The Steroid Era's SHADOW: Underappreciated Hitters of the PED Age (Part 2)

[@ashevillecomics637]

Love Dave Justice. When I was a kid, I was just past the outfield fence in St. Lucie at the Mets Spring Training facility, shagging homeruns hit during BP. I caught one from someone when Dave, playing in right, asked me for the ball back. Initially I said no way dude, I got it fair and square. He said no, give me the ball and your pen. I threw them over the fence and he signed my ball. Then he handed it off to the bullpen, they all signed it too. Then we got more of them to sign it when we waited outside the team bus after the game. Thanks Dave!

[@Cam23]

That’s an awesome story that you’ll remember forever. Thank you for sharing!

[@isah6189]

I love the Tim Salmon and Garret Anderson appreciation. As an Angels fan who’s grown up only seeing the disappointment that is arte morenos ownership, I always love to see the Angels players of past glory that contributed to that 2002 run get their flowers.

[@Cam23]

They deserve it! Both great players and worthy of inclusion in this vid.

[@GaIeforce]

It's criminal how underappreciated Steve Finley was. He's one player out of only 8 in the history of MLB that is a member of the 300-300 club. 6 of the 8 players in that club are either hall of famers, players that are a sure lock to be a hall of famer, and players that _would have_ been in the hall of fame already if they had... a different choice of a balanced breakfast. Pretty good company. While on that subject, I think Reggie Sanders also deserves some recognition, for much of the same reasons.

[@Cam23]

Finley hardly ever gets the recognition he deserves. Very well rounded player! Reggie is another great example of an underappreciated stud!

[@jtom1309]

@@Cam23 Do Robin Yount next

[@chrisholden615]

🎉🎉Mark Grace!!!!! You knocked it out of the park again bud!! Great video bud!!

[@Cam23]

Thank you Chris! Mark Grace was a great player to talk more about. The ‘90s hit king deserved some attention!

[@AMEN4MVP99]

Was just thinking in my head "I would love to see Berkman on here" then I see him in the beginning b-roll shots lmao. Love the vids keep it up

[@Cam23]

Haha! Thank you I’m glad you’re enjoying the content 😎

[@BiteThemBack75]

I'm one of those guys who was in your comments regularly about Mark Grace. Thank you for including him and mentioning his 2001 post season.

[@Theorpo]

Lance Berkman for the HOF BABY! Edit: I know he'll have to go through the veterans Committee in 2029 for another chance unfortunately. I wish he just got in. I got him to sign his rookie card and a baseball for me some of my favorite baseball memorabilia. (Besides my experience with Jose Altuve. Met him in Houstons Galleria Mall. Where i was wearing a Houston Orange Away Jersey of his. He signed that and a ball I had from a couple night games ago. That day he went undercover with glasses and stuff wearing normal houston clothing probably because he would get swarmed otherwise. Hes a true Hero for a lot here in H-Town)

[@jordanahr6594]

You did a pretty good job on this list... there aren't too many others that I can think of, and you touched on most of the truly underappreciated individuals from that Era. Well done sir

[@Cam23]

Thank you! It was tough deciding who to include because there are so many under-the-radar guys worthy of being in this discussion.

[@AuraStorm]

As an Astros fan Berkman was one of my favorite players growing up, and I always hoped he’d get in the hall of fame, he’s one of the best switch hitters ever Glad to see him get some love

[@TelesPlayMetal]

Thank you for using “under appreciated” and not the trendy “underrated” used by so many unimaginative people in videos.

[@rickrooks5060]

Great video! Love the break down in Steve Finley! I still remember Steve Finley trade for Glenn Davis… ouch… I think Curt Schilling was also dealt by the O’s in that trade, don’t recall much from Schilling in the years afterward….

[@fredflux2738]

Brady and Finley in the outfield with the moose and Shill on the mound with Cal and Eddie in the infield… that would have been a title team.

[@Cam23]

Thank you! You’re right not sure how well that trade turned out 😂

[@ashevillecomics637]

I have to say, this is an extremely eye opening video compilation. I knew all these players very well, but it wasn't until now that I looked them up and realized how incredible all of them were. Bravo

[@Cam23]

Glad to hear that! They are sneaky good players that have surprisingly impressive career resumes. When looking back years later you can uncover some interesting stuff

[@big8dog887]

Bobby Higginson was a solid outfielder for the Tigers from 1995-2005. Probably the best player in MLB history who never played for a team that finished above .500. Then, in 2006, the year after he retired, the TIgers went to the World Series.

[@marcelmoreau2733]

never heard of him. cant be that good if you never hear his name mention by anyone.

[@naydizzlewizzle3460]

Sean Casey was on that team too. Pudge was too. The ‘04 team didn’t give the Tigers a fighting chance at all.

[@AS-fz5dp]

Bro these videos are taking making back to memory lane to my childhood. From 95-05 I was a baseball fiend. Very nostalgic videos you have man. Great work!

[@Cam23]

I really appreciate the kind words! That baseball era is one of my favorite to research so it makes me happy to hear you feel that way about these videos.

[@marcm9999]

Amazing list!! Wow you really did some serious research. Congratulations on a job well done!!

[@Cam23]

Thank you! I can't take all the credit probably 5 or so came from the comments of part 1 but I appreciate the kind words.

[@gregorybesson2341]

Good video. I'm glad u mentioned that Berkman was a killer bee of the 2nd gen. I was a Rickey Henderson fan I'm the mid 80's when I began my love for watching & playing baseball at around 7 & Shawn Green, Bobby Abreu, Steve Finley were all players I looked up to. They were 5 tool or close to it. Another player u might check out was a center fielder for the angels & played in the 90's into the 2000's. He was teammates with Garrett Anderson if I am not mistaken & like Steve Finley, he was a hustler of the highest caliber. He was a lefty, blond hair, smaller than most but played hard all the time. I just can't remember his name. Thanks 4 the video was good

[@saphirengine]

Darin Erstad’s the name

[@Reavezz]

Amazing video!! Make a part 2 of this! People like Delgado, Carlos Lee, Magglio, Derrick Lee, etc! You still have lots of players that can make a full video :)

[@Cam23]

Thank you! And I covered Delgado and several others in the part 1 of this video a few weeks back 😎

[@getschwifty9531]

Insane how the White Sox traded away Carlos Lee and Magglio Ordóñez and won the World Series the following season. That season was fun.

[@Reavezz]

@@Cam23 omg I’m so sorry i thought this was part 1 😭 yikes. I’ll admit I’m new to your channel so i binged all the “insane prime” videos first and this is the only vid outside of those I have watched so far. Going to watch that first part now! Sorry about that hahaha

[@Reavezz]

@@getschwifty9531 yea it made no damn sense but I cannot complain cuz I got to witness them win a World Series in my lifetime!

[@Cam23]

@@Reavezz you’re good my dude! I appreciate you supporting the channel 🙌🏼

[@sawyerbates2032]

Surprised you haven't covered Albert Belle, yet. He was a lethal hitter. Mo and Greg Vaughn were two great hitters for this era as well.

[@fredflux2738]

If Belle stayed healthy he would have had 700 homers

[@Cam23]

Belle I have on my radar for a future video. He’ll be covered sooner or later 🤙🏼

[@AS-fz5dp]

Greg Vaughn hit 50 homers either in 97’ or 98’ cant recall

[@ryanthompsonthompson820]

Great video Cam23 ⚾️

[@Cam23]

Thank you Ryan!

[@SLUGGER_CITY]

Great video, my friend, thanks for shining light, and showing love to a few of the most underrated players ever! Shawn Green is one of my favorite players, and I've always loved David Justice, as well. You're doing a tremendous job, brother, keep up the great work. Thanks for sharing your videos with us, it's greatly appreciated!!⚾️💥⚾️

[@Cam23]

That's very kind of you, I appreciate the kind words! I really enjoyed making these two videos on the underappreciated players of the era because they deserved the recognition. I'm glad to hear you're enjoying the content! It's taken a while to truly find what I'm passionate about and to have supporters of the channel is beyond cool to me.

[@austinhamby3088]

Idea: A list of players who could have had amazing HOF careers if they didn't have off the field "issues." Players like Doc Gooden, Darryl Strawberry, Dave Parker, and Josh Hamilton are examples, they had respectable careers but at their peak, they were legendary. Despite their off the field issues derailed their career, imagine what they would be like if they stayed healthy and clean.

[@Cam23]

I'm writing that idea down because that's an excellent one. I'll have to brainstorm a good name for a prospective series

[@twomilltony]

Cam, you're killing it!

[@Cam23]

Thank you! 🙌🏼

[@avrivah1101]

Todd Helton needs some love. He is consistently forgotten or overlooked by a majority of baseball fans, then and now. He was screwed out of at least one MVP, has a higher career WAR than most of the guys in either of these videos and likely played fewer seasons. You can claim Coors bias all you want, doesn't change anything.

[@uberboomer8670]

All great choices, but i had no idea the season Matt Williams was having the year of the strike. Give him another 40 games at that pace and he very well might have put up the all time mark for hr's in a season. Watching these videos gets me so nostalgic, love your channel buddy!

[@Cam23]

Matt was having a season for the ages too bad the strike cut it short! Thank you for the kind words! It’s great to hear that these videos bring back memories, I hope I can continue to provide that 🙌🏼

[@uberboomer8670]

@@Cam23 dude you bring me right back to being 13, watching Sportscenter on loop, impersonating guys like Jim Thome, Jeremy Burnitz with that goofy/majestic follow thru or whoever else. If anything it helps to forget the banality of adulthood. Godspeed good sir!

[@frankanderson4113]

Bobby Abreu is certainly a hall of fame baseball player. Lance Berkman is criminally underrated. Never an Astro fan, I hated to see him come to the plate. He is as worthy of the Hall as many who are there. Moises Alou, who I never really liked, was a Hall of Fame hitter anytime he was healthy. The man wasn’t just good, but he was exceptional as a hitter. He could flat out rake. But Mark Grace is my biggest and best underrated player, maybe ever. He gets no love. He was absolutely a Hall of Fame talent on both sides of the game. When you consider his abilities as a player and his performance, I think he definitely belongs in the Hall right along Ryno and the Hawk. I don’t believe he will ever get the recognition he deserves as one of baseballs best contact hitters in history. Great video friend.

[@ousamaabdu794]

Mark Grace had an excellent career, but in no way is he HOF material.

[@GeeEm1313]

Bobby Abreu taught me the importance of OBP.

[@brandan_k57]

Absolutely ecstatic to see Big Puma on this list!

[@Cam23]

The dude was a gamer!

[@RyanDeCarlo-m1t]

Had Don Mattingly or Ken Griffey Jr. Used steroids they would have been able to play longer and recover from injuries and Griffey would have topped Aaron’s 755 and Mattingly would have played during the Yankees first 4 WS and he would have been a lock for the HOF

[@BryanH0073]

Given the success of Mike Trout and Tim Salmon, the Angelas really should focus on acquiring exclusively players named after fish.

[@theman1412]

10:33, that injury was a jacked up knee due to falling on a treadmill

[@AJ_Osser]

I would THOUSAND TIMES rather see McGwire, Bonds and Manny hitting on steroids than Soto taking a BB or Arraez hitting the ball without strength

[@gripken08]

Ellis Burks and Vinny Castilla! Those are two 90's sleepers

[@jtom1309]

Mark Grace was an all-time great, I'd like to see more content about him. Can you please do Ozzie Smith, Rickey Henderson, Will Clark or Eddie Murray Insane Prime videos?

[@paulflores7251]

Edgar Martinez..Two time batting champion 92 95

[@crazizzle85]

I feel the biggest weakness of the hall of fame voters is they should have either voted for the best players based on stats(including steroids) or made a statement voting for clean players. But they chose to evaluate players with a clean record in comparison to those taking steroids. They didn't lower the standards to account for the artificial stats.

[@gabrieljordanD17]

Thank you so much for Mark Grace video! Would be awesome if we could get a video on just him. He should be in the Hall.

[@Cam23]

I’m glad you enjoyed it! In due time he’ll get his own video, there’s so many under appreciated guys deserving of the career spotlight

[@heathdepp]

You should make a video on the greatest HOFers the average fan has never heard of or are rarely talked about. For example, Carl Hubbell

[@Cam23]

That’s an intriguing idea. I’ll definitely consider that! It has the potential to be an ongoing series

[@PlastiAdicto]

Best Chance? Mark Grace Missing fin this list: Gary Sheffield

[@luscorpio3679]

Sheffield was a steroid guy though

[@musiclighthouse1913]

Berkman is a hall of famer imo

[@patjoslin4087]

I know someone that played in the 70’s and early 80’s. He told me players in the 70’s and 80’s took dianabol tablets during that time. Dianabol was popular in all of sports in the 60, 70, 80, before iniectables

[@el4174]

Great list, great players

[@gregorybesson2341]

Darin Erstad ! That's who I was thinking of. He was a gamer too. As was Jim Edmonds !

[@Extinguisher10]

Once again I am asking for a video on the greatest right handed hitter of all time, Edgar Martinez.

[@LordTepes81]

From what i remember, the Giants built that stadium specifically for Bonds to be able to hit homeruns easier. There were talks about him leaving SF before the stadium was built. That's the reason why the right field wall is 30ft shorter than left field. I never did respect Bonds' homerun record knowing that he had an easier than any other hitter during the "Steroids Era".

[@coreygilliam8533]

Abreu would be a MVP talent every year now a days😊

[@Cam23]

Definitely!

[@MasterGGG]

You missed Juan Gonzalez, he was top 10 in every offensive stat in the 90s and the best RBI man

[@Cam23]

Certainly qualifies, this video could have gone on for hours tbh

[@videogamevalley7523]

One player I thought would’ve been on here was Fred “The Crime Dog” McGriff he was great power hitter as well. And as a long time Yankees fan I gotta say Bernie Williams I remember when came in as a rookie OF and I always liked the way he played the game.

[@Cam23]

He was on Part 1 😉

[@jaytrace1006]

Dude, I WISH Matt Williams’ numbers were a little bit stronger. I would absolutely love to see him inducted into the Hall ahead of Bonds…

[@derianvidales4258]

Todd Helton!!!! His 98-04 stretch was crazy.

[@MrMalicious5]

So many of these players were staples on my teams in the old MLB 2k games.

[@DrAnarchy69]

Always love seeing Bernie Baseball get his due. Outside of Yankee fans no one seems to remember him and it's a shame.

[@TonoGrady]

It would be cool to see a video on Ted Williams

[@JamesMunge]

At 65 , Retired, Riding the rollercoaster as a Season ticket holder w/ the Marlins since day one. Besides blessed w/ World Series multiple States.... Anyways, YEARS AGO!...After work one Sunday morning, stopped w/ Guy's for a beer. Canseco pulled up w/ some fine ass woman in his Poerche to get gas...I retrieve a ball from my car... Walk over to him, politely request an auto, He took the ball, threw it into a canal !!!!!....Then called him a " A F*%¥in wife beater" , and ran!

[@marcelmoreau2733]

was that Jose or his twin brother? often forgotten that there were 2 Canseco's who made it to MLB, identical twins both played with the A's.

[@JamesMunge]

IT was Jose.... About the same time, him and Ozzie were involved in a Bar room brawl on Miami Beach...And the EX-WIFE owned a strip club in Broward county if not mistaken....

[@scotttill3847]

I got a name for ya...Ryne Sandberg. When can we get a video on the Rhino?

[@OH_MY_DOGGG]

Too bad Salmon and Trout couldnt have been teammates. I guess they swam in different gene pools.

[@thecaveman3503]

I would have went I guess they swam in different circles but hey that works too 😂

[@rickrooks5060]

Best internet comment I’ve read all day. Shame I can’t give you more than one thumbs up.

[@OH_MY_DOGGG]

@@thecaveman3503 They did go to different schools

[@jimmyfitz8907]

Growing up my fav hitter was Canseco and fav pitcher was Roger Clemens …little did I know both were juiced to the gils… 😢

[@SONICX1027]

You know… I’m surprised that Bernie Williams isn’t in MLB The Show. Perhaps that should change, and this is coming from a Red Sox fan

[@OH_MY_DOGGG]

I wanted the red sox to sign him. That last year

[@SmoothCriminal12]

​​@@OH_MY_DOGGGThe Red Sox actually almost got him in 99. The Yankees were about to let Bernie walk for Albert Belle, only for Belle to stab them in the back for a deal with Baltimore. And the NY ended crawling back to Bernie and resigned him. Boston and Arizona actually offered more than what he eventually signed for.

[@OH_MY_DOGGG]

@@SmoothCriminal12 Maybe thats what I was thinking about. I thought they were basically gonna swap Damon for Williams via free agency long story short.

[@davidmatheny1993]

While this player is far from overlooked as a HOFer, I do think that the consistency and prime of Chipper Jones was not as respected because of the steroid era. There were seasons that Jones finished 3rd or 4th in MVP voting because suspected users had more votes.

[@scipio7]

Berkman has the best chance. He looked pudgy, and his swing wasn't pretty. But he just mashed line drive after line drive, and was a surprisingly good outfielder (even played some center) for much of his career. Eventually people will notice that he was very, very good.

[@jritechnology]

If Trout doesn't leave...Angels have had two fish lifers.

[@tjniday6098]

Jim Thome

[@marcelmoreau2733]

before even watching any of this, have to say you MUST have both Shawn Green and Carlos Delgado on the list. Carlos screwed out of a HOF nomination due to crappy rules, being over looked by playing in Toronto for best part of career and always being stuck behind roiders in terms of numbers and individual awards.

[@Cam23]

Carlos was on part 1 but Green was mentioned in this vid

[@tinbus149]

This era having any sort of asterisk is ridiculous. Steroids do not help with hitting a baseball.

[@GeordieGunner96]

You weren't going to speculate today but should do video & put those juice heads on blast. As I've said before from u.k,obviously I know what steroid era was & big names but I'd love to know just how wide spread & just how many players were using & just how obvious some players made it.

[@AS-fz5dp]

Oh and how about Richie Sexson and Adam Dunn?

[@Phil-s7w]

Bernie Williams should still be on the Hall of Fame ballot.

[@Rockhound6165]

"The Yankees are paying you $3.5 million to play against them." If this conversation really did happen it's one of the worst burns of all time.

[@vinnysclafani3468]

Day 2 of 'would love to see Gary Sheffield'

[@coolbreeze4249]

Edgar Martinez.

[@bigpasty1582]

Was so happy to see Grace get a ring. I just wish he couldve got it with the Cubs💙❤️ cool video, i love looking back and remembering great players and seasons

[@YellowLegoSpaceman]

Bobby Abreu the first of many players the Devil Rays fumbled away

[@JeremyWaldrop-ls2pn]

My boy Andrew Jones was a slick gold glove center fielder with power he’s deserving? ⚾️

[@forgerelli1]

Abreu is HOF worthy. I wouldn't vote any of the others.

[@kenw2225]

Bernie should be and berkman. Eventually

[@forgerelli1]

@@kenw2225 I wouldn't get mad at either of them getting in.

[@stancurtis2182]

This is like saying…players who played fort he Mets when they got old

[@itsnathantime9306]

I say that lance berkman should be in the hall of theme and if do this again do Dave parker

[@NoNameNo.5]

Bernie Williams wasn’t yoked??

[@nebsg0at853]

Do Joey bats

[@nebsg0at853]

Or Keith Hernandez

[@amtrak981]

Jason Kendall from the pirates

[@seno9771]

I think bobby can make a cade for HOF.

[@mramisuzuki6962]

J-Roll and Edgar Renteria

[@saucytony4609]

FRED (crime dog 🐕) MCGRIFF

[@Cam23]

Absolutely! I covered him in part 1 of this series because of how great he was

[@tmw3108]

Damon was good but I think injures hurt him a lot

[@adominican13]

Please do David ortiz

[@christopherbaity745]

Andruw Jones

[@naydizzlewizzle3460]

Garret Anderson or Bernie Williams.

[@blacksheepmiracle1433]

Frank Thomas didn't need steroids. Under appreciated today.

[@Mike-ge7pe]

I think Kenny Lofton is the best player from this time who is not in the hall and not associated with PEDs

[@ronjamin1022]

Shame the Orioles traded Finley. Would’ve fit well in their mid 90’s lineup.

[@EmmanuelPerez88]

So is this guys over shadowed with no whiffs of roids? If so, gotta look Finley again.

[@Cam23]

Like I said at the beginning, not speculating on who was or wasn’t, just highlighting great players from the era. I wasn’t interested in diving into allegations and hearsay

[@thejuansshow6410]

Do the prime of Nolan Ryan

Bobby Abreu?

[@phillipcollins1658]

Andres Galleraga...dont think its spelled right but you know who I'm talking about

[@Cam23]

Covered him in part 1! 🤙🏼

[@phillipcollins1658]

@@Cam23 I saw that. Lol I watched them out of order.

[@bryanterrill7674]

As a life long cards fan and cubs hater gotta say Mark Grace was the real fucking deal. Boy did I hate him lol. HOF is stupid for that.

[@tmw3108]

Justice jump from a couple teams that might hurt his career

[@donwhiteley3293]

Of this list I think Bobby Abreu has the best chance to become a HOFer. The analytics movement is really causing people to give his career a well-deserved second look. I think he will continue to pick up votes each year and may end up being voted in by the writers. Bernie Williams, Matt Williams, and Lance Berkman would also get my vote, but I don't think any of them have a very good shot at getting in. The others were all excellent players, but fall a little short of being HOFers for me.

[@kenw2225]

Bernie prob will. all the ws wins. Berkman might later on

[@el4174]

Albert Belle was strong

[@uruguayny]

Your title sure implies that you think they weren't on PEDs, which we can't assume. All we know is that they're in the large group of people that didn't have credible allegations against them, but certainly had PED users among them.

[@Cam23]

It implies that I think they were underappreciated hitters. In an era where many were using PEDs, many were overshadowed. I clearly stated in the intro that I wasn't here to guess who was or wasn't taking PEDs.

[@uruguayny]

@Cam23 I understand what you said in your intro. I just don't think that's in line with the clear implication of the title. You can't be in the shadow of something that you yourself are.

[@Cam23]

@@uruguayny that's fair, but if I were to have made it about clean players I would've titled it "clean hitters of the PED age." I agree to disagree, isn't that the point of being in the shadow of someone else? Typically you share similarities, just one didn't receive the recognition that the other did.

[@davidfellows3940]

Eric Davis

[@Christopher-de9bs]

Lance Berkman

[@len9518]

Bernie Williams was NOT a good defender. He LOOKED good, but got bad jumps in the outfield. Agreed great hitter though.