Greetings from Gate A-50
Posted by: Peter Abraham - Posted in Misc on Apr 30, 2009 
Print This Post
| 
Email This Post
Here we are at the Vinnie “The Microwave” Johnson International Airport in Detroit waiting for a flight back to New York.
This airport is one of my faves. Easy to use, quick security, Motown store with good CDs. They could use some electrical outlets at the gates, however.
Detroit is a rough town. I took eight cabs over the course of three days. Six of them had the “check engine” light on. It’s like everybody in the city is fighting to survive. The Red Wings seem to keep the place going at times.
As for the Yankees, the big news today should be that they’re starting an eight-game homestand coming off two impressive pitching performances by their young studs. Instead Joe Giardi and his players will have to answer questions about Alex Rodriguez as the fallout from the upcoming Selena Roberts book has started.
The latest news is that Rodriguez was suspected of using steroids while a Yankee and used to tip pitches to opposing players while a member of the Rangers so they might help him out in turn. Two things:
• Roberts has never once written or said anything about A-Rod that didn’t prove to be 100-percent true. Never once. There is no reason whatsoever to doubt what she is writing now.
• That said, the A-Rod story is tedious and played out. We knew he was a lying, cheating clown months ago. What has changed? That he may have cheated as a Yankee will come only as a shock to the blindly loyal.
The Yankees have no choice but to live with this and hope a juice-free Rodriguez can be a productive player. The chemistry of the team has been terrific this season and the team leaders need to make sure that Rodriguez doesn’t disrupt that.
Thanks again, Hank. Only nine years left of this. Maybe Alex will buy some of those discounted premium seats and give them to Yuri Sucart, Angel Presinal and muscular strippers. Good grief.
I will not be at the game tonight. But Kevin Devaney will be in the house and blogging away. Check back later.
Seems like she is reaching with the high school thing, if anyone buys a book that details how someone tips at hooters that is a you problem
Forget all the steroid stuff. The poor lady at hooters. 300 million and you don’t even tip the 15 percent. How could you A-Rod! You scum bag.
I have to defend A-Rod here. I’ve been to Hooters and those chicks should be happy they got 15%. I wasn’t impressed.
You want to get paid for your body go ahead and hit Scores, A-Rod probably drops a lot of cash there.
I heard she also suspects that he played Lacrosse at Duke. Oh no that’s the other story that made her famous.
“That he may have cheated as a Yankee will come only as a shock to the blindly loyal.”
Amen, Pete.
I love the Yankees more than fried chicken, pecan pie, and taking a huge dump after thanksgiving dinner, but I can’t defend the transgressions of the players just because I root for the uniform.
I don’t care that he took roids, doesn’t bug me one bit. I just want A-Rod to come and be quiet, help the Yanks by hitting a ton of homeruns and in turn helping them win. All the other stuff they say about him, I will believe 100% because he’s a piece of thanksgiving poop.
I find this story very funny.. All of a sudden aynks start winning the Whole MLB here AROD is on the return and just like a child scared of a bully, a Story comes out about AROD to mess with Yankees Chemisty.. Why this story didnt come out when Arod was on the second week CO. ? This is so played out i can care less at this point…
GO Yanks!!!
Surely you people didn’t expect any better than this “review”.
“We knew he was a lying, cheating clown months ago. What has changed?”
Hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of players have used PEDS since they have been illegal in MLB, but only a handful have admitted it. Yet ARod is a “lying, cheating clown”? How about some real journalism Pete, where you speak with some of the hundred of ‘non clowns’ who did PEDS, and get a different story?
Singling one guy out of a large group is called scapegoating, and is the cheapest type of journalism. The Bud story, the Don story, the Mitchell Report story, the Owners and Front Offices story, contributed 100 time more to the PEDs issue that did the usage of any one player.
Pete… Just another example of your obvious dislike of ARod and your inability to go out and get a REAL story. You barely have to scratch the surface of MLB to find shoddy and illegal behavior…. but instead… you just jump on the ARod bandwagon.
Why??? Well…. it’s REALLY easy… it requires NO work and NO thought… and it keeps you as one of the boys.
For years, MLB covertly promoted PEDS because jacked up players equaled more MONEY. And ALL the clowns in the press knew about it.
Hey Pete… How about a story of all the clowns in the press, who knew about this FOR YEARS, and now act like sanctiomonious surprised virgins when they hear of a SINGLE PLAYER who used PEDS.
Plenty of clowns in this issue Pete. But very few of them wear baseball uniforms.
so this story just happens to come out when arod is almost ready to play again…pff.who cares how much he tips at hooters.just play ball!
sage goes in all fields
Don’t want to mess with the Chemistry of the 11-10 yanks man.
A-Rod needs to stop talking to the media period. He can’t win, whatever he says will be taken the wrong way. So he shouldn’t even bother with the Jeter school of talking but not really answering the question, he should just say nothing. He should just nod Yes or No and nothing else. Even to questions that require explanations, he should just nod.
Selena may have 100% totally utterly true actual factual facts in that book, but it’s still a deliberate character assassination. If you did that kind of research on any human living or dead you’d dig up some awful dirt. Her target is Alex cause there’s money to be made hating him specifically and the Yankee’s in general. She’s hardly the Servant of the Truth she, SI or anyone else claims she is.
By the way, Gardner’s batting average is 23 points higher than Teixeira’s.
Peter’s endorsement of Selena Roberts omits her disgraceful pursuit of the lacrosse team AFTER they had been proven innocent.
The “leaks” from Robert’s book state Arod “may have” used steroids in high school. Selena may have integrity, but not likely. More likely is that she engages in poisonous muck raking for her own benefit. Ask the Duke Lacrosse players.
Do not get up in arms over Pete’s post. Come on.
I ‘may have’ used PEDS in HS also.
God! There’s a TON of stuff I ‘may have’ done.
THROW ME IN JAIL!
Selena Roberts: A True American. This is a woman that will go to the end of the earth for a story, and if that story just isn’t there… she will make one up.
Maybe if someone else broke this A-Rod stuff I would care a little more. But, after what she did to the Duke Lax kids, she is just as much of a “lying clown” that A-Rod is.
I believe many ball players started using PED’s before getting in the major leagues. Over the last 10 years there have been hitters come into the league that looked like 10 year veterans right from the jump. Both in their physical attributes & hitting ability. So, this is not really news to me.
As for the tipping pitches part, if he’s tipping pitches, both teams players and coaches would have to be aware of this since it would soon become obvious. He’s standing on 3rd base giving signals to an opposing batter. Now, how he can see the catcher’s signals from that vantage point is beyond me, but even if that were possible, that means there were many other players involved and I fail to see how this becomes just an “Arod thing”. It’s more of a “MLB thing” since this type of behavior must be widespread and accepted.
I don’t condone the use of PED’s but it’s hypocritical to be a fan of MLB and at the same time say you are so much against PED use. If you want to hate Alex Rodriguez, that’s your right as a fan, but you’re quite ignorant if you think he’s the only current player who was (or is) using.
Has Selena ever said anything false about the Duke Lacrosse players?
I guess Selena can do no wrong in the media’s eyes, some might call that blind loyalty.
You heard what Pete said. There is no reason to doubt this lady.
YankeesLuv
She was dead wrong on the Duke lacrosse players rape story, yet persisted in attacking and villifying the players even after they had been proven innocent.
Her cruel malicious attacks against innocent players indicate something very wrong with her makeup.
The duke players may have been guilty
Please, Pete.
This defense of Ms. Roberts is weak. I realize there is a brotherhood and fraternal bond amongst professionals, but come on.
A-Rod leads a sleazy life, and is a clown…I’ll give you that.
But, this woman making money by sneaking around, following him here and there, digging up conjecture and inuendo is ridiculous. This is how she makes a living?
She’s a sleazy clown, too.
My favorite bombshell that is in the book:
A-Rod was hated at Hooters, where he tipped the minimum 15 percent.
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/.....id=4114292
Cheating, lying, and all that other stuff is no big deal; however, the fact that A-rod only tips 15% at Hooters is the final straw.
We don’t need to go through all this again. He’s on our team and he’s one of the greatest ever, no matter what has happened. Pete can bash him all he wants, but I know there’s a good majority of fans that are happy we have him. The majority of reporters now-a-days are scrubs anyway, always looking to run someone over to get ahead.
You can’t blame Pete. This is what “journalism” has become in this Paparazzi age. You get some facts and release them bit by bit and let the media frenzy take over. When the publics “right to know” has been ensured you embellish them with other details that can not be verified. Since the facts have proven true, the other item are accepted and reported as true. Then at the most opportune time you release all of these accusations in a book. The whole time every respected member of the media must report every detail like it is breaking news (at the say time saying how tired they are of the story but they have to report on the news). If you disagree with this process you are an apologist for the accused. The only time that this does not work is when you get the judicial system involved. Then when your story is discredited you simply drop it and move on to the next target.
Yet another A-Rod bashing post. Big surprise here.
Hey Pete, we get it…you hate A-Rod. Get over it and just report on baseball for once. Leave the biased tabloid journalism to the Post or Times.
JOJO — He was a shortstop so it would probably have been easier for him to tip pitches as he would have been up the middle.
I don’t agree with Pete’s opinion of A-Rod, but I do agree, who cares? Everybody cheats in their own way, welcome to life. I just can’t muster any moral indignation over it. Especially when there are hundreds of more unnamed players. Either blow the whole lid off of the thing once and for all or shut up about it and move on.
I’m reminded of Elaine Benes’s quote when asked if she is still morally opposed to fur, “Yeah, fur, who has the energy anymore?” Not me Elaine, not me.
I want Pete to take his tape recorder, tell A-Rod how he feels about him, then upload it to the blog. He’ll be back May 9th.
The Duke lacrosse players say hi.
Here we go again with A-Rod. He should just tell reporters I am talking only about baseball. If they persist, just stop the interview.
Think I will go to Hooters
pete,you’re a journalist.So write objectively.It’s up to the readers to form an opinion
Man, some of you people are really, really loyal. Some of you are almost as loyal as the craigslist fiance, whose bf killed that girl in Boston.
E-Boli-the13th
Perhaps your name should be E coli.
Selena Robert’s credibility should be judged on her entire body of work not just this story. As people’s mistakes fade into the past and they overcome them through good work and credible actions those mistakes are less relevant in making judgments about them. However, the Duke story is recent enough that her reputation is still tainted and she is perceived by many as lacking credibility.
The above doesn’t make her story false but it appears that she’s attempting to make a living by tearing A-Rod down. That coupled with her recent past is going to bring out a lot of ill feeling about and toward her. Much of the A-Rod PED “story” (if it can even be called that anymore)will be contorted through the prism of Selena’s current reputation. That’s a reality people in the media will have to live with Pete. Not that my opinion is worth much but your statement is about as far as I think I would go in defending her. She comes of a kind of creepy in this.
Peter I love your Blog but if you honestly back this Salina chic on this one there a problem. I love the way the book date keeps changing based on when A-Rod is coming back from injury…just a joke…
Whatever, Pete. Unless Selena can prove her allegations, then they are worthless…….just like she is. LOL at Pete thanking Hank sarcastically – like it matters what Pete or the media think.
when fame & money are the driving force behind stories the credibility goes out the window.
i have i big problem with the duke situation & why is selena roberts trying to destroy arod wich is what this comes down too.
arod is the biggest story out there that will generate her the most money.
the problem i have is if brett gardner was the biggest story she would be attacking him.
this is not credible.
if i am arod i write a book about her,follow her around & dig up anything i can find.
Are we realy going to let this A-rod BS ruin what was a great pitching performance by the future of the Yankees the last two nights??
Are we really going to let this ruin the great debate of Joba: Starter or Reliever?
C, mon…this has actually been a great few days in the Land of the Lohud Lunatic Legion. Lets let the only A-rod news we talk about is his return to the line-up this week.
The rest is inconsequential.
True, not true. At this point, I’m not sure if I even care. I do wonder why Selena Roberts has decided to go after Alex Rodriguez. Sure, there is money in writing tell-all type books, but there is a vengeance here – why?
And what good does it really do?
ARod is still going to play major league baseball and make is million trillion dollars. So, maybe he loses a few friends, a few fans? Fans are fickle anyway, and if he plays well the fans will forget the 15% he tipped Hooters waitresses (I didn’t know that was a crime against society). And it always sounded to me like he’s not the kind of guy who would have graduated Dale Carnegie’s school, anyway.
Unless he’s committed an actual crime (and apparently using steroids is not “really” a crime), nothing is changed by the publishing of her book, except HER name gets a lot of airplay and she may make some money.
And if steroids is the biggest deal in the book, then I say it’s about time the other 90-plus names get “leaked.” Or at least some investigation be done. Apparently, it’s not all that confidential, or ARod’s name wouldn’t have come out. How hard can it be for a top-drawer journalist to get the story? Selena Roberts managed to get the biggest fish. Is there no other reporter who’s as capable as she?
Listen, I’m no fool. I thought ARod was one type of guy and learned that he’s not. Almost nothing he’s done would surprise me – although, one would think if he was tipping pitches that that would have come out before this. The Yankees have him for the next 9 or so years. Hopefully, this is the last, and largest, arsenal against him. Hopefully he will be able to do what he’s being paid to do, and life in the Bronx will go on.
Weren’t you one of those singing the praises of A-Rod’s deal, Pete?
“Another student said the son of coach Rich Hofman admitted he saw Rodriguez use steroids.”
A book full of anonymous sources and may haves is not journalism. Its character assaination.
Who cares if he was cheating.
“If you ain’t cheating, you ain’t trying”
I also wonder why a woman who so clearly despises athletes would make sports reporting a specialty.
Betsy
Whatever, Pete. Unless Selena can prove her allegations, then they are worthless…….just like she is. LOL at Pete thanking Hank sarcastically – like it matters what Pete or the media think.
__
That’s the what’s so revealing, Betsy.
Roberts doesn’t even attempt to prove her allegations, instead she uses weasel words, like “may have,” and other such suggestive language, the purpose of which is to smear without supporting evidence.
It’s the height of cowardice and naked opportunism.
It’s unfortunate that Peter is willing to accept what Roberts write so uncritically.
At this point, whatever comes out of the book is going to be met with a collective “yawn” from most people for two big reasons:
1. Even the Yankee fans who hate Arod realize the Yankees need him DESPERATELY in the lineup. The media and fans who said, “The Yankees are better off without him”, are seeing how silly that statement was. Unless of course you think an 11-10 is “improvement”.
2. So much has been said and written about Arod, can anything more be said on the subject? I mean, he’s a bad tipper in Hooters! Breaking news!!! Shocking!!!
Geez, somebody gave this woman an advance for that?
Look, Arod has made a lot of enemies in his life. Some justified, some not.
When folks who hate someone have the opportunity to go off on them, unnamed, in a book, they are going to do it. That’s the world we live in today.
A publisher doesn’t have the same standards as an editor for a magazine or newspaper. Frankly, they could care less if the stuff is true or its single sourced. Print it, sell books, make money. That’s the way of the publishing world.
In this case, this book won’t sell for one important reason. Arod is neither a popular or interesting enough figure to sell books.
Take Arod’s name out and put Derek Jeter’s name in? You have a best seller.
Arod? Nobody cares. They really don’t.
It will be a week of talk show appearances and book signings for Selena and this will die a quick death.
Arod? Best he show up, shut up and come out of the gate hitting.
In the grand scheme of things, its really all anybody cares about.
Pete, the high school coach is already refuting the parts of the book that mention him.
I don’t believe the tipping thing – again, prove it. The Hooters thing? Who cares even if it is true? Think I’ve never tipped 15 % before?
Off-topic, lol – SJ, I’m surprised you don’t think more highly of Phil Coke, saying that he’s merely OK. I still like Albaladejo, though obviously he was terrible last night. I like Robertson, but not as much as others as far as him cementing as spot in the pen – he’s been up and down as well.
Alex Rodriguez may have bulked up with steroids as early as high school – and was suspected of juicing while playing for the Yankees, a bombshell new book reports.
In addition, an unnamed major-leaguer is quoted as saying Rodriguez and steroid-tainted pitcher Kevin Brown were seen together with human growth hormone – HGH – in 2004.
Two other anonymous Yankees said they believed A-Rod was using based on side effects they saw – and a clubhouse staffer said management wondered if he was using banned substances.
Wow three paragraphs into the article and it is all supposed, anonymous, maybe etc. All bs in my book. Book is a piece of garbage, not worthy of lining my birds cage.
From
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.c.....index.html
“Roberts: We have no hard evidence about any year other than 2003.”
She then talks about how she thinks the pressure of the contract triggered him to start taking in 2003. Now she comes out saying he’s been doing it since high school. Its all hearsay, the news supported by real facts has already come out. Whether its true or not, I don’t know and I don’t care. It very well could be true. I just hope that every Yankee including A-rod says “no comment” to every question about it. Thats the way to make it go away quickest
not tipping 15 percent at hooters…HOOTERS??? are f’ing kidding me. If i had all that money i certainly wouldnt be droppin bombs for tips at hooters.
This lady, and pete are both ridiculous in their AROD hatred. Pete has been good with his comments but seems anytime selena says something pete must go hand in hand with her. I almost feel like pete is one of those unknown sources
Great post, SJ. How I hope this book tanks………and it’s not like Selena (ugh, how I hate even typing her name) is coming up with anything new. Since the steroids thing came out, people have been speculating ad nauseum when Alex actually used. Unless she has proof, yawn is right…..especially amongst Yankee fans. I think Alex’s teammates will welcome him back with open arms for various reasons……..that’s what counts
the arod contract is going too be very ugly in a few years.
30 million a year for 9 more years.ouuuuuuuuuuuuuuch..
same with cc,burnett.the yankees should work very hard to trade arod in the offseason.
No one ever asked Alex directly that I know of, but there was a lot of suspicion in house,” the employee is quoted as saying.
This quote could be from the guy who empty’s the trash, or a food runner. Those are both employees of the Yankees.
IMO, what Selena Roberts wrote about the Duke Lacrosse Players was loathsome, feminazi, gender hate at its worst. She obviously has a problem with men who could be viewed as privileged. Having said that however, there are some rules that diminish anyone’s ability to call A-Rod a “victim” of Roberts simply because of her toxic point of view on men.
Rule no. 1: “Public Figure” equals “fair game.” Seek the limelight of MLB, get the biggest contract ever and seek out the media to deliver your odd and self conscious quotes and you have put yourself out there for both the good and the bad. That means that man-hating female writers have every right to come up with real interviews and real documents and make them into a book and make money off their favorite hobby, man-hating. Sorry, A-Rod and sorry to his defenders too. (Alex, go ahead and sue her for defamation if any of it’s not true, just remember Rocket’s case before you call that lawyer).
Rule no. 2: Gratuitously lying to the media about not using steroids is an open invitation to the media to try to find out if you did use steroids. (for a precedent on lying to the media, and what happens next, look up Richard Nixon. Try the Gary Hart and Donna Rice saga too).
So, get over the book and get over Roberts. A-Rod’s made himself into fair game and he deserves whatever he gets as a result of the book. Heck, I’m not even sure it bothers him too much. A-Rod just has to show up and hit his HRs and RBIs and keep his stupid trap shut and life will go on.
Roberts dishes up a highly unflattering portrait of A-Rod as a needy me-firster who had to have his ego constantly stroked.
Is this a shock? Everyone already knew this.
Here we go again… it appears that this lady has a “Fatal Attraction” type issue with A-Rod.
When the book release was delayed because A-Rod was on the DL, is when you should have known that this book was destined to be in the check out aisle at the grocery store since all it appears to be is a glorified gossip magazine on Alex…with tons of anonymous sources and friends of his cousin’s, brother’s, girlfriend’s, sister’ father…who when Alex was ten used to eat ice cream at his house, so now he is credible source.
The next thing she will be writing is that Alex has a mailbag and listens to dogs.
I was right. I knew the excerpts would be out this week.I called it two days ago. Get ready for full blown, all out coverage of Arod everyday.
“bru
the arod contract is going too be very ugly in a few years.
30 million a year for 9 more years.ouuuuuuuuuuuuuuch..
same with cc,burnett.the yankees should work very hard to trade arod in the offseason.”
Thanks for the info. Guess we don’t even have to play the games anymore. Why would they trade A-Rod? Because he is in the tabloids??
You’re a moron.
The 255-page book also chronicles A-Rod’s off-the-field escapades: his poker habit
Not news, I knew about this. Give me a break, this is the press leak. The book will tank, and Selena can go and become a report for TMZ where she belongs. Want to talk about a clown, Selena Roberts is a clown.
Yeah how long till that book is in the bargain bin at Barnes and Noble? I give it a month.
How Alex should respond:
I didn’t participate in the writing of the book and I will not be participating in the reviewing or promoting of it.
I have already apologized for mistakes I have made professionally and personally and will not be addressing individually what those mistakes may or may not have been.
I understand and appreciate the interest of some people wanting to do that but I will not be.
What I wish he would say:
Can someone please get me Selena Roberts and her families social security numbers? My accountant needs the info for the dependent section of my tax return for 2009.
Betsy,
Coke is ok. Really, that’s all he is. This was a kid who a year ago, unless you were avid followers of the minor league teams, was buried in the organization.
Now, we expect him to be a featured arm out of the bullpen? I don’t think so.
What often happens with the Yankees and other teams is that folks attach too much importance to spring training and September results. Especially folks who live and die by stats.
Bottom line, ST and September stats are meaningless.
Do I think Phil Coke can help this team? Used correctly, yes.
Do I think he is a dominant reliever that takes the “Joba to the Bullpen” talk out of play? No.
Albie is just an arm. Nothing special. Chris Britton with a little more sink on his fastball. Also can’t throw consistent strikes. Like Britton in that regard.
He should be back in Scranton today for two reasons:
1. They don’t need 13 pitchers on the roster. Especially when most of them can’t pitch. They need another position player.
2. When you can’t hold a 7 run lead, refuse to throw strikes, and force Girardi to use a not ready to pitch Rivera, you don’t deserve to be in the roster.
Melancon and Robertson have great potential. “Potential” being the operative word. Can they live up to it?
They gave Damaso Marte that deal for a reason. They felt he was a “known” commodity and could give them quality innings and not just be a lefty specialist to bad LH hitters. He has been so bad, Girardi had no confidence in him to pitch to Granderson last night in a game in which they were in complete control.
That tells you all you need to know about Girardi’s confidence in Marte.
That’s the problem. He has confidence in ONE guy now that Bruney is on the DL….Rivera.
I can’t blame him. I wouldn’t pitch ANY of those guys unless I had a double digit lead and even then I’d have Mo ready. That’s how bad they have been so far this year.
They are going to have to find guys who can pitch out there or they are going to have to move somebody to help Mariano.
They are asking too much out of him and that will come back to bite them. Even Mariano could use a break.
pat- Agreed. Just say I am not hear to talk about allegation of a book. I already addressed some of it and that is all I will say on the matter. I am here to play baseball and help bring a championship back to the Yankees. Thank you and have a good day.
Obviously that should be Here! Ugh!
Dr. Cox
April 30th, 2009 at 8:49 am
“bru
the arod contract is going too be very ugly in a few years.
30 million a year for 9 more years.ouuuuuuuuuuuuuuch..
same with cc,burnett.the yankees should work very hard to trade arod in the offseason.”
Thanks for the info. Guess we don’t even have to play the games anymore. Why would they trade A-Rod? Because he is in the tabloids??
You’re a moron.
———————————————————–
are you that simple minded???
what i said about trading arod is how i felt from day one before any steroid use came up.
look at history.you do not give a 10 year contract to a 33 yr ols especially if it is for 30-33 million dollars a year.it never works,not once.
and no it is not because of him being in the tabloids.
you are in the minority here not me.
come talk to me in a few years when arod is breaking down getting 30 million a year because it will happen.
steroids & hgh kept older players on the field.that is not the case anymore.
wow….there’s probobly been an attempt on Queen Beatrix life
Pete, glad to hear you regard the ARod story as “tedious and played out.” Guess that means you’ll do you part from now on to limit the ARod discussion to his on-field performance.
I think Selena Roberts is on a mission to destroy A-Rod and, frankly, I’m sick of it. He took steroids. End of story.
Bru, it’s never worked out before because it’s a unique contract, the likes of which has never been seen before.
Anyone who writes a “tell all” book about someone else is slime, plain and simple. This is the stuff of the National Enquirer without the alien love child.
Anyone who purchases this book is a POS
Hopefully Alex and one of his 345 handlers will have the sense to take a firm stand of not commenting on any aspect of anything in this printed stroll through the sewer.
Why Pete puts this crap on the site at every opportunity is beyond me.
SJ…great point, if in a game up by five…with two outs no less and a left-hander at the plate and don’t use your loogy…then all that tells me is that you don’t have a loogy.
Girardi seems to have a little LaRussa in him where he sometimes over thinks a situation or out thinks himself, if that is possible.
How did I know Pete would believe everything Selena Roberts wrote about his favorite whipping boy. The fact is that Selena Roberts has a history of shoddy journalism and this hatchet book is no exception. But Pete and the others who hate A-Rod won’t ever acknowledge her history in lying about the Duke Lacrosse players, which she never apologized for. Its amazing she still has a job.
What did Roberts write about Duke lacrosse that was inaccurate? Just curious.
Francessa made a big deal Tuesday that Hughes’ start was BIG for the organization because Boston has developed pitching and the Yankees have developed nothing.
I didn’t hear him yesterday so did he give Phil his props for Tuesdays performance?
Bella…there is thing called Google, use it and find out for yourself.
I really don’t care about A-rod but some of the stuff alleged in the book is pretty bad. Steroids since being a teenager and tipping pitches to opposing players is pretty awful, I hope it’s not true.
Who cares we are past this nonsense. Who would you rather have A-rod or Angel Berroa, Cody Ransom and Ramiro Pena. I think we all know we need A-rod, he just needs to not talk about this and the same with the team, they can just not talk to the media.
She was the person that wrote article after article assuming their guilt.
“I didn’t hear him yesterday so did he give Phil his props for Tuesdays performance?”
Mets were on.
Kevin S.
it hasn’t been seen before.
zito,brown,hampton & many more.
not as much but it is about way too much money for too many years.
the yankees did not need arod.they needed to build a great,deep pitching staff,good defense,a few power hitters.
would you trade arod now for an 8 million dollar third baseman who hits 25 hr/90 rbi,a cf that does the same & a few good pitchers?
it was a huge mistake to sign him for that long.
6 yrs should of been it,not 10.
Pete is not a journalist. He’s a reporter. There is a difference. A journalist is ethically supposed to research his material before publishing an article or document. A reporter doesn’t have the same skill set. Anyone can be a reporter. They just report. You know, like repeat what someone else says. Except they can choose to omit pertinent facts such as the Duke LaCross facts attributable to the same reporter.
Methinks Pete doesn’t have the balls to stand in front of A-Rod or any other player he suspects of using any PEDs and say so. I miss the age of journalism.
I’m not defending the absurd contract Alex has, but in truth the last four years his average salary is “only” $ 21.5 million. Only three of the seasons call for a salary of over $ 30 million (2009-11).
A-Rod took steroids. Who cares when or where, he’s a cheater for life, there’s nothing to defend. Thanks, Hank.
http://backporch.fanhouse.com/.....wrong-abo/
SJ, I said earlier this ST that I wanted to see more from Coke besides his performance in September. I’m not saying that he’s dominant, but he’s been pretty good for us – I’m willing to wait and see more of what he has to offer before I call him just “ok”.
I understand that Marte has been bad, but I do blame Joe for not using him last night. At least give him a chance – does Joe just intend to blow these guys arms out? Last year, he instilled confidence in these guys by using them even when the struggled. Now he’s done a complete 180 – and I don’t like it. He didn’t use Marte for a week at one point – that’s inexcusable. Girardi is pulling a Joe Torre – and not the Joe Torre that won WS, the Torre that ruined arms. You said last night that if a player is on the roster, he has to be used. Marte is on the roster – use him. Also, no matter what, there ‘s no excuse bringing any pitcher, let alone Mo, into a game when he’s not warmed up properly.
Actually, you gave specific numbers that have never been seen before. Had you just said long contract, you might have been right.
Now, find me this hypothetical third baseman/center fielder combo, because it wasn’t available to the Yankees at the time A-Rod opted out.
Pat, Mike barely talked about it, lol. He said Phil pitched very well, but today (meaning yesterday) was about the Mets. Big surprise.
pat…the one thing that Francessa forgets to tell everyone, is that Boston had its fair share of hand-wringing outings by its young pitchers.
Go look up Jon Lester’s first year and you’ll see tons of walks with high pitch counts by the fifth inning…Paplebon had shoulder issues when he first came up, too.
Young pitchers need time to develop…see Pedro Martinez first few years…not everyone can be Doc out of the gate. Imagine what he would be saying if King Felix was here instead of Seattle…he would be calling him Prince Felix and saying he was meant to be a reliever.
I wonder if he even believes half of the things he says.
I love it. We win two games and all of a sudden the Alex bashing is back. It would seem to me from the comments here that we as fans just don’t care anymore. Hopefully that will reflect in her book sales. So far, if keeping track, the idea that everything she says has been 100% accurate is ridiculous.
If i am keeping track, she is 1 of 2 (50%). Good for a batting average, bad for facts.
Right about alex and steroids, wrong about duke.
Patrick, anyone can say anything about anybody. This creature has no proof of anything…….so IMO, this is one book that should be burned.
He’s just reporting the news guys. I had no clue, until I came on this site that information had even been leaked about the book. I haven’t seen too much negative stuff about A-Rod in the past week. It’s clear Pete doesn’t care for A-Rod, but you can’t just ignore what it out there.
ARod is an idiot but has a lot of loyal fans, apparently (many of them being on this blog I suppose), and that is great.
I on the other hand, this he is a complete tool, I have thought that since his days on Texas. But whatever, hes our tool for the next 9 years. As long as he can hit homeruns and stay away from the swine flu, I am plenty happy about that.
This story is really reaching. They got him with the steroids test in Texas. But to say because he grew a little bit of the man-boobs he must be on steroids? If that’s the case, I wonder what Pete’s excuse is!
And as far as Jose, it’s already been established he has a vendetta and has already admitted that on his part it’s all conjecture.
The bullpen isn’t terrible, Girardi just has to learn which guys to trust. Veras and Albaladejo were given a shot and now Joe should know they can’t be trusted. At this point I don’t see why they are on the team.
Melancon and Robertson should be given a shot at big time innings. If the Yankees have a 2 run lead in the 7th or 8th inning I want Robertson/Melancon in the game. We’ll never know if they can be trusted unless they get a shot. I’m encouraged by the fact that Melancon was warming up to come in Tuesday night’s game when the Yanks had a lead but before it had gotten out of hand. I think Girardi was going to give him a shot in a close game.
Coke, Marte and Ramirez have been inconsistent but not nearly as bad as Veras/Albaladejo. Marte has been bad but he’s shown flairs of brilliance and the Yankees are paying him a lot of money. He also has an established track record so he’s not going anywhere. Coke and Ramirez still have to prove themselves but Coke has actually been pretty good.
SJ44, you say Coke is nothing special but I disagree. He was nothing special as a starter, he could be a very good reliever. His stuff is markedly improved coming out of the bullpen. I agree, his stats last september and this spring shouldn’t be trusted but just looking at his stuff/control you can see he has potential.
Bruney is great and his injury isn’t serious, I expect him back soon. Mariano is Mariano.
The bullpen as I see it should be Mariano, Bruney (when healthy), Melancon, Marte, Coke, Robertson and Aceves. A long reliever is necessary and Aceves is a quality pitcher. He doesn’t even have to be limited to long relief appearances. His stuff is at least as good as Albaladejo’s so I could see him throwing anywhere from 2 to 5 innings out of the bullpen.
7 relievers is more than enough and I agree we need another position player. Right now the Yanks get rid of Alba and Veras then call up a position player and Aceves.
I am happy to have Alex and 9 years. We have seen what not having him in the lineup has done. Ask Tex if he will be happy when a-rod is back.
The team chemistry will be fine. All it has gotten us is 11-10 anyway.
There is very little journalism left in the world. All professional reporters should be jounralists but few if any are. They freely voice their opinions on the individuals and entities they cover and when they do that, they become commentators, not journalists.
Watch a variety of networks on a major news day and it is soooo easy to see which ones skew left, way left, right and way right.
Betsy
April 30th, 2009 at 9:15 am
Pat, Mike barely talked about it, lol. He said Phil pitched very well, but today (meaning yesterday) was about the Mets. Big surprise.
So true…why talk about something positive…when you can talk about negativity and get callers.
Are we all sheep?
Dont. Care.
I think the month off with no ARod news was a refreshment and I don’t plan on sinking my teeth into more of this tabloid stuff.
arods total salary is 10 years 275 million dollars plus another 30 million if he breaks the hr record.
no matter wich way you slice it he gets on average 27.5 million a year guaranteed & 30 million a year if he breaks the record.
“Patrick, anyone can say anything about anybody. This creature has no proof of anything…….so IMO, this is one book that should be burned.”
Well, we’ll see what proof she has when the book is released. No books should be burned, even bad books can give you insight and knowledge.
I remember those Texas pitching staffs, they didn’t need anybody to tip off their pitches.
Vader,
I think Joe panicked a little last night.
That’s a game you avoid using Mariano at all costs.
As soon as Guillen reached base, after Albie walked the leadoff hitter of the inning on 4 pitches, you bring in Robertson and get Marte ready to face the lefties.
You have to find out if these guys can pitch. Mainly because, the decisions you make, have a domino effect on the entire team.
They have 4 guys in that bullpen, Albie, Ramirez, Veras, Marte that simply aren’t good. We can spin this all we want but, honestly now Yankee fans, would you use any of those guys in a one run game with YOUR life on the line, let alone a blowout game?
I’ll go ahead and answer for you….”no”.
That leaves, Coke, Robertson, Melancon and Mo.
8 pitchers. 4 you don’t use if your life is on the line. 3 rookies, with a combined less than 50 career major league innings under their belts, and Mo.
That ain’t good people and that’s why the “Joba to the bullpen” talk NEVER dies.
Somebody has to step up. If a few guys do, the Joba talk dies quickly.
If they don’t, its not going away regardless of how well he pitches as a starter because games are going to be lost out there and if Wang and Hughes are back and pitching well, he’s going to be needed out there. Bad as it is for Joba and really for the organization (because he does have the makings of being a very good starting pitcher), that’s the dilemma they face unless other folks step up and cover these innings more effectively.
Ask the Mets about not having a bullpen. Ask Johan Santana about not having a bullpen. Its KILLED the Mets the last 2+ years.
My hope? Bruney comes back healthy, Robertson and Melancon step up, Coke stays adequate, and the starters give them length until teams start looking to trade guys. Another 6-8 weeks.
They could get by if the above occurs long enough for them to then look to get a couple of other arms in here.
Too many guys presently on the roster aren’t good enough to get the job done.
Should that continue, that will force a domino effect of moves by the Yankees, most of which aren’t in the best long term interests of the franchise.
Thanks Steve, Betsy and Vader
I sometimes wonder if he realizes 3/5ths of the Yankees starting rotation, the majority of the bullpen including the closer have all been developed in the Yankee system when he goes on his Yankees can’t develop pitching rants.
I still don’t get the trust for Robertson, though I like his talent.
Bella
April 30th, 2009 at 9:05 am
What did Roberts write about Duke lacrosse that was inaccurate? Just curious.
————————————————————
The only thing that bag got right was the name of the school.
The Yankees have developed no one? 3/5 of their rotation are from their system.
That’s more then the Red Sox.
86w183…sad but true.
A-Rod lives his whole life now with the knowledge that a very few percentage of the public believes anything he says, and he has no one to blame but himself. All he is to console himself is lots and lots of money.
I find it curious that the media is buzzing about this worthless book, yet mute about Jeff Pearlman’s book on the Rocket. In a recent interview with Duke Castiglione, Pearlman said that it was the worst kept secret that Mike Piazza was on the juice. He said that reporters were aware of it and that the reason it was not reported was because they LIKE MIKE.
Pete, did you miss the boat on this one? So much for selective journalistic integrity. So spare me all of the nonsense about Saint Selena. She is a mercenary sinking to the lowest level. Her book will tank. I am tired of hearing about unnamed sources or a person close to the Yankees, blah, blah , blah! Maybe A-Rod and the Duke Lacrosse Team should poll people who went to high school with Selena and her neighbors in lilly white Westport,Ct.and see what dirt they can dig up about her.
“The Yankees have developed no one? 3/5 of their rotation are from their system.
That’s more then the Red Sox.”
Atta boy, Trevor.
I don’t want my manager panicking for any reason – I’m starting to think that Joe is not the right man for the job. I think he’s fallen victim to the pressure to win right now and his handling of the pen reflects that.
Pete Abe from Nov. 14, 2007:
“It took 32 years and nationwide scorn but it seems A-Rod is finally his own man. Good for him and good for the Yankees. His playoff performances aside, keeping A-Rod at third beats Mike Lowell or shipping out young prospects for Miguel Cabrera.”
Where was this great foresight that Hank would regret this deal? Your hindsight berating Hank for signing A-Rod is quite annoying when you and everyone else was glad he was coming back when he re-signed in 2007.
“He has confidence in ONE guy now that Bruney is on the DL….Rivera.”
SJ44 I think Girardi already has confidence in Melancon. He was warming up during the top of the 7th of that game Hughes started and would have been the first reliever in regardless of if the Yankees scored 10 runs or not. If it had been 1-0, or still 0-0, Melancon was next in line. That shows me that he already believes in him more so than Veras, Edwar and Albaladejo to name a few. Granted, this may be unfair because he’s thrown exactly 3 major league innings so far, but it seems like Joe is going to give him opportunities to pitch in important situations and if he’s up to the challenge, he’ll keep getting more responsibility. If he struggles I assume they would ease off. Still, though, the manager being comfortable with only 2 relievers is clearly a problem.
I do agree about bringing up Aceves. He can cover innings as a quasi-long man, middle relief guy.
Its absurd to stack your AAA team with enough talent to be the best AAA team in minor league baseball yet, be limited (some by poor decisionmaking, some by poor roster management) in being able to bring up guys that can help fill holes on the parent club.
I’ve never understood that philosophy by the Yankees. The logic of it escapes me.
Barbara, what the heck does Mike Piazza have to do with the New York Yankees? Let alone, what does he have to do with A-Rod? They are on two completely different levels. I mean come on, this is Alex Rodriguez. Give me a big name like Albert Pujols or David Wright and you will have a somewhat decent analogy.
Patrick, as someone who loves words and adores books, I don’t say that lightly. I was being somewhat facetious, but only somewhat. This individual’s book is a book in name only. What it is is garbage with a cover on it.
Pete Abe from Nov. 14, 2007:
“It took 32 years and nationwide scorn but it seems A-Rod is finally his own man. Good for him and good for the Yankees. His playoff performances aside, keeping A-Rod at third beats Mike Lowell or shipping out young prospects for Miguel Cabrera.”
Where was this great foresight that Hank would regret this deal? Your hindsight berating Hank for signing A-Rod is quite annoying when you and everyone else was glad he was coming back when he re-signed in 2007.
Sad just sad.
Aceves is doing ok in AAA now – I think I’d bring him up as well, though I don’t have much confidence in him.
Pete Abe from Nov. 14, 2007:
“It took 32 years and nationwide scorn but it seems A-Rod is finally his own man. Good for him and good for the Yankees. His playoff performances aside, keeping A-Rod at third beats Mike Lowell or shipping out young prospects for Miguel Cabrera.”
Where was this great foresight that Hank would regret this deal? Your hindsight berating Hank for signing A-Rod is quite annoying when you and everyone else was glad he was coming back when he re-signed in 2007.”
Wow, owned.
Pete is right on in his comments on A ROD. As a life long Yankees fan I wish the Yankees had never made that trade. The contract extension was a joke. The sad part of all this is that so many Yankee fans defend this guy. It would not surprise me at all if he’s still doing HGH, ( as well as a lot of other players in MLB ). His records, as well as those of his fellow travelers, Bonds, Sosa, McGwire, Clemens, etal, are BS. I’ll root for the guy to do well because I root for the team I’ve followed all my life. But I recognize this guy for what he is. As a fellow fan said to me at spring training this year, ” We’re stuck with him for 9 more years, and he’s not going anywhere “. I just wish some people would stop being such apologists for this guy.
SJ44, yeah the more I think about it, Aceves could be a good middle reliever. Much more reliable than Veras/Albaladejo/Ramirez. I’m not ready to give up on Ramirez and Marte but Veras and Albaladejo are done IMO. What should the Yankees do with them? I think they can send Albaladejo down but what about Veras? Do you think Cashman would DFA Jose?
Betsy, maybe it is but we won’t know until it’s released and somebody (not me) reads it.
Betsy,
Joe Torre won 4 World Series and was in a panic and paranoid almost everyday in the final 4-5 years on the job and managed that way.
That’s the job. You can change managers tomorrow and the next guy is going to feel the same pressure to win.
That’s what its about when you manage the Yankees.
If you want a manager to feel less pressure, he can manage the Royals or Padres.
That’s the job. Girardi has to win. They committed over 200 million to this roster, have a billion dollar + ballpark that is half filled most days so far, and the Red Sox have won 12 of 13.
Welcome to Joe Girardi’s World. Not easy but, he has to deal with it. That’s just the way it goes.
What a surprise…Pete is supporting his media sister…the whole industry can’t go under soon enough.
The issue isn’t whether Roberts has reported something untrue about Arod in the past (if one recalls the slumlord hatchet job, even that is up to debate). After all, she really only has one Arod scoop and that stemmed from leaked records that found their way to her because she was writing a smut book. The bigger issue is Robert’s past credibility, and after Duke lacrosse she has none whatsoever.
Roberts is media paparazzi. She is going for her big pay day, so I guess no one can blame her. The real scorn belongs to her employers…not surprisingly, publications like the NYT and SI are on their last legs.
Pete, I dont believe that there are many Yankee fans that like A-Rod as a person.
The book that is coming out didnt need to suggest things about him and go by people looking for their 15 minutes of fame saying he might have, or he could have, or it looked like he may have used the roids.
So as far as Roberts goes, who cares about what she has to say, let her expose all the other cheats and then you reporters can have some thing other to write about, besides A-Rod.
As far as SI I refuse to go to their web page or buy any of their reading material, they are can openers, and the only can they are seeming to open is the big can that would bring them the biggest meal. It has the label Yankees and A-Rod on it.
So are you going to be a Yankee beat writer or a crusader for SI and Roberts?
I believe your readers wants to know.
SJ…wasn’t it George who wanted his AAA team to win divisions and championships too.
Having a stacked AAA rotation should be used to bring guys up or trade bait.
I’ve always thought that the Yankees were developing arms to trade them…well you need to sh*t or get off the pot in this regard.
People just HATE the internet when things like that happen! Nice get Jon Ringland!
Even good guys like Pete seem to get splashed with this A-Rod stuff; even if only ever so slightly.
We need a bench hitter like Shelley or Miranda. Starters are going longer now, so we can bring up a 4th bench player.
Half full SJ? That’s a bit of exaggeration.. From what I understand, the only area that’s half full is the field level seats. Everything else is packed.
One point about yesterday’s topic de jour….gamecalling.
How would people rate Posada’s game calling last night?
I’m curious to read the answers to it.
Its not just about the curveball. That was a great call and a wonderfully executed pitch by Joba.
Its about how Posada handled Joba in the third inning when he was coming apart at the seams. How he settled him down, without having to go to the mound, and forcing the kid to PITCH his way out trouble.
That’s why Jorge gets a bad rap from some on his gamecalling abilities.
Here is a kid whom, it seems, has to pitch like he’s Bob Gibson everything out. That’s a lot of pressure on a 23 year old kid. Yet, Jorge navigates him through the game nicely and today Joba has to be feeling very confident about that effort.
Buster being very level-headed about the whole steroid thing on Mike and Mike this morning – “we are talking about hundreds of players”, “wary about zoning in one one player” etc…will see if there’s something in the blog worth bringing over.
I don’t get all this. If Pete truly wants the scoop on A-Rod, why doesn’t he go ask 800 year-old Angel Berroa? Surely he was around to speak to Alex’s great-great-great-great grandfather in Spain.
As for the relievers, I think the term “very good middle reliever” is an oxymoron. You build your bullpen through finding the right combination of pieces like the ones we’ve got. The ones we’ve got have been left out there too long, or have lost the spark we thought they have. Bruney will be back. Robertson and Melancon will, hopefully, be what we want them to be. Mo is Mo. That’s a lot more to hang your hat on than most MLB teams do. If you disagree with that, then I’ve got J.J. Putz in the 8th against the Marlins to sell you.
Kyle 9:24 was the best post I’ve ever seen. Respond to that Big Pete.
I thought Posada called a great game. I also think “gamecalling” is overrated. Pitchers are going to throw what they want most of the time.
Pete, why do you always rip Hank and give Hal a pass? Everything I have read says they at least equals, with Hal essentially being the one with the most say.
Patrick,
I’ve been to 3 of the first 6 games. Its half full.
Now, most of those seats have been sold and people haven’t been showing up.
But, its been half full.
Hopefully, the price reduction will get more people out to the ballpark. Especially since those sold tickets can be moved a little easier now.
Make no mistake though, the crowds have been light.
Its a matter of figuring out how to get the folks who own the tickets and don’t go to the games, into the hands of those who want to go to the games.
I don’t think they have been able to figure that one out yet. That’s a tough one to get a handle on, IMO.
I know Pete is over the top with A-Rod, but I’ll say one thing, he didn’t write the book … he just chooses to believe it. Anyone who is angry about any of this should show it to the write person … the author.
Ron, I don’t think most of the people here are being apologists for ARod. I think it’s more that people are fed up with this story line. The book was written by a proven hack with an agenda. When the revelations first broke in February it was news. Now every time a snippet is released it is not new and its starting to seem more like character assassination than journalism.
Hughes and Chamberlin pitched back to back good games yet this is what is being talked about. Enough is enough.
Yeah…that is the small fact that everyone seems to forget or not want to think about…Buster has it right “we are talking about hundreds of players”.
I still don’t know where all of these reporters/media outlets were when everyone with a brain knew that McGwire was on something more than Andro.
If I’m correct didn’t Sosa have a corked bat…that he said he used in batting practice and it was mistake to take into a game and the loyal reporters said ok Sammy.
SJ44,
I’ve been to 5 games so far, and the only game that was probably only a little better than half full was the Wednesday day game (it was very cold that day). The other games have been very well attended.
Ok SJ.
I’m going tonight so I guess I’ll see for myself. That ticks me off that people buy tickets and don’t even show up.
The ‘book” will be found in yard/garage sales by June at the bargain price of a quarter …. reduced from fifty cents.
Nobody is clamoring to get Torre’s book. Clerks in book stores have a daily routine of feather-dusting them as part of their duties.
Enough about A-Rod off the field, being a clown, etc. He isn’t a violent criminal. He may have cheated and he may be absent minded off the field, but he’s far from the only player to fit under those two categories. Nothing will ever make it right, but he apologized and there’s nothing else anyone can expect.
I’m glad he’s on this team because he’s an offensive juggernaut. If he has a 900+ OPS I don’t care what he does off the field as long as he helps the Yankees win games. Cody Ransom and Ramiro Pena could heal the blind with a wave of their hand, but that doesn’t help the Yankees win. This isn’t about being a saintly person, it’s about baseball. That’s why we all watch A-Rod, to see him play the game and help our beloved team win.
“Half full SJ? That’s a bit of exaggeration.. From what I understand, the only area that’s half full is the field level seats. Everything else is packed.”
What’s capacity? 52,000 or so?
They’ve averaged 44,500 thru the 1st 6 games, with Opening Day’s 48,300 being the high water mark. That’s about 85% capacity. Not bad for April, but I’d think they were projecting closer to 100% than that.
Christina
April 30th, 2009 at 9:27 am
Barbara, what the heck does Mike Piazza have to do with the New York Yankees? Let alone, what does he have to do with A-Rod? They are on two completely different levels. I mean come on, this is Alex Rodriguez. Give me a big name like Albert Pujols or David Wright and you will have a somewhat decent analogy.
——————————-
Barbara probably got confused and actually thought the witch hunt about steroids really are about (1) the sanctity of the game and (2) the kids. Poor innocent Barbara
And Christina, you may don’t know anything about Mike P but to act like he is some utility infielder that rode the bench is ridiculous. He’s a big name.
SJ44
April 30th, 2009 at 9:39 am
One point about yesterday’s topic de jour….gamecalling.
How would people rate Posada’s game calling last night?
I’m curious to read the answers to it.
Its not just about the curveball. That was a great call and a wonderfully executed pitch by Joba.
Its about how Posada handled Joba in the third inning when he was coming apart at the seams. How he settled him down, without having to go to the mound, and forcing the kid to PITCH his way out trouble.
That’s why Jorge gets a bad rap from some on his gamecalling abilities.
Here is a kid whom, it seems, has to pitch like he’s Bob Gibson everything out. That’s a lot of pressure on a 23 year old kid. Yet, Jorge navigates him through the game nicely and today Joba has to be feeling very confident about that effort.
————————————————————
Posada did a great job calling last night’s game…..until the 9th inning when he reverted back to his last game.
If A-Rod indeed took steroids as a teen, just think, some of you A-Rod fans and fans of other players have become in love with the power of steroids and not A-Rod himself or the other players. You’re basically idolizing steroids.
Speaking of empty seats. I have two tickets to Saturday’s game that I can’t use. Terrace section 309 on the aisle. Face value is $45 per ticket, but I suppose I could take less.
Any interest??
Experts like Pete Abe aside, here is Jim Leyland’s thoughts on Arod (from Kim Jones’ blog):
“I asked Jim Leyland to estimate the impact of putting Alex into this Yankees lineup. “Tremendous,” he said.”
SJ, I agree…..but I don’t think the manager can panic. Feeling pressure is one thing, but I want my manager to be calm and not convey that sense of panic to his team. We crucified Torre for his use of the pen the last few years and praised Girardi for the same. I’m no longer a huge fan of Torre, but what is sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander. Girardi needs to be criticized for the same things Joe was doing.
I’m still not ready to give up on Alabadejo – he’s gotten some big outs for us (namely in that AJ’s game against Cleveland) and I still think he can be useful…….though perhaps not in big spots. A team still needs a solid middle reliever.
Amen, Will.
Joel Osteen drew 50,000 last Saturday night. I find that funny. He outdraws the Yankees in Yankee Stadium.
I think his tickets were only $15, though.
Sean Serritella
April 30th, 2009 at 9:51 am
If A-Rod indeed took steroids as a teen, just think, some of you A-Rod fans and fans of other players have become in love with the power of steroids and not A-Rod himself or the other players. You’re basically idolizing steroids.
——————————————————-
Fan of Obama =idolizing illegal drugs.
Fan of Jeter =idolizing tax cheating.
Fan of Damon =idolizing extramarital affairs.
* This is fun I could go on forever
Don’t look at the attendance figures. The Yankees announce attendance as “tickets sold”. That doesn’t tell you how many people are in the ballpark.
I can tell you from the game I attended, all of which had reported attendance figure of over 43,000, there weren’t 43,000+ in the building at any time except Opening Day.
As far as Arod is concerned, one thing that CAN’T happen is, this becomes all anybody on the team deals with on a daily basis.
Those days with Arod have to end.
That means, its up to the leaders of this team, and Arod himself, to put a sock in it. Shut up and play.
He does that, nobody among the fan base will give a crap about anything.
But, if he comes back here and he is a diva again, contract or not, they have to get rid of him.
Don’t say they “can’t” because you can get rid of anybody. It just depends on how badly you want to do it.
I know the Yankees have had the “talk” with him about the need to stop being a team and personal embarrassment.
He says its, “all about baseball now”. Well, now is the time to prove it.
“• Roberts has never once written or said anything about A-Rod that didn’t prove to be 100-percent true. Never once. There is no reason whatsoever to doubt what she is writing now.”
You’ll notice Roberts doesn’t verify any of her claims. None of them.
‘So and so suspected ARod of using’ ‘ARod used’.
Especially when ‘So and so’ later comes out and says he didn’t suspect ARod used, or had no evidence he did. There are at least two cases just in the leaked examples of those.
This book is NOT journalism. Journalism was the SI article, where she got hard evidence, and came out with it. This is a smear job, and only someone who, for some reason or another, despises ARod (that’d be you, Pete), would ignore this difference.
She can’t be sued for libel, because she makes no claims without the total CYA of merely bringing up a cloud of suspicion.
It’s garbage, pure and simple, unless she has harder evidence than 3rd person ‘suspicions’.
Hah, I love watching everyone get all pissy about Selena Roberts. Too many people are waaaaay too invested in Alex Rodriguez’s well-being.
SJ,
Would you like to be a guest blogger sometime?
Good point about Jorge, SJ……Jorge gets a lot of grief from Yankee fans for some reason. He’s not my particular favorite, but I still love the guy. He’s got his flaws, like every player, but his strengths far outweight them.
Let’s talk about something positive. I guess it was the big lead, but Joba finally looked something like the Joba we know and love. Maybe it was the competition from his friend and fellow youngster, Phil – who knows? All I know is that in back to back starts we have seen the best of the Yankees farm system shine through. Joba’s 23, Phil is all of 22 – the future is extremely bright.
“Fan of Obama =idolizing illegal drugs.
Fan of Jeter =idolizing tax cheating.
Fan of Damon =idolizing extramarital affairs.”
Lara, the difference is that the people you mentioned didn’t become super human.
AG
April 30th, 2009 at 9:58 am
Hah, I love watching everyone get all pissy about Selena Roberts. Too many people are waaaaay too invested in Alex Rodriguez’s well-being.
————————-
Yeah, they should be in a room with all the people who are waaaaaay too invested in writing about him every moment they get.
“Its about how Posada handled Joba in the third inning when he was coming apart at the seams. How he settled him down, without having to go to the mound, and forcing the kid to PITCH his way out trouble.”
Didn’t Eiland also come out to the mound?
from the things you mentioned they did.
It’s called being a member of the media, Lara08.
Its called being the consumer of the media AG.
“Hah, I love watching everyone get all pissy about Selena Roberts. Too many people are waaaaay too invested in Alex Rodriguez’s well-being.”
Did you feel that way about her smear job on the Duke Lacrosse players, also?
And if folks weren’t “invested” Selena, Pete, etc wouldn’t have a job. They pray everyday SOMEONE is invested.
Perhaps Alex can get a bra endorsement deal? The A cup lolololololololololol
Lara, you make no sense. You’re also commenting on this post. You’re also reading all of this, yet you (and others) somehow believe that this is all wrong and shouldn’t be written about. At least I admit I’m a willing consumer of all of this. I can’t wait until I can get another laugh at this guy.
Aceves had a bad spring. He further showed worthlessness by earning a 10+ ERA after his first 2 starts. If he had pitched well, he would’ve been the long man, if not out of ST, then when CMW showed that he wasn’t ready.
Aceves apparently did very well last night. 8 innings? 69 pitches? Something crazy. Cut his ERA in half.
Anyway Chad Jennings has all the details. But Aceves is looking like his old self, being very aggressive. Too bad he chose this winter to be the first where he didn’t play or throw. If he had been pitching like this earlier, he’d be in the Bronx and we’d probably have 2-3 less losses.
Pete, new thread please?
fyi, a-rod cannot control when quotes from that stupid excuse for a book are released. i doubt he is actively trying to be a problem.
Nick Swisher is the best long term impact player to come here since Paulie. Oh, the slings and arrows of silly lil Arod’s distractions. I hope Swisher doesn’t have to adapt his play to enhance the chance of an(no pun intended) Arod dramatic unclutch homer.
Nick Swisher is the best long term impact player to come here since Paulie. Oh, the slings and arrows of silly lil Arod’s distractions. I hope Swisher doesn’t have to adapt his play to enhance the chance of an(no pun intended) Arod dramatic unclutch homer.
how bout we are going to sweep anaheim this weekend. three good starts in a row, looking for burnett and pettitte to get back on track next and we will be rolling.
m
April 30th, 2009 at 10:08 am
Aceves had a bad spring. He further showed worthlessness by earning a 10+ ERA after his first 2 starts. If he had pitched well, he would’ve been the long man, if not out of ST, then when CMW showed that he wasn’t ready.
Aceves apparently did very well last night. 8 innings? 69 pitches? Something crazy. Cut his ERA in half.
————————————————————
Aceves pitched a great game. 91 pitches, 69 strikes.
Well A-Rod, I know your not perfect and you can be a complete idiot but I just wanted to tell you I love you and I want you back as soon as possible. That’s right, I love Jeter, Posada, Mo, Andy, AND A-ROD! I know that might be too much for Pete to bare. And Memo to the media real Yankee fans don’t give a dam about what you guys think about A-rod, and in regards to Roberts book, what ever happen to having factual proof before you trash someone. May? Could? Suspected? Well it’s not surprising since there is no such thing as a Journalist in this world anymore, just greedy people with a pen or a computer trying to make a buck.
It really is unbelieveable how much scrutiny A-Rod is subjected to. I have an old friend who worked in the Twins’ front office, and believe me, if you think A-Rod is bad, you should hear some of the stories about Torii Hunter. He makes A-Rod look like a Monk, but for some reason, his private life stays private (as it should), but A-Rod’s doesn’t.
What-did-he-say (4/30/2009 at 9:52 AM) Report Violation Billion dollar stadium that they cant sell seats for…Fenway sells out EVERY night…LOL
Yep…and selena roberts is one of them.
Great job selena! You have restored order in the universe.
Another thing, it was great to see the real Joba, too. His results were there, but his stuff had been AWOL.
It was great to have back-to-back terrific outings by the starters. That it was Phil and Joba was very gratifying.
I look at Porcello and I think uh, oh. He’s the one that needs to be at AAA. Not nearly as ready as Hughes was in ’07.
Hughes and Joba were both rushed by necessity. Their roads have been bumpy, but I think there were lessons learned that make them even better than they would’ve been had they gone the conventional route. Phil’s hungry after missing 2 years of his “life” and Joba’s got the proverbial dangling carrot. If he doesn’t want to go back to the pen, then he’ll have to prove himself as a starter.
“”"just greedy people with a pen or a computer trying to make a buck.”"”"
We all know Arod isn’t about the money
Pauly, that’s because Alex Rodriguez signed the largest contract in sports history and is a constant self-promoter (which is OK, but it’s the truth). No one would care about Torii Hunter’s off-the-field exploits (coincidentally, a friend of a friend hooked up with Torii years ago… long story) like they do about Alex’s.
AG
April 30th, 2009 at 9:58 am
Hah, I love watching everyone get all pissy about Selena Roberts. Too many people are waaaaay too invested in Alex Rodriguez’s well-being.
Yep…and selena roberts is one of them.
Great job selena! You have restored order in the universe.
M— you have hit the nail on the head. Imagine if Hughes and Joba live up to their potential this year? This is going to be a good summer!
It was great to have back-to-back terrific outings by the starters. That it was Phil and Joba was very gratifying.
___
Three good starts.
CC may have lost because of his 2nd inning, but he was dealing after that, we just didnt score. He looks like he is getting on track too….
“”“just greedy people with a pen or a computer trying to make a buck.”“””
We all know Arod isn’t about the money
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Yeah he is but at least A-Rod never had to trash another persons character to make a buck.
SJ44
April 30th, 2009 at 8:53 am
Betsy,
Coke is ok. Really, that’s all he is. This was a kid who a year ago, unless you were avid followers of the minor league teams, was buried in the organization.
————-
I disagree that Coke is merely OK. As a LHP, he’s a huge asset to our bullpen, a guy who underwent a kind of transformation as a pitcher. Some guys emerge later, their role or a new pitch or upsurge in velocity changes their destiny.
At AA, he experienced a spike in velo, developed a nasty slider, and decided to start attacking the zone.
That slider was a revelation for him and made him a legit lefty specialist. That’s crucial for us – Stanton when he was useful and Lloyd have been sorely missed over the years.
Coke’s versatility is why they were considering making him back into a starter, but he’s found his niche.
I also like that he’s a seemingly flaky guy who projects a sort of California surfer persona, but underneath lurks the heart of a tiger. I see real teeth in Phil Coke – he’s a keeper.
When Dunn brings his slider north, we’ll have a deadly lefty firm of Coke & Dunn out of the BP.
I would welcome dealing Marte once Dunn arrives, or bringing him in for a batter here or there, where he can do less damage.
Melancon, on the other hand, gets out of that BL jam he got into up in Boston because he views that situation as an opportunity.
He’s not a “great potential” wait-and-see proposition. He’s already arrived, which means Girardi has his setup man in-house.
Any hiccups he experiences going forward will be superficial – he cannot undergo anything negative at a fundamental level, which is why I am taking the “potential” card out of play in his case. He’s a rare breed. The Yankees done good nabbing Melancon.
When a hopefully healthy Bruney is restored to the backend, we have something deep and special, and outside of the ageless Rivera – young.
Now if they can all just stay healthy.
Real journalism/writing died with Grantland Rice and Ring Lardner. The hacks that came along after them aren’t even as good as Walter Winchell, Hedda Hopper, Louella Parsons and Cindi Adams.
In other news…Joba pitched a gem last night and the Yankees ended the road trip on a high note…
Yeah i trust Coke more than Marte.
“”“just greedy people with a pen or a computer trying to make a buck.”“””
We all know Arod isn’t about the money
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Yeah he is but at least A-Rod never had to trash another persons character to make a buck.
————
No, he only had to use illegal drugs to help him get his big bucks. But whatever, the mantra on this blog is that steroids are OK and that everyone should use them. Might as well make them legal so we dont have to hear about it anymore.
I am looking forward to ARod coming back. I don’t care about the gossip book. It’ll be great to see ARod hitting HRs and listening to Sterling “An A-Bomb from ARod!”. Wait a minute, maybe not that last part so much!
It is great to see back to back wins by 2 young homegrown NYY pitchers. Imagine if Phil and Joba can do that for the next dozen years or so!
I agree, Tex’s Friend, I have no faith in Marte…it makes me sad how much money they are paying him compared to the job he has been doing.
If Joba really wants to stay in the rotation, Hughes’ start on Tuesday night served noticed that there are 5 spots in the rotation and with a healthy Wang, six guys who could fill them.
Step up time for Joba and Phil if they want one of the spots.
Well Joba was great last night in only his 16th MLB start and I hope it works to quell some of the debates in here.
At least for a while.
I still can’t figure out the target audience for the Roberts book. If you hate Arod do you spend 25$ to read about his BS. If you’re a fan of his obviously you want no part of it. So who’s left?
Really this book makes Torres book look like 100 Years of Solitude or something.
not that I want to get in the middle of this conversation, but I think everyone agrees that if you are willing to treat all steroid-users the same…same coverage/attention/expectations it would be different. There is a list of 100+ names that no one cares to see published and I think we can all agree that if the gov’t wasn’t busy with more pressing matters they would be trying to figure out how the name leaked in the first place.
I don’t think it’s “hero-worship” or anything like that, but all of you finding fault with A-rod should also be asking that the other names be released “for the purity of the game”
Its interesting that this morning both Pete and Joel Sherman (on the NY Post’s HARDBALL blog) have come out saying that they believe everything Selena Roberts writes is accurate, without having read the book!
Call them journalists, reporters, beat writers, or whatever, but if you’re gonna write that you believe her without even considering what she wrote, that’s not very professional. The only part of the book I’m interested in reading is what kind of sources are cited on the “tipping of pitches” accusation. That’s a pretty serious accusation, and if true it should be looked at in a serious light. Even if it didn’t affect the outcome of the game, it still skews the competitive balance and integrity of the game.
However, unlike Pete and Joel, I will read that part of the book and make a judgment on whether to accept it as fact according to what I read.
Thanks again Pete!
I wish you were part of my family and spent your time ripping my idiot brother!
Tantron,
You can’t expect those performances (2/3 hits off your starters) every night and the Detroit announcers said the LF error in the 7th inning of game 2 seemed to deflate the team for the rest of the series.
But if they pitch anything near their potential, it’ll be a great lift for the team.
Tex,
Oh yeah, forgot about that. CC did pitch much better.
——————————————
re: Posada. Are we really going dropping to the, “How’s them apples?” level? We’re not saying Posada calls a bad game, just that Molina has some great qualities.
Bronx Jeers,
Haha that’s so funny the A-rod stuff has totally made me forget about Torre’s book. Had none of this happened, would Torre’s book still be an issue reporters would be asking players about? Who am I kidding? A-rod would have done something silly for us to talk about.
I got really tired of the all ARod-all the time posts on Pete’s blog back in March, and the notion that it’s starting up again makes me want to heave.
Please, people, I’m begging you, let’s move off of ARod’s life story and go back to talking about the Yanks.
Selena Roberts got one thing right about ARod: he did test positive for steroids. But, she got a whole bunch of things utterly wrong about the Duke Lacrosse case. She got things wrong even after publicly available information showed they were wrong.
Pete: attack ARod you like, but please don’t defend Roberts. She is a scummy reporter.
I shouldn’t even start something I can’t finish, which means a hit and run post.
But based on what I’ve been able to read here and Pete’s threads, I want to add a few quick thoughts:
1. because Pete says so has never taken the day for me. That means that because he wants to jump on the “Posada calls a great game” hay wagon doesn’t make it so. As with anything else, we who are on the fence have the right to come to that conclusion if and when we get there. No amount of beating us over the head will change that. As will always be the case, I respect the right of anyone who believes in Posada to continue to do so. I am not meanspirited in my responses to those posters, nor in the way I express my concerns about Posada. If he proves me wrong, I will be the first to say so. I am still not convinced. My right to feel this way.
2. About Pete saying so, I am not drinking the Selena Roberts kool aid automatically because Pete says she has always been 100% correct. Something about Duke University. And knowing Pete’s disdain for Arod adds yet a little more distrust to the product.
Off to a meeting.
GO YANKEES!
Wave Your Hat,
Unfortunately, A-rod is a Yank for (sigh) 9 more years.
“We’re not saying Posada calls a bad game, just that Molina has some great qualities.”
I’m sure he’s a good family man, and can gun the ball down to second with the best of them.
But Jorge’s got to play 75-80% of the time.
“”“just greedy people with a pen or a computer trying to make a buck.”“””
We all know Arod isn’t about the money
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Yeah he is but at least A-Rod never had to trash another persons character to make a buck.
——————
No, he only had to use illegal drugs to help him get his big bucks. But whatever, the mantra on this blog is that steroids are OK and that everyone should use them. Might as well make them legal so we dont have to hear about it anymore.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
No one is saying what A-Rod did was good, but why is he taking all the punishment? I’m sure he is the only player playing right now that used PEDs. And since when was May? Could? Suspected? proof that a person did something. I’m not saying what A-Rod did was right because it wasn’t but Roberts should be ashamed of herself. Her book has no factual evidence, just like she had no factual evidence when she destroyed the lives of those Duke players. But I forgot according to Pete and some of you she is a “journalist” and she speaks nothing but truth.
new post
JRB
April 30th, 2009 at 10:28 am
Wave Your Hat,
Unfortunately, A-rod is a Yank for (sigh) 9 more years.
Ok, you dont want arod, put cody ransom at third and be done with it.
The bullpen is nowhere near as bad as it has been so far. It’s the same guys that kept the Yankees in the playoff race when the rotation was so bad last season.
Bruney’s numbers between this season and last season are as good as it gets for a middle reliever, if he can stay healthy, he’s a great setup guy. Marte has been one of the most consistent relievers in baseball since 2002. There is no reason why he can’t go back to being a solid pitcher. Melancon has been dominant in the minors and has done well in the chances he’s gotten in the majors. Veras was solid last year and was great against Oakland and Detroit.
The question about which middle reliever you’d be ok with pitching in a 1 run game with your life on the line doesn’t make sense. How many middle relievers in the whole league can you really be that comfortable with? They are middle relievers for a reason. Mo, Bruney, and Marte/Melancon/Veras/Coke with a long reliever is a good bullpen. They’ve had a rough start, but once the starters get into a good stretch where they are consistently deep into games, everything will settle in to place.
If people didn’t care about A-Rod then they wouldn’t write about him so much. Problem is that everyone does and that is what sells. So, if your going to blame the media for writing it, then blame yourselves first.
Obviously I have not read the book, nor do I intend to contribute a cent to Selena’s pockets, but it seems as if the gist of the book is “Let’s look at all the bad things about Alex Rodriguez.” To call it an unauthorized biography is laughable.
All she cares about is profiting from someone else’s downfall. She is a schadenfreude of the worst kind.
It’s not just about the steroids:
- the women on the road: There used to be a code with athletes and women in different cities. Besides, his marital situation is none of her concern.
Bisexual/Gay allegations- again, none of her business. Plus, when she incorporates this in her book, it insinuates that it’s problematic were Alex gay or bi-sexual. In fact, I hope he is gay, because it would do great things for the gay community with regard to other gay athletes living open lives.
- Hooters- maybe the service was atrocious and they didn’t deserve a good tip. He still tipped them. Where is it written that because he is wealthy, he HAS to give an exorbitant tip regardless of service? I have been to Hooters before and have had some lousy waitresses (yes, insert joke about reasons for going to Hooters here).
And it’s not about the steroids. If Selena cared about journalistic integrity, she wouldn’t have spent so much time learning every sordid detail of Alex’s life. She would have written about the steroids, and then moved on quickly to uncover the next big user of steroids.
She is nothing more than a parasite, and I wish nothing but the worst for her.
Are Willie Mays and Hank Aaron lying, cheating clowns too? Almost all the players back then were taking greenies, uppers, and drinking go go juice.
Amphetamines do help players perform better. Hank would NEVER have been able to beat Babe’s record, if he wasn’t taking uppers as an older player.
Pitchers and catchers also doctor balls. Catchers frame pitches. There is no such thing as sportsmanship.
This outrage over Maguire, Bonds, and now A-Rod is laughable.
People cheat!
Benny,
I never said Ransom was the answer, that much is plain to see. No one in the organization is ready to play third, unless you want to move Jeter there but the only way you’d do that is to hit him over the head and physically drag him there haha.
Safe to say that Molina is behind the plate tonight and Jorge is DH’ing?
AD,
Good, maybe we’ll get another grand slam
Selina who? Isn’t she doing a reality TV show in LA with Joe Torre? Why isn’t she investigating the issues with David Ortiz’ major decline?
ARod will be fine. Hopefully he will just tune everything out. Hopefully he will come across as a clueless doofus (a loveable clueless doofus to us, I hope) in this latest incarnation of his image–this is apparently what most players think of him anyway.
With the hip surgery and the windtunnel to right center the guy should hit 50-60 HR this year, even with the month off. Answer them on the field, Alex.
Here’s a bet for you, Pete. How about if ARod hits 50 HR this year, you pose on this blog in one of the outfits that the Stilletto and Lace ladies wear?
In terms of the bullpen: count on Mo, Bruney, Melancon, Coke. Think about Robertson and maybe Edwar–in blowouts to start. Send Veras down to someone (Nardi) that can give him a consistent release point, and don’t let him back until he shows it. Send Marte to the NL, where he belongs.
In terms of the starters: to the critics, see where the Yankees are in mid June. The currently have 5 live arms that can keep them in the game to the tume of no more than 3-4 runs allowed in 6-7 innings on a consistent basis. With their line up, that should be enough to win 100 games. CMW stays on the DL until he can show in AAA that his leg kick goes back to last year’s and that he can pitch 6 plus for at least 2 starts without letting up 3-4 runs.
The only thing missing is a long man/swing man a la Ramiro Mendoza. Maybe Wang fills that spot until they are sure he is OK. Maybe Aceves. Maybe someone else.
To be 11-10 after the kind of April schedule that the Yankees had (only 6 home games) isn’t too bad. Take out Mo’s HR to Bay, and 2/3 of Wang’s starts, and they are 14-7.
I like what I am seeing so far.
“Here we go again… it appears that this lady has a “Fatal Attraction” type issue with A-Rod”
yeah and the fact that bloggers believe every word is ridiculous, she got one thing right now she’s trying to profit and ‘character assasinate’
Amen, Horenstein. I am so tired of the media. They really do drum up this steroid stuff just to sell magazines and newspapers to the naive and ignorant. There is nothing “newsworthy” from the articles I’ve seen on this book. The headline on ESPN reads “REPORT: A-Rod’s Steroid Use Didn’t End With Texas” or something like that. Meanwhile if you read the actual report, all it says is a bunch of people who’ve been around A-Rod over the years suspect that he took steroids. And his pectorals were rounded, which is a POSSIBLE symptom of a condition that MAY be caused by steroids.
Look, it would not surprise me in the least if hardcore evidence came out that showed A-Rod has taken way more steroids than he’s admitted to. What bothers me though is that ESPN and Sports Illustrated and the NY tabloids sell this as news, when it’s all just more hearsay. It’s journalistically irresponsible. But anything to make a dime, I guess.
Bottom line: A-Rod haters (of which there are many) will eat this stuff up. The rest of the rational world will move on.
Steve, per this part of your post above…
“Bisexual/Gay allegations- again, none of her business. Plus, when she incorporates this in her book, it insinuates that it’s problematic were Alex gay or bi-sexual. In fact, I hope he is gay, because it would do great things for the gay community with regard to other gay athletes living open lives.”
I agree with your overall sentiment that it wouldn’t matter one bit if A-Rod is bisexual…but is this even in the book? I know it was hinted at on a blog a few months ago, but I didn’t hear anything more about it then or since.
I would think that, if this were in the copy of the book the Daily News got hold of, that they’d have included it in today’s article…if not led with it.
Didn’t Brian Roberts admit to “once” using steroids?
He’s absolutely revered by the media and fans in Baltimore, correct?
I understand the kill-the-messenger stuff. It’s what people do when don’t like the truth coming out.
Then they resort to racist cracks, comments about her looks, etc. That is the avenue of the stupid.
Pretty sad. But typical.
She does have that “Misery” look in her eye David, doesn’t she?
Yeah Pete. The truth. Like how people on this very post caught you arguing for the re-signing of A-Rod that you now pan on a nearly daily basis.
Or the fact that Roberts is peddling based on rumor and innuendo. She is shameful and so are you for defending her. But I’m sure this post will be deleted as soon as you see it.
JRB
- Totally agreed
By the way guys, just heard that Mike & Mike pretty much trashed the book.
Huh, my earlier post disappeared or never showed up. Great.
Anyway just because Roberts was right about the 2003 test doesn’t automatically mean everything she says is 100% true. I’m sure there’s SOME truth to everything, she doesn’t want to get sued, but that doesn’t make it 100% true. This is the duke lacrosse person, after all.
And I’m sorry, while it’s wrong to make racist cracks or attack her looks, it’s not wrong at all to go after her. I’m sick of this paparazzi crap in baseball. The steroid test was a legitimate story and I have no problem with her having released that, but she found out about it while researching a book about Alex’s personal life that has nothing to do with sports. And the fact is she doesn’t exactly have a glowing journalistic past due to the Duke Lacrosse stuff. To me she represents what is wrong with sports journalism (not to say all sports writers fall into it, they don’t, just saying many do). I want to talk about baseball, and she keeps trying to change the conversation to “How much Alex tips at Hooters” or “The ins and outs of Alex’s marriage” and inane, stupid garbage like that. The steroids test in 03 was legitimate. The other steroid stuff is questionable because she obviously doesn’t have any hard evidence on it or she’d do more than “suggest”. Everything else beyond that is stupid crap and I’m so sick and tired of it. The season is underway, let’s play baseball already.
http://bases.newsvine.com/_new.....ory=sports
PittsburghYankeeFan
April 30th, 2009 at 10:45 am
Selina who? Isn’t she doing a reality TV show in LA with Joe Torre? Why isn’t she investigating the issues with David Ortiz’ major decline?
ARod will be fine. Hopefully he will just tune everything out. Hopefully he will come across as a clueless doofus (a loveable clueless doofus to us, I hope) in this latest incarnation of his image—this is apparently what most players think of him anyway.
With the hip surgery and the windtunnel to right center the guy should hit 50-60 HR this year, even with the month off. Answer them on the field, Alex.
Here’s a bet for you, Pete. How about if ARod hits 50 HR this year, you pose on this blog in one of the outfits that the Stilletto and Lace ladies wear?
In terms of the bullpen: count on Mo, Bruney, Melancon, Coke. Think about Robertson and maybe Edwar—in blowouts to start. Send Veras down to someone (Nardi) that can give him a consistent release point, and don’t let him back until he shows it. Send Marte to the NL, where he belongs.
In terms of the starters: to the critics, see where the Yankees are in mid June. The currently have 5 live arms that can keep them in the game to the tume of no more than 3-4 runs allowed in 6-7 innings on a consistent basis. With their line up, that should be enough to win 100 games. CMW stays on the DL until he can show in AAA that his leg kick goes back to last year’s and that he can pitch 6 plus for at least 2 starts without letting up 3-4 runs.
The only thing missing is a long man/swing man a la Ramiro Mendoza. Maybe Wang fills that spot until they are sure he is OK. Maybe Aceves. Maybe someone else.
To be 11-10 after the kind of April schedule that the Yankees had (only 6 home games) isn’t too bad. Take out Mo’s HR to Bay, and 2/3 of Wang’s starts, and they are 14-7.
I like what I am seeing so far.
======
Excellent Post PYF.
Add to the mix Mike Dunn down the not-too-distant road to hopefully replace Marte, or at least usurp him.
You’re from the burgh? Go Guins!
Pete what kind of reply was that…your readers want to know are you a crusader for SI and Roberts or a Yankee beat writer? Just the facts nothing but the facts.
Also per the ESPN story he only tipped 15% at Hooters and from reiable sources he didn’t use a tissue once when he sneezed and caused the swine flu breakout.
This is a non-story!
I like the pitching match-ups for this series and hopefully it gets the Yanks on a nice roll.
Who writes a completely slanderous book about someone in the middle of their career.
Ok, if it’s true it’s not slander, it’s defamation of character. Bottom line is Roberts is a sleazy writer not worthy of the Wash. Nationals beat.
DON”T BUY THE BOOK!
As for the Hooters thing, I agree with an earlier poster, why the heck does he have to tip more than 15%? Because he’s got money, he’s expected to hand out thousand dollar tips? It didn’t say he didn’t tip at all, it said he tipped the minimum. Maybe the service wasn’t all that good. Maybe he paid cash and wasn’t carrying a lot on him. Who knows? He still tipped. That may be the stupidest allegation against him yet.
But actually, this could be good. I went out to eat last week and I tipped the minimum. Maybe someone will write a book about me too!
Roberts is the worst reporter on the face of the planet and it is obvious what she is doing — trying to capitalize off of the fact that tons of ballplayers don’t like A-Rod. She’s written the worst hit piece that I can think of in recent memory. Detailing his tips to Hooters? It’s obvious what happened here…she believes that A-Rod can’t sue her because of the steroids part, so she has free license to write whatever other lies she wants in the book.
What is shocking is that no other reporter is even looking to prove/disprove the allegations in the book. It would be nice if someone with integrity could fact check some of her wild allegations.
i can only hope roberts’ll write books on the other 100 + players, because then maybe she’ll actually use her staunch dedication to uncovering the truth to actually get a hold of who those players are.
This is like with Canseco, he got a few things right and now he thinks he can just throw out wild guesses on Manny Ramirez because, hey he has been right once, why doubt him right?
I’d love to get one thing right, and then forever get to make up things as I go along and have no one doubt me.
Every time PeteAbe can’t defend his point of view, he comes out with the tired “shoot the messenger” excuse. The comments in this post have killed Pete’s credibility on the Arod signing, and Roberts credibility was killed by Duke Lacrosse. In other words, people need to stop treating sports writers as experts and reagrd them for with they are: information gatherers (sometimes fact and sometimes fiction).
Steve
April 30th, 2009 at 10:33 am
Obviously I have not read the book, nor do I intend to contribute a cent to Selena’s pockets, but it seems as if the gist of the book is “Let’s look at all the bad things about Alex Rodriguez.” To call it an unauthorized biography is laughable.
All she cares about is profiting from someone else’s downfall. She is a schadenfreude of the worst kind.
It’s not just about the steroids:
– the women on the road: There used to be a code with athletes and women in different cities. Besides, his marital situation is none of her concern.
Bisexual/Gay allegations- again, none of her business. Plus, when she incorporates this in her book, it insinuates that it’s problematic were Alex gay or bi-sexual. In fact, I hope he is gay, because it would do great things for the gay community with regard to other gay athletes living open lives.
– Hooters- maybe the service was atrocious and they didn’t deserve a good tip. He still tipped them. Where is it written that because he is wealthy, he HAS to give an exorbitant tip regardless of service? I have been to Hooters before and have had some lousy waitresses (yes, insert joke about reasons for going to Hooters here).
And it’s not about the steroids. If Selena cared about journalistic integrity, she wouldn’t have spent so much time learning every sordid detail of Alex’s life. She would have written about the steroids, and then moved on quickly to uncover the next big user of steroids.
She is nothing more than a parasite, and I wish nothing but the worst for her.
================================
It’s OUTRAGEOUS that Roberts is trying to “out” ARod as bi or gay. She knows he moves in an at least outwardly hyper-hetero/homophobic profession, and therefore knows shes feeding the bigots, both in clubhouses and in the stands, who will give him a much harder time about this than steroid use.
What a reckless jerk this writer is.
Your defense of her, PA, leaves me incredulous. She’s a credible journalist? Going after a guy on the grounds that he may be gay?
This is really going for the jugular.
She actually could be putting him in danger. There are looneys out there looking for an axe to grind.
Disgrace.
At this point I just feel really bad for Alex Rodriguez as a human being, one who will no doubt get syringes thrown at him all year long on the road, one who will be known as A-Fraud more or less forever, one who will have to go into a Fenway Park full of drunken Sox fans wearing bras and screaming that new nickname of his at him nine or ten times a year until he’s 42 years old. I mean seriously, if Alex could help it do you think he would be like this, basically a walking PR disaster, Paris Hilton in Pinstripes? I doubt it.
It’s cool to hate Alex. Yankee fans hate Alex, they always have, and the only person who could have ever stopped it was Jeter, the Captain, and he didn’t even try to slow it down because he hates Alex, too, for the same reason everybody else hates Alex: Alex is obscenely talented and obviously wants people to like him so badly it’s almost abject, he wants to do well so badly he psyches himself out in the clutch, and he needs constant ego reinforcement so badly he’ll do almost anything to get it.
He’s not exactly King Lear, but the whole thing is pretty sad. And people can scream about all the money he makes if they want, but the man’s got problems all the money in the world can’t fix. I hope he has a monster year, wins a ring and wears it on his middle finger the rest of life. Go Alex.
Pete…it’s not kill the messenger as much as how the messenger puts it out there. Your disdain for Alex comes through loud and clear every time you write something …
Quite tedious and played out on your part too …
Other than that …great blog …
)
Go Yankees 2009 !!!
Will
April 30th, 2009 at 11:34 am
Every time PeteAbe can’t defend his point of view, he comes out with the tired “shoot the messenger” excuse. The comments in this post have killed Pete’s credibility on the Arod signing, and Roberts credibility was killed by Duke Lacrosse. In other words, people need to stop treating sports writers as experts and reagrd them for with they are: information gatherers (sometimes fact and sometimes fiction).
===========
Having been a sportswriter for 10 years, I can tell you there’s a herd mentality and this is encouraged by editors, who are rarely interested in original takes on anything. It so soured me I left the profession.
It’s a rare writer who goes against the so-called conventional wisdom, which tends to actually be wrong, but there’s safety in numbers, you see.
Um …
She is not writing about his sexuality in the book from what I have heard.
Meanwhile, please try and understand this.
When Roberts was a COLUMNIST for the NY Times, she wrote OPINION pieces on the Duke lacrosse case. She did not in fact cover the story in terms of learning the facts. She wrote opinion pieces.
I happen to disagree with her opinions. But I support her right to have one.
She has since left the Times and now works for Sports Illustrated. Her reporting on A-Rod is not based on opinion, it is based on fact. Nothing she wrote for the magazine or SI.com is in dispute. Nothing. A-Rod admitted to everything she wrote — and more.
Meanwhile, when he lied about her coming to his house, etc., the police backed up every word of her story.
I would wager that 99 percent of you who write “Duke lacrossse!!!!” have no idea what she wrote. You just heard something and figure it sounds good.
It’s kind of funny that some people still rush to the guy’s defense after all of this. He took steroids obtained by his lackey cousin in the Dominican for three years. You really, honestly believe that was it? That whole year he spent traveling with Presinal, they were doing pushups?
C’mon now. Don’t be that much of a chump.
What’s done is done. He’s a cheater and he’s a Yankee and they’re stuck with him. If he plays, hopefully for their sake, he plays well. But anybody who rushes to his defense looks kind of stupid.
But, really, keep killing the writer. Maybe that’ll make it go away.
banged*
Pete Abe from Nov. 14, 2007:
“It took 32 years and nationwide scorn but it seems A-Rod is finally his own man. Good for him and good for the Yankees. His playoff performances aside, keeping A-Rod at third beats Mike Lowell or shipping out young prospects for Miguel Cabrera.”
Where was this great foresight that Hank would regret this deal? Your hindsight berating Hank for signing A-Rod is quite annoying when you and everyone else was glad he was coming back when he re-signed in 2007.”
The new revelations in her books are not fact. In fact, they’ve been disputed by others already. Its he may have done this and may have done that. So its not fact. And her being a columnist at the time didn’t give her the right to say things that were blatant untruths. You, like her, have an axe to grind. Its that simple.
Whatever, Selena,
He’s not exactly King Lear, but the whole thing is pretty sad. And people can scream about all the money he makes if they want, but the man’s got problems all the money in the world can’t fix. I hope he has a monster year, wins a ring and wears it on his middle finger the rest of life. Go Alex.
===========================
At least Lear had his redemption and his reunion w/Cordelia.
And he had Kent, the Fool and Cordelia to tell him the truth. Does Alex have such good counsel, I wonder.
Contrary to popular belief I bet there are plenty of teams that wish they were “stuck” with Alex. I’d say ..maybe 29 of them ..
)
Go Yankees 2009 !!
From what you’ve heard?
You mean, you don’t have your advanced copy?
If you haven’t read it – how can you vouch for it’s truth?
I wouldn’t have signed ARod for a decade, but I would have certainly re-signed him.
This is, after all, baseball we’re talking about.
OPS, anyone?
Sorry Pete…your defense of a chrony rings hollow again. It doesn’t matter that Selena Roberts was giving an opinion. When you express an opinion that slanders someone because you continually refuse to accept the facts, you forfeit your credibility. Ironically, you are doing the same thing by continuing to defend her.
Anyone with Google can do a search for how reprehensible Roberts’ yellow journalism actions were…in fact, even the NYT sports editor admitted they should have handled their columns on the story differently.
Also, as has been pointed out (for some reason it keeps going over your head), just because you were right about one thing doesn’t mean you are right about everything…it also doesn’t give you carte blanche to make accusations based on hearsay and ridiculous unnamed sources.
Selena Roberts is a hack, regardless of how much Arod tips at Hooters. C’mon now. Don’t be that much of a chump.
What’s done is done. Roberts is a scandal writer with no credibility. She maybe your colleague in a dying profession, but anybody who rushes to her defense looks kind of stupid.
But, really, keep killing Arod. Maybe that’ll make you feel better about yourself.
There is nothing to try to make go away, he cheated and he is a liar, great we ll know that.
Lets get after the other 100 or so players on the LIST.
This is the the money maker, pick the Yanks, and one of the top players in the game and exploit them and him to market the garbage that Roberts is trying to market.
The things that are being written today about Robert’s book in the D/N and other papers are using things that may have been and trying to pass them on as fact.
There not fact and there is no proof.
Pete –
Fess up. Would you have any reservations making money off your A-rod stories?
I’m sure you have a bunch.
Where would you draw the line? Is there a line?
“We knew he was a lying, cheating clown months ago.”
We knew that about G-Fraud too. But the press didn’t go after him in the same way. This “fact” casts doubt on the objectivity of journalists. Giambi and A-Rod — Pete and Selena — all have motives and agendas — friends and foes that color their “fact” finding. None of them play fair.
Sorry folks, but there are no angels. Pete likes Giambi and Selena — truth be damned. Pete hates A-Rod and those who question Selena’s motives — truth be damned.
“She has since left the Times and now works for Sports Illustrated. Her reporting on A-Rod is not based on opinion, it is based on fact. Nothing she wrote for the magazine or SI.com is in dispute. Nothing. A-Rod admitted to everything she wrote—and more.”
Once again this was news when it came out now the leaks “The latest news is that Rodriguez was suspected of using steroids while a Yankee and used to tip pitches to opposing players while a member of the Rangers so they might help him out in turn” are nothing more than a smear campaign.
Steoid use while in HS and while with the Yankees is not fact it’s hearsay.
There is a difference between being and ARod apologist and being tired of what this situation has become. And I have read the piece that Roberts wrote about Duke. It may have been her opinion which she is entitled to but I think that when you write for a paper such as the Times in any capacity you need to be sure that there is some basis to your innuendos.
Selena’s stories and A-Rod’s body are both pumped up by mysterious sources. She needs a winner after the sad Duke debacle. I remember when the Duke story broke — Mike and Chris were talking about it on WFAN; Chris immediately questioned Selena Robert’s credibility while Mike wouldn’t go there. Mad Dog’s sense of Robert’s integrity — or lack thereof — proved to be spot-on in the end.
Russo was always better than his opposite.
At least the former is just a flaming neurotic, rather than being mean spirited. He is far more tolerant of those with a differing opinion than Francesa, who hangs up or resorts to intimidation, especially if you know more than he does. Those people are always cut off.
Pete -
I know you’re getting the short end of the stick in some ways by having to defend your position on this issue, but you arent addressing what the people on this board are really asking, you’re just responding to the extremists.
It isnt that people here are just throwing this woman under the bus because we dont want to believe her – I highly doubt many people on here do NOT think Arod juiced. It isnt a ‘kill the messenger’ situation, we know she was right in her report that Arod was on something and so was everyone else.
I think the real thing that irks me about journalists like you (I should interject here that you do a great job covering the team and I love your blog) is that you all take this “we had no idea” approach. Its just as ridiculous as asking us to believe that the managers didnt know about it. You all knew too, and when business was good and McGuire was smacking all those home runs no one in the media would have DARED investigate the issue. Basically, what I’ve noticed is that you guys are ‘journalists’ when it suits your interests. Selena is doing her job now, and thats fantastic, but dont pretend all of the criticisms of her, you or anyone that has that special access to players, are unjustified. To then charge us with the ‘don’t kill the messenger’ cliché is a joke. We aren’t mad at you for reporting it, we’re mad that you take us for fools. Selig knew, Torre knew, the players knew, and so did you. All the same people that don’t need to pay for their seats at the game…
Again, I think you do a wonderful job here and have really changed sports media.. but c’mon, be honest with yourself. The rants on this post aren’t because of Selena, they’re because the people that actually do give a crap about the integrity of the game (the same people that reload this blog 100 times a day) were not just fooled by the players. They were fooled by you guys too, and just once it would be nice if someone admitted that.
Even you PeteAbe? Sticking up for your fellow journalist?? Its clearly documented what she did with the Duke incident, but since she was able to find an illegal leak of government documents about Arod’s test, now she is INFALLIBLE?? please..
sad.
“I would wager that 99 percent of you who write “Duke lacrossse!!!!” have no idea what she wrote. You just heard something and figure it sounds good.”
I’m in the 1% who read it.
For the other 99% – here ya go –
http://select.nytimes.com/2006.....1&ref=
and her follow-up -
http://select.nytimes.com/2007.....berts.html
Just because the columns she wrote on the Duke case doesnt mean that the articles get a free pass on form and accuracy.. Does an opinion columnist not need to worry about the facts of the column she’s writing? especially when she’s condemning a school, a coach, and numerous young kids????
She wrote as if what she was stating was fact, and that is wrong, and has yet to apologize to the students or school for it.. instead she stubbornly questioned the facts AFTER the DNA evidence came out.
If you’re a reader of this blog, you’ll know that Pete never comments when someone catches him in a contradiction. He usually says nothing for a long time — then he might chime in with a post that seems to acknowledge the comment but actually side-steps the point being made.
Pete does a good job with this blog; but his removal of posts that do not violate the TOS, tweaking of readers and periodic hypocrisy lessen the experience and call his integrity into question.
“The Yankees have developed no one? 3/5 of their rotation are from their system.
That’s more then the Red Sox”
correction 4/6
I for one am on “Arod-did-steriods” overload. Can we move on already???? This team needs him and has him signed for another 9 years. so let it go.
If this is all she’s got – she ain’t got nothin’ And it’s pretty unseamly that they’ve decided to wait until the precise moment he’s due back to work to release her (sensational) book. No doubt it won’t be a fair assessment judging by her past behavior. There are a lot of Yankee haters out there, that’s for sure.
Really though, I’m not tryin to crucify Pete at all. We all have to bend and twist around our own morals in life, I just HATE that these guys cant just say “we knew too, we’re guilty too.” Its just as much about Pete as it is about Sherman, Vaccaro, King, and all the rest of them.
Because once the story was viable they all got up on their high horse about how the game has been destroyed by steriods. I think responsibility for this falls everywhere, and not once has the media looked in the mirror about how they have helped to taint the game.
Pete – Love it. Keep serving up the truth.
When Roberts first broke the story of ARod’s PED use, the same group of people here were screaming non-stop that it was all lies, ridiculous, no proof, she’s a stalker, duke lacrosse, etc etc. Then of course, ARod got caught and had to admit she was 100% accurate. D’oh! Oops.
Now, same deal all over again. At least it’s an interesting study in group psychology reading everyone congratulate each other over who can ignore the truth the most.
Here’s hoping the Yankees ditch ARod and win 26 more WS, in that order.
SJ, way more than half was at the game i was at. i’d say over 80 – 85% of the 200/300/400 levels were filled on sunday 4/19. turn around every once in a while
the other story?
meh. i have a couple comments, but Doreen, jennifer, murphydog, V, and OldYanksfan and a few others already nailed it, IMO… (i had to stop reading about halfway through this thread)
- how do we know the service at Hooters wasn’t lousy? i always thought 15-20% was standard. Maybe the Hooters weren’t as advertised
- the blind loyalty Pete has towards Selena is disturbing. Is there some type of secret society between journalists? you’d think the field would be more competitive, and not a bunch of patting each other on the backs. call someone out for once Pete. i don’t think you ever had, other than the Joba/Pen issue, and even then you never pointed fingers…
- Selena’s target has apparently been Arod, but inadvertantly, it has been the sport of baseball taking a big part of the hit. as others have suggested, she must just hate sports/athletes… and she must be a miserable person.
Blacksox, how many people here are saying she’s wrong vs. how many people here are asking Pete to look at the book critically instead of blindly saying it must all be true since she’s been right about him before?
Her book is being released to make money off of the debacle that is Arod’s life. It isnt a real critism/investigation of steriods in baseball, its a money making venture and thats how its being treated in the comments.
Wow. Lots of vitriol today. We’re in a recession and under a pandemic alert. Can we just enjoy the game?
“It’s kind of funny that some people still rush to the guy’s defense after all of this. He took steroids obtained by his lackey cousin in the Dominican for three years. You really, honestly believe that was it? That whole year he spent traveling with Presinal, they were doing pushups?”
————
Pete, so I guess David Ortiz did steroids for sure. He and Presinal are good friends and hang out.
Presinal probably has ties to almost every player from the D.R.
I guess we can now say that Pujols is juiced by association.
It’s one thing to raise the question. It’s another to assume guilt.
AG
April 30th, 2009 at 9:58 am
Hah, I love watching everyone get all pissy about Selena Roberts. Too many people are waaaaay too invested in Alex Rodriguez’s well-being.
==================
You’ve got that backwards, skippy.
Too many people are waaaaay too invested in his downfall.
“When Roberts first broke the story of ARod’s PED use, the same group of people here were screaming non-stop that it was all lies, ridiculous, no proof, she’s a stalker, duke lacrosse, etc etc. Then of course, ARod got caught and had to admit she was 100% accurate. D’oh! Oops.”
Nothing like a good blanket accusation to try and make a point.
u can delete my post, i don’t care, but F*** Selena Roberts. She is a money hungry, publicity craving rat. Get a real job instead of trying to dig up dirt on players that WE ALREADY KNOW ARE SCUM. What a joke of a person and a career
BlackSox = troll
“Now, same deal all over again. At least it’s an interesting study in group psychology reading everyone congratulate each other over who can ignore the truth the most.”
———–
the only interesting study is how easily a simpleton will consider something to be fact or the truth.
suspicion is warranted. acceptance of fact, in this case, is laughable.
Why didn’t my comment post? I didn’t say anything dirty. Was it too long?
Don’t Care,
there are lots of money hungry people out there.
the only problem I have, in this instance, is that in order to get money Roberts is hoping to destroy somebody’s life and bring them crashing down in any and every way possible.
If he really is this bad, evil person then maybe even that is justified.
But to make an attempt to destroy somebody’s entire life, you better have some pretty good hard evidence.
She doesn’t appear to have any of that. Or class.
“Um …
She is not writing about his sexuality in the book from what I have heard.”
———–
there were reports that she was indeed attempting to do that.
perhaps they were false. but there were reports.
In this sad day and age, if it’s reported it’s considered true.
>Roberts has never once written or said anything about A-Rod
>that didn’t prove to be 100-percent true. Never once. There
>is no reason whatsoever to doubt what she is writing now.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^FLAWED LOGIC^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
as a programmer, i agree.
The allegations of pitch tipping, combined with A-Rod’s propensity for gambling, will make it very easy for somebody to make the leap that he was fixing game scores in order to make somebody some money.
I’m not saying that I think that, but somebody in the media will throw it out there. IF that story gets legs, and IF a reporter can dig up somebody who spoke to A-Rod once, who CLAIMS to have made some money, on a game in which A-Rod played, in a sports book, he can kiss the HOF – and possibly his entire career – goodbye.
Those are all big leaps and what-if’s, but, like Boston Dave just said, if its reported….
A-Rod must have dissed Springsteen once, huh?
Peter – could you tell me what I said in my comment that you found offense to? I’m not sure why you wouldn’t post it
wow! i refreshed this page and comments disappeared like in a soviet russian encyclopedia from year to year!
FYI – I interviewed KC Johnson, the Durham-in-Wonderland blogger who helped prove the players’ innocence, to get his opinion on Selena Roberts and her book on Alex Rodriguez.
While he said A-Rod had “no credibility,” he also told me that “nothing that [Roberts] says or writes should be accepted unless it can be independently verified.”
Here’s the link to my article, as well as more info on what Roberts said in the Duke Lacrosse case, on the Subway Squawkers blog:
http://subwaysquawkers.blogspo.....rosse.html
Thanks for letting me post this.
Come on Pete, A-Rod makes the Yankees a better team. You seriously believe we’d be better off w/o that A-Rod deal?
Most of these leaked stories are old news..In fact it was Alex who said she would be accusing him of using PEDs from his days in high school during the ESPN interview. So I wasn’t surprised.Selena Roberts is a huge C-WORD! She must have a hard-on for Alex, maybe he didnt give her his “AROD” and thats why she has it out for him. She sounds more like a woman scorned if anything. I love Alex and I don’t care if he didn’t want to tip the HOOTERs girls or if he like strippers..show me one guy…one professional athlete that does not like strippers..and Selena claims she didn’t write one word about his bedroom life yet..there is supposedly details about his marriage,madonna, and GROUPIES in this book. Can they guy get a break? He’s a good looking guy! He has more money than GOD..WOMEN want him..so what? I just want to hear about him on the field and how he is gonna help this team!
Oh and I love how she uses the old “unnamed Yankees” or “unidentifiable source” if you can’t put your name to a story then its a lie or your a punk. This book is trash just like its author. Just ask the Duke LAX team how truthful Selena Roberts is!
Again, why was it okay for Cal Ripkin, Jr., Mickey Mantle, and Derek Jeter not lying, cheating clowns for taking illegal drugs to help boost their performance?
There was a coffee pot for the manager and the coaches and a coffee pot for the players. Amphetamines were in the players coffee pot.
Every sports reporter knows this. As every reporter knows that the ban on amphetamines would have more effect then the one of steroids.
As for the reporter, she had a source that had the test for A-Rod and didn’t press to get the other names?
She wasn’t interested in reporting a story, she was interested in selling a book.
I don’t condone what A-Rod has done. Just as I don’t condone Hank Aaron taking uppers (which you and all the hypocrites keep ignoring). Just as I don’t condone Pujols and Ortiz being steroid users either.
But, MLB and the fans encouraged players to take steroids. We all knew that Maguire and Sosa were on roids and Mike Lupica was writing article after article begging the Yankees to trade for him (back before he was bought by the Mets).
Sorry, but the players are being scapegoated here. They were encourgaed by the owners and managers of MLB to take steroids. They were lauded by the fans and reporters for doing so, then when Congress practically forces Bud Selig to ban them, they get crucified by the media.
It’s bullsh!t! And, anyone that can’t see that is blind.
“The Yankees have no choice but to live with this and hope a juice-free Rodriguez can be a productive player. The chemistry of the team has been terrific this season and the team leaders need to make sure that Rodriguez doesn’t disrupt that.”
Two excellent points….you hit the nail right on the head, Pete!