Tuesday, July 2, 2013

MLB Steroid Era: Where Are They Now?

Major League Baseball is still working to clean up the game and rid the sport of performance enhancing drugs. While the battle may never end, most believe that the worst of it is over. The rampant use of PED's is a black mark on baseballs checkered past that has taken down several Hall of Fame caliber players. These larger than life athletes once ruled the sport, their ascent to baseball royalty quickly followed by tragic downfalls that leave them on the outside of Cooperstown, looking in.

While the baseball world awaits a decision from MLB on the latest PED scandal, here's a look at the most notorious steroid users and where they are now...

Jose Canseco: 

The former Rangers' slugger has played a key role in exposing rampant steroid use in baseball. After publishing two books, Canseco is still trying play baseball. At 48 years old, he is suiting up for the Fort Worth Cats of the United Baseball League. Canseco's bizarre personality keeps over 500,000 Twitter followers entertained on a daily basis with regular updates of his life in Las Vegas.

Mark McGwire: 

The former single season home run champ battled his way through the steroid scandal and managed a better fate than the rest of the players on this list. The slugger is currently the Los Angeles Dodgers' hitting coach and has managed to stay out of the bizarre limelight that the rest of the players on this list seem to find themselves in regularly. He has also become very philanthropic, creating a foundation to supports agencies that help physically and sexually abused children.

Sammy Sosa:

The baseball world was captivated by Sosa, the funny Dominican slugger who provided the perfect balance to McGwire in the 1998 home run race. Since his retirement, Sosa has been mocked in the media, first for his apparent change in skin color and most recently for his bizarre actions on social media. Despite being on the receiving end of countless jokes, it appears Sosa is spending his time helping others. He recently purchased the distribution rights for a needle free injection system known as Injex21.

Barry Bonds: 

The (un?)disputed home run king is hardly recognizable to the media and players who used to spend every day with him. Not only has the slugger shrunk down to a fraction of his "playing size", but he is also singing a different tune. Hoping to find his way back in to the baseball fraternity, Bonds shared with reporters that his persona was an act and that he is actually a likeable guy. Only time will tell if the Giants like this new likeable Bonds enough to offer him a coaching position.

Roger Clemens: 

Much like Canseco, Clemens has felt the need on several occasions to prove that he still has what it takes to play in the big leagues. Last August, he made a surprisingly impressive start for the Sugar Land Skeeters at age 50. Most recently, Clemens has been the subject of social media attention as he shares his thoughts on his career and his failure to earn enough votes to get into the Hall of Fame. While we're unsure if Clemens will ever attempt to toe the rubber again, we are certain we haven't heard the last from the Texan.

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