Sammy Sosa

[Guest ant_7000]

Think Sosa is overreacting a bit, but I do think Reilly shouldn't just ask Sosa to do it and put him on the spot like that, he should issue the test to everyone. If Sosa doesn't have nothing to prove then he should take the test. I think Sosa thinks he might recieve backlash from other players for taking the test.

[Guest Army Eye]

The point is, what is it about steroids that gives Sosa or Bonds the higher walk totals?

Do you think pitchers want to throw strikes to a guy who has a 65-70 home run season on their resume? Besides that, why are we even talking about walks? How did that get into this? You seem to be wanting to twist my words into saying that I think without steroids, Bonds and Sosa wouldn't be good players. That couldn't be farther from the truth.

 

 I can take steroids all I want, but I still wouldn't hit a curveball.

 

Why do people say nonsense like this? Can you please explain?

 

Nobody is saying steroids will enable you to hit a major league pitch! But for a guy who already CAN hit them, the use of steroids means they will hit the ball a lot farther, and thus hit the ball over the fence a lot more often.

 

Besides, the way our legal system is set up, your guilt has to be proven, not your innocence.

 

True enough. I don't want to sounds like I'm proclaiming anybody guilty yet, because I just don't know. Bonds has bulked up in a huge way compared to his earlier years (when he would CHOKE UP on the bat even) , but I suppose it's not totally impossible that he could've done that by legal means with heavy workouts and use of supplements.

 

But, Bonds and Sosa are not doing themselves any favors when these two guys who are usually well-mannered and soft-spoken suddenly become very ornery when the topic of steroids is raised.

[Guest DrTom]

"If that's your barometer for whether or not someone is using steroids then I suspect Ken Griffey Jr. has been using a whole lot lately."

 

No, Griffey has had more severe leg injuries. Also keep in mind that Griffey is about the same weight now that he was when he came into the big leagues. Bonds is the one who's noticeably heavier and bulkier.

[Guest DrTom]

None of this would even be an issue if Bud Selig would grow a set and say that steroids are illegal, and implement testing in the next CBA. While he's at it, he should also strike a lot of OTC supplements like androstinedione, the one that McGwire had in his locker. If you're going to be a big, strong baseball player, you should get that way thru hard work, not by using a needle or taking some fancy powder.

 

Of course, steroids and supplments lead to more homers and more offense, thus putting more people in the seats. As long as steroids and supplements remain good for the business aspect of baseball, I don't think we'll see them go away.

[Guest pinnacleofallthingsmanly]

I don't know how good it is to have a guy taking steroids because his body can no longer produce its own testosterone. That can't be good for business.

[Guest Choken One]

There's no possible way Jr. has done Roids. He is the same weight and size as he was at Moeller High. He's clean. He's just been unlucky.

[Guest CanadianChris]

Think Sosa is overreacting a bit, but I do think Reilly shouldn't just ask Sosa to do it and put him on the spot like that, he should issue the test to everyone. If Sosa doesn't have nothing to prove then he should take the test. I think Sosa thinks he might recieve backlash from other players for taking the test.

Sosa overreacted a BUNCH. All he had to do is politely decline, and explain why. The guy snapped for no reason, and made himself look very guilty in the process.

 

The only think Reilly's guilty of is looking for a nice story. Serves him right...those don't exist anymore.

[Guest jimmy no nose]

The only think Reilly's guilty of is looking for a nice story. Serves him right...those don't exist anymore.

Yeah, I'm sure that's what he aimed to do by singling out Sammy and putting him on the spot.

[Guest bravesfan]

Of course, steroids and supplments lead to more homers and more offense, thus putting more people in the seats. As long as steroids and supplements remain good for the business aspect of baseball, I don't think we'll see them go away.

Exactly. Owners aren't exactly dying to get tests on Sosa and Co., because HOMERS= BUTTS IN SEATS.

 

Sosa taking a steroid test right now would be the dumbest move in his professional career, clean or not. Taking a test would only open the floodgates for leeches like Reilly to get tests on more players, conveniently turning the union against Sosa.

 

As for the Bonds issue about his multiple injuries, it's AGE. As for the power numbers, he's been hitting 40 homers since the middle 1990's, never hit 50 before the 2001 season, and he never really bulked up during 2000-2001 or earlier. He led off early in his career, because he could steal 40-50 bases. Now, he could still steal 20-30...that's a sign that he is still a fast mofo and a great player.

[Guest Angle is Wrestling]

Who the fuck is Rick Reilly to ask Sammy Sosa to take a steroid test? The fact of the matter is this, Reilly baited him in. Reilly obviously doesnt give two shits about Baseball and wanted to make the most loved player in Baseball look like a 'roiding loser. It was a lose- lose situation for Sosa, Reilly knew that either

 

1. He refuses, in which Reilly can write a story criticizing Sosa for not taking the test.

 

2. He accepts and gets in trouble with the Players Union, because they can't use steroid testing as a bargaining chip when meeting with owners when one of the biggest players in MLB took one freely.

 

3. He accepts, gets in trouble with players union, Reilly makes him out to be the only honerable star in Baseball and makes all the other players look like shit.

 

 

In conclusion...REILLY = JACKASS

[Guest Mr. Slim Citrus]

Exactly. Owners aren't exactly dying to get tests on Sosa and Co., because HOMERS= BUTTS IN SEATS.

 

Sosa taking a steroid test right now would be the dumbest move in his professional career, clean or not. Taking a test would only open the floodgates for leeches like Reilly to get tests on more players, conveniently turning the union against Sosa.

It's virtually impossible to argue the point you made, bravesfan84; from a purely business standpoint, it absolutely makes sense for Sosa to want to object to a drug test, regardless of whether he's clean or not. Unfortunately, this only enforces the widely known but rarely acknowledged paradigm that pro athletes really don't give a shit about their fans, despite all their lip service.

 

It would seem that the "court of public opinion" is largely in favor of drug testing, if for no other reason than because they want to continue to look up to these sports stars; they want to believe that their heroes didn't cheat to accomplish their goals. Pro athletes can't be ignorant of this. They realize how much it could mean to their image to come clean (no pun intended). They just don't care.

 

Maybe they're more concerned with losing face before their peers; maybe they're just looking out for their financial interests by showing solidarity in the union. Pro athletes can't be faulted for this; many, if not most of us have to make similar considerations in our own jobs. But athletes have a work environment that is completely unique in the sense that the things that they say and do outside of their work environment have much more of a direct impact on their incomes than most of the rest of us (pissed off fans don't buy tickets), so I guess I'm inclined to expect a greater sensitivity to public opinion from them than I would from most private citizens.

 

All things being equal, I guess that's probably an unreasonable expectation. Pro athletes clearly don't feel that they owe any of their fans any kind of an explanation, and maybe I'm alone in feeling this way, but I think that's whats wrong with pro sports today.

[Guest alkeiper]

Kicked around the Sosa issue a little while at work. A few points.

 

1. No one in any kind of position to know has accused Sosa of taking steroids. All that exists is two blanket accusations from former players, neither of whom ever played a single game with Sosa. There's no teammates, exucutives, steroid dealers etc. making any accusations that Sosa took steroids. The only evidence is that Sosa hits a lot of home runs.

 

2. That being said, Sosa's power binge began in earnest in 1998. Why? Could be steroids, but its also probable that Sosa made enormous strides in improving his plate disipline and learned to be a better hitter. His walk total has increased every year since 1997.

 

3. I don't see any reason why Sosa should prove his innocence here. Especially since there's no statute in the players agreement calling for steroid testing. Are they illegal? Yes. But if we test them for steroids now, why not hard drugs, marajuana, or their income tax returns? The saddest thing is that there's been more hoopla over Sosa than Carlos Guillen's DUI. WHich was more dangerous to the general public? Besides, what does testing Sosa for steroids accomplish? What do you want? If Sosa comes up positive, one of baseball's few positive role models is forever tarnished. If he's clean, we move up to the next name in the witchhunt.

 

4. SHOULD baseball test for steroids? Couldn't hurt to have some drug policy in place, but I'm not all that well versed in these matters to say what it should be.

 

5. As for putting people in seats, offense helps, but I think its obvious fans respond most to a winning team.

[Guest Army Eye]

1. He refuses, in which Reilly can write a story criticizing Sosa for not taking the test.

 

2. He accepts and gets in trouble with the Players Union, because they can't use steroid testing as a bargaining chip when meeting with owners when one of the biggest players in MLB took one freely.

 

3. He accepts, gets in trouble with players union, Reilly makes him out to be the only honerable star in Baseball and makes all the other players look like shit.

 

 

In conclusion...REILLY = JACKASS

4. Sosa says "Thanks for the offer but taking a steroid test would be an undermining of the Players' Union current position. Next question?"

[Guest Some Guy]

I just saw the movie "Rookie of the Year" on TV last weekend adn Bonds strikes out to that annoying little kid, it's amazing how much smaller he was then. 70lbs I'm guessing. I think someone should find out what his hat size was then and what it is now, if it's much larger we've got some reasonable suspision.

 

Sammy was't 160lbs when he came up, he was probably 180lb, gaining 40-50lbs of muscle mass in ten years cleanly is possible. Bonds seamed to get *HUGE* overnight while Sosa's increase in size and numbers was more gradual.

 

They need to test and get this shit over with.

[Guest Ripper]

1. He refuses, in which Reilly can write a story criticizing Sosa for not taking the test.

 

2. He accepts and gets in trouble with the Players Union, because they can't use steroid testing as a bargaining chip when meeting with owners when one of the biggest players in MLB took one freely.

 

3. He accepts, gets in trouble with players union, Reilly makes him out to be the only honerable star in Baseball and makes all the other players look like shit.

 

 

In conclusion...REILLY = JACKASS

4. Sosa says "Thanks for the offer but taking a steroid test would be an undermining of the Players' Union current position. Next question?"

Because we all know that Sammy was probably asked in the nicest most proffessional way and he just blew up at the guy like he always does...oh wait, he doesn't have a histroy of having a temper like that...hmm.. could a member of the press have been a prick about it all and pissed the guy off...nooooo not the MEDIA. They have never done anything like that.

[Guest Some Guy]

All I have to say is that Sosa didn't help his cause by hitting 500+ ft HRs at the Derby Monday night. Whether he's doing them or not people are going to speculate further now.

[Guest swan]

Sammy was't 160lbs when he came up, he was probably 180lb,

Are you sure about this? I'm pretty sure his rookie card lists him as 160 lbs.

[Guest Jerome Drake]

I think Jason Giambi said it best

 

"Everyone who hits a homerun, is suspected of doing steroids. It's bullshit."

[Guest gthureson]

You know, for the money Sammy Sosa is getting paid to play baseball, I don't think maintaining a certain composure with the press, no matter how big a jackass they are, is really asking all that much.

 

Pro atheletes can whine about the press all the want, but my opinion is, for the money they are getting, they will get little sympathy from me over it.

[Guest Ripper]

They are still people. No matter how much money you the person is making, if you want them to treat you with respect, you do the same to them. I can't spit on a pro player and expect not to get spit back on because he makes money.

 

The media is full of assholes and often deserve the heat they get. A couple of months ago, Allen Iverson refused to comment on rumors that he was getting traded. So what did the Philly Media do...they ran a frount page story, completely made up saying "Iverson: "I'm gone!!" . Of course, on the inside, the "quote" came from a unnamed source, that said that Iverson said it, promting him to get pissed and go on a hour long tirade. Then Iverson is the bad guy for getting pissed at the press.

 

If the media practiced more ethics then may be I would have sympathy for them...But until then, fuck um...fuck them right in their ear.

[Guest MentallyNormal]

I think Rafeal Bellaird was on the Juice when he hit a homerun in 1987 and 1997.

[Guest pinnacleofallthingsmanly]

Dealing with the media is not as easy as people think it is.

[Guest bob_barron]

Rafeal Belliard is the man!!! Best 2B ever.

[Guest Zero_Cool]

Rey Ordenez (forgot the tilde) is juicing!!

 

I've been watching Sammy my entire, being both a Cubs and White Sox fan. Back in say, 1991, Sammy was, by my estimation, was about 180. Everything about him from today was different. He has gained the muscle gradually over the years.

 

The ball has always come off his bat well. He was hitting 460 foot homers in 1994.

 

He has always had a tendency to hit home runs in bunches. That month he had in 1998 where he hit 20 put him in the race. Add that to Sosa changing his swing and pushing the ball to right field, and having the ball coming off his bat well, and you have a very dangerous hitter.

 

Of course, he has only stolen 14 bases in the last two seasons...weird because he was a 30-30 guy. While that may make people think that he is slowing down his steriod enhanced body by not being that threat he was, remember that he still slides and glides in the outfield.

 

He's innocent IMO.

 

Also, Frank Thomas has been 260-270 since he debuted 12 years ago.

[Guest alkeiper]

Of course, he has only stolen 14 bases in the last two seasons...weird because he was a 30-30 guy. While that may make people think that he is slowing down his steriod enhanced body by not being that threat he was, remember that he still slides and glides in the outfield.

 

Everyone starts to lose their speed after 30. Except Rickey Henderson. Well, even he dropped into double digits.

[Guest gthureson]

No, dealing with the media isn't neccesarily easy.

 

However, the entire player-media relationship is driven by salaries as well.

 

You want to get paid ten to fifteen million dollars a year to play a game, expect to be judged by a harsher standard. And why shouldn't you be? You are getting paid an enormous amount of money to nothing important in the grand scheme of things. You are the reason that ticket prices rise and teams can't compete. You are automatically a news item, because you get paid an astronomical amount to do the same thing some guys kid has to *pay* to do in Little League.

 

Yes, they make money for the owners too, thats a seperate argument.

 

As a *superstar* baseball player, it is expected of you to have to deal with the media. You'd better learn how to do it, and not give some line about 'The media is hard to deal with...I'm just a regular joe.'

 

No, you stopped being a regular joe when you signed your $150 million dollar contract.

 

You wanted fame and recognition, well, now you have it. Deal with it with grace and poise, or be a prick. Its up to you. But don't expect that they'll cut you as much slack as when you playing Rookie Ball with Podunk Stingers and you were making five hundred dollars a game.

 

Thats the nature of the beast. The money puts you on the spot. You wanted the money, deal with the exposure and the scrutiny. Or don't go after the money.

 

A media scrum generally lasts less than twenty minutes. You might come off as vanilla and boring if you simply deal with question with a modicrum of politeness and poise, but perhaps that is better than just feeding a rep and making sure people are following you waiting for the next great quote.

 

In short, my point is you can't expect to be paid god awful amounts of money for doing nothing truly important, and be expected to be treated like 'regular' people.

 

Want to know how to escape media scrutiny? Work a 9-5 job for thirty grand a year. Oh, don't want to do that? Fine, deal with the media and play a game for eight figures a year.

[Guest alkeiper]

You are the reason that ticket prices rise and teams can't compete.

 

Does anyone have an understanding of basic economics? Once again, player salaries do NOT set tickets prices. Supply and demand sets ticket prices. Owners set ticket prices at the point where they take in the most revenue. End of story.

[Guest jimmy no nose]

Bonds said on The Best Damn Sports Show Period that he takes a bunch of those legal supplements. I'd believe that's all he uses, same with many, many other players. You don't need illegal steroids to get huge these days.

[Guest Ripper]

No, dealing with the media isn't neccesarily easy.

 

However, the entire player-media relationship is driven by salaries as well.

 

You want to get paid ten to fifteen million dollars a year to play a game, expect to be judged by a harsher standard. And why shouldn't you be? You are getting paid an enormous amount of money to nothing important in the grand scheme of things. You are the reason that ticket prices rise and teams can't compete. You are automatically a news item, because you get paid an astronomical amount to do the same thing some guys kid has to *pay* to do in Little League.

 

Yes, they make money for the owners too, thats a seperate argument.

 

As a *superstar* baseball player, it is expected of you to have to deal with the media. You'd better learn how to do it, and not give some line about 'The media is hard to deal with...I'm just a regular joe.'

 

No, you stopped being a regular joe when you signed your $150 million dollar contract.

 

You wanted fame and recognition, well, now you have it. Deal with it with grace and poise, or be a prick. Its up to you. But don't expect that they'll cut you as much slack as when you playing Rookie Ball with Podunk Stingers and you were making five hundred dollars a game.

 

Thats the nature of the beast. The money puts you on the spot. You wanted the money, deal with the exposure and the scrutiny. Or don't go after the money.

 

A media scrum generally lasts less than twenty minutes. You might come off as vanilla and boring if you simply deal with question with a modicrum of politeness and poise, but perhaps that is better than just feeding a rep and making sure people are following you waiting for the next great quote.

 

In short, my point is you can't expect to be paid god awful amounts of money for doing nothing truly important, and be expected to be treated like 'regular' people.

 

Want to know how to escape media scrutiny? Work a 9-5 job for thirty grand a year. Oh, don't want to do that? Fine, deal with the media and play a game for eight figures a year.

I don't care how much money you make, you are due a certain amount of respect, and if it isn't shown to you, you have the right to do so.

 

 

And you know what I hate?? Shit like that stuff at the end of your post. Its time to realize that professional athletes, actors and most in any form of entertainment WORK HARDER than most people. PLUS their job is in demand. All that "Get a 9-5 job" shit makes no sense. They work twice the hours of that, and they make 100's of millions of dollars for their employer each year...they deserve the money the get.

 

They are still regular people. They still work for a living and money does not change the amount of respect due to a person. If someone called you under the pretense of one thing and when you got there tried to put you in a comprimising position, you have every right to blow up at the asshole...bottom line.

[Guest DrTom]

"Its time to realize that professional athletes, actors and most in any form of entertainment WORK HARDER than most people."

 

You can't be serious. I'll concede that being a professional athlete is a year-round job with significant physical toil at times, but an actor? Come on. I've never heard Mel Gibson complain about being overworked. I don't have a difficult job in terms of "hard work," but I'll bet an actor still has it easier than I do.