Mark McGwire told the Associated Press t hat said he’s saddened his estranged brother wrote a book that chronicles their use of performance-enhancing drugs and reiterated his claim that he only took them to heal from injuries.
McGwire said yesterday that he’s so upset with his brother, Jay McGwire, that he doesn’t believe reconciliation is possible.
“I don’t plan on ever seeing him again,” said McGwire, the new hitting coach for the St. Louis Cardinals.
The youngest of the five McGwire brothers and Mark’s junior by more than six years, Jay McGwire lived with Mark and was a frequent clubhouse visitor during McGwire’s time in Oakland. His book, “Mark and Me: Mark McGwire and the Truth Behind Baseball’s Worst-Kept Secret,” is scheduled for publication Monday by TriumphBooks.
“You try to be a good person, you try to take care of somebody, be a good brother,” said McGwire, trailing off. “It’s sort of sad. It’s a sad day for my family. I don’t know how a family member could do something like that.”
Last month, McGwire admitted taking steroids and human growth hormone during the 1990s, but said he only did so to recover from injuries — not to improve his performance.
Jay McGwire says recovering from injuries was the primary reason for his brother’s decision to use drugs but that Mark McGwire also knew the steroids were helping him gain size and strength.
“He had to do something to try to sell a book,” Mark said. “I know the reason why I did it. I know it from the heart and I told you guys that already back in January.”
Jay McGwire says in the book that he persuaded his brother to start using steroids regularly in 1994 and set him up with a supplier. He says Mark regularly used an array of drugs through 1996 that included Deca-Durabolin, human growth hormone, Dianabol, Winstrol and Primobolan. McGwire later used androstenedione, a steroid precursor that wasn’t banned by baseball until 2004, when it became a controlled substance.
“I’ve already come out and said what I’ve done and apologized,” Mark said. “As far as I’m concerned there’s really nothing new. It’s kind of sad as a brother what he’s done, but I’ve moved on from it.”
The brothers haven’t spoken since 2002. They fell out after Jay McGwire’s stepson, Eric, tickled Mark and caused Mark to spill coffee on himself. Mark subsequently spanked the boy. Jay’s wife, Francine, then refused to attend Mark’s wedding.
Information from Espn.com and the Associated Press contributed to this report.