David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez

Yesterday, the New York Times reported that both Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz tested positive for peformance inhancing drugs in 2003. A wave of shock has gone through Red Sox Nation, as their beloved " Big Papi" tested positive for Peformance inhancing drugs. Earlier this year in spring training, Papi said that players that test positive should be banned for a year. Now, back in 2003, the certain drug that ortiz tested positive for may not have been banned. If it was, give him a taste of his own medicine and suspend him for one season. Ortiz has disapointed me, his fans, the Boston Red Sox, and his family. He was once a role-model to society, and now he is just another inconvience for Bud Selig.
Manny has already been linked to steroids and or performance enhancing drugs, as he tested positive during spring training this year. In 2004, Manny won the World Series MVP, as the Red Sox won there first World Series Championship in 86 years. Forever, this World Series victory may be tainted.

Cliff Lee To Phillies

Cliff Lee was recently traded to the Philadelphia Phillies. He was traded for 4 prospects, and the trade will be definite once Lee passes a physical. Ben Francisco was also traded to the Phillies with Lee. Lee won the Cy Young award last year, and this year he is almost as good, so I am predicting him to dominate for the remainder of the season. The NL has less of a powerful offense and Lee will face teams like the Mets, Marlins, Braves and Nationals. I now declare the Philadelphia Phillies the team to beat in the National League.

Plaxico Burress

The Manhattan district attorney has recently announced that Plaxico Burress will go to jail. Here is a note to Burress: you are a famous football player with a god-given ability, and you should stop taking your career for granted. If Plaxico were a normal person, he would be in prison for many, many years. He is lucky that he is going to jail. Just because he is a superstar athlete, does not mean that he cannot serve a long time in the slammer. The thing that bothers me more is the fact that he is not in jail for longer, not the fact that I won't see him on the field in a while. Its time to realize for the limited time he will most likely serve. Just one more thing; Plaxico, learn from your mistakes, suck it up and come back in a few years. Maybe you'll humble out a little bit.

Breakout and Disappointment Team of 09'

This coming year in the NFL will be a great one, as I predict the surprises and disappointments of the season to come. My team to beat is the Minnesota Vikings. In one of my recent posts, I said Favre would come back, which will settle the Quarterback problem in Minnesota. Also, when Favre leaves after this following season (hopefully permanently) Tavaris Jackson, the backup will have learned a lot from a hall of famer in Favre. Veteran Receivers like Bernard Berrian, he will teach the Vikings first round draft pick Percy Harvin to be explosive like he was in college. With the running attack in Adrian Peterson, and Pro bowl offensive linemen like Steve Hutchinson blocking him, Minnesota will have on of the best offensive attacks in the NFL. On the other side of the ball, 3 pro-bowl defenders in Jared Allen, Antoine Winfield and Kevin Williams, lead a strong attack.The disappointment team of the coming season is the San Diego Chargers. This is a bold prediction, but LaDainian Tomlinson is 30 now, and I think he will follow in the steps of former great running backs like Shaun Alexander, and Marshall Faulk, who seemed plateaued at the end of their careers. To me, the Chargers resemble this years New York Mets, except a football team. They are actually a well-rounded team on paper, but I am predicting things to fall apart. Last year, they lost to the Panthers, Dolphins, Bills, and Broncos, all teams that they should have beaten. They beat the Chiefs by one point every time they played them, and the Chiefs went on to be 2-14 that year. So, all of this will come together and the Chargers will have a terrible season, I am predicting a 4-12 record.

Jim Rice

Personally, the career of Jim Rice is something interesting, just looking at his stats. Its interests I to see what seemed like a plateau for Rice, in the middle of his career. For three strait years Rice finished off the year with less than 100 RBI's. But Rice picked up the slack, and hit 100 RBI's or more for the next 3 seasons. That is what impressed me the most about Rice. He makes a perfect example that you can learn from your mistakes. He struck out 123 times in his second season, and never wiffed more than that for the rest of his career. The reason I think that Rice was inducted on his last possible ballot of eligibility, was because so many other outfielders are great hitters like Rice, but Rice will be inducted today in Cooperstown congrats Rice, your a legend.

Rickey Henderson

Rickey Henderson is clearly the best leadoff man in all of Baseball history. In his 25 seasons, he has 3,055 hits, almost 300 home runs, and 1,406 stolen bases, the all-time record in the statistical category. Henderson is on of those guys that you would love on your team. If you’re the away team, he can start the game off with a bang, or a single, which makes him more valuable than any other leadoff man in the history of the game. Once Henderson got on base he was though to throw out. The best arms in the game had trouble throwing this guy out. Henderson stole more bases than anyone in the history of the game, and is more than 400 more than the person 2nd on the all-time list, which is Lou Brock. Henderson had 3 silver slugger awards, and a lifetime .279 batting average, as he hit badly late in his career. He had a Gold glove, and even won an MVP award. I appreciate all that Henderson has done for baseball, his explosiveness, his power, his fielding, and in my mind he will be considered one of the greatest of all time.

Steroids in Baseball

Baseball is the unofficial pastime of America. It is a game of inches, in which strives with mental and physical strength, revolving around a competitive concept of winning a World Series championship. For the last few decades, a bitter conspiracy has revolved around building lean muscle from shots, pills and other antibiotics. Players in the MLB have used Performance enhancing drugs such as Steroids and Human Growth Hormones to enhance their performance (hence the performance enhancing) in which lead them to elite status among their peers. Among great players that have used steroids are Barry Bonds, Mark McGuire, and Sammy Sosa. These self-centered cheaters, each used performance enhancing drugs, and all used a new strategy in federal court. Bonds just flat out denied it, Sosa forgot how to speak English, and McGuire is an even worse liar then Bonds. These men were considered role models and heroes’s to so many people growing up, and suddenly are considered a disgrace to society. There stupid actions may lead them to health risks, later in their lives, which they obviously don’t care about. Adding on to this conspiracy, in 2007, George Mitchell, a former United States Senator, came out with a list of players that used PED’s. The list was called the Mitchell Report and showed other great players such as Brian Roberts and Miguel Tejada, which seemed to me, like humble, nice guys. I think the worst part about this is that your favorite players are so great to you, and then they show up in something like this, it hurts you. Because of this, what does this say to these children that grew up watching these players? Steroids and drugs are okay? Is that the message that needs to be sent across society? Doesn’t this Country have enough problems, the economy, the health care system, and soon to be steroids? Bud Selig has lost all of my respect, for not punishing these players. The United States Government should take over the MLB drug system and Bud Selig should be removed from his job for his lack of discipline. Look at Roger Goodell, he is not tolerating any of these terrible things, and I complement him for that, as commissioner of the NFL. Its time get serious about this, this is no joke, as you will all come to see in the future, how this will affect these steroid users in the long run. As a punishment for these players, they should serve a 5 year suspension, and a fine that takes up 1/3 of their salary, and the proceeds will go to anti-drug programs. These cheaters should also go across the country talking to kids about not using performance enhancing drugs. Once they have done what they were asked to do, and have cooperated with the system of the MLB, they should be happily welcomed back to Major League Baseball.

The Vick Journey

After spending 23 months in prison, Michael Vick is finally a free man. What seemed like a short while, Vick was confined to a prison cell, punished due to disturbing allegations, which met fatal endings for many dogs. A few days ago, Vick met with Roger Goodell, the commissioner of the National Football League. Reports say that Goodell is planning on announcing a conditional reinstatement for Vick, which would prevent him from playing in the league where he was once considered elite. I think everyone can agree, if he was a normal person, he would have been in prison for much longer, but that does not mean he should miss part of the NFL season more specifically; four weeks. He did his time, so why punish him any longer? This country is about second chances, and that is what Vick should get.

Favre Return?

How many times does Brett Favre have to be so dramatic with us? Hasn't he made it clear he doesn't have enough in the tank? Is there some sort of physiological problem here? Insecurity? Bipolar? I mean, we might as well make another stupid reality show about it. At the same time that I say this, I assure you that he will come back as a member of the Minnesota Vikings next season. Favre got the shoulder ligament surgery done, as requested by the Vikings, so why not just return for one FINAL season? Besides, if Adrian Peterson and Jared Allen asked you to join their team, how would you turn them down? I absolutely hate the ongoing antics of this middle-aged maniac. He no longer has the presence he once had taking snaps, and his mid-life crisis has led him to a sudden slope downhill for his legacy. However, the competitive aspect of battling his recent understudy excites me. If Favre does indeed sign with the Vikings (which he will) the tradition of the Packers and Vikings rivalry will rage, compelling all football fans. Can you imagine cheese-heads booing there once golden boy on a cold Sunday night at Lambeau field? That defines epic. And that is what football is all about. Welcome back Brett...again.

Dr. Halladay

The Philadelphia Phillies have recently shown interest in Roy Halladay. Halladay is 11-3 with a 2.73 era. Now, who else has an era in that range? Jarrod Washburn, Cliff Lee and Dallas Braden. Now, how logical would it be for the Phillies to get a pricey veteran when they could get a cheap one in Lee? Not to mention Washburn or the rising Braden, all in which have less wins then Halladay, due to their lousy run support. Why is Halladay so good? Well, he does have run support from the Jays, who are 2nd in hits, 5th in batting average, and 1st in doubles. Lee's Indians are 11th in hits, 17th in batting average, and 9th in doubles. Washburn's Mariners are 16th in hits, 14th in batting average, and 20th in doubles. Bradens Athletics are 26th in hits, 26th in batting average and 24th in doubles. Now, see the point? Braden has 7 wins, 4 less than Halladay, and about twice as terrible of an offense. A unique pattern? All of the three are south-paws. Lee can be a valuable asset to any team, as a lefty is always good to shake things up in the middle of your rotation. If I were a GM of a team, I would look to acquire these types of guys before I try a blockbuster deal for Halladay. So many underrated pitchers are so ready to be discovered, that a Roy Halladay deal just seems like a bad deal. Teams that I think should look at Halladay are the White Sox, Astros, Angels, and of course the Phillies. The White Sox have an above average pay roll, and the White sox could deal a prospect like Tyler Flowers, a Catcher in the Sox AAA system, as well as Carlos Torres, a 26 year old RHP who is 8-4 with a 2.00 era this season in AAA. The Astros are my favorite team for Halladay, but the prospects are rare for Halladay. Yorman Bazardo is a top prospect for the AAA affiliate, and he could be involved in a possible trade, as well as Bud Norris. The Angels can offer Trevor Reckling, a south-paw as Well as Trevor Bell. The Phillies could offer a number of prospects such as J.A Happ, Kyle Kendrick, Andrew Carpenter, or maybe even John Mayberry Jr. Each of these teams could use a guy like Halladay, and could of course afford him. As of Now though, I think that it is not the right time to get Halladay, and wait until the last minute of the deadline, or at the deadline next year, which would force the Blue Jays into a desperation mode to trade Doc.

Manny Ramirez

Yesterday, Manny Ramirez pasted Mickey Mantle on the all-time home run list. The homer was his 537th career. He now is 15th on the all-time home run list. It seems like every guy on the top of the list used PED's. Manny used steroids so did Bonds, Sosa, McGuire, Rodriguez, Palmeiro, etc...Not to mention the selfish actions of the Left-fielder when he decided he wanted to leave Boston, once again. It seemed like at the end of his Red Sox career, Ramirez was not trying as hard and once again his self-revolved personality kicked in. This also relates to my last post about Scott Boras, who is indeed Manny's agent. Although the Slugger had lead the Red Sox to a 2004 and 2007 World Series victories, even then he was self inclined, demanding trades only to be acquisitioned in 2008. It seems like so many players in professional sports have spread the epidemic of greed and Performance enhancing drugs.

The Money of Baseball

Stephen Strasburg has not talked to the Washington Nationals since he was drafted. The hard- throwing right hander from San Diego State was clocked at 100 MPH this year. The youngster was coached by major league great Tony Gywnn. Negotiations were projected to be tough between Strasburg and the Nationals. His agent Scott Boras is a greedy agent who quite frankly is known for getting the most available money for his players. While on the other end of the table, the low salary caped Nationals worry about how they will afford this player, which they definitely need. So why is one of the best pitchers ever to be drafted, not talking to the team he was drafted by? Scott Boras has already ruined one prospects career, and it would be history for Strasburg not to be signed. Remember Matt Harrington? The terrible negotiation process caused Harrington to turn down a 4.9 million dollar contract. Guess who his agent was. Contracts and dough have taken over the game of baseball. It seems that it is ruining the game. Fans can't watch decent players because the player’s agents and the player’s themselves are too greedy. Their are people living on a 20th of these players salaries and they are doing alright, so why, why does so much dough have to ruin the fine game of baseball?

Jeremy Mayfield

Ah...a day in the world of a wannabe NASCAR racecar driver. Jeremy Mayfield tested positive for methamphetamines and was suspended from driving. Recently, Mayfield told a North Carolina T.V. station that a different test showed no trace of the drug. Apparently Mayfield accuses NASCAR for spiking his drug sample. I would like to know who really cares about this. I have never heard of this guy before now, and although I am not a huge NASCAR fan, I know some of the popular names of drivers that actually win races. Let’s say this; at least NASCAR doesn't have to worry about its drivers to use drugs to enhance their performance (unlike the MLB). Infact, what drug doesn't make you a worse driver? Maybe that is the reason Mayfield has never one any significant races. Maybe because he is so drugged up and it affects his performance. Now that is twice as dumb as Barry Bonds shooting steroids up his forearm.