50 Biggest Con Artists in Baseball History

For all the great memories that baseball has given us during its great history, there have also been a number of players, teams and incidents that have done a disservice to this game.

With the term "con" being used loosely in some regards, this list includes people found guilty of corking bats, doctoring pitches, lying about age and obviously using steroids, among other things. 

A simple negative moment won't always permanently tarnish a player's legacy, but some instances are clearly far more severe and irreparable than others.

George Brett

In July of 1983, George Brett was on top of the world after a clutch hit off Yankee closer Goose Gossage.

The joy was short-lived after umpire Tim McClelland called Brett out for the excessive pine tar on his bat. Not surprisingly, Brett was furious and laid into the umpire in what would become one of the most infamous tirades in league history.

Norm Cash

Four-time All-Star Norm Cash was an effective power hitter for a number of years. His 1961 season sticks out above the rest, as he led the league in hits, average, on-base percentage and OPS.

Cash later admitted that his success in 1961 could be attributed to the corked bat that he used, as his numbers declined every season after he discontinued use of the bats.

Roger Clemens

As one of the most notable names on the Mitchell Report that alleges a number of steroid users, Roger Clemens was indicted on felony counts for perjury and obstruction of Congress based on the statements he made under oath.

His trial began last summer; however, it was quickly declared a mistrial based on misconduct by the prosecution.

Armando Rios

While he admitted using the Clear and the Cream, provided by Barry Bonds' personal trainer, Armando Rios also adamantly maintained that he didn't know what was in him.

His testimony could have helped Bonds' claim that he didn't knowingly take the steroids, although Bonds was still convicted for obstruction of justice stemming from his involvement in the steroid scandal.

Joe Niekro

One of the most successful knuckleballers of all time, Joe Niekro won 221 games during his 22-year career in baseball, four times pitching over 250 innings.

Perhaps his most notable act, however, came during the Minnesota Twins' 1987 season, when Niekro was suspended for 10 games after an umpire discovered he had a nail file in his pocket.

His argument was that he was filing his nails in the dugout and simply forgot it was in his pocket, but the league didn't listen, as he served out his suspension.

Danny Almonte

Young pitcher Danny Almonte took the Little League World Series by storm in 2001, showcasing a fastball that was the equivalent of a 98 mph fastball.

Just after the completion of the World Series, it was noted that Almonte was too old to be eligible to pitch in the tournament he had just competed in—by a full two years.

Don Sutton

After a number of instances in which Hall of Famer Don Sutton was implicated in scuffing baseballs that he threw, he was eventually suspended for 10 games by the league.

Given the league's firm standing on rulings, what's even more surprising is the fact that the players' union and Sutton were able to successfully sue the league to have the suspension dropped.

Jose Canseco

Jose Canseco's massive stature may have in itself tied him to speculation surrounding the usage of steroids during his career, but Canseco also confirmed it in 2005 with the release of his book Juiced: Wild Times, Rampant 'Roids, Smash Hits & How Baseball Got Big.

Canseco took his admission even further in his book, stating that around 85 percent of the league was on steroids. He also used his time in the spotlight to out former teammates Mark McGwire, Rafael Palmeiro and others on their usage.

Whitey Ford

Doing almost anything to catch any advantage while pitching, Whitey Ford was noted to have used his wedding ring to cut the ball, have catchers use their shin guards to cut the ball and use mud, baby oil and resin to load the ball.

John Rocker

As if exposing his racial bias in a Sports Illustrated issue wasn't enough, John Rocker was also quick to admit the steroid usage that he was implicated of in the spring of 2007.

When asked about his usage by New York Baseball Digest, his response was, “Yeah, of course I was [using steroids]. I mean who wasn’t? Let’s be honest here, who wasn’t?”

The Bossards

Fathering an entire family of groundskeepers, Emil Bossard started the trend of home-field advantages in the 1920s, moving portable fences in Cleveland back 15 feet when power-hitting teams like the New York Yankees were in town.

Since then, the family has been notorious for taking a number of similar actions, such as keeping baseballs in humidifiers to increase their weight, messing with the baselines to throw off runners and frequently overwatering to soften up the playing surfaces.

Mark McGwire

Testifying before Congress along with a number of baseball's sluggers in 2005, Mark McGwire left more questions than answers as he failed to directly address any usage of performance-enhancing drugs.

He would eventually come clean, however, saying that he used them on and off for more than a decade, including during his historic 1998 season.

Graig Nettles

Just one at-bat after hitting a home run against the Detroit Tigers in September of 1974, Graig Nettles broke his bat on a single, leaving seven balls on the field—one coming from the pitcher, the other six from inside his bat.

He played dumb and said that bat was given to him by a fan, but his single was still disallowed after the Tigers catcher made sure to collect the superballs his bat left behind.

Rick Honeycutt

As a 109-game winner during 21 seasons in baseball, Rick Honeycutt was an effective control pitcher for a number of teams.

During the fall of his 1980 All-Star season, it was discovered that Honeycutt was using a thumbtack to cut the balls. He received a fine and 10-game suspension for his actions.

Alex Rodriguez

It'll be interesting to see how much Alex Rodriguez's admission of steroid usage tarnishes his legacy as the milestones begin to approach.

After an initial denial of usage, Rodriguez later would admit that he used steroids for a few years in the early 2000s, citing an "enormous amount of pressure" to produce results worthy of his large contract.

Brian Moehler

Despite his best efforts, one of Brian Moehler's best outings in 1999 was attributed to a little something extra he brought out to the mound with him.

After a complaint from the opposing team, home plate umpire Larry Barnett found sandpaper stuck on the thumb of Moehler's throwing hand, resulting in an ejection and 10-game suspension.

Moehler denied the use of sandpaper, saying it was just dirt, but for some reason didn't appeal the ruling.

Maury Wills

During his short stint as manager, Maury Wills did whatever he could to give his Seattle Mariners an edge.

That included his advising the home grounds crew to enlarge the batter's box a full foot in order to give his hitters an advantage when facing curveball pitchers.

When fellow manager Billy Martin called this out, Wills received a fine and two-game suspension.

Albert Belle

Former teammate Omar Vizquel did note that "all" of Albert Belle's bats were corked, likely leading to the power he produced while in Cleveland, but it was a particular incident that stuck out among others.

After Belle's bat was confiscated before a game due to suspicion of corking, Indians pitcher Jason Grimsley actually made an attempt during the game to swap the bat.

The ploy didn't work, and Belle was suspended for a week.

1951 New York Giants

The 1951 New York Giants are likely most well known for Bobby Thomson's "shot heard round the world" but are also remembered for their elaborate sign-stealing system that likely won them a number of games down the stretch.

Sammy Sosa

Sammy Sosa certainly experienced a stronger than anticipated power surge during the peak of his career, and it was that very fact that gave him something in common with players like Rafael Palmeiro and Mark McGwire as he testified before Congress during a 2005 hearing.

Despite adamantly denying that he took any illegal drugs, a 2009 report released by The New York Times indicated he tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs in 2003.

1919 Chicago White Sox

Widely regarded as the biggest scandal in the longstanding history of baseball, the 1919 Black Sox scandal involved eight members of the Chicago White Sox that conspired to intentionally throw the World Series, giving the Cincinnati Reds the title.

Chick Gandil, Joe Jackson, Buck Weaver and Lefty Williams were among the eight players banned for life from baseball after their conspiracy was brought to light.

Jason Giambi

It took a 2004 San Francisco Chronicle report indicating Jason Giambi's steroid usage from 2001 to 2003 for the slugger to publicly apologize to fans for the actions.

It wasn't until 2007, however, that he publicly addressed specifically using steroids, including his self-injections of HGH during the 2003 season.

Orlando Hernandez

Legal matters surrounding Orlando Hernandez's divorce from his wife first brought about the age dispute regarding how old he really was.

He listed his birth year as 1969 when he signed with the Yankees, but the aforementioned divorce listed his legal birth year as 1965, with some other reports even indicating he was born as early as 1957.

Manny Ramirez

After testing positive for a banned women's fertility drug in 2009, Manny Ramirez was handed a 50-game suspension, but he wasn't done there.

Last year he tested positive once again, this time receiving a 100-game ban, after which he retired.

He's since agreed to serve a 50-game ban if re-signed by a team but has yet to find a suitor.

Ty Cobb

Currently ranked fourth all-time in stolen bases, Ty Cobb swiped his fair share of bags in his day thanks in no small part due to the fact that he regularly sharpened his spikes.

This may not have been an illegal act in terms of the game during the time, but it's impossible to deny that it didn't provide an unfair mental advantage as he came barreling into a bag.

Andy Pettitte

Associations with the famed Mitchell Report and trainer Brian McNamee have brought Andy Pettitte's PED usage to light in recent years.

Having been injected on multiple occasions, Pettitte said he used HGH mostly in an effort to regain his strength and conditioning after injuries had ended previous seasons in the early 2000s.

Ralph Avila and Pablo Peguero

Adrian Beltre made his way into the Los Angeles Dodgers organization in 1994 after this pair of scouts noticed his abilities were well beyond many that were older than him, despite Beltre being only 15 years of age.

The Dodgers signed Beltre and gave him a $23,000 signing bonus, but the team's scouting operations were later suspended by commissioner Bud Selig when Beltre's age was noted, as signing a 15-year-old was against league rules.

Miguel Tejada

Age is once again in play here, as Miguel Tejada is blindsided by an E:60 report that actually proved he wasn't truthful about his age.

As you'll see, confronting such matters doesn't end well, as the interview was abruptly ended when the documentation was brought to his attention.

Rafael Furcal

A member of the world champion St. Louis Cardinals, Rafael Furcal shared the same age-related speculation as players like Leo Nunez and Orlando Hernandez. Much like El Duque, Furcal's true age was brought to light thanks to a legal matter, that being when he was arrested for a DUI.

Barry Bonds

Indicted on charges of perjury and obstruction of justice in 2007, Barry Bonds has spent just as much time in the limelight for the controversy as he has for his home-run-hitting tendencies.

Testifying that he used a cream provided by a strength trainer would ultimately be his demise, as that would lead to his conviction on the obstruction of justice charge.

Rafael Palmeiro

As one of the most outspoken players to appear before Congress during the congressional hearings surrounding steroids, Rafael Palmeiro very adamantly denied using any steroids.

Just a few months later, Palmeiro tested positive for steroids, receiving a 10-game ban.

Pete Rose

No matter what the answer ends up being, Pete Rose's eventual admission (after years of denials) of gambling on games both as a player and manager for the Cincinnati Reds has sparked a debate that every baseball fan has at least some opinion on.

The issue regarding whether or not Rose will or should be allowed back into baseball will always remain a hotly debated talking point until a new commissioner (since it won't be Bud Selig) decides to take on the topic.

Amos Otis

Five-time All-Star Amos Otis may have used illegal bats for the majority of his career, but at least he was willing to admit it:

"

I had enough cork and superballs in there to blow away anything. ... I had a very close friend who made the bats for me. He'd drill a hole down the barrel and stuff some superballs and cork in it. Then he put some sawdust back into the hole, sandpapered it down and added a little pine tar over the top of it. The bat looked brand new.

"

Wilton Guerrero

Wilton Guerrero, then a rookie for the Los Angeles Dodgers, broke his bat on an infield grounder.

Instead of playing dumb as some prior bat corkers had done in the past, he immediately went to pick up the pieces of the bat rather than run out the hit, which tipped off the umpires.

As the umpires found cork in the bat, he was ejected from the game and eventually received an eight-game suspension.

Bret Boone

Bret Boone's bulky stature was fairly surprising given the small frame he had previously boasted in the league, but it wasn't really until he was directly mentioned in Jose Canseco's book that the speculation took on a new level of hype.

Canseco noted that he was surprised by Boone's physique and that they spoke about what they were taking.

Boone has since denied both claims from Canseco.

Leo Nunez

Just this past fall, Leo Nunez found himself on Major League Baseball's restricted list after a report was leaked that he had been using falsified documentation when registering in the league.

Dominican counsel ruled that this move was done to make himself appear younger in order to appear to be a pitcher with higher potential, therefore earning a higher bonus for signing with an MLB ballclub.

Pud Galvin

While it doesn't appear there were firm rules regarding the usage of performance-enhancing drugs at this time, Pud Galvin is the first player known to use the supplements.

Scientific advancements obviously aren't at the level they are today, so Galvin's supplement was none other than monkey testosterone.

Lenny Dykstra

Although Lenny Dykstra never met with the Mitchell investigative group that sought answers regarding their report of widespread steroid use, his name was still implicated as a user of anabolic steroids during his career.

Since his playing career has ended, Dykstra has also been arrested on charges of grand theft, embezzlement, obstruction of justice and bankruptcy fraud as he destroyed, hid and sold personal possessions and high-valued sports memorabilia without consent.

Gary Sheffield

Gary Sheffield's testimony in front of a grand jury first brought to light his steroid usage. But he didn't stop with a simple admission, further noting that he received the steroids from none other than baseball's home run champion, Barry Bonds.

Kevin Gross

Unlike pitchers mentioned who actually applied sandpaper to their pitching hands in an effort to gain the upper hand, Kevin Gross thought it a better move to keep the sandpaper in his glove.

Different placement, same result, as Gross received a 10-game suspension for his decision.

Tom House

As one of the earliest to admit to steroid use, Tom House was implicated in the usage of performance-enhancing drugs nearly 40 years ago.

He did note that it was a failed experiment and that the weight gain didn't help his pitches.

Also notable from his claims regarding the usage was his estimate that nearly half of every pitching staff during the 1970s was dabbling in the usage of PEDs.

Eric Gagne

One of many names on this list to appear on the Mitchell Report, star closer Eric Gagne was implicated for his usage of HGH in 2004.

His non-admission left more questions than answers, as he was remorseful for actions but wouldn't get into any specifics further than that:

"I'm not denying it. I'm not saying I did it. I just can't talk about it. It's a touchy subject. It doesn't just involve me. I've been straightforward about everything. It [stinks] that I can't be about this. I'm not looking for sympathy anyway. I have to live with this the rest of my life. I'm going to have to explain this to my kids. It's going to be on my resume the rest of my life."

Edinson Volquez

As has been the case with a number of other players testing positive for banned substances, Edinson Volquez's argument remains that he was using the drug with a prescription from a doctor as he worked to have children with his wife.

Used to build natural testosterone after juicing, the drug still registered the violation, and he was subsequently suspended.

1894 Baltimore Orioles

Led by John McGraw, known as one of the biggest cheaters in baseball's early history, the Orioles won their way to three straight pennants thanks in no small part to grabbing opposing baserunners when in the field and skipping over bases themselves when up to bat.

These sort of things would be difficult to accomplish today, but with a single umpire calling games at the time, I wouldn't doubt that a number of teams regularly used such tactics to gain an advantage.

Chuck Knoblauch

Chuck Knoblauch fell out of favor in more than one city, so his appearance on the Mitchell Report likely didn't come as a surprise to some.

According to the report, he purchased HGH multiple times and was injected by trainer Brian McNamee on a number of occasions.

Billy Hatcher

Of all the people Billy Hatcher could have blamed for using a corked bat, he opted to throw his own pitcher under the bus.

The incident was precipitated after a broken bat of Hatcher's made its way out into the Chicago infield in a game versus the Chicago Cubs in 1987.

Nels Potter

After the tragic of death or Ray Chapman resulted in the outlawing of the spitball's use in baseball, Nels Potter was the first pitcher to be suspended for once again using the dangerous pitch.

Although he denied ever throwing the pitch, umpires did warn him when he licked his fingers, and as the warnings were ignored, the ejection and subsequent 10-game suspension was laid down.

Ted Lilly

Having never been known as much of a power pitcher, Ted Lilly apparently took matters into his own hands when it came to gaining any possible advantage.

Dodgers third baseman Casey Blake noticed when up to bat that Lilly was clearly delivering from in front of the rubber and brought it up with umpires.

No warning or action was taken at the time, and given the number of pitches thrown across the league on a daily basis, I have a hard time believing Lilly would be the only offender.

Kenny Rogers

Though he was never actually caught/suspended for such an action, Kenny Rogers was widely accused by members of the St. Louis Cardinals, including hitting coach Hal McRae, of using pine tar to doctor the ball during Game 2 of the 2006 World Series.

When asked, McRae wasn't shy about calling Rogers to task on his actions:

"

He wasn't just cheating by using pine tar; he was scuffing balls, too. We collected about five or six balls that are scuffed. He had to be using his fingernails or something.

"

Gaylord Perry

One of baseball's banned pitches, the spitball was no doubt a big part of the success that Gaylord Perry enjoyed during his time in the league.

The 314-game winner did have a number of other pitches in his arsenal, including a great sinker, but his ability to doctor a ball gave him both a physical and mental advantage over hitters for years.