM
Completely fair point ms, but as I said in my view he wouldn’t get my vote. It is subjective but in my mind you take away his steroid use, and his numbers, including whatever ones you care for aside from BA, (OPS, OPS+, etc), diminish greatly in my opinion. Mantle was a natural freak which allowed him to do what he did despite his destructive lifestyle. I think Bonds will get more votes as well because his career up to his juicing was on track for the HOF. McGwire just confirmed that he started using at the beginning of his career.
January 12th, 2010 at 10:48 AM
@ms261,
Yeah over the top on purpose. I think they should be in the hall, but they definitely need something stating that they are suspected cheaters. I think the stuff these guys did was worse than what Rose did and he is still banned.
January 12th, 2010 at 10:50 AM
I did not mean to throw everyone in the same boat (admitted and suspected). I think it is a case by case basis and evaluating a player who was under suspicion but never admitted/got caught is part of that. I also am not condemning those that want Mac in, I was just asking why they thought he should be. In my opinion he does not.
January 12th, 2010 at 10:50 AM
Just to get this straight…BA doesn’t matter, if you have high HR, RBI etc? Or BA doesn’t matter at all?
/missing me some baseball talk.
//damn meeting in 10 mins
January 12th, 2010 at 10:50 AM
The comments on this closely resemble the BCS v. Playoff comments in their self righteousness on both sides of both issues.
/less than 24 hours of McGwire sanctimony and already sick of it.
January 12th, 2010 at 10:52 AM
Completely fair point ms, but as I said in my view he wouldn’t get my vote. It is subjective but in my mind you take away his steroid use, and his numbers, including whatever ones you care for aside from BA, (OPS, OPS+, etc), diminish greatly in my opinion. Mantle was a natural freak which allowed him to do what he did despite his destructive lifestyle. I think Bonds will get more votes as well because his career up to his juicing was on track for the HOF. McGwire just confirmed that he started using at the beginning of his career.
I’ll admit that the revelation that he was using early in his career certainly hurts his candidacy, but at the end of the day, until we have a way of figuring out what exactly PED’s do, it’s not really fair to excluse McGwire. Especially since, as lefty put it, it would not be right to punish him for admitting (no matter how long it took for him to) while others will perhaps take their PED use to the grave.
January 12th, 2010 at 10:52 AM
Ridiculous. If there are no repercussions for the football hall of famers who roided, why would there be for baseball players? Im really surprised how many of you are up in arms about this. I laughed my ass off just looking at Buster Olney’s face on a very special episode of Basball Tonight. Are we really supposed to be outraged every single time someone else admits it/gets caught? Because there will be many, many, many more.
January 12th, 2010 at 10:53 AM
one more mcgwire post coming up. promise itll be the last
January 12th, 2010 at 10:53 AM
You’re right but I look at this from a cynical standpoint. If we don’t know how many of his HR’s, etc. were enhanced, then we don’t know if we would have been great without the PEDs. I say if you can’t be sure someone is a HOF’er, then you can’t vote him in.
January 12th, 2010 at 10:54 AM
good one!
January 12th, 2010 at 10:54 AM
Ok, but I’m gonna…nevermind.
January 12th, 2010 at 10:56 AM
Just to get this straight…BA doesn’t matter, if you have high HR, RBI etc? Or BA doesn’t matter at all?
BA is just very very crude. It’s not that it doesn’t matter, it’s that it doesn’t account for a batter getting on base by other means, namely walks. A batter going up to the plate and walking on four pitches has the exact effect as a batter going to the plate and lacing a single into left. Strikeouts are also not the best indicator since a strikeout is not the worst thing that can happen when a player goes to the plate. The worst thing that can happen is that a batter will create more then one out (i.e. a double play).
January 12th, 2010 at 10:56 AM
I think those who admitted steroid use and who have HOF credentials will have that noted.. a-rod is the only one i think of right away though. I don’t think you can put “suspected steroid user” on a HOF plaque, but I think it’s it’s suspected, w/o admittance, most writers won’t vote the players in.
in regards to Rose: it’s clearly stated that he holds the record for hits in the HOF, but he was banned for his actions and breaking the rules. I think that’s all he should get. He knew the rules, and he broke it, denied it until he could write a book and make money off admitting it. he was sorry when it was profitable.
January 12th, 2010 at 10:57 AM
Like I said, great players who use PEDs and players who are good, but get great numbers from using PEDs is the line of distinction. Sorry if I come off self-righteous but I was putting myself in the position of a HOF voter and in my mind his career was only put into HOF territory because of what PEDs gave him, even if it was only overcoming injury.
January 12th, 2010 at 10:58 AM
I think everyone here will agree with you that there is a double standard between baseball and football for how players are treated for their PED use.
What will be most interesting to me is when Man-Ram is up for voting. Everyone knows he cheated and he was punished (whether it fit the crime is debatable) but will there be the same outrage towards him as there is towards Bonds and McGwire? Do you think the fact that Bonds, Sosa, Mac, etc. weren’t punished during their playing days will hurt them more than Manny, who was caught and punished?
January 12th, 2010 at 10:59 AM
You’re right but I look at this from a cynical standpoint. If we don’t know how many of his HR’s, etc. were enhanced, then we don’t know if we would have been great without the PEDs. I say if you can’t be sure someone is a HOF’er, then you can’t vote him in
This is a legit point, however I don’t agree with it. PED’s don’t make shitty players better, they make already good players more resistant to the after effects of a workout and thus able to build extra muscle. Jason Grimsley was an admitted PED user and it didn’t exactly make for a stellar career.
January 12th, 2010 at 11:01 AM
Again, fair point. Agree to disagree.
January 12th, 2010 at 11:05 AM
Rose broke the rules as a manager, not as a player. Rose would have never made the hall as a manager, but he should most definitely be in as a player. What if, for example Frank Robinson was discovered to have bet on baseball while managing the Nationals; should his bust and records be removed from the hall regarding his playing career?
January 12th, 2010 at 11:05 AM
The outrage over baseball players using PED vs other sports has always puzzled me. Most, if not all, of the outrage is initiated and perpetuated by sportswriters. Yet it was their cozy relationship with the players that kept this under wraps for years.
Do baseball writers expect us to believe that they had no idea what was going on? They gave it a wink and a nod and now are apoplectic over PED use in baseball. Big Mac lets them get back on their soap boxes and remind us that they (sportswriters) are pure as the wind driven snow.
I hate sanctimonious bullshit.
January 12th, 2010 at 11:08 AM
I hate sanctimonious bullshit.
Like that douchebag Ted Baxter wannabe Brian Williams talking about it on the NBS News?
January 12th, 2010 at 11:08 AM
I cant believe people still listen to M&M. They bring NOTHING to the table- no original thought, no humor, nada. I hate these turdmunchers, and I hate it that ESPN crams it down our throats. when i did tune in (very brief), i didnt like the way mike krustofsky fellated the microphone. and golic looks like a fat lesbian.
i need to take a deep breath, about to go into a meeting and now i am rattled.
January 12th, 2010 at 11:10 AM
+1. All they care about is the story.
January 12th, 2010 at 11:11 AM
If people are going to get outraged at someone, it should be that mother fucker Bud Selig. They didn’t test for steroid use in the baseball, and you can guarantee the commissioner’s office knew this shit was going on ESPECIALLY in 98. If it wasn’t for McGuire and Sosa’s HR battle in 98, baseball would have been watched less than hockey.
Pete Rose not being in the Hall of Fame is giant crock of shit. He should be in, and that should happen the second Selig steps down.
January 12th, 2010 at 11:12 AM
Wasn’t Rose a player-manager at some point when he was gambling?
January 12th, 2010 at 11:12 AM
/fixed
January 12th, 2010 at 11:17 AM
As for Rose’s gambling, he was gambling on HIS team to win the game! If anything that made him more competitive. Are you really going to tell me his gambling had more of an effect on the outcome of a baseball game than the HUNDREDS of players taking steroids? He should be in the Hall of Fame, end of story.
January 12th, 2010 at 11:20 AM
jpq they just had him on the dp show, it seems like his rant wasn’t really appropriate for a new anchor
January 12th, 2010 at 11:23 AM
news
January 12th, 2010 at 11:24 AM
jpq they just had him on the dp show, it seems like his rant wasn’t really appropriate for a new anchor
I totally agree. Of all things going on in the world to be upset about, he decided to drop his impartiality over Mark McGwire?
January 12th, 2010 at 11:25 AM
Then ban him from baseball the way Bowie Kuhn banned Mantle and Mays when they went to work for the casinos. But banning him from the hall because he bet, not threw games, is vindictive nonsense.
January 12th, 2010 at 11:26 AM
The rumor I have heard for why McGwire said what he did in front of Congress and why he hasn’t done this before now is that his brother was his supplier and he was worried about the criminal consequences to his brother. But now that his brother turns out to be a douchebag that is using the situation to try and sell his book (Jay McGwire’s Book), he decided to try and come back as a coach and come clean.
The problem with saying that McGwire’s career was definitely aided by steroids is that we will never know how many pitchers he faced were on roids. I think you put those guys in the Hall if their numbers deserve it and then you note on their plaque that they admitted steroid use.
January 12th, 2010 at 11:30 AM
really? were you his gambling buddy? do you know this for a fact?
nothing like a degenerative gambler to make a sport more competitive. he knowingly broke one of the cardinals rules of baseball for years, denied it when caught red handed, and didn’t admit to it or show any sign of being sorry for it until he had a book deal. he can go fuck himself, how’s that sound? end of story.
January 12th, 2010 at 11:36 AM
Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley, Babe Ruth (who almost killed, yes killed Leo Durocher for stealing from him during a gambling session)… Yup, you’re right.
January 12th, 2010 at 11:36 AM
He said in multiple interviews he gambled on his team to win the game.
I don’t really give a shit about him breaking a “cardinal rule” of baseball when about 60% of everyone in baseball is/was taking steroids. Nor should anyone care about him lying when you have guys lying about performance enhancing drugs in congressional hearings! His gambling habits don’t diminish his physical feats as a baseball player.
January 12th, 2010 at 11:42 AM
He said in multiple interviews he gambled on his team to win the game.
This was after saying for 20 years that he never gambled on baseball, right? I think Pete should be in the Hall too, but he’s not been a paradigm of truthiness over the years.
January 12th, 2010 at 11:43 AM
Look at the ratio of pitchers to hitters that have admitted/got caught using roids. Then look at the Mitchell report and perform that same math. Not that the Mitchell Report is all encompassing, but until MLB releases a formal list of failed testees, that’s what we have.
It’s overwhelmingly in favor of hitters. Did pitchers use, sure! But it’s not every pitcher mcgwire faced was using. However, everytime he stepped to the plate, I assume he was under the influence.
January 12th, 2010 at 12:10 PM
I don’t think it is as overwhelming as you think. I believe more than a third of the players listed in the Mitchell Report were pitchers.
My point is really that there is no way of knowing the extent to which he was helped.