No kidding? Sammy was on steroids. Who knew? LOL :lol:

Grace says Sosa's bulk had to be artificial
March 24, 2006

BY CHRIS DE LUCA Staff Reporter

They were Cubs teammates from 1992 to 2000, sharing clubhouses and dugouts, but Mark Grace and Sammy Sosa never would be confused for friends. Grace made his feelings about Sosa crystal clear Thursday during an interview on Sporting News Radio.

Grace discussed the steroid era he played in, focusing much of his discussion on Sosa.

''I think you'll know I'm telling the truth here: I was not a user,'' Grace said. "I was not a steroid guy. If you see me, I'm body by booze.

"It's not just Barry [Bonds]. There were a lot of guys doing it. I saw it with my own eyes. It was pitchers, it was catchers, it was outfielders, it was infielders. There was a lot of it going around. Shoot, looking back on it, I had it offered to me many times.''

On speculation that players such as Mark McGwire and Sosa used steroids: ''Those are the red-flag guys, the guys that just made the sudden big, big jumps. Guys that showed up at the beginning of their career at 170 pounds and left at the end of their career at 235 pounds. A body can't get that way naturally; it has to be enhanced with something. Sammy's just one of the guys of many that are red-flag guys. Do we have proof? Nope. But you certainly have suspicions.''

On Sosa and Rafael Palmeiro suddenly being out of the game: ''There's a lot of guys that are not playing anymore, that are not even good players anymore, ever since they started testing for steroids. There's a lot of guys, just all of a sudden their recovery time is a little more than it used to be. And all of a sudden they're hitting those same balls they used to hit -- and it's not just Sammy; there's a lot of guys -- those balls that used to go in the second deck are being caught at the track.''

On staying quiet during his playing days: ''I'm also a big believer in 'to each his own.' I don't worry about what the guy eats for dinner. I don't really worry about what his off-the-field relationships are. That's none of my business. If a guy wants to do it and if a guy is willing to pay the price later on in his life, then do it.''

On whether he'd vote for Sosa for the Hall of Fame: ''In a word, 'no.'''

Mark Grace is just awesome!

I agree...miss his bat and his smile ;)

I am not as enamored with Grace as some. He was a good player with potential HoF talent but squandered it IMO in his pursuit of his next cigarette, beer, and conquest. Don't get me wrong, he was very fun to party with but his partying kept him from reaching his potential. Had he not been hung over so often, I believe he would have reached 3000 hits and could have owned Chicago instead of being shown the door the way he was.

He is a HORRIBLE broadcast analyst and is close to unlistenable. I believe he has an axe to grind in his criticism of Sosa even if it is deserved. He is a hypocrit when he states he believes in 'to each his own.' If he believed in that motto when he played, he should kee it now. Except, of course, when he played he gained something from keeping his mouth shut.

What is wrong with taking the high road nowadays? Is every jilted former player going to act like Stone and Grace? I am getting tired of the sniping. I don't understand badmouthing a former employer or past co-workers so long after the fact. Its time for Grace to move on and let any bitter feelings go. Just my 2 cents.

There are probably many former players taking the high road. The only problem is that people like that never make the news. Only people like Stone and Grace

Probably, however, if not for him drinking so much, he wouldn't have been in as many slumps, and many a big girl wouldn't have become a "slumpbuster."

Grace provided a public service to Chicago. Especially to females who.....yeah. I'll leave it at that. :lol: