04/16/24
December 22, 2005
Some honesty, finally: Lawton admits to taking steroids. "It was such a stupid thing, but I was desperate"
Yeah, I agree Yukon - my suspicion is that loads of players tried it. It just makes too much sense - with millions at stake, it being available in every clubhouse, and seeing the success of the Sosas, McGwires and Cansecos (all of them but Ozzie)- how many actually resisted?
posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 12:36 PM on December 22, 2005
Yeah, I agree Yukon - my suspicion is that loads of players tried it. I don't know if "loads" is the word that I would use. I suspect it is going to be mostly cup-of-coffee type players, injured players and old players who are about to lose their jobs due to poor performance. Guys like Andruw Jones, Albert Pujols, ARod, Jeter, etc who are still performing at the top of their game are probably not using steroids (since the improvement isn't really going to be that big).
posted by grum@work at 12:38 PM on December 22, 2005
I agree. He made a mistake and admitted it. Kujos. What I wonder about is how many minor leaguers/college players/high school players have tried roids to try to get to the next level.
posted by arrmatey at 01:00 PM on December 22, 2005
"I never had the urge to take any of that stuff before, but I was talking to some guys, and they guaranteed it would get the pain out." Makes you wonder who Lawton was talking to. Not that there was shortage of "experienced" players in the Yankee locker room.
posted by BullpenPro at 01:29 PM on December 22, 2005
I don't take the stuff these guys are talking about but I am sure they are more powerful than what I do take. I take a low dose steroid for my bum knees and it is incredible the difference it makes. I know that I cannot stay on them for much longer but I can see where the temptation can come in for the hurting older players.
posted by skydivemom at 01:33 PM on December 22, 2005
I would like the see the Cards give him a shot. After losing Walker & Sanders they need something more than a Larry Bigbie. I wouldn't be surprised if he ends up in Boston, though.
posted by Bury Bonds at 01:50 PM on December 22, 2005
With such a ringing endorsement -- "they guaranteed it would get the pain out" and his immediate hitting improvements -- it makes you wonder why anyone wouldn't take steroids, as long as they knew how to keep from getting caught. I mean, if you're desperate, here's a fix. Just don't get caught. Sounds a lot like most of society, really...business, politics, etc.
posted by diastematic at 02:10 PM on December 22, 2005
skydivemom is a roid freak! /just kidding!
posted by grum@work at 02:21 PM on December 22, 2005
Lawton always was one of my favorites because he seem to do anything to do good. We now see how far he would go!
posted by daddisamm at 02:24 PM on December 22, 2005
I took Prednisone for a week, went to the batting cage and still couldn't hit shit.
posted by HATER 187 at 02:41 PM on December 22, 2005
i always liked LAWTON...hope this helps him get out of the pressure by admitting hie mistake... i wish him well, hope he bounces back, and become the good ball player he is..GOOD LUCK MATTY!
posted by no band waggon at 03:07 PM on December 22, 2005
What ever happened with Palmeiro, and his promise to explain exactly what happened? Did I miss something here? I agree with everyone here that says they're happy to finally hear something that isn't spin, or PR related.
posted by ryanjohnson at 03:34 PM on December 22, 2005
Lawton for the Hall of Fame!
posted by 86 at 03:50 PM on December 22, 2005
It's simply amazing how many of these guys admit taking them after the fact, never whilst doing. Bonds still vehemently denies it, but now he'll probably duck out for 20-50 games before trying to come back next season. If the whole system were fair, the suspects would be tested every time the schedule arrived for them to be eligible. But they don't want to catch the offenders, they want to avoid the subject. Did you see the congressional hearings? They were ludicrous. Nobody admitted anything, and they didn't ask questions that couldn't be talked around. I think Lawton deserves kudos (not Kujos, that's a goaltender) for his admittance, but what the hell, it won't make a difference. People like Bonds will still avoid being discovered.
posted by mrhockey at 04:50 PM on December 22, 2005
First off for HATER 187, Prednisone is a different type of steroid. It is an adrenocortical steroids not an anabolic steroid. I agree, Lawton is the first one not to point at everyone else and say it is their fault. And if he wants to come back and play for a minimal contract then I am all for it. Everyone makes mistakes. Especially in this case where it was a one time thing. (It would be different if he got to where he was in his career because of the roids, i.e. Jose Canseco, Barry Bonds) BuryBonds, I am not so sure that St. Louis would embrace a known roid user. St. Louis is THE Baseball town and we are finicky about who plays for us. We don't like much drama from our players (Which is why I question the signing of Ponson who got fired from his last team because he was a hot head)
posted by mcstan13 at 05:25 PM on December 22, 2005
Mcstan- we did a good job of looking the other way when Big Mac was here (count me as one of them). And Lawton admitting to a single mistake doesn't exactly make him a roid freak. The Ponson thing surprised me too- we're gonna have to be careful with him AND Leonard Little driving around town.
posted by Bury Bonds at 05:49 PM on December 22, 2005
mcstan 13, you better watch your mouth or Ponson might go upside your head. I can see it now: DING DONG (doorbell) 13:"Can I help you?" Fat Guy (Ponson): "Did ju call me a hot head, mang?" 13:"Who are you and what do you want?" Fat Guy:"Did ju say I got fired from my team, mang?" 13:"Get the hell off my property! I'm callin' the cops!" Fat Guy:"Do ju know who I am, mang? Call the fucking policia, mang! Ju're a dead mang! SAY HELLO TO MY LIL FRIEND!" Be careful what you say about Mr. Ponson.
posted by Desert Dog at 06:16 PM on December 22, 2005
Be careful what you say about Mr. Ponson. No shit...I hear he's tight with Ugeth Urbina...and...I hesitate to speak his name in public...Greg Maddux.
posted by The_Black_Hand at 07:16 PM on December 22, 2005
But they don't want to catch the offenders, they want to avoid the subject. If that was really the case, I think they would have kept Palmeiro's test result hidden. He was the toast of the league after getting his 3000th hit, and it all came crashing down soon after. It left a nasty black mark on the league when they should have been celebrating a highlight. That doesn't sound like a league with something to hide.
posted by grum@work at 08:33 PM on December 22, 2005
who cares..you still have to hit the ball...roids don't make your eyes better or stronger
posted by socalskott at 08:37 PM on December 22, 2005
No, it makes them bigger.
posted by yerfatma at 09:29 PM on December 22, 2005
If they have nothing to hide why did it take six to ten years to admit players were using steroids? And then institute a weak policy to punish players that were caught?
posted by mrhockey at 09:34 PM on December 22, 2005
If they have nothing to hide why did it take six to ten years to admit players were using steroids? And then institute a weak policy to punish players that were caught? Because the players union wouldn't allow it. That's how collective bargaining works. If both sides don't agree to it, then it can't be enforced/enacted. It would be different if he got to where he was in his career because of the roids, i.e. Jose Canseco, Barry Bonds Do you honestly think that Barry Bonds career was built entirely on steroids?
posted by grum@work at 11:09 PM on December 22, 2005
mcstan, did you really say that St. Louis wouldnt support someone who was known to use steroids?????
posted by everett at 11:39 PM on December 22, 2005
Well, this article is a ringing endorsement for steroids. This is a losing battle. The temptation to use Steroids will always be there. Because they work. There is good evidence that proper steroid use for adults is relatively harmless. The problem is newer and newer concoctions being taken in a back alley manner. At some point, the sports leagues will have to allow in enough steroids to A) Improve the on-field product and B) to reduce the lure of less safe, newer compounds. I don't see any reason not to have some steroids in sports, it would be like neglecting the players nutrition, or outlawing protein shakes, cortisone shots, or therapy. Your body already manufactures many of these compounds, why wouldn't an athelete be wanting to tweak these levels. Atheletes get tested for Protein, Vitamins, Body Fat... And then design diets around having the right combination of raw nutes and vits in the system for maximum results. They monitor Testosterone.... It seems only logical that the next step would be looking to add the hormones instead of just the raw materials to make hormones.
posted by LostInDaJungle at 11:43 AM on December 23, 2005
mcstan13 I make joke. I not stoopid as u may tink.
posted by HATER 187 at 11:56 AM on December 23, 2005
"If I could, I'd call the Pirates, the Cubs and the Yankees and apologize," said Lawton, who hit .125 in 21 games with the Yankees. Errr, why can't he? "Hi, Cubs? This is Matt Lawton. No, I didn't leave anything in the locker room. I just wanted to call and apologize for sucking the fat one while I was there. No hard feelings, right? Thanks, and tell Bartman I said hi!"
posted by wfrazerjr at 02:27 PM on December 23, 2005
Lawton signs with Mariners Thursday. Guess they are willing to chance it on him for a LITTLE money. Let's see if he can get those additional performance bonus' without the help of juice.
posted by skydivemom at 08:02 PM on December 23, 2005
I'm not sure when this conversation became about McGwire, but since his name keeps coming up: Andro was legal when he took it. He never denied taking Andro. Whether he took other stuff too I don't know, but what's the big deal with him taking what was then a legal supplement?
posted by arrmatey at 09:45 AM on December 27, 2005
Its good that Lawton admitted to steroids after being caught red-handed but lets be honest, we are sinking pretty low if a "professional" baseball player cheats and then admitts to cheating satisfies us!! Major League Baseball has to make it even more clear that it is not okay to take steroids. I know they have a harsher punishment then ever before which is a 50 game suspension for using steroids once but it should be atleast a 100 hundred game suspension because we have to get it through the heads of these dominance-hungry, or in many cases fading players without much skill that it isn't okay to take roids!
posted by bronxbomber at 10:30 PM on December 28, 2005
Really quite amazing. I'm sure his unemployed status helped fuel the decision, but I find it so refreshing to have anyone give an honest answer, not an excuse or a story. I'm sure there are more stories like this in baseball, but the question it begs is how many people tried it once and never stopped.