February 19, 2005

Pudge No More: Ivan Rodriguez, who recently denied Jose Canseco's claim of being a steroid abuser, has entered spring training a full 22 pounds lighter than he was last season.

posted by rcade to baseball at 12:26 PM - 19 comments

Other than quitting steroids, how does a guy like Pudge lose so much weight in such a short time? After all, he wasn't really pudgy ;)

posted by billsaysthis at 01:27 PM on February 19, 2005

I suspect this will become very much the norm as the spring season continues. I can't wait to see what Bonds looks like. Who knows? Maybe bigger. Either way, it appears some have been scared straight.

posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 01:45 PM on February 19, 2005

maybe he just stopped eating fast food.

posted by goddam at 02:27 PM on February 19, 2005

Other than quitting steroids, how does a guy like Pudge lose so much weight in such a short time? Giardia? Works like a charm, trust me...

posted by lil_brown_bat at 04:19 PM on February 19, 2005

Anyone remember how different Giambi looked once he quit? Lost that dugout psycho look and the Frankenstein muscles. All of the steroid stories have such a Casablanca 'shocked, shocked to find there's drug use in baseball' air about them. These sports reporters had no problem hyping the home run derby years, ignoring pretty obvious signs that players were doping. You're going to tell me that you cover baseball for a living and didn't notice guys suddenly bulking up like the Incredible Hulk. Now the worm turns and they're all over drugs in baseball being bad for the game. What happened to games being games? Yeah, I'm carrying over my NHL bitterness to MLB - it's a bad week to be a sportsfan what with Bruschi and all the other crap.

posted by kokaku at 06:33 PM on February 19, 2005

All you have to do is look at the size of their heads.Bonds,Giambi,Pudge;Look at their pictures 2 yrs. ago,and now.Much smaller heads!!

posted by mckayx9x at 06:59 AM on February 20, 2005

If the NHL never played another game, would anyone notice(or care?).It,s time the fans spoke up by avoiding the NHL like it was bubonic plague.Anyone who goes to a game next season(if there is one)should have their big head examined!!

posted by mckayx9x at 07:08 AM on February 20, 2005

And speaking of non sequiturs...

posted by lil_brown_bat at 09:44 AM on February 20, 2005

I'll never understand why non-fans insist on telling fans how to behave toward a sport they have no interest in. To wit: if you don't like hockey and never liked hockey then shut yer pie hole, go back to watching Arena Football or NASCAR, or whatever you deem superior and leave the mess hockey made to hockey fans. We'll be ok, trust me. maybe he just stopped eating fast food. Hey, I'm all for innocent until proven guilty but it seems to require a heaping dose of 'benefit of the doubt' and given the size fo these guys I've run out of spoons big enough. I'm not finding it particularly difficult to smack the steriod stamp on just about anyone.

posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 11:16 AM on February 20, 2005

I love Pudge; when he was in Texas, his ability to gun down runners made every Rangers game I attended more exciting. This rapid weight loss, in the face of baseball's first legit steroid testing, is highly suspect. If his power numbers plummet this year, I think we can assume that he was one of the Rangers who's now making the early '90s squad infamous for 'roid abuse.

posted by rcade at 11:29 AM on February 20, 2005

Hey,Weedy,I used to watch the NHL when there 6 teams. Not this watered-down crap we have today.Used to go to Boston Garden in the late 60's and early 70's to watch REAL hockey.Don't tell me I'm not a fan,just sick and tired of over-paid primadonnas stiffing the fans once again.

posted by mckayx9x at 11:40 AM on February 20, 2005

Hey, I'm all for innocent until proven guilty but it seems to require a heaping dose of 'benefit of the doubt' and given the size fo these guys I've run out of spoons big enough. i was being sarcastic there weedy. giambi used the "stopped eating fast food" excuse to explain his weight loss last year.

posted by goddam at 02:51 PM on February 20, 2005

How can they have a league in any sport if nobody came to watch. We forgave baseball when they got greedy. It doesn't matter if it is owners or players. When they out- price the product for the blue collar fan we will see what happens.

posted by okiesodbuster at 07:42 PM on February 20, 2005

If nobody cares about hockey, I find it exceptionally odd that it would become the topic in a discussion of Ivan "Pudge" Rodriguez. He would probably have been a good netminder, at least when he was more bulked up. Are goalies allowed to throw the puck?

posted by rcade at 07:20 AM on February 21, 2005

... You're on to something - mass rule changes, adding a previously underused third dimension to the game.. By jove, I'm in.

posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 11:00 AM on February 21, 2005

For the last time, you don't automatically lose weight when you stop using steroids. Steroids help you gain muscle mass more quickly than you would otherwise, but you do not lose that mass when you quit, unless you also quit working out and eating. It is not at all difficult for a pro athlete to lose 20 lbs in an offseason if he wants to. Especially one who was a bit, uh, Pudgey, to begin with. The myths and misinformation out there about this stuff is staggering... All you have to do is look at the size of their heads.Bonds,Giambi,Pudge;Look at their pictures 2 yrs. ago,and now.Much smaller heads!! ...and this is one of the dumbest things I've ever read.

posted by Bernreuther at 09:59 AM on February 22, 2005

And what makes you so knowledgeable Bernreuther?

posted by mayerkyl at 11:56 AM on February 22, 2005

I've done actual scientific research instead of just believing what I read in the media. Also, I'm a certified trainer. And have used androgens in the past (no - nothing illegal). I believe that most of the players implicated have used steroids or banned substances. But when we're convicting them in our minds based on the fact that they lost weight we're simply off base. For instance, the fact that Giambi showed up noticeably thinner in 04 but weighed only 4 pounds less is more of an indicator that he was ON steroids, not that he had just stopped. But everyone immediately said "oh - he must be off the juice!" I've talked about this before on less grouchy days, with better presentation and evidence...

posted by Bernreuther at 12:56 PM on February 22, 2005

Hey Bernreuther:Open up your good eye !

posted by mckayx9x at 01:12 PM on February 22, 2005

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