Rocket’s red glare in Beijing?
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- December
- 31
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Heard some interesting speculation this week that Roger Clemens would seek to pitch for Team USA in the Olympics in August.
Clemens pitched for the U.S. in the WBC and no doubt would love to pitch in the Olympics. Plus by subjecting himself to their drug-testing program, he would further distance himself from the Mitchell Report.
If Clemens pitched well in the Olympics, it will be interesting to see if any team adds him to their roster for the pennant race. The Olympic tournament ends Aug. 23, just the right time for the Rocket to be added to a roster.
This is total speculation, but I bet we haven’t seen the last of him.
Meanwhile, the Texas high school baseball coaches association decided to invite Clemens to speak at their convention after all.
Mike Wallace is scheduled to sit down with Clemens at his home later this week. The interview will be on 60 Minutes on Sunday.
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on Monday, December 31st, 2007 at 4:33 pm by Peter Abraham.
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Chad Jennings
Sam Borden
Josh Thomson
GO AWAY ROCKET
Interesting…Clemens uses the Olympic testing to add to his side of the case.
Happy New Year, Peter!
I’d like to see the Rocket in pinstripes right after this tournament ends, preferably on Thursday Aug. 28, vs. the Red Sox.
Unless of course everything is going as planned on paper in terms of starting pitching. But that’s rare; if the Rocket wants to play in late August, I’d think there’d be a spot for him.
I thought he was OK in 2007, pretty much what i expected – he’ll give you some good starts, but you need to spot him. His two 2007 performances against Boston were clutch.
This would be a great idea for Clemens. It would clear his name in the Court of Public Stupidity….er, i mean Opinion and it would add a boost to the interest level for the sport in the games.
He should pitch for an Eastern European team. They were always the best at beating drug testing regimens.
Please Clemens, just go far away, quietly…..
no way should roger walk away from baseball at this time. clemens is a baseball player; players play baseball. so clemens should play.
no way he should let mitchell dictate how he goes out.
Clemens really helped the Yanks in the playoffs. Oh wait, that was Phil Hughes.
I don’t think any team touches Clemens, and that includes team USA.
Who wants a 45 year-old suspected steroid user?
Who wants a 45 year-old clean player for that matter?
Just go away, Rocket. If you’re innocent, prove it, otherwise just shut up or apologize.
Since Jose Guillen and Gagne got jobs, the issue for him won’t be roids, it will be age, injury, and declining effectiveness. He basically sucked last season.
Steroid issues aside, Clemens broke down last season for the first time in recent history. The guy is a huge risk for the money he commands. Don’t expect to see Roger Clemens in the bigs unless he’s willing to do it for cheap. Very unlikely.
Remember the state of pitching
The Rocket’s ERA+ last season was still 107 (so if he’s bad, then what the hell is the league average doing…)
“The Rocket’s ERA+ last season was still 107 (so if he’s bad, then what the hell is the league average doing…)”
thank you.
clemens can still pitch.
the question is if he wants to. he’s probably only worth about 3-4 million at this point, but that’s another question.
i would think he’d want to pay for league minimum if he had to to disprove mitchell’s pr attack on him. i think it’s more likely he’ll pitch again because of the mitchell report.
Roger is innocent till proven guilty most players (and actors for that matter) don’t get the benefit of the doubt and its very sad. Just wait till one of your fav. or friends isn’t given fair judgement in the publics eyes Roger deserves to play if he shows them that he still got it in him and he deserves to be praised for standing up for what he believes He was (and maybe is) one of the best players ever He taught others not to use steroids and play for fun Give this Great player a break and support his brave fight if he’s proven wrong yell then but support a player that showed the utmost respect for the game he loved. Have a great one Pete and all, Jack Connelly
I bet the Mets would be interested in Roger Clemens… In a lot of ways, it makes sense. Especially if they’re considering signing Freddy Garcia (who won’t be ready for the first few months of the season anyway) or Bartolo Colon. Might as well spend on a guy who’s a proven NL performer.
He has a lot of reasons to pitch in 2008. As Pete said, continued pitching in the Olympics would be a way to distance himself from the Mitchell Report. However, pitching again in the MLB would probably help his case even more.
this clemmens situation is crazy. He is among 80-something players listed in the report (albeit the most famous) and now people want him strung up by his toes. And hes mentioned only because some nobody of a former trainer named him to keep himself out of prison. At the same time, everybody forgave and forgot andy pettite’s name appearing in the report, apparently because of his very sketchy admission and non-apology.
the yankees should stay away from rocket not because of allegations of ped’s (nobody is calling for the yanks to get rid of pettite, or giambi for thier ped’s), but because he was not very good last year at the age of 45, and at $27M (prorated) a bigger waste of money thatn anybody this side of carl pavano.
As far as the olympics goes, if he passes the test he should definatly pitch for team usa, he’ll be great against that level of players and it would be a great way for a great pitcher to go out.
I wonder who floated that rumor “that Roger Clemens would seek to pitch for Team USA in the Olympics in August”? If you follow it to its source, I’ll bet it originated somewhere in Texas…with the fingerprints “RH” all over it.
“If you’re innocent, prove it, otherwise just shut up or apologize.”
I hope nobody out there ever winds up as the favorite target of investigators who are committed to getting their man, regardless of sloppy or incomplete investigation. I have no sympathy for Mitchell’s supposed time pressure as the excuse for not talking to as many people as necessary to get the whole picture before he accused someone.
Besides, how exactly does one go about proving a negative, other than by doing exactly what Rocket is doing? Mitchell’s only witness has severe credibility problems. Rocket has denied the allegations and wants to know why Mitchell relied completely on that one questionable source and never spoke to a large number of people who would have told Mitchell that they were around Rocket all the time and he didn’t use PEDs.
If you’re saying that Rocket has to prove McNamee is a liar, you’re forgetting that McNamee already failed that test back in 2001 in the date rape/drugging case. He is a liar. The question is only whether or not McNamee has lied again.
Murphydog, I couldn’t agree with you more.
This is McCarthyism. It is a shame, because PEDs in sports is a real problem, but the way Mitchell went about this is the shame.
You’re right – Anyone named, whether Clemens or Joe Shmoe, has been smeared publicly, and must now prove a negative in the court of public opinion, without ever having a chance to face their accuser.
Have we forgotten those kids at Duke, and what they went through, before the facts came out?
“Interesting…Clemens uses the Olympic testing to add to his side of the case.”
— Hmmmmm. Stop talking ‘roids, take test, pass test.
Sounds good to me.
“Have we forgotten those kids at Duke, and what they went through, before the facts came out?”
– Hmmm. So Senator Mitchell = a single mom crackhead stripper.
I wonder if you’d be this rational if it were Schilling or Piazza named.
I mean, I understand the mccarthyism references, but, we also have to remember that each player was given the opportunity to discuss these allegations before the report was released. From what I can recall, none of them did. If innocent before, why not discuss it?
All the reporters asking why he didn’t talk to mitchell when he had the chance are asking a stupid question 1 nobody was speaking to mitchell and thats how the players organization wanted it 2 if he would’ve talked to mitchell it would’ve meant he was afraid of something 3 how was he supposed to know names (and singled out his name) were going to be public. Mitchell by saying names meant harm to those players whether he claims it or not. If Clemens can’t prove that he’s innocent its gonna be really hard getting into the hall of fame and thats just not right one criminals word against a legend Is it smart to pass judgement when its a doubt that he did the crime . Mitchell asked for a big name he got Clemens what would we be saying if it would be A-rod on that list don’t say guilty till its proven he deserves to be in hall if not
“Check it out. Lester lied!”
– That’s the guy whom won Game 4 of the World Series, right?
He may not be a great pitcher, but he is a better pilot than Cory Lidle and a better driver than Jim Leyritz.
113:
– Hmmm. So Senator Mitchell = a single mom crackhead stripper.
Uh, no. The analogy is to McNamee, not Mitchell. McNamee is a lot more like the crackhead than the Senator. The Senator would be more like Nifong who was catering to a specific audience and who didn’t do a thorough or professional job because he was ought to get a big name.
Hey, 113, maybe you would know why a guy leaves the job after 3 years to become a bullpen catcher. Probably nothing to be concerned about in McNamee’s personnel file, right?
haha i hope pete bans you for that.
Nypd 113th are you a redsox fan or a clemens hater what do you have against clemens did you SEE him take steroids or do you wish somebody has videos of Yankees taking drugs before games they play against the redsox Don’t be a hater be a true American “Innocent till PROVEN Guilty”
“Hey, 113, maybe you would know why a guy leaves the job after 3 years to become a bullpen catcher. Probably nothing to be concerned about in McNamee’s personnel file, right?”
WOW! Really reaching huh? Again, if it were David Ortiz, I wonder if you’d be this adament.
As far as his “file”. If there was something in it that bad, he wouldn’t have gotten the job. Why would he be concerned AFTER he was on?
“haha i hope pete bans you for that.”
- Just proving a point of how vicious Tony’s post was.
“Innocent till PROVEN Guiltyâ€
– That’s in a court of law.
The reason the players did not talk to Mitchell:
Despite a MLBPA memo telling the players that it was their choice whether or not to talk with Mitchell, there was a problem in that Mitchell would not (could not) keep player statements to him confidential from law enforcement. Without transactional immunity, no lawyer is letting a client talk to someone who will just repeat their statements to prosecutors or investigators.
hey tony-
don’t worry about it. i already sent an email to peter a. i’m sure he’ll remove it as soon as he sees it.
have a happy new year
“hey tony-
don’t worry about it. i already sent an email to peter a. i’m sure he’ll remove it as soon as he sees it.
have a happy new year”
– LMAO, over your head huh?
Point being, there’s no reason to joke about anyone’s death or health problems.
My uncle died exactly two weeks before the Lidle tragedy up in the Catskills, in the same exact plane that Lidle was flying that day, so if you think I was serious, you are incorrect.
nypd113th-
tony gicus has had a long time respected yankee blog. the post was obviously a red sox troll imposter .
you reacted to a red sox troll posting as an imposter.
anytime you want to apologize for your tasteless remarks, feel free.
113:
“Why would he be concerned AFTER he was on?”
I must not have made my point too well. Cops do get into trouble AFTER they get on the job and I’m thinking that McNamee wouldn’t voluntarily leave the job after only 3 years (before he even vested, right?) to become a bullpen catcher.
And as a matter of fact, I would be just as offended if Papi or Manny or Beckett were put in this same spot. It’s wrong and unfair no matter who it is done to.
Throw a Hardball at NYPD113th till he gets swung straight to the ground Have a great one all (hope i didn’t get you all scared with the go red sox title) Go Yankees and bring us #27 in 08
“anytime you want to apologize for your tasteless remarks, feel free.”
– Read my previous post, notice how it was in repsonse to the other poster? That was my point.
I hope you go to bat for me this strong the next time I am personally attacked on this blog, which has happened dozens of times.
“it was by a red sox fan who’s got a sick sense of humor.
i guarantee that peter a. removes it as soon as he sees it.”
-As it should be. And again, if you think I was serious about my post, you are incorrect.
“NYPD 113th Is a Red Sox fan Named Mike Edelman.
He is obviously posting under my name – just check the IP addresses.
He created a blog and used my name to create it.. and now he is trying to advertise the blog he created in order to drag my name in the dirt. It’s pretty pathetic.”
– Excuse me? Are you doing this because I am a Sox fan?
How about this…………have Pete check into who I am and then tell me if I’m that name you just made up.
113th you get attacked because your remarks sound pro RedslimeySox if your their fan why come here and if your a Yankee fan why not sound it no one means harm just Blog the fun way don’t try to say the other guys bad this boston guys great and this Yankee horrible that will only show that you’re looking for bad attention and thats what you’ll get so Blog whatever you want you’re only going to get judged by the words YOU write have a good one.
“113th you get attacked because your remarks sound pro RedslimeySox ”
– Wait, wait. So that’s justification for personal attacks against me by adults? OK
murphydog-
i’m in total agreement with you. i wouldn’t like hearing that david ortiz, for example, was named by sources like mcnamee that had little credibility. it has nothing to do with partisan yankee bias.
as a baseball fan, i don’t like what the mitchell report has done to the game.
“was named by sources like mcnamee that had little credibility.”
– You don’t think that the fact that Pettitte’s admission pretty much mirrored McNamee’s accounts gives him credibility?
Clemens being 45 is somewhat mitigated by how he’d be coming in mid-August. You’re not looking for 25 starts. If August comes and you’d like to add a starter, and Clemens has trained for the Olympics and has looked strong, he’d be worth taking the risk.
My New Year resolution:
Absolutely no response whatsoever to any posts of NYPD113th or any hint of a Boston troll.
I urge others to do likewise.
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL YANKEE FANS AND THE NEW YORK YANKEES ORGANIZATION
113th-so that justifies personal attacks on me by adults – no one says its right attacking you but you are saying everything wrong possible to yankee fans you attack them so they attack you for a yankee fan attacking the yankees Is personal so thats why they respond back that way. I don’t know if you’re enjoying this or not. Everybody has the freedom to choose the teams they want BUT coming to a yankees Blog and getting the fans mad at you (whether your wrong or not) doesn’t say much good about the person you are. To prove the fans wrong start saying things that the fans want to hear cause thats what a Blogs for to get the news on the subject the Blogs about and DISCUSS it not fight over it
113:
– You don’t think that the fact that Pettitte’s admission pretty much mirrored McNamee’s accounts gives him credibility?
Right. That one cuts his way. The rest don’t. And he’s only one witness.
Considering the other problems with McNamee’s background and credibility plus the fact the he gave a statement against Clemens to earn a benefit for himself, why didn’t Mitchell try to speak to more people instead of just stopping when he heard the story he liked? It looks like bad faith on Mitchell’s part.
“attacking the yankees Is personal so thats why they respond back that way.”
–That excuse flies for a 12 yr old, not an adult.
You don’t need immunity if you have done nothing wrong.
The MLPA could have proposed an alternative process or conducted their own investigation. They chose to do neither. They have no interest in uncovering the truth.
Sorry NYPD113th and please keep are streets safe from haters
You said 113th Innocent till proven guilty thats in a court of law -.- outside court its guilty if you want to believe it ?
If those names would of been kept unknown and the report would just be recommendations all this trouble not needed would of never happened
whoa:
“You don’t need immunity if you have done nothing wrong.
The MLPA could have proposed an alternative process or conducted their own investigation. They chose to do neither. They have no interest in uncovering the truth.”
The first statement is truly a shocker. “You don’t need immunity if you have done nothing wrong” is bass ackwards. It ignores the supervening fact that you have no legal obligation to place yourself in criminal jeopardy. It’s a fundamental fairness issue.
Was the idea behind the Mitchell investigation to uncover the truth and get the game clean, or was the idea to put players in criminal jeopardy? If it was truly the former, prosecutors make deals all the time to get info (Just like they did with McNamee and Radomski). Why didn’t that happen here to get the truth out? Instead, the report became an ugly exercise in naming names in a small sample dictated by Mitchell’s self-imposed time constraints and his unwillingness to talk to more witnesses.
If the feds really had no interest in prosecuting, let them grant immunity to players so MLB could get to the bottom of things and players could speak openly without fear of prosecution for finally telling the truth about steroids. It was manifestly unfair to ask the players to put themselves in possible criminal jeopardy in a private, corporate, place-of-employment investigation, and then rip them when they insisted on invoking their rights. That’s especially true when the owners and GMs knew and did nothing for years. Why weren’t they squeezed?
As for the Union, they have been no more or less guilty than the owners and GMs. Why crap on the Union? I also don’t think it is accurate to suggest that MLB wanted their input in how to investigate this issue.
Stop the horses and run the ball how many of you at times square tonite
I get it, Tony is being impersonated. Nice, dude get a life.
NYPD113th-
Who was your favorite: Kojak or Barney Miller ??
NYPD gets attacked here because he constantly makes inciting comments and acts like a Sox stooge instead of a guest.
Other than that I guess he’s ok, if you root for Boston.
NYPD emulates Gunther Toody of Car 54. Can’t you tell?
This is what NYPD Gunther Toody is good for for whenever he stops by.
Referring to Lester-
He may not be a great pitcher, but he is a better pilot than Cory Lidle and a better driver than Jim Leyritz.
For NYPD113
To be sung to the tune of CSN 49 bye-byes
29 laptops
by Clay Buchholz
29 laptops all in a line
All of them good ones, all of them dells.
Drifting with my lady, we’re oldest of friends
Need a little work and there’s PCs to sell.
Steady girl, be my world.
Till the drifter come, now she’s gone.
I let that man play his hand,
I let them go, how was I to know?
I’m down on my knees, nobody left to please.
Now it’s over, they left in the spring.
Her and the drifter, lookin’ for beautiful things.
Steady girl, be my world.
Till the drifter come, now she’s gone.
I let that man play his hand,
I let them go, how was I to know?
I’m down on my knees, nobody left to please.
49 Bye Byes? Wow. Haven’t listened to CSN&Y in a long time.
Stills does a great live version of 49 Bye Byes on 4 Way Street that brings back some really fond, really old memories. I know that double live vinyl by heart, note for note. Excellent memory to carry forward into 2008.
“I hope nobody out there ever winds up as the favorite target of investigators who are committed to getting their man, regardless of sloppy or incomplete investigation…
Besides, how exactly does one go about proving a negative, other than by doing exactly what Rocket is doing?”
Numerous great points in your post, murphydog. We don’t know if Roger did it or not, but this process has been horrible.
Peter, very interesting speculation about Roger. It would be fascinating if things developed that way.
For me, the best arguments on Roger’s side:
1) McNamee’s lack of credibility, Mitchell’s need to get Clemens, and the way McNamee’s statements almost can’t be proven wrong (burdon of proof is too great in such a private situation), so he’s pretty much immune to risk.
2) Roger’s career rejuvenation is not unlike some other all time greats at his age.
3) Roger’s post-accusation response has been as strong as humanly possible — seemingly way too strong for a guilty person.
On the other side, it’s Roger’s dogged devotion to juicemaster McNamee during the post-Sox portion of his career that bothers me the most.
Attention impersonators, trolls, idiots, etc.:
This blog records your IP address. From there, it’s simple search to find out where you’re posting from. So just go someplace else.
Thanks
December 31st, 2007 at 9:17 pm
For NYPD113
To be sung to the tune of CSN 49 bye-byes
29 laptops
by Clay Buchholz
29 laptops all in a line
All of them good ones, all of them dells.
Drifting with my lady, we’re oldest of friends
Need a little work and there’s PCs to sell.
Steady girl, be my world.
Till the drifter come, now she’s gone.
I let that man play his hand,
I let them go, how was I to know?
I’m down on my knees, nobody left to please.
Now it’s over, they left in the spring.
Her and the drifter, lookin’ for beautiful things.
Steady girl, be my world.
Till the drifter come, now she’s gone.
I let that man play his hand,
I let them go, how was I to know?
I’m down on my knees, nobody left to please.
– LOL, that is good!
Thanks pete for making sure this remains a great Blog
happy new year guys.
A happy and healthy new year to everyone =)
Happy New Year everyone!
Hey, did anyone else see ARod at Times Square? He was on one of the networks (NBC I think) just before midnight. He looked great (as usual).
In the early days of radio/TV, George Burns had a line when it was time for him and his wife to sign off. He’d say “Say Good Night, Gracie”.
Now is the time for someone – please! – to tell Clemens to “Say Good Night, Roger” and for him to quietly leave the stage and go home.
If a man can pitch at 45 why say goodbye cause he played long enough is not a good reason cause some criminal claims he’s a steroid user why should that stop him YOU’RE judging him for something you don’t know and that is What’s not fair Public Opinion
Best wishes for a healthy happy and safe new year everyone!!!!
Clare -
Yes, I did!!! It was very cool, especially since Carson Daley was absolutely thrown for a loop. He stopped mid-sentence and was, like, “oh my goodness, we have Alex Rodriguez here!” He was totally star-struck. And, yes, ARod look good, as usual.
Uh, ARod LOOKED good. Please, please, please, an edit button.
I bet Joe Girardi was as excited as anybody as the clock struck twelve. 2008 is his year, and he’ll be getting HIS team ready for the season. And Tampa sunshine sounds really good about now…
You got that right Jim PA!
Cant wait for that warm Fla sunshine.
just saw jose canseco on the fox morning show taking a surprising position considering his financial need for publicity. instead of hinting that he knew something about clemens, he said he never knew clemens to use peds. he also added that mcnamee was facing twenty five years in jail so he had every reason to tell a story about clemens.
this story just gets stranger and stranger. i’m not sure if it helps clemens if canseco is vouching for him. or does it because he’s an expert in the world mcnamee moves in?
one thing to be happy about in the new year is that people like canseco and mcnamee are out of the game.
randy l.
The best thing that could happen is for no one to buy Canseco’s new book. But you know that will never happen.
I don’t understand why everyone hates Canseco. He was the only one who has been telling the truth the whole time.
It’s probably his personality and motivations that turn people away
The way I see it, although he’s doing it to make money, at least he’s telling more than the league ever would. Besides, it’s fair enough when the league exploited this whole business to make money in the first place
plank-
telling the truth about doing something sketchy doesn’t absolve canseco of a history of skeptical and questionable behavior.
i don’t hate him, but like doreen says, i’m sure not going to buy his book. i think it’s safe to say that canseco is exactly the kind of player we don’t want to see again in baseball. he’s part of the story now, but hopefully this is his last hurrah before he fades into baseball history.
A-Rod appeared on Carson Daly’s New Years Eve special at midnight and someone threw something at him and hit him in the face…
Check out my blog entry with video here:
http://host288.ipowerweb.com/~.....arson.html
Just curious to see if any of you saw the coverage in times square…
Who knew that our 3rd baseman would show up and ring in the new year live with Carson Daly on NBC last night!! -(It was awkward, painful, and left me feeling embarrassed..Like many of his PR ventures this man can not seem to get it right when it comes to the media)
He’s literally worse than those politicians with their “talking points”
First he steels the Redsox spotlight to announce his opt-out and now he’s stealing thunder from NEW YEARS EVE to tell us why he never had any intention of leaving and why he loves New York and “my wife cynthia” This and that “the magic in pinstripes” GOOD GOD it was bad.
I know Alex just hired some new hollywood fellow to manage his affairs but this guy should be canned IMMEDIATELY if he had anything to do with last nights shenenigans.
That being said I wish A-Rod would just shut up and play baseball.
Last night the man looked like a clown.
Happy New Year.
Combine this: I don’t understand why everyone hates Canseco. He was the only one who has been telling the truth the whole
Let’s do a reliability analysis.
1) Canseco has previously given a large amount of detailed information regarding MLB and steroid users that has been proven to be true. He has a good basis of knowledge. (When IRS CID Special Agent Novitsky went through his training, and when Mitchell went to law school, they learned that this is an important factor in evaluating the reliability of informants).
2) This also establishes Canseco’s track record of reliability when it comes to steroids and MLB. McNamee has no such track record of ever being right before.
3) Canseco implicated himself in steroids use. That’s a statement against penal interest and an indicator of reliability, according to Mitchell who wants you to believe that McNamee is reliable for similar reasons.
4) Saying that Clemens did not juice is a reason not to buy Canseco’s next book. Thus, it was a statement also made against Canseco’s financial interests and is therefore an additional indicator that Canseco is reliable under the same general rules Mitchell applied to shore up McNamee’s credibility.
Having said all that does anybody really like or trust Canseco or anything he says? Of course not. But according to Mitchell, using similar evaluative tests, we are supposed to believe what McNamee says. Sorry, but I’m not buying it and everybody else has good reason to disbelieve McNamee.
Using the same tests Mitchell did when relying on McNamee it’s clear that Canseco is a far more reliable witness and his statements should count for as much if not more than what McNamee said. And according to the more reliable witness, Clemens didn’t use PEDs. At the very least, Canseco appears to severely undercut McNamee on Clemens.
Edit button: Combine this: I don’t understand why everyone hates Canseco. He was the only one who has been telling the truth the whole
It’s fair to say he shouldn’t be absolved if you think steroids is the black mark on the game the media says it is, but it takes guts to be a whistle-blower.
There is no evidence Canseco was more of a drug user than any other player. There is only his own admission. Contrasting that with Pettite who only admitted (half-heartedly) his drug use after indisputable evidence was presented, I think it’s a shame Canseco is thrown under a bus by everyone.
He was my favorite player back in the day and he’s still up there.
Favorite of my lifetime (I’m 25):
1. Rickey Henderson
2. Barry Bonds
3. Darryl Strawberry
4. Doc Gooden
5. Jose Canseco
6. Pedro Martinez (Only when he had a jerry curl and mini-me)
PTRS- what was so bad about Alex’s appearance last night? So it wasn’t planned…..is that really something to get your panties in a twist about?
In case you haven’t noticed, Alex does play baseball and plays it very well
Why does everyone dislike Canseco because he was the biggest user of them ALL and is now acting like a spoiled 5 year old because no one wants him play any more so he’s selling out his ‘friends’.
He isn’t writing these books to help clean up baseball, to clear is conscience. He’s doing it because he needs the money and he wants revenge…why on earth would I respect that?
Happy New Year everyone!
My comments on Jose Canseco:
Everytime I think about Jose Canseco, I’m reminded of his arrest for battery.He grabbed his wife by the hair and slammed her face against the dashboard of his car. Any Jose Canseco defenders ought to remember that any man capable of such violence is a man capable of lying.
I actually didn’t know (forgot maybe) about the wife beating. That’s terrible and I’ll never look at him with the same fondness again but I don’t see the jump in logic to get to calling him a liar.
It was only a matter of time before someone slammed ARod for showing up in Times Square last night. I said it to my husband right before we called it a night. Sigh. I guess there will always be those who will be negative. I thought it was a pleasant surprise (him showing up) on an otherwise boring and unimpressive New Year’s Eve show.
Now, did he say anything truly interesting? No, indeed he did not. So the other thing I said to my husband was, basically, ARod needs a new script.
I didn’t see A-Rod last night but PTRS’s comments made me search it out on youtube. A-Rod has said and done many head scratching things but there was nothing wrong or embarrassing on the video I just saw. Some people look for reasons to hate. Be patient and some time in the next 10 years, he’ll probably give you a real one.
I also wouldn’t be so sure that the appearance wasn’t planned by NBC. The promos for the broadcast all week said there would be special surprise guests and A-Rod does have the same manager now as Lenny Kravitz who performed on the show.
The most egregious offender is Paul Byrd who would not deny he was still injecting HGH up to and including his post season appearances in October 2007. Because ESPN employees placed his dental records, etc. in the SF Chronicle on the eve of a must win game for their boss, George Mitchell, Byrd has been excluded from round the clock media blather. He openly admitted his performance was tainted, but where are “Tainted Team” references to the 2007 Cleveland Indians? Where are the Guardians of the Game?
The new book will probably have plenty to do with A-rod he said it after mitchells report ‘very surprised that A-rods name is not in it’ he’s jealous and wants money that’s what this books about having A-rod as the main character means lots of sales and thats why he doesn’t need clemens name covering the pages the books gonna sell anyways
Doreen
Why would arod feel the need to show-up?
Here’s another reason wht jeter can;t stand arod which just can’t help team chemistry.
Joltin’ Joe -
Times Square is a public place, is it not? He and his wife have every right to be there. Plus, you do not know, no one knows, that someone saw him and told him to go up. Daly was absolutely surprised he was there.
It shouldn’t be a big deal at all. If any other celebrity was there, unexpectedly, the same thing would have happened. If Jeter was there, he would have been put on screen. ARod is news, like it or not. I guess he could have said, no, I don’t want to go up there. But why, really, why shouldn’t he????
Another reason why he can’t produce in the clutch, he just tries to hard.
Jeter would never be there. He is low-key and as the captain sets the tone. Arod has no clue about that and undermines Jeter. He is in fact, the anti-Jeter.
All he cares about is himself. The only “friends” he has on the team are Cano and Melky, who have yet to mature.
The pettiness of the “Arod at Times Square” discussion is really sad.
Bryan Hoch just wrote an article and when he mentioned departures he left out mientkiwicz probably a mistake does anyone know what mientkiwicz is up to
Cano and Melky are just enjoying the youth and having fun playing baseball that doesn’t make them not mature enough anyways i was glad to find out that Cano hit pretty high average in the DR he has a great future ahead of him
Jesus, Alex can never do right in some peoples eyes. He showed up in Times Square and was put on tv. Give it a rest Arod haters, he is on this team for the next 10 years. You will be wasting alot of enery hating him. Do something productive in life instead of hating.
**energy**
damit I need a edit button.
Joltin joe is right. Jeter never would have been there. Would have been bad for his tax evasion case to be seen in NY. Besides, Jeter has stated in multiple interviews for the past month that NY is too cold in the winter and he doesn’t live in NY, he lives in Florida.
plank-
that’s one strange list of players to like. i guess it’s fair to say you like players with a hot dog rep. i think canseco is especially unlikable because he probably would have not been a star without steroids. bonds and henderson would have made the hall of fame whether they used peds or not. gooden’s and strawberry’s drug problems weren’t performance enhancing. pedro was pedro.
“At the very least, Canseco appears to severely undercut McNamee on Clemens”
murphydog-
just want to tell you that you do a really good job of saying what i mean to say on clemens and the mitchell report. you should give up that house closings job and go into something that takes more advantage of your talents.
i think the system is on trial in the court of public opinion as much as any player is. anyone who has a sense of fairness and takes the time to read the mitchell report has to know that something isn’t right about it.
i still think mitchell underestimated roger’s resolve to fight this. there’s definitely a blowback coming at mitchell right now. clemens on 60 minutes and meeting afterwards with the media is definitely going to be a high wire act where one slip up will cost him. i’m hoping he’s telling the truth because it’s going to be a big let down if he isn’t.
Why? Is this guy above criticism? Don’t fall for the numbers. Be realistic. Unless you place statistics over winning. No one wants the Yanks to win more than myself, so it has nothing to do with hate. Think it through and don’t get caught up in the euphoria of him coming back on his hands and knees when no one else would have him. Don’t whine if history repeats itself and we go a few more years without winning.
Here is an article with reference to Alex, and if you scroll thru the pictures you’ll see a picture of him and his wife.
On a side note, I work in NYC and didn’t know about this toilets, I found video on youtube. I can’t believe someone would subject themselves to working there, you’ll see which one I mean towards the end.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v.....re=related
Geez if would help if I linked the article
http://www.nypost.com/seven/01.....htm?page=2
Good point on the mientkiewicz being left out Cano’s winter ball just shows the yankees are right in not even talking about trading him
pat did you see Yankees Magazine. He said I live in Fla, NYC is too cold for me. I knew exactly what he was doing.
He is low-key and as the captain sets the tone. Arod has no clue about that and undermines Jeter. He is in fact, the anti-Jeter.
Umm let me see if I understand you: Alex is underminding Jeter because he was in Time Square on New Year’s Eve? WOW!!
Also are you implying that just because Jeter doesn’t do it means that its wrong?
Again answer the question for me what did Alex DO WRONG by going to Times Square and hanging out with fans, signning autographs (for free), posing for pictures and basically having a good time. Why isn’t he allowed to do that?
Maybe Pete will write about his expectations from the team like A-rod 55 homers .310 ave. Wang 21 wins 2.95 era etc. stuff like that
I wouldn’t say it’s a particularly strange list. Most (many?) baseball fans my age grew up with Doc Gooden, Straw, or Rickey as their favorite players. Barry Bonds and Pedro are both popular current picks for favorite players. Canseco is the only one you could argue that point with.
Also, I don’t think of Bonds, Canseco, or Pedro as hot-doggers.
it’s undermine, not undermind.
get real, arod is just insecure.
did he have to show his “star” on the Broadway stage?
isn’t playing here enough?
what other player shows up at times sq.?
don’t be naieve, he is trying to win this team from jeter and never will because jeter is loved in ny and he isn’t.
It seems that Alex is in a no-win situation with some fans. He shows up in NYC in Times Square with 1 million other people and that is no good. If he was in Miami or Vegas people would complain about that.
Get used to Alex in NY because he will be here for the next 10 years!
get used to losing.
joltin joe
Than stop being a fan, and go jump on the Red Sox bandwagon, it is leaving at 1pm so you best hurry.
grow up
haha Grow up, you’re the one whining about Alex being in Times Square.
Let him come to Times Sq with a ring on his finger.
Oh and it’s 1pm and I’m still a Yankee fan.
Joltin joe
or maybe you should go root for the Dodgers, given your handle, you must be a fan of Joe Torre.
Whatever you do just go back to being a reader and not a participator.
ever hear of Joe DiMaggio? I doubt it.
DiMaggio, DiMaggio…didn’t they mention him on the Sopranos once? Must have been Italian…
Why bother with these dolts Joe?
True, brother Bomber, true. Just tryin to educate em. Thanks.
Out of the kindness of my heart.
Is everybody still sleeping off yesterday?
“Also, I don’t think of Bonds, Canseco, or Pedro as hot-doggers.”
if they’re not, who is?
The year’s only 13 hours old and you’re pessimistic already? That’s early…
I always thought that pre-season’s a time for being optimistic.
He’s trying to rehab his image after the severe hit he took in the wake of the opt out…Fine but I’m just not sure it’s a great idea for him to do so in such a fashion.
It just comes off forced and contrived.
BTW-Unlike Joltin Joe I’m am VERY pro-A-Rod and was thrilled to find out he was coming back.
If we get some pitching Alex will get his championships.
I sure wish folks would give Alex a break here in NY. It’s sad to witness an all time great come to NY and win 2 MVPs in the last 3 years and be so unpopular.
Even in the playoffs, we have to stop blaming just Alex. Alex hit better than Jeter in this year’s playoffs (though we want better from everyone). Despite Derek’s post-season exploits (for which I’ll be forever thankful), Alex’s career post-season OPS is still a tad better than Derek’s. I just wish we’d cut him some slack and appreciate what we have.
We’re taking the world series this year so if anybody wants to complain A-rod never made it ,three out of six pitchers are very young , the redsox might get Santana, please do it somewhere else
Jennifer -
Thanks for that link. Interesting way those tourists had of dealing with the problem, no? One of the reasons I’d never, ever consider spending NYE in Times Square.
Doreen Neither would I. I couldn’t wait to get out of NYC before Christmas, never mind going to Times Square.
Jennifer –
My husband thinks there should be separate walking lanes for people who work in the city versus people who are tourists. He said after so many years of trying to stay out of people’s pictures as a courtesy, he now just walks right through!
Doreen isn’t that the truth, I love the ones rolling suitcases, than stopping in the middle of the sidewalk. When I go out at lunch I’m on a mission, I don’t need to be tripping over suitcases, or people with no clue of where they are going.
Doreen–That would be beyond amazing!!
I think Times Sq was meant to drive people out of their minds.
Especially on Matinee Wednesdays!
You are so right Doreen! All of the matinee ladies as we like to call them. Tie up Times Square and then the express buses back to Queens and Brooklyn.
You know, the very first time my older brother drove in the City, he was 17 or 18, he went the wrong way in Times Square.
Fran,
Also the buses back to New Jersey! (Lots of senior communities near where I live, and Wednesday is trip day!)
I must say driving in NYC, especially Times Sq, is a great way to get some driving experience in some harsh road conditions.
27 is on the way,
sorry i didn’t know your rules. my bad. i’ll watch out next time.
yazman,
i liked arod better as a mariner. he seemed to be a better clutch player back then. it must be the microscope he’s under here. people seem to be feeling sorry for him now that he had his big year. that could change again soon if he doesn’t live up to their big expectations. funny how fickle people can be.
I’ve never actually driven in the City, and I’m not that anxious to try it!
I like subways, anyway
I think I had my first traffic accident in Chinatown. I had no idea which way the traffic was going or who had the right of way! What a mess. I’m a pretty fearless driver – but I’ll avoid Chinatown for life! The worst part about NYC driving is not knowing which cross streets are thru-streets and which are not; where you can turn onto the avenues and where you cannot. Once you get that down, it’s not all that bad — as long as you keep driving in a defensively aggressive manner and don’t let the cabbies scare you!
As you can probably guess, I’d do anything to avoid the subways!
doreen,
ever try a cab?
Joltin’ Joe -
I drive to the city, then once I get there, I like to walk. If the weather’s bad and we have to get somewhere that’s a distance, we’ll do a cab. But umbrellas work, too.
I hate the subway.
where do you park?
Once, when we were very young, newlyweds, my husband and I met a couple for dinner who lived in the City. We walked about 20 blocks, maybe more. It was fantastic!
Joltin’ Joe -
We used to park at the Hippodrome, but lately we’ve been parking at Port Authority.
Parking is way expensive.
Rebecca -
Agreed, but getting to the City from where we live in central NJ, driving is the quickest way for us. Also less exhausting.
we once walked from 21st St to Lincoln Center,the 70’s, and back with my grandmother, who lived near the boardwalk, so she could outwalk me by miles.
what’s it cost to park these days?
Parking in the Port Authority is safe? And How do you get to the lots from the PA? Is it the elevators near the main enterence?
Doreen–Ah, I see. Here in North Jersey, it is extremley variable. Train is most reliable, but auto is entirely dependant on traffic. Have done it in as little as 15 minutes and as most as 2 hours.
the other day , my wife and I walked from Penn sta. to the 50’s to see momma mia, then up to 72nd to see Hot Tuna at the Beacon.
Nothing wrong with walking
Please add “posturing” to this
2008 list of BANished words and phrases
• perfect storm
• Webinar
• waterboarding
• organic
• wordsmith/wordsmithing
• author/authored
• post 9/11
• surge
• give back
• `blank’ is the new `blank’
• Black Friday
• back in the day
• random
• sweet
• decimate
• emotional
• pop
• It is what it is
• under the bus
Good points, joltin joe.
I just think people aren’t looking at Alex objectively, compared to how we look at other Yanks. In 2005 and 2006, Jeter’s OPS in the playoffs was WAY better than ARod’s. In 2004 and 2007, ARod’s was way better than Derek’s. Bottom line? The Yanks succombed to better pitching.
And anyone want to rate them in big regular season hits over the past 4 years?
I’m definitely not trying to dis Jeter, who is AWESOME in my book. Just trying to remind folks that we have to cut great players some slack sometimes.
West -
Aw, “it is what it is” is my mantra!!!! Because, there’s no easier way to say you can’t change some things.
And I’ve kinda gotten used to “back in the day” although it does sound a bit cliched. I like “perfect storm,” too.
Jennifer –
Port Authority is safe on weekend days, anyway. It’s very accessible and brightly lit, and the elevators to the parking levels are close to the entrance to the building, so you don’t have to walk thru PA. My latent fears of the place are the reason we used to park at the Hippodrome, but getting cross-town to the Lincoln Tunnel is no fun, so I swallowed my apprehensions, and so far, so good.
By the way, any of you who have gone to Baltimore to see the Yankees, have you gotten your notice that tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. on Jan. 9th? I’m searching for hotels now, and I think we’re going to end up staying outside the city limits, but I’d rather not have to do that, if possible.
Joltin’ Joe -
We saw Mamma Mia this past October. Better than I expected it to be. It was one of those shows I vowed never to see, because it’s really a touristy-show (like Cats, which I am proud to say I NEVER saw), but we had to find something suitable for my daughter and her grandma, so MM was it. I begrudgingly admit it was fun.
Doreen-
My wife and I drove down to see the Yank’s final game of the year in Baltimore last season. We actually took a hotel in south Jersey, just off the highway, then drove the rest of the way the morning of the game. It was actually very relaxed and unhurried.
Doreen–I saw Mamma Mia in London the first time I went to London. It was all right, but I liked Les Mis better.
My favorite, though, has easily gotta be Spamalot.
Hey Everybody – Happy New Years !!!
ARod threw one hellva BlockParty, last nite!!
http://tinyurl.com/264qg7
Here’s some pix – 6 in all
Cheers!
Not a bad idea, Jim PA.
2 seasons ago we stayed outside of the city limits of Baltimore. That was fine, but we were hoping to get more of the flavor of the city this time around. There are some rooms available, but the rates are really high. Although it also seems the rates in August are higher than the April rates.
2 seasons ago, though, the Saturday game started at 4-ish and that was so much better. I wonder why they changed that?
Dr. Acula –
Great pix! The guy sure looks like he’s having a blast! Weather-wise this had to be one of the more perfect New Year’s Eve nights.
Rebecca –
Les Miz is fantastic, but it’s a full-tissue-box show for me! Spamalot was a riot! I am not a Monty Python fan, but you didn’t have to be to enjoy Spamalot. I love the silliness of it. Did you see the original cast? We did not.
Doreen–No, but I did see it in London.
Homina, homina!
Honeymooners Marathon is still on, highly recommended.
Doreen,
Funny I felt the same way about momma mia, but wound up finding front row seats for wife’s b’day so I sprung.
Also, there is a hotel,with parking, right across street from Camden Yards, I would recommend.
Thanks Dr. A! Great pix! But what about the pix you promised us last week? You told us to check the next day for new pix.
Not to restart the idiotic debate on the subject, but I thought it was great ARod showed up at Times Square. It was a very NY thing to do. It looked like he was having fun, and it doesn’t matter what he said. Nobody says anything interesting in situations like that.
Thanks Dr. A! Great pix! But what about the pix you promised us last week? You told us to check the next day for new pix.
Not to restart the idiotic debate on the subject, but I thought it was great ARod showed up at Times Square. It was a very NY thing to do. It looked like he was having fun, and it doesn’t matter what he said. Nobody says anything interesting in situations like that.
Rebecca –
That more than makes up for not seeing the original B’way cast, I’d say.
Yazman,
I must be spoiled. I remember clutch performances by so many NY athletes like Reggie, Jeter, Mantle. Even other sports with Namath, Willis, Clyde, Messier. Arod just lacks something personalty-wise, maybe the killer instinct to get it done when it counts the most. These other guys lived for that moment. They rose to the occasion knowing their priorities. Not just compiling numbers. That’s why they are loved in NY.
Doreen–YES!
Doreen
I booked the same hotel the Yankees stay at. I was able to get it at a pretty good rate.
Joltin, if you are referring to the Hampton Inn, they now have a 3 day min, to stay there, needless to say that hotel was struck off my list.
Most hotels in the area are at least 300 a night, unless you stay out of the inner harbor, which I would advise against.
Jennifer -
Are you going in April or August? And do you mind if I ask the name of the hotel? I’ve been concentrating on the Marriott chain first.
April, I haven’t looked for rooms for August yet. I will only say that it is the Mariott chain. I don’t want to say exactly which hotel for all to see. If you want I can email you which it is.
I don’t think it was a Hampton Inn, more like a Holiday Inn,
right across the street with a mutilevel parking lot.
Is anyone else watching the outdoor hockey game?
I’m also going to Toronto, or plan to. I have a room book and am waiting for tickets to go on sale, than I’ll book a flight. I plan on seeing a Friday, Saturday, Sunday game, missing only half a day of work on Friday.
too busy with the honeymooners and twilight zone marathons.
Hampton Inn is pretty new only a year or so old. Holiday Inn I think was a block or so away.
where are all the regulars today? still sleeping?
hows the weather at that hockey game?
joe–I imagine most people are still nursing hangovers
Thanks, Jennifer.
No form of transportation in NYC is perfect including the subways but they are the pulse and personality of the city.
snowing, and they said 20 degrees.
No problem Doreen. If you book that hotel you should be able to get a room at about 275. But as I said before DO NOT stay out of the inner harbor, it is a ghost town. I went up to a bar to meet up with friends, and it was very scary walking there.
seems like mostly gals in here today, guess the guys did all the drinking.
What about our guys Cano Wang Joba Hughes IPK what have they done lately
is that hockey game in minnesota?
Also Cabrera you know all the young guys Shelley too
Buffalo.
there’s one of our missing drunks
just wake up brian?
Sudden death overtime.
what channel?
Was up a while back but ate some lunch first how are you doing
nbc
Jennifer –
If it’s the hotel I think it is, there were no rooms available for the Sat/Sun 8/23 to 8/24.
So How’s 2008 going
That hockey game is a great idea!
If we are looking at the same hotel you are right.
Sad
I have to go back to work tomorrow. 11 days off and it flew by.
My youngest is going back to school tomorrow and she is ecstatic. She loves school.
Doreen–O_O;; Wow. How old is she?
Rebecca -
It’s a long story, but she’s 18 and doesn’t go to public school, if you get my drift.
Doreen–Ah, that explains it.
Some game!
I am not a big hockey fan but that was a fun game with all of the snow and that huge crowd. The stadium was sold out and it holds around 70,000 people.
Yeah they said it was 73,000 people. I normally don’t watch it on tv, it is alot more fun when you are at the game. But this was very different, it being an outdoor game and all.
Well, we decided to go to Baltimore in August, when my older daughter will be home. She wants to go too. Which means, we’ll probably stay totally out of the city and just drive in, like we did last time. I was really wanting to stay in the city this time, though.
Where are the regulars? Sleeping still?
Rocket, just go away please
I’m not a regular?
(j/k)
I didn’t mean nobody’s on just almost nobody
It’s okay, I’m only joking =)
Rebecca how was your day
hello fellow blog heads, happy new year!
How you doing jay
Good. Watching reruns!
What reruns are they any good
I missed the outdoor hockey game. What was all the hype about?
Hi guys,
Happy 2008! This year has got to be better than last year sportswise. I think we have a lot to look forward to.
Right now my football (Jets) and b-ball (Knicks) teams are miserable. Don’t currently have a hockey team. I used to root for the Islanders back in their glory days when I lived on Long Island in the 70’s. Living in New England now makes this an especially miserable year. The one bright spot is my college basketball team: URI. Happy New Year!
I think we can officially call New Year’s Day the slowest day of the year on this blog, what do you think?
Zalasko: Law and Order and America’s Next Top Model (don’t ask)
Doreen: It’d explain why it’s thus far the slowest day of the year on mine as well.
Rebecca I guess there’s really nothing to watch today I only watch the CW for One Tree Hill maybe Pete will put up another post today so that we can discuss something else besides this day
Happy 2008 everyone!!
That Penguins-Sabres game was surreal. Really cool though.
Pretty funny post I came across. I just love the pic I guess! ha
http://mlbfleecefactor.com/200.....mer-award/
damit I need a edit button.
Not sure if anyone is aware, but the firefox web browser has built in spell check for forms (such as blog forms).
Good news, only 44 days till pitchers and catchers.
Doreen,
I am late to the thread but I have stayed several times on business in the Glen Burnie/Linthicum MD. area. It is not far from the city, you save a ton of money and if you stay near Arundel Mills mall (a great shopping experience) there is a lot to do. The price savings for going 10 miles from Baltimore is amazing, a really nice suite (Embassy) can be had for $125.
Ah I know that mall.
Yanksrule57
Can you take the train from there? And is there parking near the train? Is it safe?
Say No To Hockey.
Yanksrule57
Thanks for the advice. One of the places I was looking at was in that area, but since I wasn’t familiar with it I was a little hesitant. Marriott had something in that area, but I’ll also look at the Embassy.
Are you kidding me? hockey’s what keeps me sane in the winter months!
And I nearly wrote monks. Oops.
You’re being more than a little dramatic. The investigation wasn’t being conducted by the State, so the idea that the majority of clean players faced criminal jeopardy is mistaken.
When the State does conduct criminal investigations, the only class of people who get immunity are targets and subjects.
Neither. The idea was to placate Congress and to cover Selig’s scrawny butt, but as long an investigation was being conducted, it was in the best interests of the majority of the MLBPA’s membership, i.e., the clean players, to cooperate with a fact finding process (or to conduct their own fact finding process).
Again, the feds aren’t conducting the investigation. I have already dealt with the immunity issue.
MLB seized the high ground by conducting an investigation. The MLPA failed to either cooperate or conduct their own. That has left them in the unenviable position of appearing as if their only concern was to prevent the truth from ever being revealed.
btw, My friend used to have a dog named Murphy.
Yanksrule57 -
Apparently they heard Yankee fans were coming to town; the prices have gone up.
Stll, better than city prices.
I have a question for you: was it unnerving at all to be close to the airport?
So do we think the Yankees/Red Sox game at the Stadium will sell out faster or slower than if it were any other day?
um, my comment at 9:34, I just reread and did not specify. I meant, do we think that the Yankees/Red Sox game on July 4 will sell out quicker.
whoa:
Reasonable minds can differ. So, I offer one last series of thoughts and then I agree to disagree with you.
1) “You’re being more than a little dramatic. The investigation wasn’t being conducted by the State, so the idea that the majority of clean players faced criminal jeopardy is mistaken.” We’re not talking about the clean players.
How many “clean” players did Mitchell ask to talk with? (None?) The real issues relate to the players who used or possessed illegal drugs. So I have assumed I have a client who has used or possessed illegal drugs.
Unless I know that my client is not going to be charged, I advise my client not to talk to Mitchell or one of his staff and admit that he used or possessed illegal drugs because Mitchell would have to tell the Feds/State what was said if he was asked and then my client is hanging in the breeze. I’m not taking anybody’s word for it that they don’t prosecute users. If they are really not going to prosecute, then give me immunity. That way there are no misunderstandings and I don’t get sued for malpractice.
2) “When the State does conduct criminal investigations, the only class of people who get immunity are targets and subjects.”
The Prosecutor, State or Federal, gets to decide who is a target or subject. I don’t. They also get to change their minds if you haven’t pinned them down to a grant of immunity, changing “no, he’s not” into “yes, he is.” If a client tells you he is a past user of the type of illegal drugs being investigated by the Feds, you feel safe assuming he is not a target or subject without a grant of immunity or some other enforceable promise? Sorry, not me.
3) “but as long an investigation was being conducted, it was in the best interests of the majority of the MLBPA’s membership, i.e., the clean players, to cooperate with a fact finding process (or to conduct their own fact finding process).”
First of all, players were invited to talk with Mitchell. It wasn’t an open therapy session. It was also clearly an adversarial situation with S.A. Novtisky hanging around and the BALCO thing in the background. Who volunteers to cooperate under those circumstances? And why are you assuming the clean players knew anything about steroids? (How many players are you assuming were clean? It was a pervasive thing). If MLBPA tried to run a parallel investigation, it would have made a circus out of this whole thing, worse than the mess it already is. That’s not a reasonable course of action for MLBPA while the MLB investigation was underway.
4) “Again, the feds aren’t conducting the investigation. I have already dealt with the immunity issue.”
By not relinquishing the power to prosecute with grants of immunity the threat of prosecution for admitting drug use was clearly present. In effect, the Feds were controlling who spoke with Mitchell by not granting immunity for talking with Mitchell. And they did prosecute or threaten to prosecute Radmoski and McNamee, the two key informants in this investigation. Frankly, given the importance of those two guys to Michell, I would argue he wouldn’t have a report with the help of Federal investigators. You still say this wasn’t in effect a Federal investigation?
5) “MLB seized the high ground by conducting an investigation. The MLPA failed to either cooperate or conduct their own. That has left them in the unenviable position of appearing as if their only concern was to prevent the truth from ever being revealed.”
I’d say MLBPA had valid concerns about cooperating in a poorly structured and poorly conducted investigation. Maybe MLBPA’s concern was fear of being screwed and being made to bear the blame for the whole thing. It sure worked out that way. As for the truth being revealed, only a very small part of it was revealed. Which owners and GMs were named as complicit yet remaining willfully blind?
Edit button: “Frankly, given the importance of those two guys to Michell, I would argue he wouldn’t have a report WITHOUT the help of Federal investigators.”
44 More Days!!!!…………NICE!!!!
Cant wait!!
Andrea: No question.
Since you prefer to truncate the discussion, I will allow you to have the last word on the foregoing topic, but I had to respond to this post:
Granted, given the MLBPA’s decision to constructively obstruct the investigation, McNamee and Radomsky were the primary sources of information for Mitchell, but they only faced jeopardy because there was evidence that they were dealers, not users.
The Feds have demonstrated less than zero inclination to investigate or prosecute players who are merely users, other than to use their testimony to go after dealers. Consequently, I think it’s reasonable to conclude that even the minority of MLB players who are “dirty” faced no real jeopardy.
Case in point, Bonds, Giambi, Santiago, et. al. were granted immunity as long as they told the truth to the grand jury in the BALCO matter.
If there were “dirty” players who wished to cooperate with Mitchell, but declined to do so because they were concerned about their legal exposure, they should have sought immunity as a condition precedent to speaking with him.
Happy New Year to everyone! The July 4th game that Andrea mentioned will mark the Silver Anniversary of Dave Righetti’s no-hitter at the Stadium against Boston. Wouldn’t it be nice if Joba or that day’s Yankee starter celebrated the anniversary in style with a no-no of his own?
Obviously, a win would do the trick, but a no-no would be extra sweet!
A perfect game by Hughes would really be sweet.
Hawaii didn’t even show up tonight, I am disappointed
Rebecca- I was also hoping to see a good show from Hawaii tonight, but they look absolutely shellshocked. I figured that Georgia would handle them, but not like this. The Bulldogs are on an entirely different plane than Hawaii’s other opponents this season, to say the least.
It was Roger himself who said he would like to pitch for Team USA telling a Providence, RI newspaper. If he feels up to it, doesn’t and hasn’t tested positive why couldn’t he pitch for Team USA? Please don’t yell about his age, etc., this is a purely technical, rules oriented question.
Also, the 60 minutes piece has already been taped; the Clemens family is away and due back the day the piece will air. I had originally heard Clemens would be responding to questions from the media but I haven’t heard anything about that recently. Does anyone know if that is still on?
My problem with all this is that I don’t understand why it is so popular to disbelieve Clemens.
According to Murray Chass (NY Times)Rusty Hardin can only try to prove that Roger is more credible than McNamee. To me, that’s a no-brainer and doesn’t seem like it should be too difficult yet so many believe McNamee and not Clemens, apparently including Chass.
People were constantly praising Clemens for his amazingly tough workouts and work ethic – that same workout that he is being vilified for now. There is so much all over the Internet about Clemens’ performance in the years following his departure from Boston; his ERA went up, strike-outs went down, and that he was going down the normal road for an aging pitcher. Also, he doesn’t have any of the physical side effects (acne, hair loss, bone growth) associated with steroid use.
It is almost funny that Red Sox fans are the quickest to vilify Roger, a product of their system and a faithful pitcher for them until he wasn’t wanted by them anymore – that is until Roger pitched well for the Yankees. Oh, and yes, let’s not forget last year when they tried to recruit him again. You know, I am a proud Yankees fan and have been for a long time. I am the first to admit I hate losing to the Red Sox – I’d go as far as to say I hate the Red Sox but it takes nothing away for the respect I have for the accomplishments of Terry Francona, David Ortiz, and yes, even Manny. I can’t stand their pitchers regardless of their accomplishments, perhaps that is a personal failing but again, they are my feelings – I don’t need any crap from anyone for them.
BTW, I hated Johnny Damon when he hit that grand slam in 04 but he is now wearing pinstripes (and a cute guy – though admittedly a cheat of the worst sort) so I root for him but to me he’ll always be a Red Sox, never a Yankee and I wish they would stop using him as their clubhouse spokesperson.
i had this when the rocket crap first started. the whole thing is falling into place just as rocket’s people had planned it. 60 minutes, congress, now 60 minutes again, then the olympics drug testing program then back into the major leagues by the end of the season.
if they win the gold medal and then he helps someone into the WS, he might just pull off making the hall of fame after all…
the only little catch to his plan is that along the way, he lied to congress and if they can prove that, he’s going to prison, otherwise this just might work.