Marcos Bretón: (Jose) Canseco book takes huge bite out of Big Mac

sacbee ^ | 2-8-04

[LouAvul]

In 35 years as a baseball fan, there has never been anyone more disappointing to me personally than Jose Canseco.

The guy breaks my heart. He is the poster boy for wasted human potential, a tragi-comic figure who could have been the best ever but threw it all away.

Who could have imagined that in the late 1980s, when Canseco was the world's premier player and a lethal combination of speed and power who filled stadiums with women like a ball-playing Tom Cruise?

Now he's an ex-con, unwanted as a player after several arrests on weapons and assault charges and a history of battering women unlucky enough to marry him.

Given our reality-TV culture, it should come as no surprise that Canseco is taking his vices public in the soon-to-be-released-book, "Juiced: Wild Times, Rampant 'Roids, Smash Hits and How Baseball Got Big."

And it should come as no surprise that Canseco says he did 'roids with baseball stars such as Jason Giambi, Juan González, Rafael Palmeiro and Ivan Rodríguez. Steroids have been all over the news this winter.

But what is surprising and makes Canseco's book news - and dangerous - is that it marks the first time anyone has directly alleged steroid abuse by baseball's patron saint, the retired Mark McGwire.

This whole mess became cold water poured on scalding grease because - according to the New York Daily News - Canseco writes that he shot steroids directly into McGwire's naked backside.

[richmwill]

Anybody who didn't believe that McGwire used steroids needs their head examined.

[hubbubhubbub]

I believe that's why McGuire has been a virtual recluse since his retirement. He doesn't want to answer questions on his own steroid use.

[demlosers]

I think I read a recent quote from McGuire that he did not use anabolic steroids.

[Peace will be here soon]

I think people need to ask why Jose Canseco wrote this book, and what he intends to get out of it.

Sorry, not believing a word of it.

But one thing may be intersting, is how many people sue him for liable. I hope he has proof of these allegations or he could be in more financial trouble then he ever could imagine.

[dfwgator]

That's what I said on another thread, players can vehemently deny the allegations all they want, but if there are no libel suits against Canseco, I think that will pretty much tell that Canseco pretty much is telling the truth.

[Poodlebrain]

I was an A's season ticket holder during the Bash Brothers era. I had seats close enough to the A's dugout to interact with the players. My memories of those times are that Canseco was always pleasant with the fans and would go out of his way to make kids happy while McGwire was usually quite surly with the fans. The group of fans I attended games with noticed the increase in size of both Canseco and McGwire, and we used to discuss the likelihood that they were using steroids. One of the doctors involved in the discussions suggested McGwire's surliness was a reaction to steroid use. I don't know if steroids would cause such a reaction, but I can't help wondering whether McGwire's improved relations with the fans and media after going to St. Louis did not result from chemical changes rather than geographic ones.

[Texagirl4W]

I would bet my neck on a block that Rafael Palmeiro has never taken steroids. Now Canseco, that's another story.

[bjs1779]

It should be interesting when some of these players come up for the Hall of Fame. Corky Sosa and McGwire might have a hard time getting in on accout of it.

[NorCalRepub]

I was and am an A's fan and saw them too during that whole period. I'm not saying Mac wasn't on steroids but I worked out at the same Gold's Gym in Walnut Creek that he and his little brother worked out in and though he was bigger, he didn't have all the tell tale signs of roids. He was still big but not as muscular as he was in St Louis and working out all my life, you can usually tell when on is on the juice and he just didn't fit any of the profiles then....

[RichardW]

McGuire starting hitting home runs from the first time he broke into the majors. He was always a power hitter. I'm skeptical.

[hubbubhubbub]

If so it contradicts earlier statements he made to the contrary. He used Andro when he played.

[F16Fighter]

Funny how suddenly a rant of a book by a lying, cheating, steroid-addled ex-con scum-bag Jose Canseco, becomes an author's rant about Mark McGuire and his supposed steroid use.

We're supposed to believe Jose Canseco's word?

[MikefromOhio]

This smells like a Kitty Kelly book. I don't believe it for 3 reasons: 1) Canseco is a scumbag looking to make a quick buck. 2) Tony LaRussa, a guy that was around him and McGwire both constantly in the 80's said McGwire worked his @$$ off while Jose would go to the gym for 10 minutes and come out bigger (I am paraphrasing but it's close) 3) This entire story smells like the Clarett situation at Ohio State. there is some truth to it, but elements of it are not true. Giambi is a known roid user. His testimony has been leaked to the press in the BALCO case. He didnt mention a thing about McGwire. Canseco is bent that McGwire hit more homeruns, is virtually gauranteed a slot in the hall of fame, and is beloved by the fans in his retirement.

This is a desparate attempt to make a quick buck by Canseco. Nothing more. McGwire has said in the past that he didnt take the roids. I am pretty sure he will say it again. The REAL question is which guy do you believe? A convicted ex ballplayer with several axes to grind or a guy who just wants to be left alone but keeps being brought up? Personally I believe the second guy at first glance. Unless something changes, I will stay that way.

the next thing we will hear from this lunatic is that Ozzie Smith, Cal Ripken and Alan Trammel ran a prostitution ring in their cities or something....