Fastball Fans

Is this a big story – no.

However, because A-Rod plays on the Yankees, he’s make $25 million per year, and he had an image of a guy who cares too much of how he is perceived in the media, and how fans look at home, it is.

Today, the New York Post dropped yet another bombshell that will tarnish Alex Rodriguez even more.

From the NY Post: ‘Alex Rodriguez hasn’t partied only in Toronto with a mystery blonde - the Yankee superstar has also been spotted across the United States squiring around a similar-looking, buxom hottie, The Post has learned.

Several witnesses yesterday said they have seen A-Rod socializing recently with a blond bombshell - not his wife, Cynthia - in Seattle, Las Vegas and Dallas.

In Dallas, two people said Rodriguez and an unknown blonde visited a high-end strip club - just weeks before he and a blond gal pal were spotted by The Post going to a flashy Toronto strip joint on Sunday night.

And there is a photograph taken March 1 showing the All-Star sitting in the Whiskey Bar in Tampa, Fla., with a blonde. She looks similar to the woman he was photographed with in Toronto during the Yanks’ current road trip there.’

Wow.

Okay, if I were a professional athlete, I’d perhaps be a lot more careful who I am seen with (but everything is all relative).

It will be a matter of time who we find out who this blonde is, and A-Rod life will even become more miserable.

For an athlete who has tried to carefully craft his image, he’s heading towards how Kobe Bryant is perceived amongst a good portion of fans.

Well, I guess Alex Rodriguez does not care too much about his public image anymore…

According to the NY Post (with photographic evidence), he was spotted with a woman who was not his wife at dinner and as well his friends on a strip club expedition, plus dinner.

Later, the report says that he went upstairs with the woman.

Nothing like a little mini-scandal to take away from the troubles of the Yankees, if only for one day.

More here: NY Post

Well, athletes certainly have more rights and are given more chances than pretty much everyone in society.

From ESPN: Troubled Tampa Bay outfielder Elijah Dukes apologized Tuesday for allegations contained in a published report revealing his estranged wife sought a restraining order after being threatened by the 22-year-old rookie.

Dukes spoke briefly before Tuesday night’s game against the Detroit Tigers and initially bungled remarks that were not prepared in advance when he mistakenly apologized “to the organization for sticking with me in a situation like this.”

The Devil Rays issued a clarification in which Dukes said he misspoke because he was nervous.

“I would like to apologize to my family, teammates, the fans and the organization for the distraction that this situation has caused,” Dukes said in the prepared clarification. “I would like to thank them for standing by me and hope that my family and I can move on and put this behind us.”

Of courser, he was kept out a few games last week after the St. Petersburg Times reported that his wife needed protection from him due to a text message with gun attached to it and a threatening voice mail. As well, he threatened his wife at the school she teaches.

Ok, he’s 22 with FIVE kids.

He threatened to MURDER his wife of two of his children. He’s a thug who had a hard life, but obviously hasn’t learned a thing.

I swear to frigging God if it were any one of us, we’d be looking at 5 to 10. Even more tragic, if this was the 25th man on the roster, he’d be gone so quickly that he would not have time to collect his belongings.

Ah, talent - how it does pay! If your hands are dirty, as long as you can run, hit and throw the ball, the dirt just comes right off…

I’m sorry solves problems, especially if you’re languishing on the bench…

Today has been a light day here at the office, as I have been catching up on stuff and doing the little things, but I have not blogged like this in a while. The day’s work is almost done and I have the IPod on with Chamillionaire’s “Riding Dirty� in the background, and just got done hearing the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ great song, “Snow�.< ?xml:namespace prefix = o />

First off, I was just reading the news now and to any baseball fan out there, is it little reason why most people find Barry Bonds to be an a**hole?

From ESPN.com:

As Barry Bonds nears his record 756th home run, he’s stockpiling quite a collection of souvenirs — bats, balls, helmets and spikes, pieces of baseball history perfectly suited for the Hall of Fame.

Whether he’ll donate any of them to < ?xml:namespace prefix = st1 />Cooperstown, however, is in doubt.

“I’m not worried about the Hall,” the San Francisco slugger said during a recent homer drought. “I take care of me.”

No wonder those at the museum are getting concerned, especially with Bonds only 10 homers shy of breaking Hank Aaron’s career mark.

“There’s uncertainty,” Hall vice president Jeff Idelson acknowledged.

Around 35,000 artifacts are shown and stored at the shrine, and about a dozen pertain to Bonds.

There is a bat from his rookie year and cleats from him becoming the first player in the 400-homer/400-steal club. Unsolicited, he sent the bat and ball from his 2,000th hit. A batting practice bat from the 2002 World Series was the last thing Bonds provided.

“Doesn’t everybody have the right to decide to do it or not do it?” he said last week.

The most prized items, the ones that fans would really want to see, are missing.

Nothing directly from Bonds to highlight his 500th home run. Ditto for homers 714 and 715, when he tied and passed Babe Ruth. Same for anything tied to him topping Mark McGwire’s single-season total of 70.

Well, it is little wonder why a lot of people hate Bonds? Obviously, Barry cannot turn back the clock on the past; however, there’s no time better than the present to change his image.

As he gets closer to the cusp of Hank’s record, Barry should try to be kinder and gentler. He may not care, but his legacy depends greatly on how he handles breaking the record (aside from the drug talk).

If he were smart, he’d wise up and let the people see the mementos that have led to the great moment.

Barry, keep in mind — there’s more to the game than just YOU.

Looks like Roger Clemens is probably going to relaunch in Major League game on Monday versus the White Sox (who suddenly can’t hit).

I think it’s too late for the Yankees. They’re done.

They will have a heck of a time trying to make up 14.5 games with a strong Red Sox team.

‘The Hits Keep Coming’ internet radio show on Blog Talk Radio just had it’s eleventh episode on the air tonight. Thanks to Anthony and Jason for helping make everything go smoothly, as well as the conversation and taking out part of their evening to talk about the sport we love. The first was live and streaming; whereas, the second hour was just recorded after we got off the air.

Website: http://blogtalkradio.com/oriolepost

First Hour:

• Jason Giambi
• Elijah Dukes and News on Alleged Domestic Violence
• Hank Aaron and Barry Bonds/the comments from former commissioner Fay Vincent
• Owners approve new baseball network
• Red Sox/Yankee Series - Are the Yanks done?
• Roger one step from returning?
• Managers on the Hot Seat…
• Surprising Teams: The Brewers/Indians and Braves

Second Hour:

• League and Divisional roundups

Downloads:

• Windows Media
• ITunes
• MP3

Bloggers Ian of Sox & Dawgs and Jason of My Baseball Bias and I produce an hour long baseball show every week called, “The Hits Keep Coming� on Blog Talk Radio.

Every Wednesday at 7PM Eastern Time (6PM Central/ 5PM Mountain/ 4PM Western/Pacific) we chat, analyze and comment about the world of Major League Baseball.

If you’d like to call in, the phone number is 718-664-6564 or you can send us an instant message if you use AOL IM at hitskeepcoming20.

Join us at: http://blogtalkradio.com/oriolepost at 7PM Eastern Time tonight!

Here’s what we’ll be talking about tonight:
• Jason Giambi
• Elijah Dukes and News on Alleged Domestic Violence
• Hank Aaron and Barry Bonds/the comments from former commissioner Fay Vincent
• Owners approve new baseball network
• Red Sox/Yankee Series - Are the Yanks done?
• Roger one step from returning?
• Managers on the Hot Seat…
• Surprising Teams: The Brewers/Indians and Braves
• League and Division Roundup
Downloads:
• Windows Media
• ITunes
• MP3

For a guy with so much talent (which 99% of us would envy), Elijah Dukes just doesn’t know any better – does he?

Once again, Elijah may have found himself in more trouble than he realizes. At only 22, he’s been tapped as one of the future young stars in the game, but now that could be in peril.

Well, Elijah Dukes wife, NiShea Gilbert filed for a restraining order against her husband and said she fears for her life, The St. Petersburg Times reported Wednesday.

NiShea Gilbert, a middle-school teacher, said that Dukes allegedly burst into her classroom at lunchtime in April. A frightened Gilbert then ran to the principal and got a deputy, who banished Dukes from the school.

Gilbert told a Florida court that Dukes threatened to kill her and sent her a photo of a handgun to her cell phone.

Gilbert played a voice mail allegedly from Dukes for the newspaper. “You dead, dawg. I ain’t even [expletive]. Your kids, too.”

Gilbert has filed requests for protection twice in the last month, according to the newspaper. A hearing on her latest request is scheduled for May 30.

“I just don’t think I should live in fear,” Gilbert told the newspaper. “When [the Rays] go out of town, I come home. When they’re at home, I go stay with my mother. I shouldn’t have to live like that because he’s a baseball player.”

When approached by the newspaper before Tuesday night’s game, Dukes declined to comment on Gilbert’s allegations.

“I’m just going to play ball, that’s it,” Dukes told the newspaper. “I’ve got to go. I’ve got a video game to finish.”

If this is true, this man is a sociopath and needs help for sure. It’s been shown time and time again that Dukes has some sort of anger management problem and should get help for it. He needs to learn being an professional athlete is a privilege and not a right.

He’s had chance after chance to rehabilitate himself and get in the good graces of fans, the media and his team.

Apparently, some people never learn.

According to ESPN, Yankees DH, Jason Giambi, failed an amphetamines test within the last year, the Daily News reported Wednesday.

The newspaper reported that with the failed amphetamines test, Giambi has been subjected to six additional tests for one year. The newspaper did not cite any sources in its report.

My say:

Baseball wants to turn a blind eye and just not admit there is a problem. As long as they raking in the dough, it’s much ado about nothing. If baseball really wanted to stop PED and drug use in the sport, they’d institute a zero-tolerance stance and introduce WADA-Olympic style testing.

Surely, it can’t be about money - right?

When baseball gets serious on drug testing, then I’ll be convinced world peace will happen.

Giambi is still playing, thus it shows baseball is not serious about the problem…

On Monday, the commissioner’s office and the players’ association have held discussions about setting up a potential meeting with Jason Giambi to discuss his reported comments about steroids last week.

Why is this all important? Is it fair that baseball and the New York Yankees are trying to retroactively punish Jason Giambi before the drug policy became a part of the CBA?

No.

As we know, the steroids and the issue of performance enhancement are the big story in the media today.

Just this morning, prominent slugger and New York Yankee, Jason Giambi believes it’s time for baseball to come clean about the issue of steroids.

From ESPN:

Claiming he’s likely been tested for performance-enhancing drugs more often than anyone, Giambi told USA Today in a story on its Web site Friday that the apology is long overdue.

“Unfortunately, [the rumors] are going to be a part of it. But that’s OK. I’m probably tested more than anybody else. I’m not hiding anything,” Giambi told the newspaper. “That stuff didn’t help me hit home runs. I don’t care what people say, nothing is going to give you that gift of hitting a baseball.”

“I was wrong for doing that stuff,” Giambi said Wednesday before the Yankees played the Chicago White Sox. “What we should have done a long time ago was stand up — players, ownership, everybody — and said, ‘We made a mistake.’

“We should have apologized back then and made sure we had a rule in place and gone forward. Steroids and all of that was a part of history. But it was a topic that everybody wanted to avoid. Nobody wanted to talk about it.”

Giambi reportedly told a grand jury during the BALCO investigation in December 2003 that he used steroids and human growth hormone. He told USA Today this week he’s thankful for MLB’s testing program for steroids and amphetamines that was revised before last season. MLB does not test for HGH, but Giambi said he does not use the drug.

When asked, “So why did you take steroids?” Giambi told the newspaper “Maybe one day I’ll talk about it, but not now.”

Wow. It’s about time sometime took the lead and call out the sport for turning a blind eye to drug use.

Why he decided until now to say this, I don’t know. Is there something else in play in the works?

Bloggers Ian of Sox & Dawgs and Jason of My Baseball Bias and I produce an hour long baseball show every week called, “The Hits Keep Coming� on Blog Talk Radio.

Every week at 7PM Eastern Time (6PM Central/ 5PM Mountain/ 4PM Western/Pacific) we chat, analyze and comment about the world of Major League Baseball.

If you’d like to call in, the phone number is 718-664-6564 or you can send us an instant message if you use AOL IM at hitskeepcoming20.

Join us at: http://blogtalkradio.com/oriolepost at 7PM Eastern Time tonight!

Show Topics:

• Dice-K’s First Complete Game, the Surging Red Sox
• More Bonds: Brother Angry over Aaron Snub
• The Jays and their injuries…
• The World Series to Start Mid-Week this Year
• Are the Brewers for real?
• Roger Clemens and his bullpen session; starting in Tampa
• The rise of the Nationals, two near no-hitters in a week?
• The Drama in Baltimore
• The Return of King Felix
• National and American League Roundup
• Injury Report

Downloads:

• Windows Media
• ITunes
• MP3

‘The Hits Keep Coming’ internet radio show on Blog Talk Radio just had it’s ninth episode on the air tonight. Thanks to Anthony and Jason for helping make everything go smoothly, as well as the conversation and taking out part of their evening to talk about the sport we love. The first was live and streaming; whereas, the second hour was just recorded after we got off the air.

Website: http://blogtalkradio.com/oriolepost

First Hour:

• The Clemens Signing and how it impacts the New York Yankees…
• Barry Bonds and His Chase for Hank’s Record
• Should Bud Selig be there when Bonds breaks the record
• Curt Schilling & His Comments About Bonds
• Alcohol in the Clubhouse
• The Mitchell Investigation and the Baltimore Orioles
• Rick Dempsey’s Comments

Second Hour:

• The Milwaukee Brewers and Divisional roundups
• MLB Scoreboard

Downloads:

• Windows Media
• ITunes
• MP3

Good God, does Roger Clemens make me want throw my hands up in the air and ask why?

According to the New York Daily News, Roger Clemens took issue to a photographer snapping pictures of him, also known as doing his job.

The Rocket also did a few drills and sprints before taking exception to the presence of a Daily News photographer and reporter, who watched nearby.

“Where is your cohort?” the 44-year-old Clemens barked at The News’ photographer when he exited the stadium.

Earlier, he threatened the photographer, telling him, “I’m going to take some film” from the camera, even though most photographers have shot digitally for more than a decade.

As a News reporter walked toward where Clemens was standing with the photographer and a University of Kentucky media relations member, Clemens then demanded to know: “Weren’t you here (Tuesday)?”

That’s when Clemens declared that he would not be doing additional interviews.

He eventually marched off to the weight room.

“I’ll talk with you in Tampa as much as you want,” he said.

Aren’t you special? You use the media to announce your comeback (again), and as well posture to the public about your intentions.

And know you whine about your mug being taken.

Get over yourself, dude.

Bloggers Ian of Sox & Dawgs and Jason of My Baseball Bias and I produce an hour long baseball show every week called, “The Hits Keep Coming� on Blog Talk Radio.

Every week at 7PM Eastern Time (6PM Central/ 5PM Mountain/ 4PM Western/Pacific) we chat, analyze and comment about the world of Major League Baseball.

If you’d like to call in, the phone number is 718-664-6564 or you can send us an instant message if you use AOL IM at hitskeepcoming20.

Join us at: http://blogtalkradio.com/oriolepost at 7PM Eastern Time tonight!

Topics we’ll discuss:

• The Clemens Signing and how it will impact the New York Yankees…
• Barry Bonds and His Chase for Hank’s Record
• Curt Schilling & His Comments About Bonds
• Alcohol in the Clubhouse
• Rick Dempsey’s Comments
• The Milwaukee Brewers and the Divisional Roundups

Downloads:

• Windows Media
• ITunes
• MP3