People who live in glass houses
People who live in glass houses should not be throwing stones . Well, I do not live in a glass house , but I am going to throw a rock at this issue . Major League Baseball and its hierarchy led by Commissioner Bud Selig , have now drawn the ire of the fans, with many showing their disgust in the way that the commissioner has handled the latest controversy to sully the ongoing image of baseball . Alex Rodriguez of the New York Yankees remains an obstacle in how many now view the game and its legitimacy. Of the thirteen players named in baseball`s case, embroiling them in the Biogenesis ` scandal` . It is Rodriguez, who remains the lone holdout, in not wishing to accept a suspension for his alleged involvement violating the league`s performance enhancing drug policy. The player continues to plead his innocence, of all of the allegations made against him. Meanwhile, the Yankees` organization , obviously embarrassed, remain at a loss as how best to resolve the matter, while not seeking add to their financial burden concerning the now beleaguered third baseman .
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Slideshow .
In the latest turn of events Alex Rodriguez has hired one of New York city`s most prominent criminal defense attorneys , Joe Tacopina , to be a part of his legal defense team to defend him in his upcoming appeal , which will be a tribunal appeal held in front of an independent arbitrator. Now while this is not a criminal trial , each side will be allowed to present their case to the arbitrator , whose decision will be final and binding . Rodriguez, is unlikely to take the stand in his defense, with his attorneys presenting their case, on behalf of their client. Tony Bosch, founder of Biogenesis will be the main witness on behalf of baseball (MLB) in the presentation of their case against the player.
Now dependent upon what you might read into the addition of Joe Tacopina to Rodriguez`s legal defense arsenal. The presumption of guilt, must be weighing heavily against the player , in which he has now added a criminal defense attorney to an already heavy-hitting legal team made up of several high-profiled litigators. . At stake, is not only Alex Rodriguez`s livelihood, but also, his very future within the game. If the league`s case is upheld , then in all likelihood Rodriguez`s career in baseball would most certainly come to an abrupt end . There is no way that any team within the game is likely to sign the player, were he made to sit out the entire 2014 baseball season, as well several games into 2015. Two hundred and eleven games, were meant to be the sum total of the player`s suspension, that would cost him in excess of $36.5 million in lost income, by way of his salary over the time frame in question . Sitting out an entire year and then seeking to make a return adds insult to injury given the fact that Frederic Horowitz , the adjudicator presiding over the case sees Alex Rodriguez`s act as one of premeditation as well , as his ongoing deceit.
As the game`s highest paid player , Alex Rodriguez has been lucky enough to have signed two multi-year deals, paying him on each occasion in excess of $250 million . The two teams involved in both of these transactions were the New York Yankees and the Texas Rangers . This season, it must be said, that the Rangers do seem to be faring a great deal better than their AL East counterparts. And though as of late , with Alfonso Soriano is having exceptional two-game stretch , where he has been more productive for the New York Yankees , than he was, in his previous fifteen games for the Chicago Cubs , from whom he was acquired earlier on this month . Rodriguez is trying to up the ante , in terms of his value to the Yankees, as he seeks to resume what has been an extremely controversial and troubled career over the nine years .
In March of 2010 , Alex Rodriguez admitted his use of performance enhancing drugs, after years of denial to the press and MLB hierarchy alike. The fact that since that admission of guilt, the player`s name has been twice associated with the use of a prohibitive and banned substance , but not until 2013 , has Bud Selig seen fit to take direction action against the player , in spite of the mounting evidence and his continued denials over that time. What has also been very troubling during this whole comical saga mishandled by Major League Baseball, has been the very fact that the commissioner did not seek to expedite a speedy tribunal hearing. Instead, it has been Rodriguez seeking the input of the MLBPA (union) , who having filed the player`s appeal , will also assist him in his defense.
I get the feeling that the Players` Union, seems to be more concerned with their members, than it is for the purity of the game . In our midst at present, I do believe that we now have the most despised player within the game of baseball ! Rodriguez , may well seek to use whatever excuse, to placate himself from another calculated misstep , that has now seen him fall from grace for a second time within four years. Major League Baseball, for its part , allows the player continue with his career pending the appeal process. If the player is found guilty , then the question becomes, results obtained by the New York Yankees during the formal announcement of the player`s suspension up until the time of arbitrator`s verdict , will they be allowed to stand , if it has somehow cost a potential AL wildcard aspirant a chance of making the postseason ? Those opponents should have every right to feel aggrieved that Alex Rodriguez has been allowed to play.
A preliminary appeal date for Alex Rodriguez` hearing has been not been set , and all likelihood the appeal`s process is unlikely to begin until after the end of the regular season and quite possibly not until after this year`s World Series. Very much in line with what the player no doubt set out to achieve in getting a chance to play in the postseason and being able to contribute to the Yankees` endeavors ,should the team actually make it that far. The Yankees` third baseman , has tried to set himself apart from many of his peers. As a teammate , who is always willing to help the younger members of the team and assist them in any way possible. Yet, the facts do not seem to bear this out , and if the rumors are to believed , his relationships with a number of Yankees` players is said to be strained and often lukewarm. Clearly the relationship between Alex Rodriguez and general manager Brian Cashman must now be at an all-time low . The most recent dust-up between the two, led to an unsavory incident that made the sports` pages of every major newspaper in New York city , with the player being made the villain of the piece, and being castigated by many of the journalists and op-ed contributors, as well as by many of the sports` fans, who sought weigh in with their own opinion of the latest scandal to hit the New York Yankees` organization , further tarnishing its image.
Courtesy of CBS Sports.com
Weiner: A-Rod’s appeal won’t be done until season is over
By Dayn Perry, Baseball Writer
More A-Rod: A-Rod, 12 others suspended | Heyman: A-Rod to appeal | Impact on Yanks
As noted, Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez intends to appeal his 211-game suspension for his role in the Biogenesis scandal, and he’ll remain on the active roster and eligible to play until his appeal is heard and ruled upon.
And that brings us to this comment from MLBPA head Michael Weiner :
There’s a very clear implication here, and the implication is that A-Rod will play the entire remainder of the 2013 season. That’s significant, of course, because the Yankees are in the playoff race, and A-Rod, even at age 38 and with two surgically repaired hips, has the potential to give them a substantial upgrade at third base.
As CBSSports.com’s Jon Heyman noted earlier on Monday, the time-frame of the appeals process is as follows:
The evidence is said to suggest Rodriguez bought or used steroids in 2010, ’11 and ’12. However, all of it will be heard at a hearing certainly within 20 days; the JDA actually calls for the “panel to convene a hearing as soon as practicable and, absent good cause show, no later than 10 days after grievance is filed.” With only one case presumably to be heard, perhaps the hearing could be expedited.
Baseball’s arbitrator, Fredric Horowitz, will then have 25 days to render a verdict.
And by the sounds of things, you can certainly expect A-Rod’s appeal to be a vigorous one. First, here’s A-Rod’s official statement:
“I am disappointed with the penalty and intend to appeal and fight this through the process. I am eager to get back on the field and be with my teammates in Chicago tonight. I want to thank my family, friends and fans who have stood by my side through all this.”
And now here’s Weiner’s:
“We believe that the Commissioner has not acted appropriately under the Basic Agreement. Mr. Rodriguez knows that the Union, consistent with its history, will defend his rights vigorously. We must revisit the JDA’s confidentiality provisions and consider implementing stricter rules for any breach.”
And finally, A-Rod’s attorney, David Cornwell :
“It is regrettable that the Commissioner’s office has taken this unprecedented action. Major League Baseball has gone well beyond the authority granted to its Joint Drug Agreement and the Basic Agreement. Consequently, we will appeal the discipline and pursue all legal remedies available to Alex.”
For the time being, get used to seeing A-Rod in the Yankee lineup.
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At 62-58 , currently lying fourth within the within the AL East , the New York Yankees are nine games behind division leaders the Boston Red Sox (72-50) and a . mere six games behind the two leading wildcard seeking candidates within the AL, who are the Tampa Bay Rays and Oakland A`s . Yet the ball-club would also have to leapfrog the other three teams also seeking one of the two available berths. And given the play of the Baltimore Orioles , Cleveland Indians and Kansas City Royals , this could prove to be too tall a task to ask of the New York Yankees. And that is in spite of the latest chain of events concerning the inspired play of Alfonso Soriano. . On Thursday, in the final game of their trilogy against the Los Angeles Angels , New York would become unglued , going down in an 8-4 loss , in a game marked by a lack of consistent pitching and the sudden silence of the Yankees` offense in terms run production ,albeit that the team collected fifteen hits in the defeat .
With a three game series , set to begin on Friday, against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park , in Boston, the New York Yankees will be looking to old rivalries , while seeking close the gap on the AL East divisional leaders. Taking the mound for the Yankees will be Andy Pettite (7-9,ERA 4.62) against Felix Doubront (8-5, ERA 3.66). The New York Yankees do need to win this series, if they are to have any hope of narrowing the margin between themselves and the teams ahead of them in the wildcard standings. I do not believe that the divisional title is within their grasp and with the Orioles and Rays seemingly with a tight grip on their places within the AL East . It now becomes game, of which team is now liable to crack under pressure , as we approach the final month of the regular season schedule .
With the career of Derek Jeter now winding down , the very public face of this Yankees` franchise will now become a vacuum . Certainly, Alex Rodriguez cannot fill that role , albeit that he was looked upon by team`s owners as being the individual to become the heir-apparent to Jeter in that role . Add in the fact that if Rodriguez while an active player on the roster were to break the all-time career home run record , of which he now leads all active players in that specific category . It would simply add one more feather in the cap of baseball`s most illustrious franchise . That now seems to be something of a remote possibility and if anything, a feat that would be looked upon rather dubiously , dubiously, given that the current holder of baseball`s most heralded record remains a pariah within the game.
Barry Bonds` departure from baseball was looked upon as a blessing and a curse , because a Pandora`s Box was opened up to a seedier side of the game , that not even Bud Selig can now close with any measure of success. Any thought that the game of baseball has been able to clean up its image in terms of two tainted decades of rampant cheating, can now firmly be placed alongside the Black Sox scandal as one of the most self-destructive periods and things to have happened in the game`s history. The remnants of the Biogenesis debacle will remain with baseball for years to come and will not be easily forgotten, because of the deceit , and depth of depravity shown by the players embroiled in this controversial chapter of baseball history . Revisionists will seek to rewrite this episode, as being something of a faded memory. Yet, records will show how rampant an epidemic, the use of performance enhancing drugs had become, along with the names associated with the scandal .
Robinson Cano remains a fan favorite amongst the New York Yankees` fans , and with very good reason . The player embodies what the franchise is said to be about, in terms of the players steeped in tradition long associated with the history of ball-club. However, with Cano set to become a free agent at the end of this season , there now seems to doubts setting in, as to whether or not he will remain with the only organization he has ever played for in the Big Leagues. The six-year , $57 million deal, signed by Robinson Cano in 2008, comes to an end this season. There now seems to be a growing reluctance by Brian Cashman to sign the player to a multi-year deal that would most certainly make him amongst a the highest paid players on the New York Yankees` roster. Now represented by RocNation Sports , a company founded by rapper and entrepreneur Jay-z in conjunction with CAA Sports . Cano is the highest profiled athlete signed to the artist`s fledgling sports management company, and now looking g to make inroads in all four of the major professional team sports, as well pursuing acquiring fighters within the UFC as well as boxing. The rapper also known as Sean Carter , would like nothing better than to have his client sign a deal that would not leave an imprint of his success in this new endeavor , but also garner further attention for RocNation Sports, with the hope of luring other dissatisfied athletes to his company .
The New York Yankees certainly do need Robinson Cano , with an injury riddled and an aging roster, no longer what it once was. Losing Cano to free agency would be a devastating blow for the organization. A career . 308 hitter , Robinson Cano and his representatives know that there would be a willing number of suitors looking to pay for his unique services. It would not be out of the realm of possibility that the player could sign with another team willing to acquire him at the right price . With the vast resources available to the New York Yankees , a decision will have to be made quickly, during the off-season . Because there is no doubt in mind, that Jay-Z will have begun to shop around his client`s services the moment he becomes an unrestricted free agent. A seven or ten-year contract, for no less an asking price of between $220 million to $245 million, does not seem out of the question or truly exorbitant, given the payrolls of the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees, respectively. Yet, it has been baseball`s unwillingness to deal with its financial imbalances , that now seems to be leading it even closer to a precipice , where in due course, it will undoubtedly take that foreseen plunge over the edge .
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In light of what you have read in this article, do you believe that any decision rendered by the arbitrator presiding over Alex Rodriguez`s appeal will be the right verdict ? Or are you of the opinion that baseball`s continued failure to be proactive and have more even more oversight in the monitoring and testing of the players for performance has been a monumental and miserable failure , even with the advent of this latest scandal ? Should the New York Yankees miss the postseason , who should bear the brunt of the responsibility for the team`s failure this season , Alex Rodriguez , Joe Girardi or Brian Cashman ? Finally, were Robinson Cano to leave the Yankees` organization as an unrestricted free agent, would it matter at all to you where he ultimately landed ?
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Picture and slideshow gallery details below .
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(1) New York Yankees’ Alex Rodriguez reacts after striking out in the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels, Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2013, in New York.. In another turn of events , it is being claimed that the player or a member from his inner circle leaked information that implicated both Ryan Braun and his Yankees` teammate Francisco Cervelli in the Biogenesis scandal . The claims are made in a soon to be seen episode of the CBS news magazine program ` 60 Minutes ` but was first revealed in print by Yahoo Sports . AP Photo/Kathy Willens …
(2) Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig speaks during a news conference following baseball meetings at the Otesaga Hotel on Thursday, Aug. 15, 2013, in Cooperstown, N.Y. AP Photo/Mike Groll …
(3) New York Yankees catcher Chris Stewart (19) congratulates left fielder Alfonso Soriano after the Yankees’ 11-3 victory over the Los Angeles Angels in a baseball game , Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2013, in New York. Soriano had seven RBIs in the game. AP Photo/Kathy Willens …
(4) Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig checks his watch before a news conference following baseball meetings at the Otesaga Hotel on Thursday, Aug. 15, 2013, in Cooperstown, N.Y. Atlanta Braves President John Schuerholz stands at right. With the league hierarchy and owners coming to an agreement that instant replay will now become more widely used within the game in 2014 , it now remains to be seen how and when the hierarchy, will also reach a compromise, as to a more stringent form of testing, for performance enhancing drugs with even more oversight. The commissioner at present, seems noncommittal on that lone issue , still insisting that baseball does have the most stringent testing protocols of the four major professional team sports . AP Photo/Mike Groll ….
(5) Defense attorney Joseph Tacopina shows a video as address the jurors during closing arguments in the fatal boat crash trial. Anthony DiGilio the boater accused of killing another boater and injuring two others in on trial in Toms River. DiGilio, a 33-year-old construction worker and electrician, is accused of speeding and then fleeing the scene of the accident. Charged with one count of vehicular homicide and two counts of death by vessel, DiGilio faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted. Friday April 19, 2013 . Patti Sapone/The Star-Ledger ….
(6) Robinson Cano , left, of the New York Yankees is seen here signing an agreement with rapper and entrepreneur Jay-Z , founder of RocNation Sports , The full consultancy and sports` management company now represents the player after he fired his former agent Scott Boras . In recent months the entrepreneur and businessman has been busy in building his stable of sports` clients, having added the WNBA`s Skylar Diggins , Geno Smith , quarterback for the New York Jets and Seth Jones of the NHL`s Nashville Predators . Getty Images / Aaron Curry ….
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tophatal ……..
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MLB probable starting pitchers
MLB standings and wildcard standings
This week in MLB history
This day in MLB history
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Wendy Fiore . Always seeking to make your day feel a great deal better ..
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Tophatal's Blog 
Far be it for me to suggest, but if this latest accusation is accurate and someone within Alex Rodriguez`s inner circle did leak the information that led and assisted in baseball`s hierarchy in their case against both Ryan Braun and Francisco Cervelli . Then , should not that now be an indicator as to how desperate and disingenuous the Yankees` third baseman is now said be ? Now one could question the veracity of the claims being made by the investigators of the CBS news` program 60 Minutes . Yet consider their track record , and the very fact that the player himself had repeatedly denied h is use of PED`s.
Having also granted an interview to journalist Katie Couric in late 2009 , and then stating that at no time in his career had he ever used anabolic steroids or a performance enhancing drug . Fast forward to March of 2010 and there was the player in the accompaniment of general manager Brian Cashman , finally admitting to his use of what he describes as `boli` (anabolic steroids) as well Clenbuterol and several banned PED`s. Is there now any length the player will not go to , in order to save face ? Yet it would appear one or two apathetic fans are calling for him to be given due process .
A-Rod can continue to blow smoke up the ass of the idiots willing to buy into is bull#hit ! As to he and his cousin (Yuri Sucart) not knowing how to use `boli ` . Rodriguez can go ##ck himself and the horse he rode in on . LOL ,LOL,LOL !!! For tree years this @sshole used the drug repeatedly and has continued to use it , on and off . Since that admission of guilt , the player`s name has been twice been associated with steroid use and with two separate defendants (Dr Anthony Galea , now incarcerated and Anthony Bosch now awaiting trial )
Once a frigging douche , always a douche !
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Rodriguez gives his scripted and prepared response after his admission of guilt in the use of a banned substance in March of 2010 . Seated next to the player is GM Brian Cashman .
As this will a tribunal type hearing and not a criminal case , with an impartial adjudicator from the National Mediation Board hearing this case . Alex Rodriguez is unlikely to take the stand in his defense , with his attorneys presenting and representing their client`s case while seeking to impugn the reputation of baseball`s chief witness , Anthony Bosch founder of Biogenesis . Bosch , having been indicted by the US Justice Department now awaits trial in the US District Federal Court in Miami , Florida .
tophatal …………………
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The integrity of the game my ass! The game lost it when Bonds etal blew the game on its ass with riods. The game is a joke. Hank Aaron did it the right way. So did Ruth-hot dogs and beer. Baseball has a huge drug problem since the 1950’s call amps- speed balls, bennies most of the stars used em. One of rumors why the Bums Phillies blew the ten game lead in 1964 with a week to go-Gene Mauch took off their amphetamines. I asked By Saam about it he almost blew a big one- he made a joke but I knew it was the truth. the only difference now is that we have media crawling up the players asses each day. Rodriguez did it. The tests prove it. He is another in a long line jokes who will lie or blame it on the media, The Yankees. Jeaze why not play the race card while your are it. That’s the last piece of the puzzle.
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bobby gee
The game of baseball never had any integrity to begin with . Baseball in its purest form is now played at the Little League Level , because there the kids enjoy the game , have and actually show respect for it . At the Minor League and Major League Level that is most definitely not the case .
Concerning Alex Rodriguez , if this latest story is proven to be true, it proves this player is simply a lying sack of fecal matter, who cannot be trusted to tell the truth or even remain a loyal friend . Due process my @ss !
tophatal ……………..
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Little League has had its share of cheaters and bullshit. he purest form was when played the game in the sandlots and that’s how we learned how to play the game. My father and uncles taught me.
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bobby
After the Danny Aalmonte fiasco of a few years ago . The Little League Organization now makes sure that these boys are not shaving , doing steroids or having sex with their female teachers . LOL,LOL ,LOL !!!
Danny your are an outstanding citizen and have made your country proud . , Rudy Guiliani and a clean shaven Danny Almonte
Almonte apparently is now an aspiring rapper and some kind of artist . Pi#s artist no doubt . @4 asrklr
tophatal ……
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bobby
There is no denying that the landscape of baseball has changed for the worst over the past two decades and much of that has come from the money now plowed into the teams and the exorbitant salaries now being paid and the contracts therein . Simply look at the payrolls of the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees and the number of players on each roster now earning in excess of $15 million a year , never-mind those now earning in excess of $20 million . Less we forget also the era of the long ball and steroids ? .
I see that the Philadelphia Phillies have decided to fire manager Charlie Manuel and replace him with Ryne Sandberg as the team`s interim manager until the end of the season . Why did the front office not do this at least a month ago ? It was : clear then , as it is now , that Manuel and his staff were leading the team absolutely nowhere .
I woke up this morning and having looked in the mirror . I asked myself what kind of a day am I likely to have ? Now I guess, I know ,as I`ve just been fired . Charlie Manuel
Too many players on the roster have exorbitant contracts that no one will want to undertake , never mind the prospective free agents and trade bait players who might pique the interest of some teams .
Philadelphia Phillies news
tophatal …………..
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Yes, you are right about the bums. It isn’t the money. It is all tied to the morals and values that are lacking in our society. This is why we are in the shits.
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this very idea will blow your mind- both Reid, Boehner, Pelosi and the rest are all statists. All of them want o control us all. They view us as the servants. Obama, all the Bush’s This why I call it the Demo-Republican Party.
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The only difference between both parties , are the depths of the greed , with which both stand for and how far each will simply seek to take a step to garner what they desire .
Ideology be damned and be left to idiots like Limbaugh , Hannity , Olbermann , Beck and others of that ilk , who are simply out to make money for themselves .
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bobby
You simply have to look at the behavior of the elected officials in both legislative chambers the US Congress to realize that there is no longer any real civility there at at all . Instead, it now all comes down to partisanship and a great deal of name calling without anything actually being achieved in either the House or Senate during the the legislative sessions .
Reid at his very worst which is in fact his very best .
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Boehner ____ we`ve already passed two bills . That`s actually a day`s work for a s#it=ead like John Boehner . Lazy son of a bi#ch . Boehner taking a s#it and that too is classed as being hard work for the guy .
Idiots like Harry Reid and John Boehner have become monotonous bores and a damn waste, in terms of their respective positions .
tophatal …….
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The Phillies were a better team in 2008 when they won the world series with less much talent, than they are now with all of those high-priced contracts. They sold their souls.
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Maurice
In a three to four-year span during which the Phillies …. won . the 2008 World Series . The team was able to achieve a great deal. Then complacency set in and they started to overpay for players merely because of that lone season triumph .
Now look that this current team and it is in complete disarray , totally lacking in leadership , both on and off the field . At the end of the season this roster will have to be imploded , with the front office simply getting rid of the dead weight and driftwood .
Apart from Charlie Manuel being fired , general manager Reuben Amaro Jr should also have been relieved of his duties. The front office executive is equally to blame for this catastrophe .
Phillies` contracts , yearly salaries , team payroll and impending free agents .
tophatal …………
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Bobby Gee, you bring up the Philly announcer By Saam. Thanks, they don’t get any better than him along with the late Richie Ashburn and throw in a young Andy Muser. Also Andy and Sonny Hill on 6’er hoop WCAU. Listened from NY.
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Ronbets
The broadcasters do make the games more exciting when they are on top of their game , and insightful with their analysis .
As Braves` fan , I love streaming their games (radio broadcast) via my phone or Kindle and simply listen , rather than listening to the diatribe I so often hear on television .
Yet my greatest pleasure as kid and then as a teenager was either watching or listening to the big boxing matches . My late father got me into the sport and I boxed as a kid , before leaving it to take up the martial arts (karate and tae-kwondo) . Favorites boxers to this day are of course Muhammad Ail , Marvin Hagler and Bernard Hopkins .
If Floyd Mayweater would simply stop fighting tomato cans , I might just gravitate back towards the sport . As of now , however , the talent on display is simply mediocre ! And that is especially true of the heavyweight division .
I`ll take the MMA/UFC over boxing , any day of the week !
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Hagler
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Ali & Smokin` Joe Frazier
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Hopkins
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tophatal ………
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By’s brother Bob Saam lived in Santa Fe New Mexico He is a graduate of the Yale school of Drama. I got know Bob there.
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Bud Selig can wipe the smirk off his face because initiating the use of instant replay means absolutely noting when a dumb b#@stard such as himself , still has no clue and continues with his idiocy that baseball has the strictest testing protocols in all of professional team sports .
Could not have said it better , myself !
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All in a day`s work .
Who said anything about Bud suffering from hemorrhoids . It` is A-Rod, that has been a constant pain in his ass . Don`t forget that fact .
Any @ss with an ounce of common sense can pi#s in a bottle and still pass their test as well as bypass the blood sample test if they know what the hell they are doing , without the dumb @##oles of MLB lab testing facility also f##king things up .
How else could Ryan Braun have gotten off in the first place ? Yet, there was Selig decrying the fact that the arbitrator Shyam Das did not follow the rule of law .
Bud Selig remains dumb @ss and anyone trying to suggest tat e as been good for the game of baseball , must actually be delusional and without any intelligence at all . Improper handling of the player`s (Braun`s) test samples and then actually storing them at their home place of residence , rather than at the lab`s facilities, and and the commissioner saw nothing wrong in that at all ? WTF !
It`s a hard knock life .
Robinson Cano becomes a free agent at the end of this year and in no uncertain terms his agent , rapper , Jay-z will undoubtedly seek to make the player one of the highest paid players in baseball . Whether or not it is with the New York Yankees or some other team , now remains to be seen . A seven or ten-year contract for the player , averaging between $25 million to $30 million might not now seem all that remote . One way or another, Robinson Cano is now about get paid big time .
tophatal ……………
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Cano and Jay-z are lucky I’m not a GM in any major market bidding for his services. I don’t want the slacker. I’ve seen him TOO MANY TIMES dogging it to 1st base on grounders. Does anyone here remember Alex Johnson of the Angels? He has the potential. PASS
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Ronbets
If Robinson Cano continues to put up the numbers that he as been able to on an annual basis . I believe a general manager out there , will open up their pocket and sign off on a big check paying the first baseman anywhere between $22 million to quite possibly $30 million-a-year for either a seven or ten-year contract .
To my mind, in this day and age, in baseball , no player is worth in excess of $20 million a year !
Jay-z is now about to make the antics of agent Scott Boras seem like child`s play, when it comes to contract negotiations for his clients . `
What sort of contract would you negotiate for the WNBA`s Skylar Diggins ? And leave nothing to the imagination at all .
Skylar Diggins
Just for signing with the rapper`s RocNation agency , he bought her $200,000 Mercedes-Benz sports` coupe` .
Too little , too late , in terms of the Phillies` firing of Charlie Manuel . GM Reuben Amaro should also have been relieved of his duties by the team`s owners .
I am not saying the Phillies have been really bad this season, but the pungent odor coming from their ballpark is enough to make me look at a skunk in a new light .
tophatal ………..
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Before $$ is even mentioned, a clause in her contract would require her to use a solo shower. Just to keep her away from many of her teammates. TOO NICE!!
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Ronbets
Are you now insinuating that the WNBA is now predominantly made up of lesbian players ? If so , does that mean by law they are now getting as part of their collective bargaining agreement , a year`s supply of DD batteries and a sexual aid of their choice ? I guess that was negotiated by the WNBPA ( Women`s Players Union) ? Did you know their union has a mission statement ? LOL,LOL ,LOL !!
In my contract as Diggins` agent , clauses one through three would request of her , that beyond my 3% commission on all endorsement deals , she would be willing to comply with all of my sexual needs on a frequent basis .
tophatal …………
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A-Rod spilled the beans on Ryan Braun to the media…just more evidence that he is a swell guy. Yeesh
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Drew
Were you the parent of a young girl , would you have A-Rod date your daughter ? This guy does not possess one endearing feature about him. As to this talk, that he is well-liked by his teammates , I have yet to hear one current or former teammate actually speak highly of Alex Rodriguez . Well definitely , not on camera or print that is for sure .
If baseball`s hierarchy would simply pull their head out of the sand simply do something for the benefit of the game and its image , rather than these asinine aesthetic makeovers , fans would actually delight in watching or attending a game . Instead this idiocy of instant replay for almost every facet of the game is simply putting a Band Aid on another wound that still bleeds profusely .
The Phillies have fired Charlie Manuel and replaced him with Ryne Sandberg as the team`s interim manager until the end of the season .
tophatal ……….
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A-Rod is making a mockery of this whole process. He’s basing his appeal on semantics. He should be banned for life, and yet he’s insinuating the ban MLB gave him is too long? And if he wins this appeal it will be a huge blow to already questionable credibility of MLB. A blatant cheater prospering… Ridiculous.
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Maurice
The original mockery was made by Bud Selig and the league hierarchy were first made aware of the Miami Times` story . Instead, they chose to ignore it all, as has been their usual custom . Now you have these idiots decrying the fact that they want to see changes. How can you implement any real change of substance , when the leadership is actually devoid of any frigging intelligence ? Everyone is said so happy because of the implementation of instant replay ? Bunch of god-damn @sssoles ! There are far more acute issues within the game to be dealt with , but the best thing that Bud Selig can come up with is the implementation of instant replay for the 2014 MLB season ?
The game and the sport in general remains a ##cking joke !
Alex Rodriguez in all likelihood is likely to come out ahead, as I believe that the length of his suspension is likely to be reduced ! So much of how the league(MLB) went about obtaining much of the information in its possession was done in such an asinine way, that it simply defies all logic . If is suspension is reduced , it further weakens the position of the baseball hierarchy and adds to the power of the players and the union in particular .
tophatal …..
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Now for all of these individuals who are of the belief that A Rod should have the right of due process ? Can you now explain to me succinctly, why that should be, when the player has been less than truthful on several occasions concerning his conduct with regard to the use of a banned substance ? Furthermore , if his appeal is not upheld , should he simply be banished from the game permanently ?
These latest allegations do bear a ring of truth to them , but as was the case with Alex Rodriguez , he will find a misguided relative or friend willing to take the fall for his latest mea-culpa . Does anyone know what his cousin Yuri Sucart actually looks like and how it was that Yuri allegedly obtained the `boli` in the first place, as he claims in his apology ?
No one as ever publicly seen Yuri , just like no one ever witnessed seeing Manti Teo`s imaginary girlfriend . Blow it out your @ss Alex
.
tophatal ………
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Then hang out the bastrds that are making the shit and providing it.
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al clements .
I am not so sure that the solution you suggest is allowed by law , but in many respects I do like it ! LOL,LOL ! Personally , I believe that castration would be a far better deterrent than a fifty or one-hundred game suspension ! Imagine the choice a player would now have to make ? LOL !
tophatal ……….
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There was more to this comment but it got lost
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al clements
See my above comments to your first response, as that is the avenue I believe you were going to head down . Am I right ?
Your thoughts on Ryne Sandberg succeeding Charlie Manuel as the Phillies` new manager ?
tophatal ……….
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The season series between the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees of which today marks the beginning of a three-game series at Fenway Park will go a long way in determining the skillset of the Yankees in particular .
Though Alex Rodriguez has merely played in a handful of games for the New York Yankees , this season . I do not believe that the player will be a major contributor for the team from now until the end of the Yankees` regular season schedule .
Brian Cashman and the Steinbrenner family will rue the day when they made the decision not to simply buyout the remainder of Rodriguez`s contract and simply cut their losses altogether . The longer he remains with the organization , the more embarrassing his presence becomes as a player, a distraction and major spectacle . If George Steinbrenner III were still alive today , there is no way in hell that Rodriguez would still be on this roster . Steinbrenner was known to put up with a lot of things over the years , as the team`s owner , but not this sort of spectacle and were the player has continually lied about his use of steroids .
Yankees vs Red Sox boxscore , play by play and recap .
🙂
Name five good reasons you`d `nail Megan Fox ?
tophatal ……………
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The Brewers` … Ryan Braun is now ready to finally admit his use of steroids and will be make a public statement detailing the reasons why he succumbed to cheating . One more reason why Bud Selig is such an ass to begin with , having met with Braun`s lawyer and agent Nev Balelo in agreeing to sixty-five game suspension, that in essence was nothing more than a slap on the wrist for the player .
A lying sack of excrement named Ryan Braun
Now you have these as#hole journalists salivating like a dog who has discovered a new hydrant to piss on , writing an absurd story of how baseball is now finally willing to use instant replay and calling it the biggest progress that the game has made in its history . These being the same dumb journalists who turned a blind eye to the first few stories tat came out at the nascent of the steroid era . Sports` journalists like pedophile priests have now become the scourge of the earth and very much like a fly sniffing around the ass of an elephant looking to defecate .
tophatal ……………
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Tophat, You gotta admit…………………..Ryan Braun is one helluva convincing LIAR. What chutzpah!!!
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Adding to Braun topic……………..how’bout that poor sob that was charged with being negligent with Braun’s urine sample? He was getting death threats. No apologies….no nuthin.
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Ronbets
Death threats probably came from A Rod`s cousin , Yuri Sucart . Someone that no one has ever really seen or heard from on tape or camera . I wonder why that is ? . And the Yankees` player always attested to the fact that it was his cousin that introduced him to boli` , as he calls it
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Ronbets
Do you believe that Miguel Tejada will offer an apology now , having been busted for his third offense overall ([use of meth-amphetamines] and second inside of a year ? To my mind , a 105 game suspension is not really enough , as the player should simply have been given a lifetime ban !
USA Today
`Miguel this suspension, will it affect your future and chances of being enshrined in the Hall of Fame` ? `No habla Ingles `
tophatal …………
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Ronbets
If Ryan Braun were made of wood he would be up for the remake of the Disney classic Pinocchio .
And Braun doesn`t have any strings holding him up either .
tophatal …………..
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Ronbets
Ryan Braun and Miguel Tejada are simply beyond belief in terms of their combined stupidity !
tophatal …….
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There is now absolutely noting that Alex Rodriguez can say to convince anyone that this latest controversy and the alleged leaked information did not come from within his inner circle . And once again last night after the team`s victory over the Red Sox . The player was quick to deflect questions posed about the claims , by stating how good it was to be playing alongside his teammates and that these allegations were made by others simply looking to add to the whole spectacle .
Rodriguez`s own legal representation went so far as to suggest that these claims were being made to drag their client`s name further into the mud. Are they frigging serious ? Te only people lower than the Yankees` third baseman at present , are pedophile priests , child rapists and members of the US Congress .
Courtesy of the New York Daily News
The fact that Rodriguez is now being allowed to play is not seen as a privilege , as far as the player is concerned . He has now become so conceited and self-absorbed, that e simply does not care about anyone but himself and the money he makes . I certainly believe that after this latest allegation , many of Alex Rodriguez`s teammates and players within the game may well begin to look at him even more suspiciously . Certainly teammate , Francisco Cervelli , must now do so .
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A-Rod’s not going down without a fight, Al. At this point, why would be expect anything less out of the guy.
Personally, I’ve grown quite tired of the story. It’s as irrelevant as the fourth place Yankees.
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Chris
It is what I have maintained and said all along ! The fact that the players` union were eager to even back Alex Rodriguez`s appeal should tell you , all you need to know . Weakening the league`s power , which is almost likely to happen , should the player win is case in any form . either through the suspension being completely overturned or their being a reduction in the number of games he would be asked to sit out in 2014 .
If the Yankees were to make the postseason , with Rodriguez having been found guilty . Do you believe that the teams that missed out on a playoff berth would have a valid grievance against the MLB hierarchy and the fact that this travesty was allowed to happen ? Bear in mind Bud Selig did not seek to expedite a speedy hearing with the National Mediation Board , which in reality , he should have done to begin with . Selig`s dumb ass expected the player to simply accept the proposed suspension . All along the way , at every turn , Bud Selig`s imprint has been all over this frigging mess , in more ways than one .
If New York wins the next two games in this series against the Red Sox . The picture in the AL East will take on a whole new meaning , as well with regard to the wildcard race , itself .
tophatal ……………
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If the Yankees make the post-season, Al?
Come on, that’s not going to happen. This team is as unhealthy and as dysfunctional as it’s ever been and that’s saying something because we’re talking about the Yankees here.
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Chris
The New York Yankees still remain in fourth place in the AL East , but the margin between themselves and AL wildcard aspirants is not that great . Also take a look at the remainder of their schedule and it is not as if they can`t put together a string of victories .
Look at the Rays and how inconsistent they have been as of late .
With Alfonso Soriano now playing some ; inspired baseball for the Yankees as of late , just about anything could happen .
From my own perspective there is nothing better that I would like, than to see the New York Yankees fail miserably and with the organization just going away , along with their self-absorbed and conceited group of fans !
In the midst of this all , the one constant as been that self-centered bastard , Alex Rodriguez , who continues to maintain is innocence , knowing at some point in the future , he will once again grab our attention by again offering another less than contrite apology .
MLB schedule 18th August 2013
New York Yankees vs Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park in Boston , Massachusetts,.
Toronto Blue Jays vs Tampa Bays Rays at Tropicana Field , St Petersburg , Florida , On the mound , opposing pitchers, Chris Archer of the Rays against the Blue Jays` Todd Redmond .
I see that the Royals` short-stop Miguel Tejada will be facing a one-hundred and five game suspension for the use of amphetamines as well as several other illicit substances ? Bud Selig simply has not got the balls to do what is right . This is now the second time for Tejada , that he has deliberately contravened the league`s rules . Yet all he gets, is another suspension ? Hypocrisy is alive and well in the game of baseball and only an as#hole would continue to suggest that this game as any endearing qualities .
tophatal …………….
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Chris
If the New York Yankees are now said to be dysfunctional and unhealthy . Then what does that say about the Tampa Bay Rays` present predicament ? They are barely ahead of the New York franchise in the AL East standings . By comparison the Rays have been literally literally for the majority of their season . So explain to me in some other way , why you cannot see New York perhaps passing the Tampa Bay Rays in the AL East standings ?
Both the Yankees and Rays have their apparent weaknesses , and there is not a great deal to choose between the two . Look at their head to head record as signs of that and then at their respective schedules . It should explain a lot as it relates to the Rays and Yankees .
I don`t know what you`ve been watching concerning Joe Maddon`s players , but this team as of late , has been far from inspiring . I mean who is said to be the leader , and can be relied upon in a clutch situation ? At least come up something pertinent , rater than the somewhat feeble offering .
If New York takes two of three or wins all three in Tampa in the upcoming series . I can guarantee that you will be amongst the first to be looking at the Rays in a completely different light . This series starting on Friday , with the second game on Saturday and the finale on Sunday , will tell us a great deal about the direction of both of these teams .
tophatal …….
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There was more to my comment as I said. Think I said that all the teams should provide PED’s to
ALL the players……what the hell…..idiots forget what occurred to Lyle Alzado and others. We had
a few ex Steelers die early, one from suicide in an auto, others from various reasons linked to roids.
Course Webster died from too many head hits…but he bulked up too…Jon Kolb comes to mind also.
What gets me is the disparity in the suspensions…why A Rod is gt what, 211 games, most of anyone. And the one jst mentioned 105 games??.
Again, I stand by getting to the manufacturers……Hell they charged Michael Jackson’s Doctor, didn’t they???
BOTTOM LINE, LET THE BASTRDS KILL THEMSELVES USING PEDS……THEIR CHOIC
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al clements
My problem is that guys like Alex Rodriguez , Ryan Braun and others embroiled in this scandal have gone out amongst the community and paraded themselves virtuous individuals and supposedly doing charitable work amongst young kids . And knowing how impressionable kids are today . In all likelihood they are likely to follow in the footsteps of their alleged heroes . Furthermore, at the high-school and collegiate level , we are already seeing coaches , trainers obtaining and actually assisting athletes in taking dangerous substances to aid them in their athletic endeavors .
Meanwhile, we also ave moronic fans , who are actually proponents of athletes taking steroids . Do we really need that sort apathy and sheer stupidity amongst the sports ` fans .
Rodriguez on his recent rehab assignment was ere in Tampa at the team`s Spring Training facility (Steinbrenner Field) . Over 5,000 kids and their parents turned up to see him play in a Minor League game for the Tampa Yankees , and sought his autograph. Pardon me for saying this , but in light of the evidence and allegations . What the hell were those parents thinking to begin with ? Is that the type of message they want to be sending to their kids as a life lesson ?
tophatal ……..
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al clements
I am making the assumption that you can remember the name of the current commissioner of baseball ? LOL,LOL ,LOL !!!! Upon his death it is being rumored that Bud Selig`s brain will be donated either to NIMH (National Institute of Mental Health) or Yale School of Neurosciences for an in depth neurological studies . Slicing and dicing his brain will take some undertaking and a great deal of time . And the study itself , might not amount to anything beneficial for mankind !
Ideas cartoons and proposals of Bud Selig are below .
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So Fidel before you die , what you`re saying is that I can`t interest you or your brother Raul in buying the New York Mets ? Look I`ll even throw in an extra $100 million if you even relocate them to Havana `! Bud Selig , Raul Castro and Orioles` owner Peter Angelos
List of baseball`s commissioners
tophatal ………………….
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Guys, get a copy of the new Playboy, not only does it have a GORGEOUS Playmate, there is
a report of what the GOP controlled states are trying to do ref to medical insurance, abortions, etal.
Seems they are bowing to pressure from the religious righ….they even want to legislate rules governing sex…..take away gay rights, etc. Big Brother is running amok!
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al clements
You automatically know there has to be something wrong when Playboy is devoting great deal of time to or on a column or op-ed piece to a politically sensitive issue . Whatever happened to the good old days of showing us some breasts and ass , and then asking the questions such as , how many times a week does a man need to be satisfied by his female partner ?
Ashley from Texas
🙂
🙂
Kayden Kross
Katee Owen
🙂
There are proponents of small government , and less taxes. We also have proponents for more government intervention in stimulating the economy and to enrich our lives were they believe it necessary . What I have never heard anyone actually say or have read in print _______ is the actual need for a competent government and one that is actually competent in its structure and leadership ! Is that really too much to ask for , in this day and age ?
tophatal ……………..
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You’re on a roll Tophat. Let me leave you with a ? and a comment.
My illustrious Senator is from a small town near me called Searchlight NV. Harry’s nickname growing up in this hick town was “Pinky”. Draw you own conclusions.
Do you think the real reason for A-Rod not charging the mound Sun nite against Dempster was the thought that maybe his teammates mighta not joined in the fracas? LOL
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Ronbets
If I were Ryan Dempster on the mound , not only would I have aimed at Alex Rodriguez`s torso , but I would have willingly `beamed` is head and accepted the ejection from the game . As to Joe Girardi and his antics, and wanting to support A Rod. The hypocrisy of the Yankees` manager is now limitless .
In terms of a fracas , Yankees` catcher Francisco Cervelli would kicked A Rod`s @ss all over Fenway and up into the `Green Monster` , just as payback , if the alleged rumors are said to be true .
Thankfully, there is some common sense being shown by someone within the Yankees` organization , with Brian Cashman now coming out and being openly critical of Rodriguez and calling him out , as disingenuous and dishonest .
` What would dad do about A-Rod ? I hope he`s not looking down on us from heaven, and saying what the fu#k are those two @ssholes doing `? Hank and Hal Steinbrenner
If George Steinbrenner were alive today , there is no way in hell that Alex Rodriguez would still be on the roster as a player ! Unfortunately , his sons Hank and Hal Steinbrenner do not seem to possess the cojones of their late father !
tophatal …………….
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Ronbets
Katee Owens , makes me feel all giddy at present ! So giddy I feel like a plumber who needs to lay some pipe .
Katee`s got more and is giving more jiggle and wiggle for the money . I love it !
tophatal ……….
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A-Rod’s comments to the media after his Bronx debut: “The energy was great…it was an amazing experience.” Clearly, he wasn’t watching the same game as us. He is simply a selfish man lost in himself!
New post on Ryan Braun: http://thesportsbrief.net/2013/08/19/ryan-braun/
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Sam Brief
This is all you need to concerning Alex Rodriguez at present , and it his intent if anything , to get a suspension in line with the length given to Ryan Braun . Both Rodriguez and his legal team believe that a lengthy suspension in excess of one hundred games is deemed excessive , if not draconian on the part of the MLB hierarchy .
It is clear that the player felt although he is guilty of once again violating the league`s policy , he does not feel that he should not be made a poster child for a fraud that as been continually perpetrated by a multitude of players over the past decade and a half. Maintaining his (Rodriguez) innocence at this juncture is merely a ploy and nothing else . At the end of the day , we will see a repeat of March , 2010 , with a completely orchestrated act of contrition that will not mean a damn thing !
From my own standpoint the burden of the blame, lies squarely upon the shoulders of Bud Selig and his failure to be proactive in dealing with this matter , along with the players who have remained all too silent, at the encouragement of their union led by Executive Director Michael Weiner .
Baseball at present , as become one big joke and the only individuals said to be taking it seriously , are these simpleton who are out there living their lives through and with the utter idiocy of fantasy league baseball .
This entire baseball season as been completely devalued in every single way possible !
tophatal ……….
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What you said last is absolutely correct. When the main focus of the baseball season is the Biogenesis scandal and not the play on the diamond, it’s a rough year.
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Sam Brief
Here is something that everyone seems to be overlooking . Of the thirteen players who were named in the scandal , twelve have chosen to accept the suspensions meted out by baseball`s hierarchy . Alex Rodriguez continues to play and somehow should the Yankees make the postseason , actually gaining one of the two AL wildcard berths .
Do you not believe that many of the team`s opponents who were were in that playoff hunt would have a grievance with MLB to have the Yankees` results in those games should be completely voided , because the team had an ineligible player on their roster ? That would however , have to be predicated upon Alex Rodriguez`s appeal being unsuccessful ? I know it is now too little , too late . Yet baseball placed itself in the midst of this stupidity , and has continued to show that there is no common sense within its hierarchy .
Bud Selig chose not to expedite an a speedy hearing with the National Mediation Board . And now the commissioner , idiots around the game and the fans themselves draw their ire at the game ? What about the absolute stupidity sown by Bud Selig ? How can anyone take this individual seriously , much less anyone seated within the hierarchy ? I mean even MLB VP Joe Torre now comes across looking like an @ss with some of his most recent statements on the issue of steroid abuse witin te game of baseball ! Baseball is now being predominantly ran by a bunch of predominantly old Caucasians guys , who are closer to their graves than they are with reality !
tophatal …….
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The Yankees making the postseason would certainly add a boatload of controversy. MLB now faces pressure to rule on A-Rod’s appeal through arbitration before the playoffs.
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Sam
The appeal`s process is not going to take place until after the postseason has ended . At the earliest it has been revealed that the arbitrator Frederic Horowitz will not be hearing the case until mid to late October or early November . So make of it , what you will .
tophatal ……..
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Argh!!
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Sam
The only moving slower than baseball, are a snail , a tortoise and the US Congress . So many fans still believe that the game of baseball has some sort of endearing quality to it . That wasn`t the case prior to the integration of the game or after it .
Let me know what you think of the following ? It`s an earlier piece . Click on link to read in full .
MLB piece .
https://tophatal.wordpress.com/2013/08/09/when-good-men-fail-to-act-or-take-action-then-evil-will-always-prevail/
tophatal ……
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