I hate to come across as simply bashing Lasorda just because he so far past his prime, but man, he is just so off base here.
"I don't believe that at all," said Lasorda, the longtime Dodgers manager. "He worked so hard. I saw him in the weight room working out all the time. Whatever (is in the book) is hearsay. I just don't believe it. He comes from a family that's full of good people.So if you're nice, go to church and have a family full of good people, there's NO WAY you could do PEDs? Is that so, Tommy? What say you about Pettitte? Wasn't Chad Curtis the biggest bible-thumper for years? By all accounts, the Giambi brothers are good guys, too. And Italian!
"I wouldn't comment on it if I didn't feel strongly about it. He has too much to lose. And he's such a nice young man. He goes to church, he's got a nice family. I know him. I know what kind of man he is and I just don't believe it."
Tommy, this sort of argument is what the stat guys have been facing with regards to the scouts for years: spare me your stories and tales and show me the data. Right now, Pearlman is putting up the data with at least one named player shining the light on Piazza.
Saying that "he worked too hard" to use PEDs is silly and beyond basic as a defense. PEDs don't turn a bad ball player into a HOFer, but they will boost a good player into something more. You still have to hit a round ball squarely. Tommy, my suggestion for you: You can tell everyone you doubt the claims but don't sign on as his defense attorney.
Thanks to The Common Man for the "Grandpa Simpson" idea via the comments.
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It should also be noted that one of the primary effects of steroid use is that it improves your rate of recovery, thus allowing you to work out more often. It is absolutely absurd that people like Lasorda say that guys like Piazza or Clemens didn't take PEDs because "they're always in the weight room." You can be there more often on steroids, and you really aren't going to see any performance enhancement if you AREN'T always in the weight room. People seem to be quick to forget that Canseco was one of the hardest workers on his teams, too.
Jake, that is absolutely SPOT ON.
If all one had to do was take steroids and sit in front of the TV, only getting up to pee and hit home runs, we could have all done it. And would have, too!
But PEDs help you only if you work your tail off AND have the god-given talent to hit a ball.
Frankly, I think both of you guys are forgetting that Lasorda is an octagenarian coming to the defense of his friend and surrogate son. Expecting Tommy to be rational about such things, at this point, is probably a lot to ask. A better question is why did the reporter decide this was newsworthy? As Lasorda demonstrated with his Team USA/WBC comments a few months ago, he's fully into his Grandpa Simpson faze where life was better back in dickety-two.
As for Piazza, I think he's just as likely as anybody else to be embroiled in this. I guess we shall wait and see.
The "Grandpa Simpson" comment is priceless and I will add a picture shortly.
That being said, I did try to couch my original comment noting that Lasorda was "so far past his prime". I don't want to berate an 80 year old guy for supporting one of his own, but his line of reasoning has more holes than the Brady Bunch busted vase.
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