The narrative surrounding Major League Baseball's steroid era often simplifies a complex issue into a straightforward story: during the 1990s, players like Jose Canseco indulged in performance-enhancing drugs, compelling their fellow athletes to follow suit. For those aspiring to succeed in the realm of baseball, avoiding this path meant risking obscurity, while team owners found themselves portrayed as naive victims of players who tarnished the sport's integrity by using steroids.
However, this perspective is overly simplistic and overlooks the significant labor dynamics that preceded and contributed to the events of the 1990s. In the latest episode of "Only If You Get Caught," we delve into the steroid era through the lens of baseball's labor history. The strike of 1994–95 played a crucial role in laying the groundwork for the notorious achievements that followed. I contend that these two interconnected upheavals stemmed from a long-standing conflict between the labor force of baseball and its management, a struggle that had been intensifying over decades.
It's a rich and intricate tale, and I had the privilege of discussing it with Tim Marchman, who previously led us at Deadspin and currently serves as Wired's director of politics, science, and security. Tim is also an insightful authority on baseball.
You can catch the "Only If You Get Caught" podcast wherever you usually listen to your shows. This episode is produced by Alex Sujong Laughlin, with me as your host. For those interested, the transcript of the show is available here.
