The integrity of baseball has officially come under siege. For years, baseball experts have been trying to explain the recent offensive explosion with a myriad of theories. We have heard time and time again that the baseballs are being wound tighter creating a harder ball that will fly farther. The size of new fields and the height of the pitchers mound have entered the fray. Batter’s emphasis on the long ball has been suggested. On Monday, a book by Jose Canseco will add fuel to a new, and more damaging theory. In this book, which major theme is steroids, Canseco will “name names,” and implicate some of the best players the game has to offer, putting some of the game’s most sacred records in question.

First of all, who is Jose Canseco, and should we listen to a word he says? Jose Canseco was, in his day, one of the best players in the game. He has won the MVP, and was one of the most feared sluggers baseball had seen in years. His career was filled with highs and lows including a 40/40 year, and an often replayed incident when a fly ball bounced off his head into the stands for a home run. As he neared one of the most sacred numbers in baseball, 500 home runs, he could not find a team to take him on as a DH. He retired short of the mark, and short of a free ticket to Cooperstown. His star has burned out, and, for a time, was banished from the spotlight. Many experts were left debating if he still as a ticket punched for the Hall of Fame based on his near miss of 500, and his reign as one of the game’s best players. He would have been a longshot based on how poorly he played defense. He was a DH for the last years of his career. So is his book a last stab at the spotlight? All he forfeited for the millions, and numerous spots on talk shows, was a pipe dream of a chance at the HOF. Maybe more seriously, he has broken a sports taboo by discussing the “Off the field” lives of players. Even more serious, he has actually has called out some of the game’s biggest superstars as cheaters. So far, in my opinion, he has little credibility, and seems to be shamelessly chasing one more stint in the limelight trying to pull some of the game's past and current stars down with him.

Is there any reason to believe him? Unfortunately, yes. There is a ton of circumstantial evidence to back him up. Also, one of the accused, Jeremy Giambi all but fessed up in a news conference. What is the circumstantial evidence? Once it is described, it becomes obvious.

The first thing to look at is the fact that steroid use is a known issue in all of sports. Ben Johnson was one of a few who actually got caught. Many more athletes have drawn suspicion. A former football player, Lyle Alzado, wrote an article published in Sports Illustrated entitled, "I Lied," where he admitted that he had cancer that he blamed on years of steroid abuse. He claimed that the number of people using steroids in football was shockingly high. Although classifying professional wrestling as a sport may be stretching it a bit, the former WWF, and current WWE has a long legal history in steroids. Hulk Hogan has admitted that a former star of wrestling told him that he could build muscle while he slept. I, personally have no direct evidence, but heard hundreds of claimed first hand knowledge about football players at the college I attended. It was considered taboo to talk about the personal lives of former teammates and players. Lyle Alzado had made some big accusations in his story, but Jose Canseco has named names.

Next to look at is the previously mentioned offensive explosion baseball has seen recently. Many of the game's most sacred numbers, including 61, and 600 have gone by the wayside. Experts can try to explain it by a grassy knoll theory if they want to, but Murphy's Law has few exceptions. The simple explanation in this case is that the players are cheating.

Maybe a more convincing argument that points to an honest Canseco is injuries. Thirty years ago you would be hard pressed to find anyone outside the medical field who would be able to tell you what ACL stands for. Now, even kids can give you a detailed description of the anatomy of the joints. One common thread that the accused have is stays on the disabled list. Jose Canseco himself has had numerous stays on the DL. What is the link between steroids and injuries? It is in the nature of the beast. The human body keeps roughly the same number of smooth muscle cells through life. Some may die, but rarely are any new cells made. The body gets stronger by repeated exertion causing the muscle to create more power plant parts including mitochondria to cope with the increased workload. The more mitochondria and other internal muscle cell parts created, the bigger the muscle, and the stronger the person becomes. Anabolic is a term that roughly translates to building. Anabolic steroids literally cause the body to build more material in the muscles. They are chemicals that mimic body chemicals, usually hormones that tell the body to build more muscle mass. The muscles get bigger and stronger, and are capable of doing more work, but the ligaments, tendons, and cartilage remains unchanged. The muscles are doing more work and experiencing more strain, but the support system remains the same. The muscles are putting more strain on ligaments, tendons, and cartilage that are not capable of handling the new workload. The result is tears. Tears lead to stays on the DL. Repeated stays on the DL should be a red flag. I agree that because a player is injury prone does not mean that a player is juiced. I am not accusing Paul Molitor of anything. Repeated stays on the DL are merely red flags.

So, this article is by no means a smoking gun. I have seen nothing, and have no first hand knowledge. A major statistical anomaly such as an offensive explosion can be explained by many different means. Rashes of injuries happen. People can hit the weight room and put on a few pounds of muscle. Maybe all the tongue and cheek talks about steroids are merely the sports fan's version of the half empty glass. All the evidence put together paints a bleak picture. I never liked Jose Canseco as a player. I have no sympathy for him falling short of 500 home runs. I will cry no tears if he never gets elected to the HOF. I loathe the man for issues reported about how he treated his ex-wife. Do I believe anything he says? Will I believe any of his accusations presented in his book? Unfortunately, the evidence all fits. Canseco knows first hand what steroids do to a human body, and can spot signs and symptoms of abuse far better than me. Unfortunately, more for the game its self, I believe every word he has written, even before I have read them.