The Roger Clemens Trial

[TraneWreck]

And that's another thing. It pisses me off that people consider steroids "cheating." I'm sorry but that argument doesn't wash. More muscle does not give you pin point control in pitching. Nor does it allow you to see the ball better as a hitter.

This just isn't true. Steroids improve athletic performance to an astonishing degree on almost every level.

Steroids don't directly improve "control," but they give you an extra 4-5mph on the fastball. All of a sudden the pitcher need not have pinpoint accuracy, he can get away with hitting a larger part of the plate. Thus, they will end up throwing more strikes.

As for hitters, HgH actually does improve vision, but like pitching, steroids improve muscle capabilities allowing the hitter to execute more quickly. Steroids won't make someone with no hand-eye coordination a good hitter, but it will allow a major-league player who already has excellent coordination swing faster and put more pop behind the ball.

I agree that the restriction is pretty silly. We should be studying the drugs in detail and figuring out how to minimize side effects and such, but they do unbalance competition in an unprecedented way. Even just the muscle-recovery component over a 162 game schedule is enormous.

 

[WildCat]

And that's another thing. It pisses me off that people consider steroids "cheating." I'm sorry but that argument doesn't wash. More muscle does not give you pin point control in pitching. Nor does it allow you to see the ball better as a hitter.

Steroids allow a pitcher to add 5mph to his fastball, and lets hitters get hits even if they miss the sweet spot. And we certainly saw how it boosts home run totals.

 

[Verde]

If it gets to the point that it is necessary to ingest various substances to be competitive, then all would do so. A sports authority, not a legal one, placing a cap on this seems to me to be a good way of handling this.

At least the Lord's game is immune to this.

Oh wait..

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2006/10/16/1160850871063.html

V.

 

[Travis]

I could disagree (I do in fact: Adding muscle DOES improve your control, as it easier to control fine co-ordination at 90% of muscle capacity than it is at 99%).

But I think I shall rather ask you: Why do baseballers, pitchers as well as batters, take steroids, if it doesn't improve their game?

It allows faster muscle recovery after exercise. That allows you to train more than is naturally possible and means than you will not feel as worn down as someone who does not take steroids who trains just as hard.

Although to be blunt, the people who deny that steroids are helpful, while so many athletes go to such great lengths to obtain and hide their use, strike me as completely irrational.

This just isn't true. Steroids improve athletic performance to an astonishing degree on almost every level.

Steroids don't directly improve "control," but they give you an extra 4-5mph on the fastball. All of a sudden the pitcher need not have pinpoint accuracy, he can get away with hitting a larger part of the plate. Thus, they will end up throwing more strikes.

As for hitters, HgH actually does improve vision, but like pitching, steroids improve muscle capabilities allowing the hitter to execute more quickly. Steroids won't make someone with no hand-eye coordination a good hitter, but it will allow a major-league player who already has excellent coordination swing faster and put more pop behind the ball.

I agree that the restriction is pretty silly. We should be studying the drugs in detail and figuring out how to minimize side effects and such, but they do unbalance competition in an unprecedented way. Even just the muscle-recovery component over a 162 game schedule is enormous.

Steroids allow a pitcher to add 5mph to his fastball, and lets hitters get hits even if they miss the sweet spot. And we certainly saw how it boosts home run totals.

Again. I don't care if they are mainlining puppies blood. I just don't think it's any of ours business. They are getting an edge from a certain chemical combination. Other people do that with carrots. So what's the difference?