bobby jr

As an Orioles fan, I'm strongly for a salary cap. I'm so tired of looking at the preseason predictions and seeing the NY Yankees favored to win the AL East. I feel that the other teams in the AL East are at a disadvantage for being in the same division with the 500LB gorilla. The revenues from the new Yankee stadium will only increase the Steinbrenners spending and they will stop at nothing until their team totally dominates MLB. Of course that pretty much has already happened they have been in the playoffs 13 of the last 14 years, and they will continue to buy thier way in until they are stopped.

This just came out today. Not sure if this is posted elsewhere on the forum, but this is big news. http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/29266476/ FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) -Boston Red Sox owner John Henry renewed his call for a salary cap on Wednesday after an offseason in which the New York Yankees added three free agents for $423.5 million.... A salary cap, Lucchino said, is "as inevitable as tomorrow.''.... The Yankees ownership and even major league players might agree to a salary cap, Henry said. "It depends on the overall picture,'' he said. "How does that relate to revenue sharing? We've gone as far as we can go with revenue sharing at this point."

That is a valid point. But even if A-Rod is not taking steroids now he is still benefiting from using them years ago. My personal belief is that he is still juicing, but there is of course no proof.

Has A Rod really come clean? Why haven't his HR totals dropped like Brian Roberts did, when Roberts went off steroids. He went from 18 HR to 9. I would expect A-Rod's HR totals to go from 50 to 25 now that he is "clean", instead he still hammered 50 some HR two years ago. He needed the steroids to be a great hitter in TX, what is different now? All it takes is a designer steroid that can't be detected.

Yeah MLB would be a lot better off without Fehr and Selig too. They have really made a mess of things. As for altering the record book I would have no problem with it. As has been said, in 100 years fans should know that these records were set with the aid of steroids. I wouldn't mind if every record from 1995 through today has an asterisk and the old records are listed ahead of them. As for A-Rod, I suspect he is still on the juice. When other players have gone off (Brian Roberts) their HR totals have been cut in half. A-Rod still hammered 50 some HR two years ago. I'd bet he is just on better stuff now, something like a designer steroid that can't be detected by the testers. He needed the steroids to be a great hitter in Texas and I think he still needs them.

It will never end if one deal falls through the Yankees will get someone else in a money tainted trade or buy a free agent. Until there is a hard salary cap in MLB, the Yankees will continue to make the playoffs based on payroll. 13 straight years and counting. No wonder attendance has dropped in Toronto and Baltimore. The days of fair competition in MLB were far better days for the sport.

Not sure how to get to that link, but from what I have seen in my many years of watching and reading about the game, throughout major league history a very low percentage of pitchers have even been still pitching at Mussina's age, and even fewer have actually shown a vast improvement as they are closing in on 40. (Clemens is one who did, but his records are highly suspect, considering the evidence that he juiced. The pre steroid era was different). Kudos for calling Mussina's resurgance in March, I could have sworn he was finished. (And I wish he were, I have not forgotten how he left the O's to go to the Yankees of all teams)

Last year I kept reading he just didn't have the velocity , I believe his fastball was in the low 80's. This year it is in the upper 80's. But beyond that it is hard for me to believe what I am seeing considering mussina looked completly washed up last year in late July and August and the general thought in MLB was that Mussina was finished. He even got taken out of the rotation by Torre, quite an embarrasment for him.

From looking at numerous pitchers on baseballreference.com, I see very few pitchers in the history of MLB who show such an improvement between age 38 and 39. Mike Mussina's WHIP last year was 1.467, this year it is 1.212. His ERA has dropped from 5.15 to 3.26. What is going on here? I'm not sure that this is entirely due to being "injury free". Gaining velocity and lowering his ERA by two runs a game at age 39?

The details about Clemens and Pettitte is pretty damning evidence http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/2007/12/13/2007-12-13_yankees_clemens_pettitte_among_players_i-2.html According to the report, when Clemens was with the Blue Jays, he asked Brian McNamee, his long-time trainer, to inject him with Winstrol, which Clemens supplied. McNamme knew the substance was Winstrol because the vials Clemens gave him were so labeled, according to the report. Each incident took place in Clemens' apartment at the SkyDome. The report also said he injected Pettitte with human growth hormone that McNamee obtained from former Mets clubhouse attendant Kirk Radomski on two to four occasions.

Shula left the Colts for the Dolphins in '70. The NFL discovered he had talks with the Dolphins while under contract with the Colts, and the Dolphins had to give up their first round draft pick to the Colts the next year. Therefore Shula had a similar penalty for his actions as the Patriots penalty this year. And the 1972 Dolphins record is blemished because they cheated to get their coach if you look at it the way Shula is looking at the Pats 2007 record.

This reminds me of the guy who controlled the air vents at the Metrodome. He later admitted that the year the Twins won the World Series, he used to have the air blowing from home plate towards the outfield when the Twins batted, and when the Braves batted he turned the vents so that the air blew in from the outfield towards home plate. As that was a seven game series, it could well have been decided by his actions.

The referees heavily favored the Colts in this game. Some of the calls (Esp the 2nd long pass intereference call) looked terrible on replay and the announcers should have been harder on the refs than they were. Man did that dome ever get quiet and the end of the game. Bilichick > Dungee.

Tell me about it. The Pirates beat the Orioles in seven games with that stupid song playing in the background "We are Family" by Sister Sledge. Stargell beat us in game seven with a HR off McGregor. (That was a great year for the O's until the World Series. Wild Bill Hagy used to lead cheers in Memorial Stadium and spell out ORIOLES with his body. He passed away earlier this year) .

So much for Rivera's saying that Torre staying would be a big factor in his staying. So be it, I wonder how much he has left anyway.

Very interesting and well researched. I was not aware that so many of Aaron's HR's came at home in '73. You are also on target about his youth being spent in the 2nd "dead ball era" I remember "The Year of the Pitcher" 1968 nobody was hitting that year. This would help explain why Aaron was better after the mound was lowered, etc, in his later years. Two more examples of HOF players who were "good when they were old", what about Carlton Fisk, HOF catcher, he had 37 HR at age 37 while playing for the White Sox, and his youth was spent in Boston with the short left field wall, where presumably he should have hit more HR. And he didn't start his career until the 2nd dead ball era was over. Or Willie Stargell who won the NL MVP at age 39, in 1979. That being said, I am very suspicious about players today who are good into their late 30's and 40's, and that includes certain pitchers. In Canseco's book he said one indication a pitcher was on the juice was when he became better at an age when pitchers historically were washed up. Getting back to A-Rod, I think it's funny that the Yankees have this high and mighty attitude, like how dare he turn their offer down, doesnt' he know that being a Yankee is the essence of greatness, etc. Hank Steinbrenner has come across as being rather arrogant, he needs to get some public relations advice.

I don't know if A-Rod is juicing or not, who knows about anyone these days. But I believe that some HOF players naturally have some of their best years after age 30. Aaron had some of his best career years in his mid to late 30's. At age 37 he hit .327 with 47 HR's.

I know this idea isn't popular in Boston, but I think the Red Sox should make a play for A-Rod. Lowell is popular but can he really be counted on to put on those type of numbers again, and he is no spring chicken. A-Rod and the Green Monster would be a good match, I can imagine the type of stats he would run up with that short left field in Boston.

Torre was overrated as a manager. Any manager in the majors could have made the playoffs with the 200 million Yankee payroll. Torre's best years aas manager were 10 years ago. I don't iknow why he is continuing, he has little to gain at this point. Maybe he thinks he can get A Rod, Mo Rivera and Posada to follow him?

I think you'll be seeing Joe next season managing another team, sounds like he isn't ready for the rocking chair yet. I agree that Torre's best days as a manager were years ago but he apparently does not realize that, or else he is unwilling to get out of the limelight. Steinbrenner's win or else outburst during the Cleveland series did make it difficult for Torre to stay.

I don't care for the Yankees and I was hoping they would keep Torre because he was becoming the Bobby Cox of the AL, always getting into the playoffs and losing. His best years as a manager were 10 years ago. Any manager in the major leagues could likely make the playoffs with that team and that payroll. That being said it is amusing the way Torre threw the Yankees under the bus by rejecting their offer and walking away.

The Guardians are starting a 6-9 pitcher Westbrook in game seven? This one could be over quickily if the Red Sox can get a half decent game from Daisuke.