of hit-by-pitches and primadonnas: a final look at Alex Rodriguez

Alex Rodriguez.

what can be said, when his name, ALONE, sparks reaction...

it's been said in every great drama, there must be a great villain.

and...in the world of baseball, that villain has more-or-less been the New York Yankees...

and...where would the greatest villain of all of Major League Baseball just to happen to belong? but, of course, with the New York Yankees.

love him or hate him, cheater or prodigal son, Alex Rodriguez has defied many labels and expectations. perpetually elusive in all manners of life, he has confounded both critics and fans, alike, and never seemed personally impacted by any of it.

it was just some boring Monday in February and i was at work. my mind was nowhere near the subject of baseball and my boss blurted out to me (with a HUGE smile on his face), "HEYYYYY! I SEE THE YANKEES GOT AAAAAAAAROD....."

i guess part of me should have KNOWN why his emotive level was so high...but i distinctly remember thinking, "whoa. wait. that guy? why???..."

i gotta admit, in the beginning i was annoyed with all the Arod hype. i saw this guy out there, pretty much acting like a primadonna and i grew to endure his presence...much like the resignation a spouse might have in a loveless marriage...

i remained silent over confrontations from fans of other teams (or outright Yankee haters) and tried to hope he would simply find a way to either blend in or make his presence a good thing...

after several years of grit-your-teeth annoyance of his presence, i found myself stopped in my tracks one winter eve in 2007...

when i was crunching the career stats of Andruw Jones. for whatever reason my mind had returned to the postseason rivalries of the Braves and Yankees many years prior, and i found myself pouring over the accomplishments of Jones. i compared Jones to the greats...checking his numbers against players like Mickey Mantle and the Babe and thought "that's why players like Mickey Mantle and the Babe are who they are...wow..."

then...for GOD ONLY KNOWS WHAT reason, i decided to compare their numbers against Alex Rodriguez.

and that's when my mouth dropped.

i didn't know what to do with what i was looking at. had he really accomplished ALL THAT? how? when? every time i ever saw the guy in the box, he seemed to be GRINDING INTO DOUBLE PLAYS...

nonetheless, his number stood as a fact. an undeniable fact. the guy has truly accomplished the unimaginable compared to the majority of Major League Players, in their careers.

i guess the suspension and all that was one of those things that kinda stands out in my mind. it was what it was. did he cheat? sure. is he alone? no. does it matter? sure. what i do know is this, however: until MLB has more definitive and thorough testing in place for substance use, it's policy and findings are subject to criticism and seem to fuel a level of "politics" contributing toward WHO is caught and WHO is not...

and WHEN...

and...while the merry-go-round of PED use may continue within Major League Baseball....no one knows FOR SURE how broad it's use is, nor how politically-oriented it's objective is...

in other words: let he who is without sin cast the first fastball..

Selig.

my favorite Arod moment? hmmmm. dunno. clearly my emotions surrounding him have been many. however, i must recall that hit-by-pitch received by him at Fenway from the hands of Dempster.

i'll never forget the tone of that moment. and, truth be told, it wasn't enough that the Fenway faithful were boo-ing Arod and despising his very presence... it wasn't enough that the tension in the air couldn't even be cut with a chainsaw... the hatred... the overt desire of the masses to see Arod suffer...

and then, with the Red Sox leading by a score of 2-0 in the top of the second, bases empty, none out, Dempster hauls off and throws at Alex Rodriguez's left knee, to the delight and merriment of the masses...
caving in to the appetite of further pleasing the masses, Dempster showed his lack of character and respect for the Game by sealing the deal on ball four, delivering a solid hit-by-pitch to the left shoulder of Arod...while the masses chanted "You're a cheater."

i guess it was at THAT moment, watching how the Game, itself...the fans...the umpire...the media...how the PEOPLE who claim to LOVE and REPRESENT the Game...how they were setting an example... and example of disgusting degradation...of becoming Judge and Jury over this man... of how the "politics" of the Game were defining the direction the Game was being allowed to go...

and i hated Bud Selig all over again, afresh.

that inning left more of a negative impression on me than any other inning of Major League Baseball i have ever beheld. and i remember truly feeling like my heart was breaking...like that child i once was, who revered the Game, who spent years of winters yearning for the Game, was being confronted with a part of the Game i never imagined existed

and there it was. it had happened. and what had happened was acceptable. Dempster threw his first pitch at Arods knee and it was overlooked. three close-misses later, Dempster finally actually hits the guy and people are thrilled.

no thanks. my respect for what this kind of Game represents is officially gone. sure Arod may have cheated...or he did cheat. okay. so did Braun. and Bonds. and McGwire and Sosa and Selig and where does it stop? sincerely, where does "absolute blame" get assigned? jus sayin.

nonetheless, Alex Rodriguez found his way through that game with Dempster remaining on the mound, and clocked a solo shot off Dempster in the 6th inning, as well as going 3 for 4 and bringing in 2 RBI. the Yankees defeated the scumbag Red Sox on August 18, 2013 by a score of 9 to 6...

and Ryan Dempster's career would end ten games later. Alex Rodriguez would take 2014 off and return in 2015 with one of the best seasons he's played since 2009.

and something i got to learn through the career of Alex Rodriguez is this: the Game of baseball is not defined by it's players. neither is it confined by the sum of it's parts. the Game of baseball is greater, richer, grander, and far more surpassing than the errors, flaws, and even egregious mistakes of it's players. no one can limit this Game. no one.

and for that, i am grateful.

~kat

my Alex Jones perspective on the NHL, the Commissioner, and the evil L.A. Kings

i got a comment a lil bit ago.  it was in regard to my overt outrage at this year's Stanley Cup seeming NHL FIX.

said comment:  "Yeah.... Clearly the sport is rigged when major sports markets like Carolina, Tampa Bay, and Anaheim have won the Cup.... I wonder how long both teams worked to get the timing for that last second goal down, lol."

my retort?

under Commissioner Gary Bettman, the NHL expanded the League from their 21-team era, to include (among others) the Tampa Bay Lightning in 92, the Florida Panthers, Nashville Predators, Dallas Stars, and the Anaheim Ducks in 1993.  under Bettman, the League focused on expansion and relocation thru the 90's, with it's primary focus on expanding the South.

stay with me now...

there was exceeding upset in Canada with Bettman expanding away from traditional hockey markets...until...Bettman created the Canadian Assistance Plan:  a revenue sharing agreement that gave money to the four small-market Canadian teams – Calgary, Edmonton, Ottawa, and Vancouver – throughout the late 1990s and early 2000s.

thus...Southern teams win...EVERYBODY CASHES IN.

so.  isn't it interesting how the Colorado Avalanche played the Florida Panthers in 1996 for the Cup??
RIGHT AFTER THE 94-95 LOCKOUT??

then the DALLAS STARS come in and win in 99. (i think they were probably supposed to win in 2000, also, but they didn't.  heheh...) then the Avalanche win once again in 2001.

Tampa Bay won in 2003-04.  NHL lockout again, 2004-05.  Carolina Hurricane win 2005-06...Anaheim Ducks win 2006-07.

i mean.  when you consider that Bettman was once the right-hand-man to the commissioner of the NBA, David Stern, and you peruse the Stanley Cup Champions since he took on the role of Commissioner, you see some really interesting things.  basically, since 1993, Bettman has done JUST what he has set out to do:  sell the game, expand the League, rake in the dough, and abolish the "old guard" owners and their mentality.
for...prior to 93, take a look at who won Cups.

then take a look at who has won them SINCE.  it's a healthy combination of ORIGINAL SIX, ORIGINAL SIX, NEWBIE, NEWBIE, ORIGINAL SIX, ORIGINAL SIX, NEWBIE, NEWBIE, and so on and so forth...(considering the 1974 expansion period teams are newbies compared to the 1967 expansion).

in my opinion...i think that whole World Hockey Association dealio really spoke volumes to Bettman...and for all intents and purposes, the last thing he wants in the league are dynasties.  rather, the Cup must be won by NEWBIE, southern teams.  California not excluded.

(especially with a gazillion dollars residing in LA, alone, if hockey could reeeeally get noticed there....)

so.  that brings us to recent rocky NHL history.  2012. the League was looking at another lockout.  (the third in less than ten seasons with Bettman as Commissioner, i might add)  time to make one last ditch effort to expand interest and gain revenue before the lockout: KINGS win.  next season, said lockout reduces the season to merely 48 games, time to go back to capturing the interest of the old guard, the ORIGINAL SIX, Chicago v. Bruins.  and this season, omg.  we have a literal potpourri of newbies and O.S. teams vying for the Cup.  but yes.  the market BEGS for the LA dollars.  give it to them.  after all, maybe next season an Original Sixer can cash in...that's assuming the Florida Panthers don't need a little NHL help  :P

in the words of the Commissioner himself, just days ago:

 "This will be our 15th consecutive year without a repeat champion, which is also a testimony to the NHL's unparalleled competitive balance."

it's also a testimony to the NHL's agenda:  sell the game, expand the League, and rake in the dough...

of Underdogs and Overtime...

the popular media (and Vegas odds) have gone to great lengths to inform the world of how exceedingly dominant the Kings would be over the Rangers in this Stanley Cup Final series for 2014.

hmmm.  jus sayin.  let's look at some interesting facts regarding the alleged Underdogs.

the Rangers took two of their Playoff Series' to 7 games, one to 6.

of course, we know the Kings went 7 games each in all three of their previous Series'.

however, as for tonight -- Game One -- the alleged "Underdog" Rangers did some fairly interesting things through their 64 minutes and 36 seconds on the ice amidst their opponent, the allegedly Dominant L.A. Kings:  the Rangers managed to find their way to the puck, especially when it was in the Kings possession.

the Kings had six Takeaways (two from Kopitar, who's kind of a big deal with the Kings)...the Rangers only had the puck taken away ONE TIME.

skip ahead to Giveaways.  (this would indicate somewhat BAD PASSING and, perhaps, being rushed into making mistakes).  the Kings had GIVEAWAYS from ALL BUT SEVEN of their 19 players used tonight,  including their goaltender Quick. of the 12 Kings players giving the puck away to the Rangers, each had anywhere between 1 and 2 Giveaways,  18 total.

(blame four giveaways on Willie Mitchell alone).

where is this obscene dominance, again?

i mean, i get it.  the Kings won the game.

but, remember, we're talking about dominance and underdogs, right?

and. if what the popular media, NBC announcers, and Vegas are alleging is true, then how in the WORLD did the underdogs take the dominant into Overtime??

for, aside from a fluky bounce-in goal with Drew Doughty in the 2nd (which tied the score), the Kings would wind up massively assaulting the Rangers' netminder with (get this now) 43 shots on goal.

(but only 3 got in?)

(this is Dominance??)

the Rangers, yeah, they finished the game with merely 27 shots on goal -- two of which had such a dynamic impact upon the game, that the game was taken into Overtime on those two shots alone (the ones that found their way to the back of the net, of course).

interestingly, the Rangers only took three shots on goal in the 3rd period.

the Kings took 20.

defense?  lack of offense?  either way you want to dissect the 3rd period, the fact remains:  the game went into Overtime. 

(and...in actuality...with the Corsi and Fenwick being literally 1% difference between the two teams in the entire game, the winner could have been either team.)

thus...Dominance?  Underdog?

imagine what might happen in Games 2, 3, 4, if the Rangers were to take 13 shots on goal each period, like they did in the 1st period tonight...

if tonight's game is any indication of the dynamics or propensity of aptitude for each team within this Stanley Cup Finals -- and their respective possible consequences for Giveaways, Takeaways, defense, shots on goal and such --  i do believe the Kings are in for more than a 4-game sweep of the alleged Ranger "Underdogs."

Vegas may want to reconsider their points, odds, and assumptions toward the Dominant and Underdog... lest a fraction of hockey betters cash in HUGE when all is said and done.

ask anyone who laid down cold, hard cash on the Bruins.  jus sayin.

Hold Your Head Up

I'll never forget that moment.  The moment Derek Jeter stepped into the batters box, Game 4, 2001 World Series, 10th inning, Yankee Stadium:

It was November.

With the Yankees being behind the Diamondbacks, two games to one, bottom of the 10th...it felt like do or die.

Byung Hyun Kim wound up throwing 59 pitches in relief prior to his final pitch of that game:  a walk off home run by Jeter.  Driven deep into the frenzied stands of the Old Stadium, Kim granted Jeter and the Yankees the opportunity to even the series, and gleefully advance toward Game 5 with confidence and momentum.

Skip ahead, Game 5.  Once again:  Kim in relief.

It truly felt like Deja Vu all over again.  Scott Brosius came up to batters box, and before you could say WHAT THE HELL DID I JUST SEE HAPPEN, he, too, crushed a game-tying two-run homer into the frenzied stands of the Old Stadium.   Once again, Kim was granting the Yankees quite an opportunity.

The thing is...the moment Brosius cracked that homer and tied the score, Bob Brenly, manager for the Diamondbacks, came out to the mound and told Kim something I'll never forget.

With Kim clutching the sides of his head, dropping to his knees on the mound...Brenly confidently walked out to the mound and, as Kim slowly began to stand before his Skipper, he told Kim, "Hold your head up!  Keep your head up!"

All things said and done, the Arizona Diamondbacks had every reason to believe the mystique and magic that had so often visited the Yankees was the very force they had come to confront, and no amount of "holding one's head up," could defeat THAT.

The Arizona Diamondbacks won that series.

With the score 2-2 going into the 9th of a Game 7, the Arizona Diamondbacks found a way to forge the most important inning of the entire series:  the last one.

The Arizona Diamondbacks, having lost crucial Games 4 & 5, defeated the New York Yankees in 7 games.  They defeated the mystique, the magic, the frenzied stands...

Today, I heard that song by Argent, Hold Your Head Up, and thought about the unimaginable obstacles within life.  I thought of times when life seems to hand us moments of abject failure and hopeless despair.  And I thought of how odd it seems to hold your head up during those times...

I thought about how odd it must have seemed for teams like the Diamondbacks, the 2004 Red Sox, the 2014 L.A. Kings to hold their heads up...amidst such unthinkable odds.  Amidst the scrutiny, the media, the fans...amidst their own frustration, fears, and inability to know for certain that fighting-to-see-another-day would amount to much.

...It amounted to everything.

...It amounted to forging history.

Often times losing momentum, crushing defeat, and seeming collapse signal the need to hold your head up... 

In the end, Kim would be the winner of that World Series ring, not Jeter, and not Brosius.  And, perhaps he had no reason to "feel" as though he had reason or courage to stand tall and conduct himself like the winner he would become...

...But what we see is, winners are often cloaked in the disguise of hopeless failures...just moments before their unthinkable victory is earned...

There is something to be said about fighting the good fight til the end.  There is something to be said for never accepting defeat as a reality... until, and if, it actually becomes a reality.  There is something to be said for wins that are fleeting and temporary...compared to wins that forge unimaginable historic victories.

...There is something to be said for holding your head up...

love remains the same

i was gonna write, but i don't wanna write.  i mean, write write.  like some long thing that i share with the world, but im not there yet.  so, i figured i would write you, cause, well, you said you want to know me better.

so yeah.  a little about me today?  alright, here it is.  you know like when you hit your shin on something in the middle of the night and you think HOLY FUCK, THAT'S REALLY GONNA HURT LATER...

yeah.  well, i am reminded, no matter how much i think i have things under control...there's always later.

right now is later.

remember when i said i cried when those evil kings killed my sharks last year?

well, no.  im not crying.  but its in me.  i can feel it in my chest.  it's like right there.  and yesterday hurt a little more than the day before and today hurts a little more than then.  tomorrow ...well...maybe this is as bad as it will get. 

i doubt it though.

i fucking hate loss.  i hate to lose sooo much.  especially when i know i have it within me to win.  especially when my opponent isn't really out of my reach.  i don't love to win to prove im a winner to anyone.  i love to win because the goal is to fucking win.  and im gonna be that person who won't take on a challenge unless i know i can pull that shit off.  and when i win, or succeed at something, it's cool, it is.  but it only makes me want to try something harder and push past my limits...and win some more.

there's no room for losing in that mix.

losing.  stopping.  ending.  over.  i fucking hate that idea.  i hate finality.  i always believe impossible things are possible.  and when it's over, it limits me.  and i hate limits.  i hate the end.

i miss my sharks.  and i hate those kings.  but i hate that the sharks had the chance and didn't seize it more.  no, wait.  i still have my fantasies about finding jonathan quick in a dark alley and ive got an aluminum baseball bat and no one can hear him scream...

:p

yeah yeah yeah:  do no harm.  yeah yeah, im a pacifistic.  but damnit, im also vehemently opposed to waste.  and my sharks bailing on me too early...i wasn't ready.  i wanted this.  i wanted more.  i wanted them to win.  and they had what it takes to win.  and they could have really had a chance at finally winning it all...

but it's over.  the impossible never happened.  and we are on the other side of the end.

and it's like a death.  and yes, we can look forward to the future, but you know what?  FUCK THE FUTURE.  I WANTED THIS NOW...

                                                                        *sigh...*


"we should have had the sun...could have been inside...instead we're over here.
half the time the world is ending...truth is, i am done pretending...
here i am without you...

drink to all we have lost.  mistakes we have made.
everything will change.  i, oh i, i wish this could last forever.  as if...we could last forever?
love remains the same."

how can i explain what's in my heart?  how can i possibly try to convey concepts that seem to elude most people?

i dunno.  there's like this gateway to my heart and soul.  few are those who walk that path, and little is that which sinks into my core...  but when the doors open, my entire being embraces them.

i heard bruno mars song "locked out of heaven," today and thought about the first time i heard it and how i was stressing the ending of the Sharks season last year and worried about the playoffs.  and it hit me.  i was the girl totally immersed in baseball.  what was happening to me with regard to this thing known as hockey?

and i realized.  baseball is ...oh my god, i love it.  but...hockey is heaven.  it is.  and all these years of loving baseball have been groovy...but hockey...oh my...there was something so much deeper in me that just loved it even more.

and i...i had been locked out of heaven...for too long.

like being in love.  you wake up and the one you love is the first one on your mind.  all day long you think of your moments together...you obsess over them...one thought after another.  and people around you can see how fulfilled you are because of this...

and...i had truly fallen deeply in love with hockey.

this year, it's my all.  every single Sharks game, i have seen.  every single morning when i woke up, i smiled and wondered about them...and i missed seeing them and couldn't wait to see them again...

and anyone who did them wrong, i wanted to see suffer.

and in my heart, i know the end is coming.  i know, even if they were to win it all, the season will end.  but that's not right now.

and i am enjoying laying my heart and hopes on the line for these boys i have spent the last couple of years with...hands over eyes, jumping off the couch in screams of joy...calling friends and talking hockey...seeing a sea of Sharks fans last night...draped in their jerseys...coming to see the boys i love...the team i love...the team that thrills me..

and sometimes i wonder if its normal to feel this much passion about a game...a team...

but you know, ive been fairly abnormal most of my life, and damnit, i can love what i want to love.

and tomorrow i will wake up and check the standings.  and i will be on my knees praying.  and i will be amazed when they do something phenomenal...eyes wide open, smiling, laughing.  i will drink from this cup of love deeply...

for...just like the passion we share with the one we love...none of it seems to make sense at the time...but the joy...the moments...the fulfillment...the pure bliss...it's why you put everything in it.

me?  hockey?  consider me all in.

The Steroid Era is Over? Hardly.

Victor Conte, former BALCO founder is one of the smartest minds in all of sports, not only when it comes to steroids, but also training and nutrition, had some bold things to say about Performance Enhancing Drugs within Major League Baseball, Biogenesis, Bud Selig, and 50 percent of the League:

"I'm not going to name names," Conte said, "but I've talked to a lot of top players in Major League Baseball, and they tell me this is what they're doing. There is rampant use of synthetic testosterone in Major League Baseball."

Conte's comments, of course, stem from this present Biogenesis scandal --  Needless to say, MLB disagrees with Conte's estimates.

"There is no way that Victor Conte would have information that would allow him to have any basis on that," MLB vice president Rob Manfred said. "He's just making that up. It's a guess. We use the very best, most sophisticated methodologies that are available.''

Let’s put these numbers into perspective. There are probably 1,000 baseball players. The contract that Major League Baseball has says that they can test up to 375 players a year during the off-season. That would be 37.5% of 1,000 players, right?

If you look at the actual numbers that they tested in 2008, 2009 and 2010, it’s about an average of 60 players. So if you’ve got the right and the ability, and you’re serious about drug testing and reducing the use of performance-enhancing drugs in baseball, why would you not test 37.5% of the players? Why are you only testing 6%?

Conte said that testosterone has become the PED of choice, as designer or stealth steroids are now detectable and have fallen out of use.

"(The players have gone) old-school, (and have gone) back (to using) fast-acting testosterone, like your body produces. The only way to (detect synthetic testosterone) is using this CIR testing, for $400 bucks a pop.  And they’re (just routine urine testing) these guys, on the average in baseball, twice a year.  Here’s what my understanding is:  They test in Spring Training, then shortly after training camp, early in May.
Damn!  These high-profile players get tested again, and in most cases, what does that mean? Green light, open season, “I’ve had both tests!”

Conte affirms the only way of truly nabbing a doper is to bypass the simple urine test, and target samples with Carbon Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry analysis test instead.  The Carbon Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry analysis (CIR test) will only take place if a specimen varies substantially from a player's baseline testosterone/epitestosterone ratio. The CIR test actually confirms what percent of elevated testosterone is actually synthetic.

"They need to implement the Carbon Isotope Ratio test for testosterone randomly," Conte said. "Currently a player can go home or to the hotel after a game, use a testosterone cream, gel or patch, and it will be undetectable by the time he goes to the ballpark the next day. The CIR test can detect it for up to two weeks.

"I think these guys are using testosterone every single day of the week."

Conte knows Biogenesis relied heavily upon the sale and distribution of "Troches."

"Troches are like Life Savers, and they have 30 different flavors.  You want raspberry, you want bubblegum, you want cinnamon...typically these have 75 milligrams of testosterone, and somewhere between 5 and 10 percent of it gets absorbed.  It’s my understanding that the guys were popping a couple of these per day. And what that means is, say you absorb on average 10 percent, well that’s a total of 150 milligrams (total), so you would absorb about 15 milligrams per day. A healthy male produces about eight milligrams per day, so you can double and even triple your testosterone level."

"But it’s the timing. . .When you take this stuff, it peaks at about four hours, and by six hours after you take it, you’re back down below the (allowable) 4-to-1 T-E ratio. So all they gotta do is, after a game, even if they finish at 10 o’clock, they take it, and by the time they wake up they already have a normal T-E ratio."

The CIR test costs about $450, roughly the same as the blood test for HGH.

"The blood test is a waste because HGH doesn't enhance performance nearly as much as testosterone," Conte said. "Take the same $400 and do CIR testing. Why spend money on HGH when testosterone is the real problem? They are plugging the wrong hole."

"The players know that the testing is inept. You have to be dumber than dumb to get caught (by test) using testosterone."

"The second problem, and probably even a bigger loophole, is off-season testing. They can test up to 375 players, or about 30 percent of MLB, and they only test about 5o players, or less than 5 percent. If you’ve got a genuine interest in busting people, you put your hook and line in the pond when you know the fish are biting. They’re not doing that. So a lot of this, I believe, is propaganda. They’re out there promoting, “We’re doing this and we’re doing that, the toughest testing in American sports,” but I believe it’s all a joke."

"If they’re going to give you that (loophole), and you know other guys are doing (steroids), you calculate the risk-to-return. What (punishment) are you going to get, 50 games? The incentive is too great and the consequences too minimal."

"What’s the biggest lie of all? It’s Bud Selig saying, 'The steroid era is over.'”

Major League Baseball and Bud Selig may be attempting to make a statement over this whole Biogenesis scandal -- targeting players like Ryan Braun and Alex Rodriguez, specifically; in addition to Bartolo Colon, Nelson Cruz, Everth Cabrera, and Jhonny Peralta.

But the statement that they are making isn't exactly how much they are "cleaning up," the Game; Rather, the statement is how completely inept MLB PED testing is.  And how, without the help from outside sources like Victor Conte or Anthony Bosch, we may have never known that PED use is happy and healthy in Major League Baseball.

For, this assault upon the Game wasn't due to a series of failed tests.  It was due to criminals coming forward and leaking the truth to the Press.  What truth?  That our Commissioner and MLB's stellar testing is a facade, which not only turns a blind eye to PED use within the Game, but refuses to address it's rampant proliferation.  Hell, had Porter Fischer never come forward, we would only be left with a season of baseball -- one where 20+ alleged PED users prevailed, and one where 20+ MLB PED tests never detected one damned thing...

~kat gill

Alex Rodriguez could face suspension for violating the Collective Bargaining Agreement rules in addition to MLB's Joint Drug Agreement. 

While use of PED's falls under the MLB's Joint Drug Agreement, MLB may argue other alleged violations are also applicable toward A-Rod under the CBA Basic Agreement's Article XII B, which states:  “Players may be disciplined for just cause for conduct that is materially detrimental or materially prejudicial to the best interests of baseball including, but not limited to, engaging in conduct in violation of federal, state or local law.”

The real question isn't whether or not Selig will attempt to invoke this clause, it's what the reaction of the Major League Baseball Players' Association will be. Remember, A-Rod has never been disciplined for a drug offense, and a first offender under baseball’s Joint Drug Agreement is entitled to an automatic stay if the MLBPA files a grievance — meaning the penalty is put on hold until after an arbitrator rules.

Example:  Ryan Braun’s 65-game suspension last week, MLB cited violations of both the Collective Bargaining Agreement AND the Joint Drug Agreement.  As well, there is no automatic stay for violations under the Collective Bargaining Agreement. 

If suspended under the CBA Basic Agreement, A-Rod would serve his penalty while a grievance is litigated before arbitrator Fredric Horowitz — unless MLBPA asks for a stay and the arbitrator grants one, which would be unusual under the grievance procedure. And Selig could always try to punish A-Rod on Joint Drug Agreement violations later.

My thoughts? 

If Selig pulls this shit, MLB will lose their Anti-Trust exemption.  Where is DUE PROCESS in all of this?  HOW legal would it be for SELIG to be JUDGE, JURY AND EXECUTIONER?  If Selig thinks A-Rod is just going to confess his "mistakes," (using Braun's words), or just walk away quietly, then he is sadly mistaken.

I could easily see A-Rod dragging them ALL into court. He could open up a can of PED worms — who in MLB knew WHAT and WHEN — and not even Selig could survive the wrath of such a whistle-blowing tsunami. 

The amazing thing in all of this is this:  it's BUD SELIG.  The King Usher of Steroids, who is now attempting to castigate players for doing the VERY THING which lined his (and his cohort lackey TEAM OWNER friend's) pockets with MILLIONS of dollars for YEARS.  "Coming down hard," on specific players is Selig's way of deflecting attention away from the storm he created, and making it appear as though HE, ALONE is "Cleaning up the Game." 

I truly hope one thing:  that A-Rod blows this wide open.  If he knows he isn't going into the Hall of Fame, if his entire future is at stake, if he knows he may be banned for life, etc, etc, then do THIS A-Rod:  SUE THEM.  Whether you doped or not, SUE THEM!  IN FEDERAL COURT.  Let the names come out.  Let those who have committed acts that are "materially detrimental or materially prejudicial to the BEST INTERESTS OF BASEBALL," be on the receiving end of this judgement, starting with BUD SELIG.

BUD SELIG who knew damned good and well what was going on waaay back when Sosa and McGuire were making a mockery out of the home run record, who was sitting back and allowing Barry Bonds to destroy the credibility of the Game.  Let the calculated destruction by the Commissioner on the Game, itself, be examined. For, if Selig can suspend A-Rod under a random clause of the CBA, and the MLBPA doesn’t care -- then when the next CBA is up for negotiation, what’s to stop SELIG (or WHOMEVER) from banning whomever they want?  Or, maybe SELIG and MLB WANT to be examined by Congress and sued into oblivion by the A-Rod.  Maybe baseball WANTS another strike.  Maybe the Constitutional Rights of Due Process don't belong in baseball.  Or maybe it's time the world finds out just how HIGH, DEEP, FAR AND WIDE this little issue of CORRUPTION, INJUSTICE, GREED, and PED use truly IS within the Game. 

It is the MLBPA's job, first and foremost, to represent the players' interests.  This would include fighting for A-Rod's RIGHTS under the Collective Bargaining Agreement.  If the MLBPA does NOT fight against SELIG's UNILATERAL suspension, then A-Rod should SUE.  Either with the NLRB or FEDS.  The damages which the MLBPA could be liable for could run into the GAZILLIONS. 

For America's Pasttime, the Commissioner has single-handedly led the assault upon the very bedrock from which America was built. 

"No person shall be held to answer for a(n) ... infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury...  nor shall any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law..."

Bill of Rights to the United States Constitution (1789)
Amendment V
March 4, 1789

"I hate losing more than I love winning."
saw Moneyball again the other night. didn't really think much of it would permeate my mind any more than it had been permeated the first time i watched it. i was wrong. somewhere around monday i awoke with these exact words repeating in my mind. wondering where this concept entered, i went on the balcony with my coffee and recalled the scene from the movie and felt content to have an origin.

minutes later, i found my thoughts returning to these words. and then i realized where my mind was taking me. that damned game 2 of the Stanley Cup Finals. that final loss by my new found favorite hockey team: the New Jersey Devils.

i mean, the first loss in overtime was like a MAFIA HIT. took me completely off guard and made both my jaw and my heart drop.

the second loss. ah hell. it was deja vu all over again. in OVERTIME, YOU FOOLS?? but yes. another loss in overtime. i literally got chills the moment Los Angeles sunk that puck.

hope diminished rapidly that night. and the dark cloud was still lingering some time sunday night, before i awoke with these words filling my mind.

and i wondered. defeat. loss. wasn't i from the mold that screamed from the rooftops that defeat is never a possibility until it becomes a reality? why should i let stats and probability enter my thoughts? after all, what about the Bill Buckner, Bucky Dent, Aaron Boone, Colorado Rockies factor?

and then it hit me. the Rockies woke up and realized they were in the world series one day. they realized they were in Fenway. they realized they were on the top rung of the ladder and to fall was going to hurt...


"We lost because we told ourselves we lost." ~Tolstoy

winning. losing.

i spent a good portion of the day comparing the two. the emotional impact...the dynamics that precipitate each...every possible way of Rubic's Cubing the matter of winning and losing was engaged in my mind...forward, backward, sideways, intellectual, emotional, spiritual...

and i thought about Bruce Lee's quotes, i thought about Sun Tzu's strategic, yet common sense approach...i thought of examples and memories and i grew exhausted.

finally, by monday evening, when the New Jersey Devils went out on the ice to get the snot beat out of them, i had already come to a place where i could accept watching this team who i have enjoyed watching a full two months now, fall to the only other team i had enjoyed watching a full two months. i could smile and be happy for their achievements and get back to baseball.

i was wrong. the concept of winning and losing has become a continual muse of successive thoughts as those damned Devils opted to return in game 4 and win the bastard.

do i hate losing more than i love to win? i mean, what kind of a person would that make me? ungrateful? entitled? everyone loses, it's part of the game, right? and if you can't take your lumps and stand tall, then don't godamned play, right? who the hell would HATE losing MORE than they love to WIN? isn't WINNING all that matters?

and what i realized was...oddly...this quote...it was uttered by Jimmy Conners, originally; not Billy Beane.

and, having discovered that from Googling it, i discovered another quote; from Billie Jean King, of all people. she said, "Victory is fleeting, losing is forever."

and that's when i discovered the truth. yes, winning feels great. but it's always temporary. the moment you win the game, it's over. and yes, you may be the winner today, but tomorrow always comes. and there will always be another tomorrow after that and someone other than you will have the opportunity to take your place and make their mark.

but still. maybe somewhere there might be a plaque or a statue of what you've done that will stand through time, right?

sure. but let's look at the opposite. games 4, 5, 6, 7 of the 2004 ALCS, for instance. the year the Red Sox marched right in to Yankee stadium, having been 0-3, they had to return for 4 nights in a DO OR DIE scenario. when i think about the guts it takes to show up, knowing one inning, one play, one wrong pitch could be your instant end...and to do this FOUR TIMES...knowing any moment, the very reasons you TRY could amount to nothing but loss...

i dunno. what does it take to reach deep inside the human will and force the matter? to toe up to the line and refuse to go quietly? is it something in a person or does it have to be in the whole team? do you have to have more than a "nothing left to lose," mentality when the pendulum swing in the direction of fate opening a door to you possibly WINNING, after all??

i think of David Freese in the 2011 world series, game 6. 1 strike away from watching the very team he was opposing slap each other in exhilaration and jubilance, seizing their trophy in YOUR STADIUM...knowing the whole time you were the final out...

what does it take to step into that batters box and not only try...but believe by trying you might actually WIN?

and what i realize is...i DO love winning, but LOSING is something that brings with it a plethora of emotion that seems to remain for a VERY LONG TIME. forever, really.

and what i realize is...losing will happen to half the guys on any given day in any given sport during any given game.

and what i realize is...life is a series of wins and losses. it's not so much about fearing failure as much as it is accepting defeat, but using that wisdom gained from defeat to stand firm when faced with it...and to try.

go out in a blaze of glory, whoever you are. you have nothing to lose but the conviction that, by trying, you might win...

becauseitsthecup

if you’ve been a fan of sports long enough, you know that feeling you sometimes get just before an important series. that reality that churns in your gut...reaching all the way down to the center of your being. it almost seems like insight...like clairvoyance...it can manifest itself as anxiety, other times, it feels like peace. it’s almost a tingly kind of feeling that permeates your brain and brings with it moments of confusion and resolution, as well as confidence and panic. and...because the first game hasn't even been played yet, you’re not entirely sure what to make of it, as you wait.

skip ahead, the final moment of said important series comes and goes and, instantly you find yourself saying to yourself “i saw that coming! i knew it, all along.” welp, i have that feeling right now. i don't know how, or when, what, who, or why...but i know. the Stanley Cup will be won by the New Jersey Devils. believe what you want. hope and cheer, wish and bargain with God...the Cup is theirs. and that's that. i could be wrong, but, my life experiences have taught me to never discount or resign that gut feeling. and that's all i gots to says about thats.

*UPDATE...yeah.  they didn't win.  there's alot i could say about 5-minute major penalties in elimination games and drop some names like Jarret Stoll and Gionta...Bernier and Scuderi.  but i won't.  an evil little team from the Los Angeles area was handed the Cup and the Devils have struggled ever since.  nonetheless, i still recall much joy from this post-season.  until Game 6 that is.  life goes on...and gut feelings can sometimes be misleading.  either way...GOD BLESS HOCKEY.  :)

MVP...as of 4/27/12

As I was walking to my car this morning, a thought occured to me. A question, actually. And that question (which just randomly entered my mind) was; "Who, in your opinion, is the most valuable player in Major League Baseball today?"

As I took a few more steps, I wondered why I would ask this question to myself.

Perhaps having seen the last few minutes of Moneyball right when I woke up...perhaps pondering Billy Beane and sabermetrics and being passionate about baseball...and it being 6 o'clock in the morning had influenced me internally. I figured I'd go with it. I figured I'd check later and see how close I was to being right. Therefore, my answer to myself was straight and simple, "Derek Jeter."

And here we are. nearly 6 hours later and I have finally taken a moment or two to reflect upon this morning's muse. Having dealt with more pressing work-related matters, I opted to take a moment or two to crunch some stats and see if, indeed, I was right.

I was.

Now, inasmuch as we've got Matt Kemp leading the league with his batting average at .449, and David Ortiz in second place (with stats of which I refuse to waste time considering), I discovered Jeter in third for the league with a .420 average. This all being the case, one might wonder how I can emphatically conclude Derek Jeter to be the most valuable player in the league today...

Allow me to retort. First off, Ortiz (and whatever he has accomplished) is a DH. This means he contributes ZERO to defense, he rests between at-bats, and basically would be considered an asset at-bat. However, if pitched around, his only value becomes a non-consideration and therefore amounts to not much. Judging by the last few consecutive months of Red Sox baseball, I'd say his contribution is moot at best.

Now we skip ahead to the two main contributors of defense, as well as hitting. Inasmuch as Kemp is batting .449 with 31 hits in 19 games, 4 2B, 10HR, 23 RBI, 10BB, and 1 stolen base...Jeter, in 18 games has MORE HITS (34), MORE DOUBLES (6), and has as many stolen bases as Kemp.

What about RBI and HOMERS, you ask? Well, yes. Jeter does have LESS RBI than Kemp, (13), that is 10 less RBI. However, Kemp, for all of 2012 thus far, has bat THIRD in each game with his evil Dodgers. Jeter, conversely, never bats third, and is generally in a lead-off batting order which means there generally aren't men on base to bat in. For Jeter to be a mere 10 RBI behind Kemp is quite impressive, given that disadvantage.

Let's also talk about the value of each players defense. Inasmuch as I love a good outfielder, I would say a MULTI GOLD GLOVE WINNING SHORTSTOP is far more crucial with regard to executing a double play or a laid-down bunt...simply put: there aren't too many good defenders at Short, who can also BAT. Nothing against outfielders, but, it's not unusual for "those who can hit," to be placed way out in the field cause perhaps "they can't field." (jus sayin.) It is a known fact that most Shortstops don't hit for power. Again, in my opinion, to have a player at Short who is a career .314 batter, that's quite impressive.

That is, Matt Kemp, 27 years old, on his 7th season in the majors, with a career .297 batting average, is indeed NOT AS VALUABLE AS Derek Jeter, 38 years old, on his 18th season of major league baseball, with a career .314 batting average, who is presently batting .420 for 2012 and engaged in a 15-game hitting streak. Sue me if you disagree...but these are my reasons, my facts, and my musings. And I'm right.

"How can you not be passionate about baseball...?" ~Billy Beane

Something about waiting all winter for baseball to resume seems to add to the expectation that the waiting will have amounted to something other than what I seemed to be encountering...

By May 7th, I was fairly certain I had arrived at a conclusion:

It is better to wait without baseball, than to have baseball and continue to

lose games.

Something about one day turning into another day, turning into a week, turning into a month, didn't seem as evil and depressing and annoying and perplexing, as when one has nothing but days and weeks and months without baseball. However, days and weeks and months of continual loss is just pure unadulterated shite and one must ask themselves, "Why am I allowing myself to be a victim of this stupid game when I could spend a nice day in the park on the swings, kicking over sand castles and throwing sticks at nearby joggers?"

On May 7th, I was already aware of the Pythagorean projection for the 2009 New York Yankees; Slated to win 95 games, slated to lose the Division despite having acquired Teixeira, Burnett, and Sabathia. Slated for, at most 3rd place, within the American League East, behind the evil Boston Red Sox and equally annoying Tampon Bay Rays.

By May 7th, after having lost 5 games (out of 5 games) to the evil Red Sox...and after having lost a myriad of other games to the evil Tampon Bay Rays, Toronto, Baltimore...ah hell, you name the team, we were losing to them...rolling over and handing them wins.

In fact, by May 7th, we had a total of 13 wins. Uh huh. 13 whole wins...and 15 big fat losses...

AND...we had just accomplished another rare milestone for most baseball teams*: we had just completed yet another losing streak: this time of 5 straight games...(and, as irony would dictate with all the "5's," involved)...yes...we were 5.5 games back for the division.

(* except for the Marlins, Nationals, Orioles, Mets, and all them other sucky teams.)

The season had just begun. And we couldn't hit, we couldn't field, we couldn't pitch, we couldn't run...but DAMN! did we did have that whole WALKING THE BASES LOADED and STRIKING OUT WITH MEN ON BASE thing down pat.

I remember that morning of May 7th...

I sat down...and there on the tv...an interview with Jeter...the Captain...

after yet another Yankees / Red Sox loss.

And there he is...answering the usual non-applicable questions encountered by interviewers after losses...asked by some nameless / faceless person who generally has no concept as to what the game of baseball involves...but relishes the idea that they are talking with the LOSER who MAY OR MAY NOT just break into tears and beg for a hug...

as if we're the Mets or something...

but the question...

I'll never forget it. A clearly fatigued (and seemingly annoyed NON-CRYING) Jeter, was enduring question after question about Boston's dominance and what the hell is wrong with the Yankees and so on and so forth, was asked: "Do you have any concerns for this 2009 Yankees Team?"

(Which I thought was a repetitious question and just filler for detaining Jeter just a little bit longer for possible post-interview huggage...)

And then he turned his head, looked straight into the camera and uttered a single word: "Nope."

His lips pursed, his gaze still straight at the camera...a cold silence filled the room...and those eternal 5 seconds of Jeter looking straight into the camera...at the viewer...at ME, basically...that determination...that confidence...

I walked out onto the balcony and thought to myself: he's delusional.

And then the questions rolled into my head: "How can he be so emphatic? Why did he say he has no concerns? Did he just want to end the stupid interview? No concerns? Is it the money? Does he have no concerns cause he just doesn't care?"

But then the answers rolled in. "He cares. He's a professional. He knows how to play the game. They all know how to play the game. Something is missing that I haven't seen yet, but he knows this 2009 Yankees team has what it takes and will do what they need to do. He knows something. And, if HE has no concerns, and he REALLY CLEARLY DOES NOT, then I will have no concerns, either. I will wait. I will wait and see if I can discover what he knows about this team.... I will wait, and I will see..."

By May 23rd, 2009, the Yankees were able to amass a 9 game winning streak and come within 1 game of the Division.

Ah, yes...throughout the 2009 season, the Yankees had a losing record to teams like the evil PHILLIES...and almost got swept by both the CLUELESS FLORIDA MARLINS and the equally inept WASHINGTON NATIONALS...

They lost 9 to the evil Red Sox...and the world of Yankee fans were beginning to believe the end of the world was at hand...sackcloth and ashes were going up in stock on Wall Street...

but then the 2009 Yankees TOOK the evil Red Sox for 9.

And...in the end, that whole projection of 95 wins was somewhat misconfigured, as the New York Yankees finished the regular season with 103 wins...went on to the World Series, and went on to become World Champions.

Again.

And, after the end of the 2009 season, I came to a "Derek Jeter Emphatic Delusional," conclusion: "Tis better to have played and lost...Than to have never played at all."

prospects, HUH. what are they good for???

(the following is a reply to an email i just wrote regarding trading kids in our farm system to bulk up our team. forgive the possible inaccuracies, although i got most of it right...i just woke up...and i typed it all in about 4 minutes.)

the thing is, yes. rookies, or prospects, do have seasons of struggle. i remember when everyone was all in fits over cano's first few seasons, wanting to trade him due to his fielding and, well, lack of TENURE / SUPERSTAR status, really. and here we are. cashman stood by him, knowing he was still developing, and the ALL SO SOUGHT AFTER VETERAN FREE AGENTS would only continue to age and their career numbers would decline and we'd be right back at square one, looking for YET ANOTHER VETERAN FREE AGENT to fill his shoes. yes, not all prospects develop into KEEPERS. but, robbie went on to post some amazing numbers and acquire a silver? glove (if not gold. again, it's the offseason and i'm barely awake right now...)

what the san francisco giants wouldn't do for a robbie cano today...

and, inasmuch as i am FINE with freeing ourselves from ian kennedy, turns out he really DID have the potential cashman had stood by in 08. (although he and hughes hadn't quite developed enough to be in the 4th and 5th spots.) however, they...along with cano and a handful of others, were sought in exchange for JOHAN SANTANA. well, where is santana now? and how many seasons has he MVP'd for the mets? imagine, instead of a future of developing prospects (much like jeter, rivera, pettitte, posada, etc. etc. who forged a dynasty and have remained as invaluable to the yankees) we would be looking to replace johan.

i am a firm proponent of holding onto valuable prospects. 2010, the san francisco giants utilized madison bumgarner in the world series. the kid was in AA when the season began. and where was their $127 million dollar VETERAN, barry zito? not even on the roster.

the future is NOT formulating a team of HAS-BEEN VETS with lengthy contracts that usher us into a 92 wins season, behind the red sox...

the future is patiently grooming our prospects and wise trades or FA acquisitions. after all, was ANYONE thinking MVP for a guy named DAVID FREES last december? if you were, i applaud you. lol.

anyhow. this is the foundation of my philosophy behind building another dynasty. not unlike the vision buck showalter has had for the various championship-bound teams he's been asked to assemble over the years.

as a side note, it was BUCK who preceeded OUR dynasty. when jeter, pettitte, posada, and rivera were rookies. and rivera was extremely close to being traded, due to his COMPLETE INABILITY TO START. patience and vision. and here we are. we will always have the BEST CLOSER IN THE HISTORY OF THE GAME.

just food for thought...

oh my GOODNESS! where to START?

well, i just wanna give a shout out to REIMOLD (spelling insignificant, really) and to the other dude (ANDINO?) for SMACKIN THE SNOT out of the ball on JONATHON PAPELBON'S WATCH.

i wanna thank the RED SOX for manufacturing one of the FUNNEST septembers i've had in a long time...

i wanna thank the TAMPON BAY RAYS for being pesky lil shites and makin boston SWEAT...


i wanna give a shout out to all 90 of the batters across the League (both American annnnd National) who were routinely HIT BY BOSTON PITCHERS UPON VARIOUS PARTS OF THEIR PERSONS...

god...who am i forgetting?? oh, i wanna give a shout out to LESTER for pitching on 3 days rest and looking JUST AS BAD TODAY as he has for a while now...

i wanna give a shout out to the 2010 RED SOX TEAM who, while missing ALL THE PRIMADONNA OVERPAID PHENOMS WHO WERE HERALDED AS THE NEXT WORLD SERIES MESSIAHS FOR 2011, went out there and played some BADASS BALL as minor leaguers called up and whatnot, GUESS WHAT BOYS? YALL scored only 1 less win last year than when ALL THE PRIMADONNAS RETURNED FROM THEIR VARIOUS REAL OR IMAGINARY INJURIES and after THEO SOLD THE FARM TO GET CARL "don't axe me to do shit for this team," CRAWFORD & "YO," ADRIAN GONZALEZ!

(and them kids only had to hit 53 batters, nearly half as many as the 2011 INPENETRABLE STARTING ROTATION OF AWE AND WONDER we all beheld and read about and were made to HEAR about on a daily basis from december til, well, TIL NOW.

GOD BLESS THE BALTIMORE ORIOLES FOR BEING GUTSY, GRITTY, AND SHOWING THE WORLD: "WE GOT FOR $85 MILLION WHAT YOU AIN'T GOT FOR $160 MILLION!" *

*(mind you, YO ADRIANS SALARY AND BONUS AREN'T REFLECTED IN THAT SUM, AND RUMOR HAS IT: IN THE END, THE BOSTON RED SOX WILL MORE THAN LIKELY HAVE OUT-SPENT THE YANKEES IN 2011. jus sayin.)

wow. before closing, i wanna thank JESUS and the Academy and the makers of Red Bull and MLB EXTRA INNINGS. hat's off to the red sox for their historic moment, witnessed by MOST of us...never before accomplished in baseball: the GREATEST COLLAPSE IN ALL MAJOR LEAGUE HISTORY. i knew ya'll had it in you. thanks for making our dreams a reality. good night and God bless!

Intergalactic Domination and Clam Chowder...

In 2009, the New York Yankees had a regular season record against the Los Angeles Angels at Anaheim of 5 wins and 5 losses.

...The Yankees also had a regular season record against the Boston Red Sox of 9 wins, 9 losses.

When I consider this season of 2011, many questions arise as I look ahead and look behind.

With 33 games remaining, and presently sitting atop the American League East, I realize: unless the Yankees have some epic collapse, they will more than likely make the post-season...as will the Red Sox...as well as the Texas Rangers and the Detroit Tigers.

The irony of looking ahead is the inability to predict anything. Take, for example, the regular season records mentioned above. Fact is, the Yankees never had to face the Red Sox in the post-season that year, due to the fact that the evil Anaheim faction obliterated the skanky Red Sox from any further post-season activity and sent them evil bitchez home to cry in their imitation clam chowder...


(Note to self: did you ever send Anaheim flowers?)

And yet...all of 2009...What did the Yankees and their fans hear all season long? How inept and lifeless the Yankees were, especially against teams playing .500 or above...and how the Yankees were about to really get the living snot beat out of them if they made the playoffs...and had to face real teams...


(I can still hear Joe Buck's voice in my head. And McCarver.)

(I should sue them for emotional damages. I'd like a Maserati. And a mansion to park it in...)


...In the end, what was all the fuss about? Nothin'.

You see, in October, the baseball world becomes entwined in possibilities and impossibilities.

Sure, stats show "aptitude," and "propensity."

We see trends and mind-blowing effort from individual players all across the League...but in October, all that Major League White Noise gets distilled down to one concentrated grenade-like team emitting one continual sonorous hummmm...predestined toward one unquenchable goal...

...a single entity, willing and present, seeking complete annihilation and victory over all who would oppose it, or stand in it's unquenchable path...it's destiny: to obliterate the world as we know it and take over the entire galaxy by their superior dominance, victorious badassness, and opulent excellence.

This is, after all, why it's called, the "World Series."

(Uh huh. It's a good thing the Yankees have been taking over the galaxy as much as we have. Could you imagine the state of the universe if the Red Sox had continual galaxy domination and influence? Black holes would shoot things back out at us and the Earth would tilt right off it's axis in a very understandible rejection of such an overt violation of Natural Selection...)

This is another example of empirical evidence proving one endless truth: God is a Yankee fan.

In a best of 5 series where someone like Kenny Rogers (DET, 2006 ALDS) can become Cy Young...and bugs can cause a rookie pitcher to collapse on the mound while slathered in DEET faster than a Crisco-slathered house of cards...where do all the regular season stats and possibilites fit?

(For: the Yankees went on to beat the evil ANAHEIM FACTION and advanced to the WORLD SERIES against the evil PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES...where they actually BEAT THEM, TOO. Incidentally, the New York Yankees had a .333 1 win/ 2 losses record against the Phillies that season. And spared the planet from a Phillies domination. Again.)

In 2011, the Yankees have a losing record against just 2 teams: the Red Sox and the Detroit Tigers. Is this a cause for concern?

Again, when a team like the SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS can have a regular season record against the SAN DIEGO PADRES of 12 losses in 18 games...and the Padres opt to go on some 10-game losing streak just 2 weeks before the end of the season, does it matter if you never hear from them again?

Yet those very Giants find a way to skate past the ATLANTA BRAVES (with whom they had a 3 wins/ 4 losses regular season record), and even over-power the PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES (3/3) and take on one of the hottest hitting teams in the entire league (the Texas Rangers, sporting one CLIFF LEE) and STILL found a way to WIN IT ALL...after entering the post-season with merely 92 wins....hell: Anything is possible, indeed.

Ask Bill Buckner.

October is different.

Or is it??

Perhaps for SOME teams, the regular season wins are all that matter. Take, for instance, the 2011 Red Sox team. They presently have a losing record against 7 teams: CHICAGO WHITE SOX, CLEVELAND INDIANS, PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES, PITTSBURGH PIRATES, SAN DIEGO PADRES, TAMPA BAY RAYS, and the TEXAS RANGERS.

However, they DO have 10 wins against the Yankees. (And, oddly, even WITH 10 direct losses, the Yankees remain neck in neck for 1st place in the AL EAST. Why is this?)

...And, more importantly, as some may assume: What IF the Red Sox and Yankees actually have to face one another in the ALCS...? Is it a SURE WIN? I'd like to submit some interesting facts regarding the Red Sox batters. It's consistent with my theory that PRETTY MUCH ALL M*THERF*GGIN TEAMS GEAR UP AND PLAY US LIKE WE'RE HOLDING THEIR FAMILY HOSTAGE AND ONLY A WIN WILL RETURN GRAMMA SAFELY TO HER ROCKING CHAIR...

Below, you can see in GREEN the batting averages of Red Sox players against the Yankees this season. Just below each BA, OBP, and SLG in GREEN you can see each players actual career numbers, for instance: Jacoby Ellsbury normally bats .275. and yet, against the Yankees, he has batted .348...



Interestingly, all but Gonzalez, Crawford, and Youkilis are batting well above their typical career numbers. Remember: career numbers span beyond just one season. Are the Red Sox overplaying the entire American League? Clearly no. These numbers simply represent their batting averages against the Yankees, so far this season.

Now, let's look at how the Yankees have batted against the Red Sox this season, in comparison to their career numbers:



Clearly, Eric Chavez, Russell Martin, and Eduardo Nunez are playing exceptionally well, even against the evil Red Sox, compared to their career averages.

After crunching many stats, and perusing trends and looking for that needle in the haystack to give me just a glimpse as to what I can expect this October, I am keenly aware of one final answer:

I have no clue.

But, one thing I do know is this: Inasmuch as the regular season is one fraught with excitement, endurance, injury, and defeat...it is possible to bring one's A-GAME to a particular team each time you oppose that team throughout the regular season. (Especially when you're getting beat to a pulp by teams like the CHICAGO WHITE SOX and the SAN DIEGO PADRES, CLEVELAND, PITTSBURGH, TAMPA BAY, AND TEXAS, right Boston?)

I firmly believe IF the Yankees discover themselves in the ALCS opposing the Red Sox, the laws of October baseball and superhero playing will have long since passed for the Red Sox. After all, they will have to eliminate either Detroit or Texas before they ever even see us. Therefore, there is NOTHING to say we will even have to ever see them again. But, if we do, I firmly believe we will all play according to our actual career numbers...and...this is extremely unfavorable for them lyin' cheatin' evil clam chowder eaters.

The Yankees at Fenway: Hit Us at Your Own Risk, Boston

...And so it begins. Again. The New York Yankees will saunter on over to Fenway this weekend, beginning tonight, to face the evil Red Sox. No doubt the beer is flowing, "sick day," calls have been received GLOBALLY, and all things CLAM CHOWDER are giddy as shit.

Let them be giddy.

The Red Sox and Yankees are presently tied for the American League East Division within Major League Baseball. And water is still wet.

Aside from that whole EPISODE against the INEPT AND DEFENSELESS (and OFFENSIVELESS, i might add) BALTIMORE ORIOLES...the Red Sox have been exceedingly prolific and effective in winning games via the HIT THE SHIT OUT OF A HANDFUL OF PLAYERS WITH PITCHES strategy.

Theo is slumming, Tito has no balls, and not one person on the planet has raised an eyebrow over this fact. To date, the Red Sox have managed to hit 60 players with pitches, and something tells me that number will rise by at least a half-dozen by night's end Sunday.

Motives. Let's begin there. Hell, I'm just gonna be honest. THEY HAD NO REASON TO SMACK THE HAPLESS ORIOLES AROUND...and yet: they did. And, funner than fun: THE ORIOLES SMACKED BACK. Get this now: the team with the LEAST amount of batter's being hit by pitchers, the Orioles were systematically assaulted by the team with the MOST amount of batters being hit by pitchers.

So, perhaps that whole ORIOLES thing was just an act of fun for Boston. However, if one pays close attention, one will see fun trends. Like Red Sox pitchers targeting a Right Fielder, eliminating him from the series, and then clocking everything to Right Field.

Jon Lester will begin the series versus Bartolo Colon tonight. Lackey faces CC Saturday, and Satan Himself (oh, yeah, I mean BECKETT) will face (of all pitchers) Freddy Garcia.

So let's make it simple. For the most part, obviously, each team is equal in offense and defense. Each team has weaknesses: i.e. Starting Pitching, and each team wants the Division title.

In 2009, the Red Sox smacked the Yankees around for 9 before the Yankees woke up, SMOKED THEIR SORRY ASSES FOR THE REMAINING 9, AND THEN WALTZED INTO THE WORLD SERIES AND WON... Therefore, these LOSSES to Boston thus far in 2011 mean NOTHING to the overall true purist Red Sox/Yankee enthusiast. Anything CAN and WILL happen. The past means NADA, and do not fool yourself in believing this isn't DOWNRIGHT WAR.

'tis.

Lester v. Colon. Advantage: Lester.
Lackey v. CC. Advantage: CC.
Beckett v. Garcia. Advantage: Satan's minion, Beckett.

Thus, clearly the Red Sox COULD sit on their heels and gladly accept 2 possible wins. However, I firmly and wholeheartedly do NOT believe that is what they will seek. HELL NO. AT FENWAY??? THEY MUST SWEEP. I mean, hell. They went 0-6 to start off the season AT FENWAY and made most of their following want to mame and torture them. And most recently, they just got SMACKED AROUND by CLEVELAND. AT FENWAY. The tide must turn.

Now, let's configure HOW.

Being that their chief WEAPON is the HIT BY PITCH to win games, systematically targeting the greatest asset to a series, I have several thoughts regarding their possible approach.

FRIDAY. LESTER. Consider it a WIN. But SATURDAY, LACKEY, this will be a loss. How to set the dominoes in order to avoid said loss....hmmmm. How bout this. Since Lester is such the KING OF THE HBP, and Saturday's game is versus SABATHIA, wouldn't it make perfect sense to lay down a BOATLOAD OF BUNTS to Sabathia and disrupt the game (like Torre and the 2009 Dodgers attempted to do against Pettitte at Los Angeles) in order to win? (insert: GOD BLESS JONATHON BROXTON *HERE*)

Thus. The laying down of bunts. Fielded by 1st and 3rd basemen, right...cause we all KNOW that CC AINT GONNA BE FIELDING THAT SHIT; I say the Red Sox will target Teixeira and "Whoever's gonna be playing 3rd," thereby eliminating those players from the rest of the series, or at least the LACKEY game, where said BUNTS will be aplenty.

And, of course, Lackey will target key players for further DL stints to pave the way for BECKETT to go out and HIT NOT ONE PERSON, BUT SHINE LIKE THE NOON DAY SUN.

(After all. This IS to be a National Broadcast, and we musn't allow the world in on our little SECRET OF SUCCESS, the HBP.)

Equally concerning for the Red Sox: both Varitek and Saltimaccia's INABILITY to catch base stealers. The New York Yankees are presently 3rd in the ENTIRE LEAGUE for stolen bases. Bottom line there: doesn't matter WHO Boston has catching. I believe, however, Varitek will catch tonight and Sunday. AFTER ALL, THIS IS TO BE A NATIONAL BROADCAST AND VARITEK IS DAH CAPTAIN. uh huh.

So. Who's got a target on their back, leg, head, elbow, etc. etc. this weekend? Welp, the safest answer is the usual suspects: Jeter, Cano, Granderson, Martin; as these tend to be their FAVORITE'S FOR INJURY PROMOTION (or POSSIBLE ON-FIELD FIGHTS WHICH MIGHT LEAD TO EJECTIONS AND SUSPENSIONS AND FINES.)

(For the Yankees, that is. As Boston has YET to have ANY ACCOUNTABILITY paid on their incessant on-field actions. But this isn't all that shocking...being that ex-Yankee manager and current Bud Selig lackey JOE TORRE is head over On Field Behavior.)

I say Lester will go after Russell Martin, Mark Teixeira, and someone else who he just feels like hitting. Eliminate Martin and Teixeira from Saturday's BUNT GAME and maybe get someone else on the DL for a bit. Pave the way for Lackey to possibly do well and get the win.

However. Russell Martin doesn't hit particulary well against Lackey ANYHOW. Plus, Lackey's never faced Franky Cervelli nor Eduardo Nunez. Thus, I say: Friday night, Girardi MUST have Martin catch and Eric Chavez play 3rd. If EITHER get hurt, NEITHER will be needed Saturday. Plus, Lester's never faced Eric Chavez. That will piss him the HELL off, and Chavey is hot as of recent. Put Chavey on 3rd. Mark will hold his own and let the chips fall.

Saturday, enter Francisco Cervelli and Eduardo Nunez. If Nunez is put into Friday night's game: I have NO DOUBT that both HE AND BRETT GARDNER will BOTH be plunked hard...as Boston will have NO REMEDY against their amazing success at working walks and stealing bases.

SIT NUNEZ FRIDAY.

Andruw Jones is more successful against Lackey (.333 BA) and should be in Right Field on Saturday.

SIT SWISH ON SATURDAY.

The key to beating Beckett is disrupting him and working his pitch count by the 3rd inning. I say all base-stealers, hot hitters, and walk-workers MUST face him and play so WICKED SMALL BALL against him. In that event, I'd like to see Nunez and Gardy back to back...and have some concern over Russell Martin's involvement in Sunday's game v. Beckett due to his .000 batting average against him. Cervelli is .286 against Beckett...

There are many question marks as to how each team will approach this series. I do not believe the Red Sox will simply come out of their slimy little pits in the earth and show up and play ball. From their continual actions this year of utilizing the HIT BY PITCH to achieve an advantage over an opponent, I believe the Yankees must prepare themselves for this approach.

And hell. If one is adept to FIGHTING FIRE WITH FIRE, and we WERE to go TOE-TO-TOE in retaliation, I say HIT PEDROIA AND GONSALEZ. Without THEM, the Red Sox are null and void.

Not that I wouldn't prefer a line-drive to the leg of ANY of the aforementioned Red Sox Starters.

Or Papelbon.

Both legs with HIM, though...

Introducing another possibility entirely for tomorrow's game against the evil Texas faction at Yankee Stadium, in the form of a pitcher.

Brian Gordon may very well be replacing Bartolo Colon tomorrow. Uh huh. Sure, we've speculated; Noesi? Phelps? D.J. Mitchell? Our boy Manny Banuelos?

But, the Brass have announced this most recent signing of Gordon from the Philadelphia Phillies minor league affilliate, the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs.

Uh huh. the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs. Associated with the evil and smarmy Philadelphia Phillies. Kinda makes you wonder how close the Phillies ever were to being known as the Philadelphia Philly Valley Pigs. But, that's neither here nor there. Some labels need not be in writing...

The haters will basically describe this transaction as one where the Yankees broke into Gordon's little home and terrorized him and made him sign a contract. Uh huh. Like a Pitching Acquisition Home Invasion. Uh huh.

Well, I've read where Pitching Acquisition Home Invasions happen all the time. But generally they occur in the Japan Industrial League...And I do believe those Pitching Acquisition Home Invasions usually involve wontons. Uh huh. Wontons...and nunchucks. Now, I haven't read anything about this most recent signing of Gordon with the Yankees having anything to do with neither wontons nor nunchucks, so shut the shit up all you Philadelphia Valley Pig Yankee haters out there, got me?

The New York Yankees ain't the Japanese Industrial League.

The haters will tell you how Gordon was kidnapped against his will from his beloved evil Iron Pig team within the benevolent and hermetically sealed womb of the Phillies minor league detention center for the perpetually inept; and forced him to actually agree to receive money for his services...and possibly an ongoing opportunity to pitch in the Majors for the most successful team in the history of the game of baseball...

God, how cruel and unusual. Get Amnesty International on the phone...

or would it be better to call the S.P.C.A.??

As a converted outfielder, Gordon pitched in 2007 and 2008 posting some kickass stats: 168 Games, 366.2 Innings, with a 3.09 ERA, with a 1.156 WHIP, 2.1 BB/9, and a 7.7 K/9. In 2008, however, Gordon was forced to align himself with the evil Texas faction.

(Ironic, isn't it?? We're facing Texas with the very "sloppy seconds," with whom they had zero interest in developing)

...hell no...not when they can chase down Cliff "Primadonna Elitist Bitch" Lee...

(whom they no longer have as he went to the evil Phillies after we pretty much laid our Texas Hold Em cards down with Lee stating we didn't want him)

(and poor evil Texas couldn't afford to keep him, or so they say, so the bitch ran off to the Phillies)

(and then skip ahead a few months and here we are to today: taking this guy Gordon from the Phillies and cartin' him back to face the evil Texas faction.)

yep: it all began with Texas. That's irony. Texas irony. The kind with tabakka and spurs.)

So far in 2011, Gordon with the Iron Pigs has had outrageously good numbers, 5-0 with a 1.14 ERA in 12 games, nine of them starts. He had 56 strikeouts and just seven walks.

Noesi, conversely, has 1-1 with a 3.92 ERA in four starts for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and is 1-0 with a 1.76 ERA in four long-relief appearances. And Phelps is 4-4 with a 2.95 ERA in 12 starts in the minors.

Now, inasmuch as I would love to see my boy Noesi take the mound on Thursday, I still see this Gordon signing as a good move on the part of the Yankees. It enables the organization to continue developing our prospects, as well as maintaining a zero-risk relationship with Gordon, as he is utter and complete DFA material if he does poorly. Thus, in essence, we're buying time and protecting our prospects and their futures...

Yes, it may appear as though the Brass have opted to overlook the prospects and went 'a-shopping,' for someone 'better;' however, in reality, if our kids got injured or shelled, their futures could be severely impacted.

(Can anyone say Chase Wright?)

Gordon basically has no future, presently, with the Phillies, et.al. as a career minor leaguer...and now has an opportunity to step up and show the world what he's got.

And let me tell you, ain't nothin sweeter, I theorize, than to be just hangin out with your fellow Iron Pigmen on some idle Tuesday and to receive a call saying, "You may be pitching at Yankee Stadium on Thursday, get mentally prepared."

I theorize he got on a plane. Puts a whole new spin on the phrase, "When pigs fly."