I think that McGwire should have come clean to.It would
have been better but he is worried about them going
after him.What could they really do?They didn't have
testing back then.Anyways,McGwire would have hit 500
homers even without steroids.Maybe they wouldn't have
went as far,but damn was that guy talented.Look at Mike
Schmidtt.He did it the right way.Mark was more than tall
and big enough to hit homers.I think the injuries that
he sustained because he got too big hurt his career more.
He should have stayed like he was his rookie season
where he hit 49 homers!He didn't need to take the juice!
I know much of this about McGwire was probably covered before I began posting on CF, but I don't fully agree that MM cheated based on MLB not testing for roids when and if MM was actually taking them. If their was no ban or testing, how can you say he was cheating?
To me MM always had the abilility to hit 70 HR's in one season with or without roids.
If you study MM's stats, he had a steady progression in HR/AB ratio, except for the years he was injured and during his second year his HR/AB rose somewhat, but pitchers knew he was a talent and he had to adjust during the next several years.
I believe if MM was using, he started, because he liked lifting weights (it made him stronger) and to help him recover from injury, but the proof can't be put just on his size. He came into the league at 185lbs. right out of college and left MLB at 215lbs. It's easy for a man his size 6'4 to put on 30lbs. by lifting and eating the right foods and extra protein to your diet.
With BB he came into the league around 175lbs. and some say he balooned to almost 255lbs. That's 80lbs. on 6'0 frame. He must have gotten a better product than MM!
Every other player who had career years hitting HR's came out of nowhere.
Sosa was terrible before his use, Bonds was hitting around 1 HR/ 20AB before his use. Heck I think Brady Anderson even hit 52 HR's one year!
Big Mac's HR's were legendary from age 13 until his untimely retirement from MLB.
McGwire's talent was always there. 49 HR's/557 AB. A 11.3, HR/AB (6'4 185lbs.) ratio during his rookie year. Still a MLB record. His career HR/AB 10.6 is also an MLB record.
During his last 2 years MM hit 61 HR's in 535 AB, A HR in every 8.8 AB's.
If not for injuries and early retirement, he would have easily hit 800 HR's and been the HR King with or without roids!