Say it ain't so Sammy Sosa

I know it's not really earth shattering news that MLB star Sammy Sosa has been linked to steroids but I was not expecting the news the other day. (And yes...Sammy did testify at the famous 2005 Congressional Hearings--mainly because he was name-dropped in Canseco's book) For those unaware his name was leaked from the 2003 steroid tests that were supposed to be confidential. Alex Rodgriguez's name was leaked earlier in the year. Allegedly 104 players tested positive for a performance enhancing drugs in 2003. Consequently that number triggered the mandatory testing thatMLB currently has.

Nevertheless it just got me thinking about baseball...home runs...and steroids. I think most people suspected Sammy of juicing but his name...up until now...was never linked to any steroid probe...person or even the Mitchell Report. It seemed he was steering clear of the steroid drama that had already engulfed his home run peers...namely...Barry Bonds and Mark McGwire. With people not really being shocked that Sammy is an alleged juicer the question on every one's mind (and this is happening to all these great players who are linked with steroids) is Sammy going to get voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

My initial guess...is that he won't get in for awhile. A retired player has to wait five years for their name to appear on the ballot. And then they remain on the ballot for 15 years...unless they receive less than 5% of the vote...than there name is dropped. It takes 75% of the vote by the baseball writers of American to gain admission into the hall of fame. Consequently this could be a twenty year dilemma for hall of fame voters and for people who care to argue about stuff like this (which includes me). And the thing is...it's just not going to be Sammy. From Bonds,McGwire, to Palmerio the debate is going to be endless.

For instance...just look at the top single season home run leaders since 1995 (the cut-off is 50)...




Barry Bonds 73 2001
Mark McGwire 70 1998
Sammy Sosa 66 1998
Mark McGwire 65 1999
Sammy Sosa 64 2001
Sammy Sosa 63 1999
Ryan Howard 58 2006
Mark McGwire 58 1997
Luis Gonzalez 57 2001
Alex Rodriguez 57 2002
Ken Griffey Jr 56 1997
Ken Griffey Jr 56 1998
David Ortiz 54 2006
Alex Rodriguez 54 2007
Mark McGwire 52 1996
Alex Rodriguez 52 2001
Jim Thome 52 2002
Andruw Jones 51 2005
Brady Anderson 50 1996
Albert Belle 50 1995
Prince Fielder 50 2007
Sammy Sosa 50 2000
Greg Vaughn 50 1998

I've bold-face every player that has been linked to steroids. Some are admitted steroid users (A-Rod)...some *cough* allegedly unknowingly took steroids (Bonds)...and some failed drug tests (Sosa)...and some just want to talk about the present and not the past (McGwire). Furthermore some of the other name on the list are going to raise some eyebrows as well. I don't like throwing around baseless accusations but Brady Anderson's 50 home run season and Luis Gonzalez 57 home runs are just flat out suspicious. Anderson's next two prodigious home run seasons of his career are 21 and 24. While Gonzalez went from 31 home runs to 57 and then back to 28 and 26 (in a four year span). Again I'm not accusing these two of juicing but it is also hard to look at these numbers in a legit context.

If anything a list like this does enhance the careers of players like Griffey Jr. and Thome. Both of these guys have over 500 home runs (Griffey has over 600) and they have never been tied to steroids in any capacity. I hope their numbers are legit. I really do. Surely some boppers from this era did it on the up and up.

And I do think that the young home run hitters like Howard and Fielder are doing it without the benefit of PED's. I like to think so but I'm also not naive to think that the steroid testing--while certainly cleaning up a large part of the game--is not going to completely eliminate PED's from the game. For example, there's no efficient test for HGH but hopefully there will be soon.

As we process this era I'm trying to remain open minded about what it all means. I'm not of the opinion as of now that just because a player has taken steroids that means that they will never (or should never) make the hall of fame. As of today I just look at each player on a case by case basis.

It was just a dirty era.