By: Alex Reimer
Another weekend, another blown opportunity for the Red Sox. They now sit at 6 ½ games out of a playoff spot on August 30th. To state the obvious, they’re running out of opportunities to blow.
But why did the Red Sox drop 2 of 3 to the Tampa Bay Rays? Injuries have obviously played a role all year long, and a lineup without Dustin Pedroia, Kevin Youkilis, and Jacoby Ellsbury certainly lacks star-power and power in general.
But the Red Sox were leading 2-1 heading into the bottom of the 8th on Saturday, and 3-1 heading into the bottom of the 6th on Sunday. Injuries did not cost the Red Sox this weekend. On Saturday it was sloppy play and poor bullpen management (which is directly attributed to a poor bullpen). On Sunday it was John Lackey not being able to pick the team up and carry them to victory.
The Rays tied the game at 1 in the 7th inning on Saturday due to errant pick-off attempt by Clay Buchholz and JD Drew catching a Matt Joyce foul ball, which allowed Carlos Pena to tag-up and score. That’s sloppy play, and those are miscues that simply cannot happen to teams with playoff aspirations in the middle of a pennant race.
But the real controversy came in the bottom of the 8th where Terry Francona allowed Buchholz to begin the inning, trying to protect a 2-1 lead. Buchholz had already thrown over 100 pitches, and the simple formula seemed to call to go to Daniel Bard and then Jonathan Papelbon to end the game. But Francona opted to keep Buchholz in the game, and the forever-underachieving BJ Upton hit a game-tying homer.
It is standard that in a tie game on the road, you don’t bring in your closer. However, in a situation like Saturday night, you have to put all of your bullets out there. It should’ve been Papelbon, and not Scott Atchison out there in the bottom of the 10th. Atchison of course served up the game-winning homer to Dan Johnson. Yet another walk-off Red Sox loss.
Terry Francona made the wrong decisions on Saturday and deserves to be criticized for it. But the bigger picture encompasses more than just Francona mismanaging the bullpen.
Why did Francona leave out Buchholz with over 100 pitches under his belt? Why was Scott Atchison on the mound in the most important game of the year to that date? He made those decisions because he’s boxed into a corner. If it wasn’t Atchison in the 10th, it would’ve been Manny Delcarmen or Hideki Okajima. Daniel Bard is the only reliable set-up man on the team, so Francona has to use him somewhat judiciously.
The bullpen has been a gaping hole on the team all year long, and the Front Office has failed to address it. Chad Qualls pitched the top of the 10th for Tampa Bay. Qualls and Kerry Wood aren’t world-beaters, but they’re options. Both of them could have been had at the trade deadline last month. The Red Sox Front Office opted to stand pat, and that’s why you had Scott Atchison out there in the 10th. There really was nobody else to turn to.
The Red Sox ownership hasn’t put in any significant money into this team since opening day. With all of the injuries, and the gaping hole in the bullpen, they’ve combed the waiver wire. They haven’t looked to upgrade the team; a team that was a legitimate playoff contender up until arguably this past Sunday.
With reports of the Red Sox not wanting to go over the luxury tax, and John Henry stating earlier this month it would “take a miracle to reach the postseason,” it is fair to ask if the Front Office abandoned this team.
Speaking of fair, isn’t it fair to ask John Lackey to carry the team on his back? They pay him over 16 million dollars per year to win games, not just “keep the Red Sox competitive.” Lackey and Josh Beckett have prohibited the Red Sox from going on extended winning streaks.
Blame injuries for this lackluster 2nd half. But the Red Sox’s problems run deeper than that.
With the Yankees continuing to have major problems with their starting rotation, and the Rays’ proclivity to go through offensive slumps, the division could have been winnable if the Red Sox upgraded the bullpen and if Lackey and Beckett earned their money.
But those things haven’t happened. It’s becoming naive to think they’ll happen now.
Alex Reimer is the host of the Red Sox podcast, “Without a Curse.” “Without a Curse” is available on both www.thesportsstuff.com and in the iTunes store. Alex is also the host of “The Alex Reimer Show,” which airs Saturday’s from 12-1 PM EST on 1120 AM WBNW Boston and www.moneymattersradio.net. Alex can be reached at, Alexredsox076@aol.com.
by Joshua Kummins
MANCHESTER, New Hampshire (Saturday, August 28, 2010) – In a game featuring the Eastern League Pitcher of the Year and an unbeaten starter, you would expect a low-scoring affair. That was not the case on Saturday at Merchantsauto.com Stadium as Blake Maxwell and the Portland Sea Dogs out dueled the New Hampshire Fisher Cats, 5-2.
Maxwell remained unblemished at Double-A this season, allowing five hits and two runs over 5.2 innings.
Both pitchers got off to strong starts in the first inning as Drabek threw a 1-2-3 first inning for the Fisher Cats, while Maxwell got out of the first on just one hit. New Hampshire shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria lined a single off the glove of third baseman Ray Chang for a one-out single.
Drabek allowed a leadoff walk to designated hitter Ryan Lavarnway, but settled in and a flyout and a double play ball by catcher Luis Exposito to end the threat. Maxwell allowed just a two-out walk to left fielder Callix Crabbe in the bottom of the second.
In the third, Portland left fielder Jorge Padron singled to center and the two runners were cut down behind Drabek, the recently named Eastern League Pitcher of the Year, to end the inning. Maxwell worked around a single to Hechavarria and hitting right fielder Adam Calderone as he got a little help from his defense in the bottom of the third. Right fielder Chih-Hsien Chiang made a great play, running at least ten feet to his left to track down a sure hit from center fielder Darin Mastroianni for the second out.
Drabek retired the top three batters in Portland’s order to begin the fifth inning, including striking out two of the Red Sox’ top young prospects: shortstop Jose Iglesias and first baseman Anthony Rizzo to end the inning. Catcher Matt Liuzza hit a one-out single, but was caught stealing on an inning-ending strikeout double play.
The first sign of trouble for the Fisher Cats came in the top of the fifth inning when Drabek walked the first two batters of the inning, Lavarnway and Chang, before inducing another double play ball to Exposito. With two out, Padron walked and center fielder Che-Hsuan Lin struck out to end the threat. Maxwell came back with a very brisk 1-2-3 inning on two groundouts and a strikeout.
Drabek had some constructive criticism for his game, saying “It’s no fun walking people, so it could have been a lot better and I’ll have to work on it.” David Purcey came in to relieve Drabek after five, one-hit innings. Purcey is currently on a rehab assignment from Toronto and has been sidelined since August 12 with a sprained right foot.
Things unraveled for the Fisher Cats in the sixth inning as they scored four runs off relievers Purcey and Trystan Magnuson. Purcey loaded the bases with two outs on singles by Chiang and second baseman Nate Spears and a walk to Lavarnway. Chiang and Spears scored on a two-run single to right field by Chang, while Exposito drove in two on a single to left field. Padron ended the inning with a fielder’s choice.
Maxwell came into the sixth inning with a large cushion behind him and struggled as well. After striking out Hechavarria, he allowed a single to Calderone and then he came around to score on a two-run home run to right-center field (20) by first baseman David Cooper. Manager Arnie Beyeler booted him with two outs in the inning after 5.2 innings. Eammon Portice came in and struck out catcher Matt Liuzza to end the inning.
Radio voice Bob Lipman noted to reporters in the press box that with Cooper’s 20th home run, the Fisher Cats have three 20-home run hitters for the first time in franchise history (joining outfielder Eric Thames and infielder Shawn Bowman).
Portland came back with another run in the seventh inning on a Nate Spears one-out RBI double to left field. Chiang, who singled, came home to score on the play. Fisher Cats left fielder Callix Crabbe robbed another hit and run from Rizzo on a diving catch to end the inning. Portice came back on to pitch for the ‘Dogs, allowing a one-out single to second baseman Jonathan Diaz and a two-out knock to Mastroianni.
Magnuson came back in to retire the heart of the Sea Dog lineup on a groundout, flyout, and strikeout. Portice came back with a 1-2-3 inning of his own, recording flyout between two whiffs.
Alan Farina came in to pitch the ninth for the Fisher Cats and induced groundouts to the bottom of the Portland order, each to a different infield position. Daniel Turpen relieved Portice and earned his first save of the season, retiring the first three batters he faced.
During the game, the Fisher Cats clinched a playoff spot as Reading lost their game against Binghamton. “They’ve played hard all year,” said manager Luis Rivera. “We’ll celebrate when we win and when the time is right.”
The game was played in front of a crowd of 8,476 fans, which ranks third all-time in Fisher Cats history. A John Smoltz rehab in May 2009 and the 2008 Eastern League All-Star Game hold the top two slots in franchise records.
By: Alex Reimer
Our worst fears have been proven to be true. The rumors that the Florida Marlins, and other supposed “small market” teams pocket revenue sharing money and don’t reinvest it to the on-field product are a reality.
Several financial documents of MLB teams were leaked to “Deadspin” this week, and the findings are disgusting (not in a good way kids).
The Pittsburgh Pirates haven’t recorded a winning season since 1992. Their payroll barely scratches 40 million dollars. However, they had an operating income of 14 million dollars in 2008 and 16 million dollars in 2007. Big money? Hardly. But enough money to invest far more than they do on their team? Absolutely.
A lot of these teams now generate profits as a result of revenue sharing. But the purpose of revenue sharing was for small-market teams to receive more funds to invest in free agency, draft picks, etc. It wasn’t meant for teams to spend half on the team, and then keep the other half of it under wraps. Because then, it essentially becomes the billionaire owners of the large market teams giving to the billionaire owners of small to mid-market teams.
The most egregious example of all this is the Marlins. The Marlins were urged by Major League Baseball this past offseason to spend more money on their roster. This is a team that featured a 14 million dollar payroll in 2006! A dozen players in baseball made more individually than the entire Marlins’ team did collectively that year.
In 2008, the Marlins had an operating income of around 29 million dollars. Owner Jeffrey Loria has long insisted that they “break even.” Not even close.
As Jeff Passan of Yahoo! Sports has pointed out, the Marlins by lying about their profits have cheated the Miami-Dade Country taxpayers out of over 1 billion dollars. They insisted that they needed public funding for their stadium. The city agreed to it, but with an operating income of nearly 30 million dollars, the Marlins could have kicked in way more money for their new stadium than they did.
These fraudulent owners are no better than the frauds on Wall St. They lie to their fans and don’t bring in players. They do this so they can put more money into their pockets.
A baseball team is not a business. It is an extension of a business. The bottom line isn’t the only concern. A big concern should be the on-field product. The Marlins, Pirates, and other teams have neglected the on-field product portion for far too long.
These reports add fuel to the argument that baseball shouldn’t instill a salary cap but instead should instill a salary floor. At the very least, insist that all revenue sharing be used to cover the team in some way.
No longer should small-market baseball team owners cry poverty and have people believe them. The jig is up.
Alex Reimer is the host of the Red Sox podcast, “Without a Curse.” “Without a Curse” is available on both www.thesportsstuff.com and in the iTunes store. Alex is also the host of “The Alex Reimer Show,” which airs Saturday’s from 12-1 PM EST on 1120 AM WBNW Boston and www.moneymattersradio.net. Alex can be reached at, Alexredsox076@aol.com.
UFC makes a stop at TD Garden in Boston on Saturday night for the first time in history (10 p.m., PPV)
By Matt Serocki
The UFC can add Boston to the list of places it has graced.
Tonight at 10 p.m. on PPV, UFC 118 hits TD Garden in Boston for the first time.
The Co-Main Event features two showdowns with completely different implications.
UFC Hall of Famer Randy “the Natural” Couture (18-10) will try to put to rest the “Boxing vs. MMA” debate as to which sport is superior when he fights former Heavyweight champion James “Lights Out” Toney (0-0).
Toney feels his heavy hands and his boxing skills will be more effective in the Heavyweight (265 lbs) match-up whereas Couture and MMA backers would champion the multitude of disciplines as being superior.
The debate has also heightened as the UFC and MMA have grown exponentially over the last decade and a half while boxing is still mired in controversy with promoting and lack of competition problems.
The other main attraction features a re-match from UFC 112 between Lightweight champion Frankie Edgar (12-1) and the former champion, BJ Penn (15-6-1).
Edgar shocked the world when he picked up the unanimous decision victory over the usually dominant Penn.
Penn has promised to come back with a vengeance, and anyone who has seen “the Prodigy” fight knows that he backs his words up all the time.
The card also features a local flavor of sorts.
Kenny Florian (13-4) of Brookline (now fighting out of Westwood) takes on Gray Maynard (9-0) in a lightweight (155 lbs) bout that just may determine the next contender for whomever emerges from the night with the Lightweight title.
Florian has already lost to Penn by submission, but has beaten the likes of Clay Guida and Takanori Gomi as of late.
Maynard is 9-0 and is one of the best lightweights in the world.
Another lightweight bout features Massachusetts’ own Joe Lauzon (18-4) against England’s Gabe Ruediger (17-5).
As is typical with the UFC, several local fighters are usually booked when an event takes place in a certain city, so fans in Boston will surely be routing heavily for Florian, Lauzon, and even Maine’s Marcus “the Irish Hand Grenade” Davis (16-6), who fights Nate Diaz (11-5) in a Welterweight (170 lbs) showdown.
FIGHT CARD
CO-MAIN EVENT:
Lightweight (155 lbs) Championship:
Champion Frankie Edgar vs. BJ Penn
Heavyweight (265 lbs)
Randy Couture vs. James Toney
MAIN CARD
Middleweight (185 lbs)
Demian Maia (11-2) vs. Mario Miranda (10-1)
Lightweight (155 lbs)
Kenny Florian vs. Gray Maynard
Welterweight (170 lbs)
Marcus Davis (16-6) vs. Nate Diaz
PRELIMINARY CARD
Lightweight (155 lbs)
Joe Lauzon vs Gabe Ruediger
Lightweight (155 lbs)
Nik Lentz (19-3-1) vs. Andre Winner (11-3-1)
Middleweight (185 lbs)
Dan Miller (11-4) vs. John Salter (5-1)
Welterweight (170 lbs)
Nick Osipczak (5-1) vs. Greg Soto (7-1)
Welterweight (170 lbs)
Mike Pierce (11-2) vs. Amilcar Alves (11-1)
Brazil
Matt Serocki is a Blogger for Boston Sports U18. He is also a Sports Correspondent for The MetroWest Daily News. He can be reached via email at mattser82@yahoo.com.
by Joshua Kummins
The 17th annual Oldtime Baseball Game was a rousing success again as hundreds of fans packed St. Peter’s Field in Cambridge for a glimpse of local college players wearing old-fashioned woolen uniforms.
It was a great night for baseball dedicated to a worthy cause, the Marley Jaye Cherella Memorial Fund for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. Proceeds from the game will be used to support the research of Dr. Hannah Kinney at Boston Children’s Hospital, while another part of the donation will go to the C2 Mission, which benefits children and families affected by cerebral palsy and cystic fibrosis.
Fans were also treated to a pre-game ceremony celebrating the life of former Red Sox minor league pitcher Greg Montalbano, who played at Northeastern and played in the Oldtime Baseball Game in 1997 and 1998. Montalbano, a Westborough native who was named Red Sox Minor League Pitcher of the Year in 2001, died of cancer last summer at the age of 31.
The first Greg Montalbano Award was also presented prior to Thursday night’s game. The award will be given to a former player in the Oldtime Baseball Game who best exemplifies Montalbano’s spirit, competitiveness and good nature.
It was only fitting that one his Huskies teammates and fellow Game participants was chosen for the first award in his honor. Todd Korchin was presented with the first-ever Greg Montalbano Award by Game committee member and Northeastern alum Ben Weiss. A Stoughton native, Korchin, played with Montalbano at Northeastern for three spring seasons and played in the Oldtime Baseball Game from 1997-2001, earning MVP honors in 2000. Korchin honored his late friend by wearing the 1926 St. Louis Cardinals uniform that Montalbano wore in the 1998 game.
Former Major League third baseman Mike Pagliarulo and Red Sox pitcher Bill Monbouquette were guest managers for the contest, while former Oldtime Game skippers, Red Sox legend Johnny Pesky and former Cubs shortstop Lennie Merullo, a Boston native, were on hand.
“Framingham Lou” Merloni had two hits, including an RBI single in the fourth inning to lead the home team, sponsored by Bejoian Family Trust, to a 9-2 win over the away team, sponsored by Abbott Financial.
James Greeley (Mass. College of Liberal Arts) started for the home team, pitching three shutout innings and hitting a two-run single in the first inning. He became the first player in The Game’s history to win the MVP award twice as he won the award in 2006 while playing at Newton North.
There were two home runs hit in the game, one by each team. In the seventh inning, catcher Ben Lima (Quinsigamond C.C.) hit a two-run home run to center field as the final scoring for the home squad. Pitcher Alex Torres (Suffolk) led off the ninth inning with a solo home run to right-center field for the second away team run.
A little taste of the old days was on display in Cambridge and a great time was had by all. Don’t forget to mark the date on your calendars for 2011!
By Eddie Pannone
September call-ups are almost here. Even with all the players Pawtucket has up in Boston, there are still plenty of PawSox players that will be called up. Here are some names to keep an eye out for.
Josh Reddick
At the All-Star break, PawSox outfielder Josh Reddick wasn’t looking like the highly rated prospect he was. He was flirting with the Mendoza line for much of that time period, striking out a ton. He was dropped from the lead off spot to the 6th spot in the line up as well. But Reddick has really turned his season around post All-Star break. He’s batting .370 with 7 HR, 18 RBI, and 47 hits in the second half of the season, regaining his spot at the top of the line up. He has already received two call-ups in 2010, and it’s almost certain that the red hot Reddick will be in Boston for the stretch run.
Dustin Richardson
Reliever Dustin Richardson is another PawSox player that you can count on seeing in Boston. The lefty has been up and down all season and has enjoyed success at both levels. When Richardson was most recently sent down, Red Sox management told him that he would have a spot when the rosters expanded. His performance is certainly deserving of a call-up, so expect to see him coming out of the bullpen in September.
Robert Manuel
Clearly, Robert Manuel has been Pawtucket’s most consistent pitcher this year. Out of the pen this year, he is 7-2 with a 1.67 ERA. He has been very versatile. He’s a guy that can shut the door in the 9th, as shown with his 11 saves. He is also someone who can go multiple innings, sometimes even 3 innings. Obviously, Manuel will not be closing games for the Red Sox, but he would be a solid middle reliever. He has already received the call-up this year, and it would be very surprising to me if he didn’t get promoted.
Bubba Bell
Bubba Bell has never been called up to the major leagues. But he is very deserving of a promotion. Starting out the year, Bell didn’t even have a starting job with the likes of McDonald, Reddick, and Nava in the outfield. But when McDonald got the call, Bell really took advantage. He is currently batting .305 and was the lone PawSox player on the All-Star team. Bell is also a solid outfielder, with an above average arm. He has done all he can to earn a spot in Boston, so we’ll see if Boston will give him the chance he deserves.
Jeremy Hermida
Jeremy Hermida got off to a slow start when he was demoted to Pawtucket. He has since bounced back and is hitting .304 with 2 HR and 9RBI. He is someone who has much major league experience, and he would seem like someone who would get called up. But there is one thing that makes me think Boston doesn’t want him. He was designated for assignment even though he had minor league options. This move took him off the 40 man roster. If they had intended to use him in September, I don’t get why they would DFA him. This being said, I still think that Hermida will find his way onto the team.
Carlos Delgado
Delgado was signed to give Boston more 1B/DH depth. The plan was for Delgado to play for Pawtucket until September 1st, getting back into game shape after his hip surgery. However, Delgado has struggled for Pawtucket, hitting only .231 with no homeruns. Add on to that his trip to the DL with a hip injury and things do not look good for Delgado.
Along with these names, here are some players that could get the call when rosters expand.
C Dusty Brown- time with BOS in 2009, 2010
RP Fernando Cabrera- time with BOS in 2009, 2010, 17 SV for PAW
RP Fabio Castro- time with BOS, PHI, TEX
RP Robert Coello- moved to bullpen after success as starter
C Gustavo Molina-time with BOS, NYM, BAL, CHW
INF Gil Velazaquez- called up each of his last two seasons
RP Rich Hill-time with BAL, CHC
INF Ryan Shealy- time with BOS, KC, 15HR in 2010
INF Niuman Romero- called up by BOS earlier this year
In PawSox rehab news, pitcher Hideki Okajima has begun his rehab assignment, so far appearing in 2 games. His ERA is 27.00, but that is a little deceiving. His first outing was very good, giving up 1 hit in 1 IP. His next outing was terrible, giving up 4R on 4H in 0.1 IP. He will pitch again on the 25th and will be reevaluated. Catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia will soon begin his rehab with Pawtucket, trying to recover from a leg infection. Catcher Jason Varitek will also begin his rehab soon, but the time table is unclear for a return. All three will likely be activated after September 1st, when rosters expand.
by Joshua Kummins
Johnny Damon has just told the Detroit media he is staying in Detroit. Sports Illustrated baseball reporter Jon Heyman reported yesterday that Johnny was claimed off waivers by the Red Sox. He is now expected to continue to be a regular player in the Detroit lineup.
“I love playing with these guys and I want to finish with them,” Damon said earlier. “We always talk about winning as a team and losing as a team. I’ve enjoyed my time here and I want to finish it out.”
Damon had said earlier that both Tampa Bay and the Yankees had interest in him according to his sources. The Rays seemed to be the most intriguing to him since he lives in Orlando. Damon said he had not had any contact from the Red Sox on whether they wanted him or whether they were merely trying to block him to Tampa Bay.
Now that Damon has rejected the deal, he can not be placed in waivers the remainder of the year.
The Red Sox were then successful in trying to block him from going to Tampa Bay.
By Joshua Kummins
Sports Illustrated baseball reporter Jon Heyman reported yesterday that Johnny Damon has been claimed off waivers by the Red Sox.
He played with Boston from 2002-2005, before spending the past four full seasons with the Yankees and this season in Detroit.
There are now three options for the Tigers until a decision has to be made on Wednesday afternoon. They may take him back, make a trade with the Red Sox, or let him go for no return.
Damon’s contract has a clause requiring him to approve a trade to all but eight teams on a list. The Yankees and Rays are on that list, the Red Sox are not. So Damon could seek financial incentive to approve the deal.
He spoke with reporters yesterday in Detroit and was not shy about the decision to leave:
“It’s probably as tough of a decision for me to make right now as it was for me to leave Boston for New York. It’s something that, fortunately, we have some time to think about,” he said.
“At this moment, I’m not sure I want to leave Detroit for that. I enjoy playing here. I enjoy the kids I’m playing for, the coaching staff. But obviously, Terry Francona is amazing. But it’s something that I’m going to have think long and hard over.
“I had a great time playing there. But I think once it was apparent that I wasn’t a necessity to re-sign there, it started to get ugly. And that’s why I’ve got to think long and hard. I have to think if they do have a strong chance to make the playoffs with the guys beat up there. I have to think long and hard if I’m going to once again be probably one of the nicest guys in baseball, but be once again the most hated guy in baseball. That’s what it boils down. You guys see how I get booed in every ballpark already.”
“The only reason why I would be considering it is to help out this team in the future. I love the Tigers organization, and I love the fact that they’re up-front and honest. If somehow they can get a good prospect back, a player that can help this team in the future, it would be beneficial for them. I would like to remain a Tiger, so I think that’s why these next hours are pretty important.”
By: Alex Reimer
Rogers Clemens didn’t have to tell the truth. He just had to tell some semblance of the truth. All he had to say was that he took steroids to recover from an injury, or that he felt pressured and only experimented for a “few years.” He even could have said that he “didn’t want to talk about the past.” But Clemens didn’t do any of that. He blatantly lied.
For Andy Pettitte, Alex Rodriguez, and others who have shown the least bit of remorse about their steroid use, the storm has been weathered. A-Rod’s march to 600 home runs was slightly dampened by his involvement with steroids, but his life goes on. He’s still the highest paid player in the game. He still goes out with A-list movies stars.
Mark McGwire is now an employee of Major League Baseball. He may wrongly never get admitted into the Hall of Fame, but he’s still a legend in St. Louis and is the Cardinals’ hitting coach.
Roger Clemens’ trail for perjury could have all been avoided if he didn’t continue to insist on hiding behind a false persona of innocence. It’s okay to lie to the media and okay to lie to the fans. Just don’t request a hearing and lie to the federal government.
This is going to get ugly for Clemens and ugly for baseball. Not necessarily because that Clemens could be found guilty, either. A lot of people are underestimating how much a great defense team is worth (hello OJ Simpson). The “Texas Conman” has come this far. He isn’t turning back without a fight.
In this trial, all statistics which compare Clemens to other pitchers, pieces of evidence that seem so fool proof in baseball circles will be dismissed in the court of law. All of that is circumstantial. The argument will be, “so he had a good year. So what?” When you can’t then compare that season to other pitchers in their late 30’s, there isn’t an irrefutable answer to the question.
Brian McNamee kept the syringes with Clemens’ DNA in a Miller Lite can for 7 years. Any elite DNA expert could poke holes through that.
This will essentially come down to Andy Pettitte’s word against Clemens’. Unless Pettitte recorded the conversation in which Clemens said he used steroids, it’s going to be very hard to find that “smoking gun.”
Roger Clemens has a good shot at getting off the hook. But like the Rick Pitino trail, it doesn’t matter whether he’s guilty or innocent.
We’re going to relive the whole “steroids era.” Roger Clemens is going to be dragged through the mud, and thus baseball is going to be as well.
Baseball should be beyond giving any steroids-related topic a second thought. There was definitely a steroids era, there are likely multiple steroids users already in the Hall of Fame, and that’s just the way it is. Vote for the best players to get into the Hall of Fame, and compare players to their peers. What is with this obsession of comparing players who play now to players who played 60 years ago?
Football is rampant with steroid use. But the football writers don’t hold up the “sanctity of the game” and the commissioner doesn’t get on his high horse and comment on the topic.
Brian Cushing won the Defensive Rookie of the Year award. He tested positive for steroids. The football writers re-voted, and gave him the award anyway. Why get yourself into this mess of “playing God” and determining who’s clean and who isn’t? Just vote for the best players, and get on with your life.
This Roger Clemens trail shouldn’t be news. But it will be, because some still don’t want to call a spade a spade.
If baseball and people associated with the game didn’t continue to vehemently downplay the affect of steroids on the game, nothing would get ugly for them here.
The evidence is conclusive that there was a steroids era in baseball. Just like it is that Clemens used steroids. But in a court of law, conclusive evidence may not be enough to convict. However, in the court of public opinion, it’s more than enough. By continuing to fight steroid allegations, baseball, Clemens, and everybody else are doing themselves no good.
Alex Reimer is the host of the Red Sox podcast, “Without a Curse.” “Without a Curse” is available on both www.thesportsstuff.com and in the iTunes store. Alex is also the host of “The Alex Reimer Show,” which airs Saturday’s from 12-1 PM EST on 1120 AM WBNW Boston and www.moneymattersradio.net. Alex can be reached at, Alexredsox076@aol.com.
Mass Elite AAU Basketball will be offering a competative Fall AAU program for players looking continue to advance and develop their games heading into their winter travel basketball seasons. Participants on a Fall AAU team will compete in a rigorous pre-season training program which is guaranteed to have maximum results for players who participate.
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*The opportunity to play in a program that has earned much respect from local town travel programs, high school coaches and NCAA coaches.
*Access to some of the most sucessfull coaches in the region. Our coaches have considerable coaching experience at the AAU and High School levels.
Tryouts will be held beginning in late August. Players are expected to attend a two-day evaluation so that he or she can be properly evaluated. Teams will be offered at the 10U-16U levels for both male and female players. Tryout dates/times for each age group have been listed onto the Mass Elite website located at www.eteamz.com/maelite. To register for tryouts or if you any questions about the Mass Elite Fall AAU program or the try out procedure please do not hesitate to contact epolli@mail.masselite.org. If there are questions pertaining to Girls AAU please contact Coach Coughlin at jcoughlin@mail.masselite.org. The Mass Elite website can be found at http://www.masselitebasketball.com
