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Pretty much everyone agrees Brady Anderson was on the juice when he hit 50 home runs in 1996. I've always wondered why didn't he continue to hit for power? After his 50 home run season he hit 18, 18, 24, 19 8, 1 home runs. So what happened? In his prime Anderson looked like a mini Frank Zane. He must have been using the good stuff!
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Strikeouts are boring! Besides that, they're fascist. Throw some ground balls - it's more democratic.-Crash Davis -
1st, this made me wonder who Frank Zane was. Then, I figured maybe he came down with a case of ethics and deteriorated. But I'm not a steroid expert so I'm just spitballing here.Originally posted by Honus Wagner Rules View PostLast edited by 1905 Giants; 10-22-2012, 05:57 PM."The first draft of anything is crap." - Ernest Hemingway
There's no such thing as an ultimate stat. -
I guess I'm one of those naive guys who thinks Brady's '96 season was more of a fluke than and induced year. IIRC, almost everybody on that team that year had career bests or 2nd bests in HRs. It was an odd season for them. Now, he may have been taking something that helped him rehab faster since it was his 9th year and he only played 140 games or more in 3 previous seasons. i won't doubt that something may have indirectly effected him somehow, but he led off or hit second practically every game, so this isn't something I believe the team expected nor adapted to - possibly figuring he'd be typical Brady tomorrow at the start of each game.
But yeah, that season has to scream that something's up - true. I certainly didn't see it. I thought Jeffrey Hammonds was gonna be the next great thing out of Baltimore... oops."Chuckie doesn't take on 2-0. Chuckie's hackin'." - Chuck Carr two days prior to being released by the Milwaukee BrewersComment
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Frank Zane is my favorite of the old school bodybuilders, three time Mr. Olympia (1977-79). His generation was the last of the cool looking body builders before they got stupid with steriods, HGH, insulin, etc., and morphed into ugly looking monsters. Though it is likely Zane used steroids as well.
As For Anderson, I've read he did worked out like crazy as well.Strikeouts are boring! Besides that, they're fascist. Throw some ground balls - it's more democratic.-Crash DavisComment
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Yeah Zane used steroids, no question. It's possible Grimek and Reeves used them too. It was definitely in the sport by the era of Reg Park and Bill Pearl.Originally posted by Honus Wagner Rules View Post
Totally agree with you on Zane's era physiques HWR! The pre-Haney Mr. Olympias were all awesome. I think the best IMO was a guy that never won the Olympia, the late Serge Nubret.Last edited by Joltin' Joe; 10-22-2012, 06:55 PM.Comment
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--I've never understood why a 1 year spike suggests PED use. There was no testing. If steroids turned him into a superstar why would he stop after the one season? Players have had fluke great years throughout history. Ditto on Norm Cash and crediting his 1961 season to a corked bat. He didn't get caught using it and if it had been his ticket to the Hall of Fame why would he stop either?Comment
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Which is sort of what I was saying. In '96, there really wasn't any talk of roids. If anything, it started popping up in '99-'00, well after McGwire admitted to using "andro" to, IMO cut off later investigation. But yeah, in 1996, nobody was really calling out the roids card or PEDs as far as i can remember.Originally posted by leecemark View Post"Chuckie doesn't take on 2-0. Chuckie's hackin'." - Chuck Carr two days prior to being released by the Milwaukee BrewersComment
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All are suspect That's why steroid suspicion is a futile exerciseOriginally posted by Ben Grimm View PostThis week's Giant
#5 in games played as a Giant with 1721 , Bill TerryComment
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Brady may have stood out but in the AL, home run frequency went up.
AB/HR ratio is the more accurate to to use, even more so because of the two short seasons, 1994 and 1995.
AL...................AB/HR Ratio
1990-----------42.76
1991-----------39.73
1992-----------43.73
1993-----------42.22
1994-----------31.11
1995-----------36.45
1996-----------28.84<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
1997-----------35.59
1998-----------31.37
Significant drop in 1996, at bats per home run.
More of a puzzle, in 1996 the strike zone was enlarged, not by much but still enlarged, yet the AL home run frequency went up. The upper half was not changed in 1996 but the strike zone was lowered from the top of the knees to the bottom of the knees.
Brady way ahead of the league and also way over his head but may have had some help since the whole league was hitting them out more often. And the very next year 1997, the frequency has a significant drop.Last edited by SHOELESSJOE3; 10-23-2012, 07:35 AM.Comment
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The main talk in 1996 was whether the baseballs were juiced. I recall a BASEBALL WEEKLY BY USA TODAY in 1999 where they tested the bounces of 1000 balls to see whether there was any anomalous life.Originally posted by Ben Grimm View Post
There were steroids talk in 1987 following the publication of DEATH IN THE LOCKER ROOM and Pittsburgh Steeler Steve Courson's confession of NFL steroid use. 1987 was a big HR year in MLB and it was discussed.
Brady Anderson is an outlier. Freak seasons, check out Bert Campeneris' 1970 HRs; are part of baseball.Comment
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Even more curious are his home/road splits. HR 19/31 OPS+ 140/194Comment
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Of course he was a Roider *coughPagingLouisGonzalezhack*, everyone knew it.Comment
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At the time I think he was in Muscle and Fitness talking about using creatine which was a the latest bestest (pumping must ad dollarsest) thing at the time..Comment
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Interesting. His 1997 road numbers show more power and better hitting on the road too.Originally posted by Sultan_1895-1948 View Post
That's a lot of power for a leadoff batter.Comment
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Brady Anderson makes me think of that other Oriole slugger, Larry Sheets.Comment
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