Reggie Speaks out on Steroids Cheaters

We are starting to see the tip of the iceberg in regard to baseball players and ex-players speaking out in regard to those who have decided to use steroids to gain unfair advantages. Wednesday, Hall of Fame slugger Reggie Jackson became among the first to make his true feelings known.

Reggie Jackson made some comments to the Atlanta Journal Constitution and based upon his comments – I would guess he was pissed.

"Somebody definitely is guilty of taking steroids…Henry Aaron never hit 50 in a season, so you're going to tell me that you're a greater hitter than Henry Aaron?" said Mr. October. "[Barry] Bonds hit 73 [in 2001], and he would have hit 100 if they would have pitched to him. I mean, come on, now."

Jackson is known to have quite an ego and seeing players who may have used steroids pass him on the all-time home run list must be eating at him. Reggie has seen Barry Bonds and Mark McGuire pass him on the list and Sammy Sosa and Rafael Palmeiro will soon pass him. Jackson must have heard whispers of steroid use (and in many cases out right shouts) about all four players.

I think Jackson has a reason to be peeved.

Consider the fact that after 12 full seasons, at the age of 33 – Jackson had 369 HR.

Interestingly enough Bonds, McGwire and Palmeiro all had 12 full seasons and were 33 years old in 1998. Now many people have pointed to 1998 as the watershed year in steroids use. I haven’t seen any solid proof of this but it does make some sense.

Consider that after 12 full seasons, at the age of 33 – Bonds had 374 (only 5 more than Jackson), McGwire had 387 (18 more than Jackson) and Palmeiro had 314 (55 less than Reggie). How did all of these guys all find the fountain of youth and power at the same time? What’s the odds on that?

Jackson had one 40+ HR season prior to 33 and one after 33 years old. Bonds had three 40+ HR seasons in his first 12 years but then miraculously four 40+ seasons after 33 years old. Palmeiro never had a 40+ HR season prior to 1998 but since then he has had four. McGwire hit 70 and 65 HR’s in consecutive seasons when he was 34 and 35.

Consider that when Reggie was 38 years old he managed 25 home runs but Bonds managed 45 at the same age last year. The 25 home runs by Jackson show that he was still productive at an advanced age (by baseball standards). The 45 by Bonds look freakish. The numbers really don’t add up.

Jackson thinks that some players have used steroids to enable themselves to hit enough home runs and knock him off his pedestal and I think he’s right to be pissed. I also think that because the nature of steroids is so insidious that before long people will be wondering if Jackson himself was a steroids abuser.

How long before someone posts pictures of Jackson as a slim rookie with the A’s vs. a beefy picture of him with the Yankees?

Yup – this steroids business is truly insidious.

Please send any thoughts or comments to of4dad@hotmail