March 24, 200620 yr http://www.suntimes.com/output/cubs/cst-spt-sosa24.html 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.'''
March 24, 200620 yr Author 'body by booze' lmao. Gracie is legendary for his nights in Wrigleyville. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Yeah, that was pretty funny. Grace also loves to talk about "slump-busters" which is basically sleeping with the ugliest and fattest girl you can find to help you break out of your slump at the plate.
March 24, 200620 yr QUOTE(SSH2005 @ Mar 24, 2006 -> 12:28 PM) Yeah, that was pretty funny. Grace also loves to talk about "slump-busters" which is basically sleeping with the ugliest and fattest girl you can find to help you break out of your slump at the plate. I remember reading that, class act that Gracie.
March 24, 200620 yr All things that are obvious and we all know, but of course it's news since an ex Cub said it. Meh.
March 25, 200620 yr QUOTE(nitetrain8601 @ Mar 24, 2006 -> 10:37 AM) I actually liked Grace throughout his career. So did I. I was very happy to see him win at all with the D-backs right after the Cubs gave him the boot.
March 25, 200620 yr From time to time, just to satisfy the twisted sadistic side of my personality, I visit northsidebaseball.com. It's great reading all the Cub fans whining about this and that, but this morning is priceless. They are all ripping apart Mark Grace for his Sosa article, refusing to acknowledge that there "Sammy" was juicing. One guy even ripped Grace's talent. ( Most hits in the 90's, good clutch hitter) I have always liked Grace even though he wore that hideous blue uniform, thankfully he left the Northside in time to win a Title with Arizona.
March 25, 200620 yr QUOTE(whitesoxmurph @ Mar 25, 2006 -> 11:39 AM) From time to time, just to satisfy the twisted sadistic side of my personality, I visit northsidebaseball.com. It's great reading all the Cub fans whining about this and that, but this morning is priceless. They are all ripping apart Mark Grace for his Sosa article, refusing to acknowledge that there "Sammy" was juicing. One guy even ripped Grace's talent. ( Most hits in the 90's, good clutch hitter) I have always liked Grace even though he wore that hideous blue uniform, thankfully he left the Northside in time to win a Title with Arizona. This stuff is CLASSIC! I never thought Cubs fans would defend Sammy Sosa over Mark Grace. Sammy's HR totals from 1993-2003 Code: 93 33 94 25 95 36 96 40 97 36 98 66 (McGuire chase, Maris and Mantle had a similar chase in 61 with each having career years in HRs) 99 63 00 50 01 64 02 49 03 40 To me that looks like a typical career arc for a power hitter. 2001 actually markes the down slope of that arc. LOL, a 30 Homerun jump in one year is very typical of a power hitter. Grace is a moron. First off, he exaggerated Sammy's weight. He probably went from 185 to 225-230. Secondly, that can happen naturally, it usually happens at a much younger age, but it definitely happens all the time. Thirdly, again no proof. Everyone else linked to the HR steroid era has had someone come out and say they witnessed the person using or know for a fact that the person has had possession of steroids. followed by: Correct. Grace is flat out wrong. A guy most certainly can gain 30-40 pounds of bulk if he works at it. Confusing times on the Northside these days....
March 30, 200620 yr This just reinforces the "Stupid Cub fan" thing. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Yup. I bet they think Grace was a greedy bastard when he left, but the truth is, the Cubs treated him like garbage.
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