A company that uses computer imaging claims baseballs had a larger rubberized core and a synthetic rubber ring in 1998, including the ball Mark McGwire hit for his 70th homer.
Universal Medical Systems Inc. said Wednesday that with the assistance of Drs. Avrami S. Grader and Dr. Philip M. Halleck from The Center for Quantitative Imaging at Penn State, it took images of 1998 baseballs.
"Examining the CT images of Mark McGwire's 70th home run ball one can clearly see the synthetic ring around the core -- or 'pill' -- of the baseball," UMS president David Zavagno said. "While Mark McGwire may or may not have used illegal steroids, the evidence shows his ball -- under the governing body of the league -- was juiced."
So, now the debate will be about the balls, and not steroids? Maybe that's how Brady Anderson hit 50 HR back then.
This *was* the story back in those days. Juiced ball - wound tight. Lousy 2nd rate pitiching due to exapansion. Other than McGwire's "Andro" issue, no one cared much about steroids until Jose's book and Caminitti's Mea Culpla. And even then it took a Congressional investigation and a witch hunt against Barry Bonds to make "the steroid issue" anything other than paranoia
Which is why I have no problem if, or when, steroids are used. It's all pomp and circumstance and has given the formerly heads - buried - in - the - sand Sports Media something to do. That time was in the 90's, but every excuse was made for it not to be. But THEY are the one's self rightgeously re-writting history at this point.
Mainly because Bonds has told them to fuck off most of his career. Now, "the secret tests" are about to be released - and if Bonds's name isn't on them, there are going to be a whole bunch of players whose careers are ruined for something that was 1) private and 2) basically a negotiated survey to "gauge the problem"
Investigators seized computer files containing the test results in 2004 during raids of labs involved in MLB's testing program. The samples were collected at baseball's direction the previous year as part of a survey to gauge the prevalence of steroid use. Players and owners agreed in their labor contract that the results would be confidential, and each player was assigned a code number to be matched with his name.
Originally posted by RYDER FAKINWhich is why I have no problem if, or when, steroids are used. It's all pomp and circumstance and has given the formerly heads - buried - in - the - sand Sports Media something to do.
Perhaps Flea will be taking his inspiration from this idea (snltranscripts.jt.org) and setting up the first All-Drug baseball league. Just think of how much more fun beanbrawls will be when every single player is 280 pounds, able to bench press a Volkswagen, and is just simmering with roid rage :)
I'm for it!!! The disgraced will need gainful employment. Besides, roids would for sure have helped Robin Ventura when he got his ass kicked. Nothing would help Don Zimmer
FLEA
Demonstrations are a drag. Besides, we're much too high
Weren't these baseballs specially commissioned by MLB? I seem to remember they had holograms printed on them, so they would be able to identify the ball if a fan claimed ownership.
Maybe Canseco was right. Maybe MLB did juice the balls, to drive HR totals up and through that, attendance.
I remember an interview Ozzie Smith did about two years ago, on ESPN radio. He said you used to be able to grip the seams on the ball when you held it, because they were raised. Now the seams are almost flush against the ball. Definitely tighter.
Rusty Shackleford is just the name he uses to order Pizza with.
Originally posted by MisterHendersonWeren't these baseballs specially commissioned by MLB? I seem to remember they had holograms printed on them, so they would be able to identify the ball if a fan claimed ownership.
Maybe Canseco was right. Maybe MLB did juice the balls, to drive HR totals up and through that, attendance.
I think you're dead on the money there. After the strike, baseball was on the edge of an abyss. The fans didn't care about the game anymore because they felt the players and owners didn't care about them-- and after the strike, who could really argue that point? MLB knew something needed to be done to insure their survival, get butts back in the seats, and get people talking about baseball without using the phrase "greedy bastards" in the same sentence.
So not only did they look the other way with McGwire, Bonds, et al. in regards to steroids, they actually created specially-designed balls designed to go further and break open the home-run game. Wam, you can't turn on the news without hearing about the home run McGwire hit last night that kept him on pace to shatter the record.
Brilliant move by MLB, and not against the law, just against the integrity of the game. Baseball was saved, people were talking again. But then the whole house of cards came tumbling down. To be continued.
(edited by ekedolphin on 7.1.07 0805) "Hurt me if you must, but let the duckie go." --The Oracle of the Sunken Valley, The Order of the Stick
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In regards to Tosca, I remember the 1989 Jays team that was expected to contend, but was under .500 in May. They fired Jimy Williams, brought in Cito Gaston, and then won the AL East.