Steroids in Baseball - Fan Perspectives

Growing up in the 1980's, my hero was Ryne Sandberg. Players of that era rarely hit 30 home runs. Canseco and McGwire prove that wrong. However, a guy who could hit 30 home runs and drive in at least 80 was a star.

Then came the '90s. A strike in '94 really put a damper on the game. Enter Sosa and McGwire. They saved the game with a race to break the single season record of 61. Were they juiced? I think so. Now the game is being tainted again. As a fan, it saddens me.

It's amazing to see a small player suddenly return in the spring looking like a body builder! I mean, how can a guy put on so much mass in a relatively short period of time. The weight room? Maybe, but it is likely much has been gained with the help of juice.

One point to mention is the aging of players and the gaining of weight. This is likely not steroids. An example was Tony Gwynn. If you look at his rookie pictures compared to later in his career, he is huge. I don't think steroids played a part in his increase especially since his home run levels remained low.

How about Barry Bonds? Ever see his rookie pictures? He was as skinny as a rail. Then, his weight gain came (along with many more home runs). Steroids probably played a role in his life. Wait! He denies it all. I forgot.

Now that the nation is focused on this issue, we will likely see a decrease in the usage of steroids. However, it is still fun to look back on the recent past. Compare pictures and power stats of players and do your own investigation. It's a blast.

In case anyone cares, Tony Gwynn was and is also one of my idols.