<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Journeyman:
It was way above 50% Shrink IMO...but if you look at certain well know EX SLUGGERS , they have Shrunk back down over the past year, no coincidence either!!!
I will list players who's stats have plummeted since the 'juice free' zone was implied...
Sammy Sosa, Jason Giambi, Chipper Jones, Jeff Bagwell, Shawn Green, Ryan Klesko, Carl Everett, Nomar Garciaparra, Brian Giles, Garret Anderson, these are off he top of my head...they all just didn't get old overnight...
LOL- meanwhile Barry Bonds approaching 40, still kicking ass.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
The greatest thing about the Internet (and Internet forums) is the free flow of information. The worst thing about the Internet (and Internet forums) is the free flow of MISinformation. You imply that all these players are using steroids because of their "plummeting" stats?
You probably have a case with Sosa, Giambi, Bagwell, Klesko. But I'm not sure about the other players.
Nomar? In 2002 (156 games), he hit .310 with 24 homers. In 2003 (156 games), he hit .301 with 28 homers. In 2004 (24 games), he is hitting .306 with 3 homers. Seems like steady production to me.
Garret Anderson? In 2002 (158 games), he hit .306 with 29 homers. In 2003 (159 games), he hit .315 with 29 homers. In 2004 (43 games), he is hitting .320 with 7 homers. Seems like steady production to me! By the way, he is dealing with inflammatory arthritis this year. I think .320 is pretty damn good for a guy with arthritis.
Chipper? Other than 1997 (when he hit .295), he hasn't hit under .300 since 1995. This year, he is hitting .208! So you're going to blame this drop on steroids? I don't think steroids can drop (or boost) a player's batting average by 100 points. This is simply a terrible year for Chipper, lots of good players have these fluke-seasons once or twice during their careers. Cal Ripken hit .323 (34 homers) in 1991. But in 1992, Ripken only hit .251 (14 homers).
Chipper has also been dealing with a hamstring injury. Oh, but everybody is going to blame that injury on steroids! Funny. Chipper's having a crappy year because he isn't using steroids, but Chipper is having injury problems because he *is* using steroids!?!? Can't have it both ways.
Shawn Green, Giles, Everett? Who knows. Not every player who has 2-3 great seasons is destined to have a great career. Dave Kingman had some good seasons. So did Rob Deer and Cecil Fielder. What about Roger Maris? He hit 61 homers in 1961. Other than that, his next best seasons were 39 and 33 homers. Do you think Roger Maris used steroids in 1961?
Shawn Green has only hit over .300 once in his career (1999, .309). He had some good seasons when he first came to Los Angeles, but maybe the pitchers-park of Los Angeles is finally catching up to him? After hitting a combined 91 homers in 2001 and 2002, maybe more teams are pitching around Green (it isn't as though the Dodgers have surrounded Green with protection in the lineup).
Giles is a career .301 hitter. Last two years, he hit .298 and .299. This year, he is hitting .291 and 14 homers. In his best year, Giles hit 39 homers. So his power hasn't declined too much.
Carl Everett? You have GOT to be kidding. He is a major head-case. There could be 128 different reasons for his inconsistent performance from year to year. Since 1993, Everett has played for SEVEN different teams. There is probably a reason for that, don't you think? Everett is crazy!
.
