Finally, Steriod Testing in Baseball!

[Wilt Dasney]

McGwire tested positive for androstenedione (something like that)...and it wasn't a banned substance at the time. I believe it has since become banned.

My opinion, really...let 'em use whatever helps 'em. I know nobody's going to agree with me on this, but I really think it's a sham when sports say they're banning performance enhancers. What they really mean is they're banning the performance enhancers they don't want being used.

What's the point of water, Gatorade, working out, practicing every day, watching film? They're all intended to enhance the performance of the people using them. Athletes are payed to be physically superior to their competition, so I think it's arbitrary to say that certain ways of achieving that are legit and others are "cheating." If it's worth having your balls shrivel up and an early death to be able to bench an extra 100 lbs., then drink another cocktail, buddy. Strippers and stars can get implants to enhance their "performances"...what makes athletes all that different? They're all performers, anyway. As long as it's a human and not a robot out there making the plays, who defines what's legitimate and what's "fake"?

 

[wannab@dis]

My point is not whether I care if they screw up their bodies or not. I just don't like the image being portrayed to the kids. It's ok if "Insert Name" uses drugs, so it's fine for a 16 year old high school baseball player. That's how it will be construed.

 

[Wilt Dasney]

Oh, I know. I totally respect your POV. I just think sports is basically a big dog and pony show, anyway, so we might as well acknowledge it. As jaded as I am and as much as I gripe, I'll be right there watching the NFL playoffs all weekend. Bring on the dogs and ponies...otherwise, I'd have to watch something else. Cheers.

 

[TRITON4ME]

Ok, I think the wording in my last post has led to a little contraversy. So let me clean up my own mess:

1) I never questioned the integrity of anyone on this site- come on I'm not that stupid. I would never question the integrity of a person who is bravely defending our nation- peronally I think that is where 'true integrity lies'
SO I would like to apologise for that first of all
Next...
I would like to apologise for postin such a childish post. I had no right to insult anyones intelligence on these forums and I now realize that. I can assure you that this post was poorly pre-meditated and I should have definately taken a different approach with my dicussion.

I would like to once again apologise to whomever I offended by my idiotic post and can promise you guys it will never happen again.

If there is anything else I need to say tell me because I am truly sorry.

 

[TRITON4ME]

My point is not whether I care if they screw up their bodies or not. I just don't like the image being portrayed to the kids. It's ok if "Insert Name" uses drugs, so it's fine for a 16 year old high school baseball player. That's how it will be construed.

Very true. When i played high school baseball I knew about 7 members on the team who took some type of steriod. And since there is no drug testing program they do it without reserve. I was a pitcher so there was no purpose for me to take steriods (not that I wanted to anyway).

Great post wannab@dis, BTW do you play baseball. I realized you were from Tenn. and I myself have been down there (around the Knoxville area) for a couple baseball tourneys.

 

[Lil'mermaid]

Very true. When i played high school baseball I knew about 7 members on the team who took some type of steriod. And since there is no drug testing program they do it without reserve. I was a pitcher so there was no purpose for me to take steriods (not that I wanted to anyway).

Umm, there have been High school pitchers who have taken steriods. One that comes to mind is a 17 year old boy who fell in to a deep depression and his father found him hanging in his bedroom by his belt. If you want to be able to launch the ball fast and hard you need some major upper body strength. If you aren't as strong as the other guys, that might be reason for someone to think about juicing.

 

[TRITON4ME]

Umm, there have been High school pitchers who have taken steriods. One that comes to mind is a 17 year old boy who fell in to a deep depression and his father found him hanging in his bedroom by his belt. If you want to be able to launch the ball fast and hard you need some major upper body strength. If you aren't as strong as the other guys, that might be reason for someone to think about juicing.

Actually, that is a big misconception about pitching. The majority of your strength needs to actually come from your lower body. It is a fact that if a pitcher is too big in his upper body he looses his flexibility and actually can't throw as hard. As a pitcher myself I have always lifted for stamina in my upper body and added muscle mass to my thys and calfs.

That is really sad though what happened to that kid. It is amazing the effects of a drug can have on your decision making process.

I am glad I never sacrificed by body for the sport I love, I think I would have really regreated it in the end.

 

[Lil'mermaid]

Actually, that is a big misconception about pitching. The majority of your strength needs to actually come from your lower body. It is a fact that if a pitcher is too big in his upper body he looses his flexibility and actually can't throw as hard. As a pitcher myself I have always lifted for stamina in my upper body and added muscle mass to my thys and calfs.

While some of a pitchers power does come from their lower bodies, a decent amount does come from their upper bodies. I can throw a ball far, but I have very little upper body strenght, so it isnt going very fast or hard, even though I have a very strong lower body. (I was a catcher when I played.)

 

[TRITON4ME]

While some of a pitchers power does come from their lower bodies, a decent amount does come from their upper bodies. I can throw a ball far, but I have very little upper body strenght, so it isnt going very fast or hard, even though I have a very strong lower body. (I was a catcher when I played.)

Once Again, I don't mean to be so nit pickey but, I had very little upper body strength and I was able to consistently throw in the lower to mid 80's. Basically, the entire off season I spent in the weight room squating and doing calf presses and lunges every other day. If you have ever seen Randy Johnson pitch you will realize that the vast majority of his power comes from his legs.

 

[Lil'mermaid]

If you have ever seen Randy Johnson pitch you will realize that the vast majority of his power comes from his legs.

To be a finesse pitcher, like Boston's Tim Wakefield, you need very little to no upper body strength. To be a power pitcher like St. Louis' Mark Mulder you do need a fair amount of upper body strength.

:wave:

 

[TRITON4ME]

To be a finesse pitcher, like Boston's Tim Wakefield, you need very little to no upper body strength. To be a power pitcher like St. Louis' Mark Mulder you do need a fair amount of upper body strength.

:wave:

I don't think so. I consider myself to be more of a power pitcher and I have very little upper body strength! What about guys like Pedro Martinez. There is no way he has a lot of upper body strength, i mean his arms are smaller than mine! It all comes from his legs! Think about the thrown motion of Pedro, if you have every seen it in slow motion (like I have) you will ralize that his long stride is where all his power comes from! Trust me, I had several football players on my baseball team who could bench press well over 250 lbs. and yet they couldn't even throw in the high 70's!