Steroids

After their improbable World Series run in 2008, many fans and analysts expected the 2009 Tampa Bay Rays club to be as good or better.

They’re not.

Since the Stuart Sternberg ownership era began in 2006, Cool Hand Stu could do no wrong.  Free parking at home games.  Fans were allowed to bring their own food to games, and tailgating in the parking lot on game day was encouraged.  Ballpark attractions on Left, Center, and Right Field Streets beyond the outfield stands really enhanced the stadium experience for casual fans.  There aren’t many ballparks that let you play baseball video games in a lounge area that looks like the Formans’ basement on “That 70’s Show.” 

Continue reading "2009 Isn't As Great As 2008: Tampa ..."

As the hurricane of destruction that is Roger Clemens' personal and professional life gathers strength like a tropical storm reaching the balmy waters of the Gulf of Mexico, the storm has enveloped its latest victim: country star Mindy McCready. The Daily News reported last week that Clemens had carried on a decade-long affair with McCready, a family friend, ever since she was fifteen and he twenty-eight. (I should add that I'm following the media designation of McCready as a "star," even though I couldn't pick her out of a lineup of McSteamy, Matthew McConaghey, and the McDonald's McRib. Then again, I don't really follow country music--more to the point, I run far, far away from it at every opportunity).

Continue reading "Defending Clemens--Sort of"

In the days following the excavation of the "cursed" Ortiz jersey from the fresh concrete at "Yankee Stadium--The Sequel" we've seen Jorge Posada go on the DL for the first time in his long career, and ARod join him for the first time since donning pinstripes.

Continue reading "Yankee Injuries = Ortiz Curse?"

The New York Yankees try to carry themselves with the belief that they are the classiest team in baseball. Earlier this week manager Joe Girardi took a stance that was not supported by many others in baseball when he harshly criticized a home plate collision in a game earlier this week, calling it dirty and something that you don’t do in Spring Training. If a young player trying to get noticed by his manager his coming into home and the plate is completely blocked, he has every right to barrel over the catcher. If Girardi doesn’t want such a thing to happen, he should tell his catcher not to block the plate in Spring Training. Nonetheless, I can understand Yankees pitcher Heath Phillips throwing at Evan Longoria in retaliation the next time the two teams met, that at least sends a statement to your teammates that you’ve got their backs. However, when Shelley Duncan slid into second base with his spikes high, that is just plain dirty and something that is unacceptable at anytime in the season. The home plate collision was a young kid trying to make a play, done with no malicious intent. Sliding into a base with your spikes in the air can only be seen as trying to injure another player.

Continue reading "Yankees Playing Dirty . . . And Other ..."

Is Bud Selig still alive?  Where is he and is he even watching what is going on in his own sport?  It seems like ever since he gave himself his own contract extension, he has been hiding.  I do not understand what he is doing.  Players that were named in the Mitchell Report have told us they did   take the substances that were mentioned in the Report.  Andy Pettite has even held a press conference to admit to using HGH and apologized for what he has done.  But is that enough?  According to Bud it is.  No he hasn't come out in public and verbally told us this.  You could tell by his actions.  He is too afraid to punish these players because it was during the era he was the commisioner of baseball.  It would look bad on his part if this activity was going on under his nose and he recogizes it by punishing some of the stars of our game.  He will not do this.  He is going to look pass all of this because it was the Steriods Era and it is now a time to move on.  He doesn't care.  To his credit, he helped gain the popularity of the sport back by intorducing our modern day Incredible Hulks in the season of 1998 when Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire slugged it out for the famous Roger Maris record which is now tainted.  Selig has made millions during this era.  Actually, billions.  He thanks the players for this.  They helped make him look better as they injected each other while supplying a fake realm of baseball to its fans

Continue reading "Andy Pettite admits to HGH. Where ..."

With pitchers and catchers finally reporting to spring training, it marks the start of the 2008 season where anything is can happen.  It is a season where even the Tampa Bay Rays can contend for fourth place.  It is a season where the impossible turns into the possible.  Just listen to Ryan Dempster of the Chicago Cubs make a bold prediction, “I think we are going to win the World Series. I really do.”  Great, just what a Cubs fans need to hear, another prediction. 

Continue reading "Is this the year of Dreams? Think ..."

Continue reading "I've Had Enough!"

Surprise! Surprise! Guess what everyone; professional baseball players are using performance-enhancing drugs. Oh, the horror! Who’da thunk it?

Alright, before you all get on your high horse, let’s take a step back here and examine this closely. What everyone needs to realize is while San Fransicso Giants slugger Barry Bonds may have taken steroids to increase his power, these drugs do not manufacture hand-eye coordination. Remember that he was a more than adequate player beforehand that could already hit home runs – just not as frequently.

Continue reading "The Devil's Advocate..."