Schmidt Sounds off on Steroids

March 1, 2006, Kansas City Star, KansasCity.com

The steroid cloud shouldn’t obscure the accomplishments of baseball’s recent generation of record-breaking sluggers, according to Hall of Fame third baseman Mike Schmidt.

The former Phillie, who many consider to be the best third-sacker of all-time, broached baseball’s most controversial subject while discussing his new book Clearing the Bases: Juiced Players, Monster Salaries, Sham Records, and a Hall of Famer’s Search for the Soul of Baseball.

Schmidt said he believes that unproven accusations of illegal steroid use should not affect a player’s Hall of Fame chances. Asked if he would vote for, say, Mark McGwire, who has even admitted to using androstendione when it was legal, Schmidt replied, “Yes.”

Schmidt said his book implies that baseball received plenty of benefit from record-smashing sluggers, even if they were aided by steroids and/or now-banned amphetamines.

“To some degree, turning a blind eye toward that subject allowed baseball to recover in the late 90’s and early 2000s,” Schmidt said.

“And now, (the) right steps have been taken to totally cleanse the game.”

History and public opinion will penalize whatever abuses existed, Schmidt suggested.

Schmidt hit 548 homers from 1972-89, which ranks 11th all-time, behind contemporary sluggers such as McGwire, Barry Bonds, Sammy Sosa and Rafael Palmeiro.