FullCountPitch | July Trades Bring August Gambles

Wandy Rodriguez will be among those dangled on waivers

With the trade deadline concluded a week ago Sunday, teams must now pass players through waivers to deal with any team. All waivers are revocable, so general managers can dangle any players out there and not worry about automatically losing them.

Just to quickly recap the rules…if a player is claimed by one team on waivers, that is the only team the orginal team can try to make a trade with. If more than one team makes a claim, the team with the worst record is the only team that can make a deal. If the player’s team pulls him back off waivers, he can still be put on waivers again in September. However, if anyone claims the player at that time, he is all their’s, free and clear.

Teams will pick up players as late as September even if it means said player isn’t eligible for the post-season. The 1977 Yankees were a powerhouse, but still grabbed Dave Kingman for the stretch run. “Kong” hit four home runs in eight games and slugged his way to an 1.167 OPS. (Imagine if Kingman and Hideki "Godzilla" Matsui ever had the chance to oppose each other.)

Then there are the gamblers, like White Sox GM Kenny Williams who claimed Alex Rios and his over the top contract. Rios’ current employer, the Toronto Blue Jays, said “He’s all yours”. It used to be no one would be claimed on waivers, effectively allowing any trades to be worked out. But then teams started saying the hell with that and blocked deals by claiming players to prevent the competition from getting him. The Yankees got saddled with Jose Canseco in 2000 when they claimed him just to keep him away from the Red Sox.

Other players have had a major impact on their new team. Outfielder Cody Ross was a key component to the Giants World Series title after being picked up on August 21. So who might be dealt post-deadline in 2011, or outright grabbed on waivers? Who might a team take a chance on?

Read the rest of this free article at FullCountPitch.com.

Canseco the Magnificent

He's a tremendous sleazeball, but so far he hasn't been wrong. Asked to comment about the David Ortiz-Manny Ramirez revelation, Jose Canseco said baseball will be shaken up when they find out a current Hall of Fame member was a steroid user.

Are we really shocked by such an accusation? It's totally believable. The first name that comes to my mind is the late Kirby Puckett. But who knows. I won't speculate further than that.

A-Rod Admits Use

ESPN radio is playing clips of A-Rod's interview with Peter Gammons. A-Rod admitted to using banned substances during the 2001 thru 2003 seasons. He DID not say what substance he used saying he was stupid and naive, and wasn't sure what he was doing.

A-Rod said he did not use steroids once he joined the Yankees.

Public Defender

You wouldn't know him by name, probably not even by face. But from 1996-2007, you saw him warming up pitchers in the Yankees bullpen. Mike Borzello has lived a life of baseball anonymity, but it has afforded him a chance to be the confidante of one of the greatest players in the game, Alex Rodriguez. It's from that relationship that Borzello can confidently say that Jose Canseco's claims about A-Rod are absurd. Borzello, now the Dodgers bullpen catcher, recently sat down with the NY Post's Joel Sherman to defend his friend.

"Nobody in the last four years, including his wife because she wasn't on the road, spent more time with Alex than I did,'' Borzello said by phone yesterday.

Canseco's book.

"In four years I was with him 24 hours a day, and not one time did I ever hear, see or get wind of anything having to do with performance enhancing drugs, steroids, HGH, anything," said Borzello, now the Dodgers' catching instructor. "No way, with as much as this guy trusted me, would he have kept that part of his life secret from me. He trusted me with everything, and I was with him every day all day long. It would have been impossible to show me everything behind the curtain except for this. He is not that bright to be able to pull that off.

"He talked to me about everything. If he had issues with Scott Boras, issues with Joe Torre, disagreements with other guys on the team, if he did or didn't like an acquisition the Yankees made. Real topics. Not what kind of juice he had with his breakfast that morning. And he didn't mention this, no way."

"I don't question him at all,'' Borzello said. "Some guys you say, 'Wow, he got big,' and you never saw them in the weightroom. [That player] does nothing and has 30 pounds of muscle and you go, 'That's fishy.' "

A-Rod? "No way,'' Borzello said. "He is unbelievable."

"You want to rip [Rodriguez] for the way he acts or the things he says, go ahead. There are enough people dumb enough now to say, 'See, he is on that stuff.' All you have to do is be accused. So yes, it does bother me. Because I've seen what this guy has done and seen how much it matters to him. No matter how tired it makes him or how grueling or rigorous the workout is, to be the best, he will do it. It means that much to him. I believe in him. I don't think he would have been stupid enough to do [steroids] to tarnish all that work."

Borzello did not know Rodriguez then (1990), but he describes a player who, A-Rod's lifelong friends will concur, will have an occasional beer, but mostly is "afraid of drugs and alcohol."

"I'm not saying he didn't do research on [steroids]. I'm sure he wanted to know what is making all of these other guys so good," Borzello said. "But all of us in his small, small circle would be blown away [if it was proved Rodriguez used steroids]. It would shock me to no end. If in four years this guy entrusted me with his entire life and this is what he kept from me. No way. I would never believe that."

Borzello's analogy to describe Canseco is pretty perfect.

This is Sammy 'The Bull' Gravano. He gets all the benefits of playing, and then when he can't play any more, he starts ratting out everyone to make money that way."

It remains to be seen whether A-Rod will defend himself or not.

Public Defender

You wouldn't know him by name, probably not even by face. But from 1996-2007, you saw him warming up pitchers in the Yankees bullpen. Mike Borzello has lived a life of baseball anonymity, but it has afforded him a chance to be the confidante of one of the greatest players in the game, Alex Rodriguez. It's from that relationship that Borzello can confidently say that Jose Canseco's claims about A-Rod are absurd. Borzello, now the Dodgers bullpen catcher, recently sat down with the NY Post's Joel Sherman to defend his friend.

"Nobody in the last four years, including his wife because she wasn't on the road, spent more time with Alex than I did,'' Borzello said by phone yesterday.

Canseco's book.

"In four years I was with him 24 hours a day, and not one time did I ever hear, see or get wind of anything having to do with performance enhancing drugs, steroids, HGH, anything," said Borzello, now the Dodgers' catching instructor. "No way, with as much as this guy trusted me, would he have kept that part of his life secret from me. He trusted me with everything, and I was with him every day all day long. It would have been impossible to show me everything behind the curtain except for this. He is not that bright to be able to pull that off.

"He talked to me about everything. If he had issues with Scott Boras, issues with Joe Torre, disagreements with other guys on the team, if he did or didn't like an acquisition the Yankees made. Real topics. Not what kind of juice he had with his breakfast that morning. And he didn't mention this, no way."

"I don't question him at all,'' Borzello said. "Some guys you say, 'Wow, he got big,' and you never saw them in the weightroom. [That player] does nothing and has 30 pounds of muscle and you go, 'That's fishy.' "

A-Rod? "No way,'' Borzello said. "He is unbelievable."

"You want to rip [Rodriguez] for the way he acts or the things he says, go ahead. There are enough people dumb enough now to say, 'See, he is on that stuff.' All you have to do is be accused. So yes, it does bother me. Because I've seen what this guy has done and seen how much it matters to him. No matter how tired it makes him or how grueling or rigorous the workout is, to be the best, he will do it. It means that much to him. I believe in him. I don't think he would have been stupid enough to do [steroids] to tarnish all that work."

Borzello did not know Rodriguez then (1990), but he describes a player who, A-Rod's lifelong friends will concur, will have an occasional beer, but mostly is "afraid of drugs and alcohol."

"I'm not saying he didn't do research on [steroids]. I'm sure he wanted to know what is making all of these other guys so good," Borzello said. "But all of us in his small, small circle would be blown away [if it was proved Rodriguez used steroids]. It would shock me to no end. If in four years this guy entrusted me with his entire life and this is what he kept from me. No way. I would never believe that."

Borzello's analogy to describe Canseco is pretty perfect.

This is Sammy 'The Bull' Gravano. He gets all the benefits of playing, and then when he can't play any more, he starts ratting out everyone to make money that way."

It remains to be seen whether A-Rod will defend himself or not.

Canseco Openly Extorting A-Rod

Jose Canseco just keeps on stepping up his sleaze campaign. Now he is openly threatening Alex Rodriguez, daring him to sue him. If A-Rod were to go the legal route, Canseco claims he will have "Max", the fictitiously named steroid dealer expose all his hidden secrets about the Yankees 3rd Baseman.

David Letterman took a play out of the Jay Leno, "I'll whore anything for ratings" playbook and had Canseco on as a guest last night. But it was after the taping as Canseco sat with reporters in the lobby of his hotel when he decided to start making threats.

The best part, Canseco says in an exclusive interview at the Omni Berkshire in midtown, is that Rodriguez can't do anything about it. If A-Rod threatens to sue Canseco or goes on "60 Minutes" to attack his credibility, Canseco will respond with "Max," the Canadian steroid dealer he claims to have hooked A-Rod up with in the late 1990s. If Canseco is sued or attacked, Max - up to this point simply known as an unidentified .steroids supplier - will go public with everything he knows about A-Rod, says Canseco. This, Canseco adds, is not a war that A-Rod can win.

Complete and total scumbag. Canseco did back off the hints he made in his book about Roger Clemens since he has no real evidence about the Rocket.

Canseco Openly Extorting A-Rod

Jose Canseco just keeps on stepping up his sleaze campaign. Now he is openly threatening Alex Rodriguez, daring him to sue him. If A-Rod were to go the legal route, Canseco claims he will have "Max", the fictitiously named steroid dealer expose all his hidden secrets about the Yankees 3rd Baseman.

David Letterman took a play out of the Jay Leno, "I'll whore anything for ratings" playbook and had Canseco on as a guest last night. But it was after the taping as Canseco sat with reporters in the lobby of his hotel when he decided to start making threats.

The best part, Canseco says in an exclusive interview at the Omni Berkshire in midtown, is that Rodriguez can't do anything about it. If A-Rod threatens to sue Canseco or goes on "60 Minutes" to attack his credibility, Canseco will respond with "Max," the Canadian steroid dealer he claims to have hooked A-Rod up with in the late 1990s. If Canseco is sued or attacked, Max - up to this point simply known as an unidentified .steroids supplier - will go public with everything he knows about A-Rod, says Canseco. This, Canseco adds, is not a war that A-Rod can win.

Complete and total scumbag. Canseco did back off the hints he made in his book about Roger Clemens since he has no real evidence about the Rocket.

Show Me the Money

Jon Heyman of Sports Illustrated reports that Jose Canseco's ex- has nothing to do with the sleazebag's hatred of A-Rod. But rather it's all about the Benjamins. Apparently Canseco and his twin moron brother Ozzie wanted to represent A-Rod, but Rodriguez wisely declined.

However, people who were close confidants of Canseco insist the actual reason the ex-ballplayer despises A-Rod has nothing to do with Canseco's former wife but regards Canseco's true passion, which, of course, is money.

Those former confidants told SI.com the rift between the two Miami-raised superstars actually occurred when Rodriguez chose not to let Canseco and his brother, Ozzie, be his agents. Those former confidants say Canseco was bitterly disappointed in A-Rod's business rejection.

"I know Jose, and I know Jose very well. He would be madder at A-Rod for not signing with the agency than for going after Jessica,'' said Juan Iglesias, a well-respected Miami-based player agent and former business associate of Canseco's.

"At that time, Jose wanted to focus on his professional life. He and his wife were struggling throughout the '90's and into the 2000's. At that time, they were in the process of getting divorced. Jose was in a disrespectful situation and was with other women.''

Yet another former close confidant of Canseco's agreed that the rift had nothing to do with Jessica and instead came about when Canseco lost the client he thought would make a success out of his fledgling South Florida Sports Council, which instead became another of Canseco's failed business ventures. "That's where the animosity comes from,'' the former Canseco confidant said.

In Canseco's new book (should it even be allowed to be called a book), super-roid writes to A-Rod, "I hate your (bleeping) guts.''

Iglesias went on to refute Canseco's claims that A-Rod was a steroid user/abuser.

"Alex was a gentleman with the guy. If he says that about [Rodriguez], I hate to think what he says about me,'' Iglesias said. "I never heard one word about him going after Jose's wife. Never. Not one word. And I would have heard that. We were personal friends.''

Iglesias said he watched Canseco calling out A-Rod on Nightline this week and he couldn't believe what he was hearing. But having lived through it with him, he did believe it.

"The whole thing with A-Rod is absolutely false,'' said Iglesias, who recalled that the Cansecos and A-Rod doubled dated at the 1995 Super Bowl in Miami. "Jose didn't write it in his first book, and Jessica didn't write it in her book. And she talked about everybody she [had a relationship with]. If A-Rod had anything to do with her, that's [a] headline and that would have been in the book.''

It's simply amazing that anyone can write a book and say anything they want about anyone and in many cases won't be sued. A lawsuit might just sell more books and that would not be in the interest of Alex Rodriguez or anyone else. Even if it means being vindicated.

Show Me the Money

Jon Heyman of Sports Illustrated reports that Jose Canseco's ex- has nothing to do with the sleazebag's hatred of A-Rod. But rather it's all about the Benjamins. Apparently Canseco and his twin moron brother Ozzie wanted to represent A-Rod, but Rodriguez wisely declined.

However, people who were close confidants of Canseco insist the actual reason the ex-ballplayer despises A-Rod has nothing to do with Canseco's former wife but regards Canseco's true passion, which, of course, is money.

Those former confidants told SI.com the rift between the two Miami-raised superstars actually occurred when Rodriguez chose not to let Canseco and his brother, Ozzie, be his agents. Those former confidants say Canseco was bitterly disappointed in A-Rod's business rejection.

"I know Jose, and I know Jose very well. He would be madder at A-Rod for not signing with the agency than for going after Jessica,'' said Juan Iglesias, a well-respected Miami-based player agent and former business associate of Canseco's.

"At that time, Jose wanted to focus on his professional life. He and his wife were struggling throughout the '90's and into the 2000's. At that time, they were in the process of getting divorced. Jose was in a disrespectful situation and was with other women.''

Yet another former close confidant of Canseco's agreed that the rift had nothing to do with Jessica and instead came about when Canseco lost the client he thought would make a success out of his fledgling South Florida Sports Council, which instead became another of Canseco's failed business ventures. "That's where the animosity comes from,'' the former Canseco confidant said.

In Canseco's new book (should it even be allowed to be called a book), super-roid writes to A-Rod, "I hate your (bleeping) guts.''

Iglesias went on to refute Canseco's claims that A-Rod was a steroid user/abuser.

"Alex was a gentleman with the guy. If he says that about [Rodriguez], I hate to think what he says about me,'' Iglesias said. "I never heard one word about him going after Jose's wife. Never. Not one word. And I would have heard that. We were personal friends.''

Iglesias said he watched Canseco calling out A-Rod on Nightline this week and he couldn't believe what he was hearing. But having lived through it with him, he did believe it.

"The whole thing with A-Rod is absolutely false,'' said Iglesias, who recalled that the Cansecos and A-Rod doubled dated at the 1995 Super Bowl in Miami. "Jose didn't write it in his first book, and Jessica didn't write it in her book. And she talked about everybody she [had a relationship with]. If A-Rod had anything to do with her, that's [a] headline and that would have been in the book.''

It's simply amazing that anyone can write a book and say anything they want about anyone and in many cases won't be sued. A lawsuit might just sell more books and that would not be in the interest of Alex Rodriguez or anyone else. Even if it means being vindicated.

A-Rod Silent, but Hank Bashes Josebag

Alex Rodriguez has refused to answer Jose Canseco's rants, but Hank Steinbrenner, to no surprise, let the king of sleeze have it in the Bergen Record.

"if [Sandy] Koufax, [Mickey] Mantle, [Babe] Ruth, [Willie] Mays or [Hank] Aaron were playing today, they all would be suspected of doing something — and of course, they didn't do it. There was no such thing in their day.

"This is the age of paranoia."

"Consider the source, that's No. 1," Steinbrenner said of Canseco. "He wouldn't have been able to hit the ball out of the infield without steroids.

"And No. 2, if Mantle or Ruth were playing today, with the 550-foot home runs they hit, everybody'd be saying they were on something. They didn't even lift weights in those days. They played on alcohol and hot dogs.

"There are certain naturals. There are guys who can just do it, and Alex is one of those guys," Steinbrenner said. "He's just friggin' great."

"He got a couple of things right with the first one, and now he's just trying to make money," said Steinbrenner, who suggested that Canseco needed this attention, "or else he'd be on some reality show on TV.

"It's a shame, because he's preying on a player that everyone's attention is on," said Steinbrenner, who emphasized A-Rod's comparison to a modern-day Mantle regarding natural ability.

"Without injuries," Steinbrenner said, "[Mantle] would've broken every record in the book.

"[Rodriguez] is not only one of the greatest hitters ever, he's one of the best shortstops ever, and one of the best third basemen," Steinbrenner said. "He is just a natural. People have to come to grips with that."

Canseco's claims are disturbing, but not as disturbing as Canseco himself. Deadspin.com has excerpts of a piece by Pat Jordan on the overmuscled creep. Be warned that after reading this you may want to shower or vomit.

All those needles and vials of performance enhancing drugs around the house which his woman of the moment must learn to differentiate, winstrol from deca-durabolin from HGH, and then draw the proper amount of fluid into each syringe and inject that needle and its fluid into Jose's buttocks.

That's just a minor example. One wonders why any woman would even hang with him. They must be under the false impression that he has money.

A-Rod Silent, but Hank Bashes Josebag

Alex Rodriguez has refused to answer Jose Canseco's rants, but Hank Steinbrenner, to no surprise, let the king of sleeze have it in the Bergen Record.

"if [Sandy] Koufax, [Mickey] Mantle, [Babe] Ruth, [Willie] Mays or [Hank] Aaron were playing today, they all would be suspected of doing something — and of course, they didn't do it. There was no such thing in their day.

"This is the age of paranoia."

"Consider the source, that's No. 1," Steinbrenner said of Canseco. "He wouldn't have been able to hit the ball out of the infield without steroids.

"And No. 2, if Mantle or Ruth were playing today, with the 550-foot home runs they hit, everybody'd be saying they were on something. They didn't even lift weights in those days. They played on alcohol and hot dogs.

"There are certain naturals. There are guys who can just do it, and Alex is one of those guys," Steinbrenner said. "He's just friggin' great."

"He got a couple of things right with the first one, and now he's just trying to make money," said Steinbrenner, who suggested that Canseco needed this attention, "or else he'd be on some reality show on TV.

"It's a shame, because he's preying on a player that everyone's attention is on," said Steinbrenner, who emphasized A-Rod's comparison to a modern-day Mantle regarding natural ability.

"Without injuries," Steinbrenner said, "[Mantle] would've broken every record in the book.

"[Rodriguez] is not only one of the greatest hitters ever, he's one of the best shortstops ever, and one of the best third basemen," Steinbrenner said. "He is just a natural. People have to come to grips with that."

Canseco's claims are disturbing, but not as disturbing as Canseco himself. Deadspin.com has excerpts of a piece by Pat Jordan on the overmuscled creep. Be warned that after reading this you may want to shower or vomit.

All those needles and vials of performance enhancing drugs around the house which his woman of the moment must learn to differentiate, winstrol from deca-durabolin from HGH, and then draw the proper amount of fluid into each syringe and inject that needle and its fluid into Jose's buttocks.

That's just a minor example. One wonders why any woman would even hang with him. They must be under the false impression that he has money.

Dirtbag, the Sequel

Jose Canseco won't go away, and neither will his "literary talents". The juice king's new book, "Vindicated" is out and in it the big greaseball claims to have introduced Alex Rodriguez to a steroids dealer. From Deadspin.com - The book was erroneously put on sale early in Boston. Erroneously? We think not.

Hosebag even hinted that A-Rod was hitting on his implant laden wife.

Here's A-Rod's reactions per Newsday.

On meeting the steroid dealer:

"I really have absolutely no reaction."

On hitting on Mrs. Dirtbag:

When Rodriguez was told about that, he raised his eyebrows and asked, "He said that in his book?", then said, "I have absolutely no comment."

Apparently everyone wants Hosebag to hook them up, even Mike Wallace.

"When the cameras stopped rolling, Wallace asked me if we could talk, off-camera. He kept me there for another hour, clearly curious about steroids. ... He wondered how the steroids and human growth hormones (HGH) might help him, a man in his eighties, live a longer, healthier life. He wanted to know everything. ... When Wallace was done interrogating me, I could see I had piqued his interest. Whether I'd made a convert of him, I can't say. Still, I know, I was pretty convincing."

Dirtbag, the Sequel

Jose Canseco won't go away, and neither will his "literary talents". The juice king's new book, "Vindicated" is out and in it the big greaseball claims to have introduced Alex Rodriguez to a steroids dealer. From Deadspin.com - The book was erroneously put on sale early in Boston. Erroneously? We think not.

Hosebag even hinted that A-Rod was hitting on his implant laden wife.

Here's A-Rod's reactions per Newsday.

On meeting the steroid dealer:

"I really have absolutely no reaction."

On hitting on Mrs. Dirtbag:

When Rodriguez was told about that, he raised his eyebrows and asked, "He said that in his book?", then said, "I have absolutely no comment."

Apparently everyone wants Hosebag to hook them up, even Mike Wallace.

"When the cameras stopped rolling, Wallace asked me if we could talk, off-camera. He kept me there for another hour, clearly curious about steroids. ... He wondered how the steroids and human growth hormones (HGH) might help him, a man in his eighties, live a longer, healthier life. He wanted to know everything. ... When Wallace was done interrogating me, I could see I had piqued his interest. Whether I'd made a convert of him, I can't say. Still, I know, I was pretty convincing."

The Daily Yankeeland

Can't say enough about what a great day yesterday was in Blacksburg, Virginia. The Yankees-Va Tech game was one sided, but the score didn't matter. Seeing Alex Rodriguez sitting in the Va Tech dugout, talking with the players. Joe Girardi sitting in the stands with the fans. Derek Jeter and Johnny Damon signing autographs until their hands practically fell off. A good day indeed. Click Here to see a photo gallery from the Journal News.

Kevin Kernan of the NY Post has a lengthy story on Doc Gooden's rise from the ashes. Doc is taking things one day a time. No more BS it would seem, just reality. Doc is helping his son Dwight Jr. get a rap career going. Sadly Dwight Jr. was in prison for selling drugs at the same time his Dad was in jail. Here's to a better life for both of them.

Jose Canseco loves to shoot his mouth off, but lets see what happens now when he meets with fed Jeff Novitzky about Roger Clemens reported steroid use.

Mariano Rivera threw 2 perfect innings yesterday against the Blue Jays Double-A affiliate, New Hampshire Fisher Cats.

The Daily Yankeeland

Can't say enough about what a great day yesterday was in Blacksburg, Virginia. The Yankees-Va Tech game was one sided, but the score didn't matter. Seeing Alex Rodriguez sitting in the Va Tech dugout, talking with the players. Joe Girardi sitting in the stands with the fans. Derek Jeter and Johnny Damon signing autographs until their hands practically fell off. A good day indeed. Click Here to see a photo gallery from the Journal News.

Kevin Kernan of the NY Post has a lengthy story on Doc Gooden's rise from the ashes. Doc is taking things one day a time. No more BS it would seem, just reality. Doc is helping his son Dwight Jr. get a rap career going. Sadly Dwight Jr. was in prison for selling drugs at the same time his Dad was in jail. Here's to a better life for both of them.

Jose Canseco loves to shoot his mouth off, but lets see what happens now when he meets with fed Jeff Novitzky about Roger Clemens reported steroid use.

Mariano Rivera threw 2 perfect innings yesterday against the Blue Jays Double-A affiliate, New Hampshire Fisher Cats.

What a Bunch of Boobs

As you know by now, Debbie Clemens and Jessica Canseco have been brought into the fray based on the now famous infamous party at the Canseco house. Also, Debbie Clemens was injected with HGH by Brian McNamee and had a bad reaction. It was reportedly done without Roger Clemens' consent or knowledge.

Now things have really gotten spicy stupid. According to McNamee's recollection of the party, Mrs. Clemens and Mrs. Canseco talked about, and compared, their breast implant jobs.

"...which was involving Jose (Canseco), Jose's wife and Roger's wife when they went inside, when the guys showed up. I mean, they talked -- no disrespect, but they talked about how great Jose's wife's augmentation job was to Debbie and showed her. And then Debbie showed her, her augmentation job."

It's just getting slimier by the minute. What next? Jose and Roger were comparing shrinking kahones?

Thanks to The Big Lead for this find.

What a Bunch of Boobs

As you know by now, Debbie Clemens and Jessica Canseco have been brought into the fray based on the now famous infamous party at the Canseco house. Also, Debbie Clemens was injected with HGH by Brian McNamee and had a bad reaction. It was reportedly done without Roger Clemens' consent or knowledge.

Now things have really gotten spicy stupid. According to McNamee's recollection of the party, Mrs. Clemens and Mrs. Canseco talked about, and compared, their breast implant jobs.

"...which was involving Jose (Canseco), Jose's wife and Roger's wife when they went inside, when the guys showed up. I mean, they talked -- no disrespect, but they talked about how great Jose's wife's augmentation job was to Debbie and showed her. And then Debbie showed her, her augmentation job."

It's just getting slimier by the minute. What next? Jose and Roger were comparing shrinking kahones?

Thanks to The Big Lead for this find.

Nannygate

Much of yesterday's circus they call a hearing centered around a party held by Jose Canseco in 1998. Yes, that is correct; they want people to recollect who/what/where from almost 10 years ago.

It was at that party, at the home of Canseco and his wife, that Brian McNamee saw Roger Clemens speaking with Canseco. McNamee feels that conversation may have been what prompted Clemens to approach him about the use of steroids.

Clemens denied being at the party and Canseco and his (now former) wife signed an affidavit confirming Clemens' statements.

When questioned why he knew Clemens was definitely at the Canseco's, McNamee recalled that he saw a child running loose near the pool area and a woman came to collect him. When McNamee asked who the child and woman were, someone told him that it was one of Clemens' kids and their nanny.

The nanny would turn out to be one of the most influential people on the day. Oversight committee chairman Henry Waxman (D-Calif) asked why it took so long for Clemens' representatives to get back to the committee with the nanny's contact information. The response made Roger Clemens look very bad.

Clemens found out last Friday that the committee was looking for the nanny's info, so he got it. But instead of just giving it to the committee, he contacted the nanny and asked her to come to his home to meet with him (and without it being said, his lawyer(s)). The nanny, who does not speak English very well, agreed and met with Clemens, who had not had contact with her since 2001 or 2002, over the weekend.

Clemens claimed he merely was meeting with her to make sure she told the truth. Clemens' people then did not give the contact info to the committee until Monday. Finally, the nanny was contacted and questioned. Her response was damaging to Clemens' story.

While she did not recall any party, she did confirm that the Rocket and his wife were at Canseco's house during the time period in question. In fact, Debbie Clemens, the kids, and the nanny stayed overnight at one point.

This left Clemens spinning his wheels and clearly damaged his alibi/testimony. He could come back and try to say, using semantics, that he merely answered he was not at a party, but that would not fly. He clearly stated he was not at the Canseco household.

So what happens now? While Congress may be done with all of this, it would not be out of the question for federal investigators to further delve into the matter and determine if Clemens lied under oath.

The circus/witch hunt continues.

Nannygate

Much of yesterday's circus they call a hearing centered around a party held by Jose Canseco in 1998. Yes, that is correct; they want people to recollect who/what/where from almost 10 years ago.

It was at that party, at the home of Canseco and his wife, that Brian McNamee saw Roger Clemens speaking with Canseco. McNamee feels that conversation may have been what prompted Clemens to approach him about the use of steroids.

Clemens denied being at the party and Canseco and his (now former) wife signed an affidavit confirming Clemens' statements.

When questioned why he knew Clemens was definitely at the Canseco's, McNamee recalled that he saw a child running loose near the pool area and a woman came to collect him. When McNamee asked who the child and woman were, someone told him that it was one of Clemens' kids and their nanny.

The nanny would turn out to be one of the most influential people on the day. Oversight committee chairman Henry Waxman (D-Calif) asked why it took so long for Clemens' representatives to get back to the committee with the nanny's contact information. The response made Roger Clemens look very bad.

Clemens found out last Friday that the committee was looking for the nanny's info, so he got it. But instead of just giving it to the committee, he contacted the nanny and asked her to come to his home to meet with him (and without it being said, his lawyer(s)). The nanny, who does not speak English very well, agreed and met with Clemens, who had not had contact with her since 2001 or 2002, over the weekend.

Clemens claimed he merely was meeting with her to make sure she told the truth. Clemens' people then did not give the contact info to the committee until Monday. Finally, the nanny was contacted and questioned. Her response was damaging to Clemens' story.

While she did not recall any party, she did confirm that the Rocket and his wife were at Canseco's house during the time period in question. In fact, Debbie Clemens, the kids, and the nanny stayed overnight at one point.

This left Clemens spinning his wheels and clearly damaged his alibi/testimony. He could come back and try to say, using semantics, that he merely answered he was not at a party, but that would not fly. He clearly stated he was not at the Canseco household.

So what happens now? While Congress may be done with all of this, it would not be out of the question for federal investigators to further delve into the matter and determine if Clemens lied under oath.

The circus/witch hunt continues.

Just Go Away

Radomski, Clemens, McNamee, Bonds, Canseco, and your lawyers, your agents, your book writers. We are getting incredibly sick of the daily onslaught of "he said/he said".

The "crazy" meter was pinging off the charts this week. Brian McNamee brought Mrs. Rocket, Debbie Clemens, into the mix by saying that he taught her how to inject HGH.

Meanwhile, Roger Clemens may have a future as a lobbyist in D.C.. He's met with several members of Congress this week to discuss his situation. Somehow autographs and photos have also been a part of it. We're not fans of Mike Lupica (the latest- the Lisa Olsen situation- just further proves with a dick the lip is), but his critical piece on Clemens in today's Post is a good one.

Clemens' lawyers are also out to prove McNamee is a liar by rebuking his claim that Clemens was at a Jose Canseco hosted party in 1998. Clemens' "team" obtained an affidavit from Jose Slime that stated Clemens was not there.

Kirk Radomski, who received 5 years probation on Friday for his part in the steroid scandal, is backing McNamee.

"I'm defending Brian, that is right,'' Radomski told ESPN.com. "I believe him over Clemens and his lawyers. I think he is very believable. He was a cop. He knows the consequences of lying. He has more to lose than to gain by lying.''

There's one little problem with that, Kirksleeze - anabolic steroids are also illegal when not prescribed/injected by a real doctor. The former cop didn't seem to have a problem with that one.

Darrell Issa (R-Calif), a member of the panel that deposed Roger Clemens, expects Congress to turn everything over to the Justice Department.

"I'm convinced that we will." Issa said when asked if the committee would hand up a criminal referral at the end of the explosive congressional investigation. "I'm predicting that now. I hope I'm wrong."

It would seem more appropriate for the Justice Dept. to handle this matter rather than Congress.

And in case you forgot, the Barry Bonds federal case is still in the works.

Bonds' lawyers have asked U.S. District Judge Susan Illston to throw the case out, (nice try), or to order the prosecution team to consolidate the charges. Illston is scheduled to hear from Bonds' legal team on Feb. 29 before proceeding further.