Felger & Mazz On: The Steroid Era
Felger & Mazz talked about the Steroid Era in baseball and how the players during this time made a mockery of the game and the record books.
Felger: "This era in baseball [Steroid Era] took a giant leak on the record books that we grew up with and used to have meaning. They were ALL guilty, especially when you look at these home run numbers. When we were coming of age as baseball fans, here was the home run leader list: Hank Aaron, Babe Ruth, Willie Mays, Frank Robinson, and Harmon Killebrew. Only the top 3 were over 600 [home runs]. That was it. Now let's look at that list. I'll go down to 14 just to sort of prove my point. Here's the all time home run leaders 1-14: #1 Barry Bonds, 2-4 Aaron, Ruth, Mays. #5 Ken Griffey. #6 Sammy Sosa, #7 Alex Rodriguez. #8 Frank Robinson, #9 Mark McGwire, #10 Jim Thome. #11 Harmon Killebrew, #12 Raphy Palmeiro. #13 Reggie Jackson, #14 Manny Ramirez. When we grew up, it was Aaron, Ruth, Mays. Now this list? They literally, they being the steroid era baseball players, took a steaming leak all over this list. This list used to be cool. Now it's a joke."
Massarotti: "They crapped all over the history of the game for their own benefit. This is why when players say 'Well that's not fair because you're lumping me in with all the people who cheated.' I say no, you lumped yourself in. Your Union [MLB Players Union] did it to you. They stood in the way of drug testing so don't blame us for now being put in a position where we have to look at you all as cheaters. You guys like to think of yourselves as one when you negotiate as a players "Union", that's what the word union means it means one. So, fine. That's what you get.' I have no sympathy for the players on this one at all. They did this to themselves. It's hard to believe any of them were clean. I don't have an answer on the Hall of Fame thing, but it's impossible to look at anyone who played in that era and not wonder."
