Mark McGwire admitted to using steroids during the 1989-90 offseason, 1993 and “on occasion throughout the nineties, including during the 1998 season” in a statement released by the St. Louis Cardinals on Monday.

McGwire ranks eighth all-time in home runs with 583, including 245 in four seasons (1996 through 1999). However, in four appearances on ballots for induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame, he has failed to capture even 25 percent of the votes.

Part of his statement reads: “I’m sure people will wonder if I could have hit all those home runs had I never taken steroids. I had good years when I didn’t take any and I had bad years when I didn’t take any. I had good years when I took steroids and I had bad years when I took steroids. But no matter what, I shouldn’t have done it and for that I’m truly sorry.”

McGwire insists that the drugs did not enhance his performance, but that he only took them to stay healthy. In an interview with Bob Costas of the MLB network, he said that the only reason he took steroids was for health purposes.

“A pill or injection will not hit a baseball,” he said.

Much like New York Yankees player Alex Rodriguez,McGwire blames the culture of the sport at the time, referring to it as the “Steroid Era.”

MLB commissioner Bud Selig and Cardinals manager Tony LaRussa praised McGwirefor his honesty and admission of guilt.

“I am pleased that Mark McGwire has confronted his use of performance-enhancing substances as a player,” said Selig in a statement. “This statement of contrition, I believe, will make Mark’s reentry into the game much smoother and easier.

“The so-called Steroid Era — a reference that is resented by the many players who played in that era and never touched the substances — is clearly a thing of the past, and Mark’s admission today is another step in the right direction.”

LaRussa said that McGwire’swillingness to admit mistakes, express his regret and explain the circumstances that led to his drug use “add to my respect for him.”

Previously, McGwire denied the use of steroids, after being publicly accused by Jose Canseco in 2005, writing in his book Juiced that he’d personally injected McGwire “more times than I can remember.”

Asked about McGwire’s confession, Canseco told Fanhouse.com “I think it’s better late than never. I think he’s going to have to do more than just make a statement and do an interview. He’s going to have to answer a lot questions during spring training.”

However, Canseco doesn’t think that this will hurt McGwire, either professionally or even historically. In fact, Canseco says it might even help his chances in getting into the hall of fame.

“It should (help). I think he should (admitted his use) quicker than that. He’s still Mark McGwire. To me, he’s still the best right-handed power hitter in the history of the game. He’s a good guy who deserves to be in the hall. No ifs, ands or buts about it.”

McGwire’s statement in full:

Now that I have become the hitting coach for the St. Louis Cardinals, I have the chance to do something that I wish I was able to do five years ago.

I never knew when, but I always knew this day would come. It’s time for me to talk about the past and to confirm what people have suspected. I used steroids during my playing career and I apologize. I remember trying steroids very briefly in the 1989/1990 offseason and then after I was injured in 1993, I used steroids again. I used them on occasion throughout the nineties, including during the 1998 season.

I wish I had never touched steroids. It was foolish and it was a mistake. I truly apologize. Looking back, I wish I had never played during the steroid era.

During the mid-’90s, I went on the DL seven times and missed 228 games over five years. I experienced a lot of injuries, including a rib cage strain, a torn left heel muscle, a stress fracture of the left heel, and a torn right heel muscle. It was definitely a miserable bunch of years and I told myself that steroids could help me recover faster. I thought they would help me heal and prevent injuries too.

I’m sure people will wonder if I could have hit all those home runs had I never taken steroids. I had good years when I didn’t take any and I had bad years when I didn’t take any. I had good years when I took steroids and I had bad years when I took steroids. But no matter what, I shouldn’t have done it and for that I’m truly sorry.

Baseball is really different now — it’s been cleaned up. The Commissioner and the Players Association implemented testing and they cracked down, and I’m glad they did.

I’m grateful to the Cardinals for bringing me back to baseball. I want to say thank you to Cardinals owner Mr. DeWitt, to my GM, John Mozeliak, and to my manager,Tony La Russa. I can’t wait to put the uniform on again and to be back on the field in front of the great fans in Saint Louis. I’ve always appreciated their support and I intend to earn it again, this time as hitting coach. I’m going to pour myself into this job and do everything I can to help the Cardinals hitters become the best players for years to come.

After all this time, I want to come clean. I was not in a position to do that five years ago in my Congressional testimony, but now I feel an obligation to discuss this and to answer questions about it. I’ll do that, and then I just want to help my team.