CloakManor were you concidering the fact that Ruth was a Lefty and McGuire was a right handed slugger, in your lil study there?
To RenegadeDragon…
Yes I am taking that into account. I’m simply flip-flopping Old Yankee Stadium for McGwire to create a fair comparison. If I had not his totals would be even lower obviously. Interestingly enough when people talk about Old Yankee Stadium they use the post 1937 dimensions rather than the ones Ruth played in (Ruth played in OYS during 1923-1934). The deapest part of OYS in that day was just ot the left of CF (measured at 500ft); an enormous stadium for a power hitter to have to deal with (right of left handed; but obviously even more intimidating to a righty).
Personally, I don’t care if they got oil in their ass, water in their legs and crank up thier nose. If they play good ball who care. We really need to take the stick out of our collective asses and relax as a country. Their bodies are their buisness.
I get outraged when I hear these dumbass retarded reporters talk aout it. It's obvious that they have absolutely no idea what they are talking about. If steriods can make people play better baseball, then they should all use them. When i pay $30 to see a ball game I want to see the best., if thats what it takes, so be it.
To Pat: you’re right. It is their obviously bodies and if that were all there was I would partially agree with you but consider this: First off, they are role models whether they like it or not. Kids look up to them and sometimes are even willing ot emulate them. If this includes steroids a good majority will view it as not only a possible “easy” path but will subject them to the extreme temptation to abuse steroids. Subsequently producing a high case of steroid-induced damage due mainly to ignorant abuse rather than sensible application. Plus the dangers of kids wanting to use these performance-enhancers at too young of an age would likely result in irreversible side effects. However, if instead of everyone simply condemning steroid use and letting the issue retain the status quo perhaps educating players on proper steroid usage could be applied and (at least) reduce the abuse and consequences of these powerful drugs. Because in all truth steroids are not going away in sports. As related earlier the dangers of kids wanting to use these performance-enhancers at too young of an age would likely result in irreversible side effects. Not ot mention the large amounts of injuries associated with steroid usage. Although I wonder how much of this is due to a bad workout program as well. Unfortunately, life is not a simple journey.
I would not go blaming the atheletes for who we look up to in our society. It’s not their fault we place a high value on them. It’s also not thier job to provide values to our kids that’s the parent’s job. Thier job is to play good baseball and win games. I see the 'riods as a legitimate tool for those who choose them. They should be smart enough to know what they are doing before they do them, but all the same, it’s their ass not mine. I don’t think sport figures owe anybody shit.
Steroids are everywhere, not just baseball. This is such bullshit. I hate how the public/media thinks about steroids. It pisses me off. Barry Bonds actually said tonight on Leno that he is against randomized steroid tests (“an invasion of privacy” he says) but would be all for scheduled volunteered tests during the spring training. Well no shit Barry. That way you can use your juice for the whole year except a few weeks and pass a test and fool all them yuppies and sheep who believe the media. Complete utter nonsense if you ask me.
Mac has been cruching homeruns every since he was called up. His rookie year he hit 49, could have hit fifty but took the day for the birth of his son. Look at Bonds that cat has never hit more than 35 homers in a season; then he hits 73. McGwire is also a gym rat; that dude single handedly cause players to start lifting weights; just to keep up with him.
Woah! It’s a misconception that roids=big muscles? DAMN IT DAMN IT DAMN IT DAMN IT!!!
Interestingly enough, the year McGwire hit 49 (in his rookie season) was not surprising given as HR’s dramatically increased for everyone in 1987. It would not be till 1992 that he would break the 40 HR barrier again. And frankly, like all the other players his HR’s did not totally explode till the mid 1990’s (for several reasons: beginning in particular with hte first major exansion of baseball in years in 1993). And of course it is obvious he used steroids. Originally he claimed it was due to ingesting a pro-hormone called androsteinedione at 50mg p/day (obviously totally false). Not only is this not nearly enough ot have any effect but with a 37% conversion rate to estrodiol and his usage of oral capsles he was not even ingesting enough to really do much of anything; beit positive or negative. Bonds is also another obvious steroid user. Unlike McGwire (who has had unusual power since he was a child) his and Sosa’s power seemed to come from nowhere (but obviously we know how). Combine this with the ever shrinking ballparks of the 1990’s and you got a so thoroughly watered down HR record it essentially makes one realize the silliness of this baseball opera. BTW, good posts guys. 
To Pat…Unfortunately that is proclaming that they should have no responsabilities at all. Frankly I find that a cop-out. IF one is in the public limelight they have the responsability whether they like it or not. Also if you know you’re influencing children, why would you not care? Perhaps it is unfair but its an existential truth. As I stated though, it would at least be far more valuable to players to at least train them on proper steroid usage rather than otherwise. However, at the same time they also have a responsability to their own bodies. I suppose if they owe no one anything then no one owes them the truth of informing players of the dangers of improper usage.
Saying Bonds’ power came out of no where is really silly. He’s been one of the best players in the league for years and years. True he’s probably on the juice, but he’s always had power. A few years back a physics group from a university did a study, to see who had the best swing in baseball. Bonds’ first few years in the league had it. Then Griffey when he was tearing it up, and now I’m guessing it’s Bonds’ again.
No doubt he’s probably on Roids, but the season before his big one, he started training with Jerry Rice’s trainer(Good move in my opinion, look how healthy Rice stays) and that was when Bonds gained some weight. When he started training right, and most likely picked up the roids.
To Renegade Dragon. First off it looks as if I need to clarify my statement "came out of nowhere. I exclaimed “SEEMED” to come out of nowhere if one was not to take into account certain factors evident in today’s game; Thus my statement was anything but “really silly”. This was an exaggerated expression to make a point. As follows: Before 1993 Bonds never hit more than 34 HR’s. Then suddenly (as with a huge amount of players beginning in this particular year). he achieves his highest mark of 46HR’s. Obviously do to a slightly livelier ball but less a factor than the ever shrinking ballparks and in relation to that particular season: expansion. Next from 1993-1999 he never hits that many homeruns again. Now granted training with Jerry Rice is always a plus (as I have followed his workouts for years so I’m well away of this) and dropping from a powerlifting program to one that emphasises flexability makes a difference. However, going from a previous high of 46 HR’s 9 years ago to 49 then 73 HR’s at age 37 is silly without something OTHER than “workouts” to help him attain this. Several factors come into play as it usually does in sports. Unfortunate that the this “hallowed” record has become watered down to the point of practically no meaning. However, am I against steroid usage? I’m not sure presently. This is quite a sensitive an issue to contemplate for the future. One thing is evident: steroids are not gonig to disappear. They are here to say whether they begin testing or not.
Two simple questions:
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If roids make you a power hitter, how come not everybody is hitting 40+ homers?
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If roids helps the batters, shouldn’t it also help the pitchers? Shouldn’t each cancel each other?
First off pitchers are not at the point of being roid-heads just yet. There are some that take them but these are mostly the guys who throw in the upper 80’s as the speed-ballers such as Randy Johnson are possibly afraid to monkey with something that already works (or with how good he is he does not see a need or possibly both). Also not EVERY single baseball players takes steroids. That would be quite a wild assumption. However WAY too many players are already hitting 40+ HR’s.
Although this is due to not just steroids but several other factors that probably play an even larger role in the explosion.