A-Rod is No Curt Flood

If you polled most professional baseball players today many would recognize the name of Curt Flood, but I doubt most would know what he went through so that they could get their multi-million dollar contracts today. Based on his reaction to the pronouncement of arbitrator Frederic Horowitz's 162-game ban, it seems Alex Rodriguez is trying to put himself on the same level as Curt Flood.

A-Rod was clearly thinking of all ball players, present and future, when he stated,

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.

Alex Rodriguez, humanitarian. What a load of...nonsense. There is only one person that A-Rod cares about and that's the guy he was staring at in the mirror in the infamous 2009 Details magazine spread.

Flood was a star for the St. Louis Cardinals for 12 seasons, but in October 1969 the team dealt him, Tim McCarver and two others to the Philadelphia Phillies for three players, including Dick Allen and Cookie Rojas. Flood wanted no part of it and challenged baseball's reserve clause in a letter written to then commissioner Bowie Kuhn.

Mr. Bowie K. Kuhn
Commissioner of Baseball
680 Fifth Avenue
New York, New York 10019

After twelve years in the Major Leagues, I do not feel I am a piece of property to be bought and sold irrespective of my wishes. I believe that any system which produces that result violates my basic rights as a citizen and is inconsistent with the laws of the United States and of the sovereign States.

It is my desire to play baseball in 1970, and I am capable of playing. I have received a contract offer from the Philadelphia Club, but I believe I have the right to consider offers from other clubs before making any decisions. I, therefore, request that you make known to all Major League Clubs my feelings in this matter, and advise them of my availability for the 1970 season.

Sincerely Yours, Curt Flood.

Flood was still just 31-years old at the time the letter was sent to Kuhn. As expected, the commissioner denied the request, but Flood wasn't finished. He sued Kuhn and Major League Baseball, stating that the reserve clause was akin to slavery and indentured servitude and violated anti-trust laws.

The case went to the US Supreme Court where Flood's accusations were denied in 1972 by a 5-3 vote. Former players like Jackie Robinson testified in Flood's behalf, but no active players would take the risk of participating in the hearings.

After sitting out the 1970 season, Flood was dealt by the Phillies to the Washington Senators, but he retired after just 13 games played in the 1971 season. Flood's fight went on, however, and in 1974 an arbitrator eliminated the reserve clause and opened the doors for free agency.

Curt Flood tragically died of pneummonia in 1997 at the young age of 59, two years after he battled throat cancer.

No Alex Rodriguez, you are no Curt Flood.

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.

Peralta Disproves Adage That Cheaters Never Prosper

Jhonny Peralta got slapped with a 50 game suspension this past season for his association with Biogenesis, then returned to the Detroit Tigers to play in the post-season, which included a World Series appearance. And now, the big free agent pay-off. Peralta and the St. Louis reportedly reached an agreement on a four-year, $50MM deal.

There were rumors that Peralta might sign with a team and switch to the outfield, but with not much offensive production from Cards' shortstops Pete Kozma and Daniel Descalso, Peralta is likely to remain at short.

After seven-plus seasons in Cleveland, Peralta was dealt to the Tigers at the 2010 trade deadline for catcher Giovanni Soto. Outside of an All-Star appearance two years when he hit 21 home runs and knocked in 86, Peralta's offense had been in decline since 2008. That is until this past season when he had an .815 OPS with 11 HR and 55 RBI in 107 games and was selected as an All-Star for the second time.

But Peralta's regular season ended prematurely when his name was among those involved in the Biogenesis Clinic scandal. The native of the Dominican Republic issued a public apology at the time -  "I take full responsibility for my actions, have no excuses for my lapse in judgment and I accept my suspension."

Peralta made a career high $6MM in 2013 and will reportedly more than double his annual salary despite the fact his numbers may very well have been boosted by his PED use.  Apparently baseball ownership doesn't care much more than the fans do.

Houston, You Don't Have An A-Rod Problem

"What, me worry?"

or maybe you do....

UPDATE 3:40 PM - Thanks to @StaceGots for the heads up. ESPN among others have just reported that Brian Cashman denied that A-Rod will not be in Houston.

Wally Matthews ESPNNEWYORK.com - Brian Cashman says reports A-Rod not going to Houston are "false. I'm wasting my time talking about it.''

The Yankees season will conclude with a three game series in Houston this weekend. But there will be one less player in the dugout.

The Yankees have given Alex Rodriguez permission to skip the series so he can begin preparation to appeal his suspension. It may be the last time A-Rod wears the Yankees Pinstripes until 2015 or possibly ever. His arbitration hearing begins on Monday.

From Newsday:

"I believe in the process. I'm fighting for a lot of players, both present and in the future," Rodriguez said before Wednesday night's game with the Rays. Barring any last- minute legal action, the confidential hearing will begin Monday at MLB's offices in Manhattan, a source said. Arbitrator Fredric Horowitz will preside. Rodriguez is expected to attend some of the sessions.

Asked if he thought there could be a speedy resolution, Rodriguez said, "I'm not sure, I'm not sure. "In a perfect world all of it would have been done quietly, but it's not a perfect world. But we're going to address this and hopefully put this to bed as soon as possible."

"I'm very thankful for the emails, texts, and private conservations I've had with our union members," he said. "The support has been overwhelming. And the fans have been unbelievable. I've had more people come to my defense and be in my corner than at any point in my career. I am grateful for that and I am looking forward to hopefully putting this behind me."

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."

All Braun and No Brain

"My name is Ryan Braun and I am a liar."

Still think Ryan Braun should only have a 65 game suspension? You might change your mind shortly. While everyone is coming down on Alex Rodriguez, there's more and more proof that Braun is a complete dirtbag.

Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports has reported that Braun told several MLB stars that the man (Dino Laurenzi Jr.) who collected his urine was an anti-Semite (Braun is Jewish if you don’t know) and a Chicago Cubs fan  in attempt to ruin the man's reputation. (The latter assertion is laughable.) ¹

Among those contacted by Braun, as first reported by ESPN.com, was LA Dodgers outfielder Matt Kemp, whom Braun had cheated out of the NL MVP Award, Cincy Reds first baseman Joey Votto, and Colorado Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki. The players took Braun's word as gospel.

A source close to Laurenzi said that the anti-Semitic allegation is untrue, but could not clarify what team Laurenzi was a fan of, as if that even mattered.

Kemp has already spoken about the issue and told media members that he felt "betrayed" and was “disappointed."

Passan also reported that Braun was in the process of calling the players up to apologize. It is not known if Braun has spoken to Laurenzi, but what good would it do anyway? Laurenzi should sue Braun for everything he's worth, but even that won't help restore Mr. Laurenzi's reputation.

1 - Yahoo Sports

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

TMZ Sports: A-Rod Ready To Go To Fedreal Court

"How many games?!"

Take it for what it's worth - TMZ is doing the reporting - but a source has told the tabloid that Alex Rodriguez is prepared to go to federal court if Major League Baseball's does not immediately rescind the 211 game suspension that was smacked down on the third baseman.¹

Right off the bat there is no way MLB will be blackmailed into dropping the suspension and have plenty of lawyers if the case does go federal. A-Rod feels he's been singled out - there's no question that it appears that way - and feels "persecuted". His lawyers will certainly pursue the argument that the length of the suspension is in violation of the current Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).

One way or another A-Rod will have his day in court or in front of an arbiter and whatever evidence MLB has should be made public at that time. Meanwhile, A-Rod who already has heavy hitter David Cornwell to lead his appeal, has also added Joe Tacopina to his defense team.

According to the NY Post, Tacopina, a criminal defense attorney, has been known at times as the "most hated lawyer in New York". That's perfect for A-Rod, possibly the most hated athlete in NY right now.²


1 - TMZ Sports

2 - NY Post

Yankees Release Official Statement on Suspensions

With Alex Rodriguez, Francisco Cervelli, and minor leaguer Fernando Martinez all suspended today by MLB, the Yankees released the following statement:

"We are in full support of Major League Baseball's Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program. We also recognize and respect the appeals process. Until the process under the Drug Program is complete, we will have no comment. We are confident that the process outlined in the Drug Program will result in the appropriate resolution of this matter. In the meantime, the Yankees remain focused on playing baseball. 

However, we are compelled to address certain reckless and false allegations concerning the Yankees' role in this matter. The New York Yankees in no way instituted and/or assisted MLB in the direction of this investigation; or used the investigation as an attempt to avoid its responsibilities under a player contract; or did its medical staff fail to provide the appropriate standard of care to Alex Rodriguez. 

Separately, we are disappointed with the news today of the suspension of Francisco Cervelli. It's clear that he used bad judgment."

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.

A-Rod's Clearance Not So Clear

Alex Rodriguez has been cleared to start rehab games next week. No, no he hasn't. That was the day in the life of Alex Rodriguez Monday. Or a day in the life of following the course of A-Rod's rehab.

Reports circuled that the lightning rod would start getting into rehab games after he was cleared by doctors. Only one little problem. Brian Cashman said the team doctors have not cleared him.

Maybe it was just A-Rod's dentist.

Meanwhile fans keep calling into radio stations with ridiculous trade ideas. Justin Morneau - 3 home runs this year. Chase Headley, who had a career, breakout year last season - .681 OPS this year.

Angel Hernandez Gives MLB a Black Eye and MLB Says "Thank you"

Toss the manager when you blow the call.

The first I heard of the controversial ending in Wednesday night's Oakland A's-Cleveland Indians game was while I listened to Mike and Mike on ESPN radio this morning.

Right off the bat - appropriate baseball phrase in this case - I had a problem with the fact that Angel Hernandez was the crew chief of the umpires in the game. In case you haven't heard about it, the A's trailed by one in the 9th when Adam Rosales hit a Chris Perez pitch high off the wall in left field.

A's manager Bob Melvin immediately came out to question the call. He felt that the ball landed up the yellow line, which would indicate a home run. Any ball hitting the line would be in play and that's how the umpires interpreted it. However, Melvin was right, the ball hit the railing past the wall and bounced back on to the field.

If you look at the three image captures below you can clearly (okay it's from a slow motion replay - you can "blurrily") see the ball is above the wall, descends and then passes the yellow line as it moves towards the field of play. Meaning it had to have hit behind the wall and ricocheted back on the field. It was clear as a bell. Apparently that bell was missing from the replay room.

Ball descends  and is about to hit the stair railing

The ball ricochets off the stair rail and caroms towards the field.

The ball begins to clear the yellow line on  its way to the  outfield grass.

Hernandez and the three other umpires came back out and ruled that there was no substantial proof that the ball was a home run. Melvin immediately got in Hernandez's face and was ejected. Hernandez is one of the most obstinate, the "game is about me" umpires in all of Major League Baseball. I could easily see him deciding that the crew was not going to be overruled by some piece of technology.

Yes, I am questioning the integrity of Hernandez and not just because of this one incident. And for anyone who thinks the integrity of officials should not be brought into question, remember the name Tim Donaghy. I agree with the two Mikes that the league should overrule the umpires and pick up play from the point of it being a 4-4 ball game. (This is not a safe/out call like the one that took away Armando Galarraga's perfect game.) I also agree that commissioner Bud Selig will never do it.

The mantra of "Getting the call right." is clearly just a suggestion and not a mandate. Major League Baseball, especially under Selig, has always been reactive rather than proactive in the way they deal with things that happen between or outside the lines.

Despite having suspicions for years, Selig and company ignored the use of steroids, HGH, and other performance enhancing drugs. Attendance was up and the game was recovering nicely from the work stoppage in 1994. (Yes, this is also the man who canceled the World Series.) Selig has tried to convince everyone that he and other executives in the commissioner's office were in the dark and had no idea how bad things were when it came to PEDs. But as stories unfolded and tests get released, it is obvious PED use was rampant in baseball. There's no way the extent of it could be unknown. Then Selig conducted his ridiculous witch hunt with the Mitchell Report that only concentrated on a small segment of baseball.

One of the new problems arose when it was decided that interleague play would be played all year long. So instead of taking enough time and planning things out, MLB threw together an awful schedule for the 2012 season with a plethora of two and four game series, ridiculous travel schedules, and forced rivalries. "Don't worry it will all be better next year", was the basic statement from Selig's office.

A situation that did not have a major impact was the league's failure to prepare for a tie in the All-Star game. Sure enough, the two leagues played to a tie in the 2002 All-Star game. The reactive commissioner added more players to the roster and pitched the motto, "Now it counts" since the All-Star league winner would get home field in the World Series.

MLB not only did not change the attitude of fans towards the game, but potentially screwed over the team with the best record by taking away home field advantage. Of course this is also the sport that alternated home field advantages in prior World Series and still has pitchers bat in half of the World Series games, which gives the National League representative a clear edge.

Enough with Selig and back to the bigger problem of leaving the decision in the umpires' hands. MLB needs to put into place the same set up that the National Hockey League uses- a media center where plays are instantly reviewed even if there is no call for one from the head coaches or referees.

A call is placed from the command center into Toronto to an official at rinkside. That person than contacts the referee, who will come over and get on a communicator (phone or headset) with the people looking at the replays in real time. While they may ask for input from the referee it is the officials in the situation room that uphold or overrule a call. This is what MLB needs to take the the umpires' egos out of the circumstances.

Alas, MLB won't do this until there's a World Series game decided in the wrong favor because the umpires didn't change or uphold a call. It would be nice to get a look at the replay facilities the umpires use. I get the feeling they're watching on an old Emerson eight-inch black & white TV.

MLB Responds - No surprise here:

President for Baseball Operations Joe Torre issued the following statement, which basically said it was a mistake, but we're not going to do anything about it.

“By rule, the decision to reverse a call by use of instant replay is at the sole discretion of the crew chief. In the opinion of Angel Hernandez, who was last night’s crew chief, there was not clear and convincing evidence to overturn the decision on the field. It was a judgment call, and as such, it stands as final.

“Home and away broadcast feeds are available for all uses of instant replay, and they were available to the crew last night. Given what we saw, we recognize that an improper call was made. Perfection is an impossible standard in any endeavor, but our goal is always to get the calls right. Earlier this morning, we began the process of speaking with the crew to thoroughly review all the circumstances surrounding last night’s decision.”

Case closed...until MLB does the right thing too late.

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.

Piazza Damaging His Legacy

Maybe Piazza can get into the Italian Baseball Hall of Fame..if one exists.

On the surface, Mike Piazza looks like a sure shot to be elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. Most home runs by a catcher, 12 All-Star selections, NL Rookie of the Year, 10 straight Silver Slugger Awards, and a lifetime .308 average. That's just a sampling of Piazza's offensive prowess. However, in his first year of eligibility (2013), Piazza only garnered 57.8% of the Hall vote.

There were whispers of performance enhancing drug use even though there have been no accusations or failed tests (Not that passing a test means anything these days.). Jeff Bagwell knows exactly how Piazza feels - condemnation with no proof - but Piazza may have done further damage to his cause with his new book.

In the tome "Long Shot", Piazza states that he tried every type of then legal substance, but never touched steroids. Amphetamines? Yes Andro? Yes Steroids? No. This will undoubtedly put even more doubt in the minds of those members of the Baseball Writers Association of America as well as the fans.

If Piazza took only non-banned substances, why would he not take steroids? They were not banned at the time either. Piazza's claim of innocence don't seem plausible.


Don't mess with those that are beloved: Perhaps it's the unwritten 12th commandment. The beloved in this case being Vin Scully, the voice of the Brooklyn Dodgers since their days in Brooklyn. Piazza states that Scully had it in for him and turned the LA fans against him during Piazza attempt to wangle a new high priced contract.. Piazza also felt Scully promoted opponents on the air for the NL MVP Award instead of Piazza.

Scully responded by basically saying, " I don't know what he's talking about."

There have been many over the years who thought Piazza was a total goof and his admission of taking Karate lessons in the wake of being beaned by Roger Clemens does nothing to dissuade the notion. Piazza was going to attack Clemens should they have a rendezvous on the field again. Of course they did, but that's when Clemens threw a broken bat at Piazza during the 2000 World Series and totally through the Karate Kid's plan off track. (Ala Seinfeld, I can see Piazza driving home and making a quick U-ie when he's thought of a great insult. - "The jerk store called, and they're running out of you!")

While Piazza's offensive numbers are as good, if not better, than any other catcher that came before him, it would not be a surprise to see his voting percentage dip in next year's Hall election. That may be the price Piazza pays for an ill-timed, ill-advised book.

YCN: PED Era Stars Led By Clemens, Bonds on Hall Ballot

This may be one of my last articles for Yahoo, since they have revamped much of the way they operate their contributor network. It especially hurts those of us who write sports articles, which have been moved to the Yahoo Voices.

It has resulted in little to no exposure, which translates to next to no views. Time to look for a new gig.

In the meantime though, here's my take on Roger Clemens, Barry Bonds, and others of the PED era that are now on the Hall of Fame ballot.

Jack Morris, Craig Biggio, Mike Piazza, and Jeff Bagwell (don't judge a book by its bulk) would be on my ballot if I had a vote.

A-Rod Not Overrated Common Sense Department

Alex Rodriguez was recently voted as baseball most overrated player in a poll taken by Sports Illustrated of 51 current MLB players. However, Rodriguez will never be considered overrated when it comes to using his head.

Though MLB has completed it's investigation and has stated there was no violation of MLB policy, Rodriguez came under scrutiny, as first reported by the NY Daily News, after his cousin Yuri Sucart was spotted in cities the Yankees were playing dating back to last year.

Yes, this is the same cousin that reportedly delivered A-Rod his steroids. MLB's front office had banned Sucart from all non-public places associated with the team, such as the clubhouse and team buses. League exec Rob Manfred told ESPN.com that nothing can be done about Sucart hanging out in the Yankees' hotel lobby.

But what does this say about Rodriguez? Loyalty and family are important, but not when it can jeopardize your livelihood. If Rodriguez, who is clearly his own worst enemy, wants to keep his relationship with his cousin and/or keep him on his payroll, he should simply hang out with him in the off-season or have him maintain one of his homes somewhere. But he should NOT be anywhere near Sucart whether it's near Yankee Stadium or any place on a road trip.

Time to grow up Alex. Seriously.

A-Rod, Pettitte in Anti-Steroid Fundraiser

The Associated Press is reporting that Alex Rodriguez and Andy Pettitte are among the athletes that will be taking part in the August 19 Taylor Hooten Foundation fundraiser to raise awareness of the dangers of performance enhancing drugs.

The 17-yr old Hooten committed suicide in 2003 after abusing steroids and suffering through depression when he stopped. Since then his parents have been active anti-steroid activists.

I'll Take a Big Mac with a Side of 'Roids

Mark McGwire taking steroids is no shock to anyone. What is shocking is that Big Mac finally admitted it today. With McGwire's new job as St. Louis Cardinals hitting coach looming on the horizon, McGwire knew he had to set the record straight. Maybe it was even a stipulation of him taking the job. Reporters constantly bombarding him with questions would have been a distraction. Whatever the reason McGwire decided it was time to release a statement.

"I used steroids during my playing career, and I apologize," McGwire said in the release. "I remember trying steroids very briefly in the 1989-90 offseason and then after I was injured in 1993, I used steroids again.

I used them on occasion throughout the '90s, including during the 1998 season. I wish I had never touched steroids. It was foolish and it was a mistake. I truly apologize. Looking back, I wish I had never played during the steroid era."

McGwire will expound further on his steroid use when he sits down shortly with Bob Costas for a 7 p.m. EST interview on the MLB Network.

The statement also comes mere days after the announcement of the 2010 baseball hall of fame class. McGwire has suffered in the voting due to his apperance before Congress and the suspicion that he abused PEDs. The Baseball Writers Association of America will now have to decide if McGwire's coming forward will or will not affect his voting status.