- 10:01 PM
- 04/18/24
Greymatters, you make a good point. But is the atmosphere really viable for such a move? The union blocked testing, caved under popular pressure, and now we can see that there is certainly a steroid problem in baseball. Palmeiro is the most vivid evidence of this. How, then, can the union again be seen as obstructing the testing process? Maybe they don't care how they're perceived publicly, but I doubt they would want to weather the firestorm of criticism such a move would engender. I also agree with rcade, Palmeiro's statements after the announcement practically begged for this leak to happen.
posted by Venice CA at 12:42 PM on August 03, 2005
"oh and as for manny...i think that the fans booing him one minute and cheering him the next is retarded..." Two words for you, my nearly-illiterate Brooklyn friend. Jason Giambi.
posted by Venice CA at 02:27 PM on August 02, 2005
I think the Fenway fans are getting a bad rap here for their (deserved) booing of Manny the other night. Asking to be traded, particularly under the circumstances - Sox finally have a chance to win the division, defending a world championship, and Manny's supposed desire for privacy when the only available suitor is a New York team - is an insult to the city and the fans. He's not asking out because of playing time, or what have you, he's basically saying "I don't like playing here" - this despite signing as a FREE AGENT. That's not something an avid fan base is going to shrug off, and it shouldn't be. Your best player demands a trade for no good reason? What are you supposed to do, pretend it isn't happening? However, with the flurry of events Saturday and Sunday, everyone in Sox Nation realized what a blow it would be to lose Manny, how little any alternatives have to offer, and Manny glimpsed the reality of his situation and offered some conciliatory words. By the time he stepped to the plate last night, both sides had realized that for the time being, they are better off together. So, peace and happiness once again reigned in the Hub... As far as Trot's hat, etc., for whatever reason this "dirt dog" ethic has resulted in a team chemistry Boston hasn't had in years, if ever. "Say what you will about the Yanks, they always look their best on the field"?! What is this, sports or a fashion show? If their superior grooming is the only thing Yankees fans have to lord over Sox fans these days, I guess I can live with that.
posted by Venice CA at 03:50 PM on August 01, 2005
melcarek69, I have to quibble with one point: Yeah, if you get caught using drugs at a "real" job, your ass is fired, but you're not banned from the entire INDUSTRY...
posted by Venice CA at 03:54 PM on July 11, 2005
I'll defer to the Twins fans here, but this article, among others, suggests platooning in Minnesota for Papi. Just trying to convince myself that this idea hasn't just been created in my own mind. My understanding is, he was benched against lefties.
posted by Venice CA at 01:37 PM on July 05, 2005
"When Ortiz was Healthy he was playing--for the most part" If true, I stand corrected.
posted by Venice CA at 01:28 PM on July 05, 2005
As far as "developing" Ortiz is concerned, all anyone had to do was let him start consistently and regularly. The Red Sox platooned him Twins-style for a while, but after the Hillenbrand-for-BHK trade, and the evaporation of Jeremy Giambi's roids stash, Big Papi became an everyday player and the rest is history! Who knew trading for a ruined Byung-Hung would be one of Theo's best moves (viewed in a larger context, of course...) Didn't follow D'Ort's career closely with the Twins, but that's my understanding. Certainly it's been true in his Red Sox career; once he got out there every day, he started tearing the league apart.
posted by Venice CA at 12:40 PM on July 05, 2005
I had a friend in high school declare himself for the NBA draft. He was a 5'10" bench warmer on the so-so varsity squad, but that didn't stop the NBA from responding to his initial letter (wherein he spouted priceless phrases like "I have heard the crowd, roaring as I sink shot after shot; I have lifted my team and school to the highest level of athletic excellence; now all I need is a ring. Only the NBA can give me that.") with an application for the draft. He filled it out, listed another friend of ours as his agent, and sent it in. The charade went on until the NBA called my friend's coach for more details; he flipped out, set them straight and then lectured my friend indignantly.
posted by Venice CA at 11:53 AM on May 18, 2005
Oh, yeah, and he TOTALLY looks like he's roiding
I am tired of the analogy between drinking/womanizing players and players on steroids. Two UTTERLY different things. Drinking or womanizing might compromise a player's moral standards, but at the end of the day they have nothing to do with the play on the field. Steroids, conversely, affect every player in the game, because those who are juicing have an advantage over those who are not. Doing nothing to remedy the widespread steroid epidemic creates a situation where all players are under pressure to measure up by shooting up. I'm glad Palmeiro got caught because it shows that it's not just ridiculously bulked-up sluggers using 'roids to succeed in the game. Not only did the drugs help him to get 500 homers, but they played an essential part in the 3,000 hits. The greatest net effect of steroids is in aiding recovery and endurance, two traits Palmiero has displayed over the past two decades, in addition to the mysterious power boost a few years into his career.