Amphetamines vs Anabolic Steroids

[3 BeWareTheNewSox 5]

I was just watching Bob Costas, and Dock Ellis (that dude is nuts! A no hitter on acid, are you kidding me?) would talk about how he'd load himself up with speed/amphetamines and many other pills before every start to be sure he had an advantage/get the hitter scared. According to different reports, including things I've heard by many media people in the clubhouse, even reported by members of the BBTN crew, that many of the baseball players currently take amphetamines/speed/greenies (I have used these different words used, I'm assuming they're the same thing) , and say that they need them if the season is going to be 162 games (more widespread than steroids), but no one seems to care.

 

Again, I'm not a doctor and don't know extensive information on the subjects, but I think there's a general misconception of steroids that you can take a steroid, be magically inflated, and suddenly learn how to effectively put the bat on the ball, learn to pitch, or even add MPH on a pitch, when that's not the case (many retired pitchers have reported trying steroids to add MPH and it didn't work). It does give an advantage though, it makes you work out longer and recover from injury/prevent short term injury(giving you more energy, becoming more aggresive), where in turn the extra working out and gained endurance will help with lasting throughout the season or a pithing outing or the added muscle mass of working out more may help your power numbers, but again, you need the talent to put the bat on the ball in the first place or to know how to pitch effectively, and there is no proof to how much it does/doesn't help. So it seems that becoming a better player is more of an indirect result of taking steroids.

 

Now to the amphetamines. Again, I don't know much about them, so I quickly went to the Wikipedia, and noticed they are also classified as 'performance enhancing' grouped together with anabolic steroids. Here are the short term effects listed "Short-term psychological effects can include alertness, euphoria, increased concentration, rapid talking, increased confidence, increased social responsiveness". The alertness and concentration would definately help in the game of baseball, no need for an explanation of that. There's different reports and books about how it is widespread in baseball, along with other stimulants.

 

Now, steroids indirectly help with baseball, so what's with the huge outcry, because it's illegal? Speed is also illegal, and it's common (possibly may be in other forms) in the league, though it may not give the direct advantages of steroids, but it seems it would help with getting through games when tired, which is a big reason steroids are taken. I don't know, it's just that these days, people hear about steroids, and think it's some forbidden fruit, and I used to feel the same way, and thought about it, and tried to break down what steroids really were. I could take them and still not even be able hit college pitching. An advantage is obvious, but unfair advantages are used in baseball all the time (do we need to go back in the HOF to get those 'secrets' out?), and in the case of speed, there are some that are illegal as well. Even though I still follow all the steroid stories and the witchhunt because I'm interested in who's on them, I'm not as apalled as I used to be (Raffy is a jag though for the way he arrogantly denied it and lied his whole career. At least Canseco and Caminiti admitted it). These are grown men, they know the risks, it just shows me that they're dedicated to being good or making a living as to deal with the consequences, since it is an illegal act and there's a great chance of shrinking of the testicles, a massive heart attack years later, breaking down to the point where they'll career will end after a short good run, and being looked at as a 'cheater' (which are the reasons you kids reading this out there should not take them, still not condoning the usage) It's the proffesional athlete's life, if they are willing to go through all that to gain that undefined advantage, then more power to them.

 

Again, no extensive information on the subject, so let me know if something is completely wrong or makes me look stupid. Discuss and such.

[YASNY]

I think the big outcry over steroids is a direct result they have had on the HR numbers that were put up over a 10 year period. Baseball was sailing along and all of a sudden everybody's grandma could hit 40 HR's. That was tangible and visible to baseball fans and they feel like the accomplishments have been tainted.

 

The greenies in the locker room has been around since the 60's, and probably longer. They may have helped the players, but it didn't skew the numbers to the extent that it caught the fans' attention. Steroids did.

[WSFAN35]

I think the big outcry over steroids is a direct result they have had on the HR numbers that were put up over a 10 year period.  Baseball was sailing along and all of a sudden everybody's grandma could hit 40 HR's.  That was tangible and visible to baseball fans and they feel like the accomplishments have been tainted.

 

The greenies in the locker room has been around since the 60's, and probably longer.  They may have helped the players, but it didn't skew the numbers to the extent that it caught the fans' attention.  Steroids did.

 

Well if greenies are as popular in the MLB as has been reported, who knows what the quality of baseball would be like. I don't think that these drugs should be overlooked just because steroids have a larger impact on the game.

[LosMediasBlancas]

I don't know how 'speed' would improve your baseball skills. I can see it helping in football, where there is more reckless abandon. I remember Brian Bozworth wrote that he'd take a handfull of 'no doze' before the game and more at halftime.

Baseball, especially hitting, is more about muscle control and timing, so I don't see how being 'wired' would help.

[Jake]

I don't know how 'speed' would improve your baseball skills. I can see it helping in football, where there is more reckless abandon. I remember Brian Bozworth wrote that he'd take a handfull of 'no doze' before the game and more at halftime.

Baseball, especially hitting, is more about muscle control and timing, so I don't see how being 'wired' would help.

 

 

It's for when theyre worn out/feel the need for an extra edge over the long season.

[LosMediasBlancas]

It's for when theyre worn out/feel the need for an extra edge over the long season.

I understand that. But speed (from what I've heard) will get you amped up 10 times more than say caffeine. I know that it's a long season, but are thesee guys so exhausted that speed brings them back to about normal?

['94WorldChamps]

Again, I'm not a doctor and don't know extensive information on the subjects, but I think there's a general misconception of steroids that you can take a steroid, be magically inflated, and suddenly learn how to effectively put the bat on the ball, learn to pitch, or even add MPH on a pitch, when that's not the case (many retired pitchers have reported trying steroids to add MPH and it didn't work). It does give an advantage though, it makes you work out longer and recover from injury/prevent short term injury(giving you more energy, becoming more aggresive), where in turn the extra working out and gained endurance will help with lasting throughout the season or a pithing outing or the added muscle mass of working out more may help your power numbers, but again, you need the talent

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

Stupid/intellectually-disingenuous pro-roid rhetoric that you hear so much in bars and whatnot.

 

Other than becoming stronger, quicker, fresher and arguably (HGH) better able to see the seams... No, there are no benefits to juicing. Players are stupid. And the

huge post-roidal drop off in production is purely coincidental. Right.

[Rex Kickass]

2005 Major League Baseball Home Runs to date: 3,648.

2004 Major League Baseball Home Runs total: 5,451.

 

The season is about 70% over.

 

From my bad math skills, I think we'll see a total Home Run total for the year around 4800. About 600 home runs (or about 10%) less than last year.

 

So is the pitching better this year? Or is it really just steroids. And if it is, what does that say about our sudden Cy Young caliber pitcher, Jon Garland. Maybe its the lack of juice that explains his sudden ascension to near ace status?

[YASNY]

Well if greenies are as popular in the MLB as has been reported, who knows what the quality of baseball would be like.  I don't think that these drugs should be overlooked just because steroids have a larger impact on the game.

 

I never even implied that they should be overlooked. I was stating what I considered the reason for the different levels of fan outcry between the two.