Garza Admits To Throwing At A Yankee

Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Matt Garza was obviously not worried about being heavily fined or facing any other disciplinary action when he admitted on Wednesday night to intentionally plunking New York Yankees slugger Mark Teixeira in the fifth inning. This 25 year-old pitcher who is 7-8 on the season with a 3.69 ERA said that the purpose of doing this was to retaliate for Yankees pitcher Joba Chamberlain sailing a pitch over the Rays Evan Longoria’s head in the previous inning. “They can take whatever they want from it, but I just kind of got tired of people brushing him back,” Garza said about his star third baseman who hit his 21st homerun and drove in his 78th run in what was a 6-2 Yankees win. “It’s about time someone made a statement. You can go after our best guy. Well, we’ll make some noise, too, and that’s what happened.” Teixeira who is in his first season with the Yankees had earlier hit a homerun and drove in two runs before getting hit in the fourth inning. Interestingly enough these two teams have had some history dating back to March 2008 that once again involved Longoria. On that day in Florida the ugliness boiled over an inning after Yankees prospect Heath Phillips was ejected for hitting the future Rays star during what was a meaningless spring training game. During the middle innings Yankees Shelley Duncan slid spikes first into the Rays second baseman Akinori Iwamuri, which was enough to touch off some ugliness that resulted in various coaches and players being suspended. Over the past couple of seasons since the Rays have climbed to respectability they have developed a healthy rivalry with the Yankees who are currently the leaders in the American League Eastern Division. No word has come from the Commissioner’s Office regarding any possible suspension for Garza

Ortiz Speaks His Mind About Ramirez

Still in a state of utter shock, Boston Red Sox veteran slugger David Ortiz has no plans to contact and talk to his good friend and former Red Sox teammate Manny Ramirez.

Ortiz, who affectionately is known as ‘Big Papi’ in the baseball world stated that the Ramirez he knew in Boston was a different person then the one who recently got suspended 50 games for failing a drug test. “This situation has shocked me,” said Ortiz who won a World Series in Boston with Ramirez in 2004 and 2007. “That’s not the guy I know. The only thing I know about him is that he’s a guy who works hard every day and gets prepared to play the game.” Ramirez who re-signed a two- year pact with the Los Angels Dodgers on March 4, shocked the baseball world when on May 7 the suspension was announced by Major League Baseball. At the time this 17 -year veteran who was a strong candidate to make the Hall Of Fame was hitting .348 with six homeruns and 20 RBI’s. He now joins a list of prominent stars that include Alex Rodriguez, Roger Clemens, Barry Bonds, Rafael Palmeiro and Mark McGuire who have had their reputations tarnished in what is now being called the steroid era of baseball.

“It’s hard, man,” Ortiz said about being able to get close to his far away friend. “You couldn’t even reach out to Manny when Manny was here. I’m serious. Manny is on his own, always. When we were here playing together, it would have been, Okay, let’s meet around noon so we can have lunch and then go to the field.” “He’d say OK, and the next thing you know, you’d be calling his phone in the room and you wouldn’t reach him and you just talked to him an hour ago. But that’s him.”

When asked what he would say if Ramirez reached out and called Ortiz he was very candid when he said with a laugh that he wouldn’t give his friend any advice because he wouldn’t follow through on it.

“I wouldn’t know what to tell him anyway,” Ortiz said. “It’s going to be something that’s crazy and hard to deal with, but we’ll see. Hopefully he knows what’s up, and he’ll learn from his mistake and do the right thing.”

As of Wednesday Ramirez has yet to address his Dodger teammates.

Girardi Has Issues With A Rod’s New Book

It might not exactly be like Reggie Jackson and Billy Martin in the 1970’s, but it sounds like a potential feud might be brewing between New York Yankees’ manager, Joe Girardi and third baseman, Alex Rodriguez.

On Sunday Girardi, who is in his second year as the Yankees’ manager, spoke his mind when asked about Rodriguez’s new book called — “A-Rod”, which had its release date moved up to Monday.

“I have some issues with it — that it’s interesting how the book date got moved up now, and I get tired of answering these questions.” Girardi, whose team is 3.5 games behind the Toronto Blue Jays in the American League East said.

“I don’t understand why someone would write a book like this anyway, and some people may not care to hear that, but I don’t understand.”

A-Rod, whose image has taken a serious beating over the past year, was portrayed in the book by Sports Illustrated writer, Selena Roberts, as someone needing his ego routinely stroked.

This spring lots of talk has surrounded the fact that Rodriguez admitted to taking steroids (2001-03) earlier in his career, only when he was with the Texas Rangers. This biography also stated that this 33 year-old may have used steroids in high school and during his tenure with the Yankees.

Another accusation from the book stated that Rodriguez has been known to tip off opponents on certain pitches during a game.

Currently, baseball is investigating whether or not Rodriguez has used steroids for a longer period of time than he has admitted.

Girardi stated that no one from major league baseball has contacted him and that he doesn’t know if anyone within the organization has been contacted.

“I can only speak for myself,” Girardi said. “As I said, we’re going to move on.”

Girardi did state how everyone makes mistakes, and how it’s unfair to have them printed in a book.

“There’s things in my life that I’m not proud of — that I’ve done,” Girardi said. “I wouldn’t want my kids to have to deal with it. You know, I tell my kids that daddy makes mistakes. I do — I apologize for them. It’s not necessarily something that I would want them to read about all the time and to be the focus. This man wants to be a father, too.”

Rodriguez, who is still in Florida rehabbing his hip, is scheduled to join the Yankees by mid-May. Should make for quite an interesting clubhouse with A-Rod and Girardi.

Gaston Fires Some Verbal Bullets Towards Clemens

Roger Clemens

Neil Becker

29sports.com

Time certainly hasn’t changed the ill will that Toronto Blue Jays manager Cito Gaston still has for  former major league baseball pitcher Roger Clemens.

Clemens who won 20 or more games during his two year stint with the Jays in 1997 and 1998 was praised by Gaston for his bulldog work ethic and god given abilities but not for being a decent human being.

“He’s an a—e himself, a complete a—-e,” Gaston who believes that Clemens played a big part in getting him fired in ‘97 during his first stint as Toronto manager said. “I’d say that loud, right in his face: It’s all about him, nobody else but him.”

In a new book called ‘The Rocket That Fell To Earth,’ author Jeff Pearlman details how Clemens who won 354 games in his 24 year career played a big factor in the Jays hiring Tim Johnson after Gaston was fired. Johnson who came to the team in ‘98 was dismissed and disgraced after the season for lying about his military service in Vietnam.

Gaston who led the Jays to their two World Series titles in the early 90’s, reflected on how Clemens would go behind his back and question how Gaston was running the team. One particular example that bothered Gaston was Clemens second guessing a decision behind his back to the team about leaving starter Pat Hentgen in a game.

“One of us would have had a ass whippin that day,” said Gaston who said that we wished Clemens would have been man enough to approach him about the complaint. “It might have been me, but he still would have known I was there.”

Gaston who has a reputation as being a player’s manager later said that he had one conversation with Clemens when the pitcher said to him “What do you want to do-about staying or leaving?” “That’s what he said, do you want to stay or do you want to leave.”

Gaston concluded his slam on Clemens by referring to him as a ‘biter old man’. “I don’t have much to say about old Roger.”

Spring Training Battle

Texas Rangers

Neil Becker

29sports.com

With approximately seven days remaining until opening day in major league baseball, there is still some fierce competition going on in Scottsdale Arizona for the final roster spot on the Texas Rangers roster.

Former 10- time Gold Glove winner Andruw Jones who came to camp on a minor league contract has enjoyed a solid spring training camp along with utility man Frank Catalanotto who are making it tough on the Rangers brass to decide.

“It’s a tough one to call,” Rangers manager Ron Washington said on Monday.

Jones who is only 31 years-old had 12 all- star seasons with the Atlanta Braves before un- expectantly suffering a nightmare season last summer with the Los Angeles Dodgers.  This former silver slugger lost all confidence in what was year one of a lucrative two year 36.2 million dollar contract.

Right from the opening game Jones struggled in Los Angeles and couldn’t get on track as he ended up hitting .158 with 3 homeruns in only 75 games. If that wasn’t bad enough the former 1996 World Series hero had three separate stints on the disabled list before eventually getting released.

Jones who was signed to the minor league contract on February 10 has looked strong in camp in hitting .288 with 2 homeruns and 5 RBI’s during exhibition play. If this former 50 home run hitter makes the team he will get a $500,000 one year contract with an opportunity to earn 1 million in performance bonuses.

Meanwhile Catalanotto who is a 12- year veteran hit a respectable 274 with the Rangers last year but lacks the power that Jones could provide. This spring Catalanotto is hitting .333 with one homerun and six RBI’s.

 

Clemens Finding Himself In More Hot Water With The Law

Roger Clemens

Neil Becker

29sports.com

It looks more and more like former major league pitcher Roger Clemens has found an opponent who he won’t be able to beat.

Known as a warrior during his 24 year career, Clemens found himself in more trouble with the law after it was made official that performance enhancing DNA traces were indeed found on old needles handed over to the courts by Clemens former trainer Brian McNamee. 

McNamee for some strange reason kept some needles that he used when injecting this 354 game winner of steroids back in 2001 when he was a member of the New York Yankees.

Currently a grand jury in Washington is in the process of an in- depth review on whether or not Clemens did in fact commit perjury when he stressed to a congressional committee a year ago that he never used illegal performance-enhancing substances.

“I assumed, and I am not surprised, that the tests were positive for both DNA and for performance enhancing drugs, because that’s what Brian said all along, and there’s not much doubt that Brian’s been telling the truth,” McNamee’s lawyer Richard Emery said. “The confirmation of that fact, once again, just seems to me to be another significant step towards jail for Clemens.”

McNamee replied in a statement on Wednesday that the needles which had the traces of performance enhancing DNA were used on Clemens back in either July or August of 2001 at his house.

“The place was his high-rise apartment, which is located off the corner of 90th Street and First Avenue in Manhattan,” McNamee said.

“That day, he laid out the drugs, dropped his trousers and I did as he asked, that is, inject him with steroids. Afterwards he told me to get rid of the needle.”

For some curious reason McNamee didn’t throw out the needle and instead kept it for the next seven years.

Despite this latest development of Clemens performance enhancing DNA found on the needles turned in by his personal trainer, Clemens still insists that he was only injected with B-12 and the painkiller called lidocaine.

A-Rod Shelved Until May With A Chronic Hip Injury

Rodriguez Needs Hip Surgery
Neil Becker
29sports.com

Once again New York Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez has
made the headlines for all the wrong reasons.
Rodriguez, who is a three time American League MVP, was
criticized earlier this month in the media after admitting to ]
taking steroids from 2000-2003 while playing for the Texas
Rangers. Now it was reported that this 33 year-old who
slugged 35 homeruns last year and 103 RBI’s will miss all
of spring training and all of April and part of May with a
hip injury.
“Well, it’s better than him missing the whole year,” Yankees
manager Joe Girardi said on Sunday.
On Sunday afternoon Rodriguez made the decision to have
what is being called a torn labrum in his hip operated on.
If that’s not bad enough this infielder who is only 209 home
runs behind the all time leader Barry Bonds, will require a
more extensive surgery next fall.
“I firmly believe this approach will be successful and allow
Alex to return,” said Dr. Marc Philippon who is doing the
surgery in Colorado. “We’ve had good success with this
approach.”
According to all reports, Rodriguez who is in his second
season of a 10 year $275 million dollar contract was
feeling relieved once a course of action was drawn up.
This season the veteran came to spring training feeling
healthy but then hurt his hip during workouts and as a
result had to withdraw fromt he World Baseball Classic.
“We’ll keep Alex with us certainly for the first few weeks,”
said Philippon. “The main reason being we’re going to put
him on the fast track so we will be very agressive on his
rehab.”
Since joining the Yankees in 2004, A-Rod has averaged an
astonishing 42 homeruns, 123 RBI’s and a .303 batting
average.

Bonds Wants To Still Play

Barry Bonds Still Hoping To Play
Neil Becker
29sports.com

The odds might be stacked against him, but the disputed all time homerun king Barry Bonds is still determined to catch on with a major league baseball team and pursuit his goal of winning a World Series.
This slugger’s reputation has been tarnished in recent years due all the proof that has come out in recent years about this 44 year-old using steroids.
Bonds who is a seven time NL MVP and has hit 762 homeruns in his career, will be attempting to catch on with a team despite the fact that he didn’t play all of last year.
His agent Jeff Borris was realistic when talking about the chances a club would take on someone like Bonds who currently is under indictment for lying to a federal grand jury after testifying that he was never involved with steroids or any performance enhancing drugs.
“I’m still not optimistic,” Borris said about Bonds who last year was turned down by every single team.
The last time he played competitively was in 2007 when with the San Francisco Giants he hit 28 homeruns while playing all season with a serious leg injury.
According to his agent, Bonds who is now apparently one hundred percent healthy, is willing to go to any team who shows interest in him.
So far, the Minnesota Twins, Cincinnati Reds, Pittsburgh Pirates and the Washington Nationals have turned down Bonds who in July is due back in court. Still Borris is determined to go across Florida and Arizona seeing if any of the other clubs might have the slightest interest.
“I’m just doing my due diligence,” Borris said.

Phelps Suspended

Michael Phelps Suspended
Neil Becker
29sports.com

Approximately six months after capturing the hearts of America by swimming to a record eight gold medals in the Beijing Olympics, Michael Phelps shocked those same fans when a picture was published in a British tabloid of the 23 year-old inhaling from a marijuana pipe.
While 29 sports isn’t one to overlook the seriousness of what Phelps did in using what he called “bad judgment” one does have to remember that he is still a very young adult who is still vulnerable to making youthful mistakes.
If there is one thing to admire about him as a person it’s the fact that unlike athletes such as Major League’s baseball slugger Barry Bonds or pitcher Roger Clemens, Phelps is ready to own up to his mistake and serve the consequences which includes being suspended for three months from the USA Swimming Program.
“It’s not my decision.” “It’s theirs,” (USA Swimming Headquarters) said Phelps who admitted to smoking marijuana. “I have nothing to say, but if that’s what they want to do, that’s their choice.” “It’s something that the USA Swimming came up with.” “Obviously for a mistake you should get punished.”
These statements are such a contrast to what is going on in Major League Baseball where overwhelming evidence is being collected against both Bonds and Clemens who are both still denying that they cheated by using performance enhancing drugs.
Besides for the suspension, Phelps who is still training lost one of his major sponsors in Kellogg Co. but his other sponsor in Subway said they would still sponsor him. Still they did not hide their strong disappointment in what he did.
“Like most Americans, and like Michael Phelps himself, we were disappointed in his behavior,” a Subway spokesman said. “Also like most Americans, we accept his apology.”
This published picture is getting more attention then the first youthful mistake he made back in 2004 when at that time an underage Phelps got in trouble with the law for drunk driving only three months after the Athens Olympics.
In dealing with the negative attention, Phelps says that his training is a great diversion and that he is just taking it day to day.
“I’m back here, I’m training for who know what yet,” said Phelps. “But I’m back in the water, doing the thing I love.”
Not that long ago Phelps got back to his intense training regime in hopes of making the cut to swim in this summer’s world championships in Rome.
“It takes away some options from our planning,” said his coach Bob Bowman about working around the suspension. “You know, we had a plan of meets to kind of get us ready for the end of the summer and now we’ll have to adjust to that.” “That kind of comes with this territory.”

Red Sox Sign Their Captain

Boston Red Sox Signing

Neil Becker

29sports.com

 

Even though he is 36 years old and coming off his worst offensive season, the Boston Red Sox made without question their most important off-season move on Friday when they re-signed their veteran catcher and team leader Jason Varitek.

Despite hitting only .220 with a disappointing 13 homeruns and 43 RBI’s many in the Boston area were holding their collective breathes this winter hoping that their on field leader will sign on once again with the Red Sox.

Regarded as one of the best defensive catchers in the game, Varitek has agreed to a one- year deal, which carries a 5 million club and player option for 2010. Though nothing has been made official, it’s being reported in the Boston Globe that Varitek will be making 5 million this coming season.

Drafted in the first round way back in 1994 by the Seattle Mariners, Varitek along with a young pitcher named Derek Lowe are part of what many considered the most lopsided trade ever in Major League Baseball. At the 1997 trading deadline they were shipped to the Red Sox in 1997 for closer Heathcliff Slocumb who only lasted a couple of seasons in Seattle.

Meanwhile since coming to Boston Varitek has become a three time All Star and won his first Gold Glove in 2005.

Prior to last season the man referred to as ‘Tek’ received the ultimate honor when teammates voted him the team captain and prior to Spring Training the ‘C’ was stitched to his shirt.

During his Red Sox career the captain who also provides great veteran leadership has played in 1,330 games while hitting 161 homeruns and collecting 654 RBI’s.

Known as one of the best game callers in the league, you can bet that the Red Sox pitchers were pretty excited when they learned about this latest signing.