Bickley: raising suspisions about Steroids and the old days.

by G.O.B. on Aug 2, 2009 5:24 AM EDT

Dan Bickley calls out our Diamondback forefathers.

To all dirty Diamondbacks who hoisted the World Series trophy in 2001:

Raise your black flag. Step forward and own your mistake together. Say you're sorry before the list gets you.

Such a gesture will bring instant forgiveness, maybe even a surprise round of applause. The originality and candor would be part of your legacy forever. You can be the first group of baseball players to not hide behind lawyers, union leaders and half-baked excuses.

Fifty years from now, that will mean something.

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Gonzo, Williams, Schilling, Johnson

were very likely juiced.

In play, out(s)

by dima1109 on Aug 3, 2009 12:30 AM EDT reply actions

Not Schilling or RJ

Look at them. RJ is still pitching at 46 – you don’t do that when ‘roids break your body down – and is rail-thin. Schilling is a fatty, and he is one of those guys who has said repeatedly that he wants the entire list out and to expose everybody. Love him or hate him, he didn’t juice. Gonzo, Williams, Sanders, Spivey, etc. all likely did, though.

Someone pay Beric Yrnes $500,000 to be extreme and base jump into the Grand Canyon. Then screw with his equipment. Please.

by Dan Strittmatter on Aug 3, 2009 3:55 AM EDT up reply actions

Yeah because Clemens didn't pitch well into his 40s

Not saying Johnson did it, but your argument doesn’t make a whole lot of sense.

http://overzealousfan.blogspot.com

by asufan550 on Aug 7, 2009 12:01 PM EDT up reply actions

nice sentiment, bickley...

…but frankly he’s just wasting his breath. there’s no way this sort of thing will ever happen. btw — in no way do i intend to defend the cheaters who took peds, but the moral superiority of sportswriters (a brand that i always find rather morally questionable) galls me.

"Say this much for big league baseball - it is beyond question the greatest conversation piece ever invented in America."
-- Bruce Catton

by njjohn on Aug 3, 2009 5:37 AM EDT reply actions

+1

My strategic outrage reserves are already dangerously low.

"We...probed them all the way through. They're completely meat." — Terry Bisson

by Scrbl on Aug 3, 2009 9:46 AM EDT up reply actions

Bickely's articles

are indeed good: for picking up dog turds in the front yard. Picking them up face down is a fitting use for most his stuff.

"If there's nothing wrong with me, maybe there's something wrong with the universe!"

by unnamedDBacksfan on Aug 3, 2009 10:52 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

"Say this much for big league baseball - it is beyond question the greatest conversation piece ever invented in America."
-- Bruce Catton

by njjohn on Aug 4, 2009 8:42 AM EDT up reply actions

"Raise your black flag"?

More like hoist a few in the owner’s booth with Matty.

by dahlian on Aug 3, 2009 11:56 PM EDT reply actions

I don't believe...

That Gonzo juiced…look at him! He’s not huge, he looks the same as he did when we first got him…

"AUGIE AUGIE AUGIE...OY OY OY!"

by Rockkstarr12 on Aug 4, 2009 10:15 PM EDT reply actions

I tend to agree

I don’t believe… That Gonzo juiced…look at him! He’s not huge, he looks the same as he did when we first got him

I’ve always had my doubts that Gonzo was guilty of anything other than moving to a hitters ballpark. I mean, the guy never topped 200lbs. In fact, I believe he was the only hitter under 200lbs to ever hit over 50 HRs. I know there has been a lot of talk about him doing so, and I may be blind because I adored him, but I’ve just never believed it about him.

Even if he did, I’m not the anti-PEDs crusader that so many baseball followers are. As far as I’m concerned, people should be able to do whatever they want to do to their own bodies. The playing field isn’t level to begin with. From the minute a kid plays Little League, some kids have the money for the private coaches and others don’t. Some kids have the money to play club ball, and some don’t. Some kids have the money for nutritionists and trainers and all that nonsense, while others don’t. It’s the same in all sports. If you are willing to wreck

by azshadowwalker on Aug 5, 2009 2:49 AM EDT up reply actions

PS

For some reason, the last sentence got cut off:

If you are willing to wreck your body by juicing or boozing or shooting heroin, it’s yours to do with as you please. That’s my philosophy as it pertains to the “real world,” as well as the sports world.

by azshadowwalker on Aug 5, 2009 2:50 AM EDT up reply actions

really?

i’m sorry, but the odds are stacked against him. and the photos of bulging biceps.

"Say this much for big league baseball - it is beyond question the greatest conversation piece ever invented in America."
-- Bruce Catton

by njjohn on Aug 5, 2009 5:27 AM EDT up reply actions

Really?

http://iu-sportscards.com/images/mlb/rookiecards/gonzalezllr.jpg

There is no doubt in mind Gonzo juiced. Zero.

http://somewhereforustofindtonight.blogspot.com/

by pepperdinedevil on Aug 8, 2009 2:30 AM EDT up reply actions

As compared to...

http://www.depressedfan.com/images/luisgonzalez1220.jpg

I meant to include this in the first post.

http://somewhereforustofindtonight.blogspot.com/

by pepperdinedevil on Aug 8, 2009 2:33 AM EDT up reply actions

I don't know

if Gonzo did or didn’t do roids but he hit 57 homers in 2001, 31 homers the year before, and never more then 28 before or after. It has to make you wonder why a dude would hit nearly twice as many dingers one season as any other one in his 19 year career.

by Spaghetti_Monster on Aug 5, 2009 4:05 PM EDT reply actions

And conversely...

If steroids had such a marvelous effect, why did he only take them in 2001? There was no steroid testing in 2002, not even ‘anonymously’.

"Win, or die" -- Marquise de Merteuil

by Jim McLennan on Aug 5, 2009 4:08 PM EDT up reply actions

Don’t know, Maybe he didn’t like some of the other side affects, like his nuts shriveling up, or maybe he was fine winning the W.S. Maybe he only took them for some other reason (injury) and so stopped taking them. Maybe he didn’t take them at all. You don’t think that it’s at least a little bit odd that his best HR year is nearly twice as good as his 2nd best HR year?

by Spaghetti_Monster on Aug 5, 2009 4:13 PM EDT up reply actions

Odd, but not unique

The years before and after Maris hit 61, he hit 39 and 33. HR are probably more likely to fluctuate than any other number. Of course, this doesn’t prove his innocence, but a single-season spike doesn’t prove his guilt either.

"Win, or die" -- Marquise de Merteuil

by Jim McLennan on Aug 5, 2009 5:17 PM EDT up reply actions

but you really don’t think he’s clean, do you?

"Say this much for big league baseball - it is beyond question the greatest conversation piece ever invented in America."
-- Bruce Catton

by njjohn on Aug 5, 2009 8:52 PM EDT up reply actions

Aargh...

I have no grounds to believe otherwise. But it seems that just about everyone who hit 50+ homers in that era has been caught out in one way or another. While I certainly hope Gonzalez is not on the list; being honest, I wouldn’t be surprised if he was.

"Win, or die" -- Marquise de Merteuil

by Jim McLennan on Aug 6, 2009 4:40 PM EDT up reply actions

Let's put it this way

If he was consistently tested and was negative over and over, his production plus the era equals a first-ballot HOF. I honestly believe that.

Someone pay Beric Yrnes $500,000 to be extreme and base jump into the Grand Canyon. Then screw with his equipment. Please.

by Dan Strittmatter on Aug 6, 2009 6:29 PM EDT up reply actions

I certainly hope this too. He was one of the best people to grace the org. IHSB— gotta disagree. How do his numbers stack up to any of the HOFers— especially given his poor defense?

"Say this much for big league baseball - it is beyond question the greatest conversation piece ever invented in America."
-- Bruce Catton

by njjohn on Aug 7, 2009 4:03 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions