A-Rod under investigation by MLB
Posted by: Peter Abraham - Posted in Misc on May 02, 2009 
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The New York Times is reporting that MLB is investigating Alex Rodriguez’s use of PEDs to determine the truthfulness of his claims.
Selena Roberts, who has a book coming out about Rodriguez, was asked to cooperate with the investigation and refused.
This news comes amid reports that commissioner Bud Selig has not yet decided whether baseball will investigate whether Rodriguez tipped pitches to friends on other teams the hope that they would do the same for him.
During his time with the Texas Rangers, Rodriguez often was allowed to call pitches from his position at shortstop. That would have easily enabled him to tip off opponents.
yawn
If Roberts refuses to cooperate, then there is not much MLB can do to prove these claims.
They can’t trace these anonymous sources.
I thought Roberts would be interested in pursuing the truth and see if her claims are backed up
the fact that selena roberts refused to cooperate makes it seems like she wasnt entirely truthful with her book. i mean if she was telling the truth, why wouldnt she cooperate?
I don’t understand: why would a team allow its shortstop to call pitches?
ugh, alex. you’re such a pain.
Pardon my relative innocence… Why would Rodriguez have been “allowed to call pitches” from his position at shortstop? Isn’t that normally the catcher’s, pitcher’s, and/or manager’s? Why would any of those three cede this responsibility to a shortstop?
Selena Roberts, who has a book coming out about Rodriguez, was asked to cooperate with the investigation and refused.
=============================
Gee, I wonder why?
Because journalists NEVER cooperate with official investigations of those they cover. That would compromise our ability to do our jobs.
That is Journalism 101.
Joeshi, as a journalist it would be unethical for her to reveal her sources to MLB, which would be necessary for her to help further the investigation.
This might be an opportunity for the Yankees. If A-Rod juiced as a Yankee and lied about it to the MLB and and everybody else, maybe the team can void his contract.
Of course…*rolls eyes*
When Texas signed Alex, part of his deal included that he be involved in baseball operations. He was consulted in trades, draft picks, etc. He also demanded to be allowed to call pitches. The Rangers basically let him do whatever he wanted.
Yeah, cooperating would mean giving up sources, something she cant do if she wants to retain any modicum of credibility.
ah ok Ed. thanks for straightening that up for me
“When Texas signed Alex, part of his deal included that he be involved in baseball operations. He was consulted in trades, draft picks, etc. He also demanded to be allowed to call pitches. The Rangers basically let him do whatever he wanted.”
Wow. No wonder the guy is so messed up. Steve Phillips was right… 24+1.
So A-Rod drafted Tex?
“This might be an opportunity for the Yankees. If A-Rod juiced as a Yankee and lied about it to the MLB and and everybody else, maybe the team can void his contract.”
That’s what I’m hoping for.
Time for Yankees to Say Goodbye to A-Rod
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/.....94619.html
Regardless of what you cover — government bodies, sports, etc. — journalists never cooperate with investigations as that would involve breaking confidences.
When I covered college sports, I was twice contacted by NCAA investigators about stories I had done and had to refuse to speak to them. That’s just how it works.
The very last thing you want is some official body validating your work via your cooperation. That would end your ability to ever interview anybody, etc.
Pete, I heard that Buck Showalter put a stop to Alex calling pitches — that he didn’t want it done. Also, another former teammate with Texas was quoted in the paper several days ago about Alex calling pitches saying something like “Alex, thinks he invented the game of baseball…” This sort of stuff could have been why he wasn’t well-liked by some of his Texas teammates.
Pete, seeing that you are here, is a report from the clubhouse coming? I’m curious if Joe said anything about Veras and Marte.
We really missed your post-game comments today, Pete. You spoil us.
I’m really starting to wonder how much better we really are with this egomaniac on the team.
It is never about the team, it is always about him.
Pete, since Alex was still on that same contract when he was traded to the Yanks, did he attempt to have that same involvement with baseball operations with NY? If he did, how did the Yanks deal with it?
lol selena roberts is pathetic
This gonna get ugly, isn’t it?
Ed: That part of the deal was between him and Tom Hicks and was informal. The Yankees did not honor it.
Sorry about the lack of postgame notes. It was such a crappy game and I didn’t feel well. I just wanted to get home. Sorry about that. There was not much anyway. Swisher is day to day and Girardi said they need to “work with what they have” in terms of the bullpen.
i dont knw how anyone can justify trading arod…unless you eat a tonnnnn of his salary your not getting equal value..
Thought maybe you were exhausted. Hope you feel better soon. Best to log off now!
Hmmm, I just wonder if Marte is hurt- no pitching since last Saturday.
Evolution:
Think for a second. She is doing Alex a favor here. If she wanted to, she could have cooperated and led the investigators right where they want to go. But she refused.
Just for the record, I don’t know Selena beyond saying hello in passing. We’ve never spoken. I’m just telling your how the basics work in things like this.
Pete,
What if you find out any illegal activity as a journalist? I know a good journalist protects their sources but what if you find any illegal activity, aren’t you supposed to report that to the authorities?
***YAWN***
& I agree Peter… she’s messing up by not cooperating
When Pete asked me to cooperate with his investigation into the proliferation of disrespectful comments on the blog, I totally refused. But that was more of a fifth amendment issue than a first amendment issue.
Loving our chances tomorrow. Philips Seymour Hughes on the mounds, a lineup stuffed with Yankee stars and fan-favorite role players… game on.
Pat M: you know the Yankees are the biggest sucker bet in baseball, -280 is just not good.
Great point Pete
If she wanted to, Roberts could have cooperated with MLB and gotten A-Rod suspended or even his deal voided possibly if she can provide proof that he used post 04, and even more backlash about the tipping pitches thing.
A-Rod should thank his lucky stars that she didn’t cooperate.
Let’s say that the Yankees did want to trade Alex. Who would take him? Between his salary and all of the baggage that comes with him, I don’t see many teams signing up for this nightmare.
Thanks for the delete Peter… Also, how would you like it if someone followed you around 24/7 and dug up every thing you did in the last 30 years… The first girl you kissed, the first time you got drunk and threw up in a parking lot, the kind of food you eat, etc… The media has become such a joke these days. This stuff has gotten out of hand… all in the name of the mighty dollar… To sell a few books… Yet when the tables turn its a different story…
A-Rod calling pitches? I don’t know if I buy any manager allowing that.
Regardless, the SS knows what every pitch is gonna be anyways. That’s part of their responsibility to relay it to the second baseman for covering purposes. Whether he was “calling” the pitches or not it would be easy for him to relay them to the batter. Not that I’m really buying that either.
Thanks, Pete. I couldn’t imagine Steinbrenner/Cashman/Torre putting up with any of that garbage.
If MLB investigates and discovers that Alex lied to their investigators about steroids and/or tipped pitches to opponents, chances are good that the Yanks will lose him for significant time while he is under suspension. Life with Alex is just so charming, isn’t it?
Feel better!
Pete – how do you know Alex “demanded to be allowed to call pitches” when he was playing for Texas?
laura- i can totally see someone giving up some good talent and having the yankees paying like half a-rods salary in some sort of trade. prob a somewhat small market team trying to get bigger. like the nats.
She’s not cooperating because it’s all BS!!!
Everything is “he said, she said” and thats not good enough!
Don’t blame Selena Roberts for this book
Blame A-Roid for proving her material for this book. He comes off as such a creep in this book.
Asking women who is hotter – Him or Jeter? Asking clubhouse attendants to put toothpaste on his toothbrush?
Crazy.
“laura- i can totally see someone giving up some good talent and having the yankees paying like half a-rods salary in some sort of trade.”
The key words in your sentence are “yankees paying like half”. Alex is due to make 32mil this year. I really don’t see the Yankees paying $16mil of his salary for him to hit bombs for some other team.
Rebecca, congrats on the birth of your nephew. I have three of them, they’re the best. Neices are ok too, I guess.
I only have one of those.
I think it’s awesome that your brother named his son after the NY Giants QB! That’s a good New Yorker.
Roberts is a reputable journalist.
I believe her more than I so ARod
Roberts couldn’t cooperate even if she wanted to. Her so called career as a journalist would go up in flames if people knew that she would rat out her informants. She might as well go apply for a job at the Apple Store if she starts naming names.
Ugh. Bulls lost.
Rich –
She’s not cooperating because no journalist willingly gives up sources. That’s all there is to it – it says nothing about whether her book is fact or fiction.
Also, of course she is doing whatever she can to “sell books” – why else does an author write a book other than to sell it?
Laura – Plug it in, change the world! May 2nd, 2009 at 11:04 pm
“laura- i can totally see someone giving up some good talent and having the yankees paying like half a-rods salary in some sort of trade.”
The key words in your sentence are “yankees paying like half”. Alex is due to make 32mil this year. I really don’t see the Yankees paying $16mil of his salary for him to hit bombs for some other team.
——————————————————–
if hes traded to to a NL team? just to get rid of him i wouldnt be surprised
“If she wanted to, Roberts could have cooperated with MLB and gotten A-Rod suspended or even his deal voided possibly if she can provide proof that he used post 04, and even more backlash about the tipping pitches thing.”
And committed career suicide in the process.
“It was such a crappy game and I didn’t feel well. I just wanted to get home.”
Amen to that.
Think for a second. She is doing Alex a favor here. If she wanted to, she could have cooperated and led the investigators right where they want to go. But she refused.
———–
Yeah, Pete. I guess she did A-Rod a favor by writing a tabloid book with a host of anonymous sources trashing the guy.
There have been quite a few people, including Buck Showalter and Michael Young, who have refuted those claims.
I guess they would know considering Young was the second baseman and Showalter the manager.
Showalter made a really good point addressing this issue. He said that it’s really really tough to keep secrets if someone was really doing something like that. Players move on to other organizations and don’t have that same loyalty with their former teammates and tend to talk about what went on in those clubhouses.
This is one reason why I’m not a big conspiracy guy. Too many people have to know about any contrived plan for everyone to keep their mouths shut.
What a joke. This ‘well respected’ journalist (sarcasm intended). Wrote a book full of anonymous sources, but didn’t use people who refuted what these anonymous sources said, and MLB decides to launch an investigation based on this.
I guess I should write a book on Ortiz and his use of steroids, I mean that would account for his huge drop off this year. I have lots of sources from the internet.
I am embarrassed to live in a country where such witch hunts exist. Just let Alex play baseball – for many of us, this is our escape. Why don’t they investigate the Red Sox and Big Papi who clearly took steroids witnessed by his drop off in HR this year when testing has now started.
Bud Selig clearly hates us and all we represent. He wants MLB to become a communist nation.
Addition by subtraction
Pena has injected some youth and energy into the lineup. Plays great D, clutch hits. No drama. No baggage. Team guy. A winning player.
Exact opposite of A-Rod. If we had good pitching in this first month, nobody would even remember A-Rod’s name. We’d be 10 games over .500 and cruising.
If it is true that TEX let Alex call pitches, they are a more messed up organization than I thought. Why would you let the SS call pitches? Isn’t that what a catcher or a manager is for? How would Alex know what’s the best pitch to throw in a particular situation?
the reason why i put the blame on her is because from everything we’ve heard about the book..
There is NOTHING to back up the claims of steroids use while in HS or with the Yankees…except for her “anonymous sources”!! that say they “may have” seen something!!
THATS BS!
Roberts better watch her back. These things have a way of working themself out in the way that Karma will come back to haunt her in her life. How would she like someone investigating her?
Selig hates us because we are the exact opposite of what he preaches — re: parity and small market teams thriving and everyone having a fair shot to compete.
PC Dave May 2nd, 2009 at 11:08 pm
Addition by subtraction
Pena has injected some youth and energy into the lineup. Plays great D, clutch hits. No drama. No baggage. Team guy. A winning player.
Exact opposite of A-Rod. If we had good pitching in this first month, nobody would even remember A-Rod’s name. We’d be 10 games over .500 and cruising.
Winning player? WS champion?
Pete:
Thanks for the clarification re: Rodriguez’s relationship with Texas. That guy Hicks must’ve really been blinded by the light, eh?
“Exact opposite of A-Rod. If we had good pitching in this first month, nobody would even remember A-Rod’s name. We’d be 10 games over .500 and cruising.”
Okay, let’s put the crack pipe down. As nice a player as Pena is turning out to be (until he screws up and then everyone on here will be calling for his head), to label him a suitable replacement for Alex is just embarrassing.
roberts writes a book that makes alot of negative accusations towards arod. but she’s doing alex a favor now for not giving up her sources? what a saint. well, what a rich saint b/c the driving force is the almighty dollar…
Berra let Mantle call a game from centerfield.
there is no on the field benefit for not having Alex Rodriguez playing 3b.
regardless of his detractors, the guy is able to do things that ramiro pena is not. end of the story.
His isn’t being traded, his contract isn’t being voided and he isn’t being suspended because of “sources”. It is all media garbage. They would need evidence for all of this. All Selena has from her stalking is “sources”. You need proof the people with no names will not help. Also I can’t believe that the MLB network is giving her an hour to talk about his garbage tomorrow night. I thought it was a baseball channel and not TMZ gossip. Maybe they can get Madonna on the show….What a joke.
Uuuuhhhhh Pete is joking about A-Rod being allowed to call pitches.
The point is that the charge is ridiculous.
Fez, Are you joking? You want the Yankees to void the contract of A-Rod. You can’t be serious. A-Rod puts up 30+ home runs, and 100+ RBI in a bad year, yet you want him to play elsewhere. Last time I checked, if teams could afford him, they would line up for his services.
Take a minute and think before you make a stupid comment. It’s a good thing Cashman doesn’t get your opinion before he makes a move.
I often wonder how these people who write these kind of books would like it if the tables were turned and someone put all their dirty laundry out there for everyone to see?
Exposing the steroid use is one thing. I personally don’t care all that much about it, but there are a lot of ticket buying people who do and who feel they have a right to know that.
All this other garbage though, what is the point? Just because she’s a”good reporter” who can find it out doesn’t mean a decnet person would tell everyone about it. A-Rod may be a creep, but in my mind she’s really no better.
So what does the catcher do while the SS calls pitches?
“roberts writes a book that makes alot of negative accusations towards arod. but she’s doing alex a favor now for not giving up her sources?”
She’s not doing Alex a favor. She’s doing herself a favor. Her career goes up in smoke if she starts giving out the names of her supposed sources. Plus, if she did name sources, she’d be exposed as I’m sure some of these so called sources are people like the checkout girl who bags Alex’s groceries.
Selig doesn’t hate the Yankees. Without them there would be no small market teams.
I love all of you who have not read one word of the book condemning it. Pretty funny. These are the same people, I’m sure, who condemned her first report about his failed drug test citing sources right up until he admitted it two days later.
I’m just curious, and this is a serious question, what is it Alex has done that would cause you to believe in his character and/or truthfulness?
Meanwhile, it’s well known that Alex demanded the ability to call pitches in Texas, He believed he knew baseball so well that he should run the team. Texas let him do whatever he wanted.
If, and that is obviously a big if, the yanks could trade A-Rod there is really only one place the yanks could trade him without having to pay half is salary. Not saying I think it will happen, but the only chance would be a trade to the Mets. If the Mets fail to make the playoffs, I wouldnt be surprised to see them trade away some of their “core” players that havent produced. If Minaya is still there he could try and save face with the fans by bringing in a huge talent like Arod. I don’t know what it would take but i would assume the trade offer would start with Wright, especially with the comments Minaya recently said about him and Reyes
Josh,
If A-Rod hypothetically were able to have his contract voided, think about what his next contract would look like. It wouldn’t be CLOSE to what he is making now. So it could be beneficial for the Yankees to void the contract and then sign him for less years at a cheaper price.
A lot of the arguments about “anonymous sources” reminds me of the Barry Bonds defense, eventually it wore thin. With A-Rod, there’s smoke and there’s fire.
“A-Rod may be a creep, but in my mind she’s really no better.”
She’s not better, she’s worse. Alex’s actions usually only hurt him. This chick does damage to others, some who have been innocent. Alex is no saint, but I can’t think of any reason why his life should be dissected to this extent. Again, it’s the money. If Alex was making $10mil a year, Selena Roberts wouldn’t even know who he was.
No team would pay 275 million to deal with the constant drama that A-Rod provides. He’d be lucky to beat Teix’s contract, especially now that teams know he is an ex-juicer.
Go ahead, Bud, make our day…
The MLBPA will have your testicles for breakfast, lunch, and dinner if the ARod witch hunt continues without firm sourced evidence.
Do you really want to go down that path, Bud-boy?
Pete, now that this appears to be getting a bit more serious, how about some serious reporting on it from somebody?
I’m sorry but anyone who says that this team is better without A-Rod is just flat out STUPID!
with all do respect to pena and melky, who are hitting well..when the bottom of the line-up is 6.melky 7.molina 8.pena 9. gardner…we ain’t going to score very many runs!!
I really don’t care about the character of A-Rod, Pete. Just like I didn’t care about the character of Mantle. This is an escape for us. I love watching Alex play baseball. That is it. All of the other stuff doesn’t matter to me. I have enough to worry about in my regular life – I don’t need all of this crap to creep into baseball.
“I love all of you who have not read one word of the book condemning it. ”
That’s funny coming from you, Pete. As far as we know, you haven’t read the book yet you post about it as if it’s 100% true. You are within your rights to accuse people of having blinders on when it comes to Alex. However, it would be nice if you would acknowledge your own bias as well.
Bud’s office has to say they are “investigating” because the media needs him to say something. They aren’t going to say, “Hey we really couldn’t care what Alex Rodriguez does or did.” That doesn’t make any sense considering what an absolute nightmare the “steroid years” have been for the MLB front office.
Sometimes you have to put on a tough face for the press, and this is what’s being done. Alex will still be on the field, and that’s that. There is a union in place for a reason, to protect it’s players and their contracts. At this time there is no valid proof that Alex has committed any action that was against rules of MLB since the modification to the CBA was made.
Let’s all settle down and remember, everyone goes overboard and screams “OH NOW WHAT” after a team loses. I was at today’s game and it was a tough loss to sit through.
Also, let’s not go and start calling people’s comments “stupid” as much as they might be ill informed. Insults are not going to further your side of the discussion.
…
Saw Rebecca at the game today, everyone who has not, please congrats her on becoming an Aunt!
Pete… Try the garlic fries, I think Bryan Hoch is on my boat.
“I’m just curious, and this is a serious question, what is it Alex has done that would cause you to believe in his character and/or truthfulness?”
I don’t think it’s the fact we believe him, I think most of us realize he’s a damn good baseball player. Honestly, who cares if this guy cheats on his wife, lies to protect himself. His personal life has nothing to do with Baseball. Also when it comes to steroids, big deal, most people were doing it, not just him. People need to get over it. Without the juice the guy still averages 30+ home runs, and 100+ RBI’s. The guy is one of the greatest ever, whether the guy is a jerk or not really doesn’t matter to me.
Here’s the link for the NY Times story that Pete based his post upon. It’s very worth reading.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05.....f=baseball
Peter Abraham
May 2nd, 2009 at 11:15 pm
I’m just curious, and this is a serious question, what is it Alex has done that would cause you to believe in his character and/or truthfulness?
—————————————
Pete, I don’t beleive a word out of his mouth. And I don’t care what he says, only what he does on the field.
But that doesn’t mean there is any reason for her or any reporter to expose all these details about his personal life. The only reason is sensationalism to sell books and further her career/bank account at his expense.
It’s not about defending A-Rod for me. It’s about being sick and tired of everyone feeling the need to tell and know everything about everyone. What ever happened to letting people have their privacy?
Pete:
Lord knows, you don’t need to apologize for not having updated the blog for several hours after today’s game. You work for a living, and this blog – which long ago became my #1 source for Yankees news & info – is a sideline for you.
Perhaps many of us readers need to remember that.
“With A-Rod, there’s smoke and there’s fire.”
That’s still an improvment from when Rocket was on the team. Then, when there was smoke there was usually linament oil and exposed testicles.
>These are the same people, I’m sure, who condemned her first report about his
>failed drug test citing sources right up until he admitted it two days later.
Hello dumb dumb.
The catcher doesn’t have to call pitches. In college and h.s. baseball, coaches usually call pitches. Anybody can call them. You just need signals.
It’s kind of funny that the basic argument people have is that she has no right to pursue a book on his bad behavior.
There is an easy solution to this: don’t do anything stupid in the first place. I don’t see anybody doing articles and books on the stupid activities of Jorge Posada or Mariano Rivera or Derek Jeter.
If you choose to play a professional sport and put yourself in the spotlight, you open your life up to scrutiny. You can choose to do the right things or not. No journalist made Alex take steroids, lie about it, etc. He did that all on his own.
I’m just curious, and this is a serious question, what is it Alex has done that would cause you to believe in his character and/or truthfulness?
—————
I can’t stand tabloid journalism for profit regardless who it’s targeting – whether it’s A-Rod, Kobe Bryant, or Michael Jordan – all three she has had issues with over the years.
Need I mention the Duke Lacrosse case?
It’s a pattern. That is what she does.
Her credibility should be attacked. If this was a courtroom, she wouldn’t have much of a case because any lawyer would tear her apart.
If she wants to write a smear hatchet job on people, she’s going to be raked across the coals for her own credibility issues.
A-Rod lost all his credibility when he accused Roberts of breaking into his house when his kids were sleeping and claimed he had a police report.
Then he apologized for lying.
He is a liar and a cheat to the fullest.
Peter,
Is it possible that anything coming out in this book would give the Yankees grounds to void A-Rod’s contract? If so, what exactly would it take? I know he’s a great player but I think the Yankees have great team chemistry right now and he definitely has the potential to ruin that.
This whole conversation is going to take a complete 180 if he comes back and tears the cover of the ball, and the yanks go on a long winning streak. Everyone will start going with the whole he is a jerk or diva, but he is damn god player helping the team instead of hoping selig bails the yanks out of his contract.
So Pete, there are no other players on the Yankees who like to gamble, go to strip clubs, and cheat on their wives? Just Alex?
One would think that this Selena Roberts woman is some perfect figure with her having the desire to bury Alex Rodriguez. You would not think that she has been at the head controversy in the past with her terrible reporting on the whole Duke case. This woman is simply taking a vulnerable figure and using him as a means to make money. That is all she is doing. She could give 2 $%#@s about anyone. She just wants to further her name and advance her career, at other people’s expense. If she has Alex locked in as such a terrrible guy, what does that make her? In my opinion she is no less a piece of $%&@ than Alex. Talk about being a hypocrite.
wow Pete was not kidding
http://www.mankatofreepress.com/ethomabaseball
http://www.dallasnews.com/shar.....03f35.html
Stunning. No wonder people hated him so much in Texas.
lol, Nick!
How exactly does one call pitches from shortstop, assuming that he was when with the Rangers?
Alex B. –
I don’t mean to sound rude, but what makes you think that a book full of allegations are grounds to void a legally binding contract?
Rob:
Mantle never smuggled drugs from another country. And I’m pretty sure in blowouts he didn’t let Al Kaline know what Whitey Ford was about to throw.
Or would have that been OK?
What has Selena Roberts done that should make us believe her? I hear how well respected she is, can someone please post a well written in depth article by her?
Yanks could let Arod pick stadium music?
Goodbye “YMCA” – Hello “Like A Virgin”
Sort of the same song anyway.
Selena Robers has been right about everything
A-Rod has been wrong.
What has A-Rod ever done to earn the benefit of the doubt?
Amazing how delusional some Yankee fans are. It’s embarrassing actually.
2017.
Jay,
More like wishful thinking on my part =P
” If she has Alex locked in as such a terrrible guy, what does that make her?”
Didn’t you hear what Pete said? This is all Alex’s fault. He’s famous and flawed so that gives Selena the right to make his life and his family’s life a living hell. Hey, the girl’s gotta make a living.
Bob:
There are no other Yankees who took steroids for three years and lied on national television about it as far as I know. I’m also fairly sure there are no other Yankees who had drugs smuggled in from another country. I also don’t believe any other Yankees left their wife and two children for some pop star. I also am pretty well sure that no other Yankees decided to bail out on their contract in the World Series because they think they’re bigger than the game. I don’t think the Steinbrenners and Cashman called any other Yankees into the office in March and told them to stop screwing around and focus on baseball and winning.
I’m pretty sure.
“There is an easy solution to this: don’t do anything stupid in the first place. I don’t see anybody doing articles and books on the stupid activities of Jorge Posada or Mariano Rivera or Derek Jeter.”
Exactly right Pete. Alex opened himself up to this by leading such a creepy life and being such an egomaniac. If he was just normal and didn’t feel the need to always have attention, there would be no book.
Pete,
Can you tell me the difference between what A-Rod did (tipping pitches from shortshop) and what runners on 2nd base giving pitch location or type to the batter? Or is this just because it was A-Rod that it is such a big story?
Pete,
Can you tell me the difference between what A-Rod did (tipping pitches from shortshop) and what runners on 2nd base giving pitch location or type to the batter? Or is this just because it was A-Rod that it is such a big story?
BTW lay off attacking Roberts’ character, she is doing her job. She is a journalist, she is simply investigating and reporting. Regardless if the player is on your team or not, she isn’t doing it to get you upset, she simply wants to tell the story based on the information she as able to obtain.
Some people need to take emotion and fandom and put it aside and think from a observational and objective point of view once in a while.
You aren’t going to badmouth your dentist because they found a cavity. Sure the cavity sucks, but it’s not the dentist’s fault there is a cavity. They are there to investigate, then explain the possible cause of said cavity. The obvious difference in this is that the dentist can fix your problem most of the time. But sometimes a journalist can fix a problem simply by getting it out there in the open.
“I don’t see anybody doing articles and books on the stupid activities of Jorge Posada…”
Hey, don’t give anyone any ideas! There are some angry folks around here.
This nightmare will never end as long as he is with this team. I could imagine if he was never with NY…Alot of this stuff would never have come out about him.
It is like a lightning Rod being connected to a power plant.
He is such an easy target and easy payday for so many people. This will never end until A-Rod is totally disgraced and forced out of the light of the public.
I personally do not want to watch it happen, nor do I think it is deserved. Maybe he is all these things every journalist says about him. Huge Ego,Cheater, Stat Padder, Rule breaker.
I really think he is a product of his great talent and what he was made to become by those who lead him this direction from a young age. Without a Good Father to watch his back and keep him within the lines. He is responsible for his own actions to a certain degree but not to this level. He doesn’t deserve this much interogation.
I have seen far worse characters in sports who have gotten along without all these public beatings. IT is as A-Rod said to Michael Kay in the Spring…He realizes that many people just do not like him for many different reasons. IF I were him I would come out and tell everyone to take a leap and never do an interview again. I would withdraw from it all, save playing baseball.
There is nothing he can ever do to take Missle Lock off the back of his head.
Jennifer:
Um, the Sports Illustrated story in Feb. about Alex failing a drug test. That one seemed pretty darn accurate, didn’t it?
lol she has been right about everything huh? might want to ask Duke lacrosse kids about that.
If Arod wanted to win the fans back on his side, he could order the concrete wall dividing the field boxes taken down, and prices restored to last season’s levels. He should also have the sports bar in center taken down, and the black seats returned, with monument park being restored in the process.
Peter- You are a flip-flopping joke. Your bias towards players you like and players you dislike is terrible obvious. You kill certain guys but others, the guys that you like do not get any flack from you no matter what they do. Jason Giambi or “The Big G” could be responsible for slaughtering puppies and you would have some kind of rationalization for it. You seem to forget that you never gave Giambi ANY criticism for do EXACTLY what Alex has done. He cheated. But you seem to have an undying man crush on him. Now Alex has not done anything worse than Giambi did and allyou do is rip the guy to shreds. How about you show a little professionalism and consistency in your work, because the way you treat different guys is pathetic.
Cal Ripken used to call entire games at short. And I think he’s underrated as far as him being a “me first” buffoon. Cal is treated like a god while A-Rod goes under the bus constantly.
And Peter, I respect what you’re saying about reporters not divulging sources, but she’s not doing him a favor. IF he didn’t do what he’s saying, she’s not exactly giving him his day in court to clear his name. She has just completed a character assisination of the guy(who believe me, I detest defending, he’s a horse’s fanny), and to not allow a meaningful opportunity at rebuttal while hiding behind a complete roster of “anonymous sources” is as bush league as A-Rod barking during a pop up.
Mantle was no saint, Pete
He may not have taken steroids but we really don’t know how he got through all those years with bad knees..
ARod tipped pitches so he could get the favor returned so he could pad his stats.
He didn’t do it to help his team, he did it to help himself.
I hear how well respected she is, can someone please post a well written in depth article by her?
—————-
Here you go:
http://select.nytimes.com/2006.....1&ref=
Rich James – um, liquor? it’s pretty well documented.
proof is were?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxrd_jZJxkg
This is one for Arod!
Pete-
you are dead on right with this entire A-rod saga. selena roberts is just doing a job that somebody at some point would do. i wonder how this discussion would go if it wasn’t selena roberts who wrote the book, and was someone else?
Josh,
The difference between A-Rod’s supposed tipping of pitches and runners on second base relaying signals to the hitter at bat is that A-Rod tipped pitches to opposing players while runners on second base relay signals to their own teammates.
“You aren’t going to badmouth your dentist because they found a cavity. ”
Bad analogy, jay. You go to the dentist of your own free will. You go to the dentist because you want to take care of your teeth and have a nice smile. You ask the dentist to do an investigation of your mouth. Alex Rodriquez didn’t go to Selena Roberts and say “Make me as miserable as you possible can and then send me the bill”.
Yeah – mlb – good luck with this one.
“MLB is investigating” – that’s an oxymoron if I ever heard one. I wonder what the MLB investigate wing was doing during the 80s, 90s, and early part of this decade. Probably the same thing as every other journalist covering the game – looking that good old other way.
Also – while mlb is “investigating” – maybe they can find out where Hoffa is located, if there is a lochness monster, and so on
Pete – as a journalist – go full speed ahead on your story about players cheating in the game. HOWEVER, as a sports fan – you have no standing as a Patriots fan to ridicule because your whole team is filled with cheaters. The Patriots are a composite of the worst qualities of the A-Rod:
guy who leaves the mother of his child while she is pregnant: Tom Brady
player who used hgh: Rodney Harrison
stealing other teams signals: Bill and his vhs gang
pompous, ego maniacs: Bill, Brady, Moss, and the grand daddy of them all, your ex-offensive coach and on the brink of being 100% vilified if he does not get 10 wins this upcoming season – the coach of Notre Dame – Mr. Charlie Weis.
The funny thing is, when Alex comes back and you see him putting up numbers and Tex starts getting better pitches, no one will care what happened in Texas and what needles were in who’s butt.
Some people’s anger here is misguided.
Don’t blame Roberts for being an excellent journalist and doing her job.
Yes she was out to get A-Rod, but did her due diligence and relentlessly researched his past and traveled all over the country and investigated this thing perfectly. She worked hard and did an excellent job.
Blame A-Rod for being the creep that he is.
PEte, Giambi lied on national television about using steroids in an interview with Tim Kurjean(sp) before he was outed. Yet no one followed him around exposing all his off the field antics.
Johnny Damon admittedly cheated on his first wife after she gave birth to their twins. Don’t see anyone following him around scrutinizing every move he makes. According to Torre’s book, he left the team and wasn’t focused at all on baseball in early 2007 and pissed off the entire team, yet you guys don’t beat him to death.
You guys have learned quite well how to make a good living at A-Rod’s expense.
personality disorder + daddy issues = one messed-up dude.
Josh, there is an obvious difference. A runner on second and the batter are teammates. The shortstop and the batter are opponents. Teammates are supposed to help each other. Opponents are not.
Jay destro -i know that…but are you telling me that the mick played most of his career, basically on 1 leg without taking something other then a couple of drinks after the game to help him get through? Please..
The funny thing is that A-Rod probably likes blockbuster stories like this because the conversation turns back onto him even when he’s not playing.
The Big G is a standup guy. Honest, caring, down to earth, nicest guy you can meet.
Exact opposite of A-Rod. Nobody likes A-Rod. Everybody loves Giambi.
If memory serves me correctly, I believe Cal Ripken used to call pitches. The SS calling pitches probably happens more than we know.
The thing that strikes me as wrong about Roberts’ book is that she just as easily could have found people to refute her claims. Doug Mientkiewicz has come out and said he was 99.9% sure Alex didn’t use steroids in HS. Michael Young and Showalter came out and refuted the claims about tipping pitches. I’m sure someone could write a book refuting Roberts’ book. I think it’s irresponsible to report only half the story. If someone out there says “he didn’t do that” then that should be included also. That’s just one of the problmes I have with Roberts.
As for her not cooperating, big deal. If she can track down this info, I’m sure the MLB investigators can too. She doesn’t strike me as being incredibly bright so I’m sure anyone with the time and resources could eventually figure it all out.
And as for the book and the allegations, why does anyone care? In the grand scheme of things, this is small potatoes. Bad tipper? BFD. There’s no law that says people with money have to tip more than 15%. I’m sure he’s dropped 100% tip here and there. Maybe the service was crappy. He cheated on his wife. Nowadays, most people do. Not condoning it, but why should that bother any of us? As for tipping pitches to help better his stats, if true, it is wrong, but I wouldn’t be surprised if this happens regularly throughout the game. And steroids? I’m so over it.
It’s not like he’s murdered anyone. Though I’m sure if Selena Roberts wanted to, she could find someone to say he did
Laura – by being in the public eye and making himself a person of interest (like having the biggest contract in the history of the sport) he has done this by his own free will. Along with any untruths he’s made to the public. Alex is a public figure, and is not above criticism regardless of how much you like the team he plays for.
I seriously doubt Alex was tipping pitches. If he was and some teammates knew it why would they not call him on it/go public at the time instead of letting their pitchers get hammered, also who were the players he was helping out? I guess this theory would have us believe that other players were tipping Alex when he was batting – was this a widespread problem?
“You guys have learned quite well how to make a good living at A-Rod’s expense.”
And then they wonder why people feel sorry for him. The guy is public enemy number one simply because he gets the biggest paycheck.
Bob(The Original)
Bob that doesn’t count
It’s almost like Selena has a personal grude against A-Rod.. I just read this article.. Apparently A-Rod isn’t allowed to make anymore money because he has enough.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12.....berts.html
Also guess what, by discussing the validity of the content in the book, you are doing exactly what the publisher wants: talking about the book. Then some of you will buy it and read it.
Get the point? It’s all about sales.
Maybe the book will also explore why this grown man insists on frosting his tips?
The Big G is a stand up guy who just happened to inject his ass with steroids and cheat the game and all of the fans. If by standup guy you mean cheater, than yes he is a stand up guy.
Jay Destro, Roberts is not a journalist, she is an author in this case. Were she reporting something for a paper, thats one thing but this is a book she presumably pitched and worked to bring to press, so she’s fair game as far as questioning her motivations.
And we can also question either her integrity or intellegence or perhaps both given her over the top villification of the Duke Lacrosse team and we know how that worked out.
And AGAIN, I hate to say ANY of this, as A-rod is a total d-bag and a complete clown and albatross on this team. But she’s got her own bunch of question marks.
Josh – stories about Alex sell papers. She is just doing what the Times wanted of her, write stories people want to read.
Really sad how Pete and a couple of others are the only ones here who shows any objectivity about this A-Rod saga
Most people here are cheerleaders and wearing pinstriped glasses and are delusional when it comes to A-Rod. He can do no wrong. Everyone is wrong except him.
Do some of you apologists realize how foolish you sound?
I’m going to bed. Discussing Alex is not my idea of a good time. Thanks for reading, everybody.
“Exact opposite of A-Rod. Nobody likes A-Rod. Everybody loves Giambi.”
So Giambi gets a pass for the same crime just because he’s more popular? What is this, American Idol? A crime is a crime. If Pete is going to have so much disdain for Alex, he most certainly should have the same disdain for Giambi.
Marty Funkhowser – no, she’s a journalist who wrote a book. See: Game of Shadows.
Seems like there is no one to back up her claims but tons of people to discredit them!
Maybe Selens Roberts is pissed at Arod because he wouldn’t date her?
Pete knows a hell of a lot more about the situation than most people here.
I’d suggest you all listen to Pete and stop drinking the kool-aid.
A-Rod story is just getting uglier every day.
Yankees and Cashman were so dumb to sign a player who is nothing short of disgusting acts.
Really hope there is some way to cut him off, not only Yankees, but MLB altogether.
I hate MLB.
24 Cano – remind me to buy you a beer for hearing exactly what i am saying.
“I’m going to bed. Discussing Alex is not my idea of a good time. Thanks for reading, everybody.’
Really. That’s why you post these inflammatory posts about Alex every now and then – because they are boring. Yeah, right.
I’m done with this nonsense. I’ll be back when there is actually real baseball to discuss.
The media cares a lot more about this issue than the fans do.
I mean, really – does anyone really care what A-Rod does anymore?
There’s no question the guy’s a diva. But he’s not a cancer, those are two completely different things.
In the end, this isn’t going to matter all that much in a few weeks. A-Rod will ignore this tripe and so will his coaches and teammates.
Start winning and all the nonsense goes away because it will be old news.
since when is being a “very respected journalist” entail ruining the greatest baseball player of all time’s career when he’s in his prime.
she’s a tabloid, low balling, no good, rotten journalist
I’m pretty sure that Andy Pettitte wasn’t fully forthcoming when he had his own presser under the tent in Tampa, after McNamee outed him. I’m pretty sure he only came clean fully when he was under oath before Congress. Do we kill him for not being completely truthful when he had his chance? People have mentioned Damon and Giambi as well. Nobody has the full package, but plenty of players have done parts of what A-Rod’s been accused of in this book, and I don’t see any of them getting thrown under the bus in this space.
When Selena Roberts covered the Knicks beat for the NY Times, she was very well-respected and I think won awards. She eventually becamse a columnist and that is where some believe she lost her way. Nonetheless, her various slants and biases don’t mean that Arod is innocent of anything she alleges.
To put it another way, none of her sins make Arod a saint.
I don’t like Giambi. Show of hands, who thought Giambi was an overrated jerkoff while he was here?
Going to bed because you realized you are a joke, eh?
Yeah… Journalists just report and investigate objectively. There are no personal emotions involved in it at all and every reporter does these things for the fair and right reasons.
They must just shut all those personal feelings off when they decide what is the target of the inquiry and why. When they transcribe these Vulkan Documents…Never are words weaved together for the purposes of describing a personal perception of they have covered.
Keep telling yourselves that.
well, the blog should get to 3m hits quite soon, now that a-rod’s flying circus and carnival sideshow is back in operation!
“I’m going to bed. Discussing Alex is not my idea of a good time. Thanks for reading, everybody.”
Pete, don’t let the apologists annoy you. Trying to have a convo. with them about A-Rod is like banging your head against a wall. They are so stubborn and delusional, it is a lost cause.
Ultimately, you are 100% right and they are wrong. A-Rod is a creep and a loser.
Laura – Plug it in, change the world!
May 2nd, 2009 at 11:41 pm
“I’m going to bed. Discussing Alex is not my idea of a good time. Thanks for reading, everybody.’
Really. That’s why you post these inflammatory posts about Alex every now and then – because they are boring. Yeah, right.
I’m done with this nonsense. I’ll be back when there is actually real baseball to discuss.
———————————–
Exactly. Alex is great for selling papers and page hits.
The media knows how much they need him. He’s easy money for them.
jay destro, I understand, but at what point does it border on obsession with A-Rod. She needs to get away from writing on sports.
nice game between oakland and seattle going
If there is justice in the world, A-Rod will get suspended and we can void his deal and get out from under this headache.
Pete Abe, regarding Mantle and what pitches are coming, there is a famous tale of Denny McClain in Mick’s last swing through Detroit grooving fastballs to him so that he could hit one last fastball in Detroit. The catcher told him it was coming, Mick let one go right down the pike and the catcher told him again and Mick went deep on the next pitch.
Don’t know where this fits into a picture of competition, but I don’t know if A-Rod invented this conduct.
I can practically guarantee you Righetti grooved a pitch to Mattingly when Rags was on Oakland and Donnie put it in the upper tank at the stadium. 4 pitches right down the pike in a row.
Pete Abe, regarding Mantle and what pitches are coming, there is a famous tale of Denny McClain in Mick’s last swing through Detroit grooving fastballs to him so that he could hit one last fastball in Detroit. The catcher told him it was coming, Mick let one go right down the pike and the catcher told him again and Mick went deep on the next pitch.
Don’t know where this fits into a picture of competition, but I don’t know if A-Rod invented this conduct.
I can practically guarantee you Righetti grooved a pitch to Mattingly when Rags was on Oakland and Donnie put it in the upper tank at the stadium. 4 pitches right down the pike in a row.
If Arod played in LA, Detroit or St. Louis or anywhere besides NY no one would care about any of this stuff. It’s the media that makes it into a story. They make it seem like other baseball players don’t date models and singers. He gets paid to play baseball and he does that damn well. If he played in LA you think there fans would see his numbers .300 average, 40 homeruns and 120 RBIs and say hey do you think we could trade this guy? No he would be absolutely loved. He should of took less money to sign else where. Obviously he brings some of this on himself with things he does and says but he is so great he doesn’t need any of this BS. You have to love that there are still 103 players sleeping well at night…
Discussing Alex is not my idea of a good time.
————–
Sure about that, Pete?
Uh, huh.
For a guy who takes shots at the guy repeatedly regardless if he’s playing, rehabbing, or 2000 miles away from baseball in Colorado – you seem to talk about A-Rod quite a bit without provocation.
Jay Pinstriper
May 2nd, 2009 at 11:43 pm
Ultimately, you are 100% right and they are wrong. A-Rod is a creep and a loser.
—————————–
I don’t disagree at all that he is a creep. I personally don’t like the man and would want anything to do with him in my life.
But that doesn’t mean I excuse what the media does to him. It’s all self serving hypocrisy.
The guy is a great baseball player. That’s all I care about or want to know about him.
Grey 44- and then we can have cody ransom playing 3rd for the next 8 years! Yay!!
All is right in yankee land
If hypocrisy was a fatal disease, Selig would be six feet under by know.
The tipping pitches issue is absurd.
On what planet do people get investigated based on anonymous sources that are leaked to a “journalist” who smeared the Duke lacrosse players and therefore has zero credibility.
Nothing to see here. Move on.
Josh – Obsessing on A-Rod is what every media outlet that handles MLB does. He’s a polarizing figure that people want to read about.
You could say the very same about Bonds a few years ago.
You could say the same about McGuire a few years before that.
TO, Chad OchoCinco or whatever he is now, Tom Brady… people want to know more about them because the media gets all kinds of crazy info on them.
the fact is selena a second rate hack, don’t believe say hello to duke lacrosse. she trying to make a buck of arod. thats sad and pathetic. i rather smuggle drugs into this country, then ruin innccent college players lives, buut yea selena a real saint. arod apologyize, selena never did YET AROD THE BAD GUY. gotta love hyporcrite reporters
Hatton just got destroyed!!!!!!!!
MLB should investigate this.
A-Rod is a pathological liar. Chances are, this is true and Selig can crack down on this and make an example out of him.
MLB has a good investigating team, I’m sure they’ll find something.
They will find the MLB Players Association and the CBA.
I love all of you who have not read one word of the book condemning it.
On the flip side, I love all the people who have not read one word of the book and are taking it as gospel truth.
Ultimately, you are 100% right and they are wrong. A-Rod is a creep and a loser.
————–
I couldn’t care less about A-Rod’s private life. I don’t care if he’s the greatest guy or the biggest jackass.
But the Yanks need him to win a World Series and I have a big problem with anyone who tries to get in the way of that happening.
Like him or not, A-Rod is a Yankee for the next nine years and that’s the bottom line.
Manny Pacquiao is a frickin beast.
Hatton got thumped to the mat like a rag doll 2 rounds into the match.
KO.
How can you people not see the difference between Giambi/Andy and A-Rod?
Two are standup, honest, likeable guys who just play baseball and are nice to everyone and are genuine.
The other is a lair, cheat, creep, egomaniac, and just not a good character.
But that doesn’t mean I excuse what the media does to him. It’s all self serving hypocrisy.
The guy is a great baseball player. That’s all I care about or want to know about him.
————–
Exactly.
Couldn’t care less what he does in his personal life.
I’m 35 years old. I don’t need a role model. I just want my Yankees to win another championship and they can’t do that without him.
The last thread had grinded to a complete halt so Pete chummed the waters.
Works every time!
Like Sterling says… If he hits when he comes back, no one is going to care about any of this.
Orange J
MLB should investigate this.
A-Rod is a pathological liar. Chances are, this is true and Selig can crack down on this and make an example out of him.
MLB has a good investigating team, I’m sure they’ll find something.
___
Selig has lied more than A-Rod.
If they investigate him, I’m sure they’ll find something.
Jeez.
Good for MLB.
Buck showalter: A rod was calling pitches for the pitcher, not opposing team
Steve Phillips: Ditto
What other information does MLB need? Roberts clearly was tipped this by someone who witnessed arod grabbing his hat and nose at certain times, and now she’s going to look like a fool.
Two are standup, honest, likeable guys who just play baseball and are nice to everyone and are genuine.
The other is a lair, cheat, creep, egomaniac, and just not a good character.
—————–
So because Pettitte and Giambi are good interviews – they deserve better treatment for making the same “mistake” if you will?
Boy, you’re priorities are int he wrong place.
They all cheated. Pettitte and Giambi are no less guilty of using PEDs than A-Rod.
It’s good that Alex is being investigated. If he was tipping pitches to opposing players that is wrong and should be punished.
That said, I don’t think A-rod is guilty of tipping pitches or of doing steroids in high school. Buck Showalter (who apparently doesn’t like A-rod) said that Alex never tipped pitches. The way Roberts’ explains it, the whole clubhouse knew about it. If Buck says it didn’t happen my guess is that it didn’t happen.
Also Doug M’alphabet said he is 99% sure A-rod didn’t do roids in high school.
Those two guys are well respected and they both refute Roberts’ claims. In my opinion they have better credibility and less bias than Roberts.
Enough with his Perez-Hilton-esque gossip BS.
Pete – it’s obvious people will read the blog anyway. STOP WITH THE BUBBLEGUM POSTS. Would it kill you to report on Austin Jackson or Andrew Brackman instead of this nonsense?
As far as I’m concerned… everyone in baseball is doing steroids or tipping pitches.
The whole game is tainted. Therefore, A-Rod is just blending into the culture. He isin’t doing anything wrong. Steroids are apart of the game.
So when he does break the HR record, it should looked on in the context of the era he played in and realized he deserves the record.
“MLB has a good investigating team, I’m sure they’ll find something.”
Starting with who leaked this story to the NY Times.
Bud wanted the story out there so it looks like he has control of the game so no one from the outside steps in.
MLB spent millions of dollars on the Mitchell Report and had nothing until the Feds gave them Radomski. These guys have no more power than campus security.
Nobody’s getting suspended. Nobody’s getting traded. Nobody’s getting their contract voided.
The MLBPA does not want the other 103 names to come out, which ARod’s attorneys would surely bring out in any trial. This is so over.
ARod not in the HOF? Please. BBWA, get over it. You don’t let in Bonds and ARod, you cheapen the whole thing. We know it, you know it, so stop the posturing.
All heat, no light.
Let’s worry more about the bullpen sorting itself out than anything else. If this team had a functioning bullpen, they would probably be in first right now, despite lacking their best player. Can’t Selena Roberts go after Jose Veras?
What did ARod do to Pete to make him despise ARod so much?
I hope when Alex comes back he refuses to talk to the media. Come in play the game and leave when it is over. Why bother.
Arod may be a bad guy but he never walked Jamie Moyer.
I’m also fairly sure there are no other Yankees who had drugs smuggled in from another country. I also don’t believe any other Yankees left their wife and two children for some pop star.
I guess the cocaine in the 80′s and 90′s must have been homegrown. I have a hard time believing no other Yankee has ever left their wife and kids for another woman, regardless pop star or not. Heck no, they just swap entire families. (Kekich and Peterson)
Nick in SF,,,I’m trying to get over the Bulls /Celtic game…Man tough day for me…I took the Yanks + 285.00 and I took the Bulls +6.5, and I played the Derby ( small token wager )…..Struck out today……Not because it’s A-Rod, but I’d think MLB would want to put the entire roids issue to bed as quickly as they could….Bad PR , plus it’s old news…Certainly isn’t good for the game….The Mitchell debacle should have been the final chapter….The Bonds / Clemens is kind of out of the game now, so move on Selig….
> But the Yanks need him to win a World Series and I have a big problem > with anyone who tries to get in the way of that happening.
I used to feel this way ’till the day A-Rod “came clean” on TV. About halfway though his soliloquy, I realized he’s just a poison for the team. Red Sox fans used to rationalize keeping Manny to win championships, too.
Um, Manny was the most important player on those two WS teams. When a player is as talented as Manny or A-Rod, whatever “cancer” they may bring is vastly outweighed by what they do on the field.
If A-Roid refuses to talk to the media, he can kiss the HOF goodbye.
Most writers (Curry, Sherman, Olney, Rosenthal, Gammons, etc.) said that in 15 years, if he has no more missteps, they will probably vote for him because he was a HOF’er before steroids and they will look at the era as a whole.
He still has one shot at clearing his name even a little, he better not screw that up to. He can’t ignore anyone.
Giambi confessed that he did steroids
A-Rod denied using steroids with Katie Couric
And did Giambi wrongfully accuse someone of breaking into his house like A-Rod did?
Her book supposedly claims many things but so far the media hasn’t found anyone who agrees with what she is staying. So where are these sources then?? The only thing that so far is true is the steroids. Just because you know 1 thing about someone doesn’t mean you are right about anything else you say. The manager of the team Buck and the 2nd baseman(at the time) Young both said no. Doug basically called her a fool for saying he was doing steroids at 18. He was always followed around by tons of scouts in high school I would think one of them would of seen something or even raised an eye brow if it was true.
Pat M: tomorrow will be a better day. Philip Seymour Hughes will deliver for us and at a much better price.
I lucked out on the hoops game, I did a 2-way teaser, Bulls +10.5 and over 190.
Who the hell is Katie Couric. Is she someone special?
To whom may concern,
Stop hating on Alex Rodriguez and hop off his you know what. Alex did ALOT of wrong things, but the fact is simple. Rather you love him or hate him, He is a New York Yankee for another 9 or whatever years. You must endure this with him as a fan even if you don’t like him. I’m not a supporter of his actions, however I believe that as a Yankee fan, I want the best for him for baseball purposes, as he is under contract for us for quite awhile.
Thank You,
Kelvin
“Bob:
There are no other Yankees who took steroids for three years and lied on national television about it as far as I know.”
———
Pete,
ARod messed up. But the idea that MLB can penalize Alex for this while keeping the remaining list of users confidential is ridiculous.
He has not failed a test since. MLB should just let this pass.
MLB management is the guiltiest party in all of this anyway.
K-Zone: Giambi denied it before he kinda, sorta confessed to, well, something. That confession came after it was leaked that he admitted it to a grand jury. Again, what’s the difference between the two?
carl,
No. But A-Rod lied while talking to her.
Just a continuing pattern of dishonesty.
Pete is right though – What other Yankees smuggled drugs across the country?
If the results of this MLB investigation open the door for the Yankees to void the contract, they should take it.
Pacquiao is the fighter of the decade, in any weight class or discipline.
You guys ragging on Pete crack me up. Obviously he reports about ARod because that’s what many of you want to hear, judging by all of the comments from this one post.
I don’t know why so many of you are quick to defend ARod. I’m not a hater, but the guy hasn’t given any of us reason to believe a single word he says.
I’d like to see how many of you would have the chance to write the book and pass it up for all the reasons your coming up with. Anyone?
If MLB investigates this, it’s just going to help Roberts sell more books.
What happens when someone sees how much $$ Roberts is making and decides to write a book about Selig and MLB and claims they knew everything that was going on all this time?
“If the results of this MLB investigation open the door for the Yankees to void the contract, they should take it.”
That’s my feeling as well. End this madness once and for all.
OK, on the drug smuggling thing… is that really any different than Giambi getting the drugs from a lab San Francisco? Is it really any different than Andy Pettitte acquiring steroids from a gym in Houston, which very well may have been smuggled across the border from Mexico?
“The catcher doesn’t have to call pitches. In college and h.s. baseball, coaches usually call pitches. Anybody can call them. You just need signals.
It’s kind of funny that the basic argument people have is that she has no right to pursue a book on his bad behavior.
There is an easy solution to this: don’t do anything stupid in the first place. I don’t see anybody doing articles and books on the stupid activities of Jorge Posada or Mariano Rivera or Derek Jeter.
If you choose to play a professional sport and put yourself in the spotlight, you open your life up to scrutiny. You can choose to do the right things or not. No journalist made Alex take steroids, lie about it, etc. He did that all on his own.”
That’s funny, Pete. I didn’t realize journalism meant citing anonymous sources and hearsay to slime another human being, and refusing to give both sides of the story (such as, with the ‘tipping pitches’ accusation, several former teammates AND a coach have already come out publicly with rebuttals). If that’s ‘journalism’, then no wonder newspapers are dying a very rapid death.
I can’t say it better than this: http://www.hardballtimes.com/m.....artiality/
And http://www.hardballtimes.com/m.....teresting/
Typical Pete schilling for a chrony. Roberts isn’t cooperating because it would expose how flimsy her sources are and that can’t be revealed until enough people have wasted their money on the book. If Roberts was so concerned about journalistic integrity, why bother to write a smut book that uses unnamed sources when so many named sources have already gone on record refuting her claims? Unfortunately, Pete is right in one regard…Robert’s yellow journalism does represent the basics of the industry today, which is why is thankfully dying a quick death.
By the way, Pete, you’re a reporter, right? If so, why is it so hard to do some digging and ask people close to the situation what they think about the tipping allegations. Michael Kay made the effort to interview Buck Showalter, and he claimed that he would have known if that was going on and that the claim was way off base. Showalter, who didn’t have a good relationship would Arod, has no reason to defend him. Of course, such accounts from firsthand parties are not as interesting as unnamed sources, so why let the facts kill a good story.
“The catcher doesn’t have to call pitches. In college and h.s. baseball, coaches usually call pitches. Anybody can call them. You just need signals.
It’s kind of funny that the basic argument people have is that she has no right to pursue a book on his bad behavior.
There is an easy solution to this: don’t do anything stupid in the first place. I don’t see anybody doing articles and books on the stupid activities of Jorge Posada or Mariano Rivera or Derek Jeter.
If you choose to play a professional sport and put yourself in the spotlight, you open your life up to scrutiny. You can choose to do the right things or not. No journalist made Alex take steroids, lie about it, etc. He did that all on his own.”
That’s funny, Pete. I didn’t realize journalism meant citing anonymous sources and hearsay to slime another human being, and refusing to give both sides of the story (such as, with the ‘tipping pitches’ accusation, several former teammates AND a coach have already come out publicly with rebuttals). If that’s ‘journalism’, then no wonder newspapers are dying a very rapid death.
I can’t say it better than this: http://www.hardballtimes.com/m.....artiality/
Three key passages from the NYTimes article:
“Many of the assertions in the book are based on anonymous sources. Others are presented without an explanation of how the information was obtained. Any discipline of Rodriguez would have to be strong enough to withstand an appeal before an arbitrator.”
“But pursuing whether Rodriguez told the truth will be difficult for the investigators; unlike law enforcement authorities, they have little power to compel a witness to speak with them.”
“A lot of this is Selig appearing like he has the situation under control,” Feldman said. “The last thing he wants is for someone else, like the federal government or Congress, to try and intercede and take this matter out of his hands.”
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05.....1&hpw
In other words, this investigation is going to go exactly nowhere, and is only being instigated to keep Congress off Selig’s back
What a sad day for Yankee fans. I hope this is the worst of it.
It’s easy to say we gotta support him because he’s a Yankee, but it’s not always easy to do.
It’s getting more and more difficult to justify, explain, or even understand anything this guy did.
When he comes back, he really needs to concentrate on baseball. He’s done well with distractions before, but he’s never been in trouble with MLB or any other entity before.
I’m upset at the Yankees. Namely that louse of a Steinbrenner. How can you not do your due diligence? When college players go into the draft, all the top picks are investigated to their fullest. They go into every nook & cranny of your life. They know where you partied. They know what you liked to eat for breakfast when you were in high school. I’m sure Tom Hicks gave a glowing report about Alex. haha, suckers.
How can they give this guy $300M without doing their due diligence?
Of course I’m kidding, but people in their own front office didn’t want to bring him back. I’m sure there were red flags and whispers of some this stuff.
Don’t get me wrong, I’ll cheer (yeah) when he plays. But this totally sucks for the organization.
“I don’t know why so many of you are quick to defend ARod. I’m not a hater, but the guy hasn’t given any of us reason to believe a single word he says.”
It’s not about defending ARod. It’s an attempt to defend against the borderline libelous witchhunts that today’s ‘journalists’ are allowed to undertake.
And I, for one, let out a little cheer every time a newspaper goes under.
I have practiced trial law for many, many years. I have come to learn that everyone has a motivation if they do an action for money. Selena Roberts certainly has a motivation to include as much sensational material as possible. That can’t be doubted, can it? Does she right both sides of an isssue or just one? Is what she reports true? I don’t know and and neither does anyone except the anonymous sources. Personally, I wouldn’t like my reputation sullied by anonymous sources. Let’s not accept blatant hearsay statements as true. If you can’t verify them, it is inapproriate, in my opinion, to act as if it must be true if a reporter repeats what an unknown person says.
“I don’t know why so many of you are quick to defend ARod. I’m not a hater, but the guy hasn’t given any of us reason to believe a single word he says.”
———
As far as I’m concerned, it doesn’t matter if he’s lying.
If he fails a test, that’s a different story.
MLB messed up royally by allowing this to happen. It’s their fault. Get stricter testing and dont’ allow this to happen ever again.
Don’t make ARod the fall guy for a problem that MLB fostered and a huge % of players shared.
Also how does this “sources” thing work?! She walks down the street and random people tell her things and all of a sudden they become a source and a story in the book? She could be bored 1 night and just make random things up. Or are some of these “sources” real people?! Obviously the point of writing the book is to make money so I don’t know why anyone wouldn’t expect some juicy things to be made up. Especially since the media can’t find any of these sources only people saying it isn’t true. It’s not like she is this great trusted well known writer or anything.
“It’s not about defending ARod. It’s an attempt to defend against the borderline libelous witchhunts that today’s ‘journalists’ are allowed to undertake.”
V-I totally agree on that point, although I think the media should do whatever they feel is best for them, and the people decide whether they buy it or not. If she wrote this book and people in the know spoke out against it, and it didn’t sell, the rumors would disappear on their own.
I will argue, however, that while your point is incredibly valid, there are plenty on this post defending ARod simply because he hits a ball far.
m,
anything “this guy” did?
how about most of MLB?
Boston Dave is right. If A-Rod fails a drug test. Suspend him (or ban him for all I care). Short of that, it’s selective prosecution.
“V-I totally agree on that point, although I think the media should do whatever they feel is best for them, and the people decide whether they buy it or not.”
———
that’s the point.
don’t like it, don’t buy it.
there were plenty of people who ripped Torre and then went out and bought his book. That’s worse than writing it.
Roberts threw the innocent Duke Lacross players under the bus in her NY Times article now she is attacking A-Rod… see a trend?
She writes “Duke University virtuous on the outside debauched on the inside.” She quotes Katie Gentile assistant professor and director of Woman’s Center of John Jay College as one of her sources. Wonder what Katie thinks of A-Rod and all these nasty men?
http://select.nytimes.com/2006.....erts.html?
_r=1&ref=
Can’t believe we have to root for this clown for the next 9 years
Thanks Hank.
Why can’t this guy just be normal?
Does he always have to bring attention to himself?
Boston Dave,
Doesn’t make it right. I’m not siding with Ms. Roberts at all. It’s obvious she’s in it to bring Alex down. Otherwise she would have done an expose on the league-side problem.
But like I said yesterday, Alex makes himself an easy target. No one to blame but himself for the negative attention he gets.
Someone remind me when Jason admitted to using roids. I don’t recall him ever coming out stating he did. He did some press conference where he apologized, but I’m not exactly sure what he apologized for. Oh and he only had that press conference when the grand jury testimony was leaked. Funny how 2 pieces of information that were supposed to be kept quiet were leaked.
And to those who say well Alex ‘only’ admitted it because he was caught. Who the hell ever comes forward and says they did something wrong without being caught? Did Andy? NO! So please stop this holier than thou garbage.
league-wide
This whole thing is a joke – it’s a witch hunt. What evidence is there that Alex used beyond when he said he did that Selig thinks he has enough to conduct an investigation? Unnamed and anonymous sources? Please. This is just like when he said he was thinking of suspending Alex – not that he had any right to. It just makes Bud look weak and stupid. As for tipping pitches – I think that’s been put to rest no matter what Pete says.
I am curious, all of the people saying that the Yanks should get rid of him because of character issues who would you like the Yanks to get to play 3rd base to replace him? I want to hear this answer. You are giving up 35 home runs, 120 RBI’s…who is replacing him? Pena, Mike Lamb???
Steve Phillips was right
24 + 1
We’ll never win a championship with a guy like A-Rod on the team
“Can’t believe we have to root for this clown for the next 9 years
Thanks Hank.”
—–
are you really that much of an idiot?
you don’t have to root for anybody. you are the clown.
What I don’t understand is why people say things like “he’s a jerk.” or “I don’t like him as a person”? If they never met him. Or gotten to know him. You’re just going by what you read or hear. I’ve also heard good things about him. But obviously the negative sticks.
MLB has to investigate. They have a legislative exemption for their monopoly. This gives the Congress a certain power over them, and they hardly need more Congressional hearings. They need to look like they are on top of it.
Also, attacking journalists and the press just because someone goes after a player on your team is ridiculous. Personally, I appreciate the role of the press in a democracy, and that has to be protected whether the subject is sports or government. Protecting the anonymity of sources allows information to get out that is necessary (Watergate, anyone? Pentagon Papers?) and would not otherwise be provided.
jennifer,
Your points are valid, but is this exposure and attention good for the team?
I’m not buying the “it’ll bring the team closer” bit anymore. It’s probably getting old for the players.
From Couric to Gammons to his press conference… his story has continued to change and more details have come out.
Is there any doubt he is lying about this to? He is a pathological liar. MLB knows this and will do its best to try and out him.
Jeter stays for 14 innings of the All-Star game ,signing autographs at 2 in the morning in the dugout with his teammates.
A-Rod leaves in the 5th inning to see Madonna.
m
According to the reports this week, in Roberts book it says Yankee management had suspicions.
“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.”
If she has that right, they weren’t blindsided by the steroid allegations, just that they became public.
And before you beat up Hank like so many do, Cash was all in too before the opt-out so for him it was about the money not the person.
Good for Selig.
Let’s see if we can uncover enough dirt to get out of from his contract.
About the only good thing Selig has done.
I could totally see A-Rod doing the pitch-tipping. He is a selfish player. Not surprising that he would out his own pitchers so he could get n edge in a couple of ABs.
That’s the thing… nothing Roberts said was shocking and out of A-Rod’s realm.
A named source said it didn’t happen.
http://weblogs.newsday.com/spo.....rod_p.html
Doug- Need you be reminded that Andy’s story changed as well? Do you condemn him?
“like I said yesterday, Alex makes himself an easy target. No one to blame but himself for the negative attention he gets.”
———
he’s an easy target because he’s the highest paid player.
As far as anybody knew when he signed with the Rangers, he had never done anything wrong.
He was still one of the most hated athletes.
When he joined the Yankees he clinched that title BEFORE he was with Madonna, before he was seen with a stripper, before he did this and that.
Don’t act like he’s hated because of the things he’s done since then. His antics and off the field issues certainly don’t help but people hated Alex long before he made the front of the NY papers.
As far as steroids go, I don’t see why Alex deserves all the blame. It’s a league-wide issue.
This is a systemic problem. The only way to fix that is to change the system. Patching it will never work.
Good points, pat. But once he opted out, Cash was practically doing back flips.
Argghh. Totally frustrating. Of course Alex is a good player. But there a dozen teams that are doing well with third basemen not named Alex Rodriguez.
Can’t do anything about it now. Just grin and bear it.
There are many players that say they don’t want to know what is coming. And even if hey do it wouldn’t matter.
So I call it bs.
pat
According to the reports this week, in Roberts book it says Yankee management had suspicions.
“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.”
If she has that right, they weren’t blindsided by the steroid allegations, just that they became public.
And before you beat up Hank like so many do, Cash was all in too before the opt-out so for him it was about the money not the person.
__
Think about what you’re using to support your argument.
Anonymous sources aren’t a sufficient basis to suspend someone. They aren’t subject to cross-examination or even a substantive fact-finding process. It’s trial by rumor and innuendo.
Would you like to be subject to that type of indictment? I think not.
As for Cash, why wouldn’t he be interested in A-Rod for seven or eight years at a reduced contract (he wanted to retain the Texas subsidy). Afterall, we’re talking about the top three or so best player in MLB.
Anonymous sources do not tell us anything useful about what the Yankees knew or didn’t know.
pat,
Also, I think it was NYTimes reported (yesterday, I believe) from their copy of the book that the Rangers’ trainer and assistant GM suspected he was using steroids.
Is MLB going to investigate trainers and management? I don’t think so.
If all his teamates hate him why did they (Jeter Posada etc.) all publicly support him after this all came out.
“But once he opted out, Cash was practically doing back flips.”
——-
Cashman was livid. He wanted to keep Alex and get the $$ from the Rangers. He was hardly doing backflips.
If I’m Selig, I contact Jose Canseco to conduct this investigation.
He is the only one who has been 100% spot on during this whole thing (Roberts too, but she obviously isin’t cooperating) and has the goods.
Canseco and Selig need to work together to solve this case.
Jesse,
Because they need him? Not hard to figure that one out.
If you guys think they love Alex so much. Just read about how they react to Alex’s foibles.
Jesse Livermore May 3rd, 2009 at 12:44 am
If all his teamates hate him why did they (Jeter Posada etc.) all publicly support him after this all came out.
Because the majority of the people here believe they play for the yankees.
In the Mitchell report, it was revealed that Theo knew that Gagne was on steroids before he traded for him. Why isn’t he being investigated?
It’s a witch hunt.
So Cash didn’t want Arod or Posada(for the 4th year)back..I wonder how competitive the team would be without both of those guys.?! Not wanting a player back is fine but you need prospects or players to fill those spots. Cash didn’t have either. If he didn’t bring them back I am not sure he would be having fun this season being in 3rd place. I am surprised he wanted Mo back.
“Personally, I appreciate the role of the press in a democracy, and that has to be protected whether the subject is sports or government. Protecting the anonymity of sources allows information to get out that is necessary”
———-
sounds a bit like the rationale used for keeping prisoners in Guantanamo without trial.
we have anonymous sources that say you are terrorists.
it’s a tricky path to go down when you play that game. at what point does the accused have rights when it comes to prosecuting someone based on hearsay?
m
Because they need him? Not hard to figure that one out.
If you guys think they love Alex so much. Just read about how they react to Alex’s foibles.
__
Nobody loves anyone. It’s a business. They only want him because he produces. We get it.
The point is that A-Rod is no different than the majority of other players, except he has more ability, makes more money, gets more scrutiny, and says stupider things.
Paulie,
If you can see ARod tipping pitches, how about the players he was tipping? Roberts alleges (even though given her claimed sources she can’t possibly know this) that he was doing it so that he would also receive tips. If that’s true, how about the players on the other side of the agreement? That’s why this allegation just doesn’t make sense. Who was he tipping off?
“If I’m Selig, I contact Jose Canseco to conduct this investigation.”
——
100%? hardly.
Unnamed sources, Yankees or not, are not credible……..
Nice to hear from someone else re: the tipping charges. They are a joke. Of course Brantley goes on to say that he doesn’t think Alex stopped taking steroids in 2003, but who cares? Unless there’s proof, it’s all a bunch of nothing.
All I know is that Pete is much more knowledgeable about this A-Rod saga than most people here.
I’d suggest everyone listen to him— he knows what he is talking about. Whether or not you want to accept the reality of the situation, is a different story.
Montclair
All I know is that Pete is much more knowledgeable about this A-Rod saga than most people here.
I’d suggest everyone listen to him—- he knows what he is talking about. Whether or not you want to accept the reality of the situation, is a different story.
__
Really? Does Pete know who the anonymous sources are?
If not, anything he knows doesn’t matter, because that’s the only critical issue.
http://www.nj.com/yankees/inde.....s_str.html
Not to break in about baseball, but sounds like Coke and co. are making excuses for their performance. Are we supposed to feel badly or understand because they are being used differently?
Canseco also said that Clemens was the only player in the league who was faithful to his wife. Ummm, not so much.
Just like with Roberts, Canseco isn’t right about everything just because he was right about some things.
Canseco had 2 books in which he could have claimed that ARod did steriods in HS or with the Yankees, yet he didn’t. Now, he’s backing up Roberts’ allegations. He’s also admitted he hates ARod and he’s desperate for money and attention.
Bottom line is that
A-Rod’s baseball career is ruined anyway. He’s not going to the HOF. His numbers will have an asterisk next to them and he will not be acknowledged as the HR king. He will be known as a cheater.
He doesn’t have many friends (as noted in Torre’s book) and is a weird individual with some serious issues.
At this point, all this upcoming stuff is just window dressing. His life/career has already been damaged beyond repair with the first bomb shell.
“All I know is that Pete is much more knowledgeable about this A-Rod saga than most people here.
I’d suggest everyone listen to him—- he knows what he is talking about. Whether or not you want to accept the reality of the situation, is a different story.”
Appeal to authority is not a valid argument. Pete is acting as if Selena Roberts has 100% told the truth. We have no idea if that’s the case or not, but when Pete says “She’s doing him a favor. If she wanted to, she could have cooperated and led the investigators right where they want to go,” he loses credibility by simply assuming her unnamed sources were A) telling the truth, or B) exist at all. Had he said “She might have been doing him a favor,” then that’s a legitimate point. But it’s clear from this post that in Pete’s eyes, Alex is guilty as charged, and to make that rush to assume guilt is wrong.
Oh.. so he might have used steroids post 04? Who cares? His numbers are tainted anyway, it’s not like anyone was going to make a post 04 distinction anyway. In the eyes of the world, all his numbers are meaningless.
Everett
A-Rod is going to return with several WS rings and hundreds of millions of dollars. That’s a nice way to be ruined.
No one knows how the steroid era will be viewed in 10 or 20 years.
Saying that he will never be in the HoF has less than zero meaning at this point.
Someone remind those guys they aren’t MO and they aren’t Bruney. They are the only ones with a defined role. Other than that you have to be prepared to come in at any point. If you see the starting pitcher is struggling and your name isn’t Mo are Brian, you better be mentally ready to come in. END OF STORY!
Everett
Funny everyone in baseball hates him, yet he has friends on other teams that he tips pitches to and they to him. Funny how that works.
Oh and if it is true, why isn’t anyone talking about the players who tip pitches to him?
Betsy what I got from that story is that the Yankees need a long man.
jennifer
Someone remind those guys they aren’t MO and they aren’t Bruney. They are the only ones with a defined role. Other than that you have to be prepared to come in at any point. If you see the starting pitcher is struggling and your name isn’t Mo are Brian, you better be mentally ready to come in. END OF STORY!
__
Not quite. It’s impossible for a reliever to be effective without regular work. That’s what’s happening to Robertson right now.
Is he good? I don’t know, but his minor league stats demonstrate that we should find out.
Montclair,
Blind acceptence about anything is not a good thing. Whether it’s the media, the government, or your favorite player, you should be able to think critically about what they are saying and make up your own mind.
In this case, Pete has said he barely knows Roberts, and any objective reader of this blog knows he has a personal bias against ARod. If Pete had any firm knowledge or evidence backing up Roberts’ claims, I’m sure he would have published it. So, his knowledge about Roberts’ new allegations at this point is the same as all of ours – it’s based on media reports of the book.
Torre said A-Rod has no friends didn’t he?
Torre’s book just backs up a lot of the things in Roberts’ book about how much of an oddball A-Rod is.
richie- It also doesn’t help when you have 2 starting pitchers who can pitch deep into a game. If we would finally get consistency out of the starting rotation the pen would hopefully round into shape.
Tankus
Torre said A-Rod has no friends didn’t he?
Torre’s book just backs up a lot of the things in Roberts’ book about how much of an oddball A-Rod is.
___
Much of Torre’s book has proven to be untrue.
You were saying?
Richie:
A-Rod is going to return with several WS rings and hundreds of millions of dollars. That’s a nice way to be ruined.
————-
The guy doesn’t have one ring and he’s been in this league how long? What makes you think he’ll leave with ‘several WS rings’?
A-Rod is going to have World Series Rings?
And A-Rod is not a likable guy. Like Bonds, that is going to hurt him in the HOF voting. A cheater and a jerk, not a good combo.
Carl, they definitely need one at this point. Now that Aceves is pitching better, maybe the Yankees will finally see fit to bring one (him) up.
Jen, exactly right. What’s up with the pen going dead silent when the phone rings? Are they all afraid they are going to get the call? That doesn’t exactly give me confidence in them – no one wants to pitch.
Yeah, I’m sure A-Rod is going to have a multiple rings LOL
I wish Pete was still awake so he could have a nice laugh at the stupidity here tonight.
Betsy, Some of the things that he said was disturbing. Especially that some of the relievers were “caught mentally unprepared” and that when the phone would ring it would be silent in the bullpen. Basically that none of them wanted to come into the game. I understand that they were called on a lot but he needs to be smarter and not say these things to the media. I would think that Girardi would not be happy with those comments.
Richie, I agree – but the fact is, they are complaining about not knowing exactly when they are going to be used (7th, 6th, 4th, whatever). Just be glad they have jobs in the ML and go out and do them – it’s unprofessional to be unprepared.
jennifer
You’re right, the bullpen issues have multiple causes. The main factor was Wang’s meltdown. Apart form last Saturdays’ game in Boston, the rotation is providing more length. That should help the pen, but even though the players have performed poorly, Girardi’s usage patterns haven’t been great either.
Torre’s book was proven untrue?
By who, David Wells?
You are grasping at straws, Richie.
How can we blame Girardi for not having confidence in the pen when the relievers don’t even have confidence in themselves?
Way too much info there by Coke.
“It’s always nice to know when you’ll have an opportunity to come in,” said David Robertson, who while in Triple-A, took comfort in knowing that late in close games, he was likely to appear. “But still, you’re out there for nine innings and you’ll never know when your time will come.”
====================================
We will probably see you again some time next week David.
Last year, aside from Rivera closing and Giese as the long man, nobody had roles.
Frankly, nobody in this pen aside from Bruney/Mo is good enough to be assigned a role. Be lucky you are on an ML roster kids.
Pavvento
The guy doesn’t have one ring and he’s been in this league how long? What makes you think he’ll leave with ‘several WS rings’?
__
The 2004 meltdown against Boston prevented A-Rod from getting a ring. Since then, the rotation has been awful in the postseason.
I think that between CC, AJ, Pettitte, Joba, Hughes, and Wang (and a few kids in the minors) they will have solid rotation for the foreseeable future. That’s why I’m confident that A-Rod will win rings.
Captain’s Corner, exactly. Coke is an idiot for saying stuff like that…..I doubt Joe reads blogs, etc…..so I don’t think he’ll know about it, but it’s disturbing for sure. I almost want to send Coke back down……and Alby, who I like, as well. I almost wish someone would show this to the other players – they’ll be real happy with their pen.
The pen goes silent when the phone rings because none of them have confidence they can get outs, so they are nervous to get into the game lol
It’s sounds like our bullpen pitchers need therapy or something.
It’s=It
Betsy,
They shouldn’t be complaining, but that aside, young relievers need to be brought along in a way that helps their confidence catch up with their ability.
That’s kind of how Joba was developed in the pen, and it’s what I want to see happen with Melancon, Coke, and Robertson.
V Torch, exactly. What a bunch of clowns we have in the pen – they should all be sent down, lol
Very very bad sign. There were so many things wrong with those quotes.
The pen has no confidence, yet think they deserve “roles”. Did they learn PR from Ian Kennedy?
Richie, I think Joe has done a terrible job with the pen this year – letting Robertson and Marte go a week at a time without pitching, yanking guys before letting them work out of their jams – just an overall 180 from last year. However, as you admit, they shouldn’t be complaining and since they obviously are all deathly afraid of getting the call, maybe I can’t blame Joe. Coke sounds like the epitome of the spoiled athlete and he’s barely been in the majors for a cup of coffee – this attitude needs to be nipped in the bud. Mo needs to have another meeting after reading this and read his pen mates the riot act.
Robertson is like last years Britton. Is he any good? Who knows the only time he warms up is once a week when they are down by 4 runs. Like today’s game. Veras can’t find the plate, Ramirez has garbage for pitches so you would think that Girardi would try Robertson and see what he can do. But obviously he has no plans to do that.
And we wonder why the pen is struggling
With that attitude, it’s easy to see why.
The “I hope I don’t screw up” mentality rather than the “I’m going to succeed” one.
A team with some significant holes and deficiencies is about to add a circus to its concerns. As if it didn’t have enough to deal with. Those who think this will just blow over are living on Fantasy Island.
And no, Tattoo is not a free agent . . . although I hear he draws a lot of walks.
There’s a big difference between having an anonymous source who leaks an official drug test result and an anonymous source who says he thinks ARod juiced in high school.
She got the story, SI published it. Job well done.
This book on the other hand is just baseball’s version of “US Weekly”. He said, she said. Nothing concrete. Hopefully Bud Selig’s investigation will be as thorough as George Mitchell’s fine opus.
Coke can’t be sent down he and maybe Alby are the only people who can get outs..lol
Ouch. This guy should just retire and move to some distant island.
I wish we had guys who could hit in the clutch like this:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05.....f=baseball
Coke’s not going anywhere. The rest are just lighter fluid in human form.
Betsy -
Girardi usually yanks guys for lefty/righty purposes not because he doesn’t trust them.
And he is giving Albaladejo, Veras, Edwar etc. a million chances to succeed. I have to figure Marte is hurt or being worked on behind the scenes. Unlike Robertson who has warmed up in every game almost, Marte has been MIA. Probably working on some things with him.
Betsy,
That was not a particularly well-written article, and Coke’s quotes were troubling. However, I think what he was trying to say is that he has to be prepared to come in anytime. His quotes were a little confused, but look again at the one about hurting the team. I think, rather than making excuses, he was trying to take responsibility for hurting the team due to lack of mental preparation.
But he definitely needs another round of media training.
“Ouch. This guy should just retire and move to some distant island.”
We are not that lucky, unfortunately.
I bet all the Yankee players are happy that Pena is playing right now.
Also, why is Alex declining to comment on the latest report of him taking steroids? Shouldn’t he be pissed?
Is Steven Jackson a real prospect or any good? I don’t see both Veras and Ramirez lasting much longer. But obviously they need bodies to replace them with. It’s amazing that they can’t find anyone better then them considering they are both useless.
I’m not sure if Coke, Albaladejo, Veras etc. speak English clearly. Maybe those quotes were misconstrued?
Even if Alex can put all of this behind him (which is far from a given), this team won’t make the playoffs if they have to go to the pen before the 8th inning on a regular basis.
“Also, why is Alex declining to comment on the latest report of him taking steroids? Shouldn’t he be pissed?”
The silence speaks volume. He knows he is guilty.
Sean,
ARod needs to keep quiet about the book. If he addresses anything in it, all he does is sell more copies.
Besides, allegations based on anonymous sources saying he “may have” used steroids are not worth addressing.
Evolution:
Think for a second. She is doing Alex a favor here. If she wanted to, she could have cooperated and led the investigators right where they want to go. But she refused.
rofl how is she doing Alex a favor? she has no where to lead the investigators to, its a dead end.
/fail
Coke can’t get sent down, he is currently the best arm in the pen.
I didn’t think those quotes were bad… probably worded badly but clearly they are not a confident bunch.
I have no reason why Coke isin’t… he has thrown what, 7 hitless innings now in a row? He is the best guy in there right now. What’s his problem?
Very possibly, AI. Well, eventually, some year, the Yanks will realize that just throwing millions around doesn’t buy championships. Thought that would have become clear by now. Who knows when that happens?
Peter, where do you see this ultimately ending up?
Al May 3rd, 2009 at 1:25 am
“Also, why is Alex declining to comment on the latest report of him taking steroids? Shouldn’t he be pissed?”
The silence speaks volume. He knows he is guilty.
This is why he shouldn’t speak. Lose lose situation.
Can Alex pitch the 6th inning?
Now that our starters seem to lose stamina after 5 innings, we need 4 innings from the pen every night.
TurnTables, I suppose it’s possible that Marte is still injured from ST, but then why isn’t he on the DL?
He’s not speaking because thats the smart thing to do.
Peter is currently sleeping. But do you yourself see this ending up in any positive way?
Also, why is Alex declining to comment on the latest report of him taking steroids? Shouldn’t he be pissed?
======================================
Maybe he is, maybe not. But have you heard Alex ever speak? Even when Alex tries to clear stuff up, sometimes he makes things even more of a headache. Anything he says, people are gonna dissect. Better for him to be quiet.
I was being facetious about sending Coke down, but I really disliked what all of them had to say. Being mentally unprepared is unacceptable – more so than just not physically getting the job done.
Good point, S.A. Alex is his own worst enemy when he opens his mouth. Besides, what can he possibly say at this point? Just shut up and play baseball, until/if they find even more odious actions.
Regarding the bullpen, I don’t believe I can recall a Yankee pen that was this bad. It’s as if no thought or attention went into constructing it. And no, I don’t count resigning Marte – that’s deconstruction.
Here’s the best take I’ve seen on Roberts and media bias:
http://www.kansascity.com/spor.....75681.html
A couple of excerpts (but if you’re at all interested, read the whole thing – it’s got interesting things on race, Bonds, Clemens, as well as Duke):
“The national media anti-snitching campaign is twice as pervasive and effective as anything put together by the Bloods, Crips and LAPD. For the most part, we refuse to squeal on each other.
Roberts’ book is a long-winded blog. Why it’s being treated as an unimpeachable piece of journalism can only be explained by the cushy position she’s been handed by The New York Times, ESPN and Sports Illustrated and the unchallenged institutional bias found within the elite sports media institutions.
Like the Duke lacrosse players, the elite media have decided that Alex Rodriguez is fair game for abuse. Rules of fairness do not apply.” . . .
“We all have biases that must be contested. We’re all capable of getting swept up in the biases of our peers and friends.
The allegations in Roberts’ book might very well be true. But I’m not going to trust her, not without some on-the-record reporting, not after what she wrote about the Duke lacrosse players.”
Zman -
Yup. Same story every year. Some new high priced accessories with the same results.
Every year it’s one thing or the other.
CaptainsCorner
Career minor league ERA:
Britton 2.97
Robertson 1.17
K/9
Britton 9.3
Robertson: 12.6
WHIP 1.16
Britton
Robertson .92
That’s a pretty big difference.
A-Rod isin’t saying anything…. yet
Though in due time, one of his 100 advisers will give him some dumb advice that will exacerbate the situation.
I seriously wonder the percentage of people throwing out the “Duke lacrosse” catchphrase who have actually read the articles. Anyway. It’s always hilarious to see people frantically rush to defend Alex Rodriguez.
Yes, AI, and the poor, dedicated, schmuck fans are asked to fork over a ton more each year because of it. As you said, the product is no better, even if the accessories are wrapped in a Tiffany box.
ZMan -
Agree. Not even the Farnsworth/Proctor/Mike Myers/Villone pens were this bad.
I can’t even blame Cashman… they are performing way below expectations— worst BP ERA in the league last I checked. They are like the Mets pen last year. Every reliever gives up baserunners and runs.
AG — sadly, a lot of folks here are so loyal that it blinds them. They don’t even want to entertain the negative possibilites.
OK, I read the NJ.com article. What exactly did Coke say that was so wrong?
I love that people brush off Alex Rodriguez’s steroid use and possible pitch tipping (it’s all a lie concocted by Selena “Duke Lacrosse” Roberts!) but apparently Coke saying something wrong (?) to the media is a big no-no.
Boston Dave,
The difference is that Guantanamo is a government action and the press is not. The problem with Guantanamo is that the checks that were supposed to be in place were ignored or directly contravened.
There are checks for the press, too. If Selena Roberts hadn’t been correct about that drug test, no one would have given her a book deal. Also, if Alex really thinks that she is lying, he can sue for libel. A pretty strong check on the press, that.
It’s absurd to try to defend Alex Rodriguez at this point. Guilty or not, the guy has been a bad omen for the team since he arrived and, I can’t believe I’m saying this, I agree with Curt Schilling; the guy is bush league.
I personally pray that he get’s caught tipping pitches so he can become banned from the league for cheating and the Yankees can tear up his contract.
Imagine what we could do with an extra $30 mil a year…a whole bullpen, with guys that are physically able to throw over the strikezone–Maybe even for strikes!
Brian Cashman wishes he could have a team of professionals working all night long on weekends to solve the yankees bullpen, rodriguez, and hitting with RISP woes.
Little did he know it’s all right here.
Nice work everyone. Clock out now, but be here at 9am sharp.
Frontier, I disagree on the Cashman point. I do blame him — far more than Girardi. He constructed this team. I’ll be honest and say I’m not a fan of Cashman.
Richie, My point had nothing to do with performance. It was that Robertson is being used similar to Britton. Keep bringing him up from the minors and then sending him down. Only pitching him in mop up duty, then wondering why he isn’t sharp.
AG, isn’t it a fair question to ask the equivalent? Tell me why it isn’t. I don’t like A-Rod, but what’s happening to him now is disgusting.
Not only did Cashman overestimate guys like Veras and Edwar, who had 2 good months last year and were very shaky the rest of the time… I think he put a little too much faith in guys like Melancon and Robertson and overhyped them. Like us, he probably drank the Melancon kool-aid and thought he would be lights out from the start.
And we don’t even have a long man.
Poor pen construction by Cashman. What’s the point in having a lot of depth if all of them suck?
Sea Net — I think we do have long men. Veras, Ramirez, Alby, and Marte always seem to be on the mound for a very long time. LOL
This should not be political, but if it’s going to be:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJygJQNQHkw
AG,
That’s the logic of some of these great fans we have.
A-Rod, the liar and cheater, can do no wrong.
Yet Phil Coke makes a harmless comment that was probably taken out of context and is ripped to shreds.
Something doesn’t add up.
Another interesting article, this one on pitch-tipping – and it also addresses ARod’s pitch calling.
http://www.star-telegram.com/s.....54374.html
Joe Maddon was a BP genius last year, what happened this year?
Bullpens fluctuate from year to year. Just because your pen is great one year, doesn’t guarantee it will be as good the following year. Such is the nature of hard throwing relievers with mediocre control.
Girardi is managing the pen the same way he did last year. Except last year, Veras and Edwar got the big outs. This year, they are not.
The Roberts NYT article regarding the Duke Lacrosse players criticises their lack of help in a rigged investigation but now Roberts is the one refusing to cooperate with an investigation.. wake up sheeple!
A few questions about Alex Rodriguez for Red Sox shortstop Nick Green, who was with the Yankees in 2006:
What was your relationship with A-Rod?
NG: “I consider him a friend. When I came up to the team, he took me under his wing. I lived with him in his apartment in Manhattan for a couple of months and in the offseason I was with him down in Miami. At the time, his wife and his baby were living there and everything seemed great. The whole Rodriguez family was so kind to me.”
http://www.boston.com/sports/b.....me/?page=2
NO ONE is saying ARod can do no wrong. What we’re saying is even though he’s done wrong in the past, it doesn’t make any and every anonymous allegation, no matter how illogical, and how often refuted, correct.
Because I dont want to talk about arod for another post in this blog tonight, let me share my thoughts from the game I was at on Friday. It was an absolutely amazing game and the bleachers were so rowdy it felt like October. When we left the stadium after posada’s walk off hit, the crowd was even more out of control in the streets. There was cars honking and screaming out the window and people literally dancing in the streets. Everyone was absolutely ecstatic.
But during the game, I noticed something that was far less thrilling. I saw that the yanks were giving our numerous seat upgrades and due to the weather being pretty horrible and the rain coming on around the fifth or so and lasting until the seventh, about a quarter of the best seats in the stadium were filled if that because these are the non-fans of course. So my buddies and I walked over to the main seats (not the field seats but the second level) around the seventh inning to try to sit in a seat with a back now that there were more empty seats than full ones around that section and we were stopped by security. And this was the seventh inning mind you.
So my back was hurting me and I decided that we would be better off in the grand stand tier seats than back in the bleachers where rain was still coming down lightly I believe. So we head up there and guess what? THERE IS SECURITY BLOCKING PEOPLE FROM GOING INTO THE GRAND STAND SEATS! aND AGAIN, this was in the seventh inning, I sat in the main last year in amazing seats which we were booted from after ten years, and even in the main they did not have security in the old stadium. Now, there is security in the grand stand with empty seats for miiiiiiiles. The yanks should think of taking some of those salaries they pay to the thousands of security guards, let a few go from the grand stand and LOWER TICKET PRICES some more.
This is just obnoxious at this point and throwing it in the faces of the fans who have supported this team for decades and live and breathe yankees. Im telling you, the yanks are going to lose in the end if they dont change this crap next year. I know if my only option is bleachers next season, I am done with my ticket package. Id rather sit home and watch on tv than endure another season of aching backs and the inability to actually see the pitcher or half of the monitor at the game. So if they are losing me and my family after ten years with a season ticket package, im sure they will lose others if they dont change things next season.
Cash has done the same things for the last couple for years. He spends all the money on the big time players, hitters and starting pitchers that he didn’t have anything left for the bench or bullpen. I thought in the off season he would look into Alex Cora and another bullpen arm. But he never seems interested in spending money on a bench or good bullpen arms. As far as the bullpen he expected Coke, Bruney, Veras and Mo to be at the back end. But even if Veras was good they were still 1 right handed reliever short. I can’t stand when Cash always made the comment that they “had a lot of arms”. It sounded very stupid. As we have noticed 5 AAA arms doesn’t make up for 1 good arm.
Frontier:
Name one left handed batter that Myers ever got out when he needed to.
Would you rather have Myers from 2007 or Marte in 2009. I’d take Marte any day.
I’d take Coke over Procter any day. I’d take Melancon or Bruney over Farnsworth any day.
And to top it off, I’d take Robertson over Villone any day.
I’m pretty sure everyone else would find that to be agreeable if they’ve got a pulse.
Once Bruney comes back. Everything changes.
The pen is not that bad.
Look at the Mets, look at the Angels.
It’s May 3rd. Relax. Every year people always say the same things. There SEASONS of baseball to play through. Enjoy it!
just got back from watching pac man destroy hatton
about the AROD stuff, this is complete garbage, I’ve never seen such a witchunt. So can Selena Roberts do no wrong? Even though Young and Doug M. came out in defense of AROD? I don’t know if he lied about steriod use, he may have used HGH w/ the Yanks but the fact that he is being investigated and possibly having his whole life thrown away while many others who did the exact same thing is ridiculous. So if you are are .240 hitter who illegally juiced you’re ok but if you are on pace to break the HR record, and a journalist writes a book w/ a bunch of rumors from anonymous sourcess, you have to answer more questions? I just don’t get it and I’m sure AROD’s attorneys will have a word with one of the worsts commissioners in any Sport in this country. If AROD is going down, then blow up the whole thing, release any proof of other failed tests then just blow up the whole league…I hope AROD is seeing a psychologists after all this garbage
NYYanksFan,
Thanks so much for that link – great article. Very interesting take on the pitch tipping thing too, especially coming from a Boston writer.
What cpmpounds the bullpen situation is that there’s some very good arms out there….Giradi does need to put 2 guys in each role and go from there…It’s almost as if you falter you’re put in the back of the line..This of does not include Veras, who can have an outstanding appearence , and then disapears for the next 2 times out….Bruney’s healthy and effective return will help tremendously, but until they sort out the 6th & 7th inning guys it’s back to musical chairs once again…..
The thing is, I honestly don’t think anyone is saying that every single claim made in the book is absolutely true without any shadow of a doubt. But… come on. Everything that’s been leaked from the book fits A-Rod to a freaking T.
“AG, isn’t it a fair question to ask the equivalent?”
I don’t know exactly what you mean by that, but if you’re asking if it’s OK to not 100% buy into Roberts’s claims, sure, I guess. But I think most people are taking it a little too far, as if they’re entirely disregarding his already proven-shady character and like they just can’t fathom that these claims are being made about such a wonderful, upstanding man. Backlash to the backlash, I guess. Not surprised though.
“Imagine what we could do with an extra $30 mil a year…”
Legends seats season tickets for a family of four?
Also, I don’t understand why it is so difficult for people to grasp the concept as to why a writer would choose to write a tell-all book about someone like Alex Rodriguez as opposed to a journeyman who used steroids. When you aim to be the biggest superstar in baseball, a huge amount of responsibility comes along with it. It’s not that Alex is being “singled out” – he singled himself out by choosing to put himself in the spotlight and behaving in a very, um, questionable manner (even if “only” the steroids allegation is true). Of course people are going to be more interested in reading about him as opposed to a Todd Pratt.
This blog now officially sucks. It used to be the best Yankee blog out there. The negativity is amazing. What the hell happened to it. Look up the Gossage clip on Youtube and he will describe NY “journalists” and “fans” perfectly. This is baseball, not war and peace. Let’s all hunt Arod down and string him up to the nearest tree! Hey Pete, since when did you get so angry doing your job? Last year it was Girardi and this year it is Arod. River Avenue Blues here I come.
“ranger11
May 3rd, 2009 at 2:04 am
This blog now officially sucks. It used to be the best Yankee blog out there. The negativity is amazing. What the hell happened to it. Look up the Gossage clip on Youtube and he will describe NY “journalists” and “fans” perfectly. This is baseball, not war and peace. Let’s all hunt Arod down and string him up to the nearest tree! Hey Pete, since when did you get so angry doing your job? Last year it was Girardi and this year it is Arod. River Avenue Blues here I come.
”
Pete does an excellent job updating this blog but I might sarifice the updates to avoid the constant defense of Roberts and automatic assumptions of guilt on anonymous sources, it’s not enjoyable anymore…inoocent till proven guilty doesn’t exists here
ranger11 is right , this place has degraded in that regard….Good news is that there are some real good baseball people here who have tried to ignore the insanity that runs rampant here especialy after a loss…..
The great thing about this book is it is basically irrefutable because it is probably entirely based on anonymous sources. The only evidence to the contrary, is other players not supporting selenas claims which some of them already have and more probably will as we go along. Its just mind-boggling to me that people say selena is just doing her job – didnt realize that uncovering arod of an anonymous list of over 100 players who took roids and writing a book about it in order to become filthy rich and destroy arods life in the process is just the life of another flawless journalist.
Yea, she is such an upstanding citizen. And the fact that zero research has gone into uncovering the other 100 names is just even more proof that this isnt about exposing steroids users. This is about getting rich and destroying arod. It is blatantly obvious with the book and the fact that his name is the only one out there to be flushed down the toilet. Great, unbiased, objective reporting right there right guys. So arod took steroids to become a better baseball player along with half the freakin league – I dont see any reason that his life should be ruined and he should go through living hell for it but apparently selena thinks otherwise. And to say she is not targeting him and fitting him as a scapegoat for the entire steroid era is just ludicrous at this point. The media and the public has to see that or people are dumber than I would like to think.
It’s cute when people get angry at a journalist because they wanted to believe a certain image of Alex Rodriguez forever.
I honestly wonder if there would be so much outcry on this blog if Selena Roberts’s book was titled “Big Papi.”
Arod has always been and will always be guilty without even really needing proof. ONE, because there is no way to disprove the word of anonymous sources and two, because everything we know of so far seems to be true in an article so obviously an entire book must be filled with the cold hard facts as well filled with sources who we dont know who they are or what their position is. Forget that they may have a personal vendetta against arod or hold their own set of biases because we will never even know who they are nevermind if they are telling the truth. And in the court of public opinion, the arod haters couldnt wait to believe every word selena has and will write or jump down arods throat as soon as any of this news came out. Arod has no rights that our own justice system gives its citizens and will be crucified without any ability to defend himself or even face his accusers. Ohhh, the beauty of journalism.
Jack Kemp R.I.P.
I love how people always say why hasn’t Arod responded to the book. Why would he? She wrote a book to make money off of his life story. By him speaking it just helps her make more money. I hope he says nothing, so it doesn’t help her at all. By the way Bob Holtzman was on ESPN and he said the book basically has nothing interesting or any new bad news in. He said it just puts him in a bad light as being very self centered. Which everyone knew anyway so who cares…
In Pete’s defense. He’s a journalist, not a fan.
You’ve got to scratch other peoples backs when it comes to your career.
Pete is not betraying the readers or the fans. If there is an unspoken journalistic code of conduct, then you have to respect that.
In Robert’s defense:
Remember when everything Reggie said to reporters got blabbed about and stretched in the rags? Then Reggie stopped talking because the trust was gone. You can’t betray the trust of the individuals that you cover, or else you don’t have a job anymore.
Now, I am a Yankees fan and think Roberts should be blacklisted, but I’m also not a communist so what do I know
It’s cute when people get angry at a journalist because they wanted to believe a certain image of Alex Rodriguez forever.
————
You don’t get it at all.
Is A-Rod a strange dude? A diva? A cheat?
There’s no denying any of these things.
But there comes a point when the witch hunt crosses the line and goes way overboard.
A-Rod earning $300M doesn’t give smear merchants like Roberts the right to bring the guy down for profit based on heresy and very flimsy evidence to say the least.
I can’t stand tabloid journalism regardless who it’s targeting. And Roberts doesn’t exactly have a squeaky clean image herself given her hit pieces of the past on Jordan, Kobe Bryant, and the Duke Lacrosse team.
What may start happening here is this book and all the BS that comes with it could very well do the opposite of Roberts’ intentions; it could turn A-Rod into a sympathetic figure.
That would be poetic justice as far as I’m concerned.
AG,
Its not that she is writing a book about arod as much as that she clearly put no effort nor did any other so called reporter in exposing any of the 100 plus other names on the anonymous list. Plus, the book clearly implies that she is trying to make a ton of money as a direct result of ultimately attempting to destroy arods career and life in the process.
And you must be joking to say the blog wouldnt be up in arms about ortiz. Of course not. But on the other hand, redsox fans would be doing the same thing if it happened to him and we wouldnt care just like we are pissed about this and they dont care or are even happy about it. Why doesnt that make sense to you? It should.
Everyone here doesnt deny that alex took steroids and like every other baseball player so far, he lied about it until it was exposed. Many lied about it after they were exposed. And many dont even admit it to this day. At least arod admitted it. But knowing that over half the players in baseball took them for decades, its difficult for me to comprehend why people are crucifying arod when bud selig all but gets a free pass for letting this charade going on. Plus, the media is acting like they are on some sort of crucade to make arod miserable writing 15 stories a day about him and why? Because they dont want to actually do any real reporting so they just use the latest arod news. Its over-kill or beyond over=kill as is this book. Instead of spending however long writing this book, why not try to find out some of those other 100 names on the list? And this book is doing nothing to help the game of baseball and if anything, is really hurting it by dragging the game through the muddy waters of steroid use once again. The only thing this book does besides hurt arod and further selena’s career and thats why some fans are pissed at her.
Truth in journalism has become an aborted fetus. Hypocracy is the favorite son.
As is ***Hypocrisy***
Arod did not single himself out. When he landed on that anonymous list and someone broke the law by exposing a player on that list, arod did not jump up and down and say “please pick me!” The leak which was no doubt illegal (and surprise, surprise no news reporter investigated that story) was done to alex likely because it would cause the most controvery and the most publicity. But alex did not want any of this Im sure. No one wants to have their career put in jeopardy like this and be despised by even a good chunk of your own supposed fans. So PLEASE stop saying that alex did this to himself because of his arrogant self centered attitude and that he took roids. The attitude doesnt have much to do with this mess and he took roids but so did thousands of other players in the sport and he is the only one getting $%^& on for it at the moment.
Dave, brevity is a virtue, seriously.
I certainly hope that you hate every single journalist who reports on celebrities’ lives and careers as much as you hate Roberts. Of course she wasn’t going to investigate the other names on “the list;” she was writing a book about Alex Rodriguez, someone in the public eye, and she has every right to do so.
As for whether it’s overkill, well, clearly people still find the topic interesting and relevant.
Also, yes, Alex Rodriguez did single himself out in making himself one of the most well-known players in the game, which, in turn, makes all news (including his steroid use) related to him more intriguing to the public.
Also, yes, Alex Rodriguez did single himself out in making himself one of the most well-known players in the game, which, in turn, makes all news (including his steroid use) related to him more intriguing to the public.
———–
And Roberts is a public figure as well and someone who helped incite a race war in North Carolina as a result of a crime that never happened.
Her credibility should be questioned and even attacked given her own history.
Lawyers attack people’s credibility in courtrooms everyday. At this point, she wouldn’t have a case based on heresy and flimsy evidence.
Sorry, but “may have” and “might have” doesn’t exactly suggest concrete evidence to support her claims.
Not to mention several ballplayers and former managers/coaches have come out and refuted her claims like Showalter, Brantley, Mientkiewicz, Michael Young, and A-Rod’s high school coach.
As I said above, I think it’s totally acceptable to wonder about the ultimate truthfulness behind some of her book’s claims, but if you really think that every single one of them sounds like something Alex Rodriguez wouldn’t do, you’re absolutely lying to yourself.
Here’s an idea: LET IT GO. Alex isn’t the most liked guy, he’s not a bad guy; a bad person. This is turning into an attempt to bring down ONE person and it’s pretty shoddy at best. He did steroids?? OH MY GOD!!!! So, did 85% of the league. He’s been exposed, what else do you want? He’s been discredited and shamed and will never, ever attain the heights that were possible for him. There’s nowhere to go Ms. Roberts/nay sayers etc. You’ve won. This is a selfish man, NOT a malicious man, NOT a dangerous man. People are dying on this globe, men are looking to kill those who….OK about to get political.
Bottom line. Let’s get on with baseball and forget about this BS.
AG,
So putting yourself in the public eye should mean that one should open themselves up to being destroyed by the media after doing something that thousands of other baseball players have done merely because they are really good at what they do. Yea, thats great. Nothing like the good old objective media. i DONT think alex became the best in the sport because he wanted to be criticized 100 times more than everyone else. Alex’s name was leaked because of it but that doesnt mean that alex brought it upon himself.
Just because people find it interesting doesnt mean its not overkill and the book has yet to come out. How can you say the book isnt overkill when it hasnt even come out yet? I have a feeling the book might back-fire on selena but who knows considering how dumb people seem to be these days. And actually a lot of people are getting quite sick of and disgusted about this story already just because it is becoming crytstal clear that alex doesnt really deserve to have his life destroyed over this and selena is doing this to help her career and her bank account and for no other greater cause.
There are two facts that you cannot argue your way around – one, there are 100 other names on that list and no one has done anything to uncover them when selena herself got the biggest name without all that much effort while the media write 15 stories a day on arod instead of trying to actually investigate something a little more interesting. Two, alex’s name was clearly gotten illegally and again zero effort was put into how his name was obtained from an anonymous list that was supposed to be protected by law. If that happened to a senator or a governor, there would be an entire committee set up in order to find out how it happened.
Also, everything in this book is complete hearsay with all anonymous sources. How can all of it ever be proved? And selena’s character despite what some might say, is not flawless after reading her duke lacrosse material.
http://www.boston.com/sports/b.....me/?page=2
Read about what all the Baseball veterans think about the tipping shenanigans. Stop insinuating that Alex has tipped players off about pitches. Not even these veterans think it is true, and they would know a lot better than you. You don’t play the game, you just watch and type on your computer. Your job is easy compared to theirs.
Stop hating on Alex, Peter. It’s so incredibly old by now.
If it weren’t for him, you wouldn’t have nearly the amount of traffic and comments on your blog. If you want to act like you’re disgusted by him and want nothing to do with him, then don’t go making updates all about him.
No wonder you stick up for this woman. She’s 100x worse than A-Rod. She’s trying to ruin another human being’s life and career just to turn a buck. She cares nothing about anything else. You’ve never made mistakes, Peter? Everyone has made BAD mistakes. Every single one of us. You wouldn’t want people going through your past and digging up dirt on you just to ruin you and make money in the process.
You couldn’t walk in A-Rod’s shoes for a week. You really couldn’t. Don’t try and say it’s easy walking in the shadows and laying low. He’s a gigantic icon (like you make him out to be) and has tabloids constantly writing about him just like Roberts is doing with this book.
So we should believe what selena writes either because it “sounds like something arod would do” or because selena “did not lie about anything in the first article” and someone prove that she was lying.
You can go on the other end of the spectra and say how can anything ever be disproved when no one will ever know who gave the material to her. So basically it is selena and her unknown sources words against arod and those who stand up to defend him. Well already we have heard ex-teammates say he did not do steroids in high school and that he did not tip pitches. So who should anyone believe?
To me, it doesnt really matter who people believe but to say, tipping pitches sounds like something arod would do sounds so foolish. Since when has alex ever shown that he doesnt want his team to win. At what point did alex show that he didnt care if the yankees won or not. I cant remember a single time. I mean he hasnt hit well in the playoffs but neither has most of the team the last few years and that certainly doesnt mean none of them want the team to win. And in 2007, without alex, we never even make the playoffs. So to say he took steroids so that means he would probably tip pitches to help the other team is just ridiculous. So NO, that does not sound like something alex would have done.
As I said above, I think it’s totally acceptable to wonder about the ultimate truthfulness behind some of her book’s claims, but if you really think that every single one of them sounds like something Alex Rodriguez wouldn’t do, you’re absolutely lying to yourself.
————–
I don’t care about A-Rod’s personal life or anymore details about the steroid nonsense.
Okay, he did steroids. I get it. He was wrong. But what is there to gain by rehashing the past and continue this charade?
The people who care most about this is the media. The fans really don’t care anymore. Maybe the fans who have always hated him want to continue to kick him while he’s down – but most fans could give a rat’s ass about any of this tripe.
Roberts conducted a witch hunt for profit. The publisher has moved it’s release date a few times to coincide with A-Rod’s return from the DL.
She has a history of character assassination and she deserves every bit as much criticism for that as her intended target.
I just wonder whether there would be this kind of vitriol against Roberts if she was a he.
Giuseppe Franco,
The amazing thing is that selena did write all that garbage and completely jumped the gun during the duke lacrosse situation yet, the media must have an EXTREMELY short-term memory because it seems as though not a single person in media remembers any of this. All i hear is how great a reporter selena is and how she is some sort of shining beacon of everything that is good and decent and unbiased in a reporter. Yet, she practically destroyed the lives of the lacrosse team based on rumors and hearsay. Hmmm, that sounds kind of familiar. Perhaps, the EXACT SAME THING she is doing to arod with this book. Selena tends to jump the gun and than goes waaay over-board with her dismantling of people’s lives. I dont get all these comments about her being so great and having no flaws on her record. Even michael kay has said that but what about the duke lacrosse stuff? Has that been wiped off her record somehow? I dont quite get it. But she should not get a free pass especially because of her history. And if arod nor the fans can even attempt to discredit every single source in the book, the only person that comes into question is selena as her sources remain uncheckable.
I just wonder whether there would be this kind of vitriol against Roberts if she was a he.
———–
Perhaps the better question would be if Roberts would be on a similar witch hunt if A-Rod was a she.
Her targets of character assassination in the past have all been men – Jordan, Bryant, A-Rod, and the Duke lacrosse kids.
I have no doubt that anonymous sources told these things to Selena Roberts. Why would she make stuff up?
The question is why would people tell this stuff, whether it was true or not.
If I had dirt or gossip or goods on somebody, I certainly wouldn’t feed it to an author to publish.
That’s the disturbing part. Not that Selena wrote a book, but that people gave her enough material to even write a book.
Considering the amount of people who ripped Pete a new (blank)hole in his last A-Rod thread, I seriously doubt any of the negative reaction towards Selena Roberts has to do with her being a woman. Frankly, I think only an idiot would suggest that.
Pete wants to give readers journalism tips, while he ridiculously believes that anonymous quotes equal a strong standard of proof.
how about investigating the other 103 names that we do not know??
what a crock of sh-t…………
I think what Pete and other people who cover sports teams should consider, if all these managers, ball players, etc. who have played with Alex (and some appear to not even like him) are refuting many of the allegations, then they are going to start distrusting all the media (even the good ones) as well. Even those of you who have a good relationship with them, because in the back of their mind they are going to wonder, when is this beat writer, sports journalist, etc. going to do a hatchet job on me and try and destroy me. So, you might want to step back a little and make sure that all these allegations in her book are true before you defend Ms. Roberts. Because in the end, without the players, most of you don’t really have a job. Just a thought.
“In Pete’s defense. He’s a journalist, not a fan.”
HA! Not after the whole Joba thing. He’s playing favorites. That’s not being a journalist.
It’s related to the Yankees if he did take steroids with NY. Pete really doesn’t post about it that much. And since so many people comment, he probably likes to make new posts to stir up new conversations, and this certainly gets people’s blood boiling.
The fact that he called pitches from shortstop at a somewhat regular basis shocks me.
What’s really bothering me is the fact that the newly minted mlb network is jumping on this arod wagon and giving roberts an hour with bob costas. i was hoping there would be some escape from the circus but i guess not.
it would be great if costas turned the tables and questioned roberts’ journalistic legitamacy, but that would never happen
Sports at one time were for entertainment and enjoyment. But I think that is slowly leaving the sports world. We now have investigations going on into private lives. It is becoming no fun to even follow the sports world because what happens on the field seems not as important as the smut that can be found off the field.
I guess when a reporter finds more fun in investigating smut I have to question what their motives are. Some of the reporters take circumstantial evidence and turn it into truth without any naming of witnesses. This is not good for our society or the sports world.
I guess the immortal words of George Constanza apply, “It is not lie if you believe it.”
Get to truth but get rid of the sensationalism that some reporters use to sell books.
Selena Roberts learned from Lee Atwater and Karl Rove. She learned from them that if you want to damage someone, all you need to do is have something unsavory published, truthful or not.
It’s become increasingly evident that A Rod did not tip pitches. There is ample evidence that she is lying about A Rod’s high school steroid use. But yet, it’s out there and it reflects poorly on him. She more than likely lied, but she’s not about the truth. Selena Atwater Rove is about selling books. Timing the release date of her book to A Rod’s return proves that point.
A Rod is a fool, a phony and a steroid cheater. Selena Atwater Rove is a viper looking for prey. She found someone in the federal government willing to break the law and she exploited it. Selena Atwater Rove not a jounalist.She’s nothing more than paparazzi. Any of her colleagues who defends her ought to be ashamed of themselves.
Pete –
I’m disappointed. Why not be a shade more objective? Stop rushing to judgement and do some homework or interview some of his former teammates. Other journalists seem to be doing this.
You’ve not written one positive thing about Alex. Personal stuff aside, really, have you written anything nice about the guy as a teammate, or are you going to quote Steve Phillips all season?
http://www.boston.com/sports/b.....me/?page=3
Wow -
It took me an hour to read (most of) the posts on this thread!
It sounded to me like Phil Coke was trying to say that the bullpen has to be better prepared regardless of whether they have defined roles or not. I kind of thought that’s what went on last season, and one of the reasons the pen was successful last season, was because Girardi didn’t rely on only one or two relievers, but spread the work around. Now, perhaps I’m misunderstanding that situation. Perhaps he spread the work around, but within semi-defined roles. When Bruney gets back, we can only hope that he’s as effective as he was before he went down. Then the roles will be consolidated. Right now, sure, a guy can be in anytime UNLESS they take the bull by the horns and claim a particular role, which no one has done (in fairness to Girardi).
Didn’t get to see more than one pitch of yesterday’s game and that one pitch was strike 3 to Damon to end the game. Too bad CC couldn’t get through it. Too bad the Yankees couldn’t get it done against a nobody pitcher. Too bad the bullpen couldn’t limit the damage yet again.
Cashman and crew and kind of up against it because there really isn’t much that can be done right now. I suppose Girardi could try a different tactic in how he brings guys in. What he’s doing now clearly isn’t working – and that’s not his fault, per se. He’s not throwing the pitches. But he is the manager and if something isn’t working he needs to explore other ways to get things to work better.
On the whole ARod calling pitches thing – well, it is true that Cal Ripken called pitches from SS. If anybody has watched on YES the Michael Kay show with the “Great Eights” I believe it’s called, he says so right there.
It strikes me as incredibly stupid that the Texas Rangers gave a 20-something-year-old baseball player, regardless of his capabilities ON the field, the amount of responsibility for off-the-field areas as they did. I think they deserve “credit” for helping to create the Frankenstein monster we call ARod. You know I seem to recall that the Mets were interested at one time in signing Alex as a free agent but his demands turned them off. Some of those demands had to do with concessions, and the Mets were concerned about the 24+1 situation he might engender.
Bud Selig and steroids investigations is disingenuous.
Selena Roberts. Well, she certainly has it in for Alex doesn’t she?
But seriously, I know (I read the articles) the Duke stuff. And after they were cleared of the charges, it would seem that she owed them an apology. And for the particulars about these individuals, she did owe an apology for painting such a broad brush. However, she was not really reporting the story, and never was. She was writing about a culture among athletes and people of “privilege” that undeniably exists. And she also wrote of the crowd mentality that makes people do, in the context of anonymity that being part of group allows, things they’d never do if they were personally accountable. It is a compelling idea. Unfortunately, because of the specifics of the Duke case, and the fact that she did not apologize in writing for smearing these young men in this particular case, she now comes off as a harpie out to get people and she’s hurt her credibility.
Drive 4-5
May 3rd, 2009 at 7:40 am
Selena Roberts learned from Lee Atwater and Karl Rove. She learned from them that if you want to damage someone, all you need to do is have something unsavory published, truthful or not.
It’s become increasingly evident that A Rod did not tip pitches. There is ample evidence that she is lying about A Rod’s high school steroid use. But yet, it’s out there and it reflects poorly on him. She more than likely lied, but she’s not about the truth. Selena Atwater Rove is about selling books. Timing the release date of her book to A Rod’s return proves that point.
A Rod is a fool, a phony and a steroid cheater. Selena Atwater Rove is a viper looking for prey. She found someone in the federal government willing to break the law and she exploited it. Selena Atwater Rove not a jounalist.She’s nothing more than paparazzi. Any of her colleagues who defends her ought to be ashamed of themselves.
————————————————————
There’s no “journalist/reporter” that has a clue as what shame is. They’re all innocent victims of a smear campaign.
If the tipping pitches thing is true, it makes you wonder which Yankee middle infielder was tipping pitches, too. After all, Rodriguez 2nd highest career batting average against AL teams is against the Yankees, at .334. I’ll have to try to recall who his best friend on the Yankees was at that time.
But seriously, I know (I read the articles) the Duke stuff. And after they were cleared of the charges, it would seem that she owed them an apology. And for the particulars about these individuals, she did owe an apology for painting such a broad brush. However, she was not really reporting the story, and never was. She was writing about a culture among athletes and people of “privilege” that undeniably exists. And she also wrote of the crowd mentality that makes people do, in the context of anonymity that being part of group allows, things they’d never do if they were personally accountable. It is a compelling idea. Unfortunately, because of the specifics of the Duke case, and the fact that she did not apologize in writing for smearing these young men in this particular case, she now comes off as a harpie out to get people and she’s hurt her credibility.
————————————————————
Doreen, I can’t remember her exact words after it was discovered that her version of the truth was, but, basically, that the kids may have been innocent, but, it helped stop the elitist attitude at the school. That was the limit to her explaination.
I need to reiterate that I cannot comprehend what is compelling Roberts to write all these things about ARod. And I am curious about her motives. My biggest question is what is she trying to accomplish here? What general good does it serve? I don’t see any at all.
It’s one thing to have an agenda – such as I spoke of before – of wanting to talk about a culture of entitlement. It’s another thing altogether to target one individual. And ARod is so “out there,” he really is not representative of most athletes, so I don’t think this goes to shoring up her point of view about athletes in general, or even uber-rich athletes in particular.
The fact that Arod has breast is disturbing by it self.
This guy is a pain in the you know what. His off the field drama/page 6 crap is ridiculous. If they can get rid him I’d be more then happy.
I had told my friend when they gave him that insane contract that I have a gut feeling he will not be a Yankee the whole length of the contract. I predict something comes up down the line that the Yankees eventually would get rid of him.
Hopefully I’m right.
Doreen
May 3rd, 2009 at 8:10 am
I need to reiterate that I cannot comprehend what is compelling Roberts to write all these things about ARod. And I am curious about her motives. My biggest question is what is she trying to accomplish here? What general good does it serve? I don’t see any at all.
It’s one thing to have an agenda – such as I spoke of before – of wanting to talk about a culture of entitlement. It’s another thing altogether to target one individual. And ARod is so “out there,” he really is not representative of most athletes, so I don’t think this goes to shoring up her point of view about athletes in general, or even uber-rich athletes in particular.
————————————————————
It looks more like she’ll go after all athletes that she feels has in her mind, have done women wrong. Duke, Rodriguez, Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan.
Trevor
May 3rd, 2009 at 8:14 am
The fact that Arod has breast is disturbing by it self.
This guy is a pain in the you know what. His off the field drama/page 6 crap is ridiculous. If they can get rid him I’d be more then happy.
I had told my friend when they gave him that insane contract that I have a gut feeling he will not be a Yankee the whole length of the contract. I predict something comes up down the line that the Yankees eventually would get rid of him.
Hopefully I’m right
————————————————————
The fact that this is at least the third time that you’ve mention him having “breats” makes me wonder if you might have a bizarre infatuation.
arod fell from grace in a hurry.
get ready for another tidal wave of crap coming towards the yankees as arod gets ready to return.
i don’t know if arod tipped pitches or lied about his steroid use but this is an absolute disaster of a contract that the yankees have.
GB7 -
It’s sure lining up that way. But if she were really to do that, she’d be writing an entire library! Even if she has a base net worth in mind, the list of men, particularly, athletes, who’ve “done women wrong,” is pretty long.
Oh, and GB7 -
If she were to really be interested in the whole of it, she’d need to include how some women are enablers – seeking out the rich athlete for whatever reason they do.
“….this is an absolute disaster of a contract that the yankees have”
Before all this mess it was a ridiculous contract. That’s what happen when you have clueless people running your organization. For the brief time Hank was in charged this what he did. Totally outbid himself. Now the guy is no where to be found. Which is a good thing.
Doreen
May 3rd, 2009 at 8:20 am
Oh, and GB7 –
If she were to really be interested in the whole of it, she’d need to include how some women are enablers – seeking out the rich athlete for whatever reason they do.
————————————————————
Yes, and there’s a whole new untapped source out there in Hollywood. I can’t say that I like the thing between his ex and him, but, it’s none of my business and, there’s always the other side of things. All that concerns me is how the Yankees do, year after year.
One thing about most sports teams, and more importantly where their fans are concerned, the Yankees have never been overly concerned about the behavior of their players….only how they did on the field. That goes back at least as far as 1912 and Hal Chase. The beginning of the Yankees is actually quite unsavory.
“The fact that this is at least the third time you’ve mention him having “breast”…”
Dude you must have me mixed up with someone else. Perhaps a troll? I’ve hardly ever comment on the Arod saga. And this certainly isn’t my “third time” mentioning anything on this issue.
not sure if this is already been posted (getting ready to go to the game), but Buster Olney (*who has read the book*) seems to think it is a waste of time:
I’ve gotten a chance to read most of “A-Rod,” the book by Selena Roberts that will be released this week, and based on what I’ve read — and I’ve read the parts regarding A-Rod’s use of performance-enhancing drugs and pitch-tipping -”I do not think there’s anything in there that will place Alex Rodriguez in jeopardy with the commissioner’s office. The powers that be could still conceivably call A-Rod in for another chat, but there aren’t any specific and verifiable details that meet the standard of, say, the Pete Rose situation, which involved betting slips and records. In the book, there are unnamed sources who make general allegations, and there is no indication that A-Rod tipped a certain pitch on a certain day with a specific opposing hitter at the plate.”
GB7 -
Can’t say I like some of what you read about the behavior of players, but, unless it’s criminal or affects the game itself it’s mostly irrelevant.
Except that it sells papers, books and ad space on blogs!
(Not that there’s anything wrong with that.)
Trevor
May 3rd, 2009 at 8:33 am
“The fact that this is at least the third time you’ve mention him having “breast”…”
Dude you must have me mixed up with someone else. Perhaps a troll? I’ve hardly ever comment on the Arod saga. And this certainly isn’t my “third time” mentioning anything on this issue.
————————————————————
I don’t have anything mixed up. But, you just go on whining about Hank Steinbrenner and contracts.
Rishi
May 3rd, 2009 at 8:35 am
not sure if this is already been posted (getting ready to go to the game), but Buster Olney (who has read the book) seems to think it is a waste of time:
I’ve gotten a chance to read most of “A-Rod,” the book by Selena Roberts that will be released this week, and based on what I’ve read—and I’ve read the parts regarding A-Rod’s use of performance-enhancing drugs and pitch-tipping -”I do not think there’s anything in there that will place Alex Rodriguez in jeopardy with the commissioner’s office. The powers that be could still conceivably call A-Rod in for another chat, but there aren’t any specific and verifiable details that meet the standard of, say, the Pete Rose situation, which involved betting slips and records. In the book, there are unnamed sources who make general allegations, and there is no indication that A-Rod tipped a certain pitch on a certain day with a specific opposing hitter at the plate.”
————————————————————
Have fun at the game. Take complete notes on any “funny movements or activities” from all of the middle infielders. Enquiring minds want to know.
I’m not speaking as a Roberts apologist, but…
A-Rod represents the furthest fringe, the avant garde, if you will, of sports contracts in one of the last male bastions in society: Baseball. He is perhaps the pinnacle of the privileged athlete (male). But there’s more.
Part of A-Rod’s stature in the eyes of some as “the best player in the game” (at least before these revelations), appears to be built on fraud or at least less than natural ability and which thus undercut his stature.
He also exhibits aspects of hubris that link him back to ancient greek and roman tales of the fall of the mighty; his use of PEDs to enhance or even create his stature are the classic feet of clay. And he appears to have lied gratuitously about the very thing that makes him a fraud.
He is odd, selfish, aloof… things that in the office, the carpool or even the classroom make people mighty unpopular. But give those traits to super rich, privileged folks who have courted the media and you have a person who has poured honey all over themselves within ten feet of a bee hive.
But for the taint of anti-male hysteria on the part of Roberts, she is writing a very American tale, exposing a phony, a liar and a cheat. It used to be that we as a culture didn’t knowingly let such people have so much of the spotlight, especially in the realm of mom, apple pie and baseball.
In a strange, perhaps cynical way, Roberts wrote a book about someone who isn’t playing by our culture’s rules and asking the question: why are we tolerating this? It’s an interesting question.
Doreen
May 3rd, 2009 at 8:37 am
GB7 –
Can’t say I like some of what you read about the behavior of players, but, unless it’s criminal or affects the game itself it’s mostly irrelevant.
Except that it sells papers, books and ad space on blogs! (Not that there’s anything wrong with that.)
————————————————————
I quit worrying about ballplayers or anybody elses personal lives about 40 years ago when I found out that Mantle wasn’t God. As long as they play hard and give total effort on the field, that’s all I expect. I may be unhappy with the results, but, if the effort is there, I have no reason to complain. That goes for everybody that has ever worked for me in the military or my family.
As for the MLB investigation, it’s exactly as The Time reported: It’s spin control by Selig to keep Congress away. It’s also the scenario that A-Rod was preparing for when he hired two top flight criminal attorneys (with DC connections) back when this story first surfaced.
This MLB “investigation” comes as no surprise to A-Rod. It amounts, IMO, to nothing more than cynical, tired choreography, a dance between the cynics on Team A-Rod and the cynics on Team MLB all performed for the benefit of corrupt and cynical senators and congressmen and a tired and disappointed public.
Hopefully they have enough dignity left to make this a short performance.
PEDs have been in baseball and all sports since the 1920s, but, more prevelent since the end of WWII. Ballplayers like Ralph Kiner used them as a pilot and as a ballplayer. I’m sure that they’re being used even now. doctors, lawyers with heavy caseloads, journalists, the greatest writers of our times have used them. Baseball hasn’t been “pure” since the first game in Honoken in 1839.
***Hoboken*** in 1839
murphydog -
Says as much about “us” as it does about ARod. What we are willing to accept. As long as ARod continues to produce (and that will be less over time), people will look the other way. And I’m as guilty of that as the next person. As long as ARod wears pinstripes, I’ll cheer his on-field performance.
It’s not restricted to the sports arena, either, this “look the other way” attitude that is prevalent as long as it doesn’t affect people on a purely personal level. And the opposite of that – choosing to “punish” a person for behaviors only when it is expedient.
If only Roberts had some concrete references, evidence or sources in her book. But here again, in the forum she’s chosen and for her purpose (which I guess is to raise eyebrows even higher regarding Alex), I guess they’re not remotely necessary.
“Baseball hasn’t been “pure” since the first game in Honoken in 1839.”
Agreed. Still… Hollywood, the media and many of our current writers all trawl the same waters, employing the same themes over and over again.
I also agree that it’s less than compelling when a cynical, biased writer calls us out on something that we really haven’t enforced in a long time. Yet, there is a point there, not that I give it much credence or thought for that matter, but there is a question about the power of the cult of personality and the pass we give the rich and privileged, as we veer toward a potential populist revolt in this country.
Peter, You wrote:
“I love all of you who have not read one word of the book condemning it. Pretty funny. These are the same people, I’m sure, who condemned her first report about his failed drug test citing sources right up until he admitted it two days later.”
By the same measure, I could say that I love all of you who have not read one word of the book validating it.
With all due respect, just because she’s a respected journalist doesn’t mean she walks on water. Just because A-Rod has been dishonest, doesn’t mean he’s not entitled to defend himself?
Unfortunately, I suspect Roberts is probably more right than wrong here, but can we at least get objective reads of her book before taking sides?
I get why Roberts won’t cooperate. I deal with reporters every day…I have made comments to reporters (ones that I trust) for background and I’ve made it clear that it can’t be attributed to me. We’re not talking Pentagon Papers type stuff, but it’s done routinely. If any reporter attributed it to me, I would never talk to them on or off the record.
She makes serious allegations. Unless Peter has seen and read the book, then all we’ve seen are bits and pieces in other media about it. The allegations should and will be investigated, but this is all way, way premature.
There’s more evidence or at least more people putting their names out there that this is total BS. At least 5 people connected with the Rangers, including Buck Showalter, who has no like for Rodriguez in the least, says the tipping thing is BS. He was the manager. He’s the one that stopped Rodriguez from calling pitches for Diaz (new catcher). The only one that said anything close to he might have been tipping pitches was Shane Spencer, who was there for 3 months. He said that he had heard something like that but, didn’t know exactly what was said and by who. He only overheard it. It sounds more like they were talking about him calling the pitches in the game. Ripkin said he called pitches. You think that all the player managers didn’t call pitches from the field?
The thing with the “he did steroids in HS came from the coach’s son. The coach has all but called his son a liar by saying that it was virtually impossible because Rodriguez spent so much time with the coach training that he would have known.
“But here again, in the forum she’s chosen and for her purpose (which I guess is to raise eyebrows even higher regarding Alex), I guess they’re not remotely necessary.”
Doreen:
I have fully embraced the idea that even a broken clock tells the right time twice a day. Roberts may well be a broken clock, with all of her pompous class warfare regalia out on proud display. Still the question buried in all the wailing and gnashing of teeth is why does this guy, and guys like him, continue to get a pass?
It’s a fair issue, although when it comes to A-Rod not a compelling one for any number of reasons. IMO, She’s using anonymous hand grenades to hunt rabbits. But she has staked out the DMZ where class warfare bumps up against Sports as her territory, so, IMO, we have to judge her on her terms. Do I so much care about this area of culture? No. Is she patrolling these waters according to the journalistic rules of engagement? Probably.
And now a poor comparison: Did Woodward and Bernstein name Deep Throat? Was Deep Throat right? Which was more important to the integrity of that story?
Clearly A-Rod is not Nixon and his wrongs are not in the same stratosphere. But are Roberts’ tactics wrong just because he’s not Nixon and is she inaccurate because she used those tactics? Those seems to be the questions.
I admit that being educated by Jesuits I can sometimes get lost trying to figure out how many angels can dance on the head of a pin. As is often the case, however, I should cut the whole exercise short with the question whether this amounts to nothing more than a tempest in a teapot?
I really hope the MLB network starts putting together some footage from the late innings of these “blowout” games. It would seem a logical next step would be to check for indications that A Rod was making gestures/signalling, etc.
“During his time with the Texas Rangers, Rodriguez often was allowed to call pitches from his position at shortstop. That would have easily enabled him to tip off opponents.”
Considering I know John Daniels personally, I guarantee this is fabricated, as I just asked him. Another example of take whatever and run with it journalism. Getting quite sick of it actually!
Not totally sure what to think here.I’ll be grabbing this book tomorrow and probably have it done in 2 days.This guy is a total a-hole regardless of whether he was tipping opponents which in my opinion is the worst allegation.
Weather seems gross all day today.
He’d have to have friends that played middle infield on virtually every team, yet, according to half the people in the world, he has no friends. Surely all of these accomplices had friends who were victims of the tips, especially considering how often players move from team to team. You can’t two people to keep a secret. How are 15-20 people going to keep a secret like that for that long?
The reality of this is, as Murph suggests, this is all about Selig keeping Congress out of baseball.
He will conduct his “investigation” and move on.
If some of these unnamed sources come forward, with hard evidence of wrongdoing? Arod has a BIG problem.
Since that is unlikely, this is just a glorified dance to “look” like he is “investigating” something to keep Congress at bay.
In one of the rare times in recent years Mike Lupica has written something with some factual basis to it, if Arod comes back, keeps his mouth shut, produces and help the team WIN, nobody will give a crap about this stuff.
If he continues to be a walking, talking TMZ story, he’s finished. Not only in NY but, in MLB.
The next chapter of his story is all up to him. Hopefully, its a better ending.
Well, he hasn’t said a word in about two months.
GB7 -
He hasn’t been with the team in 2 months. It’s been relatively easy for him. Let’s see if he can keep up the good work.
(With the way the Yankees clubhouse has been constructed, it would seem the press may never find him again.)
Wait so if Alex was calling pitches from short, isn’t it possible that an opposing batter would be able to interpret signs from A Rod? That would actually be the batter stealing signs, not A Rod tipping them.
Doreen
May 3rd, 2009 at 9:44 am
GB7 –
He hasn’t been with the team in 2 months. It’s been relatively easy for him. Let’s see if he can keep up the good work.
(With the way the Yankees clubhouse has been constructed, it would seem the press may never find him again.)
————————————————————
Actually, he did pretty well when ESPN and the media tried bushwacking him pn Friday and they first asked about the new PED allegations and he replied that he wasn’t even going there and then talked about his workout. Then they pressed him on the book, and he repeated the same thing. as they started with other questions, he turned around and walked away. He should have flipped them off, then.
Some sportswriters in Boston may be sweating out their jobs turning it into a one-newspaper town.
http://www.bostonherald.com/bu.....M_in_cuts/
GB7 -
That’s a good start for him. Hope he can keep it up. I think the odds are in his favor.
the trick with being a good tabloid reporter is coming up with something that the mere mention of the allegation stirs up emotions and is indefensible by the person slurred .
no one is saying roberts is stupid . if people aren’t smart enough to catch on to her history in the duke rape case, they are not going to see through her arod obsession. what’s surprising to me is how many supposedly reputable sports journalists are passing along her gossip about tipping pitches as possible news.
with most sports writers worried about their jobs because of their newspapers struggling and with salaries frozen , i think we’ll be seeing more and more of this kind of tabloid sports writing as a way to drum up readership and keep the reporter working.
Doreen
May 3rd, 2009 at 10:03 am
GB7 –
That’s a good start for him. Hope he can keep it up. I think the odds are in his favor.
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Well, since I consider writers to be the odds, I can’t imagine them being in his favor.
“Just remember…everytime you hear a bell, another paper closes it’s doors.”
IF
IF Arod tipped pitches to other players, and it seems there is a good chance that he did, then you cannot play with him again.
IF professional athletes live and die by the cherished code of “teamwork” that we were all taught since little league, IF they are sincere about their beliefs you read in every obligatory post-championship (journalist-assisted) autobiography published, if there is still any element of the game left in this business, then you cannot have Alex Rodriguez as your teammate.
It’s a betrayal on the most fundamental level, if it is true.
Think about anything you ever wanted in life.
What if you found your coworker was feeding information to a competitor and you lost the business big pitch you were working on together? What if you learned your oncologist was zapping ineffective levels of radiation into your body to advance his research, not defeat your cancer? What if your shrink was telling everyone in your life what you yap about so he could get more patients? What if your platoon sergeant was signaling your position to enemy troops in hopes they would give up one of their pawns, so he could register a “kill?” What if you are on the mound, trying to get out of an inning, or just hoping to prove yourself and keep your job, and the highest paid player in the game is tipping pitches to the batters behind your back.
What would you do?
IF Nick Swisher’s clubhouse collage of teammate photos was created in earnest – you cannot have A-rod on this team.
I know they are all well paid professionals, and I personally find teamwork mantras to be a bit too rah-rah for my every day life, but how can champions like Jeter or Mariano or Posada be expected to play with Arod if he really did this?
Is this worse than steroids?
When use steroids, you wind up sharing your undeserved rewards with your teammates. When you tip pitches you play both sides, you are a double agent, not only do you play against your team but you put yourself before everyone and wind up playing a different game.
Doping. Cheating.
Is this worse than Pete Rose? Look what he got?
I expected the book to be opening story on the Sports Reporters this morning considering the shows ties to Selena Roberts. Baseball story covered was Torre and LaRussa and their big righty bats. That says something.
“I understand why you want to go there but I’m not going there” should be his locker laptop screensaver as a reminder. Or maybe a photo of Selena.
If A-Rod was allowed to call pitches in Texas, then Showalter was complicit in allowing the tipping to happen whether he knew about it or not.
Like with the list of 104 poisitive steroid tests, A-Rod is the only one of the bunch under scrutiny thanks to Selena Roberts’ self-promotion tactics. Now, if A-Rod supposedly exchanged tipped pitches with his friends (if it were true) wouldn’t that automatically mean that he COULDN’T POSSIBLY HAVE BEEN the only one doing it? Yet, he’ll still be the only one with his nuts in a vice over it. I’ll bet it’s not uncommon so who’s to say he would have been the sole instigator?
Also, if it were investigated and it turned out to be true, I wonder how long until someone brings up Jeter’s name. Not that I am now, really, but I’m just saying someone will.
If it turns out to be true, I’m sure A-Rod and friends wouldn’t be the first guys to ever be involved in such a deal.
Duke Lacrosse ….
“He’d have to have friends that played middle infield on virtually every team, yet, according to half the people in the world, he has no friends.”
Good point, GB
Tipping off pitches and deliberately tipping off pitches are two completely different issues. Whether Alex did or did not do it deliberately will be impossible to prove.
Can anyone spell w-i-t-c-h h-u-n-t. The whole A-Rod story and book is a joke. The fact is that he is one of many players that cheated and lied about it. Steroid use in MLB was rampant. The owners are dirty, the players are dirty and the commissioner is dirty. They all chose to look the other way and they all knew exactly what was going on. I got this information from an unnamed source. The only purpose any of this serves is to sell books and make money for Selena Roberts and her publisher. It is a complete and utter waste of time.
Two things:
* Selena Roberts has already been proven to not be telling the truth on at least one thing about her book: She denied to Dan Patrick that she talked about A-Rod’s affairs/sex life in the book, saying that such claims were “pure speculation.” Yet her book goes into great detail about strippers, Madonna, sex clubs, and A-Rod’s pickup lines. Why hasn’t anybody in the media called her on this blatant misrepresentation of what she did?
* As for A-Rod calling pitches, that part (not the pitch-tipping) is true, and verified by Buck Showalter, among others. However, far from using it to prove her case, she doesn’t mention it at all in her si.com “interview” about the pitch-tipping. Why is that? Because it could be an innocent explanation for her conspiracy theory?
If Arod were a Red Sox, how many of you would be defending him? Not many.
Arod is a great ballplayer. But he is a Diva all the way. He is a liar and a cheat. Roberts is trying to make money with her book. Want to hurt her? Don’t buy the book.
Here’s an interesting take:
http://www.star-telegram.com/s.....54374.html
Pete, at what point do you stop reading the comments to your own blog?
i think selena messed around wit Arod then got played or something cus damn she dosnt let him live….and with all this drama maybe they should void his contract