Former MLB closer John Rocker sat down for an interview with CBS Cleveland to discuss how much he misses baseball, mentioning that he believes steroids made the sport “better.”
“[O]f course back in the day, say 1993 or 2005, I mean, it was keepin’ up with the Jones’ … to level that playing field and keep my job,” Mr. Rocker said.
“Honestly,” he continued, “and this may go against what some people think from an ethical stand point, I think it was the better game. At the end of the day when people are paying their $80, $120 whatever it may be, to buy their ticket and come watch that game, it’s almost like the circus is in town. They are paid to be entertained. They wanna see some clown throw a fastball 101 mph and some other guy hit it 500 feet. That’s entertainment. You’re paying to be entertained.”
The former Atlanta Braves relief pitcher added that curbing the use of performance-enhancing drugs in the sport is unlikely, “due to the amount of steroid types available to today’s athletes,” CBS Cleveland reported.
In March 2007, Rocker was implicated in a steroid ring along with 1996 Olympic wrestling gold medalist Kurt Angle. He was also suspended for comments he made about gay men and minorities while answering a question about possibly playing in New York City.
• Jessica Chasmar can be reached at jchasmar@washingtontimes.com.
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