Greenwell pitches for MVP

 

Ex-Bosox star says Canseco award tainted

By DAVID DORSEY

ddorsey@news-press.com

Published by news-press.com on February 16, 2005

 

Retired Boston Red Sox outfielder Mike Greenwell would like to lay claim to the 1988 American League Most Valuable Player Award, one he lost to admitted steroid user Jose Canseco.

 

"Where's my MVP?" said Greenwell, now a Fort Myers real estate developer and a volunteer assistant coach for the Riverdale High School baseball team. Greenwell graduated from North Fort Myers High in 1982.

 

"He's an admitted steroid user," Greenwell said of Canseco. "I was clean. If they're going to start putting asterisks by things, let's put one by the MVP.

 

"I do have a problem with losing the MVP to an admitted steroids user."

 

Greenwell said missing the award ? he finished second in the '88 voting ? probably cost him millions of dollars over the rest of his career.

 

"Every time you renegotiate a contract, if you're an MVP, you have a different level of bargaining power," he said. "But in honesty, I don't care about the money."

 

Canseco admitted on "60 Minutes" on Sunday that he used steroids. He will appear on the program again tonight.

 

Canseco detailed his account in his book, "Juiced: Wild Times, Rampant 'Roids, Smash Hits & How Baseball Got Big," which was released Monday.

 

MVP awards are voted on by the Baseball Writers Association of America. Gorden Edes, a member of the writers association and a reporter for the Boston Globe, does not foresee the organization stripping admitted steroid users of their awards.

 

Ken Caminiti, who died last year, won the 1996 National League MVP and later admitted to using steroids.

 

New York Yankees first baseman Jason Giambi won the 2000 AL MVP while with the Oakland A's. He told a grand jury last year that he used steroids before the testimony was leaked to the media.

 

"I can't imagine that they would do that," Edes said of stripping the awards from those players. "That's inconceivable to me. Like it or not, steroids were not a banned substance at that time in Major League Baseball. That would be like rewriting the rulebook after something happened.

 

"But I do think it could impact judgment when it comes down to Hall of Fame voting."

 

Greenwell said he never took steroids, not even after Canseco joined the Red Sox in 1995.

 

Canseco, notorious for striking out, often talked to Greenwell about hitting. Greenwell was known for being patient at the plate, and he rarely struck out.

 

Canseco, a career .266 hitter, compiled 462 home runs and 1,942 strikeouts in 17 seasons. Greenwell, a career .303 hitter, slugged 130 home runs and struck out just 365 times over 12 seasons.

 

"He said, 'You probably can't teach me to hit like you, but I can show you how to get power like me,' " Greenwell said.

 

According to Greenwell, Canseco suggested that he start using steroids as well. Greenwell declined.

 

"You're hurting not just the game, but other players," Greenwell said.

 

Canseco won the 1988 AL MVP unanimously after hitting .307 with 42 home runs, 124 RBI and 40 stolen bases for the Oakland A's. Greenwell hit .325 with 22 home runs, 119 RBI and 16 stolen bases that season.

 

Canseco received 392 voting points. Greenwell finished second with 242 points, and former Minnesota Twins outfielder Kirby Puckett placed third with 219 points.

 

Oakland swept Boston 4-0 in the American League Championship Series that year.

 

Greenwell said he considers Canseco a friend.

 

"We all make bad decisions in life, and that's his bad decision," Greenwell said of taking steroids. "If you are going to go out and bring other people down, you better be willing to face the consequences.

 

"I respect what Jose did in the game," Greenwell said. "I don't respect that (he used steroids), but I do understand how these guys get caught up in it. There is so much pressure to perform that guys are willing to do anything to stay on top."

 

Greenwell puts himself on that list. Pointing to the scar on his right elbow, he admitted to taking six cortisone shots in a nine-week span during the 1992 season. The shot helped numb the pain, allowing him to continue playing.

 

"Any doctor will tell you that you shouldn't take more than two in a year," Greenwell said.

 

Ellis Burks, who retired from the Red Sox last season after an 18-year career, visited Greenwell at his home during spring training last March.

 

The two talked about how they each lost MVP awards to admitted steroid users. Burks finished third in the 1996 National League balloting while playing for the Colorado Rockies. Caminiti won, and Mike Piazza, whose name has not surfaced in the recent steroid allegations, finished second.

 

"I don't think the league is going to do that, because what's done is done," Burks said of changing the award winners. "But I would like to see Mike Greenwell have the MVP because he had a helluva year."

 

Ted Ferreira, Greenwell's coach at North Fort Myers and now the athletic director at Ida Baker High in Cape Coral, would like to see his former player get the MVP.

 

Ferreira dismissed Edes' argument that steroids were not then a banned substance. The U.S. government made steroids illegal, with the exception of use with a prescription, in 1990.

 

"The use of it doesn't make it right," Ferreira said. "I think Mike has a valid argument. What if one of these NASCAR drivers did something illegal to their car?

 

"In high school, what do you do to a team that uses an illegal player? You take away their title.

 

"Mike Greenwell earned everything he got."

 

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He should've just used steriods. :plain

Greenwell is the man.. he should get it.

Ya the whoever finished behind Caminiti should get and Frank Thomas should get for finishing behind Giambi...probably wont happen

I saw that in the News-Press here and thought if it would happen or not. I also thought about should it happen. I am entirely undecided.

Piazza was behind Caminiti..

Giambi gives his back, Barry gives his six or so back as well if were gonna play that game. Caminiti gives one back. oh hell, everyone that won the award should give it back then.

Selig won't let anyone give anything back.