Quick Hit: If You Didn’t Need To… Then Why Did You?

Simple question, but the answer may not be so simple. I know this isn’t really Yankees related at all but as I have been one of the most outspoken people and writers I know about the steroid era, whether these players should be in the Hall of Fame, etc. I feel like I should and want to touch on this a bit. This week Mark McGwire gave an interview to The Athletic about his 70 home run season in 1998 and, of course, his steroid use.

McGwire, now a bench coach with the San Diego Padres, hit 70 home runs in 1998 with the St. Louis Cardinals setting the then single-season home run record mark, passing the Yankees legend Roger Maris who hit 61 home runs in 1961. Later McGwire admitted steroid use during his playing career, including during the 1998 season, but this week said he could have hit 70 home runs in a season regardless of whether he was taking performance enhancing drugs. Okay, cool…. Then why didn’t you?

McGwire said there was “no way” he would have used illegal and banned substances if they were tested for in 1998 and during his playing career. Listen, I totally get why McGwire, or anyone did steroids. If there was something I could do at my job that could make me millions of dollars I would at least consider it. If it were against the rules, I probably wouldn’t, and if it was downright illegal then I definitely wouldn’t, but if there is a little gray area… I’m sorry… but I am going to exploit that if I ethically can. That’s what the steroid era was, and it doesn’t make it right, but it is what it is, and it is what it was. At the same token though I wouldn’t come out years later and profess how I could have matched those same totals without my shortcuts at work either, because that’s just being an egotistical douche to me.

Only my opinion, what’s yours? Leave it below in the comments section or shoot us a line over on Twitter, @GreedyStripes.