Yankees Need More Sorianos On Their Roster

If not for Rafael and Alfonso Soriano, the Yankees would not have been in the ALCS in 2012 or in any playoff race this season. Before opting out of his contract to get a big money closer deal in Washington, Rafael Soriano saved the Yankees 2012 season after Mariano Rivera blew out his knee in May.

The acquisition of Alfonso Soriano at the 2013 Major League non-waiver trade deadline has been one of the best moves in baseball this season. Soriano showed his value again on Wednesday night when he hit a solo home run and then added a 2-run shot in the game deciding 4-run 8th inning. The Yankees 7-5 win over the Baltimore Orioles moved them back to within two games of the Tampa Bay Rays, the current holder of the number two wild card spot.

Soriano joined Manny Ramirez, Carlos Beltran David Justice, Mark McGwire, and Fred McGriff as the only players to hit 15 or more home runs with two teams in the same season. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Soriano also joined McGwire as the only players to have three or more mulit-home run games with two different teams in the same year.

Soriano hit 17 home runs, drove in 51 runs, and had a .754 OPS with the Cubs prior to the trade that brought him to New York on July 26. In just 43 games in his second turn in pinstripes, Soriano has 15 home runs, 47 RBI and an .846 OPS.

The Yankees have had a better lineup than the Cubs, but the numbers are still phenomenal for the 37-year old. Whether or not the Yankees make the playoffs, Soriano could garner some American League Most Valuable Player votes despite playing just a half season in the junior circuit.

It's not unprecedented for a player to be in the running or win a regular season award despite not spending the entire season in one league. In June, 1984 the Cleveland Indians dealt pitcher Rick Sutcliffe to the Chicago Cubs. Sutcliffe had an extra month and a half over Soriano, but his number of starts were not that uneven. Sutcliffe captured the NL Cy Young Award when he went 16-1, 2.69 in 20 starts for the Cubbies. He had started the season just 4-5, 5.15 in 15 starts with the Tribe.

Soriano's teammate CC Sabathia finished 5th in the NL Cy Young voting when he went 11-2, 1.65 with 7 complete games for Milwaukee in 2008.  With free agency pending, the Indians dealt Sabathia on July 7 after he had compiled a 6-8 record with a 3.83 ERA.

Ramirez finished 4th in the National League MVP Award despite playing in just 53 games for the LA Dodgers in 2008. Ramirez put up good numbers for Boston with a .926 OPS, 20 HR and 68 RBI in 100 games prior to being run out of town on July 31. He was unconscious for LA though - a 1.232 OPS, 17 HR and 53 RBI.

Carlos Beltran could certainly have finished higher than 12th in the NL MVP voting in 2004. After his acquisition from Kansas City, Beltran had a .926 OPS, 23 HR and 53 RBI in 90 games for the Houston Astros. He also stole 28 bases without being caught. With more emphasis on batting average nearly 10 years ago, perhaps Beltran's .258 mark hurt him in the voting.

Whether Soriano gets recognition during awards season or not, the Yankees know they would be nowhere without the Dominican native.

There are three other Sorianos in minor league baseball today, though none are in the Yankees organization...yet.

Ariel Soriano, 22-year old utility player in the Rays organization
Francisco Soriano, 26-year old pitchers in the Nats organization
Wilson Soriano, 21-year old utility player in the Rockies organization

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's Accomplishments in the Air

It should be a time of great excitement. A time for baseball fans to rejoice, to mark another milestone. A time when Alex Rodriguez should join the next pantheon of great home run hitters. But as soon as ball meets bat and sails into the seats at Yankee Stadium or some other venue, I’ll have the feeling of “Now what?”.

Ever since Rodriguez admitted his steroid use during his time in Texas, the air has gone out of the home run balloon. Whatever was left of it. There was widespread hope that Rodriguez was clean. That he would eventually erase Barry Bonds from the record books. That he would make us forget about the tainted home run totals of Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa, and Rafael Palmiero.

Read the rest of this article at Baseballdigest.com

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.

Yankees Get Last Laugh on Rays

Yankees Pound Rays in Post-Season Prep

Written for Baseball Digest Online

The Yankees still don’t know who they will be playing in the American League Division Series, but they got their focus back on Sunday and pummeled the Tampa Bay Rays 10-2. To be more precise, Alex Rodriguez pummeled the Rays on Sunday.

A-Rod came into the game two home runs and seven RBI shy of a 30/100 season. All he needed was one inning to accomplish the feat for the 12th straight year. Trailing 2-0, the Yankees put two aboard in the 6th against rookie starter Wade Davis. That set the stage for Rodriguez to blast his 29th home run of the season for a 3-2 Yankees lead. But the Bronx Bombers weren’t done yet.

The Yankees loaded the bases against Davis and reliever Andy Sonnanstine, who appeared to get out of the inning when Jose Molina hit a potential double play tapper in front of the plate. But in his haste to throw home, Sonnanstine lost control of the baseball and everyone was safe. Two batters later Johnny Damon made him pay for the error with a 2-run double that extended the Yankees lead to 6-2. That’s when things really got interesting.

Mark Teixiera came to the plate tied with the Rays’ Carlos Pena for the AL lead in home runs. Pena’s season ended early when a CC Sabathia pitch broke three of his fingers. David Price threw at Teixeira Friday night in retaliation and manager Joe Maddon decided on Sunday that Teixeira would not lead the AL in home runs by himself, ordering an intentional walk (Teixeira did win the AL RBI crown).

Teixeira got the last laugh though as he watched from the dugout after being removed for a pinch-runner. Rodriguez blasted a Sonnanstine delivery over the n right-center field fence for a grand slam. One inning, two swings of the bat and just like that A-Rod reached the 30/100 milestone and also tied Mark McGwire for 8th place on the all-time major league home run list with 583 round-trippers. A-Rod also broke the AL record for RBI in an inning.

Game Notes

A.J. Burnett won his 13th game with a decent outing. He did cross up Jose Molina once, which resulted in a Rays’ run when the ball ricocheted off the inside of the catcher’s knee. There is still a lot of speculation that Molina will catch Burnett in theALDS.

The Yankees will now sit and watch Tuesday’s one game playoff between the Detroit Tigers and Minnesota Twins, both of whom won on Sunday. The Tigers will start rookie Rick Porcello, while the Twins counter with Scott Baker. With the best record, the Yankees had the option of starting the ALDS on Wednesday or Thursday, and opted for the former.

Joba Chamberlain worked a 1-2-3 inning on Sunday as he prepares to most likely work out of the pen in the post-season.

The Yankees 103 wins was the highest franchise total since the team also won 103 in 2002.

We Hate Steroids, if it's Not Our Guy

Just read a feature by Yahoo! Sports' Steve Henson concerning his perception that fans are caring less and less if players use performance enhancing drugs. The article, in part, was spurred on by the huge standing ovation Manny Ramirez received upon his return to Dodger Stadium last night.

While Henson made many valid points, we beg to differ. Fans do care about PEDs...if it is not their player. Alex Rodriguez already received boos throughout baseball before his forced admonition that he cheated. But now he is vilified even louder by fans on the road. Do you think if it came out that David Ortiz was using PEDs during the Red Sox' World Series run in 2004 that anyone in Fenway Park would care? But they would still call A-Rod a cheater.

Just look at the way Barry Bonds was loved in the Bay area during his run at Hank Aaron's home run record, and the disdain that is still shown towards Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa, Rafael Palmiero and other big names that are no longer in the game.

The star players are also the true targets- no one cares that Sergio Mitre or J.C. Romero were suspended.

The player's personality obviously affects attitudes too. Yankees fan loved Jason Giambi, seeing him as a flawed individual, and generally, a nice guy. But he did have to win the fans back after his body broke down and he made his version of an apology (without openly admitting what it was for).

And finally, it all comes down to the player's success or failure. Do you think Mannywood will still be cheering Man-Ram if he's hitting .230 in September?

For me personally, it's a difficult situation. I don't want A-Rod to fail because I want the Yankees to win. But I do not have the same regard for him as a ball player (never had much regard for him as a person).

So just like with your friends or family, you accept baseball, warts and all. Unfortunately, no matter how things are perceived, baseball will never be the same.

Sosa Revelation a Stunner....NOT

The news that Sammy Sosa failed a drug test in 2003 was about as shocking as Clay Aiken coming out of the closet (not that there's anything wrong with that). All the news did do was further destroy that magical '98 home run race.

The supposedly anonymous testing named104 players in violation of MLB's drug policy. And as usual, only certain names ended up getting leaked out.

For sure, a wing in Cooperstown must be built for the "Hall of Shame". I still can't believe NYC actually gave him a parade in the Canyon of Heroes. Nice going Rudy.

Friday Night Hot Stove

Baby Come Back
With the number of free agent pitchers dwindling, the Mets have reportedly increased their 3 year offer to Oliver Perez. Jon Heyman states that Perez is still the Mets top choice, ahead of the likes of Randy Wolf, Ben Sheets, and John Garland.

Deep in the Heart of Texas
The Rangers continue to talk with Texas native Ben Sheets, and currently have to be considered the favorites to land the free agent right-hander. Sheets met with the Rangers again this week as part of "due diligence", according to GM Jon Daniels.

We have a winner...
The Cubs have found their new owners and it's not Rod Blagojevich. Chicago investment banker Tom Ricketts has been chosen by Tribune Co. to be the new owner of the NL Central club. Ricketts and family ponied up a $900 million bid and hope to be the official owners by opening day. Time is tight though as the deal must be finalized, and approved by Major League Baseball and a bankruptcy court.

Brotherly Stab in the Back
Deadspin reported yesterday that Mark McGwire's estranged brother, Jay, is trying to find a publisher for his steroid laden tome. The younger McGwire/hopeful author claims his older brother got the idea to use steroids and HGH from watching his younger brother shoot up for body building. J Mac also claims to have injected baby bro with steroids.

"Prior to the 1998 season, [Mark] had reached a level where he did not need to get any stronger and he couldn’t afford to add any more weight. So I directed him to androstenedione testosterone booster, which is non-hormonal (which is why it can be sold legally and is not affected by the 2004 Anabolic Steroid Control Act) and works naturally with your body. “Andro” increases strength and aggression while promoting reduction of body fat and a leaner look to the physique....[U]sing andro allowed Mark to avoid all the potential adverse side effects that could occur from using anabolic steroids, such as water retention, hair loss, and liver, heart, or kidney stress. In addition, he wouldn’t have cholesterol problems or testicular atrophy. And there were no problems with the law."

Talk about sticking it to someone.