Aaron Judge is on pace to have the greatest home run season since Barry Bonds broke the all-time record with 73 back in 2001.
Of course, that historical season by Bonds is now looked at differently given the revelation of steroids running rampant in the league during that era, and even now that protocols have been put in place and the use of PEDS is far more uncommon in the modern game, Sal Licata says it’s hard to watch what Aaron Judge is doing without at least letting a shadow of doubt creep in when it comes to the legitimacy of the pace he is on.
Sal simply said “Who knows?” when it comes to Judge and his 43 home runs, prompting a caller to rip him for implying that Judge’s MVP-caliber season wasn’t legitimate. Of course, that wasn’t what Sal was conveying, but he does admit that there has to be some level of uncertainty, no matter how small, given what happened the last time home run records were being broken.
“I didn’t say he is taking steroids,” Sal said. “I said if somebody performs to the level he is performing, I said, ‘do you think about it based on the history of the sport?’ In 1998, I wasn’t thinking about steroids. I didn’t know any better. In 2022, I know better.
“I love Aaron Judge. I do think he’s clean. But the baseball fan in you has to think when someone is performing that much better than everyone else…you’re telling me you just sit back and say ‘Oh, he’s gotta be clean?’ I start to think, ‘Is something up here?’”
The caller then accused Sal of being biased, and that he wouldn’t be raising the same questions or hypotheticals if Judge was a Met, to which Sal had a good laugh.
“I wish a Met would perform like that!” Sal said. “I wish a Met would take steroids!”
But again, Sal isn’t saying Judge is suspect. He was simply saying that after being burned in the past by perceived legitimate home run heroes, it is hard to ever go back to fully trusting in a player’s greatness.
“This is not, ‘Sal is saying Judge is on PEDs.’” Sal said. “I never said that. All I’m saying is when a guy hits 43 home runs on Aug. 2, you start to think…I think he’s clean. He’s having a ridiculous season. I’m just saying there has to be at least a little doubt in the back of your mind when someone is performing at that ridiculous level. That’s all. I’m not accusing him.”
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