Chase Headley explains standout season without PEDs

Probably the most interesting part of the interview was when Chase was asked to explain his improvement from the 2011 season when he hit 4 home runs to the 2012 season when he hit 31 if it wasn't a result of PEDs.

Chase Headley interview with Scott & BR (MP3)

It's completely understandable to ask these questions. It's unfortunate that we're put in this position by other players that have made decisions.that have given the sport a black eye. It's a fair question to ask.

I've done a lot of work. There were some numbers in the minor leagues where I had some better power numbers than I did in the Majors. Over the last couple of years I've gotten away from the type of hitter I was in the minor leagues. I was really looking to hit the ball the other way, I'm not trying to keep the ball in a lower trajectory, hit the ball on the ground and hit line drives because that's what worked in PETCO because that's what we were told. That's a perfectly reasonable explanation.

But after having the 4 home runs last year I came back and reflected and said "That's not the type player I am or want to be". You know I talked to Phil [Plantier] about it and we looked at some film and made some adjustments with some mechanical things and some intent things, meaning getting up there and being more aggressive and the results came. There's no other way to explain it.

There's no magic pill or formula or swing or anything like that. It just came together. I think I'm a lot closer to the player I was last year than before that. It's a fair question but I have a clear conscience about it.

The old "hard work" answer. That's exactly what you'd expect a PED user to say! But seriously it was just hard work right? If Headley wasn't a Padre I'd be a whole lot more skeptical, but sometimes the mind believes what it wants to believe.