its so reeeeeall

[Mad]

It taints Sammy's previous accomplishments.

Is this a worse offense then what Pete Rose did to keep him out of the Hall of Fame?

[Arpikarhu]

[Galt]

I know say it was an accident.

If you look at the pictures of him warming up in the batter's box, you can see where the hole was cut in the top of the bat. I have yet to see anyone comment on this, but it looks plain as day that it is corked just from looking at the top of the bat.

I'd think if you were going to cork a bat to use in a game, you'd try and hide it better.

[Arpikarhu]

give me a break!! his excuse is horseshit!! there is no fucking reason in the world that a corked bat should be within a mile of a major league stadium. he cheated. end of story. should he burn for it? no. should he be punished and remembered forever as a cheater? yes.

[Mad]

I find it very hard to condemn someone for life without a full and fair hearing into the matter.

Whatever happen to due process and the presumption of innocence?

What if it's an honest mistake or maybe somebody set him up?

You don't know and if it was you in that situation you would like the same treatment before being hung, right?

[HedCold]

the thing i find weird (which has been mentioned a few places) is he didn't go running out to pick up the bat after it shattered. normally players go and run that thing down after the play before the ump can see it

[GonzoStyle]

It puts a damper on his past accomplishments.

But I also agree with what many people have said, that corking really doesn't add any power. It takes less than one ounce, most times only half an ounce off. Plus it doesn't add much if any power to the swing, it's basically a mental thing. It may help an infield out turn into a single, but it won't blast a home out of a sac fly, especially turn a sac fly into a 550 homer. Maybe he'd have had 470 homers if he did in fact use corked bats before, maybe he'd still have 505, I just believe its not much of a factor. But still it is illegal in the sport of baseball.

But no one took away from Ryans 5,000+ K's or HOF credentials when he was caught scuffing balls.