The Mets Police

This was fun from the other day in the News...an article suggesting the Yankees have been overcome by the curse of A-Rod!

Funny, you never hear any Mets fans whine that we should have signed him back when he wanted to be Mr. 24+1.   He would have fit right in with the 2009 Mets by missing some games in April, plus we'd have an awesome a-Rod store at Citi Field.

Enjoy this...

"The Yankees are not expected to lose but when they do it opens a door to something seeping into the collective mentality," says Michael Civille, a visiting professor at Boston College who grew up in New Jersey a Yankees fan. "Something changed in a long-standing paradigm but how can you explain it? The Yankees still field a team of All-Stars, still sign all the best players (and) still have the biggest budget. It escapes your logic."
Read more:http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/yankees/2009/09/20/2009-09-20_after_babe_ruths_curse.html#ixzz0RfNnVdR6



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See that on the left?  That's the photo that makes the lead in Details magazine.  I knew A-Rod would do his best to take Brodeur's day away from him.

Coupla things I like in the article:

On being the youngest player in the league:  "I'm like, What am I doing here?" he recalls. "They're going to bars—I couldn't get in to half the places." I ask him if he had a fake ID. "Yeah, I probably had one of those at some point," Rodriguez says cautiously, as if the Seattle PD might cuff him.

I'm not sure what this means:

Rodriguez doesn't mind looking a bit human. "At one point I did nothing wrong," he says, almost with pride. "And now, over the last three or four years, I caught up, you know?"

and he said this before the steroids:

"New York is one of a kind," Rodriguez says. "It's made me ask all the tough questions. It's brought out the best in me. There are some things I have to work on. And that part is fun." He pauses, and then, perhaps alluding to coming events, says, "Revealing the truth about yourself is always good."

Oops.

Enjoy the article


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Folks never get tired of pics:  Here's 150 pics of the New Yankee Stadium and Tons of Pics of Citi Field including some Obstructed Views at C-Field and these ones of Dying Shea  that we shared in December.

For what I believe is the first time people are starting to use the words Piazza and steroids in the same sentence.

I spelled his first name wrong and a bunch of people rightfully called me on it, but now that I know how to spell Jon Matlack people enjoyed reading about him here and here.



The headline is actually more exciting than reading that the Yankees have a new cap , but it is accurate.

I'm on a Meet the Mets and Curly Shuffle kick.

Did stayng with the Mets cost Rusty a shot at 3,000 hits?  No, but it's fun to explore.

Finally, it's time to let the Islanders die.

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Nothing grabbing me this morning.

T.O. to Buffalo.

I'm not in the mood to panic over Pelfrey.

Santana will be fine.

The Post reminds us that you can win a World Series with Hayes at third.

I gotta admit it would be hilarious if the Yankees win a World Series while A-Rod is out.

Interesting take by Raissman saying that Keith Hernandez should talk more about his drug past.   I tend to agree with Keith, we all know about it and it's what 25-30 years ago now - he's come clean (verbally and physically) - what's the point of him bringing it up during a game, so that I have to explain about another type of drug to my kid.

Page Six has a cute DiMaggio at church story.

Newsday writes more about this Lighthouse fantasy , whereas I have realized it's time to let the Islanders die.

Centerfield Maz tweaked his site and wrote about Carl Furillo.

Another quiet day in Flushing until this stupid WBC ends.


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NY Sports Examiner: A-Rod never leaves sportswriters hanging

A-Rod really never ceases to be entertaining.


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I was chatting in the hallway about A-Rod being picked up by his cousin.   A theory was floated:

A-Rod IS trying to be stupid.

As he made clear during his steroid defense, he was young and stupid.  And naive.  And stupid.

Now, in an effort to prove that he is stupid, he does stupid things like having his cousin pick him up.

It's brilliant!  Now when he says he was young and stupid, we will see that he's middle aged and stupid, so it makes sense.

Well played Alex, well played.

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You are A-Rod. It's the first game of the spring. You need a ride.

Who would be the worst person to have pick you up? Hitler? Jose
Canseco? 

Nope your cousin who injected you with steroids.

Really. That's who he chose.

I betcha Alex has enough money for a car service. Maybe even a limo.

Maybe Girardi would have hooked him up with a ride.

Is this man just self-destructive? Stupid? Clueless?

So much for putting this behind you.

The Captain said those words I needed to hear today:

I've never taken performance-enhancing drugs, I've never taken steroids.

Awesome, that's what we need more players to say.

Jeter also said:

"One thing that's irritating and really upsetting is when people say everybody was doing it," Jeter said. "No, that's not true. Everybody wasn't doing it." 

Sorry Jeets, you'll have to blame half your teammates for that.  Don't look at me.

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Mark McGwire can't get elected.

Pete Rose and Joe Jackson are banned.

The way it looks now, Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Sammy Sosa, Rafael Palmiero, and Alex Rodriguez won't get in either

MLB and the BBWAA want to maintain the "purity" of the Hall of Fame.

OK, I'll get on board with that. But if we really want to keep the Hall pure, then we have to do some house-cleaning. Time to weed out those who are "un-worthy." Let's start with 15 for now:

1. Babe Ruth - The man was a drunk and a womanizer. He openly violated federal law (prohibition). He also fathered a child by a woman other than his wife.
2. Ty Cobb - A racist and murderer. Also accused of fixing games
   
3. Tris Speaker - Accused of fixing games with Cobb
4. Cap Anson - Racist.
5. Pud Galvin - Steroid user
6. Enos Slaughter - Racist
7. Gaylord Perry - Admitted to using a spitball in clear violation of MLB rules
8. Kirby Pucket - Womanizer
9. Paul Molitor - Admitted drug user
10. Fergie Jenkins - Admitted drug user
11. Don Sutton - Admitted doctoring baseballs
12. Whitey Ford - Admitted doctoring baseballs
13. Rogers Hornsby - Admitted to cheating in a self-penned article "You've Got To Cheat To Win"
14. Ralph Kiner - Admitted to using amphetamines
15. Willie Stargell - Used Amphetamines
    

And I haven't even gotten started on the non-players in the Hall (you know Comiskey is at the top of that list).

Who else should we weed out? Or better yet, who will be left once we are done?

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Something I wrote for Examiner.com:

NY Sports Examiner: A-Rod admits to being young and stupid

Here's a free commercial for Outside Eyes, the crisis management team that Alex Rodriguez hired to help him with the latest news cycle.

The below is taken directly from their website.

You have one shot to answer the question "What do you do?" Does your answer leave a confident, memorable first impression? Outside Eyes prepares clients to say everything they need to say and nothing they do not. We make sure your "elevator speech" is concise, compelling, and effective.

We will train your messengers on tone, optics, presentation, persuasion, and crises communication.

• Develop compelling messages and use the most effective methods of delivery.
• Contrast your position with opposing ones, and respond forcefully and quickly to attacks and misrepresentations.
• Release information precisely when it will make the most news, and to the right members of the media.
• Research the opposition and anticipate the response.
• Monitor breaking news and manage news cycles in real time.

I didn't find the section of the website which reminds you to work in the words naive, young and stupid as often as possible.

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Driving home yesterday I was listening to The Michael Kay Show, and a caller brought up a very interesting question and hypothesis.

Just when did A-Rod know that he had tested positive?

Let's follow this time line.

2001, A-Rod signed a 10-year deal with the Texas Rangers that would take him through the 2010 baseball season.

2003 - MLB conducts random testing for steroid use. A-Rod tests positive, along with 103 others. The union however does not destroy the results.

2004 - The FBI seizes the 2003 test results in a raid connected with their BALCO investigation. At this point therefore some people know about A-Rod's positive test.

July 2007 - Jose Canseco says he is writing a new book on steroid use in baseball and says A-Rod will be in the book. Canseco calls A-Rod a "hypocrite."

October 2007 - A-Rod opts out of the final 3 years of his contract and negotiates a new 10-year deal with the Yankees.

February 2009 - With 9 years remaining on his contract, A-Rod admits to using steroids.

So here is the hypothesis. A-Rod and his agent Scott Boras knew his name was on that list. They also knew that once the FBI got a hold of that list, the names would eventually leak out. There were already rumors about A-Rod, when Canseco, riding the "I Told You So" train added his voice to the mix. The walls were crumbling.

If A-Rod hadn't opted out of his contract in 2007, next year would have been the final year of his contract. It is extremely unlikely he would have gotten anything close to the deal he did sign with the Yankees - both in terms of dollars and years. By conveniently opting out when he did, he guaranteed his continued baseball career and income well past the point where his steroid use would become known.

Given A-Rod's disingenous nature, it really wouldn't shock me if he and Boras were this conniving.

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People love pictures and this week we chronicled the last days of Shea Stadium with pictures on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday (We will continue with more pictures on Monday and Tuesday - until Shea is no more).

Of course the big story continued to focus Alex Rodriguez and the revelation of his steroid use and the collateral damage that may come from it. Of particular concern was Derek Jeter's non-emphatic denial that he could be on the list of players who tested positive.

As far as A-Rod goes, we asked the hypothetical question if you would do steroids for $27 million a year? And we offered media tips to A-Rod on how to deal with the media in spring training

Meanwhile Bud Selig continues to show his hypocrisy by suggesting he would suspend A-Rod and reinstate pre-steroid records. But if he's going to do that, then he needs to go back over 100 years to the first steroid user in baseball.

And since baseball has become so hypocritical, we here at The Mets Police offered up nominations for our Hall of Infamy.

Lastly, but not forgotten, was the announcement this week that Brett Favre was retiring (again) and that he now joins others who retired in strange uniforms.


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Looks like Bud Selig - and for that matter the Baseball Writers of America - are once again proven hypocrites.

Selig wants to essentially punish those accused of using steroids by wiping their records from the books, or at the very least noting their numbers with asterisks. Meanwhile as we saw in the recent Hall of Fame voting, the BBWA continues to shun Mark McGwire, even though a few years ago everyone agreed he has Hall worthy numbers.

Meanwhile, there already is at least one player in the Hall of Fame who openly used steroids.

Jim "Pud" Galvin

During his career Pud used the "elixir of Brown -Sequard" - testoterone drained from the gonads of an animal - before games. The use was reported in the Washington Post in 1889:

"If there still be doubting Thomases who concede no virtue of the elixir,
they are respectfully referred to Galvin's record in yesterday's
Boston-Pittsburgh game. It is the best proof yet furnished of the value of
the discovery."

And it worked. Pud was the first 300 game winner in major league history, and was selected to the Hall of Fame in 1965.

So the door has already been opened. Put in McGwire, and when thei times come, put in Sosa, Clemens, Bonds, and A-Rod. Time to move on.

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The text of A-Rod's apology reads much better than it sounded. On tv it just seemed like he needed to get in the words naive and stupid as many times as possible.

Does anyone actually use the phrase loosey-goosey when not apologizing to Peter Gammons? Is that a phrase Alex uses when clubbing in Miami.

Question to everyone: what are you mad at? Why do you care anyway? Root for the guy or don't. Watch the games or don't. At the end of the day it's just television programming for the summer.

People were much less interested in steroids before a surly black man put up the biggest numbers.

Jeter's quote still bothering me. The correct answer would have been "no." (Read down the blog if you don't know what I'm talking about.)

I guess Jose Canseco is less of a crazy-talker than people made him out to be.

I really look forward to getting back to Mets talk around these parts but (a) its hard story to ignore and (b) the Mets don't do anything good or bad and I can only wax poetically about Lee Mazzilli so many times.

Of the 103 players left on the list none were Mets right? I have an idea about one but I'll get lynched if I voice it.
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I'm not throwing stones.  I'm not making accusations.   I'm being honest that Derek Jeter's quote today on the Daily News website is bothering me.

Jeter was asked if he was worried about his name being on the list:

"Why would I worry about me being on the list?"

Why not just say "no."

Here's Curt Schilling on his blog:

And before anyone asks, I’ll make it clear: My name will not appear on any lists of positive tests. I’ve never tested positive for steroids or HGH, and I’ve never taken steroids or HGH in my life, ever. You don’t need to call the union, or an agent to verify that.

Those are two very different answers.

If anyone wants to break down the captain's statistics you can find them here.

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You're good at your job.   What if I could give you some medicine that would make you the best ever?  All you need to do is drink this every day.

You'll be so good you'll make more money than you could ever need.  Never mind life-changing money, this is dynasty changing money.  No, not the Yankees, your dynasty.

For over $27 million dollars a year you can drink my magic potion and be the best.  73 grand a day my friend.

Want to buy your old high school buddy a new car?  Done.  Pay cash.  40 grand to spend in cash left over.

You could take care of your parents.  You could buy them a mansion with a week's worth of money.   Cash.

Your kids and their kids and their kids?  They will never want for a single thing unless they take investing advice from the Wilpons.

You might do it.  You could be the best.  Sure everyone will still like the charismatic guy at the office a little better than you, but you could ditch your wife and bang Madonna!  You could have it all!

I used to get mad at the steroids.  The damage is long since done.  You chose to ignore it when it was two smiling guys in 1998.   You kinda got annoyed that a surly black man decided to become king in 2001 and again in 2007.   You cried hysterically when Rajah returned to the Bronx, as if he weren't some sort of mercenary Red Sock.   You ignored it all.  Why not ignore this one too?

The damage is done, the records are ruined.  73 is 73 now, and A-Rod is A-Rod.  Let him hit his 800 homers.  You can sit home and watch old Roger Maris highlights while the Yankees draw 4 million every year.

I'm sorry A-Rod doesn't smile as nice as you'd like or give the right quotes.   He's one of the best players in the game right now.   A-Fraud?  You're the one who cheered him when he stepped into the batters box.  Why stop now?   At least he's admitted he was wrong, how about you?   For 27 million dollars a year you might do steroids too.



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Alex Rodriguez spoke to ESPN's Peter Gammons today and admitted taking steroids:

When I arrived in Texas in 2001, I felt an enormous amount of pressure. I needed to perform, and perform at a high level every day.

Back then, [baseball] was a different culture. It was very loose. I was young, I was stupid, I was naïve. I wanted to prove to everyone I was worth being one of the greatest players of all time. 

I did take a banned substance. For that, I'm very sorry and deeply regretful.

at the time, I wasn't being truthful with myself. How could I be truthful with Katie Couric or CBS?

Many of the world's major religions speak about forgiveness.  Perhaps your does too.  Maybe you're just an American.  We're a forgiving people.   He admitted it.   He said he's sorry.   We can beat him up about not being honest with us in the past, now he has.   It's over.   Time to move on.


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Bill Madden has the most ridiculous A-Rod analysis yet in today's News.

Bill wants the Yankees to cut A-Rod and eat the contract.

He wants the Yankees to eat a quarter billion dollars.

Come on dude.

If the Yankees ever did such a thing (probably after moving to Montreal) A-Rod could sit home and make $25 million a year to hang out with Madonna.

In Madden's scenario I assume that A-Rod would be placed on unconditional release waivers.   A team could claim A-Rod for $1, but then would assume responsibility for the contract.  You see that kind of attempt every August.   In today's economic environment nobody is taking this one on.   So A-Rod might sit home.

A-Rod could reject the claim, which would void the contract, and become a free agent.   A quarter billion dollars is a lot of money to walk away from, but maybe after a while enough money is enough money, and reputation and a desire to play is more important than money you'll never use.  I've never had $25 million so I can't tell you what it's like.

Anyway, let's say A-Rod was magically a free agent.   Would you want him on your team?

I'd take him in a second.  Actually I'd take him as my shortstop right there in Flushing.   I sold my soul earlier this winter when I decided I wanted Manny, so why not A-Rod?   Let him play shortstop and let Overreyes play second.    You moved Reyes for Kaz Matsui, you can move him for A-Rod.

You wouldn't want A-Rod in this lineup?  All those who wanted Manny wouldn't want A-Rod?

Is he clutch?  No.  Is he a choker?  Yes.   He will fit right in with the team when he goes 1 for 64 in October. He also might put up MVP-like stats (the writers will never vote for him now).

The Yankees aren't eating this contract.   Steroids are part of the legacy of the last 15 years.  As I said yesterday, Selig should declare blanket amnesty and delcare that all the records stand forever.  Time to move on.

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I know links to Times articles are lame blogging, but of all the A-Rod pieces I read today, this was one of my favorite.  It's dead on.

SPORTS OF THE TIMES

A Yankees Marriage Not Made in Heaven 

By HARVEY ARATON

Published: February 8, 2009

The Yankees are positioned to be the biggest suckers, given their contractual obligation to put up with Alex Rodriguez until 2018.

Even after Rodriguez’s agent Scott Boras pulled his shameless 2007 World Series stunt — claiming his man wanted out of New York before the Red Sox could pop a Champagne cork in Denver — the Yankees were ready to retie the knot the minute A-Rod picked up the telephone to say, Just kidding. He had Hank at hello, and soon after, it was till 2018 do they part because somewhere along the way, the Yankees would dress the next great baseball moment in pinstripes, delivering a clean-as-a-whistle home run champ.

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