Baseball's Steroid Era

There are many famous baseball players who have admitted using steroids, and many more who are suspected as having used them. Alex Rodriguez is the most prominent active player to admit using steroids. Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens and Rafael Palmeiro are among the former baseball players implicated in the steroid scandal. Mark McGwire, a former player finally admitted he used steroids while playing with the Oakland Athletics. Most fans think he only admitted it to become the hitting coach for the St. Louis Cardinals. Rafael Palmeiro tested positive for steroids after he testified before Congress stating he never used any performance enhancing drugs.

Alex Rodriguez's steroid use was certainly a shock to the baseball world. He admitted using steroids in a 2009 news conference, only after a Sports Illustrated article reported he had tested positive for anabolic steroids twice in 2003 with the Texas Rangers. With Barry Bonds being vilified by the press and the baseball community at large, many had hoped Alex would become the new "clean" home run king in a few years. That dream will of course no longer become a reality.

Roger Clemens, a seven time Cy Young award winner is the most famous pitcher to ever be accused of using steroids. His reputation is forever tarnished by the steroid scandal. To this day he claims to be a victim of wild accusations by a former baseball trainer named Brian McNamee. Add the fact that Roger's name appeared 82 times in the Michell Report, and was investigated for lying to Congress regarding his steroid use, it is hard to believe in his innocence.

Any discussion of famous baseball players using steroids is not complete without mentioning Barry Bonds. He is indeed the face of the steroid scandal. Greg Anderson a former trainer of Bonds literally started the steroid era. In 2000 Anderson was indicted for issuing steroids to athletes. Barry bonds would later testify to a grand Jury that yes Anderson had given him a cream, but that it was only flaxseed oil. In 2006 Bonds was indicted for lying to that very same Grand Jury.

The most famous of all the baseball players in this era have either admitted using steroids, or are accused by the media, and fans of being on steroids. What about the Hall of fame? Surely Roger Clemens and Barry Bonds would have gained easy access to baseball's hall of fame without any allegations of steroid use. What about now? Should they admit it? Will that help their chances to get inducted? This writer thinks so.

Derek Kravitz.(02/10/2009)."The Big Names in Baseball" Retrieved 05/23/2010 from Http://voices.washingtonpost.com