In steroids admission, McGwire leaves many questions unanswered

Slugger’s mea culpa seems self-serving and comes much too late.

Slugger’s mea culpa seems self-serving and comes much too late

Mark McGwire may have been a home run king on steroids, but in his live interview with Bob Costas, he barely doubled.

McGwire finally admitted what we all knew anyway: He used steroids.

He was contrite. In a mid-afternoon statement, apparently written by others (as his interviews in the evening did not include all of the same elements), he admitted using steroids.

He wrote, in part: “It’s time for me to talk about the past and to confirm what people have suspected. I used steroids during my playing career, and I apologize.” He also said he hoped to earn the support of the St. Louis fans when he puts on the uniform this spring as a hitting coach for the Cardinals. (Read his full statement here.)

McGwire’s Jan. 11 interview with Costas on the MLB Network had some serious flaws, undermining his credibility.

Although much of what he said was believable, such as his explanation that he was afraid to testify five years ago because he did not have immunity—his lawyers, whom he named, had advised him to stay silent—other parts were less plausible.

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