rician blast

Agree 100%...each of these players was on my list of posted suspects at some point.

Teixeira's signing was some time ago, but perhaps there was a timing issue involved. The Yankees post-season shopping spree is still fresh enough that it was probably a great time to make the point. Again, I don't buy into the sour grapes ******** beyond the fact that the Yankees spending means the Sox HAVE to spend more in order to compete...and this means that the Sox owners can not maximize profits/maximize their ROI as they'd like if they want to compete. Looked at another way, the Sox have been doing a much better job than the Yankees in recent years of running an organization, but the Yankees spending negates some of the hard work the Red Sox are doing.

Graffanino or Loretta? Kind of like debating whether to jerk off lefty or righty...either way you're getting it done, but it ain't anywhere close to the real thing.

This ain't over by a long shot. The cousin has been identified and they'll start working on him. They'll find some dirt on him or one of his friends or relatives. They'll use that to strongarm him into revealing more information or get him to slip up...disclose some other name(s), and someone will be willing to talk. http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3920425 From link above: According to the official in charge of the agency which regulates pharmaceutical drugs in the Dominican Republic, Primobolan was not available for legal purchase, over-the-counter or with a prescription in his country between 2001 and 2003. Dr. Pia Veras, who oversees the regulatory agency, told ESPNdeportes.com that Primobolan is known as "boli" in the streets of Dominican Republic, and was not legal for purchase during the aforementioned years. "What Alex Rodriguez stated at the press conference [in Tampa] doesn't make sense," Veras said. "It is important for us to clarify that such substance has not been registered and is not currently registered for legal sale in Dominican pharmacies -- not now and the same applies for the years 2001 to 2003." A representative of Rodriquez's disputed the accuracy of the ESPNDeportes.com report. They're already digging into the cousins life...apparently they've identified the cousin's personal trainer...my hunch is that they'll go talk to this guy, dig on him, find some dirt and see if he'll disclose anything he knows about ARod's drug use. http://deadspin.com/5156385/meet-a+rods-cousins-trainer Oh wait..this just in...apparently the New York Daily NEws reports that ARod was accompanied by a steroid-linked trainer during ALL of 2007. This trainer was banned by every MLB ballpark after having been found with a gym bag containing steriods and pins. link: http://ballhype.com/article/a_rod_linked_to_steroid_trainer_in_2007_according_to/ Not over by a long shot...this mother f***er just may be going down. EDIT: Here is the NYDN link. http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/yankees/2009/02/19/2009-02-19_arods_pal_the_tainted_trainer_steroidlin.html

Not ashamed to admit that your point has been missed by me. Care to explain?

True BS21 and I suspect that's a big part of why they signed him...it's a feel good story at the least, and maybe he brings a little magic to the squad.

It's not a "bitch" by Henry it is simply a statement as to the state of the game now and, more imortantly, where the game may be headed. The very mention of "sour grapes" being his motivation is a bit insulting to the man, and you'd have to be deaf, dumb, blind and a Yankee fan to think his point doesn't have merit...actually he's being quite factual. Plus, when you consider that the Sox ARE a team that benefits from the current system, how could it be sour grapes? As a businessman, Henry would seek to maximize profits. As a BB team owner, he seeks to win. What the current system does NOT allow in many cases is for a FO to balance those two ends. Sour grapes? Nope. Bitching? No. Frustration that he's got to spend $130m to compete within the division or win a wild card because the Yankees, a franchise not currently run as well as the Red Sox, spend $200m+ ? Yup, that dog'll hunt.

Actually I feel for you, Bobby Jr. Even though the lack of a cap allows the Sox to gain an advantage over other teams...i.e. the Sox spent more $ than all but 3 teams last year...it's got to suck to be pretty sure you have no chance each year. Despite the Sox spending, you are correct to focus on the Yankees...if the 500lb. gorilla wasn't spending $200m+ per year, would the Sox be in the range of $130m? Would Toronto be at $100m? Probably not. In 2000, the Orioles were 3rd in MLB payroll at $83m. In 2008 they were 22nd at $67m. While there are likely a host of reasons for their P/R decline, part of it, I'm sure, is that they're not going to go out and spend another $30-$40m to finish in third place...the 500 lb Gorilla has seen to it that, with the exception of relatively few years (like the Rays 2008 campaign) you can't compete in the AL East being outspent by $100m. A cap (I'm being totally arbitrary here) that set team payrolls within a range, say, from $50m to $100m would result in a hell of a lot more parity than the current system. While it would HURT the Sox, IMO, I'm ok with it...I think the Sox would place those resources into scouting and player development and remain successful.

To be honest I'm not sure how much the addition of Griffey will help the M's. To me it is more window dressing than anything...an emotional homecoming kind of thing. That said I would like to see him have a very productive season, although I suspect he'll be quite average. Here's a part of a write-up done on a Mariner's site http://ussmariner.com/2009/02/13/projecting-new-mariner-griffeys-offense/: Let me start with the obvious stuff, and then get into refinements. Over the last three years, Griffey’s averaged 132 games a season, 482 at-bats, and put up about a .260/.350/.470 line, which is a little over league average but not that good for a corner outfielder (2008 AL LFers hit .271/.350/.453, NL .267/.336/.430). His speed on the basepaths is entirely gone now, along with any remnant of defensive value. So the team’s not going to get any value out of sticking him left part-time. And as we’ve mentioned before, left-handed pitchers have owned him for years. You really don’t want him out there against southpaws if there’s any way to avoid it (last year, he hit .202/.299/.350). There’s good news there, though. Here’s his split v. RHP for the last three years 2006: .278/.346/.523 2007: .300/.402/.540 2008: .272/.379/.462 That’s where you want to get your value: 400 or so quality plate appearances against right-handed pitching. The write-up is somewhat amateur, but it makes sense...the guy will be 39 this year and IMO can't be expected to bring a helluva lot to the table.

Huh? "Dece"...does that mean decent? Not breaking your balls, I am just curious. See I'm not down wit dat lingo, yo, although I do know that Pedroia is fukkin dank.

Anyone see any clips of Sean Avery with the Hartford Wolfpack? The guy is up to his old tricks...skates through the crease, pokes the goalie, stands in front as a shot comes in and "bumps" the goalie, taking off the goalies mask and when challenged he pushes, but won't fight. What a fkn douchebag...I'd NEVER be able to live with myself if I were him...there's this thing called pride that burns in most of us but Avery so easily stuffs down his pride to play this "role"...I just don't get it. Now I know someone will say "he's very effective at that role, and he gets paid well to do it, and blah fkn blah"' but I'm sorry I'd have to forego the money if it meant playing cheap-ass hockey. Too bad, cuz he actually has some skill. All this said...wonder if the Rangers will call him up????

sick goal, the bets part was the spin move near the blue line and the acceleration to blow by the D-man. I enjoy watching him, this kid just loves to play the game.

exactly my sarcastic point about Damon...I believe he juiced.

Should we rename this thread? Perhaps: "ARod Tested Positive for Being a f***ing Liar"

The Mets/Phillies thing is a joke. When Hamels made his now infamous comment, it was really kind of baited by the reporter...he lead Hamels down that line then kind of said "would you say they choked" and Hamels hesitated and said "well yeah until they beat us I guess they're chokers." The media has portrayed it differently in order to sell papers and the players are stupid enough to buy into it and make comments back.

I'm sure he knows them all already...he did play with Derek Lowe last year and we know Lowe's exploits were legend in and around the hub.

Heard the Damon comments. I knew he was an idiot but didn't know he was this f***ing stupid. Wow, he came across like a real neanderthal. One thing though...when he said he doesn't condone steroids I was a bit taken back because I kind of had him pegged as a 'roid user around 2003-2004. Now he wouldn't say that if he had used, would he?

Gee, I really hope this doesn't become such a distraction that ARod can't perform in the clutch. bwahahahahahahaha.

f*** Bowa...he still can't let go of a play in the 1977 NLCS where Davey Lopes was called safe (top of the ninth), allowing the Dodgers to tie Philly and win it in extra innings. Says Bowa: "I know Davey says let it go. But he was out," said Bowa, who also managed the Phillies. "He knows he was out, and he can go look at that all day. One hundred thousand times he was out." I love when Lopes came back and said it took 3 games to win that series (Dodgers won 3-1) and the Phillies failed to capture another game after winning game one in LA. He asked something like "so you're telling me after that play the Phillies gave up? One play in 4 games is what cost them the series? They just got beat by a better team." Bowa conveniently leaves out that in that fateful inning, Luzinski had an opportunity to catch a long fly ball by Manny Mota but trapped it against the wall...and that the relay was mishandled by Ted Sizemore allowing a run to score and Mota to advance to third on the play. Mota then scored on the Lopes grounder. Selective memory for Bowa...bottom line is the Phillies would have won that game if they didn't f*** up in the ninth...also in the other two losses they got beat 7-1 and 4-1. Bowa is a friggin crybaby.

Nice effort from the B's. Some soft goaltending by Ward didn't hurt. I remember back in the day when Glen Wesley, who couldn't hold Bourque's jock, wanted out because he wanted to be more of a leader on another team...so he played in the mall in HArtford. I actually felt very badly for him, cuz Hartford was a fkn pitiful excuse for an NHL franchise. However, things turned out pretty damn well for Wesley, got himself a cup, got his number retired, not too shabby. By the way, I was at the UCONN - PITT game the other night and I'm looking at the retired Whalers jerseys: Ron Francis - great, great player, classy guy Gordie Howe- no brainer Pie Mackenzie - not there long, but when he made the jump he was a fan favorite Ulf Sammuelson - Are you f***ing kidding me? Cheap shotting, hit and hide Ulfie? Kevin Dineen - The Whalers version of Adam Graves I suppose. But retired number? Please. Under the Whaler's criteria, I suppose the B's would have had to retire the #s of Brad McCrimmon, Don Sweeney, Mike Millbury, Steve Kasper, Rick Middleton, etc. I mean, Kevin Dineen and Ulf Sammuelson? By the way, anyone realize Middleton is the 4th leading B's scorer of all time?

I haven't read all of the prior posts, and don't care to, but here's a thought from the hip...while one of the metrics being discussed here may be more accepted in the stat community, I suppose that so long as ALL players are being evaluated based upon the same criteria, either one would result in a fair comparison of how often some selected players 'K'. Had the discussion gone to this line of thinking, rather than having our much maligned NY poster argue over the inarguable, we'd all have been better off...tremendously less entertained...but better off.

Yet polls show 25% of those responding to the surveys believe him. Gene GRabowski (sp?) was on ESPN this a.m. He is a crisis management guy, a brilliant mind when it comes to PR and as much as he didn't want to bash ARod's handlers, he couldn't hold back. In his opinion they absolutely dropped the ball, and the result will be MORE questions and more digging among investigative reporters. Some of his specific criticism: - Should have held the press conference with ARod in uniform, in front of a dugout, with teammates around, the sound of baseball in the background, the birds singing, etc. - Should have prepared better...Gene thought it was a slap in the face to the fans and to his teammates to be as unprepared as he obviously was. - Should not have read a prepared statement. - If you're going to read a prepared statement, read it like you have some idea of what is ini it...sounded like he had no clue what he was reading. - #1 rule...your job is to answer questions and put an issue to bed...not create more questions and highlight onconsistencies with what you said a week ago. In short, Grabowski thought he had a great opportunity to salvage his reputation but has simply dug himself a bigger hole. I'm with those here who say the right course of action is to say "I used testosterone and methenelone during that time period. They weren't banned at the time, and I used them to get stronger, faster, heal quicker, perform at the highest level possible. They are banned now and I do not use them, nor do I need them. Yes I cheated to gain an edge and that is unfair to the fans and to my teammates and opponents who chose not to use PEDs."

The ends justify the means? You're probably representative of a large percentage of fans, regardless of their affiliation. Personally I have never seen professional sports that way. The way they play, the way they conduct themselves has always been important to me. If the shoe were on the other foot and we were talking about Ortiz, regardless of the outcome of the season I'd still be disgusted if he handled the issue by telling half-truths and insulting the intelligence of fans and teammates. Funny but since I already knew the guy was on the juice, along with perhaps 50% or more of MLB players, the revelation that he'd tested positive was never a big problem for me. But the lieing and evasiveness under the pretense of "coming clean" spoke more about his lack of character than the usage did. But that's your guy, Yankee fans...enjoy.