Delaney: Kent 'embarrased' by steroids
Jeff Kent couldn't have been more honest and upfront. About his chances for election to the National Baseball Hall of Fame, about steroids and his role as a former Major League Baseball player.
Kent, the 2000 National League MVP and five-time All-Star, played 17 years with six teams. He was in Cooperstown on Father's Day for the inaugural Baseball Hall of Fame Classic and won the pre-game hitting contest. Kent didn't hide his disappointment about the steroid allegations in baseball.
"I'm embarrassed about steroids," Kent said. "The players association (MLBPA) and Major League Baseball won't stand up and say 'we made a mistake."
Kent retired just in time. He played with Barry Bonds in San Francisco during the years baseball's all-time home run leader suspected of using steroids. The game's 'Steroid Era' took on some legitimacy in April when Alex Rodriguez admitted using while in Texas. Kent played for the Dodgers last season and was a teammate of Manny Ramirez after the trade from Boston. Ramirez was suspended 50 games last month for performance enhancing drugs. Kent did not specifically address Ramirez.
"We should've as a union and Major League Baseball, we should've adopted a drug policy and it wasn't done," Kent said.
He retired at the end of the 2008 season as the most prolific home run-hitting second baseman of all time (351). Kent's home runs as a second baseman are 74 more than Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg. Kent had 377 career home runs and was a .290 hitter. He finished in the top 10 in the league in RBI in six seasons, and drove in 100 or more runs from 1997-2002.
The numbers look good, but Kent is not ready to pose for a plaque.
"I've never been a baseball historian and kept track of the game," Kent said. "My history is in the past. I hope things stand up for the good."
Kent, the 2000 National League MVP and five-time All-Star, played 17 years with six teams. He was in Cooperstown on Father's Day for the inaugural Baseball Hall of Fame Classic and won the pre-game hitting contest. Kent didn't hide his disappointment about the steroid allegations in baseball.
"I'm embarrassed about steroids," Kent said. "The players association (MLBPA) and Major League Baseball won't stand up and say 'we made a mistake."
Kent retired just in time. He played with Barry Bonds in San Francisco during the years baseball's all-time home run leader suspected of using steroids. The game's 'Steroid Era' took on some legitimacy in April when Alex Rodriguez admitted using while in Texas. Kent played for the Dodgers last season and was a teammate of Manny Ramirez after the trade from Boston. Ramirez was suspended 50 games last month for performance enhancing drugs. Kent did not specifically address Ramirez.
"We should've as a union and Major League Baseball, we should've adopted a drug policy and it wasn't done," Kent said.
He retired at the end of the 2008 season as the most prolific home run-hitting second baseman of all time (351). Kent's home runs as a second baseman are 74 more than Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg. Kent had 377 career home runs and was a .290 hitter. He finished in the top 10 in the league in RBI in six seasons, and drove in 100 or more runs from 1997-2002.
The numbers look good, but Kent is not ready to pose for a plaque.
"I've never been a baseball historian and kept track of the game," Kent said. "My history is in the past. I hope things stand up for the good."
posted by Anne Delaney at
9:34 PM
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