The perjury trial of Barry Bonds has been delayed at least through July and likely beyond — maybe until mid-2010, as an appeal filed by prosecutors over three positive drug tests and other key evidence for the trial winds through the legal system.
If that’s the case, he may be able to play baseball — however, I don’t think there’s possibly anyone who would even sign him at the moment.
The Oakland Athletics and free agent Orlando Cabrera have agreed to a one-year, $4 million contract, several media outlets reported.
Cabrera hit .281 with 57 RBIs and 93 runs in 161 games last season for the White Sox; however, the signing will most likely end the tenure of Bobby Crosby in Oakland.
It looks like the Washington Nationals are finally moving on and trying to get back to the business of baseball on the field; not off of it.
According to the AP, Jim Bowden resigned Sunday after four seasons as the team’s general manager, due to the impact of a federal investigation into the skimming of signing bonuses given to Latin American prospects.
He’d drawn the ire of fans for his performance as general manager, and boy are they happy as hell. It’s good news for that fanbase and the organization, as I sometimes go there for to catch the National League style of play, and the most powerful city in the world should have a franchise that’s not looked upon as a joke nationally. They deserve so much better.
In other news, Alex Rodriguez just pushed back his meeting with Major League Baseball. Oh joy.
It looks like Alex Rodriguez’s long awaited appointment with baseball to discuss his steroid use will be on Sunday at George M. Steinbrenner field in Tampa, Florida.
Perhaps once this meeting takes place, the sport can focus on the business within the confines of the baseball field, not outside of it.
Investigators are expected to ask A-Rod the following:
• Whether he ever used steroids or any other performance-enhancing drug beyond that time-frame;
• Whether his cousin Yuri Sucart ever provided drugs to other major league players;
• What his relationship was with controversial trainer Angel Presinal and whether Presinal ever provided A-Rod or other players with banned drugs;
• Whether Sucart or Presinal had access to restricted areas.
If Rodriguez sticks to his story that he received drugs only from Sucart during his years in Texas and information later emerges that the story was not true, then MLB officials have said the commissioner’s office would likely pursue disciplinary action.
Under MLB rules Rodriguez is allowed to have a personal lawyer and a member of the MLB Players Association with him during questioning.
Los Angeles made a new offer to free-agent left fielder Manny Ramirez - two years worth $45 million with the right to become a free agent after the first season, several news outlets reported.
Ramirez would earn $25 million in 2009 and $20million in 2010 if he exercises his player option.
Manny should take the money. Lord know what would happen if the Dodgers struggle, or he becomes unhappy…
After Alex Rodriguez brought his cousin — Yuri Sucart — into the public eye after he mentioned him in a press conference two weeks ago at George Ms. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Florida.
However, the beleaguered slugger decided that his cousin was still good company to keep around. Sucart drove Rodriguez home in a SUV away from a game yesterday; alas, today, the Yankees are asking him to stay away — from all ballparks.
I guess the-powers-that-be in the Yankees organization are trying to make the smoke go away.
Alex Rodriguez has been told by the New York Yankees to keep his cousin away from ballparks.
The message was given to the star third baseman on Thursday, said a person familiar with the situation, speaking on condition of anonymity because the team did not make an announcement. The message applied both to spring training and the regular season, the person said.
Speaking at Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Fla., general manager Brian Cashman said only that matter of Rodriguez being picked up from his spring training opener Wednesday by his cousin “has been handled.”
A day earlier in Dunedin, Rodriguez homered and walked twice before getting into a SUV driven by Yuri Sucart, who has been identified as the cousin who provided Rodriguez with performance-enhancing drugs obtained in the Dominican Republic. Rodriguez admitted using them while playing for Texas from 2001-03.
Rodriguez acknowledged to the Yankees that having the cousin meet him at the ballpark in Dunedin was a mistake, the person who told The Associated Press about the situation said.
It’s crazy. Just crazy.
The Washington Nationals have seemingly have had a lot of bad take place in their time in the Nation’s Capital, and there has been one underlying person at the center of everything — Jim Bowden.
Now, could his time be up?
Although cheating has been part of the game since time has began, it looks like MLB is taking the case of Bowden seriously, and now his employers may want to show him the door.
According to the Sport Digest, Washington Nationals general manager Jim Bowden responded to an SI.com report that he’s part of a federal investigation into the skimming of signing bonuses given to prospects from Latin America, saying he has done nothing improper.
Meanwhile, according to The Washington Post, sources, some within the team’s ownership group - which includes managing principal owner Theodore N. Lerner, seven principal owners and nine founding partners - are eager to cut ties with the GM they inherited almost three years ago, and see the investigation as a way of facilitating Bowden’s exit.
At this point, who knows what may happen. Bowden has survived three lackluster years in Washington; however, this time around, his hide may not be saved if he’s shown to have a role in this scandal…
This morning, Baseball America released it’s 20th annual Top 100 Prospects with Oriole catcher Matt Wieters leading the way at number one. David Price of the Tampa Bay Rays was second and Colby Rasmus of the St. Louis Cardinals was third.
Baseball America Top 100 Prospects: 1-20
Baseball America Top 100 Prospects: No. 21-40
Baseball America Top 100 Prospects: No. 41-60
Baseball America Top 100 Prospects: No. 61-80
Baseball America Top 100 Prospects: No. 81-100
* special tip of the hat to Ian from Sox and Dawgs for the alert…
The Nationals released disgruntled pitcher Odalis Perez, a day after he failed to show up at spring training by the mandatory reporting deadline.
Perez signed a minor league contract with Washington on Feb. 5 that would have paid him $850,000 if he made the team; however, the southpaw wanted a better deal, so he sat-out. He had not taken calls from team personnel and management; therefore, he was released.
He’ll be pitching for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic. If he does well, he’ll more than likely be offered a better deal than what he would have gotten in Washington.
The trouble may just be beginning for Alex Rodriguez.
According to the AP, Major League Baseball’s investigations team intends to meet with him sometime between tomorrow and Friday to discuss his recent confessions of illegal performance-enhancing drug use, a person familiar with the situation told Newsday.
It looks like whatever mea culpas, interviews or press conferences that Alex Rodriguez has given — there’s not a lot that has been done.
It had previously been reported that MLB’s investigative arm wanted to talk to A-Rod after he admitted, in an exclusive interview with ESPN’s Peter Gammons and at a news conference nine days later, that he had used a substance between 2001 and 2003. Officials want to meet with Rodriguez before he leaves the Yankees’ spring training camp to work out with the Dominican Republic’s World Baseball Classic squad in Jupiter, Fla.
Last week, Rodriguez said he expected the meeting will be held in the Tampa area.
According to the report, A-Rod will likely bring two lawyers with him — personal attorney Jay Reisinger, who has represented Andy Pettitte and Sammy Sosa, and a lawyer from the players’ union. The only questions he will be compelled to answer are whether he procured performance-enhancing drugs on MLB grounds, such as the clubhouse or the team plane.
Sports Illustrated first reported on Feb. 7 that Rodriguez tested positive for testosterone and Primobolan, an anabolic steroid, in 2003. He was one of 104 players who tested positive that year, when Major League Baseball conducted survey tests to see if mandatory, random drug testing was needed.
The Washington Nationals have seemingly have had a lot of bad take place in their time in the Nation’s Capital, and there has been one underlying person at the center of everything — Jim Bowden.
Now, could his time be up?
Although cheating has been part of the game since time has began, it looks like MLB is taking the case of Boden seriously, and now his employers may want to show him the door.
According to the Sport Digest, Washington Nationals general manager Jim Bowden responded to an SI.com report that he’s part of a federal investigation into the skimming of signing bonuses given to prospects from Latin America, saying he has done nothing improper.
Meanwhile, according to The Washington Post, sources, some within the team’s ownership group - which includes managing principal owner Theodore N. Lerner, seven principal owners and nine founding partners - are eager to cut ties with the GM they inherited almost three years ago, and see the investigation as a way of facilitating Bowden’s exit.
At this point, who knows what may happen. Bowden has survived three lackluster years in Washington; however, this time around, his hide may not be saved if he’s shown to have a role in this scandal…
As we know with the current steroid scandal in baseball, drugs in sports has become a hot topic. This weekend, California governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger decried to use of performance enhancing drugs in sports…
WASHINGTON — California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is no stranger to athletic competition — or to steroids. And the former champion bodybuilder says there’s no place for drugs in sports these days.
In an appearance Sunday on CNN’s “State of the Union,” Schwarzenegger said top athletes are inspirations to young people and to people trying to lose weight and stay fit.
A former action film star, Schwarzenegger said competition drives athletes to use drugs. His advice: “Come out, be clean and say, ‘Look, I used that, I made a mistake.’ “
The California Republican added that not using drugs or alcohol should always be a part of the message aimed at children in sports.
Schwarzenegger has said in the past that he used steroids in his bodybuilding days, long before they became illegal without a prescription.
I think it’s funny that he’s say this considering his name is on the Arnold Classic — a competition for bodybuilding enthuasists that takes place in Columbus, Ohio each winter (hell, Victor Martinez, a former Arnold Classic winner spent time in jail for steroid use) — and has literally based the foundation of his career on those drugs, working hard in the gym, and Hollywood.
I find it ironic how someone who used these things so opnely — yes, the were not illegal when he used them — can speak out against it despite the riches he garnered. If anything, people keep using them because they know they work, and have some benefits despite their danger; therefore, the California governor is poster boy for the entire culture.
Folks, here are your win totals caculated by Vegas Watch for your favorite team. The usual suspects — The Yankees, Red Sox, Angels, Phillies, Mets, Cubs and Tampa Bay are expected to do fairly well.
I would say everything else is fair; however, there’s not much love for the AL Central as they think Cleveland barely wins the division. It looks like Pittsburgh, Seattle, Baltimore, Kansas City, Washington, and San Diego are picked to be the bottom feeders in their respected divisions.
Arizona- 86.5
Atlanta- 84.5
Baltimore- 74.5
Boston- 94.5
Chicago C- 94.5
Chicago W- 76.5
Cincinnati- 76.5
Cleveland- 83
Colorado- 76.5
Detroit- 79.5
Florida- 75.5
Houston- 74.5
Kansas City- 75.5
LA Angels- 87.5
LA Dodgers- 84.5
Milwaukee- 85.5
Minnesota- 79.5
NY Mets- 90.5
NY Yankees- 96
Oakland- 81.5
Philadelphia- 87.5
Pittsburgh- 66.5
San Diego- 67.5
San Francisco- 77.5
Seattle- 72.5
St. Louis- 83.5
Tampa Bay- 89.5
Texas- 81.5
Toronto- 81.5
Washington- 68.5
I feel for Nationals fans. They should not have to endure what’s going on with their team.
It looks like some heads will definitely roll in Washington D.C. not for anything political, related to the economy or for anything else other than yet another baseball scandal. It’s going to be interesting how this team handles this situation considering the amount of money given to a prospect — a whopping $1.4 million — who suddenly aged four years and who is someone else all together.
Now, the federal government is investigating general manager and team vice president Jim Bowden and several others in their role in this whole scandal.
Does anyone smell a conspiracy?
From CNNSi.com: A federal investigation into the skimming of signing bonuses given to baseball prospects from Latin America is looking at Washington Nationals general manager Jim Bowden as far back as 1994, when he was GM of the Cincinnati Reds, according to a baseball executive familiar with the investigation.
Two sources inside baseball say that a long-time scout in Latin America, Jorge Oquendo, 47, is the man who links the FBI’s investigations of Bowden and his special assistant Jose Rijo to that of former Chicago White Sox senior director of player personnel David Wilder. Last May the White Sox fired Wilder and two Dominican-based scouts after allegations surfaced that they had pocketed money earmarked for player signing bonuses. Oquendo worked for Wilder in 2006 and 2007, as well as for Bowden with the Reds in 1994 and again with the Reds from 2000 through 2003. Oquendo left Cincinnati in 2005, two years after Bowden was fired. (Bowden became Nationals GM in 2004.)
A spokesman for the FBI division handling the case refused comment when contacted by SI on Friday, and Bowden, who has previously denied any wrongdoing, did not respond to SI’s interview request. Rijo’s voicemail was full on Sunday and could not accept new messages. Rijo, who took an indefinite leave of absence from the Nationals on Saturday in the wake of an SI.com report that one of the team’s top Latin American prospects had falsified his name and age, was quoted in Sunday’s Washington Times as saying, “When all of this comes out, people will see I didn’t do anything wrong.” Wilder declined to comment about the charges in July and did not return calls from SI this past week.
Oh boy, are things going to get ugly in Washington. One could expect general manager Jim Bowden to be on the hot seat, if not out of a job…
According to Roch Kubatko of MASN, the deal for Brian Roberts seems to be done.
Two open issues need to be addressed, and one of them is just about resolved, the other in discussion. Neither issue is a deal-breaker. The principal stuff is done.
Look for Roberts to take his physical on Thursday and the club to make an announcement on Friday.
Again, I think he might have been signed for one year too long, and he will not be the same player now than he will be at the end of the contract; however, I can understand that he’s got a lot of value on and off the field to the Baltimore organization.
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