Sports Radio Interviews

Dale Murphy On Manny, Steroids And The State Of Baseball

Amidst all the supplements, and vitamins, and steroids, I personally tend to forget how much work athletes put in to their trade – mainly in track, and baseball for myself.  When you think of the diamond, it’s hard not to think about the congressional hearings, the juiced ball era, etcetera.  Former Major League Baseball star Dale Murphy is very much into preserving the basic principles of sport, especially with youth.  His website is dedicated to emphasizing what is right and what is wrong – simple ideas often forgotten on the money-making level of athletics.  Murphy’s clean-living habits were well known while he played – it’s no wonder he’s disgusted by what’s going in today’s game.  Murphy joined ESPN Radio Philadelphia to discuss Manny’s suspension, the state of the game, and performance enhancing drugs.

On the Manny Ramirez situation:

“Discouraged, disappointed.  It looks like the steroid era is not in the past.  Maybe this will be the straw that breaks the camels back as far as getting real serious about this.  We’re looking at the possibility of the 12 greatest players in the game, 6 of them not in the Hall of Fame.  If that is the case, what would other sports look like?… We’re sending the wrong message and the game of baseball will suffer from it and so will kids of future generations.”

Relating it to the real world:

“I don’t look at baseball players the same… This is totally unacceptable.  If any other organization of business was going through this, there would be some major action.”

On steroids:

“It’s affecting kids, affecting players, affecting the integrity of the game.  If you’re going to suspend someone for 50 games and welcome him back, what does that tell a young player?  Well, might as well try it.”

On Major League Baseball:

“The reputation of baseball is not good… We have our best guys ever in the game using steroids.  That’s what I resent, the message and the reputation of baseball.  I’m fighting for our reputation for the kids.  I don’t care if we have to kick a guy out of the league because it makes our league better…We will not have a day of mourning if someone is kicked out of the league because of steroids.”

Listen to Dale Murphy on ESPN Radio Philadelphia with Mike Missanelli

Tags: Baseball, Dale Murphy, Los Angeles Dodgers, Major League Baselball, Manny Ramirez, Performance Enhancing Drugs, steroids