NATIONAL PASTIME
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Tejada facing jail time for lying
Astros shortstop Miguel Tejada has been under a cloud of suspicion regarding steroid use ever since former Orioles teammate and 500-home run club member Rafael Palmeiro blamed a positive steroid test on a B-12 shot he said Tejada gave him, and his inclusion in the Mitchell Report certainly didn't help matters. Now, just one day after Alex Rodriguez became the biggest-name player in baseball history to come clean about his involvement with performance-enhancing drugs, Tejada has learned that he'll face charges for failing to do so himself.
Does A-Rod read National Pastime?
Probably not, but a lot of the things he said in his interview with ESPN's Peter Gammons on Monday are very similar to what I suggested he should say on Sunday in my post "If I were Alex Rodriguez ...". At the time, I didn't think he'd actually come clean, but, obviously, I believe there's no doubt he made the right decision in doing so. Anyway, check out the similarities. Some of them are pretty striking.
A-Rod comes clean. Now what?
Unlike Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens, Alex Rodriguez decided to come clean and apologize. Just two days after Sports Illustrated reported that he had tested positive for two anabolic steroids in 2003, the three-time MVP admitted Monday in an interview with ESPN's Peter Gammons that he used performance-enhancing drugs while playing for the Texas Rangers. He's given the public and the media what they had demanded from him: an admission and an apology. So where do we go from here?
The curious case of Andruw Jones
The Rangers signed Andruw Jones to a minor league deal on Sunday that will pay him $500,000 if he makes the team and also includes $1 million in potential incentives. In case you were wondering, yes, that is the same Andruw Jones who played in five All-Star games, won 10 Gold Gloves and once hit 51 home runs in a single season for the Braves. The same guy who inked a two-year, $36 million deal with the Dodgers last offseason. Signing a minor league deal. With the Rangers. Wow.
If I were Alex Rodriguez ...
"Ladies and gentlemen, good afternoon, and thank you for being here. This is probably the hardest thing I've ever had to do, so please bear with me. I called this press conference because I wanted to come clean and take full responsibility for my actions. Unfortunately, what you've heard about me is true; I did make the mistake of using steroids several years ago when I was with the Texas Rangers. In doing so, I cheated myself, my friends, my family, the fans, and all the great players who have ever played this game. I'd do anything in the world to undo this regrettable decision, but I can't, and I'm sorry for letting all of you down..."
A-Rod revelation extends Steroid Era
Sports Illustrated, citing "four sources," reported Saturday that Alex Rodriguez tested positive for two anabolic steroids during his MVP season of 2003. When confronted with the allegations by a reporter on Thursday, A-Rod reportedly replied, "You'll have to talk to the union. I'm not saying anything," which translates roughly to "I'm not here to talk about the past." Now, rather than going down as the hero who carried baseball past the Steroid Era, he'll be remembered as the goat who prolonged it.
Nats need patience, not Adam Dunn
Nats fans, still very much on the rebound after being left at the altar by Mark Teixeira, are openly enamored with their new crush. Supporters of the D.C. Nine are desperate for something to get excited about after a 59-102 disaster in 2008, and there's a lot to like about Dunn, who is reportedly seeking a four-year, $56 million deal. But while signing him might appease a restless fan base, it would be a shortsighted move.
Nationals need patience, not Adam Dunn
Nats fans, still very much on the rebound after being left at the altar by Mark Teixeira, are openly enamored with their new crush. Supporters of the D.C. Nine are desperate for something to get excited about after a 59-102 disaster of a season in 2008, and there's a lot to like about Dunn, who is reportedly seeking a four-year, $56 million deal. But while signing him might temporarily appease a restless fan base, it would be a shortsighted move.
Wigginton gives Orioles options
The Orioles have reportedly made their second roster move in the past 24 hours, inking utilityman Ty Wigginton to a two-year, $6 million deal. Versatile in the field, powerful at the plate and good in the clubhouse, the 31-year-old former Met, Pirate, Ray and Astro is the kind of player that any big league team would like to have on its roster.
Hill a worthwhile gamble for O's
The Orioles' acquisition of former Cubs lefty Rich Hill is a terrific low-risk, high-upside gamble. Worst-case scenario, he can't find the plate - the reason the Cubs chose to part ways with him - and the move costs Baltimore a "player to be named later," probably a low-level prospect. On the flip side, if he can return to his 2007 form, the O's will have gotten a potential No. 2 starter at a bargain basement rate.
Steroid Era confronts Cooperstown
Mark McGwire's Hall of Fame candidacy was supposed to serve as the test case for Steroid Era players, but the only real precedent it established is that the Baseball Writers Association of America won't vote to induct a one-dimensional slugger widely believed to have used performance-enhancing drugs during his prime years. However, as the names of McGwire's contemporaries begin to appear on the ballot in the coming years, the BBWAA will be faced with far more nuanced - and perplexing - decisions. The way they collectively choose to view the stars of the Steroid Era and their accomplishments will play a major role in determining this period's place in baseball's long and storied history.
Steroid Era confronts Cooperstown
Mark McGwire's Hall of Fame candidacy was supposed to serve as the test case for Steroid Era players, but the only real precedent it established is that the Baseball Writers Association of America won't vote to induct a one-dimensional slugger widely believed to have used performance-enhancing drugs during his prime years. However, as the names of McGwire's contemporaries begin to appear on the ballot in the coming years, the BBWAA will be faced with far more nuanced - and perplexing - decisions. The way they collectively choose to view the stars of the Steroid Era and their accomplishments will play a major role in determining this period's place in baseball's long and storied history.
Steroid Era confronts Cooperstown
Mark McGwire's Hall of Fame candidacy was supposed to serve as the test case for Steroid Era players, but the only real precedent it established is that the Baseball Writers Association of America won't vote to induct a one-dimensional slugger widely believed to have used performance-enhancing drugs during his prime years. However, as the names of McGwire's contemporaries begin to appear on the ballot in the coming years, the BBWAA will be faced with far more nuanced - and perplexing - decisions. The way they collectively choose to view the stars of the Steroid Era and their accomplishments will play a major role in determining how this period will fit into the long and storied history of baseball.
The best bargain of the winter?
The Yankees, as usual, made headlines this winter with the signings of big-name free agents CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett and Mark Teixeira, but lowly Kansas City may well have made the shrewdest move of the offseason on Monday by inking right-hander Zack Greinke to a four-year, $38 million deal. In doing so, the Royals bought out the emerging ace's first two years of free agency and showed their fans that they're serious about getting the once-proud franchise back on track.
Baseball writers swing and miss
You don't have to be a card-carrying member of the BBWAA to know that Rickey Henderson was a no-brainer in his first year on the ballot, and if Jim Rice had been more accommodating to the media during his playing days he would have been in long ago. Henderson and Rice will be inducted along with the late Joe Gordon - a Veterans Committee selection, and a questionable one at best - but my problem with the 2009 Hall of Fame class lies not with who was included, but who wasn't.
