Steroids remain a juicy topic, By: Ray Buck

May 5, 2006

Once he moves past the self-aggrandizement, Bob Costas packs quite a punch with his HBO special on steroids in baseball.

Costas Now addresses the matter of "juicing" by major-leaguers, both in the past and -- regrettably, so we learn -- the present.

The hour-long show is a mixed bag of pithy insight, well-packaged programming, even some laugh-aloud humor.

Early in the show, Hall of Famer Bob Gibson speculates on how he would bust Barry Bonds inside with sliders, adding that this would prompt a few plunkings.

"Of course, Barry right now," Tim McCarver tries to interject, "with all that [body] armor he has on..."

Gibson counters, chillingly: "I think I could break some of that armor."

Good Host Bob, meanwhile, rotates his panel of experts (Joe Morgan, McCarver and Gibson) in and out of discussions, while deftly navigating through old interviews, new interviews, old opinions, new observations.

Two of the most candid perspectives are offered by Rangers TV analyst Tom Grieve, who was Rangers GM when the team traded for Jose Canseco in 1992, and Tigers first base coach Andy Van Slyke, who was Bonds' teammate in Pittsburgh.

"There are still guys 'juiced,' and you can see them on a daily basis," Grieve told Costas.

"Just trust your eyes," Van Slyke said. "Your eyes are going to tell you an awful lot."

The show ends on a delightful note with Willie Mays, Bonds' 75-year-old godfather, 'fessing up that he ran out from under his cap on purpose (to excite the fans) and that he used to cast himself on The Donna Reed Show for extra cash.

Mays, for now, harbors no animosity toward "steroids-era players."Ever query Barry on steroids use?

"I never asked him, and I don't think I will," Mays told Costas. "I may not get the right answer."