Fastball Fans

He’s back…

The man perhaps responsible for exposing the drug issue in baseball and changing the game forever is about to make another foray into the publishing world.

Jose Canseco is following up “Juiced”, with a new book, “Vindicated”, which will allegedly put more names out in the open of players that might have used PED’s.

Oh joy.

However, he has been right so far in his crusade (self-serving or not), and no one has come up to the plate to take legal action against him.

From AOL: The new book, with the working title “Vindicated”, will arrive in bookstores on Opening Day 2008, Canseco’s lawyer Robert Saunooke told the New York Post and the Daily News.

Saunooke said the book would accuse ballplayers not named in former Sen. George Mitchell’s report of using performance-enhancing drugs.

“We had hoped that the Mitchell Report would have been more revealing,” Saunooke said. “It basically ended up being nothing more than (Mitchell saying), ‘I talked to a lot of people, some wouldn’t talk to me and it’s up to the commissioner.”‘

Canseco tried to get into the Dec. 13 New York news conference where the Mitchell Report was released, but was barred by Major League Baseball officials who said it was a “media only” event.

He later told Fox Business Network, “I saw the list of players, and there are definitely a lot of players missing.”

Saunooke would not say which current or former major leaguers would be identified as steroid users in the new book.

The book will be co-written by former Sports Illustrated reporter Don Yaeger; the Post said the publisher would be Penguin Books.

Canseco was one of the first ballplayers to admit using steroids in Juiced. There, he gave specific names of other players who allegedly used, including former Oakland A’s teammate Mark McGwire. McGwire has denied using steroids.

Sorry for my absence, I went to see the Patriots-Giants game on Saturday night at the Meadowlands in New Jersey, and then I spent all Sunday driving down the New Jersey Turnpike, sleeping and trying to find a damned Nintendo Wii for a family member (which I could find none of). Oh well, I guess I am going to get ripped off on Ebay or wait until mid-winter for one.

Yikes. Things do not seem to be all good PR Wise for the Yankees, and there’s another incident, this time with an ex-player that may have him in hot water.

According to MSNBC, Jim Leyritz was arrested Friday morning on suspicion of DUI and vehicular homicide.

Well, every entertainment industry has their award season and while most of them are completely not revelant to me, it’s fun to watch from afar when other stars and rich people, well, honor other stars and rich people.

Being that’s it’s Holiday week and 2007 is coming to a close, what more perfect time than ever would be it to start up a completely meaningless awards show, only this time on my blog.

I’ll be doing this until the 31st, in order to get the creative juices flowing, save my sanity from being bored, plus get some eyes on the blog, and comments going. I will not only include the Orioles, but all of baseball, perhaps a few things from other sports, and also maybe from the general culture at large.

Ah, what can we say about the year in baseball; alas, there were some highlight moments, but like in life, we remember the bad more than anything else.

Yes, there was a lot of bad stuff to the happen to the sport, more than I can ever remember. Baseball is a wonderful game, but 2007 perhaps revealed more than fans ever wanted to know, and the stench unleashing the sport’s dirty laundry will stick with us for some time to come.

I’m going to give out my MLB awards in three parts, so here’s part one…

The Moment of the Year, Off the Field: I would have originally said Barry Bonds being indicted, but the release of the Mitchell Report takes the case. The Mitchell Report blew the dirty laundry and the seedy side of the sport out in the open, and we all know what was really happening.

The Moment of the Year, On The Field: Sadly, it’s seeing Barry Bonds hit his 756th home run. As much as it disgusted fans, history was made — for better or worse. However, I was not that impressed with Barry, I was left moreso by Mike Bacsik, by the way he handled the situation at hand and being a part of history.

The Team of the Year, The Colorado Rockies: Well, I am not picking the Red Sox not because out of a lack of respect, but I think what Colorado had to endure and accomplish to get the World Series was even more impressive than what Boston did.

National League MVP, Matt Holliday: Sorry, I know Jimmy Rollins won the NL MVP, but I think what Matt Holliday did in 2007 and in the playoffs (yes, they don’t count, but so what) was even more impressive than what Rollins did.

I love J-Roll in Philly as a player, but I don’t see how he won the MVP over Holliday.

American League MVP, Alex Rodriguez: Yes, he deserved it - amazing season.

Pitcher of the Year, Jon Lester: With no disrespect to C.C. Sabathia, Jake Peavy and the other fine hurlers out there, I think what the young man accomplished was extraordinary and his performance in the World Series just showed how far he came from his cancer diagnosis in ‘06. I know the experience of cancer and what people go through all too well, and though I am not a Sox fan, Lester deserves all the credit in the world for coming back. To survive it is one thing, but peform at that high of an athletic level after what he had to go through is another.

Stupid Quote of the Year: Eric Byrnes: I like Captain America, but he should not be absolved of his stupidity.

Jerk & Douche of the Year, Alex Rodriguez: I was not sure who was worthy of this award. I narrowed my three choices between Alex Rodriguez, Barry Bonds and Elijah Dukes, but I’m giving the award to Alex Rodriguez for upstaging the World Series with his selfish contract demands and then his mea culpa thereafter on CBS and whoever wanted to listen to him. Bonds may be distasteful, but at least he didn’t try to upstage an event and take the attention for himself.

Fan Friendliest Player: Torii Hunter. I saw him in Baltimore chat with fans, autograph items, and talk with whoever, including myself for at least 20 minutes in Baltimore after a game, and keep in mind, this is with his family in tow.

The Little Rugger Award: I’m giving this to the Red Sox’s Dustin Pedoria in the AL, and Jamey Carroll in the NL.

Comeback Player of the Year: Dmitri Young, NL; Jon Lester, AL. Honorable Mention: Carlos Pena for kicking ass with his bat in Tampa.

Single Game Performance of the Year, Clay Buchholz: Boston Red Sox rookie upstart Clay Buchholz for no-hitting my precious Birds of Baltimore in only his second start ever in the Major Leagues…

* Free agent outfielder Darin Erstad signed a one-year contract worth $1 million plus incentives with the Houston Astros on Thursday.

* The New York Yankees finalized a $3.75 million, one-year contract with LaTroy Hawkins on Thursday, strengthening their weak middle relief with the veteran right-hander.

* Catcher Miguel Olivo signed a one-year contract with the Kansas City Royals on Thursday.

* Jose Castillo signed a one-year contract with the Marlins.

From MSNBC’s Countdown with Keith Olbermann: He and the Houston Chronicle’s Richard Justice discusses if the 2000 New York Yankees should get an asterisk next to their name.

Roger Clemens must really want to convince us that he’s not guilty. Much like O.J. and he trying to find the “real killers”, Clemens is supposedly trying to get to the bottom of the situation by hiring P.I.’s, or in the vernacular term, private investigator.

Yes, one of the greatest pitchers of all time is not only trying to save face, but perhaps his reputation and Hall of Fame chances.

If McNamee is allegedly lying about his interactions with Clemens, or fudged the truth to save face, boy is Major League Baseball and the United States Government in trouble.

Not to mention, if Clemens is telling the truth, the Mitchell Report goes into the wastebasket and is not worth anything at all.

From the New York Times: Roger Clemens’s lawyer has hired private investigators to try to challenge the credibility of Brian McNamee, the trainer who told federal agents and former Senator George J. Mitchell that he had injected Clemens with steroids and human growth hormone, a lawyer familiar with the matter said Wednesday.

The investigators may have a tape of McNamee contradicting what he said about Clemens, the lawyer added, although it was unclear whether the tape predated McNamee’s interviews for the Mitchell report on performance-enhancing drugs in baseball. The lawyer was granted anonymity because he was not authorized to talk about the case.

Clemens’s lawyer, Rusty Hardin, said in an interview late Wednesday that Mitchell had failed to interview some key people who know Clemens and McNamee, who was Clemens’s personal trainer for years. Asked about the use of private investigators or the existence of a tape, Hardin said he would not discuss specifics.

Good luck Roger. I don’t know if I exactly believe you, but really, how can you find something really tangible out of this investigation.

Mark Prior will be pitching closer to home, and that may be a good thing. The oft-injured former phenom will be pitching in confines of spacious Petco Field in San Diego next season. He agreed to a one year , $1 million, deal with the Friars.

From Yahoo Sports: Mark Prior and his hometown San Diego Padres agreed to a $1 million, one-year contract on Wednesday, making him the second postoperative pitcher to join the team in less than a month.

Prior, whose once-promising career has been sidetracked by various injuries, missed the 2007 season after undergoing right shoulder surgery on April 24. He last pitched for the Chicago Cubs in 2006, when he made nine starts and went 1-6 with a 7.21 ERA.

The 27-year-old right-hander, who was 18-6 with a 2.43 ERA in 2003, can earn another $4.5 million in performance bonuses.

“Mark Prior is a competitor and is working hard to regain the form that made him one of the great young pitchers in the game,” Padres general manager Kevin Towers said. “We are confident he is going to help us in our rotation this season. It’s exciting that Mark is coming home to San Diego to pitch for the Padres.”

Prior graduated from University of San Diego High School and was the second pick in the June 2001 draft, out of Southern California. He is 42-29 with a 3.51 ERA in five big league seasons.

He became a free agent when the Cubs declined to offer him a 2008 contract before the Dec. 13 deadline.

As silly as he looks, he’s definitely 100% right…

Check out more on my personal blog, the Oriole Post…

I guess Kerry’s plea worked — now, everyone will get to see if the Patriots do indeed make history.

From the Baltimore Sun: The NFL is making Saturday night’s historic game between the New England Patriots and New York Giants — scheduled to be carried only the NFL Network — available on broadcast television, the league announced today.

CBS and NBC will simulcast the NFL Network’s production of the game, in which the Patriots will try to become the first team to go 16-0 in the regular season.

“We have taken this extraordinary step because it is in the best interest of our fans,” commissioner Roger Goodell said in a news release. “What we have seen for the past year is a very strong consumer demand for NFL Network. We appreciate CBS and NBC delivering the NFL Network telecast on Saturday night to the broad audience that deserves to see this potentially historic game. Our commitment to the NFL Network is stronger than ever.”

If you’re a sports fan, unless you have been living under a rock, you know the New England Patriots are 15-0, and have a chance to be the second team in NFL to finish a season perfect (the other team being the ‘72 Miami Dolphins).

The New England Patriots will take on the New Yorks Giants in the Meadowlands in NEw Jersey.

However, there is one slight problem; alas, the game will be aired on the NFL Network, which is available to only 30 million viewers and Massachusetts senator, John Kerry thinks that it is an issue - a big one.

See, the senator wants the game to shown across the country on network TV:

From Boston.com: Massachusetts Senator John Kerry has appealed to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to take action to ensure that all Patriots fans in New England, and across the country, will have the chance to view the team’s season finale against the Giants.

The game is scheduled to be broadcast on NFL Network. WCVB in Boston (Channel 5) will also carry the game, but that still means parts of New England won’t be able to see it.

“In just five days, the Patriots will try to become the first team since Don Shula’s legendary ‘72 Dolphins to finish the regular season undefeated, but huge numbers of Pats fans today wouldn’t be able to see the game. Unless immediate action is taken, thousands of fans outside the Boston area will not even have access to the broadcast,� Kerry said in a press release.

“If this isn’t fixed in a hurry, it speaks volumes about how some big interests see the fans. I hope the NFL sees the error of its ways and allows every ‘twelfth man’ to see this unprecedented event.�

John, as noble as your gesture may seem, do you not have other issues to worry about? The NFL is a big business, a private one at that, and they can do as they please. Do I support it - no; however, I think government has no place in determining in what private entities should do with their product.

Meanwhile, I’ll be praying for my Redskins to whoop on our arch enemies, the Cowboys and maybe the Ravens will perhaps come out with a miracle win against the Steelers.

It looks like Mount Clemens is about to erupt and unleash his fury upon us.

Well, last week, Roger Clemens repeated his denials of the steroids use alleged against him in the Mitchell Report and let the world know will be interviewed for a future episode of “60 Minutes” by Mike Wallace.

Clemens and the legal firm of his attorney, Rusty Hardin, plans to launch their own probe into the allegations of his HGH and steroid use.

From ESPN: Roger Clemens’ lead attorney told the New York Times that his firm is launching its own investigation into allegations the seven-time Cy Young winner used steroids and human growth hormone.

“We are convinced the conclusions in Mitchell’s report are wrong and are investigating the findings ourselves,” Rusty Hardin told The Times. “At this stage we have uncovered a lot of logical people who we thought Mitchell was going to talk to but never talked to him or his investigators. That’s troubling.”

Ok. I’ll be waiting to see what comes of all this so-called “investigation”.

Minnesota Twins announcer Bert Blyleven bet the best pitcher in baseball, Johan Santana, that he could not pitch a complete game shutout. The wager was Bert’s hair and Johan Santana pitched a four-hit shutout. He doesn’t look half-bad, actually.

This video is from Gottgame, and they were there for the 2007 All-Star Game, which I went to! Anyhow, it features some of the most prominent players in the game looking to go deep with the Nintendo Wii…

Interesting to see another side of the players we love to see…

Here’s Torri Hunter’s press conference for the L.A. Angels where he shows his candor along with fantastic sense of humor. He’s a great ball player, even better person and should serve the L.A. Community well….