Canseco A Liar? As Much As The Others

I believe you Jose. Well…most of what you say.

That’s it, I’ve had it. Except for a few people, the world has publically denounced Jose Canseco and book. While I don’t want to talk about steroids any more. I think somebody needs to take Canseco’s side. In his new book he states.

1.  Canseco introduced McGwire to steroids who, in turn, gave them to Giambi and the three of them used to shoot steroids together. Canseco says players on the Athletics talked openly about injecting in the bathroom stalls, and the clubhouse was an abuser’s paradise. Did anybody else laugh the first time they heard this. Can you imagine walking into the bathroom and Giambi, McGwire and Canseco all coming out of the same stall with three empty needles? How long till a fake picture leaks on to the internet. One week? Two?

2.  When a reporter found the Androstenedione in McGwire’s locker it wasn’t an accident. Canseco says he believes that McGwire put the bottle so it would create a reason for his spike growth in muscle mass. Because Andro was legal at the time.

3. Owners welcomed and/or condoned steroid use because they believe that a barrage of homeruns would bring back customers after the 1994-1995 work stoppange.

4.  The Players Association knew about and condoned steroid use because home runs = bigger salaries for members and union leaders.  Which by the way  owners and the player association were right about. After a decrease in attendance after the work stoppage the home run race between Sammy Sosa and McGwire led to invigorated and larger fan base.

5.  Steroids played no role in the injuries that plagued Canseco’s career and that he would not have even become a big-league player if it weren’t for performance-enhancing drugs.

   While the media and experts have completely agreed that Canseco’s book is just a ploy for money and fame, I disagree. What makes any of his statements false? Baseball players doing illegal drugs? That’s nothing new. In Ball Four, Jim Bouton, talks about players taking greenies (speed) on a regular basis. In the late 80s the Mets were on as much cocaine as a bad guy from Miami Vice. Ken Caminetti has already admitted to steroid usage. And who can forget about the 2002 Marijuana Mets. Doesn’t steroid use in the MLB make sense. If you’re a ballplayer and someone comes up to you and says, "I have a magical drug that can make you a better player. It’ll make you famous, make more money and one day help you get into the hall of fame because of all your homeruns." Or say your a ballplayer and the three teammates you’re competeing for money and a job are all taking steroids. What do you do? This is their livelihood. For some people this isn’t a hard choice. Don’t get me wrong, I like to consider myself a baseball purist and steroid use in the major leagues does upset me but I’m not at all surprised by drug use in the leagues.

    Now already McGwire has responded and said that, "I have always told the truth and I am saddened that I continue to face this line of questioning….With regard to this book, I am reserving comment until I have the chance to review its contents myself." Palmeiro said, "At no point in my career have I ever used steroids, let alone any substance banned by Major League Baseball. As I have never had a personal relationship with Canseco, any suggestion that he taught me anything, about steroid use or otherwise, is ludicrous." Even Giambi’s agent and McGwire’s old coach Tony La Russa said, ""I am absolutely certain that Mark earned his size and strength from hard work and a disciplined lifestyle," La Russa said in an interview he believed Canseco was writing the book because "he needs the money" and "he’s jealous as hell" of McGwire, his former team mate.

   Canseco is actually widely known as a thoughtful and intelligent person, his book (if anyone actually finished reading it before trashing it) is actually better written than you’d expect from a ballplayer. It’s now a foregone conclusion that he took steroids on a regular basis and that was the reason he was the player he was and the person he was. But of course, McGwire is going to claim the statements are false. After all, if he did take steroids, all of his records are tainted and his place in history is moved from being with Mantle and Ruth to the 1919 Black Sox and Giambi.

   Tony La Russa denounced Canseco’s assertions and even admitted to knowing about Canseco’s steroid use. Why didn’t he say anything? Did he tell anyone? No, he wanted to win games. If steroids was the key, well its not LaRussa’s balls are shrinking. La Russa denied it because if it leaks – that his good friend and the player that La Russa claimed was the greatest he’s ever seen –  McGwire, took steroids it would tarnish La Russa’s reputation. Also there is no correlation between gym time and steroid use. Even if you take anabolic steroids you still need to workout for the new mass that’s being created to turn to muscle. The funniest part of the whole story -players injecting in the bathroom – is what makes me believe Canseco the most. Where else are they going to do it? The middle of the clubhouse? The bathroom makes plenty of sense. Believe me I’ve been to bathrooms in bars in Manhattan, and you should see the drugs going on in there. If Canseco can’t be trusted why should we believe anything Giambi says? Giambi has millions to lose if these statements are proved true, the Yankees could use the fact that he took steroids in his Oakland days and void his contract.        

   Jose Canseco is a disgraced once-famous baseball player who is trying to take the league down with him. He probably embellished or exaggerated the stories a little because scandal sells. And I’m willing to agree that not all the people who he mentioned took steroids but if McGwire and Bonds came out and said, "Yeah I took steroids" would the truth really surprise you. Canseco has continually said that the league has blackballed him, and his mentality is if I’m going  down, everyone is coming with me. But before we shoot the messenger let’s listen to the message.