Mike Sweeney's physical deterioration

Does anyone remember what Mike Sweeney looked like in the mid 90's?

He was a normal sized big league catcher.

He didn't transform into that power hitting first basemen until 1999 (sorry Jeff King).

Will anyone in this town raise the question of why Sweeney's body broke down so violently in his early 30's, despite never suffering an injury on the field?

Will his personal beliefs (which have created an impeccable, bullet-proof reputation) shield him from any future scrutiny by the local media? Is he that much of a sacred cow?

Last winter, Sweeney was very optimistic about the upcoming season. There were no hints about his lingering ailments or the subject of a forced, early retirement. Here is what Sweeney was telling the KC Star back in January when they brought up the subject of steroids:

(Early in the article, Sweeney says he was offered steroids by a Royals teammate in 1999. Jeremy Giambi, an admitted steroids user, was on that Royals team, which finished 64-97.)

"There would have been no repercussions back then," Sweeney said. "There was no testing like that. But I knew in my heart it was wrong, and I had my faith to get me through it."

Ah yes.

Once again, faith provides us with the answer.

Update:

One local media figure, who acknowledged that Sweeney's injuries make this a topic, holds the view that ("after talking to ex-teammates, on and off the record") Sweeney is clean. He also suggested that Sweeney is only moderately bigger since the Royals first called him up in 1995.