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It seems like everyone is lining up to take their turn bashing Mark McGwire. The latest is Fergie Jenkins. It seems he wants Big Mac to apologize to the pitchers McGwire faced en route to his then record-breaking 70 HRs.

Fergie is quoted as saying “You have yet to apologize to all the pitchers you faced while juiced. You altered pitchers’ lives. You may have shortened pitchers careers because of the advantage you forced over them while juiced. Have you thought about what happened when they couldn’t get you out and lost the confidence of their managers and general managers? 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.”

Is he serious? Surely he can’t think that McGwire and the select group of sluggers that have been exposed were the only ones using steroids. Surely he must know that a large portion of those pitchers he feels were victimized were using as well. The problem with this witch hunt is the blame that’s being distributed to such a small percentage of the guilty parties.

While the steroid era is a black eye for the sport, it’s not the only time players used illegal substances to gain an edge. For years amphetamines have ran rampant in MLB clubhouses. These greenies were taken as a pick-me-up to help endure the marathon season that baseball is.

Now I don’t like some of McGwire’s responses, especially when he said he wished he never played in the steroid era. Not exactly taking responsibility. However, if you read between the lines, he’s subtly letting on just how big of a problem this was. You just don’t know who used and who didn’t. So please spare us with the notion that Albert Pujols, Derek Jeter, Cal Ripken, Ken Griffey Jr., and whoever else had a squeaky clean image never used because you just don’t know. Once upon a time they said the same thing about A-Rod.

In the least surprising news of the newly turned calendar year, Mark McGwire admitted to using steroids. He finally addressed the past, which he did not want to talk about during the Congressional hearing.

The timing couldn’t have been better, as far as the Cardinals are concerned, as he doesn’t bring the distraction to Spring Training. He is the team’s new hitting coach.

I once vilified McGwire and all of the steroid users, but to me it’s hard to single a couple people out in such a tainted era. If you say “I told you so”, please direct it at the era and not Big Mac. At least he finally came clean unlike Sammy Sosa, Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, and the hundreds of other players that used.

The coals are white hot as Major League Baseball is prepared to get roasted once again.  We’ve already consumed the Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Sammy Sosa, A-Rod, and Manny Ramirez.  It’s time for the next helping of the game’s biggest stars. 

First, you can go back for seconds with Manny Ramirez as the New York Times reported that ManRam was one of the 104 players who tested positive for performance enhancing drugs in 2003.  As you know Manny was suspended earlier this season for 50 games for testing positive for a banned substance.  This new development should not come as a shock.

His partner in crime though, David Ortiz aka Big Papi, is a different story.  Though his performance since arriving in Boston merit some suspicion, he had not been linked to PEDs, perhaps because of his jovial personality.  His numbers can somewhat be contributed to getting a chance to play every day (which he didn’t do for the Twins) and getting protection from Manny Ramirez, one of the most feared hitters in the game.  However, it appears there was more to the story than just opportunity and protection. 

It’s a sad day for me.  I have suspected Big Papi, but quietly.  He is my son’s favorite player.  At five years old he won’t understand that Papi did something wrong.  I will wait until he’s older and then let him know.  I can tell him that it wasn’t just Papi.  It was a league-wide problem.  The players took shortcuts for fame and fortune.  Now they have to pay for it.  Hopefully I can spin this nightmare into a positive. 

I ask the players who tested positive to step up and declare that they were on the list.  Instead of slowing peeling away this Band-Aid in such a painful manner, let’s expose them now in one quick motion.  Give the players a week to come out on their own, then go public with it.  It’s pretty clear that the big names are going to come out eventually.  Let’s just get it over with so we can move on.

The Global Sports Fraternity creates funny videos pertaining to sports and fantasy sports.  You may have noticed their video player on my sidebar.  It gets updated from time to time, but if you want a look of their full selection, swing on by their site.

All of their videos are funny, but this one on Manny Ramirez is hilarious.  Check it out:

There is a rumor going around the net that the 2003 MLB steroid list has been revealed.  I will not perpetuate the rumor by sharing the names.  If you want to know who’s on the supposed list, it can easily be googled.  I will admit that there were some names on there that surprised me.  I suspect there will be denials, but unless they are accompanied with a lawsuit, they don’t have a lot of bite in my mind.  I hope this rumor is quickly dismissed.  None of the names, including Sammy or A-Rod should have been released.  Not when the test subjects were taking them anonymously.  That goes against everything our country stands for.  Just so we’re clear, I am not pro-steroid use.  I don’t condone it or endorse it.  I think they cheated the game, and it’s something the players will have to live with.  Releasing these names though, cheats the legal sytem.