Derek Jeter Receives ESPN Icon Award at ESPYs

I'm no fan of the ESPY Awards, but last night they presented Derek Jeter with an icon award. If you only he could ever thank the ladies in his life that aren't his Mom or sister. Or at least think Hannah Davis' horse.

To add some irony and RE2PECT to the moment, ESPN had Red Sox fan Ben Affleck present the award.

Headley's Two Day Journey Ends With 14th Inning Game Winner

Headley celebrates his game winning hit over Texas

Chase Headley (@chaseheadley7 on Twitter) woke up in Chicago on Tuesday, 7/22 and will go to bed in New York early Wednesday morning as a baseball hero. Headley has been the subject of trade rumors involving the Yankees for the last three years, but it took until Tuesday for rumor to become fact.

Almost a dozen hours later, Headley was getting doused with Gatorade by new teammate Brett Gardner and was being interviewed on the field by Meredith Marokovits (YES Network) and Suzyn Waldman (WFAN-AM). With the game tied at one apiece in the 14th inning, Brian Roberts reached with a one-out ground rule double. Francisco Cervelli, who ripped a potential game winning line drive to Adrian Belte at third base two innnigs earlier, singled to push Roberts to third base and gave Headley a second chance to play the hero.

Headley, who had arrived shortly after the game started, pinch-hit for Zelous Wheeler in the 8th inning and struck out. He made the second out in the 11th inning with a ground out and bounced out again with the bases loaded to end the 12th.

But with his fourth at-bat of the night, Headley got his first Yankees' RBI when he dropped a Nick Tepesch pitch into left-center to drive home Roberts with the game winner. It was a satisfying ending to a long day.

Headley had been informed around 11:30 CDT this morning that he had been traded. He got the first plane out to New York and walked into the dugout in pinstripes with the number 12 on his back as the Yankees battled the Rangers in a scoreless duel. Headley told Marokovits after the game that he was excited "to go from the situation I was in (the Padres fell to 43-56 after the Cubs shut them out 8-0 on Tuesday), to go right into a pennant race."

With Tanaka Signed, Time For the Other Chips to Fall Into Place

Of course he's smiling, he's got a guaranteed contract.

The front offices of Major League Baseball teams around the country waited and waited. They waited until Japanese-born pitcher Masahiro Tanaka chose the team and the contract he would play for in his quest for success in the United States. With that done and pitchers and catchers reporting to Spring Training in a couple of weeks, it's time for the remaining free agent pitchers to find a new home or return to their existing ones.

Matt Garza didn't take long at all to decide on which team it would be (the Milwaukee Brewers), but it did take some time to get the contract finalized. With some concerns over lingering arm issues, the Brewers gave Garza a guaranteed four years and $50MM, incentives that could tack on another $4MM, and an option for 2018 that will give Garza the opportunity to earn $67MM when everything is said and the contract is done.

A.J. Burnett had trouble deciding if he wanted to play any more, but once he did the Baltimore Orioles decided to go (MLB Network's Peter Gammons tweeted) "all in" on the lanky right-hander. After the success Burnett had in the National League the last two seasons with Pittsburgh, you would think he would stay in the NL, but those offers may not be forthcoming.

FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal reported the Toronto Blue Jays have looked extensively at the medical records of Ubaldo Jimenez and Ervin Santana. The Blue Jays are hoping to make an official offer to at least one of them. ¹ Both have been hoping for long term, big money deals.

Bronson Arroyo has had his name brought up by many teams, but told ESPN"s Jayson Stark that he has yet to receive an official offer. He's baffled by the lack of action.

"I get [Clayton] Kershaw," Arroyo told ESPN.com. "I get why he got all that money. But then you've got guys like Dice-K [Matsuzaka], who came over here and was good for the first couple years but then didn't pan out. And when he doesn't pan out, they all just forget and go on to the next guy who's not proven, and pay him. 

"Meanwhile, they forget about guys like me, who have done the job for the last eight or 10 years, and treat them like they've never done anything in this game. That's hard, man." ²

Scott Baker was an emerging star for the Minnesota Twins over the stretch of 2009-2011, but Tommy John surgery wiped out 2012 and most of 2013. The 32-year old signed a minor league deal with the Seattle Mariners and was given an invitation to spring training in his comeback attempt.

Journeymen Paul Maholm, Jason Hammel, and one time stud Tommy Hanson are all still available. Back end of the rotation starters Jerome Williams, Jason Marquis, and Roberto Hernandez (the former Fausto Carmona) are all still on the market as well. Either they are holding out for guaranteed money or teams are still waiting to sign them to minor league deals.

15 more days until the sound of ball thudding into catcher's mitt. I can't wait.


1 - foxsports.com
2 - espn.com

A-Rod to Sue Drake?

Will Alex Rodriguez sue Drake and Saturday Night Live? No, not really, but as part of SNL's cold opening last evening Drake spoofed the embattled third baseman. The clip with Drake begins at one minute-50 seconds in an interview with CNN's Piers Morgan (Taran Killam).  But be sure not to skip Bobby Moynihan's portrayal of Governor Chris Christie before it. You can skip Kate McKinnon's Justin Bieber after it though.

A-Rod Decision: 162 Games Ban, A-Rod Reacts

A-Rod has lost the battle, but will continue to fight the war.

After speculation that Alex Rodriguez might be willing to accept a 100 game suspension and avoid court, arbiter Fred Horowitz decided that A-Rod should serve a 162 game suspension. In essence, it means Major League Baseball scored a major victory since the number of games the suspension was reduced by was the 49 games A-Rod would have sat out in the 2013 season.

A-Rod made the following statement on his Facebook page:

“The number of games sadly comes as no surprise, as the deck has been stacked against me from day one. This is one man’s decision, that was not put before a fair and impartial jury, does not involve me having failed a single drug test, is at odds with the facts and is inconsistent with the terms of the Joint Drug Agreement and the Basic Agreement, and relies on testimony and documents that would never have been allowed in any court in the United States because they are false and wholly unreliable. This injustice is MLB’s first step toward abolishing guaranteed contracts in the 2016 bargaining round, instituting lifetime bans for single violations of drug policy, and further insulating its corrupt investigative program from any variety defense by accused players, or any variety of objective review.

I have been clear that I did not use performance enhancing substances as alleged in the notice of discipline, or violate the Basic Agreement or the Joint Drug Agreement in any manner, and in order to prove it I will take this fight to federal court. I am confident that when a Federal Judge reviews the entirety of the record, the hearsay testimony of a criminal whose own records demonstrate that he dealt drugs to minors, and the lack of credible evidence put forth by MLB, that the judge will find that the panel blatantly disregarded the law and facts, and will overturn the suspension. No player should have to go through what I have been dealing with, and I am exhausting all options to ensure not only that I get justice, but that players’ contracts and rights are protected through the next round of bargaining, and that the MLB investigation and arbitration process cannot be used against others in the future the way it is currently being used to unjustly punish me.

I will continue to work hard to get back on the field and help the Yankees achieve the ultimate goal of winning another championship. I want to sincerely thank my family, all of my friends, and of course the fans and many of my fellow MLB players for the incredible support I received throughout this entire ordeal."

Despite the announcement, A-Rod is not going down without a fight as he mentioned in his statement. He's basically decided the cost of lawyers, filing motions, etc. is worth it, despite the fact it could cost him more than the $25MM he is set to earn in 2014. The NY Post's Joel Sherman also tweeted that the suspension would included any 2014 post-season as well.

The Yankees now have the possibility of staying under the $189MM luxury tax threshold even if they sign Masahiro Tanaka. It will all depend, of course, whether A-Rod is able to skirt the suspension for now.

MLB Hall of Fame Time: Why is it the Most Miserable Time of the Year?

Finding out which players, executives, announcers, etc. were elected to the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame used to be one of the most exciting, highly anticipated days of the year. Then the Internet and social media took off and suddenly a day that should be joyous for a number of people became overshadowed by the disdain nominees, fans, and media - specifically the Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA) had for one another.

With the announcement coming up tomorrow, Wednesday, the fury has already gotten off to a great start thanks to MLB.com beat writer Ken Gurnick. As part of this year's process, all of the MLB.com writers made their ballots public on Tuesday which put a bullseye right on Gurnick's back due to this statement by the Dodgers' beat writer:

"(Jack) Morris has flaws -- a 3.90 ERA, for example. But he gets my vote for more than a decade of ace performance that included three 20-win seasons, Cy Young Award votes in seven seasons and Most Valuable Player Award votes in five. As for those who played during the period of PED use, I won't vote for any of them."

With that simple act Gurnick threw the baby out with the bathwater. It means he completely ignored legitimate candidates like pitcher Greg Maddux and slugger Frank Thomas. It also means there will still be no unanimous electee to the Hall. It's also an embarrassment to the game and to those are tasked with the privilege of electing the Hall entrants.

While I agree that players that were caught or admitted using performance enhancing drugs should not gain entrance to the Hall, you cannot lump other players (i.e. Jeff Bagwell) that you believe were PED users in with the "bad guys". And you certainly shouldn't be leaving out those, like Thomas, who have been anti-PED activists.

This year's election process also became farcicle when one voter sold a ballot to Deadspin.com, which then allowed its readers to fill out the ballot. Deadspin is trying to make a point of how much the process has degraded over the years, but the anonymous seller of the ballot should be permanently stripped of the honor of being part of the vote.

My ballot, if I had a vote, would look like this:

Greg Maddux
Frank Thomas
Jack Morris
Craig Biggio
Jeff Bagwell
Mike Piazza
Tom Glavine

New Year, New MLB Rumors

Nelson Cruz is among those still wondering where his next contract is.

Happy New Year to one and all. We are just 43 days away from pitchers and catchers reporting to camp. A truly great Valentine's Day gift. There are quite a number of free agents still not signed, but I would expect some trades, mostly minor, to occur prior to spring training.

The biggest news right now is, of course, the chase for Masahiro Tanaka. With the posting fee reduced to $20MM there are plenty of teams that will try to persuade the Japanese star to sign with them. Only a handful will be able to afford the $100MM he's expected (or expecting) to sign for.

ESPN's Jayson Stark reported that, according to some Major League execs, the Seattle Mariners could be big time players in the negotation battle. The Yankees have to be concerned after the ridiculous contract that Mariners gave Robinson Cano. Apparently, they still have quite a bit of cash to play with.

You can onlyhope that Ichiro Suzuki refuses to discuss playing in Seattle with Tanaka and only will talk about playing in New York..and only discuss the positives.

There are other big name pitchers on the market, though the names don't necessarily merit the contracts they are looking for. Matt Garza, Ervin Santana and Ubaldo Jimenez are tops among them. The Twins, who already signed Phil Hughes and re-signed Mike Pelfrey, are willing to give big money, but not years to a pitcher like Garza. Then again the report was from ESPNradio 1500's Darren Wolfson who also reported last week that the Twins had an interest in Tanaka. I hadn't laughed that hard in a while. Everyone has an interest, but the Twins NEVER spend that kind of money...well, outside of Joe Mauer and that hasn't worked out so well.

The Cleveland Plains Dealer's Paul Hoynes reported that Jimenez is looking for $17MM-$20MM annually. Apparently he needs that much to get counseling for his delusions. Jimenez was phenomenal in the first half of 2010 and has been downright awful in every season since, except for the second half of last year (1.82 ERA). But you don't give a guy that much money based on 13 starts.

Santana is another pitcher who is clearly pricing himself out of the market. The right-hander has been too inconsistent in his career to command an upper dollar contract. The Arizona Diamondbacks are interested in Tanaka, but are more likely to be able to sign Santana, whom they have major interest in.

Bronson Arroyo is still out there, but he appears to be everyone's plan 'B'. Perhaps he's asking for too much money after hearing WFAN's Mike Francesa talk about him like he's Walter Johnson.

No rumor here; good luck to Mark Mulder who is attempting a comeback with the Los Angeles Angels. The left-hander hasn't pitched in the big leagues since 2008 due to shoulder problems. He's been working as a commentator since then, but decided to give it another try. The 36-yr old signed a minor league deal with an invite to spring training and reportedly threw in the low 90's during December auditions.

It's not just the big names pitchers still waiting for offers. Outfielder Nelson Cruz, who was one of the players suspended 50 games in 2013 for the Biogenesis scandal, has yet to find a new team. He won't be returning to his old one, the Texas Rangers, after they signed Shin-Soo Choo to a seven-year, $130MM contract. Jeff Wilson (Ft. Worth Star Telegram) reported that there are four (unnamed) teams interested in the unsigned 33-year old.

First baseman/DH Kendrys Morales is still looking for a new home as well after one season with the Mariners. Morales may never be the same player he was before he broke his leg in 2010, but he's become a productive hitter again. One that would benefit from a hitters park rather than pitcher friendly Safeco Field. Most of the rumors are writers saying "this team" should sign Morales.

Despite rumors, probably started by his agent Scott Boras, Stephen Drew will not be signed by the Yankees. Brian Cashman stated Monday that the team has no plan to sign Drew.

Two major closers remain unemployed, though one thought he had a job. Grant Balfour agreed to terms with the Baltimore Orioles on a multiple year deal, but some warning bells on an MRI of his right shoulder caused the deal to fall through.

Fernando Rodney was dominant when he closed for the Tampa Bay Rays in 2012 and had a pretty good year with them in 2013. Teams have to be wary, however, of Rodney inconsistent past. For most of his career, he was not a pitcher you could trust in a big situation.

Time to check some email. I wonder if I got anything from Alex Rodriguez or Randy Levine.

Beltran Replaces Cano in Pinstripes

Trading Places: NY Edition

After seemingly out of the Carlos Beltran free agent sweepstakes, the Yankees have reportedly signed the veteran outfielder to a three-year, $45MM deal. Obstensibly, Beltran and Alfonso Soriano would split time between RF and DH if the Yankees stick to their public statement that Brett Gardner and Jacoby Ellsbury would start off the lineup as a pair of table setters.

Beltran was a member of the NL pennant winning St. Louis Cardinals in 2013 after he put together his eighth All-Star season.  He finished the year with 24 HR, 87 RBI, and an .830 OPS. The switch-hittter, who will be joining his sixth organization, has built a remarkable post-season resume. The native of Puerto Rico has hit 16 home runs and driven in 40 runs in 51 post-season contests, with an 1.128 OPS to boot.

Beltran's defense is not above average as it once was and neither are his knees, but he could fill some of the void created when Robinson Cano bolted for the Seattle Mariners earlier on Friday. The Yankees now have six outfielders on the Major League roster- Gardner, Ellsbury, Beltran, Soriano, Vernon Wells and Ichiro Suzuki.

Wells will likely be released since he has no impact on the team's luxury tax. Suzuki is owed $6.5MM and doesn't have much left in his bat. He'll be difficult to move and the Yankees could very well be stuck with him. At the very least they would have to pay half his salary if they find a suitor.

I originally thought Gardner might be dealt when Ellsbury was signed, then I read the front office wanted the pair setting the table  in the 1-2 spots in the order. However, Gardner may still be used to acquire a starting pitcher wtih the Yankees possibly relying on a youngster like Zoilo Almonte.

The Yankees said they would spend a lot of money this off-season, but I'm not so sure how wisely they're doing it. Perhaps at the trade deadline the Yankees can deal A-Rod back to Seattle for Cano.

Braun Says He's Sorry...Really?

Milwaukee Brewers suspended outfielder Ryan Braun decided to publicly apologize and "come clean" Thursday afternoon about his performance enhancing drug use. Did he really? Here is an excerpt from Braun's statement.

"Here is what happened.  During the latter part of the 2011 season, I was dealing with a nagging injury and I turned to products for a short period of time that I shouldn't have used. The products were a cream and a lozenge which I was told could help expedite my rehabilitation.  It was a huge mistake for which I am deeply ashamed and I compounded the situation by not admitting my mistakes immediately."

Notice that not once did Braun use the words steroids, HGH, or PEDs. A "cream and a lozenge" doesn't cut it. This is atypical behavior of PED users when they get caught. It's not noble to say I was trying to help my team by coming back quicker. (Yes, that includes Andy Pettitte.)

Braun injured more than just the public trust with his defamation of specimen collector Dino Laurenzi Jr. Braun went on a full court press attack of Laurenzi, and sought the aid of teammates and other MLB players to help do so. If the amount of evidence against Alex Rodriguez truly warrants a 200+ game suspension, than Braun should have gotten a full season rather than just 65 games.

If Ryan Dempster can get a slap on the wrist for throwing at A-Rod, than Mr. Laurenzi should be allowed to feed a pitching machine that fires 95-mph fastballs at Braun. It's likely Braun would get hit in the back since I don't think he has the guts to face Mr. Laurenzi.

And if Braun is truly sorry than he should give back his NL MVP Award.

Below is Braun's full statement

"Now that the initial MLB investigation is over, I want to apologize for my actions and provide a more specific account of what I did and why I deserved to be suspended.  I have no one to blame but myself. I know that over the last year and a half I made some serious mistakes, both in the information I failed to share during my arbitration hearing and the comments I made to the press afterwards.  I have disappointed the people closest to me - the ones who fought for me because they truly believed me all along. I kept the truth from everyone.

For a long time, I was in denial and convinced myself that I had not done anything wrong. 
It is important that people understand that I did not share details of what happened with anyone until recently. My family, my teammates, the Brewers organization, my friends, agents, and advisors had no knowledge of these facts, and no one should be blamed but me. Those who put their necks out for me have been embarrassed by my behavior. I don't have the words to express how sorry I am for that. Here is what happened.

During the latter part of the 2011 season, I was dealing with a nagging injury and I turned to products for a short period of time that I shouldn't have used. The products were a cream and a lozenge which I was told could help expedite my rehabilitation.  It was a huge mistake for which I am deeply ashamed and I compounded the situation by not admitting my mistakes immediately.

I deeply regret many of the things I said at the press conference after the arbitrator's decision in February 2012. At that time, I still didn't want to believe that I had used a banned substance. I think a combination of feeling self righteous and having a lot of unjustified anger led me to react the way I did. I felt wronged and attacked, but looking back now, I was the one who was wrong.  I am beyond embarrassed that I said what I thought I needed to say to defend my clouded vision of reality.  I am just starting the process of trying to understand why I responded the way I did, which I continue to regret. There is no excuse for any of this.

For too long during this process, I convinced myself that I had not done anything wrong. After my interview with MLB in late June of this year, I came to the realization that it was time to come to grips with the truth. I was never presented with baseball's evidence against me, but I didn't need to be, because I knew what I had done.  I realized the magnitude of my poor decisions and finally focused on dealing with the realities of-and the punishment for-my actions.

I requested a second meeting with Baseball to acknowledge my violation of the drug policy and to engage in discussions about appropriate punishment for my actions. By coming forward when I did and waiving my right to appeal any sanctions that were going to be imposed, I knew I was making the correct decision and taking the first step in the right direction. It was important to me to begin my suspension immediately to minimize the burden on everyone I had so negatively affected- my teammates, the entire Brewers organization, the fans and all of MLB.

There has been plenty of rumor and speculation about my situation, and I am aware that my admission may result in additional attacks and accusations from others.  I love the great game of baseball and I am very sorry for any damage done to the game. I have privately expressed my apologies to Commissioner Selig and Rob Manfred of MLB and to Michael Weiner and his staff at the Players' Association. I'm very grateful for the support I've received from them. I sincerely apologize to everybody involved in the arbitration process, including the collector, Dino Laurenzi, Jr. I feel terrible that I put my teammates in a position where they were asked some very difficult and uncomfortable questions. One of my primary goals is to make amends with them.

I understand it’s a blessing and a tremendous honor to play this game at the Major League level. I also understand the intensity of the disappointment from teammates, fans, and other players.  When it comes to both my actions and my words, I made some very serious mistakes and I can only ask for the forgiveness of everyone I let down.  I will never make the same errors again and  I intend to share the lessons I learned with others so they don’t repeat my mistakes. Moving forward, I want to be part of the solution and no longer part of the problem.

I support baseball’s Joint Drug Treatment and Prevention Program and the importance of cleaning up the game.  What I did goes against everything I have always valued- achieving through hard work and dedication, and being honest both on and off the field.  I also understand that I will now have to work very, very hard to begin to earn back people's trust and support. I am dedicated to making amends and to earning back the trust of my teammates, the fans, the entire Brewers' organization, my sponsors, advisors and from MLB. I am hopeful that I can earn back the trust from those who I have disappointed and those who are willing to give me the opportunity.  I am deeply sorry for my actions, and I apologize to everyone who has been adversely affected by them."

Dempster's Miniscule Punishment Will Only Serve To Cause Animosity

Boston’s Ryan Dempster threw four straight pitches at Alex Rodriguez Sunday night before he finally hit him with a pitch. Home plate umpire Brian O'Nora incorrectly waited until the aftermath to warn both teams. Joe Girardi flipped out and got tossed from the game.

Yesterday, Major League Baseball mishandled things again. While Girardi was fined as expected, Dempster was given just a five game suspension. With two off days this week, the penalty means nothing to the Red Sox, who will push Dempster’s next start from Saturday to Tuesday.  Dempster, meanwhile, could have shown a set had he admitted what he had done, but instead spouted the usual jibberish.

“I thought about appealing. But at the end of the day, Major League Baseball does a really good job of thinking through punishments before they hand them out,” Dempster said before the Red Sox played the Giants. “I just thought it was in the best interests of us as a team to go ahead and serve my suspension.”¹

I believe that Joe Torre, MLB's disciplinarian that handed out the suspension, would have had Dempster sit longer if not for a directive from commissioner Bud Selig or veep Rpb Manfred.

ESPN's Buster Olney tweeted this morning that suspensions for retaliations are usually five games and blatant head hunting will get you a 10 game ban. Dempster's actions should have fallen in between since it was clearly a premeditated act.²

The suspension also lends credence to the defense’s theory that MLB is “out to get” A-Rod and make an example of him. Whether or not it's true, any speculation would have been avoided had MLB merely given Dempster a 7-8 game suspension. I do disagree with people like the NY Post’s Kevin Kernan, however, who felt the ruling meant “open season” on A-Rod.³ Other pitchers would be idiots to put their own teammates in jeopardy; especially since the majority of them have certainly played with a PED player at one time in their career.

The ruling will also add fuel to an already burning fire that could get out of hand when the Yankees and Red Sox meet  in New York for a four game series beginning September 5. The two teams face each other again the following week at Fenway Park (Sept. 13-15). David Ortiz, a likely candidate for retaliation can thank his teammate should he get hit and possibly injured.

Sunday night’s Yankees starter CC Sabathia openly expressed his disappoint to the five game penalty when he spoke to the media on Tuesday.

"I thought he at least should miss a start and he's not going to do that, so I don't think it does anything. You don't throw at a guy four times. He violated every code in every way."⁴

1 - Boston Globe
2 - Buster Olney, Twitter
3 - NY Post
4 - Newsday

Tacopina's Magical Mystery Tour

Don't be fooled by the title; Joseph Tacopina is not the 5th, 6th, or 7th Beatle. He's more akin to P.T. Barnum with a Ph.D. in spin doctoring.

Alex Rodriguez's heavy legal hitter continued his version of a p.r. tour that began with another of A-Rod esquires, Don Cornwell, talking about appeals. There hasn't been a 1-2 punch in a lineup like this since Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig.

The biggest sideshow was when Tacopina stopped by the Today Show Monday morning only to be met by some unexpected news from NBC's Matt Lauer. (You can see a copy of it here.)

Tacopina has said all along he could not discuss specifics of the case due to the Joint Drug Agreement between Major League Baseball and the players' union. But MLB Vice-President Rob Manfred sent a letter to the Today show stating MLB was willing to drop their part of the confidentiality agreement in order to allow Tacopina to discuss A-Rod's involvement with Tony Bosch, Victor Conte, and Anthony Galea.

Tacopina was not amused and characterized MLB's move as a "publicity stunt". I guess it takes a publicity stunt to know a publicity stunt. He told the following to the New York Daily News:

"I will make Manfred a deal if he, in writing, waives the confidentiality clause, and agrees that it would not be a breach of the confidentiality clause, if he allows us to discuss exactly what he wants us to discuss, including the testing result, including the specifics of the tests, the results, we would be happy to discuss it. It would be my pleasure to discuss it. I would love to discuss it. But the minute I discuss it, I'm in violation of the confidentiality clause of the JDA," Tacopina said.¹

Manfred responded to the NYDN:

"While we believe that your public comments are already in breach of the confidentiality provisions of Major League Baseball's Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program (the "Program"), we will agree to waive those provisions as they apply to both Rodriguez and the Office of Commissioner of Baseball with respect to Rodriguez's entire history under the Program, including, but not limited to, his testing history, test results, violations of the Program, and all information and evidence relating to Rodriguez's treatment by Anthony Bosch, Anthony Galea and Victor Conte. Specifically, both Rodriguez and the Office of the Commissioner will be permitted to publicly disclose information and documents relating to: 

"1. their results; 2. All drug tests that were conducted on Rodriguez under the Program and All prior violations of the Program committed by Rodriguez; 3. All documents, records, communications, text messages, and instant messages relating to Rodriguez's treatment by Anthony Bosch; 4. All documents relating to Rodriguez's treatment by Anthony Galea and Victor Conte; and 5. All documents relating to the issue of whether Rodriguez obstructed the Office of the Commissioner's investigation."

In the meantime, Tacopina continues to hammer away at the Yankees and their medical staff, claiming they let A-Rod play last post-season with a badly injured hip. It's part of Tacopina's attack against the Yankees and MLB that they are attempting to get A-Rod out of baseball and void his contract.

“This MRI was taken on Oct. 11, 2012, after Game 4 of the Baltimore series [and] before the Detroit series. What it indicated, what it showed, is that Alex Rodriguez had a hole in his left hip, a torn labrum. He went on to play in the Detroit series, obviously didn’t play well, was benched, (sic) was made a scapegoat. Nobody told Alex Rodriguez that he had a hole in his left hip -- nobody. It wasn’t until after the season was done that he went to his own doctor,” Tacopina said. 

“I don’t understand the motivation behind that,” Tacopina said. “But the New York Yankees’ doctor, Dr. [Christopher] Ahmad, did this MRI. The report is here. The visual images are in your possession. Brian Cashman can’t say it didn’t happen until the offseason. Obviously, the general manager of this team must have known when this MRI was taken.”

“If he had a hole in his hip he shouldn’t have been walking, much less playing baseball. And believe me, we know that Joe Girardi didn’t know that. But either Ahmad, Randy Levine or Brian Cashman knew about that MRI result ... and the one person it wasn’t shared with, and I don’t understand for the life of me how they didn’t share that with Alex Rodriguez.”²

Tacopina's ultimate goal is get A-Rod's suspension down to zero. In the meantime we all have to endure the headache.

1 - New York Daily News

2 - ESPNNewYork.com

TJ Quinn: A-Rod Paid For Bosch Attorney

ESPN.com's T.J. Quinn continued his fine investigative reporting tonight with a story he broke a short time ago. According to Quinn, Alex Rodriguez paid for Biogenesis head Tony Bosch's attorney and later wired $50K that the attorney would not accept.

One of A-Rod's former attorneys described the latter transfer as "a mistake", but it is reportedly part of Major League Baseball's pile of evidence about A-Rod. Here is an excerpt of Quinn's story:

A spokesperson for Bosch attorney Susy Ribero-Ayala said in a statement to "Outside the Lines" on Sunday that Rodriguez, currently appealing a 211-game suspension from MLB, paid her a $25,000 retainer to defend Bosch in February. Bosch was the founder of the now-defunct Biogenesis clinic in Coral Gables, Fla., at the center of the league's ongoing drug scandal. "A retainer was paid (via wire transfer) by a representative of Alex Rodriquez (sic). Ms. Ribero-Ayala accepted this payment on behalf of Anthony Bosch as payment for his legal representation," the statement says.

"In April 2013, Ms. Ribero-Ayala received an unsolicited and unwarranted wire transfer from A-Rod Corp. The funds were immediately returned. Mr. Rodriquez (sic) does not have any involvement in Mr. Bosch's legal representation." According to documents seen by "Outside the Lines," the amount of the second transfer was for nearly $50,000, minus transfer fees.

The documents also show that Ribero-Ayala and Jared Lopez, a partner with Roy Black's law firm in Miami, exchanged emails discussing the wire transfer. Black's firm was representing Rodriguez at the time. 

According to the document, Ribero-Ayala said she had received the money and was unaware of any reason for it. Lopez responded that the money had been sent in error, and he asked that it be returned. It was.Black's firm no longer represents Rodriguez, and Lopez could not be reached Sunday night. The documents and the statement from Ribero-Ayala's office appear to contradict earlier reports that Bosch sought to "shake down" Rodriguez for money before agreeing to cooperate with MLB's investigation in June. 

Instead, several sources familiar with the case said, investigators have said they believe Rodriguez paid for Bosch's attorney and sent the second payment in order to prevent him from providing evidence or testimony against Rodriguez.¹

The outcome of this soap opera has a long way to go and got emotionally charged Sunday night when Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Ryan Dempster hit A-Rod with a pitch after throwing behind his legs and two other pitches inside and tight. Joe Girardi was ejected for arguing after home plate umpire Brian O'Nora ignored the obvious intent of the pitches and warned both benches. A-Rod got a measure of revenge later in the game when he hit a solo home run off of Dempster.

1 - ESPN.com

In This Corner Wearing the 3 Piece Suit, Joseph Tacopina

The heavyweight championship of Major League Baseball is getting more contentious by the minute. Alex Rodriguez's number one defense attorney started throwing hay-makers on Saturday when he accused the Yankees of forcing his client to play last season while hurt.

Tacopina went as far as to say that Yankees team vice president Randy Levine told A-Rod's hip surgeon Bryan Kelly, “I don’t want ever want to see him on the field again." He also stated that the Yankees and Major League Baseball have conspired to rid the game of A-Rod and the $86MM that remains on his contract. ¹

Needless to say the Yankees fired back with Levine, an attorney himself, telling the Star Ledger's Andy McCullough that the charges were "completely fictitious, false, and specious" and that Tacopina's approach was "out of touch and reckless".

As for the accusation that the Yankees and MLB were in cahoots, Levine categorized it as a "completely stupid allegation".  He and the Yankees, with A-Rod's permission, are willing to show the third baseman's medical records and transcripts of phone calls with Dr. Kelly to the public to "show who is telling the truth." He also told McCullough that it was time for A-Rod to "put or shut up."

Levine also fired a shot across the bow when he said the only records the Yankees don't have are when A-Rod was treated by Toronto based physician Dr. Anthony Galea, who plead guilty two years ago to sending unapproved drugs to the US.

When queried after yesterday's game in Boston, A-Rod sidestepped the controversy and left it up to his attorneys. His manager, Joe Girardi, was clearly upset by the insinuation that he would put an unhealthy player on the field.   “I don’t ever want to ruin anyone’s career. That would break my heart.”

There will be a lot of heartache and headaches before this whole thing is over with.


1 - nj.com

MLB Tells A-Rod Too Much, Too Little, Too Late

"Why didn't I do this sooner?!"

According to Yahoo Sports' Tim Brown, Major League Baseball has said "You're too late" to Alex Rodriguez and his representatives after the controversial slugger requested a meeting between the two sides. The third baseman had been defiant up until this point saying that he would appeal any suspension, but apparently had a change of heart once the time grew closer to this Monday's announcement of those players suspended. (Nelson Cruz, Jhonny Peralta,  Everth Cabrera...)

While I understand MLB and puppet master(or is he the puppet?)  Bud Selig's aggravation at A-Rod, the league is making themselves look bad/petty for not hearing what A-Rod, his lawyer David Cornwell or other reps have to say. It could also possibly damage some of MLB's case if A-Rod does indeed appeal.

A-Rod's meeting request was through contact with the players' union and reportedly included a request to meeting with Yankees officials in regards to a "financial settlement".

Part of MLB's reluctance to meet could be because A-Rod refused to cooperate with the leagues investigators when they spoke to him earlier. It would appear though that collecting his cash is more important to A-Rod then being on the playing field. After his rehab stint in Trenton Friday, A-Rod had this to say:

"I think that's the pink elephant in the room. I think we all agree that we want to get rid of PEDs. That's a must. I think all the players feel that way. But when all the stuff is going on in the background and people are finding creative ways to cancel your contract, I think that's concerning for me. It's concerning for present [players] and it should be concerning for future players as well. There is a process. … I'm going to keep fighting."¹

This fight and A-Rod are not going away any time soon.


1 -  Yahoo Sports

A-Rod to Throw Himself on the Mercy of His Bank Account?

"What me worry?"

After all the bobbing and weaving and preparing for a big fight, it now appears Alex Rodriguez may be negotiating with Major League Baseball on a plea deal.

What changed his mind? Most likely it is cold hard cash and the game that he loves to play no matter the cost to his reputation, his legacy, and did I mention money.

If A-Rod were to sit out the rest of this year and all of 2014 he would still be able to collect the the $61MM he would be owed from 2015-2017. His reputation and legacy are already in the toilet, so what's left? The money of course and can you really see A-Rod possibly losing everything owed to him? ($86MM plus the rest of this year's salary.)

Yes, I'm answering one question with another one, but that's what happens when things are so unclear. When reports have A-Rod fighting any penalty and then have him pleading for a future in baseball. When MLB is taking their sweet time in handing out the remaining penalties.

The biggest question is just how much evidence does MLB have against A-Rod? Word is that some of the proof has A-Rod recruiting other players for Biogenesis.

MLB is certainly hoping A-Rod cuts a deal. They don't want a big fight any more than A-Rod does, and if they try to hand down a lifetime ban they will certainly be in for battle for the ages.

Either way, just get it over with already!

Ryan Braun's 65 Game Suspension is a Slap on the Wrist

"Wait, the papers were photoshopped. I didn't do it!"

Yes, a slap on the wrist. A 65 games suspension is nothing to a guy who will still make millions of dollars in his career and who got out of a failed test by humiliating the tester and lying to the public, his teammates, and the Milwaukee Brewers front office. He stood before the public after he was let off the hook and reiterated how clean he was- his version of Rafael Palmeiro’s wagging finger speech before Congress.

Ryan Braun is no good guy. He's just the opposite of that. His arrogant denials and his haughty attitude just make him a clone of Lance Armstrong. The seemingly random number of games chosen is solely based on the evidence MLB and authorities collected from the Biogenesis Clinic that Braun had an association with. You know that Bud Selig would have liked to have slapped Braun with a much longer penalty, but his hands were tied.

I’m disappointed/angry that the statement Braun read (see next paragraph) to the public on Monday contained no specific words of his wrongdoing. It was just the usual, “I made mistakes” BS that athletes and politicians like to throw around.  And of course instead of just saying I’m sorry, Braun threw in a variation of the nonsensical “If I offended/disappointed anyone” (I also don’t like the fact either that the public isn’t privy to exactly what was found in the seized Biogenesis materials.)

"As I have acknowledged in the past, I am not perfect," Braun said in a statement. "I realize now that I have made some mistakes. I am willing to accept the consequences of those actions. This situation has taken a toll on me and my entire family, and it has been a distraction to my teammates and the Brewers organization. I am very grateful for the support I have received from players, ownership and the fans in Milwaukee and around the country.

"Finally, I wish to apologize to anyone I may have disappointed -- all of the baseball fans especially those in Milwaukee, the great Brewers organization, and my teammates. I am glad to have this matter behind me once and for all, and I cannot wait to get back to the game I love."

Unfortunately, MLB’s statement was equally ridiculous.  Rob Manfred released the following statement in response to the announcement of the suspension:

“We commend Ryan Braun for taking responsibility for his past actions. We all agree that it is in the best interests of the game to resolve this matter. When Ryan returns, we look forward to him making positive contributions to Major League Baseball, both on and off the field."

There was no "taking responsibility". This was a plea deal just like any court case. Braun knew the Brewers were going nowhere this year so he decided he would take the suspension now and quickly put this all behind by the time next year's regular season starts. Braun knew that things might get a whole lot worse for him if he appealed the suspension.

Reports are that MLB has a lot more information on Alex Rodriguez's connection with Biogenesis and therefore a longer suspension will be handed down. Rumors are that it will be 100 or more games next year. Then it's up to A-Rod to decide whether to appeal or not. Most likely he is already working a plea deal as well with MLB. There is also the possibility that A-Rod’s suspension could begin this year and run into next season.   

Will this stop future cheaters? Time will tell.

The A-Rod Plot Thickens

Someone's pouting.

Alex Rodriguez is still a long way from returning to the Yankees lineup, but his name has remained at the forefront of conversations.

The latest reason is a story in today's New York Times that accuses/suggests that an associate of A-Rod's tried to buy documents from an anti-aging clinic in Florida that has come under scrutiny for selling performance enhancing drugs.

A-Rod is just one of a number of players (Ryan Braun, Melky Cabrera, etc.) that allegedly used Biogensis of America as a source for PEDs. A-Rod has denied all of the accusations.

The NY Times' Michael Schmidt also reported that a former clinic employee sold documents to Major League Baseball, which would in turn destroy them.  This information is disturbing on a couple of levels. One, why was the employee in possession of the documents. Was MLB trying to protect their game by getting rid of evidence? And finally, if the employee contacted MLB about buying them was it an extortion attempt?

The steroid era just does not want to go away.

The Full Count: Jim Monaghan

Jim Monaghan has two of the best jobs in the world. His day job is co-host (w/Kim Mulligan) of the Morning Jolt on the metropolitan area's best rock station, WDHA-FM (105.5). He also works with the likes of Leo Mazzone and Sam Perlozzo as a full-time baseball instructor at Professional Baseball Instruction in Upper Saddle River, NJ.

Jim also had the opportunity to work at the greatest rock station of all time, 102.7 WNEW-FM in New York. I spoke to Jim about his passions for music and baseball and his beloved Boston Red Sox.

FCP: Jack McDowell, Bronson Arroyo, Bernie Williams. Who makes better music?

Jim Monaghan: I think Bernie is the best musician of the three of them. I wasn’t there the night he joined the Allmans at the Beacon, but I heard he fit right in with them last week. In terms of the actual music they play, I like Arroyo a lot.

FCP: Best sports-related song ever?

Jim Monaghan: There’s a CD I just got called The Baseball Project that I need to listen to. Peter Buck of R.E.M. is on it. That said, I love Sinatra’s “There Used To Be A Ball Park” and there are two folk songs that are baseball-related – Dave Potts’ “If I Broke the Record” and Erik Balkey’s “Baseball In My Blood.” – that I like a lot. Dion’s “(I Used To Be A) Brooklyn Dodger” isn’t really a sports-related song and of course, he was from the Bronx, but there are enough baseball references in it to qualify.

FCP: Okay, time for desert island discs. You can bring 3 CDs, which ones are they?

Jim Monaghan: My top 3 change all the time. But right as this moment, and assuming you can’t bring a greatest hits collection, they would be Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd by the Monkees, Making Movies by Dire Straits, and What’s Going On by Marvin Gaye. Ask me tomorrow and I’ll give you at least two different CD’s. Other favorites include Something/Anything? by Todd Rundgren, Music Of My Mind by Stevie Wonder and Rubber Soul by the Beatles.


FCP: What are your concerns about the Red Sox this season?

Jim Monaghan: One of the biggest clichés – you can NEVER have enough pitching. If Beckett isn’t healthy, and if Lackey pitches as he did for much of the middle of the season (was there a lead in July and August that he didn’t give back in the next inning?) the Red Sox could very well find themselves in a real AL East dogfight this summer. I love the offense. Ellsbury and Crawford should spend the season torturing teams on the base paths. And Gonzalez at 1st is going to have a monster season.


FCP: Does Jacoby Ellsbury bounce back this season or do the Red Sox move him?

Jim Monaghan: I love Ellsbury’s skill set; I don’t think the Red Sox have EVER drafted and developed a player like him before. And I didn’t get the way certain members of the print and broadcast media went after him last summer. I know that you’re not supposed to believe anything you see in March, but he’s been ridiculous in Spring Training so far in terms of BA, OBP and even showing some power. If it were my team, he’d be at the top of my lineup and in CF for the next 5-6 years. I think this is going to be a terrific season for him.

FCP: Is Josh Beckett on a downward spiral or was last year a fluke?

Jim Monaghan: Beckett concerns me. His conditioning the past couple of seasons has been suspect.

FCP: You need a hit in a key situation...who's batting? Yaz, Rice, Papi, or Manny?

Jim Monaghan: Do I have the pick of which era of each player? ;) Yaz was grittier than the other three. Jim Rice in 1978 was in a different stratosphere. Papi in the fall of 2004 (sorry to bring that up) was unconscious. However, Manny is probably the best pure hitter I’ve ever seen in my life. I’ve spoken with a number of guys who played with him and to a man, they all rave about his work ethic. It wasn’t unusual for Manny to be in the Fenway film room at 10 AM the morning after a night game going over stuff. So I guess Manny it is.

FCP: How did you get involved with Professional Baseball Instruction?

Jim Monaghan: When I was still at WNEW-FM I wanted to do a station promotion for our listeners and their kids running a baseball clinic and having the proceeds go to charity. I had heard about Doug Cinnella (he grew up in Paramus and went to Seton Hall University) and his baseball training school and reached out to him. We did the camp here in Bergen County over a spring weekend in 1996. I loved everything about it – the organization, the way the coaches treated the kids, how the kids responded. Doug and I stayed in touch and I started working with him part-time. I didn’t know how little I really knew about the game until I started working with Doug and his staff.


FCP: Greater thrill, working with Scott Muni or Leo Mazzone?

Jim Monaghan: Doug (Cinnella) and I went out to Shea Stadium when Leo was still with Atlanta and we got to watch him work with John Smoltz during a bullpen session. Leo and Smoltz were talking about the tiniest of details (Major Leaguers are simply on a different planet than we realize). I literally stood there with my mouth open. Smoltz looked at me and said, “This is pretty cool, isn’t it?” and smiled. I just nodded.

Even though I started working at WNEW-FM in January 1980, I had actually been playing on their softball team for 2 seasons so I had a little bit of an advantage getting to know all of the station air staff members before I started working there. I had grown up in the area through high school and college and my dial was glued to 102.7 that entire time so it was definitely a thrill to become a part of that group of men and women. That said, I don’t think I ever really grasped all of what took place then until a couple of years ago when my oldest daughter was working on a paper for one of her college courses. She created a fictitious character from New Jersey who was trying to break into the music business and she started asking me questions about radio, the station in particular, different artists I had met, etc. 

She called me one day after doing some online research and said, “You know I knew what you did for a living when I was little…I knew ‘Daddy is on the radio’…but I had NO idea who you really were and how important that station was.” That’s when we really started to get into depth about the impact that WNEW-FM had on so many people and Scott Muni was a HUGE reason for that. When Paul McCartney is making a fuss over someone (still one of the biggest thrills of my life), you know that person is truly larger than life.

So to answer the question, I think it would have to be Scott. I also knew him a lot better than I know Leo.

FCP: What did you learn from Mazzone (a guest at PBI) about pitching?

Jim Monaghan: I learned that I still have a LOT to learn.

As I mentioned above, guys at the Major League level are simply on a different level than the rest of us. To watch a guy like John Smoltz effortlessly throw 90+ during a bullpen session while Leo is making subtle suggestions on what to improve is just amazing. This past fall, Leo came out to PBI and worked with a number of high school pitchers (one of the perks of this job was that my then 9-year old son got to throw for him) and he’d tweak something in a kid’s mechanics and you could instantly see and hear (the “POP!” of the ball in the catcher’s mitt) the results. 

If I had to pick one thing I learned from him, and something I use in almost every pitching lesson I do here at PBI, it would be the importance of proper balance throughout the delivery, and the necessity of regular throwing to keep a pitcher’s arm strength up.

FCP: Thanks for being our guest, Jim.

Jim Monaghan: You bet!

Can You Feel It? | Baseball Digest

Can You Feel It? | Baseball Digest

It is the stretch of time, not Christmas, that some consider to be the most wonderful time of the year. I am of course talking about the first two weeks of the baseball season, and more specifically, Opening Day. It is one of the rites of spring, right up there with spotting the first robin and rainfall. There’s something distinctly different about Opening Day than all other days, including the post-season. There’s a distinct buzz in the air and in the ball park that is palatable. Some of these homes to baseball will beg for fans during the regular season, but for the most part they’ll sell out or nearly sell out their home opener.

The fans are loud well before the first pitch is thrown and the first beer and hot dog have been sold. Discussions on the pitching rotation, the lineup, the manager, the hated rivals. It doesn’t matter if it’s grey and 35 degrees; it feels sunny and warm (though if you were sitting in the Bronx on Thursday you might disagree).

Click here to read the rest of Baseball Digest's 2011 MLB Preview.

Albert Pujols Alex Rodriguez Derek Jeter Mariano Rivera Felix Hernandez Tim Lincecum Troy Tulowitzki Prince Fielder Ryan Braun Adrian Gonzalez Jon LesterCC Sabathia Carlos Beltran Jose Reyes

Did Mo Throw a Spitter?

WFAN is abuzz this morning about the possibility of Mariano Rivera throwing a spitball yesterday. Reportedly MLB is looking into it.

Here's the video from youtube (as far as we know it has not been doctored, though the baseball may have been).





UPDATE - 2 PM As expected Mariano was cleared of any wrong doing.