The steroid era of baseball took place from the late 1980s through the early 2000s, where home runs increased to record levels. The sudden spike was due to PEDs, or performance enhancing drugs. Steroid testing did not begin until 2003. In 1998, McGwire hit 70 home runs to set the MLB mark, and just 3 years later, Barry Bonds hit 73. Bonds would go on to hit 762 for his career and rack up 7 MVP awards, both MLB records. These achievements would become tainted in the years that followed. In a time where guys were hitting 50, 60, and 70 home runs a season, many players were overlooked, including when they eventually made it to the Hall of Fame ballot. This video will highlight some of the most under appreciated hitters that played during the steroid era.
Players relevant to the video: Mark McGwire, Barry Bonds, Carlos Delgado, David Ortiz, Jim Thome, Manny Ramirez, Albert Belle, Sammy Sosa, Jim Edmonds, Albert Pujols, Scott Rolen, Edgar Martinez, Willie McCovey, Willie Stargell, John Olerud, Larry Walker, Jason Giambi, Rafael Palmeiro, Jose Canseco, Jeff Bagwell, Ken Griffey Jr., Jeff Kent, Andres Galarraga, Dante Bichette, Vinny Castilla, Ellis Burks, Ken Caminiti, Kenny Lofton
0:00 Intro
1:04 Carlos Delgado
2:55 Manny Ramirez’s Shadow
4:51 Hall of Famers’ Shadow
6:33 John Olerud
8:21 Mark McGwire’s Shadow
11:11 Barry Bonds’ Shadow
13:05 Big Cat
15:21 Blake Street’s Shadow
16:37 Cleveland’s Shadow
18:02 Conclusion
#mlb #1990s #baseball
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Outro: “Anamorphic” by baegel
Additional tags: Baseball steroid era, baseball juicing, PEDs, underrated players of 1990s baseball, underrated players of 1980s baseball, underrated players of 2000s baseball, overshadowed players in steroid era, Blake Street Bombers, 30/30 club, Big Cat, players in the shadows PED era, players in the shadows steroid era, underappreciated baseball players, gold glove, silver slugger, MVP, Hall of Fame, most career walk-off home runs, Carlos Delgado, Jim Thome, Jim Edmonds, John Olerud, Fred McGriff, Jeff Kent, Andrés Galarraga, Ellis Burks, Kenny Lofton, Hall of Fame snubs
Sources:
https://www.baseball-reference.com
https://stathead.com
https://www.thesportster.com/baseball/top-20-most-underrated-mlb-players-of-the-steroid-era/
https://www.nytimes.com/1999/02/19/sports/baseball-cancer-puts-galarraga-on-sideline-for-season.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/15/sports/baseball/15jeffkent.html
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Thank you for this list. I was shocked to see my three childhood faves as the first 3 on your list (Thome, Delgado, and Edmonds) and wish they were given more credit by mainstream baseball. Some of the best lefties who were quiet and clean professionals
Lofton was really amazing– especially when you consider he won those 4 Gold Gloves going up against people like Burks & Griffey.
Bonds, Clemens and McGwire should all be in the HOF. I pass on Rose (he was basically a singles hitter anyway and his last 10 years were horrible (playing 1b to boot).
I grew up on the ped era it was so good so fun I loved it.
Mark Grace, career .300, 500+ doubles, rarely stuck out, amazing defense and the most hits in the ‘90s… just wasn’t a power hitting 1st baseman..
Thank you so much for highlighting andres galarraga!!! ❤
I do not care if Bonds used steroids, that dude deserves to be in the HOF. How you have your all time home run leader NOT in the HOF is a travesty and a joke to MLB.
Great vid…man, could you do a vid on Harry Carey, the legendary voice of the ChiCubs? I was a teen in the 80-90's and watched the Cubs (with cable, I could only legit watch the Cubs or the Braves, since this was before the MLB had broadcasting on ESPN or the other networks)…I loved listening to him call games.
Bonds deserves to be in the hall of fame. If pitchers were using peds than the hitters were only evening the score.
Troy Glaus
1:22
Good Old Cashmen Field Las Vegas
Replaced a few years ago with
The Las Vegas Ball Park
Beautiful AAA Ball Park & playing field
1B John Olerud & CF Jenny Lofton
Were both always on Winning Teams and Should Be HOF’s
I didnt watch a lot of baseball, but i did watch a ton of Slortscenter. I feel like Jim Thome threatened to jack 50/season for about a decade, but I could be wrong
Ron gant
Brian giles
I loved Edmonds. I wanted him on the Red Sox sooooo badly. He would've been even better playing at Fenway half of the time.
I love the "Shadow" idea.. can go much deeper in other videos for sure.
A phenomenal 5-tool player that the entire fanbase ALWAYS forgets is Ray Lankford. Guy was the staple of the Cardinals lineup before McGwire was acquired. 30-30 guy and was a terrific defensive centerfielder. Probably the single most overlooked player of the 90s.
Also Tim Salmon, Darrin Erstad and Jeromy Burntiz are names that come to mind in terms of incredible peaks that everybody missed.
Great list but Imho it could've been longer. The league was full of offensive studs during this era that were overshadowed by the big names!!
I don't know how Frank Thomas can be omitted since he had MVPs stolen by steroid cheaters and is the player most ripped off by the PED era. I guess the White Sox simply don't exist.
Lets see Albert Belle, Dave Parker, Deion Sanders, Keep Up The Good Work
I was really hoping to see Garret Anderson profiled. From 1997 to 2003, he was second only to Derek Jeter in hits in all of MLB, averaging 191 hits a year. From 2000-2003, he averaged .299 BA, .519 SLG, .844 OPS, 30 HRs, 120 RBIs, 46 doubles, 337 total bases, and 194 hits a year. He twice led the AL in doubles during that span, won 2 Silver Sluggers, received MVP votes in three of those years (finishing 4th in 2002), and shined in the 2002 post-season. He finished his career with a .293 BA, 287 HRs, 1,365 RBIs, 522 Doubles, 2,529 hits, 3 All-star selections, 2 Silver Sluggers, and a World Series ring. He is still my favorite Halo!