Canseco Not Backing Down, Insists He Injected McGwire With Steroids

Sports News - January 13th, 2010 - Written By Bryan

A day after coming out about his steroid use, Mark McGwire is under fire from former teammate Jose Canseco. During McGwire's interview with the Associated Press, Canseco alleges that McGwire was not completely forthcoming with his admissions. During the 20 minute phone conversation with the AP, McGwire professed to over a decade of on and off steroid use throughout his Major League Baseball career.

As previously stated by Canseco in the slugger's tell-all book, Canseco claims that he injected McGwire with human growth hormone when they were teammates in Oakland from 1986-92. McGwire said in an interview with Bob Costas in the MLB Network that Conseco's claim were simply untrue.

"I've got no problems with a few of the things he's saying, but again, it's ironic and strange that Mark McGwire denies that I injected him with steroids. He's calling me a liar again," Canseco remarked on "The Waddle & Silvy Show" on ESPN Radio. "I've defended Mark, I've said a lot of good things about him, but I can't believe he just called me a liar."

Conseco is the author of the infamous book, "Juiced" that created the initial investigation into steroid use in baseball, even prompting congressional hearings back in 2005.

He also says that there was no way McGwire's manager in St. Louis, Tony La Russa, had no knowledge of the slugger's steroid use until a phone call on Monday.

"That's a blatant lie," Canseco said in the ESPN interview. "Tony La Russa was quoted as saying that I was using steroids back then, and I was talking about it in the clubhouse, openly. That's a blatant lie."

Canseco did say in the interview that he has always been, and remains a fan of McGwire's. In his opinion, McGwire would have still broken the single-season home run record without the use of performance enhancing drugs. He considers McGwire "the exception."

"He's such a talented individual," Canseco remarked.

McGwire said in his initial statement, as well as in the interview with Bob Costas on the MLB Network, that he took performance enhancing drugs to recover quicker from injuries. Throughout his career, McGwire battled many injuries, and now insists that his steroid use was not for hitting the ball longer.

"I was breaking down. Just because I wasn't injured doesn't mean I wasn't breaking down," McGwire eluded. "I'm speaking from my heart, this is my opinion, with the good graces that God gave me, he gave me the strength to hit home runs."

Many speculate that McGwire came clean to clear the air before taking his newly acquired position of St. Louis Cardinals hitting coach, as he does not wish to create a distraction. Other's feel that this is McGwire's attempt to rebuild his legacy in an effort to possibly be inducted into the MLB Hall of Fame at some point. McGwire's HOF vote total has been on the decline since becoming eligible for induction.

As for his new job, McGwire's St. Louis Cardinals are currently going off at 13 to 1 odds to win the 2010 World Series, according to the MLB Betting Lines available at Bodog Sportsbook.