Ex-Major Leaguer Jim Parque Admits PED Use
by Al Yellon on Jul 23, 2009 7:35 AM CDT
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PrintIn this remarkable article in today's Sun-Times, Jim Parque, who pitched for the White Sox in their AL Central championship season in 2000, admits to using HGH after he hurt his shoulder in that year's ALCS.
Parque, who pitched collegiately for UCLA and was a supplemental 1st-round pick in 1997, was never the same; he pitched poorly for the White Sox in 2001 and 2002 and was finally released, and after an attempted comeback for Lou Piniella's Tampa Bay team in 2003, was out of baseball at age 27.
The article is a remarkably honest and candid portrayal of why athletes turn to PED's. It is must reading.
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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More to life
As a father of a son at just starting tournament baseball, this story only reminds me to teach him to be well rounded and to be involved in a many activities in and out of school. It seems to me Parque’s life choices were made because he was left with one choice: baseball.
I’m also a teacher and tell my students this all the time, but too often their parents have them believing they’ll play basketball at North Carolina or football for the Packers. Parque seems like a good guy and I understand his choices, but it seems he wishes he had something to turn to after baseball ended. Great lesson.
Incredible article...
Parque was just on WSCR for an exclusive interview about the piece, and was extremely forthcoming as well. He said that the piece was 2 months in the work.
Say what you will about PED’s and the players that choose to use them…IMHO Parque is an example of a stand-up guy who knows he did something wrong, and wanted to explain to the people of Chicago why he did it. He didn’t need to write this article, but he did, and that says a lot about him as a person.
Brian McRae's 5 o'clock shadow
by PurpleLineToWrigley on Jul 23, 2009 8:25 AM CDT reply actions
Excellent story.
It puts things into perspective for us as fans. He’s right, family comes first and I have worked at a job for a company that I find to be immoral. But, what is the alternative ? Take the high ground and my family suffers ? That is not a choice.
This is one side of the PED story that is probably the story for many users. I’d be very interested to read an account that is as honest and ifull of impact from the likes of Bonds, Sosa, McGwire or Clemens.
by Southside Steve on Jul 23, 2009 8:25 AM CDT reply actions
Don't want to judge you
but people who are doing things they find immoral do have a choice. Admittedly, I’ve done my share of immoral things, but I also had a choice. Parque had a choice. I’m guessing his life would have been just fine without PEDs. He can write and he seems intelligent. Giving up baseball was just scary, but he seems to be doing just fine. What’s his job now? Is he happy and supporting his family?
Again, I’m not making a personal attack here. I don’t know if you’re a hitman or just working for a cosmetics company that tests its products on mice. I just think if we say we can do anything under the cover of “providing for my family” it’s way too convenient. (If you’re a hitman, sorry to offend.)
Your morals...
Are your morals, and you can’t impose them on anyone else. You can’t compare a hitman, one who murders for money, to someone who took a synthetic form of a naturally occuring substance in the human body to recover from an injury and support his family. If he were an alcoholic, and smoked, and a horrible husband, we wouldn’t be hearing about Jim Parque now. But because he took PED’s, he’s now somehow immoral and a headline?
Someday we'll go all the way...
by CubsBullsBears on Jul 23, 2009 9:05 AM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
+1
To describe taking PEDs as immoral is insane. Taking a human life is immoral. Taking a drug to improve your performance on a baseball field is not.
"Hats for bats.....keep bats warm." - Pedro Cerrano
"Hey bartender, Jobu needs a refill !!!!!!!" - Eddie Harris
by willie mays hayes' gloves on Jul 23, 2009 9:10 AM CDT up reply actions
"To describe taking PEDs as immoral is insane."
I suppose. But to describe cheating as immoral is very sane.
it seems people are confusing ethics and morals
baseball is a game of outs......pop out, ground out, line out, pitch out, strike out, fly out, and Fox and Bud's favorite black out
Not that simple of an equation
You are correct in that it was not banned at the time. I wrote that because the previous poster seemed to be talking in the present sense, where it is banned.
Further, even in Parque’s time, I believe that the scope of cheating is broader than simply a list of banned substances. Even he describes taking the HGH as “unethical decisions” he made.
If you know something is not beneficial for the human body (long term), and that most of your competitors would not take it, I believe that it is cheating to take the substance in order to gain an unfair advantage over someone who was not willing to take that risk with their body. “The player was screaming that failure was not an option and never was. It wanted baseball to stay and would stop at nothing to preserve my livelihood.”—that’s not the sort of behavior society should reward.
I read the interview.
It’s clear that Parque views the decision as unethical. I think he’s being overly critical of himself, though. I don’t consider taking a non-banned substance cheating. Yes, it gives him an edge, but that doesn’t mean it’s cheating. I’m also not condoning his behavior. Taking substances that have not been studied in depth is not a good thing. But that doesn’t mean he cheated.
Not a hit man, so don't worry.
But maybe I am an IRS auditor. What is you full name and scoial ? ( Joking)
Easy to say that you do have a choice, but unless one is independently wealthy or has other means of support, real life responsibilities and obligations make the decisions difficult at times.
by Southside Steve on Jul 23, 2009 12:24 PM CDT up reply actions
people have to look at the choices often
and take the lesser of two evils.
in this case, a job that is unethical or immoral vs family needs.
Look, I am a bill collector, not exactly the most ethical or moral job out there, but i make decent money, and there is a way to take the garbage the job feeds me and make the best of it. I personally love when I have a customer on the phone about something and I can help them thru it instead of having to be rude or demanding.
baseball is a game of outs......pop out, ground out, line out, pitch out, strike out, fly out, and Fox and Bud's favorite black out
That made me laugh
Maybe the choice is just to be looking for something you’d rather do. I’m not suggesting a person quit his job and ruin his kids’ lives. Choices don’t always play themselves out in a moment. Hey, and what’s immoral about being an IRS auditor anyway?
in an ideal world, you're right, of course
I have always told my kids to pursue something that makes them happy, that they are passionate about. Otherwise, you end up doing something you have to do rather than somethig you want to do. Big difference. Unfortunately, one of my kids is passionate about playing video games
by Southside Steve on Jul 23, 2009 12:49 PM CDT up reply actions
I'm not quite getting the chronology here
He took it after the 2002 season? But stopped taking it after “about six” (WTF? “ABOUT?”) injections.
He wasn’t taking it when he came back with the Rays??
And according the player page provided next to his link, he made a comeback and is in the Mariners system now.
I confused.
There is no such thing as an ugly female breast
He attempted a comeback in '07
Then the Mitchell Report came out, naming him. He then re-retired, and apparently has been coaching ever since.
Parque
To be honest, I stopped reading this article when Parque suggested that kids can learn from his mistakes. Why is it that kids should learn from the guys that are morally bankrupt or unscrupulous? I’m sorry Jim but kids should learn from those that have the strength, confidence and moral aptitiude to know right from wrong the first time around rather than the second or third or fourth. I don’t find stories like these particularly enlightening other than to point out the failings of guys that desperately want to do something that perhaps they just aren’t good enough at doing.
Who needs a stinkin' tag line? What are they for anyway?
Let's be honest. People always learn from the mistakes of others. If that were not the case, no one would
ever be given a chance to learn from a mistake and turn their life around. Of course kids should learn from a guy like Parque. They should learn that the ends don’t always justify the means and thet there is a cost to pay for cheating. Yes, kids should learn from positive role models, but people are human beings with faults. To suggest that they should only be exposed to positive experiences is naive. The world doesn’t work that way. An individual need to see the negative to have a healthy respect for the positive. Seeing people that have made bad choices prepares a child for life. Otherwise, when confronted with a real negative choice in life, a child will not be prepared to deal with the consequences of that negative choice.
No one is advocating holding a parade for Jim Parque, but we can learn from his experience. He made a choice that he now regrets. If a person can see the remorse that he now feels and can call on that when given an opportunity to choose decides he does not want to be in the position of having to regret a decision, then this will be a positive.
"Hats for bats.....keep bats warm." - Pedro Cerrano
"Hey bartender, Jobu needs a refill !!!!!!!" - Eddie Harris
by willie mays hayes' gloves on Jul 23, 2009 9:25 AM CDT up reply actions
Well said.
I think Parque helps put a more human face on PED use – he wasn’t a star and had fringe Major League stuff. It’s a solid insight into how the difference between hanging on in the Major Leagues (and making enough money to support one’s family) and bouncing around the Minor Leagues (a fairly decent gap exists in the paychecks).
Whenever I get into the PED debate, these are the type of guys I think about. And I’m glad Parque has shed some light onto the psyche of an athlete as opposed to giving an “I’m sorry for my mistake,” blanket answer.
I love to play baseball. I'm a baseball player. I've always been a baseball player. I'm still a baseball player. That's who I am. - Ryne Sandberg
Meh
Much of what you said I agree with. Some of it I don’t. Of course it’s an analogy but I highly doubt anyone needs to see another person murdered for them to know that what occurred was wrong. By the same token, nobody needs to hear it from Jim Parque that taking PED’s is wrong.
So Jim Parque had to make a decision whether to keeping living his dream or find regular work. Welcome to reality. His body couldn’t handle the rigors of professional baseball at its highest level and he had to decide if he wanted to artificially enhance it. He chose to do so. Whether that is as grave a sin as it may appear to some, he alone has to deal with his decision. At the end of the day, his failing as a human being can only be reconciled by him alone. To even remotely put the onus on another person and use the tagline of “What would you do” is silly and self-serving.
Parque mentions that when his name surfaced in the Mitchell Report, attendance at his facility went up 30 percent. Forgive me for having at least a passing notion that this “unsolicited” admission may at least be designed to generate further interest in his facility. He says so himself…as long as it doesn’t hurt anyone, he’ll do whatever he can to take care of his family financially.
I really could care less about Jim Parque and quite frankly don’t care who did or who didn’t take PED’s in MLB. But only Parque can answer but if in any way he is using this new-found “celebrity” as a means of enhancing his own personal financial statement, Mr. Parque is much more morally decrepit than even a PED admission can detail.
Who needs a stinkin' tag line? What are they for anyway?
mistakes get press
“boy scouts” do not. that is a HUGE problem with the media IMHO.
baseball is a game of outs......pop out, ground out, line out, pitch out, strike out, fly out, and Fox and Bud's favorite black out
Why?
To paraphrase Chris Rock… “You’re SUPPOSED to not do drugs”
“You’re SUPPOSED to not cheat”
I’m so sick of the “give someone a cookie for not doing drugs or admitting they did drugs” school of life.
There is no such thing as an ugly female breast
I agree
that good doesnt deserve “treats” but to keep the bad always on the front page does screw things up at the same time.
baseball is a game of outs......pop out, ground out, line out, pitch out, strike out, fly out, and Fox and Bud's favorite black out
“In the corrupted currents of this league
Offence’s gilded hand may shove by justice,
And oft ’tis seen the wicked prize itself
Buys out the law; but ’tis not so above:
There is no shuffling.”
William Shakespeare
Forget all that other stuff. I gotta believe.
by drewishdrewid on Jul 23, 2009 2:03 PM CDT up reply actions
I've created a monster
I'm singing, "GO CUBS GO! GO CUBS GO!" -- DrCrawdad on Jun 12, 2009 7:23 AM CDT
Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true! -- Homer J. Simpson
by Shanghai Badger on Jul 23, 2009 2:06 PM CDT up reply actions
I must be cruel only to be kind;
Thus bad begins, and Astros remain behind.
Forget all that other stuff. I gotta believe.
by drewishdrewid on Jul 23, 2009 2:26 PM CDT up reply actions
so purty
baseball is a game of outs......pop out, ground out, line out, pitch out, strike out, fly out, and Fox and Bud's favorite black out
"In the spring time, the only pretty ring time,
When birds do sing, hey ding a ding;
Sweet Cub Fans love the spring."
Forget all that other stuff. I gotta believe.
by drewishdrewid on Jul 23, 2009 3:14 PM CDT up reply actions
thank you for using your wisdom and grace
taking the negative of all we see, read and hear
putting our minds into a better place
as we open another Old Style Beer
baseball is a game of outs......pop out, ground out, line out, pitch out, strike out, fly out, and Fox and Bud's favorite black out
very nice
Forget all that other stuff. I gotta believe.
by drewishdrewid on Jul 23, 2009 3:36 PM CDT up reply actions
Easy to understand why Parque was drawn to steroids
There are a lot of professional baseball players whose careers live on the fringe. They’re just not quite good enough to make the leap to the exclusive fraternity that is major league baseball, hence some are incentivized to do whatever it takes. This is a conscious choice that Parque made. And you can bet the ranch there were many other fringe talents who made the same choice before testing programs becoming fully implemented.
Cubs will win 79 to 83 games. Season has been over for weeks. St. Louis will eventually run away with this division. And you can print it. BLou (7/21/09)
Where do you see the word steroids in this article?
This had nothing to do with him being a fringe player, and everything to do with him believing the myth that HGH improves recovery time from injuries.
it's interesting
I wonder if there was any placebo affect. He says he took it six times, and his arm had no pain. Is that even possible? I’ve had cortisone shots in my knee, and I sure as heck still feel pain there…
Forget all that other stuff. I gotta believe.
by drewishdrewid on Jul 23, 2009 11:24 AM CDT up reply actions
I know that
but is it THAT good?
Forget all that other stuff. I gotta believe.
by drewishdrewid on Jul 23, 2009 2:03 PM CDT up reply actions
Please back that statement up.
Provide evidence at all that it a) helps healthy adult males heal faster from injuries or b) that it improves athletic performance or strength.
There are numerous studies that indicate a) and b) are both untrue.
I can't back that statement up with hard science.
There just haven’t been nearly enough studies to prove the beneficial effects of HGH. But there aren’t numerous studies that show that there aren’t any . Anecdotal evidence definitely suggests that there are. Yeah, it might just be the placebo effect, but the bottom line is we don’t really know. Bottom line, HGH is banned. Cortisone is not.
I can.
But there aren’t numerous studies that show that there aren’t any .
Actually, yes there are. Here’s a great starter on the subject from Sabernomics.
Here’s a really great quote on HGH:
A number of studies have shown that use of human growth hormone does not increase muscle strength in healthy subjects or well-trained athletes. Athletes who have tried human growth hormone as a training aid have reached the same conclusion. The author of one book targeted at steroid abusers observed that "[t]he most curious aspect of the whole situation is that I’ve never encountered any athlete using HGH to benefit from it, and all the athletes who admit to having used it will usually agree: it didn’t/doesn’t work for them." (pp. 9-10)
The source of that quote? The Mitchell Report. Apparently people in the media were too busy looking through the report for player names to actually read that paragraph though, as they continue to perpetuate this dangerous myth.
I trust you were responding to BLou and not me.
I did not mention steroids. (Use the reply button if you are replying to a specific comment, it helps everything thread better. Thanks.)
"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra
I know how to use the reply button Al
Often times when the post you’re replying to is the last in the thread, it’s easy to accidentally use the reply box at the bottom of the page, especially if you move to a different tab and come back to the page.
It was meant to be a reply to BLou.
Yeah, I know.
I’ve asked to have those boxes made more distinctive so you realize it’s a new comment rather than a reply. Thanks for understanding.
"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra
cuz every word in the dictionary means someone is using Steroids
to BLou
baseball is a game of outs......pop out, ground out, line out, pitch out, strike out, fly out, and Fox and Bud's favorite black out
Was this necessary to post Al?
Because someone could read this article and then decide to go find HGH and use it and you would become an accomplice.
As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.
by santoswoodenlegs on Jul 23, 2009 12:54 PM CDT reply actions
due solely to your photoshop posting on this site
I have become addicted to red-heads riding unicorns and weird street signs. I can’t help myself anymore.
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