Saturday, August 17, 2013

Cheaters, Weasels, Whiners.

Alex Rodriguez may be at least two of the three.  The whiner tag may not be appropriate if A-Rod's paranoia has some validity.

Major Baseball League (MBL) commissioner Allen Huber "Bud" Selig had former U. S. Senator George Mitchell lead an investigation:

Report to the Commissioner of Baseball of an Independent Investigation into the Illegal Use of Steroids and Other Performance Enhancing Substances by Players in Major League Baseball

Players were tested as part of a survey to determine the extent of drug use.  There was to be no disciplinary action.

Former player Doug Glanville has asked "how a confidential and anonymous test could be made public".   How indeed?  And by whom?  This goes back several years.  One name that came out: Alex Rodriguez.

In recent weeks we have read news reports of the names of players who might be suspended for such drug use.  The most prominent name: Alex Rodriguez.

This may indicate the extent of involvement by Alex Rodriguez.  But how do these leaks occur?

The New York Times reports:
Rodriguez Denies Implicating Others
By DAVID WALDSTEIN and STEVE EDER
Published: August 16, 2013

I'm almost positive that The Times changed the title of this article, which I had read online.  Originally it was that Rodriguez was accused of leaking.  I wrote the first comment mentioning the discrepancy between the title and the actual substance in the article.  Maybe that caused the change.  Here is what the body of that article stated:

the CBS news program “60 Minutes,” citing two unnamed sources, reported that associates of Rodriguez had leaked information tying other players to (the scandal)

Note the difference:
- Rodriguez leaked
- associates of Rodriguez leaked.

This may be a small difference or not.  We don't know.  But who the heck leaked the leak?

What kind of an operation is Selig running?

Subsequent Times article:
Rodriguez Offers Support, but Finds Little in Return
By TYLER KEPNER
Published: August 16, 2013

The writer describes complaints by Red Sox players plus a former Phillie about Rodriguez.  The final paragraph:

The game is doing well, but not because of Rodriguez, who claims to love it but takes no responsibility for disgracing it.

The writer has concluded a news report with his personal editorial comment.

Is The Times slipping into tabloid mode?

Did any of these writers make such a comment about Hall of Fame Yankee Whitey Ford at this season's old timers game?  Ford is a known cheater.  The article above mentions:

Rodriguez doubled off (Brad) Lidge to drive in the go-ahead run in the pivotal Game 4 of the 2009 World Series.

“If what seems to be true is true, then how can you not be upset about that?” Lidge told MLB Network Radio on Friday. “He had the big hit against me that scored Damon, and they ended up getting the win that game. So, yeah, I’m really upset about it when I look back.”

What, A-Rod needed steroids to hit a double?  Not a 450 foot home run.  A double.  Lidge is whining about that?  Lidge is the guy who gave up that monster home run in the 9th inning to Albert Pujols to blow the save and game five of the 2005 National Conference final in Houston.  That's the hit that should have humiliated Lidge.  I guess that Lidge knows for sure that Pujols was not using PED then and that his listed age is correct.  Whiner.

Are Frank Robinson and Vada Pinson whining that their Cincinnati Reds lost the 1961 World Series to the Yankees because Whitey Ford cheated by throwing illegal pitches?  Is Jim Gentile complaining about Ford because Whitey humiliated Gentile on a regular basis?

I've already addressed some of this junk before.

Wednesday, August 14, 2013
Worst Yankee behavior: Ruth, Ford or Rodriguez?

Each violated the law and/or baseball rules and behaved unethically.

Monday, August 5, 2013
Weasels on parade: Pedroia, Scherzer, Longoria, maybe more.

Dustin Pedroia, Max Scherzer, Evan Longoria all ran their mouths immediately about the suspensions of fellow players for using steroids etc...

Pedroia: what do you think and/or know about steroid use by your teammates, specifically David Ortiz, who was implicated in drug use a few years ago?
________________________________

I forgot to mention former Red Sox player Manny Ramirez, the only great player prior to Ryan Braun who recently copped a plea, to actually serve a suspension.  Ramirez was instrumental in the Red Sox winning the MBL tournament in 2004 and 2007.  Along with Ortiz.

My interpretation of The Times would have all the current Red Sox added to the list of weasels, including those named specifically: John Lackey, Jonny Gomes, Jon Lester.

The Times said this about Lester:

Starter Jon Lester said Friday that union members should understand the process, but added that the Red Sox did not want Rodriguez on the field.

“I would imagine pretty much everybody in baseball feels that way,” Lester said.

What a weasel.  Understand the process but get the guy off the field.  What a weasel.

1 comment:

scp1957 said...

Of course many of them now come off like weasels. How else could it be with Selig the "man" in charge? King Weasel knew all along that Big Mac and Sammy were juicing; several F/O types came clean about that some years back. They got the distinct impression that they were expected to "dummy up", because no one at MLB HQ wanted to be officially in the loop. Implausible deniability, as if Bud Selig were the President of the United States "not" ordering an assassination. Then Bud commences to throw the players under the bus, instead of manning up, when the shit hits the fan. Since then, it's been a steady diet of more of the same from that nard-free excuse for a Commissioner, as his act has just dug the hole deeper for the Game to be buried in. And most of the news droids just follow Bud's lead, beating the drums of outrage, venting their spleens in paroxysms of faked innocence, as if they were so many clones of Meg Ryan "performing" for Billy Crystal.