‘the Devil Won Out’- Disputed MLB Legend Breaks Down How Being ‘Financially Devastated’ Forced Him to Name Players Who Took Steroids in His Book

Jose Canseco is probably the most controversial player in MLB’s history. Despite winning the World Series two times, the MLB community still does not consider him one of the legends of the game. Notably, the former Oakland Athletics legend pleaded guilty in a high-profile steroid case.

Had it not been for his involvement with PEDs, Jose Canseco would have been in the same company as Mickey Mantle, Yogi Berra, Jo DiMaggio, and a few more MLB greats. It is a pity that the former slugger became the scapegoat of the entire steroid era. Notably, he was not the only one who used PEDs to better their performances.

In the last year, while talking to DJ Vlad, Canseco openly discussed the steroid era. It was brave of him to take out the names of some of the biggest MLB players who used PEDs. In a collaboration with the international publishing company, Harper Collins, Canseco even exposed the prominent MLB players involved with PEDs (performance-enhancing drugs).

Jose Canseco did not have any other option left

In his controversial book ‘Juiced.’ Canseco discussed the steroid era in MLB. And how MLB did not take any harsh action at the earliest to avoid such a stigma. Canseco would not have taken out the players’ names in his book unless the publishing company had not forced him to do so.

He revealed the same in his exclusive interview with DJ Vlad. 

“When I was completely financially devastated, was after the book (Juiced), after I made the money on the actual book. That’s when really everything hit rock bottom… I do not think anyone has an idea or can fathom the impact that book would have. The original manuscripts did not involve players’ names,” Canseco said.

Read more: Jose Canseco Shares Hilarious Exchange With Fellow Controversial MLB Legend Barry Bonds That Shut Him Up: ‘I’m Using PED’s, You’re Doing the Same Thing’

Despite the publication forcing him to take the players’ names, Canseco was not in favor of taking players’ names. But since his intuition allowed him to do so, he did not bother.

“I remember having a meeting with Harper Collins (Publishing company) and Judith Regan, and not wanting to put players’ names in it. But then they would not publish the book… I had like a little devil on one shoulder and an angel on one shoulder. They were saying, “yes, get Major League Baseball back. Put the players’ names in there…” And the angel was saying, “no forgive and forget, don’t put the players’ name in there….” And I guess the devil won out…,” Canseco confirmed.

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Do you think it was the right move to go against MLB and fellow baseball players?