"I think this downgrades Caminiti a little," Phillies catcher Mike Lieberthal said. "Canseco, he's a little shaky anyway. I don't know if anyone pays attention to what he says anyway. But Caminiti? He's a respected guy. I'm surprised he would do that."

Marlins outfielder Cliff Floyd: "I can respect Caminiti, but Canseco? Please! Unless you know 100 percent that someone is doing steroids, you shouldn't say anything. He should put down everybody's name he thinks is using it. He might have to move to another country."

Mets first baseman Mo Vaughn: "Don't use the game for 10 to 15 years, make your loot, then when it's over, bad-mouth the players. That's bull."

Conspiracy theory

When Canseco and Caminiti came clean, it provided fodder for those who would taint the recent record-shattering achievements of Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa and Barry Bonds, among others.

There's no question Canseco and Caminiti fueled the conspiracy theorists, but some prominent players immediately pointed out that the recent home-run outbursts are more a reflection of skill and dedication than of outside influences.

"Let me tell you why Barry Bonds hit 73 homers," Vaughn said. "Because he's a great hitter. Because the Giants moved out of Candlestick Park into a place where the wind doesn't blow as much."

Added Giambi: "I know this stuff is newsworthy, but hopefully, people don't buy into it. There's no miracle thing for this game; either you have talent or you don't. One common thread of all the greats in the game, they've had longevity."

Mike Piazza: "I think this has created a lot of unfortunate hysteria because this is still a skill game. If all it took to hit a home run was being big and strong, then every Mr. Olympia contestant would be in the major leagues hitting home runs.

"I just find it disturbing that people think the only reason guys are hitting 50, 60, 70 home runs is steroids. There are a lot more young pitchers in the game who haven't had time in the minors to develop, and the ballparks are smaller." Integrity of the game

The issue of performance enhancers brushed the Cardinals' clubhouse during McGwire's assault on the single-season home run record in 1998. It was learned he used androstenedione, a legal substance available over the counter at health stores.

Tony La Russa, McGwire's manager in Oakland and St. Louis, underscored his belief that McGwire did nothing improper while developing his body but conceded that Caminiti's admission raises an issue of credibility.

"I knew Mark his entire career, and I know the amount of work and training he put into developing himself," La Russa said. "Caminiti is a guy who I respected for the way he played. But numbers in this game are sacred. What you're talking about creates a taint."

Added Arizona manager Bob Brenly: "It sucks for the guys who have earned it naturally. The guys who spend the time in the weightroom, watch what they eat, take care of themselves. It's a shame to cast a cloud of suspicion over them because of the actions of a few people."

White Sox DH Frank Thomas, a 6-foot-5, 275-pound former football player, said his strength comes from pumping iron and that he advocates testing players to determine steroid use.

"I don't know who's on and who's not on," Thomas said. "There is definitely more activity in the weight room nowadays. I was hoping that it was just old guys working hard in the weight room."

Padres reliever Trevor Hoffman, a teammate when Caminiti earned Most Valuable Player honors while on steroids in 1996, wouldn't concede the achievement was tainted, but he realizes that others will.

"That's not my call," Hoffman said. "Unfortunately, it's not going to hold the same credibility that it did before we knew what went on. I look at it as a situation where Cammy still had to square the ball up, he still had to hit the ball out of the park.

"And he had to do it in situations that are not easy, with runners in scoring position and 45,000 or 50,000 people screaming. Just because you're on steroids, that's not easy. He literally picked us up on his back and carried us to the title." How serious is it?

Despite the claims of Canseco and Caminiti, there are indications steroid use isn't that widespread in baseball. Steve Finley and Luis Gonzalez, former Caminiti teammates, insist they were unaware of his involvement. Padres general manager Kevin Towers, who has been outspoken for years about the need for Major League Baseball to test players for steroids, wasn't surprised. Nor was former San Diego pitcher Sterling Hitchcock.

"I didn't know for sure," Towers recalled. "Guys don't do it in front of you. But guys get bulked up during the offseason and come in bigger and stronger, and you wonder."

Hitchcock, now with the Yankees: "I don't think it's a big surprise to anybody. You knew he used them. And it would be hard to say (Padres management) didn't know it was going on."

Most people involved in the game, however, suggest that claims of even 50 percent steroid users are ludicrous.

"I don't question that (steroids) are in the game, but I definitely don't think it's rampant," Piazza said. "It's ridiculous to speculate how much. I'm not defending, criticizing or condoning it. I just think this is another example of society obsessed with finding something negative."

Phillies trainer Jeff Cooper: "The numbers they're throwing around are outrageous. I would say it's in the low single digits. It's out there, but it's not exclusive to us or pro sports or college sports. It's in society. You see it, but it's still in the single digits."

Pirates manager Lloyd McClendon: "I know we don't have anybody in this locker room on steroids. I'm just dumbfounded how you get that percentage. I'd be really surprised if anybody on my team is using steroids."

A cry for testing

When the anger subsided, it dawned on some that the recent confessions finally took a potential problem off the back burner and moved it up the priority list in the restructuring of baseball.

MLB and the Players Association both have ignored the problem, hoping it would go away. Arizona pitcher Rick Helling, a member of the union's negotiating committee, said the union has never fought testing because the owners have never asked for it. The latest proposal from the owners does contain such a provision.

"The feeling I'm getting is we've fought against it or turned it down," Helling said. "Well, it's never been an issue. Obviously, it's going to be an issue this time. We'll talk about it and try to figure out what's best for players, first of all, and the overall game."

The question is why hasn't it been an issue? When the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association's Healthy Competition Foundation issued a call to the game's 60 top sluggers in 2000 to take a drug-free pledge, merely two signed the pledge.

According to Cardinals GM Walt Jocketty: "I don't think we have enough facts or information. We've received nothing from baseball to give us any indication for us to be concerned. I would think that baseball will start paying attention to it."

Sacramento's Larry Bowa, the crusty Phillies manager often regarded as too old school, is in favor of testing, as is Philadelphia pitcher Robert Person.

"Maybe they can kill two birds with one stone," Bowa said. "Agree on a (labor) contract and steroid testing. That would do a lot for baseball and fans' perception of the game."

Added Person: "I wish they would (test). There's no testing, and you're supposed to wonder why everyone is a home-run hitter. You see some guys, and it's obvious. I want testing."

The Blue Shield/Blue Cross group projects that one million youth and 17 million adults are using performance-enhancing substances, steroids among the most prevalent.

The survey also found that nine in 10 adults and youths disapprove of athletes taking performance-enhancing drugs. These drugs have adverse effects on virtually every organ in the body.

"Something's going to have to happen, somebody dies, somebody gets cancer, and all of a sudden, there will be so much public pressure that something will have to be done," Astros first baseman Jeff Bagwell said.

Twins outfielder Jacque Jones grasps the severity and places it in perspective.