Almost time for roll call

The very first night game I took my older son to came with something I was looking forward to, almost (but not quite) more than being there with him and his first night game: Section 39 bleacher seats. I'd been there once before, but it was ages ago, probably before the concept of Roll Call was put into effect. Naturally, I was excited, but also nervous to bring an impressionable 5 year old to the most raucous, bombastic, crazy area of the park. Was I nuts? Yeah, a bit, but it was awesome. My son somehow didn't pick up most of the profanity as he was too young to realize what he was hearing, unlike now, 4 years later.

Today, there's a fun introduction to "Bald Vinny", the Master of Ceremonies for the Bleacher Creatures that's certainly worth a read. Says Vinny (emphasis mine):

I have way too many favorite memories of the old place to list them. But I will say that I always loved just walking up the ramp and seeing the field. As you know, the area outside is all gray and brown and dark looking, then you walk in and the field is like a shining diamond. It always felt like a jewel to me. I’m sure the new place will be nice, but it’s just not the same. Some of my most memorable games were the Aaron Boone game, the 2001 World Series, Paulie’s last game in the Bronx, and David Well’s perfecto.

Right on, Vinny. I've always had that same view and the chill it delivered every time.

Interesting tidbit about their move to their new section, given all of the negative press about the seating process:

JB: The section numbers have changed in the new ballpark, so the bleacher creatures will no longer be known as “section 39.” Where can fans find the creatures in the new ballpark?

Vinny: Our group is moving to Section 203. It’s in the same place as 39, just has a new number. The Yanks actually did the right thing and helped our group with the transition, so most of us were able to stay together. One of the most important things about the bleachers was that there are no backs to the seats. That makes moving around a lot easier, and adds to the social aspect of our group. It encourages you to interact more with other fans than you would in the grandstands, and most of our group has been sitting near the same people for years. For our “core group” of creatures, the people we sit near have become an extension of our families and we are all happy we get to stay together.

Vinny added a nice comment/story via email that's also worth repeating:

If you could, please let your readers know that the guys in the bleachers really appreciate the support we get from Yankee fans all over the country. Every day I meet people who tell me they had the best time hanging with us, and that they would never sit anywhere else but the bleachers. That makes me feel awesome knowing that our little bit of lunacy helps create everlasting memories for baseball fans. You have no idea how humbling it is to meet a 45 year old guy from California who took his only vacation of the year to come sit with you and your crew at a game. It’s really amazing to me how it’s taken off, and we truly appreciate the support.

*****

I left the Stadium with my son that night knowing that the negative press about the Creatures was overblown, that these people (men and women alike) were not the drunken louts that give some Yanks fans their bad name, but rather the most die-hard, knowledgable fans in the park. [I've found that the worst fans are the random guys who go to only a few games a season and choose to make it an excuse to booze it up, not the regulars who are there every game, every night.] They're loud, obnoxious, rough on the other team, rough on the other SECTIONS of the Stadium, but they are also the most fun. They put the fan in fanatic. It might not be the section you want to sit in with young kids every night, but if you are looking for the quintessential Yankee Stadium experience, go sit in the bleachers and be prepared to yell, scream, stand, and laugh the whole night.

Congrats to RAB, WasWatching, BronxBanter

Big, hearty congrats to the fine guys at River Ave. Blues for earning a big presence on the new YES website.

The new-look yesnetwork.com will feature three video highlights per game, up from two in the prior accord with MLBAM; a new design that resembles MLB.com and the Yankees.com team site; an extensive series of text and video blogs from both network personnel and outside sources such as the River Ave. Blues blog; and greatly expanded social-networking capabilities.

RAB has been a leader in fan blogs and this is a nice leap forward for them. The guys there have been very good to me, linking here on occasion, twice this week alone.

If you get a chance, drop by and wish them well.

In addition to RAB on YESnetwork.com, it seems that some of my other favorite blogs are gaining additional prominence on other sports networks site, including WasWatching and Alex Belth's Bronx Banter:

SNY, seeking to take on a more universally New York tone than some of its local competitors, also last fall added a second prominent Yankees-related blog, Bronx Banter, to its emerging blog network. The blog joins Yankees-themed WasWatching.com on the site.

Memo to all: I'm ready to join ya!

I know some blogs out there are ultra-competitive and like to cut down the others. Me, I am just happy that the dialogue and discourse continues to flourish and I am happy to see these blogs grow and succeed. Great work, all.


thanks to Pete Toms for the heads up

Dusty's dog dies of exhaustion

This is just plain funny (it's called satire)

It seems that the Red’s manager had been training his pup for next year’s Purina Dog Challenge, but accidentally left a tennis ball machine on in his backyard over the weekend and the poor Golden retriever fetched and fetched until his little heart exploded after chasing what animal rescue workers believe to be well over 15,000 tennis balls.

When interviewed Baker spoke incredulously about the situation.

“I don’t understand it. He should have been able to fetch that many tennis balls. I don’t care what the so called ‘experts’ say about how much strain a golden retriever can handle. I’ve always thrown him 5000 balls a day and even knowing what I do now, would continue to throw him at least 5000 balls a day because that’s what he liked and that’s what it took for him to win. After games I used to make Kerry Wood come over and throw about 300 tennis balls as far as he could to help train the dog for the physical demands of a competition as excruciating as the PDC.”

Anything going on today?

A deathly quiet morning in the baseball world. Not to mention, I hear there's some big basketball thingie kicking off today, but that's just a rumor.

Some things of modest interest:

• Youkilis out of WBC with ankle injury
• Carpenter looks good
• New York Yankees slugger Hideki Matsui won't play in field until at least June
• Steinbrenner Is Forever Young in a New Children's Book
• A-Rod needs to end love affair with himself
• A-Rod magazine photos make teammates wonder
• Japan beats fog, Cuba to roll into WBC semis
• MLB Draft Blog: The class of '85

I've got a busy morning so a link-dump will have to suffice. Should have a bit of time later. My apologies.

Happy 1,000 to me

Who doesn't love a good, arbitrary milestone more than a baseball fan? Just a moment for me as this represents my 1,000th posting here since I started this blog way back in late December 2007.

Thanks to all of you for coming here, creating a good dialogue, sharing your thoughts and opinions, and keeping me honest.

I truly enjoy this endeavor and all of you make it so very worthwhile.

Thanks again.

Nothing beats a 9th inning rally

I haven't written much (anything?) about the WBC simply because I wasn't that "into it". I watched bits and pieces here and there but it wasn't must see baseball for me. I kept track of the standings and who advanced. I was geeked by the Netherlands beating the DR twice. But, I caught the end of the do-or-die game last night between the USA and Puerto Rico.

Nothing, and I mean NOTHING, beats a 9th inning rally to survive and move on.

[David] Wright looped a two-run single into right field off Fernando Cabrera to finish a three-run ninth inning and vault the United States to a dramatic 6-5 victory in the World Baseball Classic. The Americans advanced to the semifinals while the stunned Puerto Ricans were eliminated.

Mets, Yanks, RedSox, Phillies...hated rivals during the season, dogpiling in March. Good stuff.

And I won't even discuss how Jeter failed to keep a ball hit to his left IN the infield to let the 5th run score in the top of the ninth. That the team won will forever bury this factoid.


And also, I found it, um, interesting that JC Romero was allowed to play given that he'll be serving a 50 game suspension for PED use.

Yeah, good luck with that, KC

Anyone wanna guess how this is gonna end?

Sidney Ponson, who pitched for the amazing Netherlands team in the World Baseball Classic, was signed Tuesday by the Royals to a Minor League contract.
[...]
Last season Ponson pitched for the Texas Rangers, going 4-1 with a 3.88 ERA in nine starts, and for the New York Yankees, going 4-4 with a 5.85 ERA in 16 games (15 starts).

I hope he kicks Trey Hillman* like he punched/kicked that judge on the beach in Aruba. Can't wait to hear the requisite "looking for a fresh start" crap that he's said on every other stop he's made.

I still can't believe he had 15 starts for the Yanks last year. How on Earth did the team manage to win 89 games while giving 10% of its starts to Fat Sidney and another 7 to American Idle? I think the team overachieved. Have I mentioned that I hate Ponson?

Oh wait.... just occured to me: Ponson AND Farnsworthless are BOTH ON THE ROYALS!!! And they are overpaying Farnsworthless, bigtime. Good times. I love this. My night will be a good one.

Stay classy, Kansas City.


* Thanks, Ron, for the catch

A look at the old "new" Yankee Stadium

Lar at Wezen-ball has a great look back at the last time there was a "new" Yankee Stadium, waaay back in 1976.

I know, I know... that isn't the boldest of predictions to make. But I feel more than confident when I say that - and that's mostly because this isn't new at all. Back in 1976, the old Yankee Stadium re-opened after having been closed for two years for remodeling. The interior of the stadium was completely rebuilt, including the fences, the seats, the roof, and the original grandstand. When the remodeled Yankee Stadium opened that year, the sportswriters of the time took notice and spent their column space doing exactly what we know today's sportswriters will do next month: waxing poetic about the "dawn of a new age" and the "bittersweet transition of old to new" and also talking about the cost overruns and the city's questionable roll in the construction.

There are some great links to articles written at the time, too. Worth a read.

Mirror, mirror on the wall...

...who's the vainest, most self-absorbed, narcissistic, image-conscious of them all?

His inability to stay in the shadows, his relentless quest for the limelight as an individual.... what more can I say?

ARod loves him some ARod.

IIATMS Exclusive: 20 Questions with Jeff Pearlman

A few weeks ago, I learned that author Jeff Pearlman was finishing a book about Roger Clemens, deftly titled "The Rocket That Fell to Earth: Roger Clemens and the Rage for Baseball Immortality". I emailed Jeff, requesting an interview via a 20 questions email. Jeff was kind enough to give it a whirl. Presented below are Jeff's answers to my questions.

[I do want to note that I do not and did not have an advance copy of the book so my questions reflect this fact. I asked questions without knowing if they were addressed in the book and without insight into any particular stories, like the Giambi story that came out last week.]

1. It's About The Money (IIATMS): Why Roger Clemens? Haven’t you had enough of mucking around in the PED pool after your Bonds book?
   
   Jeff Pearlman (JP): Good question. People always think—and understandably so—that I selected subjects because they're "bad" guys who cause controversy. That's not the case. What I see in Roger Clemens is the same thing I saw in Barry Bonds—an iconic sports figure who we know almost nothing about, beyond surface information. I know Clemens was a great pitcher who used drugs and was from Texas and never said much. But what makes him tick? How did he reach this point? What led him to make the decisions he made? That's what fascinates me, but it's hard to find icons (nobody's buying a Roberto Kelly biography) who haven't been revealed. Clemens, for the most part, is a mysterious figure.
   
   


2. IIATMS: Was Clemens’ PED usage similar in psychology to Bonds (“Yes I am already a legend, but I want more”) or was it related to him fading in Boston (with Duquette’s famed “in the twilight” comment looming)?
   
   JP: Sort of both. He was already a legend, but the spark was the Boston fade, and Dan Duquette sort of calling him out and saying publicly what everyone else was thinking: The guy is a shot pitcher.
   
   Clemens has a lot of pride and even more ego, and the idea of some pencil-necked geek ending his career never sat well. So he did what he had to do to revive a fading fastball and a fading baseball existence: He cheated.
   



3. IIATMS: Did Clemens lure Pettitte or did Pettitte seek out Clemens?
   
   JP: Really, neither. They were friends, and Pettitte, understandably, saw Clemens as a the ideal mentor—a Texan and a legend who knew how to survive in a profession that eats its middled-aged. I don't think either man was the villain or victim, when it comes to one another. They just ... were.
   
   


4. IIATMS: Was Pettitte the lapdog that the media portrayed him? Do you think Pettitte used more than he admitted to?
   
   JP: I actually think Pettitte is a lapdog—sorta simple, gosh, golly, OK, that sounds good, just try my best, love God, play to the best of my abilities. And do I think he used more than twice? Of course I do, because it doesn't make sense. Something makes you recover quickly and gives you more oomph and energy—and you only used twice? Hard to fathom. That's actually what angers me, a bit about the Pettitte thing: There was very little follow-up to his "confession." Twice? Really? Only twice, Andy?
   
   


5. IIATMS: How elaborate was Clemens’ PED usage?
   
   JP: In a sense, very elaborate, and in a sense, no very. He used myriad PED, from HGH to different steroids, and he had it set up so Brian McNamee would provide and inject in the privacy of his own home. But, on the other hand, it was pretty basic in the grand scheme of cheaters. Unless you're injecting elephant blood and road spit, steroids and steroids and HGH is HGH. There are different varieties, different potencies—but, come day's end—it's a performance enhancer.
   
   


6. IIATMS: Much has been made about Clemens’ workouts. What did you learn that surprised you? Was it the liniment on the testicles?
   
   JP: Actually, I'd say the liniment is pretty crazy. I can't imagine how he stomached that. But also, I was sorta blown away by the lie of it all, and the scheming. Toward the end of his career, Clemens worked really hard to make sure everyone knew he worked really hard. There are endless newspaper articles about Clemens' work ethic; reporters tagging along and watching. It was sort of the classic bait and switch—the more you think I'm busting ass, the less you'd think I'm cheating behind the scenes to do so. Sort of cleaver, in a pathetic way.
   
   


7. IIATMS: Who did you interview for this book?
   
   JP: Approximately 420 people, ranging from teammates to coaches to classmates from elementary school on up. My goal here, to be honest, wasn't to write "Game of Shadows: Clemens Version." As I noted earlier, I wanted a detailed, in-depth bipography of who Roger Clemens is, and how he became this person; what led him down the path.
   
   


8. IIATMS: For those of us who have never considered what goes into writing a book like this, can you tell us about the process? What goes into it? Research? Timing? Editing?
   
   JP: Hell. Pure hell. This was the hardest book I ever wrote, because the publisher wanted it faster than usual. So basically, the first thing I do is get copies of every media guide Clemens has appeared in, from college to this final seasons in the big leagues. I make files for every teammate, coach, etc—and reach out to them, one by one. I find his old yearbooks and track down classmates, coaches, administrators. I'll travel for big reasons—visit his hometown, go to Houston, etc. But much of it is over the phone. Then, on a newspaper database program, I'll go through every Roger Clemens clip from the early 1980s through today—that'd be about 10,000 articles. It's nightmarish and hard, and when you write, you can easily get lost beneath a mountain of paper. But I also enjoy the detective-ness of it all.
   
   


9. IIATMS: How does the publishing process work? Did you seek a publisher or do they seek you?
   
   JP: Well, I've had a relationship with Harper for four books now, so I pitch them my ideas first. But for my first book, "The Bad Guys Won!" I had an agent contact me, ask if I ever wanted to get into books. We talked it over, and came up with the '86 Mets as an idea. We pitched the book to different publishing houses, and Harper was interested. That's how it started ...
   
   


10. IIATMS: What surprised you the most about your research?
    
    JP: Clemens' youth. Growing up, Bonds was this stud athlete who kicked ass everywhere. Clemens was the opposite—fat, schlumpy, unimpressive. Very, very mediocre. In Little League, he split starts with Kelly Krzan—a girl. And she had better stuff. Also, the lies. If you look at Clemens' life, he has lied about major things throughout: He's not from Texas, he's from Ohio. He wasn't drafted by the Twins, wasn't offered a football scholarship from Georgia, didn't have a basketball tryout with the Sonics. Those are just a few of the things he's said over the years—none true. And the list is endless. It's odd—he has spent a lifetime writing a narrative that doesn't ring true.
    
    


11. IIATMS: How pervasive was PED usage during the ‘90’s? At its height?
    
    JP: This is a guesstimate, but I'd say 70% of major leaguers were using something more than Andro. That's pretty damn pervasive. It was part of the culture of the game. But as I always say, if 70% of my daughter's class cheats on a test, I'm still pissed beyond belief if she does, too. It's easy to go along; difficult—but righteous—to buck the trend.
    
    


12. IIATMS: How much PED usage is still going on? What %?
    
    JP: I couldn't give a % at this point; it'd be a pure guess. But I still believe it to be very high. You know HGH was widely used before the so-called crackdown, and there remains no test for it. I look at a guy like Jason Giambi, and think, "He was a pretty mediocre prospect, then he takes, presumably, roids and HGH and is great. He gets caught, supposedly stops taking ... and is still great? Hard to believe. Not impossible, I guess. But hard.
    
    


13. IIATMS: Was this part of the Yankees locker room culture? Between Giambi, ARod, Sheffield, Clemens, Pettitte, and the Mitchell Report, there’s an awful lot of pinstriped heroes who have been shamed. Not all were Yanks while they used or got caught using, but there’s a link.
    
    JP: Truthfully, it was a part of baseball culture, period. But I do think the Yankees allowed it to flower, and never, ever questioned it. I mean, this is the team that brought in Giambi, Jose Canseco and Kevin Brown. This was a don't-ask-don't-tell team. You don't think Brian Cashman or Joe Torre had any suspicions? None? That'd be very odd. It doesn't make the Yanks any different than the Padres or Mets or Cubs—but the whole blame-the-players approach of baseball is wrong.
    
    


14. IIATMS: How would you allocate the “blame” for this Era: Media, Union leadership, clean players, dirty players, ownership, Selig?
    
    JP: Ownership: 20%
    Selig: 10%
    Dirty players: 30%
    Union leadership: 30%
    Media: 5%
    Clean players: 5%
    
    


15. IIATMS: Was Clemens regarded as a good teammate, unlike Bonds?
    
    JP: For the most part, yes. He could be very selfish, and his no-show act grew very old in Toronto and Houston. But, unlike Barry, he wasn't a purely bad and selfish human being. Clemens wanted to be nice and helpful, and he would answer teammates' questions, take them out for dinner, treat rookies well. Overall, he was liked, and some guys—Oil Can, Al Nipper—swear by him.
    
    


16. IIATMS: How is Clemens’ life these days? Is he in seclusion or is he still embraced by the Houston community?
    
    JP: Well, he's not overly embraced. Still plays golf, attends his kids' events, lives an OK life. But this is a man whose goal was to become an immortalized legend; a superhero for eternity; the greatest blah, blah, blah. He desperately wanted to Hall of Fame; even demanded he be inducted as a Yankee, or not at all. So now here he is, no legacy, no hope. It's sad, in the fallen-hero-is-pathetic way. But it's largely self-induced.
    
    


17. IIATMS: Does Clemens’ much care about the Hall of Fame? It’s been noted that McGwire doesn’t care all that much.
    
    JP: Yes. More than breathing, he wanted to be alongside the all-time greats. This kills him.
    
    


18. IIATMS: Does Clemens regret:
    a. Using?
    b. His defense?
    c. Anything?
    
    JP: Roger Clemens doesn't do regret.
    
    


19. IIATMS: If you could go back 10, 15 years and become the whistleblower, would you know that it might have resulted in your being blackballed from the inside of the game? Or would you have been pressured to keep quiet (either due to editors, lack of evidence, etc.)?
    
    JP: If I had the information, and it was sound, of course I'd do it. It'd be the sports equivalent of Woodward turning down Watergate because he was worried about future White House access ...Without question.
    
    


20. IIATMS: Tell us about the Giambi/Cashman fallout that surfaced last week:
    
    JP: [This is canned as the answer comes directly from Jeff's blog and came out after I had sent him my initial list of questions.]
    I’ve never been one to shy away from difficult subjects. I try and tackle issues/people head-on, and can’t remember a time when I’ve decided to not write something because the fallout would be too difficult.
    
    I’d be lying, however, if I said I enjoy the fallout. I hate it—truly hate it. I want people to read my books, and it’s certainly the way I feed my family and afford and house. I also enjoy the PR that comes with promoting a book—it’s fun emerging from the light for a month or two to do TV and radio. But when the spotlight is negative, or confrontational, or awkward … well, it’s no fun. I don’t hide from it—but enjoyable? No.
    
    A final thought on this matter, and I’ll move on: Cashman was 100-percent right, in that I should have called him for comment, and it was mediocre journalism that I didn’t. I truly regret that. My explanation—admittedly, not a very good one—is that, in my mind, I knew he’d deny, and I could always get it during spring training, when I’d see him in person in Tampa. When the book deadline was moved up, I lost that chance—but forgot about it. Not a good excuse, obviously, and all rips are fair game.
    

A huge thanks to Jeff for making himself available in the height of his pre-launch activities. [I don't make a nickel on any referral or anything like that, but if you want to pre-order a book at Amazon, click here.] Also, Jeff has a pretty interesting "Cast Of Characters" that appear in the book. Great stuff.

The Clemens saga is tragic and I hope that these Q&A's are helpful in scratching the surface on his persona.

Nailed by Nails

This is a long but staggering expose on the purported brilliance and financial acumen of one Lenny "Nails" Dykstra. It's the story of a guy who was recruited by Nails, eventually hired to help run his magazine business and ultimately treated like crap, stolen from and left holding the bag with a soiled reputation.

One story:

At about 3:30 p.m. on the Saturday before Labor Day, I receive a call from Lenny. Speaking in a voice even more slurred than usual, he says: “Hey, bro, a guy from this jet company is going to call you in a few minutes and ask for your credit card.”

“What the hell for, Lenny?”

“He’s not going to charge your card, bro. It’s just an authorization on it so I can reserve a private jet to get me to Atlanta, where I’m going to pick up half a million dollars in cash.”

This is pretty much the precise moment when things begin to go wrong—when I should’ve realized that no matter how enthralled I was with the idea of working for Nails and his high-rolling magazine, I should’ve simply said no. I ask why a supposed multimillionaire needs an employee’s credit card for his flights. He mumbles something about having “high-limit cards off the charts” that, for reasons unknown, do not allow him to make telephone authorizations.

“Lenny, I’m trusting you to do right by me. I don’t want to be stuck with these charges,” I say.

“You can trust me with your life, bro,” he replies. And then: “Don’t tell anyone about this, okay?”
[...]
At this point, I am already on the hook for $14,000, and though I know I’ll never see the five grand Lenny’s promising, I worry that unless I pony up the rest, he’ll walk on his first airfare and leave me with the bill. So I call the private charter company and put my remaining four credit cards together for about $18,000. That leaves me $5,000 short. Lenny’s personal assistant puts her card down for the balance.

Lenny gets on his plane, but the five grand never finds its way to my pocket. It will be fourteen days before the authorizations are cleared—long enough for my wife to find out what I’d been doing and for us to be late on our mortgage payment. Weeks later I learn that Lenny had also attempted to persuade one of the magazine’s advertisers to put up their credit for Lenny’s private flights, again with the promise of cash.

Scumbag.


h/t Deadspin

All for one....

The Yanks' persona the last half dozen (or dozen, whatever) years has been very sterile, corporate. Or, in other less-flattering terms: BORING and FRACTURED. What this will mean when the games count I am not sure, but I am sure happy to hear that it's changing, even a little:

On a suggestion from A.J. Burnett before a Feb. 28 game at Steinbrenner Field, the members of the Yankees' projected rotation went to watch Joba Chamberlain warm up. And a habit was born.
[...]
The fraternity in the Yankees clubhouse has been noticeably stronger this spring, and no place has that been more overt than among this re-shuffled rotation. The five starters have committed to each other in a variety of ways, including going to watch each other's pre-game warm-ups.
[...]
It is difficult to measure what fraternity might mean within a rotation. The act of pitching, after all, is mostly a solitary act. But it is clear that big-time weight is on this rotation for a variety of reasons, notably that a quarter of a billion dollars was invested in Sabathia and Burnett to make starting pitching the backbone of the team and without Alex Rodriguez for a while this club is going to need its rotation operating at peak efficiency. So having an internal support system, especially in New York, should be valuable.
[...]
Sabathia arrived with the reputation as one of the game's best teammates and has only burnished that image.
[...]
But the surprise of the group has been Burnett. His reputation was as prickly and different. However, he has belied that, so far.

I continue to believe that Burnett will thrive since he can simply draft behind CC's wake. And that will ripple down the rotation. Of course, if Sabathia gets off to a dismal start or Burnett gets hurt.... all bets off. But if they succeed and the Yanks have a solid April, we can look forward to the "this team is better off without ARod" slop-slinging.

Feeling a draft

The inaugural IIATMS fantasy baseball draft took place last night, with 11 of the 12 teams present. The banter was good, quick-witted, funny and sharp. There were some great picks and some questionable ones. We'll see who has the keenest eye and I'll do something here every so often to discuss the standings. Maybe every Monday morning, if there's a voyeuristic desire.

Since I own the keys to the car, here is my draft, in order, with where some of the best choices that I passed on/comments, drafting out of the #4 slot (Round, Overall, Player, Team; I also added their new ESPN ranking # even though it's based upon BA, not OBP):

1. 4, Jose Reyes, NYM, ESPN#4 (Hanley, Pujols, Wright went prior. Easiest pick for me, downhill from here.)
2. 21, Ryan Howard, Phi, ESPN#19 (Giddy-up, power to follow the Reyes speed and OBP will help. ARod went 2 picks later)
3. 28, Alfonso Soriano, ChC, ESPN#15 (Oh Sori, I can't quit you. I really wanted another BIG bat, but Prince went 2 picks before me. I can hope for 30+ HR and 25 SB, right?)
4. 45, Brandon Phillips, Cin, ESPN#34 (can he go 20/20? I think so, from 2B. I debated Alexei here but opted for the double threat since I don't think Alexei runs as much)
5. 52, Justin Morneau, Min, ESPN#32 (was mildly surprised he lasted this long, #52 overall. Already fearing a lack of RBI men, I went with a guy who can drive in 125 along with 30 HR.)
6. 69, Adam Dunn, Was, ESPN#94 (Was set to take Chris Davis at 3B but never got the chance. Passed on a suddenly old looking Vlad for 40 HR machine Dunn and his .380+ OBP)
7. 76, Daisuke Matsuzaka, Bos, ESPN#89 (I was planning on waiting longer to start building a rotation but felt the aces were fading fast, so I was set to take Liriano but didn't get the chance. Dice will be my ace. Given how he has looked so far this WBC, I hope he can keep it going)
8. 93, Edinson Volquez, Cin, ESPN#164 (nearly had to sell my soul as I had Beckett teed up but was snapped up right before me. Volquez is good for another 3 ROTY votes. Seems I took him too early.)
9. 100, David Ortiz, Bos, ESPN#64 (the DH-only slotting hurts but at the 100th pick, Ortiz was staring at me. Two Sox in three picks. My soul is crying. Passing on Gallardo did hurt.)
10. 117, Matt Garza, TB, ESPN#144 (wanting to take good, young pitchers on young teams with decent K rates, Garza was there for the taking)
11. 124, Chien-Ming Wang, NYY, ESPN#182 (That thing about good K rates, nevermind. My first NYY and I am happy to have him. Adding another W machine is good. I debated dipping into the closer pool but as you'll see, I chose to bottom-feed and hope for the best. I think ESPN undervalues him)
12. 141, Chone Figgins, LAA, ESPN#115 (Realizing that all of the power 3B are gone, I took a high OBP/SB machine. I was hoping Huff would have fallen but it wasn't meant to be.)
13. 148, Pat Burrell, TB, ESPN#165 (Right now, I know RBI are tough to find and I took what I think will be a good RBI/OBP/power source. I passed on V.Wells as that hammy scares me; lotsa closers flying off the board.)
14. 165, Clayton Kershaw, LAD, ESPN#177 (Young? check. Good K rate? check. Good team? check. Bonus: NL West dweller. Drafted too early? Maybe.)
15. 172, Randy Johnson, SF, ESPN#161 (Good K rate? check. Good team? half-check. Young? um, not so much. Bonus: NL West dweller. Extra bonus: Wife made this pick.)
16. 189, Trevor Hoffman, Mil, ESPN#200 (I'm a sucker. I love Hoffman. I know he is a huge risk, doesn't K many, but with closers running thin, I wanted to get at least one who I liked)
17. 196, Mike Gonzalez, Atl, ESPN#218 (Here's hoping that his arm holds up. I was set to take Lindstrom, who went 2 picks earlier, then left the WBC with shoulder pain)
18. 213, Dan Wheeler, TB, ESPN#239 (I was very iffy on this one. I know Percy --taken 3 picks later--thinks he's coming back but I don't have much faith. This could be a good steal or a huge bust and I have no idea right now.)
19. 220, Chase Headley, SD, ESPN#220 (I need OF and there aren't a ton who I really like down here. Headley has 20 HR potential so that's what I have to hope for. Bedard was available and I let him slide.)
20. 237, Elvis Andrus, Tex, ESPN#233 (Just a hunch)
21. 244, Chris Snyder, Ari, ESPN#276 (I usually wait until the last round for a C, but I like Snyder and his 20 HR potential at C.)
22. 261, Cody Ross, Fla, ESPN#266 (see Chase Headley)
23. 268, Kazuo Matsui, Hou, ESPN#253 (Solid OBP/SB from the SS/2B slot. Not thrilling but shouldn't hurt too much)
24. 285, Thomas Hanson, Atl, ESPN#n/a (This got me kicked off themarksmith's holiday card list)
25. 292, Michael Bourn, Hou, ESPN#280 (with Willie Tavares getting drafted at 203, someone is going to need a 40+ SB guy)

I think I have upper third power/Runs/OBP. I think I will own SB. I think I have mid-pack RBI. Pitching is a little patchy but given that I didn't get a pitcher until the 7th round, I am happy with my rotation. My bullpen will need help or just attention via the WW. Overall, I am pretty pleased but not too excited.

I welcome your comments, criticisms, ridicule.

For my leaguemates: Please feel free to add your teams and comments so the other readers can get a feel for the competition.

• Here's themarksmith's summary
• Here's James' summary, in a newly-hatched blog
• Here's Will's summary
• Here's Zach's summary

What's the difference?

Jay at Fack Youk asks a great question today:

What's the difference between A-Rod's comments regarding Jose Reyes and Derek Jeter's in reference to David Wright?

A-Rod: I wish (Reyes) was leading off on our team or playing on our team. That’s fun to watch.

Yes, he said he wished Reyes was playing for the Yankees, but listen to Jeter talk about Wright (emphasis mine):

The thing with him, I respect the way he handles himself in New York. I think he shows all the right leadership skills - he leads by example and he's not phony. What you see is what you get from him. It's not an image he's trying to portray; I think that's how he is as a person.

If that isn't a blatant shot aimed squarely at A-Fraud, I don't know what is. (Well, maybe this.)

Well, go over there and get the answer, if there is one.

"Whatever you were taking in Oakland..."

For those who aren't aware, author Jeff Pearlman has a new book coming out in less than 2 weeks (3/24/09) called "The Rocket That Fell to Earth". While most of us are totally sick of Clemens' legal issues, I remain fascinated by the stories leading up to all of this, including his misguided defense strategy. The NY Times has an advance copy and asked Cashman about a reported comment he made in 2002, this about Jason Giambi:

The book said that when Giambi went through a slump in the 2002 season, his first with the Yankees, Cashman was heard yelling at a television in the Yankees’ clubhouse during a game. Citing “one New York player,” the book said that Cashman screamed, “Jason, whatever you were taking in Oakland,” get back on it.

The book said that Cashman then added, “Please!”

In a telephone interview Thursday night, Cashman said that the anecdote described in the book never happened.

“That is completely false,” Cashman said.

He added, in reference to the author: “This guy never even called me and asked me if it was true. You think he would have done some fact-checking.”

In a telephone interview on Thursday night, Pearlman stood behind his account.

“The source was a Yankee player who was an eyewitness and in whom I have 100 percent confidence,” Pearlman said.

I've got an email into Jeff to see if he's got a anything else to add. If so, I will post it. I've been in touch with Jeff lately in advance of the book's release and he's agreed to a "20 Questions" interview about it. I hope to have it for you next week. Said Pearlman:

“I wrote the book to be a biography of Clemens more than anything else,” Pearlman said. “I wrote this book because I was honestly curious about what led Clemens to the point where he finds himself and what contributed to him becoming who he is.”

UPDATE (12:20am, 3/13/09): Just heard back from Jeff Pearlman. With his permission:

"I really don't have much more to add. Read your post—appreciate it. I mean, the one thing I'll say—that you can write—is that, when it comes to performance-enhancers in baseball, Cashman's track record is brutally bad. He didn't merely employ users of performance-enhancers, but he signed three: Jose Canseco, Kevin Brown, Jason Giambi—who were known throughout the baseball world for their ways. We couldn't report it, because we, the media, didn't have proof. But all three were discussed among players ... writers ... executives; it was hardly a secret. So if Cashman wants to play the 'I had no idea, and any suggestion that I did have an idea is ludicrous!' card, well, I find it hard to fathom. That doesn't make him different than many (if any) of his GM peers, but it's odd to watch all these players go down in flames, while executives who paid huge salaried for 'enhanced' players walk away clean, with their jobs and reputations without stain."

[Addendum from Jeff: "I misused the word 'signed' ... I know Canseco and Brown weren't brought in as free-agents ... just saying Cashman added them without Qs."]

For me, I've oft wondered that very thing: how come Cashman has never come close to saying "I had my thoughts and heard rumors but without testing, my hands were tied"... or something like that.

That being said, Brown wasn't signed by NY; he came via trade. Canseco wore a bunch of uniforms before and after NY. But the list of the guilty (Mitchell Report or by other means) players who have worn the pinstripes at some time or another is much longer than I care to examine (Knoblauch, Ron-DL White, Canseco, K.Brown, ARod, Sheffield, Grimsley, D.Neagle, R.Villone, M.Stanton, Giambi, Leyritz, R.Velarde, Pudge, Clemens, Pettitte, Mitre).

6 OT's!

Goooooo 'Cuse!

"I've got no words to even describe it," said Boeheim, a mouthful of a sentence for the Hall-of-Famer. "I've never been prouder of any team I've ever coached."

Can you feel the love tonite?

Can you feel the love tonite? Cats and dogs, living together. Kumbaya. Whatever:

But that has changed over the last two weeks at the World Baseball Classic, where the Sox standouts [Pedroia, Youkilis] and Yankees star [Jeter] have reached a form of detente as teammates.

“He’s an awesome guy,” Youkilis said of Jeter. “Everything you hear about him, his character and all that, is on point.”
[...]
“Being around him, you can see why the Yankees are successful,” Youkilis said. “Having that type of guy on your team is awesome. He’s a leader. He does everything right off the field. You get a really good sense of why he embodies the Yankees way. He’s an icon in New York.”
[...]
“I’m just giving him a hard time,” Pedroia said. “It’s been cool meeting him and getting to play with him. He’s a class act. We’ve played against him so many times and respect him so much, it doesn’t matter what team he plays for.”

Ready to puke yet? How about we being the latest gathering of the Mutual Admiration Society? Want s'more?

Jeter recently mentioned how much he enjoys Pedroia’s personality. Yesterday he complimented Youkilis.

“He can play,” Jeter said. “He works extremely hard. He can hit. He can play defense. The difference now is having the opportunity to get to know him over an extended period. I’m getting to know him personally. I always respected him as a player, but now I have more respect for him as a person, too.”

Can yoooooou feeeeel the looooove tonighttttttt?

Admiring the comedic genius of MLB contracts, part II

Latest in a series of posts that shed some light into the nuances and comedic genius of MLB contracts, incentives and bonuses.

Today's contractual goodies come from the new Braves starter, Kenshin Kawakami:

• $7,667,000-2009
• $6,667,000-2010
• $6,667,000-2011
• Signing bonus - $2,000,000, payable between February 2009 and May 2009.
• Plus: $100,000 for Cy Young; $100,000 for Rookie of the Year ($50,000-2nd; $25,000-3rd); $50,000 for Rolaids; $50,000 for All Star; $50,000 for WS/MVP; $50,000 for Gold Glove; $25,000 for LCS/MVP.
• Plus: Interpreter
• Housing during Spring Training
• SUV during Spring Training
• $25,000 moving expense
• 8 round trip First/Business Class tickets between Tokyo and Atlanta
• Access to massage therapist
• If new contract not agreed upon by 10/15/11 or oneday after last game of World Series, Player may elect free agency under Article XX

Now this is what bugs me: A guy's making almost $8m this season yet he needs to be compensated on a freakin' car rental and housing during Spring Training? What about the struggling (real) rookies who are making $35k? Do they get housing paid for?

Access to a massage therapist? Shoot, I have that; it's called a phone. I call and make an appointment. Isn't that access? What, he can't afford the $100 for the hour of deep tissue massage?

Don't get me started on the plane tickets since I think that's as big a farce as there is in these contracts. Just estimate the cost of 8 tickets and add that to the total so not to alienate his teammates. Dumb. A quick Expedia search found me a one-stop flight from Atlanta, first class ticket for $6,500 on Continental. That's $52k. It would bump his salary from $7.7m to, um, $7.7m. A lousy rounding error.

Lastly, what's with the Rolaids bonus? He's not their closer, is he? Where is the Silver Slugger award bonus? The agent must have been snoozing.

Deadspin's loving my Sabathia picture

In No Way Should The Yankees Be Worried By This

(of course, they clipped the URL)

Funny comment on Deadspin: "Sabathia gets his clothes from Lane Bryant". That's just hilarious.

A-Roid: The Drink

Gotta love the hate in Boston:

The fine folks at Bonfire, located in the Boston Park Plaza Hotel, have come up with a new drink for the 2009 season as part of their Red Sox menu. It celebrates Alex Rodriguez and his use of steroids.

The A-Roid starts with a shot of El Mejor Tequila, served straight up. To give the shot a little something extra; a spicy smoky splash is served on the side in a convenient syringe…minus the needle. Inject the Performance-Enhancing Boost of Spicy Tomato “Juice” right into the shot or use it as a chaser. However you use it, come clean and acknowledge it…don’t deny it.

Enjoy The A-Roid ($11) with any of Bonfire’s new Red Sox inspired menu items. Available on opening day, April 6th, served throughout the Red Sox season.

Shot: El Mejor Tequila (Silver, Reposado, Anejo)

Performance-Enhancing Boost of Spicy Tomato “Juice”: Bonfire’s House Smoked Tomatoes, Tomato juice, Lemon juice, Tabasco sauce, Jalapeños