Prior

by roach on Dec 3, 2006 11:26 PM CST

I think Mark Prior probably took steroids before they started testing for roids. He has been injured ever since. his arm strength has been way less. Maybe he did or didnt but just post your opinions below after you vote in the poll. I am also very sorry to Prior if he did not take any but i think that he did

Poll

did he shoot up

Yes

29 votes

No

86 votes

115 votes | Poll has closed

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of SB Nation or Al Yellon, managing editor (unless it's a FanPost posted by Al). FanPost opinions are valued expressions of opinion by passionate and knowledgeable baseball fans.

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Comments

This is old news.

This rumor has been around forever, and I do not think it's true.

by Al Yellon on Dec 3, 2006 11:20 PM CST reply actions

Al...

isn't it past your bedtime? :)

You're just never here at this time. Me neither except I have to write an essay...

"I don't talk. I just let what I do talk for myself." -Johan Santana

by sparkles721 on Dec 3, 2006 11:30 PM CST up reply actions

And yet...

... here you are at BCB. What power this site has! ;)

by Al Yellon on Dec 3, 2006 11:31 PM CST up reply actions

It does.

It's addicting.

Sometimes I'm so overloaded with homework that I stay away from BCB, but most of the time I can't do that.

Anyway, I actually already wrote the essay. I just need to edit and fix/improve stuff.

"I don't talk. I just let what I do talk for myself." -Johan Santana

by sparkles721 on Dec 3, 2006 11:37 PM CST up reply actions

man, I wish I was you

I have to write about 15 pages analyzing a few lawsuits involving strick liability by tomorrow at three.

Baby, you got a stew goin'

by Thelonious on Dec 3, 2006 11:46 PM CST up reply actions

That's worse than...

...mine about ICANN and DNS, due tomorrow.

formerly mfarrell

by gravedigger on Dec 4, 2006 1:25 AM CST up reply actions

where do you go to school?

Baby, you got a stew goin'

by Thelonious on Dec 4, 2006 2:09 AM CST up reply actions

Syracuse University

MA program

formerly mfarrell

by gravedigger on Dec 4, 2006 8:43 AM CST up reply actions

I think I should start a diary

where we can post our respective colleges (or former colleges)....(or for sparkles, future colleges)

I'm curious.

Baby, you got a stew goin'

by Thelonious on Dec 4, 2006 12:21 PM CST up reply actions

Sure, why not?

n/t

by Al Yellon on Dec 4, 2006 12:56 PM CST up reply actions

Hey

what happened to you:? I'm having a nerd-off all by myself down on the Lester thread.

HENDRY!

by cubbiejulie on Dec 4, 2006 1:09 PM CST up reply actions

fine, bring it

At high noo...eh....how about 1:37 pm.

We'll have ourselves an old fashioned nerd off.

Baby, you got a stew goin'

by Thelonious on Dec 4, 2006 1:33 PM CST up reply actions

Sorry

I had to meet with a client. I tried having a nerd-off, but then you left.

I'm thinking about moving the nerd-off to tomorrow's Off-Base Diary. Whaddya think?

HENDRY!

by cubbiejulie on Dec 4, 2006 4:48 PM CST up reply actions

Go for it

formerly mfarrell

by gravedigger on Dec 4, 2006 4:09 PM CST up reply actions

Mine's worse...

10 page paper about how to find, set up and run an excavation on a sucken ship that hasn't been found yet...complete with drawn out mapping and graphs detailing decomposition of the ship.

It's great to be a Michigan Wolverine!! (Expect for the whole 'study for the LSATs' thing)

by michigancubbie on Dec 4, 2006 2:18 AM CST up reply actions

what, are you...

at maritime school or something?

Baby, you got a stew goin'

by Thelonious on Dec 4, 2006 2:44 AM CST up reply actions

nope...

archaeology, with the Great Lakes surrounding us and all, we get classes on how to excavate ships.

It's great to be a Michigan Wolverine!! (Expect for the whole 'study for the LSATs' thing)

by michigancubbie on Dec 4, 2006 9:32 AM CST up reply actions

oh cool

archaeology is some interesting stuff.

I heard last year that you can actually scuba dive around shipwrecks in the great lakes (incl. Michigan). I would very much like to do that.

I wonder if you can dive to see the "edmund Fitzgerald"

Baby, you got a stew goin'

by Thelonious on Dec 4, 2006 12:19 PM CST up reply actions

20 Pages...

On the study of Fantasy Sports within the context of the political, centered around the idea of sovereignty.

Getting an M.A. researching fantasy sports in popular culture = Priceless

Dead Guy...duty!

by Sonofapitch on Dec 4, 2006 8:57 AM CST up reply actions

Awesome

formerly mfarrell

by gravedigger on Dec 4, 2006 9:09 AM CST up reply actions

papers

I almost never write papers, and I so don't miss them, drawings are a pain, but they are a pain that doesn't include footnotes

SINATRO!!!! Its music to my ears.

by flyball on Dec 4, 2006 10:49 AM CST up reply actions

I like footnotes.

In text citations are the bane of my existence.

formerly mfarrell

by gravedigger on Dec 4, 2006 10:51 AM CST up reply actions

shiver

it all makes me want to run away

SINATRO!!!! Its music to my ears.

by flyball on Dec 4, 2006 11:32 AM CST up reply actions

Now I'm writing...

a paper that's supposed to be 10 pages less than yours. Only 5!

I'm going to miss high school.

"I don't talk. I just let what I do talk for myself." -Johan Santana

by sparkles721 on Dec 4, 2006 5:03 PM CST up reply actions

trust me, you won't

there is a good tradeoff. I, for instance, have no classes on fridays.

Plus, as they say, there is a time and place for everything, and its called "college".

Baby, you got a stew goin'

by Thelonious on Dec 4, 2006 6:36 PM CST up reply actions

I agree

College is so much better. A completely different experience. More freedom to control your academic needs. Finding yourself. All the regular cliches you hear about college are true. Some of it is bad, a lot of it is good, but put together it is a great experience.

formerly mfarrell

by gravedigger on Dec 4, 2006 6:40 PM CST up reply actions

that is how witches were thrown in water

if they sank (and drowned) with their hands and feet bound, they were considered not witches and their souls were saved, but if they floated they were considered witches and burned at the stake.

Did Sutcliffe take steriods and then stop after '84 until he got better in '89?

If Prior was a hormone or steriod user than only testing would determine that.

But to assume than you must assume all MLB are users and test them daily.

dumb-donkey-rear end

Bill Veeck planted Ivy during 'The Depression', and over time the Ivy Walls has become the most distinct symbol of Wrigley Field.

by Ivy Walls on Dec 4, 2006 10:52 AM CST up reply actions

Ever heard of...

...Barry Bonds?? This is a stupid topic.

Evey Hammond: Vi Veri Veniversum Vivus Vici. V: By the power of truth, I, while living, have conquered the universe.

by dtpollitt on Dec 3, 2006 11:40 PM CST up reply actions

there is a rumor going around that...

pete rose bet on baseball. I wonder what will come of this.

Baby, you got a stew goin'

by Thelonious on Dec 3, 2006 11:22 PM CST reply actions

You should have followed the etiquette..

of the original post and apologized to Pete Rose in the event that you are wrong. Okay, I'll do it for you:

"Charlie Hustle, all of BCB apologizes to you if in fact the rumors that you bet on MLB games while a player and/or manager are untrue."

by DudeVf1 on Dec 4, 2006 9:56 AM CST up reply actions

We discussed this...

here: http://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/story/2006/6/25/121313/534

There's a hot picture of Nomar's body in that diary. Maybe he was Naked Chest Boy.

"I don't talk. I just let what I do talk for myself." -Johan Santana

by sparkles721 on Dec 3, 2006 11:29 PM CST reply actions

Thanks for finding that...

... I knew we had done this topic months ago.

by Al Yellon on Dec 3, 2006 11:31 PM CST up reply actions

Anyways...

Given that this is not about to stop, EVER, given that they will continue to create enhancing performing drug that do not show up in tests, I say make it legal and stop the hypocrisy. Include a division between pre and post enhancing performance drugs in the record books and basta. If not we'll be dealing with maybes and what ifs for the rest of baseball's history.

GREAT SUCCESS!!!

by Chitown Mojo on Dec 3, 2006 11:30 PM CST reply actions

I agree.

Since it won't stop and we'll never know the extent of who used and who didn't (I believe every single player used...it makes it easier that way). Also, though baseball and other sports won't admit it, most of these steroids are rather safe if taken in conjunction with a doctor's supervision. High school athletes that get their parents permission to take and then find a doctor to supervise them have shown themselves to be not be at any additional risk and sometimes even less vulnerable to injury or disease than the person next to them.

by Maddog on Dec 4, 2006 12:25 AM CST up reply actions

Thank you.

The only setbacks I thought of for such a measure were the health issues. Palmeiro-Viagra link and such.

GREAT SUCCESS!!!

by Chitown Mojo on Dec 4, 2006 2:08 AM CST up reply actions

Without taking a stance either way...

It'd be pretty hard for Major League Baseball to make "legal" something that is currently illegal in U.S. Law. They could just make it "un"illegal again, but then there wouldn't be the tight doctor's supervision you suggest (I think). Of course, they could get that supervision, but that would either mean there would be (more, and openly) unethical doctors, or giving steroids for non-medical reasons.

You're smart and you know this, so I'm not saying anything new. I don't have an opinion on it really, one way or another. But if steroids or other enhancers are illegal for the general public, it'd be really hard to make them legal for baseball players--just the MLB guys? the official MiLB guys? what about independent league guys? or semi-pro?

Just a point of discussion, not meant to be argumentative.

I want Jason Schmidt, Josh Johnson and Manny Ramirez!!!

by tyger1147 on Dec 4, 2006 9:58 AM CST up reply actions

You're right.

The government would first have to change the laws regarding steroids and other peformance enhancers, which, when you think about it, it's kind of silly the government has gotten involved in this anyway. I'm expecting a great deal of knowledge to evolve over the next 10 or so years that may lead to the government changing some of these laws. When that happens, I hope baseball is right behind them. I'm all for the "purity" of the game, but that "purity" changes over time. This game we're a fan of today is in no way shape or form similar to the game in the mid 19th century. We've all adapted over time to the changes in it and we'll have to continue doing so.

by Maddog on Dec 4, 2006 2:23 PM CST up reply actions

Totally agree

I know it's a tangent here, but how can anyone watch sports today and not think performance enhancing drugs are involved? Look at kids comming out of high school to play NCAA football. These kids are 6'6" 280lbs. They dwarf the average size of rose bowl offensive lineman 30 years ago. Drugs have nothing to do with it? Ya right. All sports should just admit drugs are being used and stop the hypocracy.

Well, sometimes nothin is a real cool hand.

by wicubfan on Dec 4, 2006 4:45 PM CST up reply actions

I don't understand what the hypocrisy is?

n/t

by DudeVf1 on Dec 4, 2006 10:00 AM CST up reply actions

I'd probably say no......

but there's no way of finding out for sure.

RAMIREZ!! PRIOR!! Get MANNY!!!!

by PriorandAramisfan23 on Dec 3, 2006 11:44 PM CST reply actions

Prior's Arm

Prior had arm problems in college. They were able to hide them to some extent because he only threw once every seven days.

Incidentally, testing for steroids in college has been done for quite a while. Had he been using in college, he would have been caught and suspended.

Throw Jacque Jones down the well, so the Cubs will be free...

by Ross on Dec 4, 2006 12:18 AM CST reply actions

Team USA & International

He also pitched for Team USA and in international competition at a time when testing for both was more strict than the majors.

But yeah, we should just assume that everyone was on steroids ... except Maddux. I reserve the right to deny it in his case!

What does not kill you makes you stronger.

by Pa on Dec 4, 2006 10:28 AM CST up reply actions

Wood

I was thinking about posting a diary on wood and HIS possibility on taking steroids(i personally don't think prior did, but wood on the other hand? ionooo), but I kind of forgot about it. But, while the topic of steroids is up, I might as well share what I've heard about The Wood.

I was in one of my classes last year, still asleep from my notorious power naps, and came in with a cubs hat. one of the other classmates asked me if i was a cubs fan(no man, i'm actually a pirates fan, i just wear cubs hats to fool you). i said yes, and he had a story about his highschool baseball coach.
His baseball coach, named Kevin Orga, came up with through the farm system around the same time that Wood came up. He told me that Orga used to tell stories to the varsity team of how wood use to shoot up all the time in the clubhouse, but that everyone kept quiet about it. I found some of his stats, seen here . whether it's true or not, i thought it was interesting nonetheless.

LOUD NOISES!!!

by NittanyCub on Dec 4, 2006 11:20 AM CST reply actions

Holy cow!

Was that website designed in 1994?

formerly mfarrell

by gravedigger on Dec 4, 2006 11:25 AM CST up reply actions

actually it was...

Updated on 03/15/01 at 4:00 PM EST

Dead Guy...duty!

by Sonofapitch on Dec 4, 2006 11:41 AM CST up reply actions

Wasn't that the year Al Gore invented the internet

Well, sometimes nothin is a real cool hand.

by wicubfan on Dec 4, 2006 1:28 PM CST up reply actions

1991, I think

Though I'm not sure what year he said it.

formerly mfarrell

by gravedigger on Dec 4, 2006 6:39 PM CST up reply actions

Hmmm

According to that link, Orga was signed out of the independent leagues to play in AA in 2001. Baseball Cube says he never actually played in the organized minors. And Kerry Wood was already in the majors by then. I have to be skeptical for now.

The call of the Cub fan, c. 1893: "one long, ravaged, derisive yell...a cyclonic whoop!"

by cubzfan on Dec 4, 2006 11:43 AM CST up reply actions

well hot damn

i was thinking that he went up through the farm and somehow got in IND league.

andy mcann's a big dirty liar. looks like this might very well be a lie

LOUD NOISES!!!

by NittanyCub on Dec 4, 2006 11:59 AM CST up reply actions

Argh...

...haven't we gone over all this before????

Prior, unlike quite a few other players, WENT TO COLLEGE; where there is actually a documented, followed, and VERY stringent drug/steroid testing program.

Speaking from experience, steroid testing for Division 1 college athletes is NOT a joke. Granted, I didn't go to USC, but I did play D-1 varsity sports at a school that has a fairly elite athletic program. Not only were we tested, retested, and tested again...but damn near everything we put into our bodies was monitored.

Really, the reality of the situation is that getting away with undetected steroid use in college is nearly impossible in this day and age...and it would have been for Prior, too.

I think that Ross probably has it right. Prior's likely had arm problems for a while now. It's just that in college, starting pitchers usually only throw once every 7 days (as opposed to once every 5 in MLB)...thus Prior had more time between starts to recover.

by Santos L Halper on Dec 4, 2006 11:44 AM CST reply actions