Sox (both White and Red) Hall of Famer Carlton Fisk comes out blasting with both barrels in an interview with Fred Mitchell in today’s Chicago Tribune.

Here are a few of Fisk’s gems:

On Mark McGwire’s recent statement that steroids didn’t help him to hit home runs and steroids use in general:

* “That’s a crock. There’s a reason they call it performance-enhancing drugs. That’s what it does–performance enhancement. You can be good, but it’s going to make you better. You can be average, but it is going to make you good. If you are below average, it’s going to make you average. Some guys who went that route got their five-year, $35 million contracts and now are off in the sunset somewhere. Because once they can’t use (steroids) anymore, they can’t play anymore.”

On McGwire’s eye-and hand coordination assertion:

* “(McGwire) says, ‘Well, it doesn’t help eye-and-hand coordination.’ Well, of course it does.
It allows you more acuity physically and mentally and optically. You are going to be stronger and you are going to be better.”

On Clemens:

* “The reason he got let go from the Red Sox was because he was starting to break down. His last couple of years in Boston just weren’t very productive, a la ‘The Rocket.’ Then all of a sudden he goes to Toronto and he wants to show somebody something. Then he gets two consecutive Cy Young Awards. Come on, give me a bucket.“

Fisk and White Sox teammates celebrate during “Carlton Fisk Night” in 1993 after the Sox great set the major league record for most games played by a catcher.