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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

TJ Quinn: A-Rod Paid For Bosch Attorney

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

1 - ESPN.com

In This Corner Wearing the 3 Piece Suit, Joseph Tacopina

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


1 - nj.com

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Will this stop future cheaters? Time will tell.

The A-Rod Plot Thickens

Someone's pouting.

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

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

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

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

The steroid era just does not want to go away.

Skip Bayless, Attention Whore

Look at me, I an asshat

This would not have come to my attention had the NY Daily News' Mark Feinsand not tweeted it earlier this evening.

I NEVER watch First Take...I stopped when it was still called Cold Pizza and stunk just as much. Any show that would employ the intolerable Skip Bayless is a show that should not be watched. No one should care what Bayless says or how many times he mentions Tim Tebow (definitely could be a drinking game.).

But Bayless' latest comments are purely the work of an attention seeking asshole. With the Melky Cabrera and Bartolo Colon PED disasters, Bayless opined on how Derek Jeter could possibly be performing the way he is at age 38:

“I would have to be sight- and hearing-impaired not to at least wonder, because there is no HGH test in the sport of baseball,” Bayless said. “They do not blood test; they do it one time in spring training for HGH, not again the rest of the year. How could I not wonder, ‘Is he using something?’ If you’re Derek Jeter, would you think about using HGH right now? Because I would. How would you not? Would you not think about it?”

The Yankees' captain didn't take the comment lying down:

Jeter called it “unfortunate” that somebody can go on television and make such insinuations, joking that Bayless might be the one in need of a drug test. “Whenever you have people that anytime you bring something like this to light with guys that are doing things, it’s like, now you have everybody questioning everything,” Jeter said. “That’s the unfortunate thing. Maybe Skip should be tested.”

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/yankees/yankees-captain-derek-jeter-suggests-skip-bayless-check-hgh-usage-article-1.1142392?pgno=1#ixzz24KbxOU7q

Say It Ain't So, Bar-to-lo

Another one bites the dust, hey hey..another bites the dust.

We're still smack dab (what the hell kind of an expression is smack dab anyway? But I digress) in the middle of Melkygate when word came out today that another former Yankee has been caught with his hand in the testosterone jar.

Bartolo Colon, whose career came back from the dead with the Yankees last season, tested positive for synthetic testosterone (Yo Victor Conte, sleezbeag, you still think no one will get caught with the new synthetic PEDs?)

The punishment is the same as the Melkman- 50 games. That finishes Colon's season, and should the A's make the playoffs, the first 10 games of the post-season.

Colon, the only player I've seen take PEDs and still be extremely overweight, surprised everyone when he stood out at times for the Yankees in 2011. He wore out towards the end of the season, but not before he compiled an 8-10, 4.00 record (he was 8-6, 3.30 through July) in 26 starts and three relief appearances after having not pitched in the Majors since 2009.

Melky Cabrera, Colon. Who's next? I'm afraid to find out.

Oh Leche

I first started following Melky Cabrera's career when he was playing 'A' ball in the New York Yankees farm system. The kid looked like he had talent based on the numbers he produced. The Dominican born Melky put up 8 home runs and 67 RBI in 2004 for Battle Creek and Tampa.

He worked his way up the chain and got a cup of (spilled) coffee in the Majors in 2005. He was clearly over matched at the plate and field, but was back in the Majors as a regular a year later. His best year came in 2009 when he contributed to the Yankees' 27th title with career highs in home runs (13) and RBI (68). But there was always talk of Cabrera being a bit portly and out of shape. It had actually contributed to his demotion to Triple-A during the 2008 season.

Cabrera has had his ups and downs since then - released by the Atlanta Braves during the 2010 season, a career resurrection with the KC Royals in 2011 and an MVP type season this year with the San Francisco.  But Wednesday, the fit hit the shan.

A 50 game suspension handed down by Major League Baseball after it was revealed that Cabrera had tested positive for testosterone. Cabrera at least came clean, no pun intended, about the failed test.

"My positive test was the result of my use of a substance I should not have used," Cabrera said in a statement released by the union. "I accept my suspension under the Joint Drug Program and I will try to move on with my life. I am deeply sorry for my mistake and I apologize to my teammates, to the San Francisco Giants organization and to the fans for letting them down." (quote courtesy of espn.com)

Cabrera had won this year' All-Star game MVP Award in his first appearance. His big night out included a solo home run. The Melk Man, who grew a cult following in NY, was hitting a career high .346 at the time of the suspension, which will wipe out the rest of the regular season. Cabrera would also miss the beginning of any post-season series.

It's especially disappointing when you think a guy turned his career around by doing the work, getting in shape, and really working at his craft. But now Melky's career will always be tainted and his chances for a big time contract after this season just went down the tubes. Of course, the only reason he may have had that opportunity was due to performance enhancing drugs. Another likable player's reputation bites the dust.

For more on the story, I recommend reading Tyler Kepner's excellent piece in the NY Times.