Jose Canseco: 'Juiced'

Canseco's admission that he used steroids for his entire career has surprised almost no one in baseball. But everyone in the game is stunned that he has gone farther in the book than they expected. He names five names, players he claims to have used steroids with.

And at the top of the list is Mark McGwire.

"Mark and I weren't really in a sense of buddy buddies," says Canseco, who says McGwire used steroids with him. "We were more acquaintances than actually anything else. But there are certain subjects that we could talk about, like obviously steroids and so forth."

The gargantuan McGwire was best known for his remarkable 1998 season, the year he shattered one of baseball's most hallowed records, Roger Maris' single season home-run mark of 61 homers. Canseco played with McGwire at Oakland from 1986 to 1992, and again in 1997.

"You write repeatedly about injecting steroids and growth hormones with and into Mark McGwire," says Wallace. "Tell me about your firsthand experiences with McGwire and steroids."

"Just the first time, injecting them in his buttocks," says Canseco, laughing. "It wasn't like you gave a lot of thought. It was something so common."

"What we did more times than I can count was go into a bathroom stall together, shoot up steroids," read Wallace from Canseco's book. "After batting practice or right before the game, Mark and I would duck into a stall in the men's room, load up our syringes and inject ourselves. I would often inject Mark."

"I injected him probably twice," adds Canseco. "But it wasn't like, I mean, we would just walk in and a lot of times they were pill form. A lot of times, you would just, a quick injection of whatever and that's it."

"I'm just repeating what you say in the book," says Wallace. "And if we're to believe what you say in the book, 'I would often,' not twice, 'inject Mark.'"

"Well, I think it was more inject ourselves. I think I injected him. I mean, this is a long time ago. Once or twice for sure. I didn't keep track," says Canseco. "An athlete may prepare his needle and may ask another athlete to inject him quickly. And that's the way it works."

"And these were not allowed at that time in the league," asks Wallace.

"Absolutely no," says Canseco.

In a statement to 60 Minutes, McGwire said: "Once and for all, I did not use steroids nor any illegal substance. The relationship that these allegations portray couldn't be further from the truth."

Canseco's first stint in Oakland ended in 1992, when he was traded to the Texas Rangers. Among his new teammates were future American League MVPs Juan Gonzalez and Ivan Rodriguez, as well as Rafael Palmeiro, who played against Canseco when the two of them were youngsters growing up in Miami.

In his book, Canseco writes that he used anabolic steroids with all three players.

"In '92, you were traded to the Texas Rangers," says Wallace. "Did you teach your new teammates how to use steroids?"

"Yes. We spoke and educated three or four players there. ... Rafael Palmeiro, Juan Gonzalez, Ivan Rodriguez," says Canseco. "I injected them. Absolutely."

All three players have vehemently denied the allegations. Palmeiro's lawyer sent 60 Minutes a letter stating that: "Mr. Palmeiro categorically denies that he has ever engaged in illicit use of steroids or any substance banned by Major League Baseball."

Canseco spent three seasons in Texas, and then two in Boston, before rejoining McGwire at the Oakland A's in 1997. Another young player there at the time was Jason Giambi, who won the MVP award in 2000 and later went to the New York Yankees for a blockbuster $120 million, seven-year contract.

Canseco writes that Giambi was the most obvious steroid user in baseball. "We spoke about it quite in depth," says Canseco. "And you know, when I rejoined the team back in '97, we'd be working out, talking about it. You know, we'd go into clubhouses and do steroids. Bottom line."

He writes that "Giambi, McGwire, and I talked about steroids all the time."

"Especially in '97, yes. Especially when we were working out," says Canseco. "We talked about what each does and what."

"So you'd shoot up steroids and growth hormones with Jason Giambi as well," asks Wallace.

"Yes, Oh yeah," says Canseco. "I mean, it wasn't a big deal. It was common ground."

According to the San Francisco Chronicle, Giambi did admit to a federal grand jury that he had been using steroids at least since 2001. When asked by a reporter his reaction to what Canseco reportedly said, Giambi replied: "I think it's sad. I think it's delusional."

As for Canseco, he is unrepentant. Perhaps the most astonishing thing about his book, in the face of widespread medical evidence that the abuse of anabolic steroids causes serious health problems, is that he still endorses the use of steroids.

"I don't recommend steroids for everyone, and I don't recommend growth hormones for everyone," says Canseco. "But for certain individuals, I truly believe, because I've experimented with it for so many years, that it can make an average athlete a super athlete. It can make a super athlete --incredible. Just legendary."

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