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Bases Loaded: The Inside Story of the Steroid Era in Baseball by the Central Figure in the Mitchell Report
Game of Shadows meets Ball Four in this explosive inside account of baseball’s steroid era
On a quiet street on Long Island early on a December morning in 2005, more than fifty federal agents stood outside a lovely new home waiting for the front door to be opened. When it did, there stood the central figure in one of the biggest scandals in sports history: Kirk Radomski.
Radomski was a regular New York kid who, from the age of fifteen had the amazing fortune of working in the Mets clubhouse. The focus of his job was to give the players whatever they wanted or needed—he got their uniforms ready, packed up their homes at the end of the season, cashed their checks, and helped them beat the drug tests that would have led to suspension. And at the end of the 1986 season he even led the World Champions down Broadway during their victory parade. Eventually, he graduated to helping in other ways: providing them with steroids and human growth hormones. By the time the Feds knocked on his door, he was the main clubhouse supplier of performance-enhancing drugs to almost three hundred baseball players.
Under threat of a long prison sentence—and after being identified by players he’d helped—he cooperated with Senator George Mitchell to produce the Mitchell Report, providing names and dates. Now he’s ready to tell the whole story to the world. Radomski made little money from these transactions, and in this stunning book he will recount what baseball knew about the problem, his life since the report came out, and who took what. This is the tale of a young man seeing his heroes turn into clay, and the degradation of a once great sport into the drug-addicted spectacle it has become.
On a quiet street on Long Island early on a December morning in 2005, more than fifty federal agents stood outside a lovely new home waiting for the front door to be opened. When it did, there stood the central figure in one of the biggest scandals in sports history: Kirk Radomski.
Radomski was a regular New York kid who, from the age of fifteen had the amazing fortune of working in the Mets clubhouse. The focus of his job was to give the players whatever they wanted or needed—he got their uniforms ready, packed up their homes at the end of the season, cashed their checks, and helped them beat the drug tests that would have led to suspension. And at the end of the 1986 season he even led the World Champions down Broadway during their victory parade. Eventually, he graduated to helping in other ways: providing them with steroids and human growth hormones. By the time the Feds knocked on his door, he was the main clubhouse supplier of performance-enhancing drugs to almost three hundred baseball players.
Under threat of a long prison sentence—and after being identified by players he’d helped—he cooperated with Senator George Mitchell to produce the Mitchell Report, providing names and dates. Now he’s ready to tell the whole story to the world. Radomski made little money from these transactions, and in this stunning book he will recount what baseball knew about the problem, his life since the report came out, and who took what. This is the tale of a young man seeing his heroes turn into clay, and the degradation of a once great sport into the drug-addicted spectacle it has become.
- GenresBaseballSportsNonfiction
256 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2009
6 people are currently reading
79 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
December 24, 2011
I couldn't put this book down--read it in 3 days. The story of a Met's "gofer", who gets into body building, and eventually into steroids, and human growth hormones, and then "helps" many of baseball players by showing them the correct way to take them. The author feels he helped the baseball players, with these substances, because they were not injured for as long, and could play baseball longer. It was a really interesting book, especially about how the owners knew and turned a blind eye, until they were forced to acknowledge the use of steroids.
It's an excellent read. And, according to the author, the use of steroids, and HGH is still done even today.
It's an excellent read. And, according to the author, the use of steroids, and HGH is still done even today.
May 25, 2021
This book epitomizes why I don't like reading books written by the people who "did the thing". This guy has his point of view, and it's clear he did basically no research outside of his experience. He's a terrible writer, but probably didn't think he needed an editor - it's his life's story after all. His bias and embellishment are easy to recognize.
If you cut out the percentage of this book that's just bad writing (repetition, over-explaining, run on sentences from poor word choice), it'd probably drop from 250 to 200 pages. If you cut out the percentage of this book that's unnecessary information (his over-detailed backstory, opinions on topics that feel uninformed, comparisons that didn't make any sense), this book probably drops to 125 pages.
Outside of being poorly written, it's just not an interesting story. Maybe his value is bringing light to the logistics of steroid usage? Boring. It does seem like he had a lot of names to give up that weren't previously known/proved - I recognized a few of those names, but he had nothing (outside of speculation) on any of the most famous names of the steroid era.
Finally, his approach is infuriating. He contradicts himself all over the place, making excuses at every turn. "Baseball was fine with it" is a terrible excuse - even if I believe that MLB was complicit, the author's perspective is not going to convince me of that, and he has zero outside research. "They were going to do it anyway, at least I had them do it safely" and "all I did was help people be healthier, this stuff isn't bad for you" are terrible excuses for a gym bro, not a doctor, with nothing but personal experience to mass distribute banned substances. He describes a player who went from "warning track power" to "over the fence power" but then says steroids didn't lead to the home run races - followed by random, shallow descriptions of all the other ways baseball is increasing offense. He wastes 15 pages personally calling out the players who claimed they never worked with him - why?
Also, don't insult me by saying fans don't care if players cheat, they only care about winning.
Terrible book.
If you cut out the percentage of this book that's just bad writing (repetition, over-explaining, run on sentences from poor word choice), it'd probably drop from 250 to 200 pages. If you cut out the percentage of this book that's unnecessary information (his over-detailed backstory, opinions on topics that feel uninformed, comparisons that didn't make any sense), this book probably drops to 125 pages.
Outside of being poorly written, it's just not an interesting story. Maybe his value is bringing light to the logistics of steroid usage? Boring. It does seem like he had a lot of names to give up that weren't previously known/proved - I recognized a few of those names, but he had nothing (outside of speculation) on any of the most famous names of the steroid era.
Finally, his approach is infuriating. He contradicts himself all over the place, making excuses at every turn. "Baseball was fine with it" is a terrible excuse - even if I believe that MLB was complicit, the author's perspective is not going to convince me of that, and he has zero outside research. "They were going to do it anyway, at least I had them do it safely" and "all I did was help people be healthier, this stuff isn't bad for you" are terrible excuses for a gym bro, not a doctor, with nothing but personal experience to mass distribute banned substances. He describes a player who went from "warning track power" to "over the fence power" but then says steroids didn't lead to the home run races - followed by random, shallow descriptions of all the other ways baseball is increasing offense. He wastes 15 pages personally calling out the players who claimed they never worked with him - why?
Also, don't insult me by saying fans don't care if players cheat, they only care about winning.
Terrible book.
April 18, 2023
RICK “SHAQ” GOLDSTEIN SAYS: “YOU LITERALLY COULD GROW MUSCLES WHILE YOU SLEEP!”
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kirk Radomski is a former New York Mets clubhouse boy who grew from a fifteen-year-old gopher… for multi-million dollar Major League ballplayers… doing everything from picking up dirty, sweaty, jocks… to picking up bats and balls… to sweeping up the sloppy aftermath of spoiled ballplayers post-game messes… and eventually graduated to become one of the main figures in Senator George Mitchell’s campaign to expose and “clean-up”… the awful… illegal… drug problem… that has stained… and tarnished… the grand-old-game-of-baseball. On April 26, 2007 Radomski “signed a plea agreement with the U.S. attorney in San Francisco, pleading guilty to one count of distribution of anabolic steroids and one count of money laundering.” The author admits wholeheartedly without even a stammer… or an excuse… that he was definitely guilty. And in addition to the illegal drugs… Radomski admits his involvement with illegal “corked” bats… and twice providing Doc Gooden with his own urine… to pass baseball drug tests. And it’s from this point… that this story is told.
I am an “old-school” baseball fan… and like most true fans… am mad at what has been done to the reputation of the game that was part of almost every American boy’s youthful dreams. Though this story is told from a different perspective than the Canseco books… there is one distasteful trait that both authors have in common. They are both so egotistical about their “talents” and “expertise” in the use of steroids… human growth hormone (HGH)… and all the other illegally used drugs that have damaged the game… and sullied… the holiest… of holy… records. Where Canseco would brag that he was the pioneer of steroid use in baseball… the Godfather of steroids… Radomski constantly brags that he knows sooo much more than any ballplayer about the proper use of these *ILLEGAL-DRUGS*. This bellowing braggadocio… is repeated… not just once… but over… and over… and over… again. Never do you hear either of these author’s ever utter… even one word… of remorse… for the illegal activities they were involved in.
Famous names of drug enhanced ballplayers… are spewed out like fastballs out of a pitching machine fully loaded. When the author is asked who was the first ballplayer he provided with drugs… he states that since he had become “the most reliable source in the game”… having given drugs to literally hundreds of players… he couldn’t remember for sure… who the first player was… but he thinks it was Lenny Dykstra. He then goes into great detail of Lenny’s use. From there the names that either bought from him… or came to the “Messiah” for advice… flowed like water over Niagara Falls… Denny Neagle… Ken Caminiti… Kenny Rogers… Paul Lo Duca… Rondell White… Eric Gagne… Todd Hundley… Mo Vaughn… and Kevin Brown… who Radomski said was the biggest A-hole of them all… and the list is almost endless. The egomaniacal character of the author is highlighted when he tells multiple players they’re using the drugs wrong… and they disagree with him… and he warns them of injuries they will incur… and boom!... in a blink of an eye… they all get the injury the “master” predicted. What bothers me the most about the author’s writing… is not that I doubt the names that are named… I absolutely believe that… it’s the hypocrisy that the author’s own words lynch himself with. And whether the author realizes it or not… he is also defeating the arguments of guys like Barry Bonds (who the author did not sell to… but states Bonds is the poster boy for someone who overindulges in multiple illegal drugs) that steroids doesn’t make a difference. *Here’s an example of hypocrisy*
A friend of his (by the way he only sold to “friends”… another statement he contradicts himself on) catcher Todd Hundley who “may have been the first player I supplied with growth hormones”…
The author writes of Hundley before he used HGH: “I LAUGHED AT PEOPLE WHO BELIEVED THAT PLAYERS LIKE TODD, WHO LOVED THE GAME AND WORKED INCREDIBLY HARD TO IMPROVE, OWED THEIR SUCCESS TO DRUGS.”
Yet five sentences later… when Hundley said: “Ok… I want to try anabolics. Can you put something together for me?” The author… two sentences later says: “DON’T BE SURPRISED IF YOU SEE YOUR HOME RUN NUMBERS DOUBLE; YOU’RE GOING TO HIT THIRTY, MAYBE EVEN FORTY.” And then two sentences later Radomski writes: “I’D SEEN TODD PLAY A LOT OF GAMES, SO I KNEW THAT FOR HIM STEROIDS COULD MAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE IN HIS POWER NUMBERS.”
Huh???
Turns out Todd had the best season of his entire career. He broke the single season home run record for a catcher, and the Mets home run record with forty-one.
There are other examples like this throughout the book. The names are probably true… but the cumulative statements… contradict themselves… and are illogical. And then there’s the “Canseco-like” uncontrollable ego:
“I KNOW BASEBALL’S EXECUTIVES AND OWNERS VILIFY MY NAME, BUT THEY OUGHT TO BE ON THEIR HANDS AND KNEES THANKING ME. IT WAS ME, AND OTHER PEOPLE DOING EXACTLY THE SAME THING, WHO ENABLED BASEBALL TO KEEP ITS STARS ON THE FIELD AS OFTEN AS PHYSICALLY POSSIBLE.”
“STEROIDS AND GROWTH HORMONES MAKE A POTENT COMBINATION-YOU LITERALLY COULD GROW MUSCLES WHILE YOU SLEEP.”
Reviewer’s final note: There are still no tests for HGH. Please Major League Baseball… do something to clean-up our once proud… former national pastime.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kirk Radomski is a former New York Mets clubhouse boy who grew from a fifteen-year-old gopher… for multi-million dollar Major League ballplayers… doing everything from picking up dirty, sweaty, jocks… to picking up bats and balls… to sweeping up the sloppy aftermath of spoiled ballplayers post-game messes… and eventually graduated to become one of the main figures in Senator George Mitchell’s campaign to expose and “clean-up”… the awful… illegal… drug problem… that has stained… and tarnished… the grand-old-game-of-baseball. On April 26, 2007 Radomski “signed a plea agreement with the U.S. attorney in San Francisco, pleading guilty to one count of distribution of anabolic steroids and one count of money laundering.” The author admits wholeheartedly without even a stammer… or an excuse… that he was definitely guilty. And in addition to the illegal drugs… Radomski admits his involvement with illegal “corked” bats… and twice providing Doc Gooden with his own urine… to pass baseball drug tests. And it’s from this point… that this story is told.
I am an “old-school” baseball fan… and like most true fans… am mad at what has been done to the reputation of the game that was part of almost every American boy’s youthful dreams. Though this story is told from a different perspective than the Canseco books… there is one distasteful trait that both authors have in common. They are both so egotistical about their “talents” and “expertise” in the use of steroids… human growth hormone (HGH)… and all the other illegally used drugs that have damaged the game… and sullied… the holiest… of holy… records. Where Canseco would brag that he was the pioneer of steroid use in baseball… the Godfather of steroids… Radomski constantly brags that he knows sooo much more than any ballplayer about the proper use of these *ILLEGAL-DRUGS*. This bellowing braggadocio… is repeated… not just once… but over… and over… and over… again. Never do you hear either of these author’s ever utter… even one word… of remorse… for the illegal activities they were involved in.
Famous names of drug enhanced ballplayers… are spewed out like fastballs out of a pitching machine fully loaded. When the author is asked who was the first ballplayer he provided with drugs… he states that since he had become “the most reliable source in the game”… having given drugs to literally hundreds of players… he couldn’t remember for sure… who the first player was… but he thinks it was Lenny Dykstra. He then goes into great detail of Lenny’s use. From there the names that either bought from him… or came to the “Messiah” for advice… flowed like water over Niagara Falls… Denny Neagle… Ken Caminiti… Kenny Rogers… Paul Lo Duca… Rondell White… Eric Gagne… Todd Hundley… Mo Vaughn… and Kevin Brown… who Radomski said was the biggest A-hole of them all… and the list is almost endless. The egomaniacal character of the author is highlighted when he tells multiple players they’re using the drugs wrong… and they disagree with him… and he warns them of injuries they will incur… and boom!... in a blink of an eye… they all get the injury the “master” predicted. What bothers me the most about the author’s writing… is not that I doubt the names that are named… I absolutely believe that… it’s the hypocrisy that the author’s own words lynch himself with. And whether the author realizes it or not… he is also defeating the arguments of guys like Barry Bonds (who the author did not sell to… but states Bonds is the poster boy for someone who overindulges in multiple illegal drugs) that steroids doesn’t make a difference. *Here’s an example of hypocrisy*
A friend of his (by the way he only sold to “friends”… another statement he contradicts himself on) catcher Todd Hundley who “may have been the first player I supplied with growth hormones”…
The author writes of Hundley before he used HGH: “I LAUGHED AT PEOPLE WHO BELIEVED THAT PLAYERS LIKE TODD, WHO LOVED THE GAME AND WORKED INCREDIBLY HARD TO IMPROVE, OWED THEIR SUCCESS TO DRUGS.”
Yet five sentences later… when Hundley said: “Ok… I want to try anabolics. Can you put something together for me?” The author… two sentences later says: “DON’T BE SURPRISED IF YOU SEE YOUR HOME RUN NUMBERS DOUBLE; YOU’RE GOING TO HIT THIRTY, MAYBE EVEN FORTY.” And then two sentences later Radomski writes: “I’D SEEN TODD PLAY A LOT OF GAMES, SO I KNEW THAT FOR HIM STEROIDS COULD MAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE IN HIS POWER NUMBERS.”
Huh???
Turns out Todd had the best season of his entire career. He broke the single season home run record for a catcher, and the Mets home run record with forty-one.
There are other examples like this throughout the book. The names are probably true… but the cumulative statements… contradict themselves… and are illogical. And then there’s the “Canseco-like” uncontrollable ego:
“I KNOW BASEBALL’S EXECUTIVES AND OWNERS VILIFY MY NAME, BUT THEY OUGHT TO BE ON THEIR HANDS AND KNEES THANKING ME. IT WAS ME, AND OTHER PEOPLE DOING EXACTLY THE SAME THING, WHO ENABLED BASEBALL TO KEEP ITS STARS ON THE FIELD AS OFTEN AS PHYSICALLY POSSIBLE.”
“STEROIDS AND GROWTH HORMONES MAKE A POTENT COMBINATION-YOU LITERALLY COULD GROW MUSCLES WHILE YOU SLEEP.”
Reviewer’s final note: There are still no tests for HGH. Please Major League Baseball… do something to clean-up our once proud… former national pastime.
October 8, 2011
Interesting book; kind reads like a guy trying to tell his side of the story and why he should not be punished as much as the authorities think. These books tell one side of a story so it's hard to tell how much to believe everything. Still, much of what he relates was reveled in the Mitchell Report so that provides some validation.
April 7, 2024
Anabolic steroids need garnered well-known recognition, but not just regarding debatable use within athletic also for his or her's amount in your subway economy. Even though stringent ordinances not to mention bans many cities, anabolic steroids frauds coveted, with the help of a variety of ınternet sites not to steroidsftw.org mention merchants selling these products available on the market. But, typically the availableness for these products comes with a assortment from negative aspects not to mention drawbacks, at the same time for ones individuals employ them not to mention for the purpose of the community by and large.
Typically the Appeal of Anabolic Steroids
Anabolic steroids are actually synthetic derivatives from testosterone, some hormone typically given the task of typically the expansion from a mans lustful elements. His or her's significant characteristic is almost always to improve body progression not to mention augment athletic functioning. This unique draw extends other than experienced joggers towards weight loss supporters, bodybuilders, perhaps even most people looking to advance his or her's looks.
Amount not to mention Availableness
The on-line world seems to have revolutionized in the same manner anabolic steroids are actually invested in not to mention made available. A variety of over the internet stands make available such products available on the market, sometimes without the need on a pharmaceutical. This unique availableness seems to have lasted much simpler for individuals to have steroids subtly, bypassing 100 % legal restrictions not to mention medical related oversight.
Negative aspects from Unregulated Usage
Typically the unregulated entry to anabolic steroids poses critical negative aspects towards at the same time vigorous not to mention subconscious healthiness. Such products cause all sorts of side effects, among them center challenges, poorly liver impairment, hormonal imbalances, not to mention psychiatric difficulties. Long-term usage can get considerably more financial risk from several types of cancer not to mention infertility.
100 % legal Ramifications
Typically the good discounts not to mention division from anabolic steroids without having a pharmaceutical are actually bootlegged many cities. Some of those busted merchandising and / or investing in such products might possibly have to deal with major 100 % legal drawbacks, among them fees not to mention imprisonment. What is more, typically the title from steroids for the purpose of non-medical objectives might be taken into consideration some transgression.
Honest Matters through Athletic
In your vein from athletic, having anabolic steroids it isn't just disallowed but more taken into consideration underhanded. Joggers what individuals vacation resort hotel towards doping financial risk tarnishing typically the stability health of their pursuit not to mention undermining considerable competing firms. At the same time, having performance-enhancing meds will offer far-reaching drawbacks, among them numerous medals, bans because of competing firms, not to mention scratches to the repute.
Medicine and health Concerns
Typically the clandestine mother nature herself of this steroid economy helps it to be complex towards track not to mention controll. This unique shortage of oversight poses concerns for the purpose of medicine and health gurus tasked with the help of protecting this drawbacks from steroid use. What is more, individuals choose steroids because of subway companies might possibly undoubtedly orient theirselves towards counterfeit and / or contaminated services, extra exacerbating health threats.
Typically the Character from Coaching not to mention Protection
Projects towards oppose typically the illicit good discounts from anabolic steroids needs to prioritize coaching not to mention protection. People comprehension efforts can really help disseminate adequate the informatioin needed for typically the negative aspects affiliated with steroid usage not to mention get the better of his or her's usage for the purpose of non-medical objectives. Besides that, medicine and health firms take up a pivotal character through looking for most people for drinking and driving not to mention rendering program not to mention solution for the combating steroid use.
Ending
Typically the option of anabolic steroids available on the market at the subway economy poses critical concerns for the purpose of people health and safety. Whereas such products might possibly provide short-term rewards through muscular body not to mention athletic functioning, typically the long-term drawbacks are generally major not to mention irreversible. It happens to be absolutely essential who policymakers, medicine and health gurus, and then the people socialize to handle the generator reasons that generate steroid use not to mention improve health boosting other options to produce weight loss not to mention functioning goals and objectives. Basically throughout concerted projects are able to we tend to reduce typically the harms for this illicit good discounts from anabolic steroids not to mention take care of typically the well-being of men and women not to mention groupings together.
Typically the Appeal of Anabolic Steroids
Anabolic steroids are actually synthetic derivatives from testosterone, some hormone typically given the task of typically the expansion from a mans lustful elements. His or her's significant characteristic is almost always to improve body progression not to mention augment athletic functioning. This unique draw extends other than experienced joggers towards weight loss supporters, bodybuilders, perhaps even most people looking to advance his or her's looks.
Amount not to mention Availableness
The on-line world seems to have revolutionized in the same manner anabolic steroids are actually invested in not to mention made available. A variety of over the internet stands make available such products available on the market, sometimes without the need on a pharmaceutical. This unique availableness seems to have lasted much simpler for individuals to have steroids subtly, bypassing 100 % legal restrictions not to mention medical related oversight.
Negative aspects from Unregulated Usage
Typically the unregulated entry to anabolic steroids poses critical negative aspects towards at the same time vigorous not to mention subconscious healthiness. Such products cause all sorts of side effects, among them center challenges, poorly liver impairment, hormonal imbalances, not to mention psychiatric difficulties. Long-term usage can get considerably more financial risk from several types of cancer not to mention infertility.
100 % legal Ramifications
Typically the good discounts not to mention division from anabolic steroids without having a pharmaceutical are actually bootlegged many cities. Some of those busted merchandising and / or investing in such products might possibly have to deal with major 100 % legal drawbacks, among them fees not to mention imprisonment. What is more, typically the title from steroids for the purpose of non-medical objectives might be taken into consideration some transgression.
Honest Matters through Athletic
In your vein from athletic, having anabolic steroids it isn't just disallowed but more taken into consideration underhanded. Joggers what individuals vacation resort hotel towards doping financial risk tarnishing typically the stability health of their pursuit not to mention undermining considerable competing firms. At the same time, having performance-enhancing meds will offer far-reaching drawbacks, among them numerous medals, bans because of competing firms, not to mention scratches to the repute.
Medicine and health Concerns
Typically the clandestine mother nature herself of this steroid economy helps it to be complex towards track not to mention controll. This unique shortage of oversight poses concerns for the purpose of medicine and health gurus tasked with the help of protecting this drawbacks from steroid use. What is more, individuals choose steroids because of subway companies might possibly undoubtedly orient theirselves towards counterfeit and / or contaminated services, extra exacerbating health threats.
Typically the Character from Coaching not to mention Protection
Projects towards oppose typically the illicit good discounts from anabolic steroids needs to prioritize coaching not to mention protection. People comprehension efforts can really help disseminate adequate the informatioin needed for typically the negative aspects affiliated with steroid usage not to mention get the better of his or her's usage for the purpose of non-medical objectives. Besides that, medicine and health firms take up a pivotal character through looking for most people for drinking and driving not to mention rendering program not to mention solution for the combating steroid use.
Ending
Typically the option of anabolic steroids available on the market at the subway economy poses critical concerns for the purpose of people health and safety. Whereas such products might possibly provide short-term rewards through muscular body not to mention athletic functioning, typically the long-term drawbacks are generally major not to mention irreversible. It happens to be absolutely essential who policymakers, medicine and health gurus, and then the people socialize to handle the generator reasons that generate steroid use not to mention improve health boosting other options to produce weight loss not to mention functioning goals and objectives. Basically throughout concerted projects are able to we tend to reduce typically the harms for this illicit good discounts from anabolic steroids not to mention take care of typically the well-being of men and women not to mention groupings together.
November 30, 2019
The ‘cone of silence’ of everyone in baseball during the steroid era - from commissioner to owner to GM to star to utility person - has always galled me. Instead of just being silent on the matter, anyone who will speak says they just didn’t know. What a bunch of hooey. Bud Selig in his recent autobiography comes closer to the truth when he blames the Players Association for erecting every kind of barrier in support of their membership, the vast majority of which were taking PEDs. This book is the tell-all by one of the central figures in the scandal. Radomski was a major supplier to players and broke the silence enabling the Mitchell Report to reveal the extent of usage. It’s very credible - Radomski was convicted of distributing illegal substances in the end. He freely describes how it all worked. Baseball owners, GMs, scouts, managers all knowing but not caring- meanwhile, players making very rational choices to extend and advance their careers (these drugs WORK - see Bonds, McGwire, Sosa, Clemens, et.al.). Of interest to Braves fans, he does name a few juicers along the way - Sheffield, Neagle, Justice - but name dropping is not what the book is about. In the end he acknowledges his guilt but wonders why it’s actually a crime. The business of baseball wants high performance and lots of runs, players want extended careers, and most of the public doesn’t really care. He predicts that baseball will continue to go through the motions w/testing (he asserts players know when their ‘random’ tests are coming) so they can say the situation is being actively managed, all the while knowing many are still taking illegal drugs - who cares? The book was written in 2009 and from all indications, he’s spot on.
November 25, 2025
Did not finish. If I am going to read a book written by a guy who sold steroids to baseball players, I want to hear some self-reflection, see some growth in self-knowledge, and maybe read some words of remorse. This author is all ego and no self-awareness. The excuses in the book are interrupted only by bragging about his unparalleled knowledge of the right steroids for every player. And oh, the contradictions. He argues that steroids can’t make a rank-and-file player into a super star, then boasts about this or that player putting up greatly improved numbers after taking the illegal substances provided by the author.
The one part I found amusing in spite of myself was his long description of Rondell White’s difficulty in understanding how to take the steroids. But it isn’t really funny.
Jeremy’s and RICK SHAQ’s reviews make excellent points about all the problems and contradictions in this book. I just couldn’t stomach any more of it.
The one part I found amusing in spite of myself was his long description of Rondell White’s difficulty in understanding how to take the steroids. But it isn’t really funny.
Jeremy’s and RICK SHAQ’s reviews make excellent points about all the problems and contradictions in this book. I just couldn’t stomach any more of it.
April 6, 2019
#37 of 120 books pledged to read during 2019
July 7, 2023
Good book, couldn’t put it down. Wished he talked more about the investigation, felt like he was repeating “I never meant for it to get this big”. Super interesting topic.
September 6, 2009
Kirk Radomski pled guilty to supplying steroids and performance enhancing drugs to major league baseball players, so it isn't surprising that his book names lots of names. After all, he'd already spilled the beans to the feds. But Bases Loaded is still a candid and fascinating inside the clubhouse look at modern baseball and its coddled, drug-using millionaire stars. Radomski's book recounts his own experiences hanging out with well known players. It also details many of the factors which push players to use performance enhancing drugs, including the privileged status and perks major league stars enjoy, the players' awareness or belief that others are using and getting a boost in performance, astronomical salaries and short careers, the bruising major league schedule and the tremendous pressure to perform, even when injured.
As perhaps might be expected, Radomski, although admitting that what he did was illegal, struggles to put a positive spin on his activities: I never solicited anyone, they all came to me, at least I knew what I was doing, I kept lots of players from hurting themselves, I was just trying to help my friends, if cortisone is legal, why shouldn't growth hormone be, etc., etc., etc. What's harder to understand is why so many players, including big stars making tens of millions of dollars, trusted Radomski to obtain drugs for them, to tell them what drugs to use, and sometimes to administer drugs to them.
Radomski had no medical training. He was simply a guy who learned about steroids at bodybuilding gyms, and gained experience with these drugs through self experimentation and experimentation on others. Radomski's clients never knew where he got the drugs he supplied them with, but trusted his word that they were what he said they were, and were pure and potent. They trusted him to tell them what drugs and what dosages to use. Based on his word, some of baseball's biggest stars put their health and careers at risk, and swallowed the pills and injected the contents of the vials he provided.
That Radomski enjoyed such a long career as baseball's premier drug pusher provides potent proof that steroids work. And that's the reason why drugs are such an intractable problem in baseball and indeed in all professional sports. Don't look for Bases Loaded to be the last book of its type.
As perhaps might be expected, Radomski, although admitting that what he did was illegal, struggles to put a positive spin on his activities: I never solicited anyone, they all came to me, at least I knew what I was doing, I kept lots of players from hurting themselves, I was just trying to help my friends, if cortisone is legal, why shouldn't growth hormone be, etc., etc., etc. What's harder to understand is why so many players, including big stars making tens of millions of dollars, trusted Radomski to obtain drugs for them, to tell them what drugs to use, and sometimes to administer drugs to them.
Radomski had no medical training. He was simply a guy who learned about steroids at bodybuilding gyms, and gained experience with these drugs through self experimentation and experimentation on others. Radomski's clients never knew where he got the drugs he supplied them with, but trusted his word that they were what he said they were, and were pure and potent. They trusted him to tell them what drugs and what dosages to use. Based on his word, some of baseball's biggest stars put their health and careers at risk, and swallowed the pills and injected the contents of the vials he provided.
That Radomski enjoyed such a long career as baseball's premier drug pusher provides potent proof that steroids work. And that's the reason why drugs are such an intractable problem in baseball and indeed in all professional sports. Don't look for Bases Loaded to be the last book of its type.
November 20, 2013
(First, I have to say that-at least as of the time I'm writing this review-the "descriptive blurb" about the book by Goodreads is totally wrong, as it seems to be referring to a memoir about the Huckabee presidential campaign run??? Someone please fix that ... )
As a diehard, lifelong baseball fan, here's what I've always thought about the "steroids scandal": Who cares? I just have a difficult time mustering up any sense of indignation about the whole thing. I wouldn't say I'm one of those fans who "just wants to see lots of home runs" but on the other hand I didn't have much of a problem with baseball looking the other way as some players tried to find an edge by using substances which at the time were not banned, were not illegal, can be used safely for their intended purposes, and pretty much WERE being used across the board. I realize others have many different opinions on this and I respect that.
I felt compelled to put that little bit of opinion out there before writing a review of this book. Now that that's out of the way, let me say that I found the book to be interesting and largely believeable. After all, at this point I don't think the author has any incentive to lie and he seems to take a realistic and largely non-vindictive approach to this account of his involvement in the scandal. I suppose he can be criticized by some for "name dropping" but, after all, this story is completely about "names" (i.e., who was using, and who wasn't ... ) so I didn't find that annoying. I did find it a bit BORING toward the end, as it seemed like he was trying to toss everyone he could think of into the mix regardless of whether it really added anything to the story or not. I might have been more interested in the "he said/he said" aspects of the book if I'd read it when it was first published; by now it's pretty much an old story. Probably for this reason I found the first half of the book much more interesting than the second half; his glimpses into the actual work of a major league clubhouse attendant were fascinating to me.
So, I'd say this would be an enjoyable book for anyone who's interested in the subject matter. Just don't expect to be blown away by anything you haven't heard many times before.
As a diehard, lifelong baseball fan, here's what I've always thought about the "steroids scandal": Who cares? I just have a difficult time mustering up any sense of indignation about the whole thing. I wouldn't say I'm one of those fans who "just wants to see lots of home runs" but on the other hand I didn't have much of a problem with baseball looking the other way as some players tried to find an edge by using substances which at the time were not banned, were not illegal, can be used safely for their intended purposes, and pretty much WERE being used across the board. I realize others have many different opinions on this and I respect that.
I felt compelled to put that little bit of opinion out there before writing a review of this book. Now that that's out of the way, let me say that I found the book to be interesting and largely believeable. After all, at this point I don't think the author has any incentive to lie and he seems to take a realistic and largely non-vindictive approach to this account of his involvement in the scandal. I suppose he can be criticized by some for "name dropping" but, after all, this story is completely about "names" (i.e., who was using, and who wasn't ... ) so I didn't find that annoying. I did find it a bit BORING toward the end, as it seemed like he was trying to toss everyone he could think of into the mix regardless of whether it really added anything to the story or not. I might have been more interested in the "he said/he said" aspects of the book if I'd read it when it was first published; by now it's pretty much an old story. Probably for this reason I found the first half of the book much more interesting than the second half; his glimpses into the actual work of a major league clubhouse attendant were fascinating to me.
So, I'd say this would be an enjoyable book for anyone who's interested in the subject matter. Just don't expect to be blown away by anything you haven't heard many times before.
April 17, 2018
I didn’t get into too much trouble as kid, but when I did I always had a supposedly good excuse up my sleeve:
“So-so told me too”
“He started it”
“It wasn’t me”
“I didn’t know”
“Everybody else did it”
That last one is my favorite because even full-grown adults use that lame excuse every day. Bases Loaded by Kirk Radomski is one big fat steroid-filled excuse. Much like Jose Canseco’s Juiced, which signified the beginning of the end of the visible steroid era, Radomski spends the entire time trying to justify his actions and blaming everyone else for his problems.
Throughout the book, he tends to contradict his own beliefs. He regrets getting into the steroid world yet is happy he “helped” his baseball friends. He understands why his friends were silent during the investigation yet furious when no one talked. He is disinterested in baseball yet treats the game with great respect. He believes steroids make no difference for a good athlete, yet shows example after example how athletes would have been nobodies without steroids.
This book is extremely interesting. Without Kirk Radomski’s testimony there would have been no Mitchell Report and Major League Baseball would have had their heads in sand for a little while longer.
The visible steroid era will be a constant black eye for baseball. There is no single victim and there is no one single culprit. Commissioner Bud Selig, the Players’ Association, the press, and all the PED pushers are responsible for visible steroid era and no matter how hard we try to forget – dismissing records, shutting people of the Hall of Fame, etc, - the steroid era was a bad mistake that we all turned a blind eye to because we were having too much fun.
Except for me…I was too young to know what was going on.
“So-so told me too”
“He started it”
“It wasn’t me”
“I didn’t know”
“Everybody else did it”
That last one is my favorite because even full-grown adults use that lame excuse every day. Bases Loaded by Kirk Radomski is one big fat steroid-filled excuse. Much like Jose Canseco’s Juiced, which signified the beginning of the end of the visible steroid era, Radomski spends the entire time trying to justify his actions and blaming everyone else for his problems.
Throughout the book, he tends to contradict his own beliefs. He regrets getting into the steroid world yet is happy he “helped” his baseball friends. He understands why his friends were silent during the investigation yet furious when no one talked. He is disinterested in baseball yet treats the game with great respect. He believes steroids make no difference for a good athlete, yet shows example after example how athletes would have been nobodies without steroids.
This book is extremely interesting. Without Kirk Radomski’s testimony there would have been no Mitchell Report and Major League Baseball would have had their heads in sand for a little while longer.
The visible steroid era will be a constant black eye for baseball. There is no single victim and there is no one single culprit. Commissioner Bud Selig, the Players’ Association, the press, and all the PED pushers are responsible for visible steroid era and no matter how hard we try to forget – dismissing records, shutting people of the Hall of Fame, etc, - the steroid era was a bad mistake that we all turned a blind eye to because we were having too much fun.
Except for me…I was too young to know what was going on.
August 1, 2010
This book was another quick read, but I thought it was interesting. I was worried it would change the way I felt about baseball or something, but it didn't do that. It was well written and gave a different side to the steroid scandal that we see in the news, so I also found that interesting. The only problem I had with the book, if you can call it that, was Chapter 10, which seemed to me like just an excuse to name some names and give the book a little more edge, or to just expose some people that denied steriod use to the media, but Radomski gave them steroids, so he felt that they needed to be exposed. I don't know, it just seemed like he was throwing names out there for the sake of putting some more names into the book.
Anyway, overall it was an interesting read from a new direction, if you are into baseball, it's worth checking out.
Anyway, overall it was an interesting read from a new direction, if you are into baseball, it's worth checking out.
February 25, 2009
Self-serving account of his role as supplier of human growth hormone and steroids to many many baseball players. Funny in some parts as he exposes hypocrisy and lying among Roger Clemens et al., but for the most part just an extremely detailed excuse-making narrative (if I didn't get them the drugs, someone else would. Babe Ruth drank beer, so what's the difference? At least I gave them good advice on how to use the stuff safely..........).
I guess if you're a cheater and a convicted felon you have to fall back on "I never thought of it as cheating; I was just helping my friends recovery from injuries and stay on the field....."
Oh ok, I guess if that is what you were thinking, it's fine.
In terms of the writing.....nothing great, but it moves along at least.
I guess if you're a cheater and a convicted felon you have to fall back on "I never thought of it as cheating; I was just helping my friends recovery from injuries and stay on the field....."
Oh ok, I guess if that is what you were thinking, it's fine.
In terms of the writing.....nothing great, but it moves along at least.
October 26, 2015
My favorite sport is baseball, so you can see why I liked this book so much. It was interesting hearing the story through the point of view of the supplier of the steroids. Seeing the author, Kirk, start as a bat boy and move onto being one of the biggest steroid supplier was cool, and hearing how he transformed was interesting too. During the book he talks about how he would help players when they corked their bats. After they would hit the ball Kirk would quickly run onto the field grab the bat and run back to the dugout. If the umpire would ask to see the bat, he would grab a different one without a cork. This was interesting to me because it opens my to see what was happening back then. I give this book 4 stars because I loved the topic, and it was explained very thoroughly.
May 27, 2009
Ok, I read a lot of folks slamming Radomski's book as self-absorbed and may be it is. But if you care at all about the proliferation of PEDs in MLB during the 1990s this book -- like Game of Shadows -- is a must read. Is it as good as Game of Shadows? No, not at all, but it's still an informative an insightful read. Radomski names names -- lots of names, and has all the details to back up his claims. In fact, virtually the entire Mitchell Report was based on his testimony. How Bud Selig and Donald Fehr even have jobs after this is beyond me, and the fact that they do just goes to show that the powers that be will never ever take the proper steps to clean up the game.
March 30, 2009
Kind of simplistic and repetitive in the writing. Very "oh, I know everyone, and gave everyone Human Growth and Steroids and told them how to avoid positive tests; yet I'm a NICE PRINCIPLED GUY." That said, it confirms by belief that a lot of baseball players are on some stuff for part of the year. I don't have a huge, huge beef with that - they're just trying to maintain the physical standards that earned them much money in the bank and keeps the fans in the seats. The fans want spectacular feats and consistency. I wouldn't want it for my kids, but the players have to keep up.
July 2, 2009
If you are a major league baseball fan, I think you will enjoy this personal narration. Several "big" names are mentioned as having used either steroids or HGH(Growth) hormones. It was interesting to me to learn that steroids build muscle while Growth hormones are most helpful in reducing healing time for a player's injury. The book was a very revealing story of how K. Radomski became so involved in informing and supplying many ballplayers with either some type of steroid or Growth hormones.
November 7, 2011
Radomski gives an inside look at how he sold steroids to baseball players. It's interesting to see how prevalent steroids were before the crackdown came. Radomski argues that if everyone is doing it, then what's the harm?
Radomski tells all, which I give him credit for.
But he repeatedly denies that steroids gave players an unfair advantage. I don't see how he can make the claim that steroids simply allow players to be their best. It's not true. Steroids allow players to be better than they would be naturally, which constitutes an unfair advantage.
Radomski tells all, which I give him credit for.
But he repeatedly denies that steroids gave players an unfair advantage. I don't see how he can make the claim that steroids simply allow players to be their best. It's not true. Steroids allow players to be better than they would be naturally, which constitutes an unfair advantage.
April 20, 2009
It was interesting to see how the culture of baseball changed from players showing up 30 lbs overweight at spring training to training yearround. I didn't have any sympathy for the author, whom was a major player in getting people steroids and human growth hormones. He constantly appeals to the reader saying he was doing it for friends, that he would never offer drugs that would be harmful, etc. while admitting he knew it was illegal. Still, it was neat to have an inside look of the club house.
January 11, 2010
Interesting read. Not very well written, and I don't believe that any thinking person becomes convinced that this guy isn't making excuses for what he knows was illegal and bad behavior.
Nonetheless, it's interesting to see the inside workings of the steroid world in professional sports, and I think that his stories are reasonably accurate.
Definitely not a good book if you want to maintain the illusion of purity of baseball heroes.
Nonetheless, it's interesting to see the inside workings of the steroid world in professional sports, and I think that his stories are reasonably accurate.
Definitely not a good book if you want to maintain the illusion of purity of baseball heroes.
June 26, 2015
Radomski writes in the first person and you get the feeling he is defending himself. Also suffers from poor editing. Although, the experiences of players and hired help (such as himself) are engaging and interesting. He shares details about steroid and HGH uses, prices, types, etc... Radomski paints the picture what is like behind the scenes of major league baseball (the books strongest asset). He rarely mentions coaches and administration which would have added much credibility.
September 4, 2009
I'm old-fashioned when it comes to the steroids/baseball issue, so I'm biased, but Radomski doesn't help his case with his arrogant and self-congratulatory attitude. 240-odd pages of self-satisfied self-exoneration wears thin pretty quickly, and the book says nothing new, helpful, or fair-minded about the issue.
November 11, 2013
The book is terribly written (and would get 1 star, possibly 2, if I rated it based on that).
I give it 5 stars for my enjoyment reading it, and also for the importance of the story to any baseball fan - if you are a fan of baseball, you need to know what happened, and you can either read the Mitchell Report, or this book - and the book is much more enjoyable.
I give it 5 stars for my enjoyment reading it, and also for the importance of the story to any baseball fan - if you are a fan of baseball, you need to know what happened, and you can either read the Mitchell Report, or this book - and the book is much more enjoyable.
January 18, 2010
Not that well written, but great info on the dark side of steroid baseball of the 90's and the greedy nature of players that drove them to compete by any means necessary even if meant using performance enhancing drugs.
May 7, 2009
haha. nothing new, really, but a good read and an entertaining portrait of the juicer.
August 23, 2009
we've all been duped, glad I don't support baseball on any significant level
July 4, 2016
What a bunch of crap this whole drug/steroid episode had put baseball (and other sports) in. Ruins the game.
February 13, 2010
Badly written, but extremely detailed.
September 29, 2010
Confirmed what I already knew.
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