Dont these stats almost prove Joe Mauer took Roids?

[biggamer3]

Purely based on numbers, if I told you a contact hitter would cream his career HR totals when he was in a contract year, wouldnt you almost assuredly say that he was juicing?

HR Totals:

2005 9
2006 13
2007 7 (109 games)
2008 9
2009 28
2010 9
2011 3 (82 games)

[HotStreak]

If someone doesn't use roids in a contract year they are an idiot.

[benjy]

Likely, but not assuredly. Could be a statistical blip. Could be he was entering his prime power years (age 26 in 2009) and has been hurt/rundown since.

But you're likely correct.

[shooterman]

"almost prove" good one

[Living The Dream]

He had back issues the last couple years. He is healthy now so I think we will see how his numbers are this year.

[crustyme]

no.

lots of players have career years when theyre playing for a new contract.

look at adrian beltre for example... slugged 48 hrs when had never hit more than 23.

[EXhoosier10]

2010 was Target field's opening. That park is way different than the metrodome. His HR/FB was more than double what it has been in every other year of his career. He also had the highest FB% of his career, meaning he may have been trying to hit for more power.

If I had to guess, he was on roids.

[EXhoosier10]

no.

lots of players have career years when theyre playing for a new contract.

look at adrian beltre for example... slugged 48 hrs when had never hit more than 23.

Does that not scream "steroids" to you?

[Dutchie]

no, you can't even "prove" someone took PED's when a guy fails a test right before the weekend apparently...

Go Braun!

[Redscot]

no.

lots of players have career years when theyre playing for a new contract.

look at adrian beltre for example... slugged 48 hrs when had never hit more than 23.

I always agreed with that long held assumption too Crusty, then I came across this article which shed another light on the matter.

http://www.forbes.com/2010/04/13/yankees-phillies-astros-business-sports-bloomberg-baseball.html

[kilmerAsHolliday]

When players first reach contract years, typically they're right in the prime of their careers. ie 26-31 because of the way the bargaining agreement is set to give teams rights for 6 years.

[biggamer3]

I always agreed with that long held assumption too Crusty, then I came across this article which shed another light on the matter.

http://www.forbes.com/2010/04/13/yankees-phillies-astros-business-sports-bloomberg-baseball.html

nice find

[mikea33]

man i hate stuff like this.

roid talk among people who dont seem to know anything about sports supplements is frustrating. not calling any of you out imparticular, its just irritating. just cause someone hits more homeruns doesnt mean there on PEDs. I hit 10 more home run in my last year of little league going into babe ruth....does that make me on roids??? lol seriously jeez. half the stuff these guys get banned with arent even roids

[Highness]

I don't think the increase in HRs proves much of anything. The key number is bat speed. It's not hard for hitters as good as Mauer to change their swing for more power at the expense of better contact more often. More HRs doesn't prove he got significantly stronger. If his bat speed significantly increased in 09 and then dropped back off then I think you'd have a really good case as that would prove a strength increase

[mebaran]

For the record, the all-time best age to be a hitter in the majors is 31. They, statistically, have the most walks, highest slugging, and highest averages. For catchers, I assume that age would be more like 29.

I think Mauer's power comes back this year, as long as his injuries don't catch up with him. Give him 525 at-bats, he'll give you at least 15 this year.