January 11, 2010
Congratulations Ryno on you new job. Hope to see you in Wrigley very soon.
He mentions Greg Maddux coming back as a special assistant to Jim Hendry. Great news. Somebody who should never have been traded – the first or second time.
He says how he’s looking forward to this season and the great fans and being so close to Chicago.
SANDBERG:
I’m happy to be here….I’m happy to be back in the Midwest again.
Hall of Famer, man of class, Ryne Sandberg comments on steroid abuser Mike McGwire, who finally admitted what the world already knew.
Video courtesy of the Des Moines Register.
RELEVANT TRANSCRIPT FOLLOWS
Where you surprised?
SANDBERG:
It surprised me because he hadn’t fessed up to it or told what had happened. It’s just another shot in the arm to baseball what was going on for those 5 or 6 years. But then again to have the truth out there, I think that’ll help the fans and the game move on.
I don’t think it helps him in any way. He’s on the ballot for the Hall of Fame and he’s getting about 23-24% of the votes now and I think that number will just go down now, in my opinion.
Think he belongs there – he’s got the stats.
SANDBERG:
No. I think anyone who participated in steroids and inflated their numbers – that’s a big part of the Hall of Fame is stats – along with character values and integrity of the game. That’s like three strikes and you’re out — right there.
As far as Andre Dawson making it in? [Realize I never posted that. Congratulations Andre.]
SANDBERG:
I talked to the Hawk the day after he went in and it was great to talk to him. he was very excited. I just hope he gets to wear the Cubs’ hat when he goes in I think that is the only thing left to be decided. He had 10-11 good years with the Expos and then he came to the Cubs and was a teammate of mine for I think it was 6 years. But the ’87 season that Andre had was just phenomenal to watch. I was right there firsthand. He’s a Hall of Famer from the get-go and he’s a class guy on and off the field and he’ll be a great addition to the Hall of Famers.
More about McGwire from the article – not in the video.
Hearing the truth kind of hurts. It was such a negative thing for the sport to continue hearing kind of what went on. It’s kind of disturbing. He was a guy who kind of stole the show in 1998 with his home run year. It kind of puts that all to shame. It does not help him at all, from my conversations with members of the hall of fame — and also how I feel about it. Those careers are tainted.
As for Sammy?
“(He’s) under suspicion, so he’s in a little different category there. Only time will tell.
Here’s what he said about Sammy to Waddle & Silvy back in June when Sammy’s name was leaked as being on the 2003 list of players who tested positive. I was kind of hoping the press asked him what he thought of Sammy’s new look. Charles Barkley on Leno made clear what he thought.
