Jose Bautista is on steroids. There's no other explanation for his dramatic increase in home runs over the past two seasons. The Toronto Blue Jay slugger is taking some new exotic drug that would make Victor Conte proud. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.
It's unfortunate that in 2011 a lot of people feel the same way I do. Jose is guilty until proven innocent because of the past indiscretions of former players. Sports fans have become cynical with regards to athletes denying drug use. We've heard it too many times from too many different players.
It could very well be that Jose has switched up his training regiment, fixed his swing, changed his diet, or started saying his prayers and eating his vitamins more often to increase production. There's no rule against using those methods to improve one's statistical output, but it's not as tried and true as the clear or the cream.
In recent years Major league baseball has done a fantastic job of testing and monitoring players for performance enhancing drugs. For that reason we should be able to give Jose the benefit of the doubt. The drug culture has been eliminated, but the negative effects still remain. No one believes a player can put up HUGE numbers without taking something illegal.
Jose Bautista will play his entire career under a cloud of suspicion and there's nothing he can do about it. Until sports fans see a few examples of "clean" superstars in baseball the jury is still out. Please don't get caught Jose.
Saying that steroids is the only reason for Bautista's recent performance really attests to a lack of knowledge of not only Bautista's career, but for the game of baseball. The real shame is when people think they are entitled to present such slander as fact without anything concrete to back it up.
ReplyDeleteGranted, it's quite fair for people to be speculative in the post steroid era. But, you really need more to go on than "he's playing amazing" to say "he's definitely on steroids", otherwise it's nothing more than speculation.
Now, let's put our paranoia aside for a second and look at the cold hard facts:
Bautista leads the AL in BB, 2nd to the MLB leading Votto by 3 walks (Jose has also played 8 less games than Votto). This one stat tells you how well Bautista is seeing the ball. Last time I checked, steroids don't help you get walks...
Let's also take into account that Jose didn't really become an every day player until he came to the Jays, after being tossed around from team to team (4 different teams in his first year), being used as a bench/utility player, it's not hard to figure out why Jose was only an average player before he came to Toronto.
At this point, in his 2 and a bit years with the Jays, he's had nearly as many at bats as he has his first 4+ years in the majors (1080 - 1362).
Now to get into specifics, he's simply changed his batting mechanics, which to any ball player can make the world of difference. Just ask Youkilis about his stupid batting stance.
Jose worked with Cito and Dwayne Murphy to fine tune a few things in his mechanics, most notably his leg kick, which has done wonders for him. Also a visible difference to the average Bautista of yesterday (if you've cared to watch).
Then we also have to consider the extensive testing that goes on MLB these days. Despite Jose passing multiple PED tests, people still somehow come to the conclusion that Bautista is indeed on steroids, 100%. I've also heard people dismiss the tests saying that Bautista is using some super duper undetectable PED or that it's an MLB cover up...
Better take those arguments to Coast to Coast AM with George Noori. I don't got the time for them.
None the less, there's no REAL reason to not believe that Jose is the REAL DEAL. Not for me, at least. Is it fair to be suspicious? Of course, something like this is unprecedented in baseball, and given it's history with steroids, sure. Still doesn't make it right to claim you know something when you don't, though.
Give me some facts, doubters. If not, word your doubts as just doubts....
@chrza: Thanks for the read. I'm definitely glad I was able to write about a topic you feel passionate about. You're absolutely right, I have no positive drug test to bring into evidence, nor has Jose EVER failed a drug test to my knowledge. You must realize however that lots of players have been in this same position over the last 10 years only to get exposed at the end. It is completely unfair to label Jose as a cheater or accuse him of doing anything wrong, but people will do it anyway. That's my point. The steroid era was so alarming and far reaching with its offenders that no one trusts the results they see on the field. Jose is in a no win situation because the better he does, the more people will speculate. If his production falls off even a little they will question that as well. Your explanation for the large spike in homers is very plausible, but if the last 10 years has taught us anything it's beware of the BIG BIG numbers. If and when he gets to 60 homers this season people will begin to whisper. That's just the paranoid culture of sports fans post steroid era. As unfair as that may be.
ReplyDeleteheh, could you tell that I spend a lot of time defending my Jays??
ReplyDeleteI understood your sentiment, for the record. Wasn't trying to direct my frustration at you persae, but I do find myself reading/hearing this accusation over and over by people who are presenting it as fact. It gets frustrating. The distrust is a shame though.
The thing with players being exposed now, 10 years after the fact, is that these substances weren't banned back then and thusly they weren't testing for them. The MLB is different now because of it. It's gone back to more athletic players and away from the muscular giants it had in the prime of it's steroids era.
Of course, there is a possibility of anything. And it would be a shame if Bautista was cheating, but in reality, there's nothing to go on when it comes to that possiblity other than the fact that Bautista is playing amazing.
I know that it is what it is, but people really need to get over it.
Steroids does in fact improve your vision and judgement, so to claim that he can't be on steroids because he leads the A.L in walks is bogus.I do not think he is on steroids, but I do believe he is on a performance inhancer as I believe Pujols is on something as well. Come on how else can a guy break his arm 2 weeks ago and be ready to start baseball activity already? As for batista nobody can improve power the way he has without being on something. If you improve your mechanics you will hit the ball better, no doubt about that but you will not and can not crush the ball as far as he is.
ReplyDeleteIt is true that steroids does not only increase power, but also vision as well. They test for steroids you say? Is it a fact that they test every player several times throughout the season by drawing blood or watching them urinate and also making sure that not one person involved with any aspect of the testing is completely honest and unbiased, not taking any money?
ReplyDeleteAnother point. They still don't test for HGH. This could increase power as well, a la Barry Bonds. As for not being a big guy, neither was my man Rafy of the Rangers. He wasn't big, but he was unfortunately on steroids so that gets rid of the size argument. And what if there is some doping agent that isn't tested for as well. They accused Armstrong of doping from all of his Tour de France wins. He wasn't huge either. I'm not saying it's steroids, but he is on something. Whether it's HGH, some doping agent, or something they're just not testing for. You say I can't prove he is. Can you prove he isn't without just defending him because you like him and want to give him the benefit of the doubt? You can prove he isn't no more than I can prove he is, but logic just speaks for itself. Numbers don't just improve like that overnight. 54 last year and now on pace for more, probably 60 is just ridiculous. Pujols is big and HE doesn't hit as many homeruns. He's also been good since entering the league.
Well to begin with he is most likely on HGH if anything. The MLB still has no test for this so that'd make it easy to pass tests. And getting to the walks regardless of improved vision or not if you're hitting the ball 400 plus feet every 2 or 3 games in a relatively weak lineup people won't worry as much about pitching to the guy. But his vision obviously has improved dramatically because his average has gone up almost 50 points compared to just last year. When a guy goes his first 6, 7, or 8 seasons with a career high of 16 home runs in a year something just doesn't feel right when he hits 50 one year and possibly 60 the next. I do hate speculating like this because it's unfair to the players if they aren't doing anything wrong but it's just human nature.
ReplyDeleteI think he is *clearly* using something. It is an educated opinion, not an accusation. Defend your Blue Jays all you want, nobody hates the BJ's because they aren't a threat to anyone. Personally, I love it when my teams play the BJ's...good chance to pad the record. Keep in mind, if there is no test for hgh, then it's in every clubhouse. I think what Jose is on something else, a designer steroid from Canada's version of Balco.
ReplyDelete2006 400 AB 16HR. 2007 532 AB 15HR. 2008 370 AB 15HR. 2009 336 AB 13HR. 2010 569 AB 54HR. 2011 295 AB 31HR. The jump is just insane, and in my opinion, not natural.
ReplyDelete@ Anonymous: Those stats on Jose's increased production over the last 5 years is startling to say the least.
ReplyDeleteFanboys are never objective when it comes to these things, and I mean that in the nicest way possible.
ReplyDeleteThe MLB has an abysmal record when it comes to steroids, the league ignored the problem for years and only cracked down when it reached absurd proportions, and even then it was like pulling teeth.
The whole time, even as dudes like Sammy Sosa were having *multiple* 60-HR seasons, the entire sports media ignored the elephant in the room and cheered these guys on.
And guess who are Jose Bautista's greatest defenders? The sports media, aka fanboys, aka the same people who took Bonds, Sosa, McGuire, Giambi, Ortiz, Manny Ramirez and lots of other guys seriously.
For more than a decade, sportswriters and ESPN loudmouths celebrated like the jubilant fanboys they are, showing HR after HR on SportsCenter highlights and doing story after breathless story on how hard these guys work and what amazing athletes they are.
Remember when a nearly 40-year-old Roger Clemens suddenly returned to dominant form in what should have been the twilight of his career? He was just as pudgy and out-of-shape as ever, yet we did not stop hearing these absurd stories about how no one works harder than Roger Clemens in the weight room.
Now, that same clown is on his second perjury trial for being a big fat liar.
On top of all that, the MLB does not test for HGH and it's a well-known fact that MLB players partially invest their millions in boiler room pharmacy labs that invent entirely new PEDs that are not even known, let alone tested for.
So in a few years, when today's newest steroids finally have a name and are revealed to the public, we'll be talking about Jose Bautista the same way we talk about Bonds, Clemens, Palmiero, Manny and all the other cheaters.
So again, do we really want to trust the fanboys on this one?
@Big Mike: Thanks for the read. Victor Conte is not the only one with a lab concocting designer drugs that MLB can't keep up with. I think you're right, in a few years we will uncover the truth about Jose Bautista's "power surge."
ReplyDeleteEven if fixing your mechanics can't make you more powerful, could it improve the way that power is delivered? With the changes he's made to the timing and mechanics of his swing he could be getting around on the ball much quicker than he was before. Could he also be finding the sweet spot more often?
ReplyDeleteAn interesting article from Popular Mechanics - each 1mph increase in bat speed on a 94mph pitch correlates, effectively speaking, to an extra 8 feet of distance on the hit.
http://www.popularmechanics.com/outdoors/sports/physics/4216783
I really want to believe in Bautista. I want to believe that an athlete in baseball can develop this sort of excellence through discipline and hard work. As for the increased walk numbers, in seasons with more than 300 at bats, he's gone from walking in just over 11 percent of his plate appearances to walking in over a quarter of them. How much of that could possibly come from better discipline at the plate and increased fear and respect from pitchers, I really can't say. Are there any solid measures for that sort of thing?
Ryan
@Ryan: Thanks for the read. I'm sure the changes to his mechanics has contributed somewhat to his power surge, but in this day and age that type of increase typically signals something else. I hope I'm wrong, but there's really no way to to measure the results. MLB testing is supposed to get stricter, let hope he's not one of the casualties.
ReplyDeletesteroids dont mean shit in baseball why is it banned...this sport is like golf you cant even break a sweat...and if you breat a sweat in baseball you are a terrible athlete....ALL YOU ARE DOING IS HITTING A BALL THEN RUNNING FOR LIKE 4 SECONDS THEN A BREAK...IF YOU HIT A HOMERUN ALL U DO IS WALK OR A LIGHT JOG....so please tell me...HOW IS STEROIDS GOING TO MAKE YOU A BETTER HITTER? steroids dont build HAND TO EYE COORDINATION...ITS A TALENT AND A SKILL TO BE WORKED ON AND PERFECTED....STEROIDS JUST MAKE U STRONG AND FAST...THATS IT...JOSE IS NOT A MONSTER...HES NOT ANGRY LIKE LAWRIE MAYBE THAT KIDS ON IT...BUT NOT JOSE HE DOESNT FIT THE M.O I AM ON STEROIDS AND IM FURIOUS AND I DONT EVEN KNOW THE GUY IM A BEAST I BEEN WORKING HARD FOR MANY YEARS AT THE GYM AND MY RAGE IS THRU THE ROOF....U CAN TELL BUT U CANT TELL ON JOEY CUZ HE AINT ON IT...ITS USELESS AND POINTLESS FOR THIS SPORT.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the read. The steroids help you hit the ball farther and recover faster from injuries and working out.
ReplyDeleteSteroids can help an athlete get more of his efforts.
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