Alex Rodriguez broke his last record contact of $252 million for 10-years with the Texas Rangers by signing again with the New York Yankees for an astonishing $275 million 10-year agreement. Baseball contracts keep getting ridiculous and A-Rod is not a good post season player. Since coming to New York, he has been a great addition by hitting homers and driving in runs but has not been the key component the Yankees would hope to help them back to the World Series. A-Rod had a chance to go to many other teams but decided to stay with the Yankees. What the Yankees really need is some good pitching and team leadership. Well Jeter is still there at least.
Dec
13
Aaron Rowand has signed a 5-year deal worth 60 million dollars with the San Francisco Giants which gives the team a Gold Glove winning center fielder with decent hitting power. Rowand was part of that Philadelphia Phillies that came back to overtake the Mets and make it to the playoffs in the 2007 season. His numbers for 2007 include 27 homeruns, 89 RBIs, 105 runs, and 6 stolen bases. The signing allows the Giants to either keep Matt Cain and Tim Lincecum or place them back as trading bait.
Dec
13
Miguel Tejada was traded to the Houston Astros for 5 players which is a crazy deal for the Astros who lose outfielder Luke Scott, pitchers Matt Albers, Troy Patton and Dennis Sarfate, and third-base prospect Michael Costanzo. Tejada is good but is not worth that many players and besides his numbers have dropped since his AL MVP. Then there is also the mention of his name in the Mitchell report. Houston has picked up a lot of players in the off season to try to become contenders and Tejada is just one of the puzzle pieces if he works out.
Dec
13
The Mitchell report has made a major impact on baseball and will definitely lead to some changes and even a revolution in the game. For those who do not know what the Mitchell report is, it is an investigative report of over 400 pages that was directed by former Senator George Mitchell into steroid and other performance enhancing drug use in baseball. The report names many names including major players, some still playing, and even managers which could mean anything from suspensions, fines, and asterisk in record books. There could even be ban from participating in MLB altogether as well.
We live in an era of steroids and performance enhancing drugs and these products are used in almost all sports. In a society where you make more money by running faster, throwing harder, and hitting harder, it is not surprising that there are players out there willing to risk their bodies for financial comfort and fame. Jason Giambi and Marion Jones are just two names in the list of many who have been caught in using some sort of growth enhancing drug.
The Mitchell report does not have full hard evidence on every name and case mentioned in it but does provides some great details explaining different players situation and usage. This has lawyers going crazy and screaming for hearsay as there are different ways of interpreting the details of the reports and implications on the players. Past players and present players are all involved in the report and this could create a clash over what is hard core fact and what is possibly just rumors.
Commissioner Bud Selig has commented a little on what his actions will be including a case by case examination of the players mentioned in the report and a handling out judgement per case. Selig also mentioned that the drug testing is working which is quite a joke as players keep passing by and not caught right off the bat. Drug testing is getting better but there needs to be strict standards and hopefully this report will get baseball to this standard. Now lets get to the names of players.
Information Learned During this Investigation Concerning BALCO and Major League Baseball (8 players/ 3 active in MLB in 2007)
Marvin Benard
Barry Bonds
Bobby Estalella
Jason Giambi
Jeremy Giambi
Benito Santiago
Gary Sheffield
Randy Velarde
Information Regarding Purchases or Use of Performance Enhancing Substances by Players in Major League Baseball (53 players/ 18 active in MLB in 2007)
Lenny Dykstra
David Segui
Larry Bigbie
Brian Roberts
Jack Cust
Tim Laker
Josias Manzanillo
Todd Hundley
Mark Carreon
Hal Morris
Matt Franco
Rondell White
Roger Clemens
Andy Pettitte
Chuck Knoblauch
Jason Grimsley
Gregg Zaun
David Justice
F.P. Santangelo
Glenallen Hill
Mo Vaughn
Denny Neagle
Ron Villone
Ryan Franklin
Chris Donnels
Todd Williams
Phil Hiatt
Kevin Young
Mike Lansing
Cody McKay
Kent Mercker
Adam Piatt
Miguel Tejada
Jason Christiansen
Mike Stanton
Stephen Randolph
Jerry Hairston, Jr.
Paul Lo Duca
Adam Riggs
Bart Miadich
Fernando Vina
Kevin Brown
Eric Gagné
Mike Bell
Matt Herges
Gary Bennett, Jr.
Jim Parque
Brendan Donnelly
Chad Allen
Jeff Williams
Howie Clark
Exavier “Nook” Logan
Alleged Internet Purchases of Performance Enhancing Substances By Players in Major League Baseball (16 players, 8 active in MLB in 2007)
Rick Ankiel
Paul Byrd
Jay Gibbons
Troy Glaus
Jose Guillen
Jerry Hairston Jr.
Gary Matthews, Jr.
Scott Schoeneweis
David Bell
Jose Canseco
Jason Grimsley
Darren Holmes
John Rocker
Ismael Valdez
Matt Williams
Steve Woodard
There are many notable names on the list but the major ones include Roger Clemens, Andy Pettitte, Eric Gagné, Kevin Brown, Miguel Tejada, David Justice, Gary Sheffield, and Chuck Knoblauch. The addition of Clemens here is big news as the report mentions his possible use of growth enhancing drugs during his Toronto days as well as his Yankee days. Miguel Tejada was outed by Rafael Palmero with no proof but the report does bring light to his situation. The list goes on with many details on transaction and use of growth enhancing drugs.
The Mitchell report had many recommendations for ways to help baseball and it’s steroid problem. One was the elimination of the 24 warning period before testing which makes sense as it surprises players and does not allow them to find loop holes. Other good recommendations are a hot line for reporting anonymous tip, top draft prospects should be tested prior to the Major League Draft, background investigations of prospective clubhouse personnel, adequate year-round, unannounced drug testing, independent testing, and the Commissioner’s office should require each major and minor league club to establish a system to log every package received for a player at its facilities. These are great recommendations that will definitely help make baseball a cleaner game but getting all the recommendations to pass the union and collective bargaining.
What baseball needs to do is make the punishment more severe. Baseball should be like Singapore where they cane you for spitting gum on the ground. Baseball needs to make suspensions hurt and fines hurt even more. Fine a player up to a million and see how much it hurts the players. Fine teams for having players who use the growth enhancing drugs.
View the full report on ESPN.com at http://assets.espn.go.com/media/pdf/071213/mitchell_report.pdf.
Dec
5
Johan Santana is one of best pitching prospects in the market right now and the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox have been battling to get a trade for him with the Minnesota twins. Neither side has reached the ultimate goal of obtaining the ace pitcher that could give either teams an edge in the rivalry and a big push towards more World Series rings. There have been plenty of rumors including current hot players from both team including John Lester, Jacoby Elsbury, Phil Hughes, and Jaba Chamberlain.
Satana would give a struggling New York bullpen and big boost and would take some pressure of other pitchers. The move would also give the Yankees an ace comparable to the Red Sox’s Josh Beckett who was great during the 2007 season and lights out during the playoffs. For the Red Sox, obtaining Santana would mean one of the best one-two combinations with Beckett and Santana. The Red Sox would still have Daisuke Matsuzaka, Curt Schilling, and Tim Wakefield pitching as well which would make them still one of the best teams in MLB.
No matter who gets Santana, the team will definitely have upgraded in the pitching position. For teams like the Red Sox and Yankees who always seem to hunt the big name players, the difference could mean watching from the sidelines during the playoffs.
Dec
5
The Detroit Tigers have made one of the bigger trades this off season by obtaining slugger Miguel Cabrera and ace pitcher Dontrelle Willis from the Florida Marlins. Detroit fans should be very happy with the trade as it shows the organization is not close to rebuilding but is definitely looking to top the Cleveland Indians next year by adding some more key components. The trade involves 6 players from the Detroit Tigers for Willis and Cabrera. The Marlins receive top prospects Andrew Miller and Cameron Maybin who could supplant the loss of a slugger and good pitcher. The Marlins also get catcher Mike Rabelo and right-handers Burke Badenhop, Eulogio De La Cruz and Dallas Trahern. The trade allows the Marlin to look towards the team future competitiveness but the Detroit Tigers really get a big jump.
Willis is coming off his worst year as he finished 10-15 and had an ERA of 5.17 during his short 3 year career. The reason for his fall from a great rookie season can be pointed to some injuries, some loss of control, lack of excitement from the once ace pitcher, and maybe some lack of run support and relief pitching. Dontrelle Willis will join a Tigers team that has plenty of run scoring support and plenty of great relief pitchers. He will need to get back the form and confidence he once had during his rookie season and Detroit is definitely the place where he can be part of a winning rotation. Willis joins Justin Verlander, Kenny Rogers, and Jeremy Bonderman which makes them solid World Series Contenders.
Cabrera is coming off a good season where he hit 34 homeruns and drove in 119 runs. The slugger had a batting average of .320 and a slugging percentage of .542 which is comparable to A-Rod. However, Cabrera did have 23 errors which is not a good number to have as a third baseman. He joins a slugging Detroit Tigers team that already includes Magglio Ordonez, Gary Sheffield, and Curtis Granderson and should contribute right away.
Both Cabrera and Willis will be viable additions to the Tigers but both are also Free agents in 2009. If the two have great years and can be signed by the team, there will be plenty of competitive years left Motor City.