Many fans of baseball were surprised by Mark McGwire's recent confession. The slugger had used steroids for the greater part of his baseball career, as this gave him an unfair edge and contributed to the mammoth seasons that we as fans witnessed.
Most baseball players are thought to have used steroids in order to pump up their offensive stats, thereby securing more valuable contracts in the process. In McGwire's case, things were different. He simply wanted to recover from any injuries in less time than he'd otherwise be able to.
This would make sense in McGwire's case, as injuries seriously slowed down the pace of what would have been an otherwise torrid career. He was one of the best power hitters in the game, but his potential was always cut short due to injury.
His strategy seemingly paid off. During the 1990s, McGwire experienced fewer injuries than he had in the prior years, despite the fact that he was older. He also saw a significant boost in his home run total.
No year was more indicative of his steroid use than 1998 was. This is a year that you very likely remember, as he belted 70 home runs for the St. Louis Cardinals, breaking the single season home record previously held by Roger Maris.
While McGwire was worshipped by baseball fans as he broke this record, things soon changed within the span of a few years. Talk of steroids began to mar the baseball world and its recent milestones, including the record that had been set by McGwire.
Baseball fans almost feel foolish to have believed that everything was done legitimately. After seeing decades in which players struggled to top 50 home runs, 60 and 70 were suddenly being done nearly every year. This couldn't have been more obvious.
Many wonder if McGwire's recent confession should warrant consideration for the Hall of Fame. While he has failed to make it during the last few seasons, he's been bold enough to publicly admit what many had already suspected.
Most baseball players are thought to have used steroids in order to pump up their offensive stats, thereby securing more valuable contracts in the process. In McGwire's case, things were different. He simply wanted to recover from any injuries in less time than he'd otherwise be able to.
This would make sense in McGwire's case, as injuries seriously slowed down the pace of what would have been an otherwise torrid career. He was one of the best power hitters in the game, but his potential was always cut short due to injury.
His strategy seemingly paid off. During the 1990s, McGwire experienced fewer injuries than he had in the prior years, despite the fact that he was older. He also saw a significant boost in his home run total.
No year was more indicative of his steroid use than 1998 was. This is a year that you very likely remember, as he belted 70 home runs for the St. Louis Cardinals, breaking the single season home record previously held by Roger Maris.
While McGwire was worshipped by baseball fans as he broke this record, things soon changed within the span of a few years. Talk of steroids began to mar the baseball world and its recent milestones, including the record that had been set by McGwire.
Baseball fans almost feel foolish to have believed that everything was done legitimately. After seeing decades in which players struggled to top 50 home runs, 60 and 70 were suddenly being done nearly every year. This couldn't have been more obvious.
Many wonder if McGwire's recent confession should warrant consideration for the Hall of Fame. While he has failed to make it during the last few seasons, he's been bold enough to publicly admit what many had already suspected.
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