Mark McGwire Criticism Getting Out of Control

I suppose the popular thing to do today is hide your closet full of skeletons and swing a wrecking ball in the direction of somebody else’s.

That’s exactly what is happening with Mark McGwire, and frankly, it’s getting old.

Mark McGwire took steroids, he admitted to it, and that’s what we know.

Believe his statement issued to The Associated Press. Believe his interview with Bob Costas on the MLB Network. Believe his interview with Bob Ley on ESPN —or don’t.

We all have the right to formulate our own opinions, and that’s fine.

But as the days pass after McGwire’s admission, it seems that yet another retired player is speaking out against the national pariah.

They are all saying what McGwire did is a disgrace to baseball and a blatant lie. I happen to agree. There’s no sugarcoating it.

But, gee, let's not all jump on the anti-McGwire bandwagon at once. I know former players are asked these questions, so they give an answer, but are we supposed to believe they were the patron saints of their day? Please.

The latest attack on McGwire came from Hall of Fame pitcher Ferguson Jenkins in a statement written to the AP.

“You have not even begun to apologize to those you have harmed,” wrote Jenkins. “You have yet to apologize to all of the pitchers you faced while juiced.”

(Hold on, let me grab a glass of water and some popcorn before we continue with this show.)

And…

OK, we’re good. Let's get back to Jenkins, one piece at a time.

You altered pitchers’ lives; you may have shortened pitchers’ careers because of the advantage you forced over them while juiced.

Umm, did Jenkins ever consider the number of pitchers that were probably juiced while facing McGwire? Just asking.

Have you thought about what happened when they couldn’t get you out and lost the confidence of their managers and general managers?

That’s a poor excuse to use for a major league pitcher.

Sure, steroids helped McGwire hit the belt-high fastball 500 feet, but did McGwire’s steroids prevent pitchers from locating a fastball down and away?

What about knocking McGwire off the plate up and in, and then commanding a breaking ball on the outer third of the plate?

What about, you know, pitching?

You even managed to alter the place some athletes have achieved in record books by making your steroid-fueled run to the season home run record.

No complaints here, Jenks. McGwire, and all other steroid users, are frauds when it comes to statistics and historical relevance.

Jenkins did offer one anecdotal gem.

“It’s tough to hit a home run off your back,” said Jenkins during a telephone interview. “In my era, Seaver, Gibson, Drysdale, Carlton, there were so many guys that would have probably knocked him on his butt.”

That raises the question: Why didn’t pitchers in the '90s do that to McGwire, Sosa, et al? Maybe they were intimidated. Maybe they didn’t want to be the ones to spoil the national party when baseball turned its back.

We can say it’s a “different era” and all that—which it is, because of body armor, sensitive umpires, and so on—but whose fault is that? It ain’t Big Mac’s.

The criticism has been ubiquitous, and much of it is warranted. Free speech and all that. We get it.

Carlton Fisk said it is “a crock” that McGwire insists steroids didn’t help him hit 583 career home runs. I don’t doubt the “God-given ability to hit a baseball” that McGwire subscribes to, but come on, Mark. Hitting a baseball is one thing. Hitting a baseball far is more than simply hand-eye coordination and ability.

Former Cardinal Jack Clark took plenty of swings at McGwire and the other admitted users, calling them all “creeps.”

“(McGwire) is a sad excuse for a player in the industry of baseball,” said Clark. “Just seeing him in a uniform makes me throw up.” 

That’s only a sliver offered from Clark’s platter. You can look up the rest if interested.

All of these guys who lash out have their points and are justified in making some of the statements they make, but what exactly does it prove?

Does it prove that they themselves are above this whole steroids mess?

Does it give them another five minutes of fame in between tee times?

I don’t really get it. I don’t understand what a retired player has to gain from ripping another player.

What’s more remarkable is these former players act like they actually know the effect steroids have on baseball players. We think we know, we want to know, but in all honesty, we don’t exactly know.

If any former player has teamed up with a group of doctors and conducted an expansive study to show how steroids affect baseball players, please, point me in the direction of the results.

“You need to apologize to your family for depriving them of your presence as time goes on because you are likely going to die earlier than if you had never relied on andro to carry you to all your success,” said Jenkins.

Could be true, but that’s a heck of a line to drop without being absolutely sure.

Look, it is important at times to know the opinions of former players. But this isn’t one of those times. The constant berating of a man at the lowest point of his life is exhaustive.

The voices launching these quotes don’t sound mature or informative. They simply sound bitter.

Bitter that their bank accounts aren’t as swollen as McGwire’s muscles once were, perhaps. Whatever the case, find something better to do. 

Albert Pujols was recently asked about McGwire’s admission. You know what he said?

“Go talk to Mark about it,” said the Cardinals’ slugger. “There’s 300,000 people that just died in Haiti, and you guys just want to concentrate on Mark McGwire. Come on, give me a break.”

We can’t expect everyone to be like Pujols, but grown adults should be capable of seeking out some perspective.

More than ever, a break is exactly what we need.

You can reach Teddy Mitrosilis at [e-mail].