Arena The Major League Baseball Thread

So when does the hammer come down on A-Rod?

 

Apparently it's coming and going to be substantially worse than Braun. They've been saying 150 games, so I'd expect him back after next year's All Star Game. It sounds like Braun's was heavily negotiated, based on the statements made both today and over the last few weeks. Since they're not following the JDA, I assume A-Rod, and the rest involved, are being afforded the same opportunity.

And then, when all is said and done, and baseball is clear of Biogenesis, another player will test positive and the hand-wringing will being anew.

Meanwhile, three people you've never heard of who died prior to 1940, only one of whom was a player (who last played in 1890), are being inducted into the Hall of Fame this weekend. Come to Cooperstown to see Deacon White's great grandson, Jacob Ruppert's great grandniece, and Hank O'Day's great grandnephew! Feel the excitement!

Amazing.

 

And MLB wonders why people consider the Baseball HOF a joke.

Thanks Steroid era!

 

I've no doubt that at least one player (and probably more than that) used steroids on the 2001 Diamondbacks. I also have no doubt that it wasn't Johnson, Schilling, or Gaonzalez, all of whom were essential to the team's success. The one player I believe used for sure is Matt Williams. To some extent, I think with steroid use being more rampant in those days, it was somewhat different using then than it was by 2011, when I think it's very possible that no one on the Diamondbacks was using.

 

I agree KW, I think Williams was a roid user but I wouldn't be shocked if someone like Schilling did too. He has turned into a fat slob since retiring.

 

I think taking the stance of "Player X would never..." or "We know Player Y is clean" is kind of foolish. No one knows who did or didn't do what. But my overall point is to try to assert that a player using performance enhancers affected a team in a very specific way (and I've also seen comments elsewhere about the D'Backs being impacted in multiple seasons, as if they are both unique and steroid-free) doesn't make sense and can be turned around on just about every single franchise.

A larger point is who gives a crap? Why are steroids and other performance enhancers such a big taboo? Pud Galvin, Hall of Famer, drank distilled monkey testosterone thinking it would enhance his strength. No cries to have him kicked out of the Hall of Fame. Amphetamines, used by countless Hall of Famers, are found in the JDA right alongside steroids, but no one says anything about Hank Aaron. Gaylord Perry made a Hall of Fame career (and a nice little post-career) out of throwing a illegal pitch. Today, players use lasers to enhance their eyesight while others harvest the remains of the dead to strengthen their throwing arms, giving them an advantage over their competition. The things that aren't okay compared to the things that are make no sense.

Amazing.

 

Not real happy on how the Pirate game ended. Jason Grilli left with two outs in the 9th with what looked like forearm tightness. He's had Tommy John surgery before.

 

Aside from Matt Kemp just having terrible luck (goes 3-4 on Sunday, rolls an ankle in the 9th, and his day-to-day (the x-rays came back negative), it's been a hell of a good start for the Bums since the end of the All Star break: a tidy sweep of Washington over the weekend, and a trouncing of the Blue Jays (14-5... a niiiiiiiiiiiiiice birthday gift for my father) tonight to begin that series up in Toronto. Also, with the D'Backs loss tonight, this has happened:


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From last to first! May it last until October.

 

The Dodgers are looking dangerous lately. Just imagine if Matt Kemp could actually stay healthy. Ellis is mashing.

 

I tell you what, Dan Bickley will be savage tomorrow in the Republic. As I've written before, he overheard Braun complain about being tested during that 2011 series and filed it away for future reference.

That future is now, and Bickley will be merciless.

 

From how you're building it up, the article better not disappoint.

His production certainly (obviously) would be a bonus, but it would be just that... this team has enough talent currently to make a serious run at the playoffs (preferably winning the division), so, as odd as it is for me to say this, they don't need Kemp. I just hope that his best days aren't already behind him. And Ellis? One of my favorite players on the team... his 4-6 with 5 RBI's last night was a rather delightful sight.

 

Why do you think it would have come out a long time ago? That insane one year spike in homer runs is certainly fertile ground for suspicion.

EDIT Great bit on Braun and ARoid by Michael Rosenberg at si.com:

 

It would have come out by now, I mean. Its been over a decade now since 2001.

It's not uncommon for a player to have a career year and then go back to something resembling a norm. Gonzalez had been building up to the season he had and he didn't suddenly vanish after 2001 either. He also had a good lineup around him, and it was a great year in general.

 

From a Cubs fan, you're welcome. We'll try to keep it up the rest of this series.

 

I'm very excited about this C.J. Edwards kid my Cubbies got. 122 K's to 34 BB's this year!

http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=edward000car

 

With the fact that A-Rod, and others have been outed as 'roid users in the decade since, if any other 'big' name stars were going to have been found as juicing, it likely would have come out by now. And I say this as somebody who in the best of times is a casual fan of the sport.

 

Except people have been looking to catch A-Rod, they were looking to catch Bonds, Sosa, McGwire. And look how long it took for any of them to ultimately admit to it. Bonds only admitted in 2011, McGwire in 2010, as far as I know Sammy Sosa still hasn't admitted to using steroids. No one is looking to catch Gonzalez because he was a nice guy who didn't break any records. For all I know he's clean, but if the only arguments in support of him are it hasn't come out yet and he just happened to have a career year in 2001, I'm sorry. Brady Anderson had a career year in 1996. Do you know who thinks Brady Anderson used steroids? Everyone! But it hasn't come out yet. Clearly he was clean.

Amazing.

 

1 and done is cool by me. I'm cool with Braun being kicked out for life.

 

Down 8-3 going into the 7th, the Bums scored twice in that inning, but made a bigger impression in the 8th: a 3-run home run hit by Adrian Gonzalez, and then a solo shot by Ethier.





Gonzo's face there doubles for Dodger fans everywhere.

 

He was always overshadowed by McGuire and Sosa, and has largely been forgotten since. And it's not that easy to really come up with proof. The Mitchell report got lucky because two suppliers spilled the beans. For all the investigation of Bonds, a smoking gun still hasn't been found. And Gonzalez was a pretty likable guy, so if you're a reporter, why are you going to try to dig up dirt on him?

Look, I have no idea if he doped or not. It certainly wouldn't surprise me. But no one would, not even among my absolute favorite Yankees, like say, Jeter.

As for the current scandal, there are now rumors of a lifetime ban for ARoid.

 

Not going to lie, I think if there was anything linking Jeter to doping, I honestly believe it would be a death knell for MLB

I've heard about those lifetime ban rumors. I'm not sure if MLB's seriously considering it or has let it leak so that A-Rod feels pressured to take a deal that avoids a lengthy arbitration like Braun did.

 

A-Rod digging his own grave. He's probably right, but lol.
http://m.espn.go.com/mlb/story?storyId=9505893

 

i hate to be that vindictive guy, but a-rod going out like this is pretty sweet for this mariners fan.