Hammerin’ Hank Forgives Big Mac
The World Wide Leader in Sports ESPN is reporting through the AP that home run king and all-time great, Henry Aaron, has forgiven Mark McGwire, due to his recent apology for using steroids.
KISSIMMEE, Fla. — Former career home run king Hank Aaron says Mark McGwire should have a clear conscience after his recent admission he used performance-enhancing drugs as a player.
Aaron said other players still harboring similar secrets also should come clean.
“I think baseball is cleaning up its act a little bit, I really do,” Aaron said Monday during a visit to Atlanta Braves camp. “I’ve said this and I’ll say it again, over and over again, this is the most forgiving country in the world. If you come through and tell the truth, then you’re going to be forgiven.
“The kid with the Yankees, [Andy] Pettitte, came out and it was a week of news and after that it was over. We all make mistakes. If they ever did enhancing drugs, whatever they did, they should come clean and be able to sleep at night.”
Aaron said McGwire’s admission and apology this year was overdue but still welcome.
“I would have loved to have seen him do it a long time ago, but since he did it, I think that he himself will tell you right now he’s able to sleep at night and he’s able to look at his teammates,” Aaron said. “He’s done everything that he can do.”
McGwire, who hit a then-single-season record 70 homers in 1998, admitted this year he used steroids and human growth hormone as a player. He is beginning his first season as the Cardinals’ hitting coach.
“It’s nice to have him back,” Aaron said.
I’ve said this all along. Big Mac was guilty of using steroids. And if his teammate and fellow user, Jose Canseco, is to be believed (and he’s not been wrong about this subject so far) then the majority of players who played in the Steroid Era were users, too. To 
me, it doesn’t make much of a difference if a player used or not. We have to assume everyone used and then compare the stats of players of the same era in order to include or exclude them from the Hall of Fame.
Here’s my point. Frank Baker is in the Hall of Fame. And his plaque calls him Home Run Baker. While with the Philadelphia Athletics, he led the league in homers four years in a row. His totals? Eleven in 1911, ten in 1912, a whopping career-high twelve in 1913 and nine in 1914. Should we take away his moniker just because he played in the pre-Babe Ruth dead ball era? Should his home run totals be compared to those who came after him? No, I don’t think so, either.
So, now that the best baseball player still alive, noted baseball executive and elder statesman of the game can forgive Big Mac, shouldn’t we all?
Can the Mike Lupicas (who made money off Big Mac and Sammy Sosa through his book), the ever arrogant and non-voting Jay Marriottis, and the others of their ilk please jump off their soap boxes and do the right thing? And do what Hammerin’ Hank did? Forgive Big Mac and vote for his inclusion into the Hall?
As Henry Aaron so simply stated about one of the men who saved baseball after the strike of 1994, “it’s nice to have him back.”
It sure is.
While I respect Hank Aaron’s baseball accomplishments – especially in the face of death threats by idiot racists, I do not agree with his “all is now fine” stance regarding Mark McGwire’s steroid usage and subsequent “apology.” (I question some of Aaron’s other opinions in the original report as well, but that is another rant.)
Setting aside for a minute whether “we” are right to demand anyone apologize for anything, I do not believe that McGwire has yet to be completely forthright. He still insists that he used performance-enhancing drugs for recovery only, not for strength. Maybe he is telling the truth. I choose to think that he is not. His insistence and avoidance sound the same now as when he was lying before. If telling the whole truth is a prerequisite to being forgiven, then arguably this requirement has not been satisfied.
Moreover, McGwire’s saga is just one manifestation of the overall issue: We all set the stage for this. The fans wanted less boring baseball. The players and agents and owners wanted more money. The commissioner wanted more interest in the game. Yes, McGwire deserves a share of the blame for his choices. But we do, too.
Either way — steroids or not, apology or not — I am not convinced that Mark McGwire is a slam dunk for the Baseball Hall of Fame anyway. Yeah, I know, he probably is HoF-worthy, but my gut feels like he was just a one-dimensional regular-season HR guy. I guess 500+ HR means you are a shoo-in, so there is that. Meh.
Finally, I have a slight issue with “We have to assume everyone used and then compare the stats of players of the same era in order to include or exclude them from the Hall of Fame.” Except not everyone used, so the same-era comparisons are bound to be skewed. . .and there really is no way to unravel that stat mess.
P. S. What is with humanity’s bullshit obsession with contrition anyway? We say that as long as someone is authentically sorry that we will forgive them and they can then get their just rewards. How magnanimous of us to be such a compassionate judge of others. The truth is, we do not even truly forgive – rather we continue to define the “offender” by his “offense.” Nobody thinks of Mark McGwire the home run hitter; he is, instead, Mark McGwire the steroid-using liar. Chipper Jones banged a Hooters girl. Hugh Grant trolled for trannies. Paraphrasing what McGwire himself even once said: What good does it do to admit your transgressions? You are already judged, and they are never forgotten. . .even if they are later proven false.
Comment by TheUmpire — Tuesday, February 23, 2010 at 10:48 AM
You PS is your own argument! Why admit anything? People don’t believe you (as you yourself admitted) or believe you’re only telling part of the truth.
How contrite does someone have to be?
And I agree with you about his Hall of Fame eligibility. But…people aren’t talking about Mark McGwire the ballplayer and his merits for entry. They’re talking about Mark McGwire “he steroid using liar”.
And the clock is ticking for the time when Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Raphael Palmeiro and Sammy Sosa are eligible. All shoe-ins based on their stats. Will we still be raging against this machine in 3, 4 or 5 years from now? What about Manny and A-Rod after they’ve retired?
What I’m saying is…we need to move past all this BS. Players used. Great players used. The playing field ain’t level and it never was and never will be. And I think all of this controversy is fueled by the baseball writers themselves. Another self licking ice cream cone.
Comment by TommyT — Tuesday, February 23, 2010 at 3:07 PM
I’m beginning to warm up to a new stance: If a player used illegal substances, then he can keep the money, but he doesn’t get my HoF vote. You break the rules, there have got to be some consequences. And the non-users should be rewarded. Granted, however, that you cannot know who did and did not use…other than by self-admission…so it is still flawed. Nice big fat mess, Baseball. Way to go.
Comment by TheUmpire — Tuesday, February 23, 2010 at 3:18 PM
Get a grip. Refusing to grant someone a great professional honor is not “raging against the machine.” It’s just withholding a reward.
People may not be all that disgusted with McGwire. But that doesn’t mean they can put a check mark next to his name on the ballot.
You may not agree with the reasons people haven’t voted for him, but no one is entitled to a place in the Hall of Fame. So save your hysteria. You’re more strident than the writers you’ve ripped.
Comment by markg — Thursday, February 25, 2010 at 6:01 AM
My point is and has been that we need to get past all the feigned indignity (“shocked, I tell, you that steroids were being used”) and start analyzing the players who used against the players of the same era. It’s coming to a head and if the voter dosen’t think the player deserves to be in the Hall then he shouldn’t vote for that player. I’m OK with that. But many of the voters copping out by saying, “he used PEDs, so no vote for him from me, ever.”
So in 20 years from now when the steroid era is finally over who should be in the Hall? Can we start having that discussion? And vote accordingly?
Comment by TommyT — Thursday, February 25, 2010 at 8:54 PM