Monday, December 31, 2007

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year, folks.

Well, I put a self-imposed moratorium on heavy blogging as I need to spend time with family, get some other tasks done and also a bit of traveling. In addition, there was very little happening in the world of baseball, so I decided to cut back on things.

May 2008 be a wonderful year for everyone! We appreciate the support towards the Oriole Post and things onward will be bigger and better for everyone.

For regular readers, thanks for making the blog a part of your places to go on the information super-highway.

In the morning, I'll finish up the MLB Awards for 2007, and also other stuff that's on my mind that's Oriole-related, also the firing of Ravens' coach Brian Billick, and the 'Skins, and the NFL playoffs.

Jose Canseco Claims That He Will Blow Open The Drug Issue In Baseball, Will Come Out With The Book, "Vindicated"

He's back...

The man perhaps responsible for exposing the drug issue in baseball and changing the game forever is about to make another foray into the publishing world.

Jose Canseco is following up "Juiced", with a new book, "Vindicated", which will allegedly put more names out in the open of players that might have used PED's.

Oh joy.

However, he has been right so far in his crusade (self-serving or not), and no one has come up to the plate to take legal action against him.

From AOL: The new book, with the working title "Vindicated", will arrive in bookstores on Opening Day 2008, Canseco's lawyer Robert Saunooke told the New York Post and the Daily News.

Saunooke said the book would accuse ballplayers not named in former Sen. George Mitchell's report of using performance-enhancing drugs.

"We had hoped that the Mitchell Report would have been more revealing," Saunooke said. "It basically ended up being nothing more than (Mitchell saying), 'I talked to a lot of people, some wouldn't talk to me and it's up to the commissioner."'

Canseco tried to get into the Dec. 13 New York news conference where the Mitchell Report was released, but was barred by Major League Baseball officials who said it was a "media only" event.

He later told Fox Business Network, "I saw the list of players, and there are definitely a lot of players missing."

Saunooke would not say which current or former major leaguers would be identified as steroid users in the new book.

The book will be co-written by former Sports Illustrated reporter Don Yaeger; the Post said the publisher would be Penguin Books.

Canseco was one of the first ballplayers to admit using steroids in Juiced. There, he gave specific names of other players who allegedly used, including former Oakland A's teammate Mark McGwire. McGwire has denied using steroids.


***


Sorry for my absence, I went to see the Patriots-Giants game on Saturday night at the Meadowlands in New Jersey, and then I spent all Sunday driving down the New Jersey Turnpike, sleeping and trying to find a damned Nintendo Wii for a family member (which I could find none of). Oh well, I guess I am going to get ripped off on Ebay or wait until mid-winter for one.

Friday, December 28, 2007

Patriots Fans, Forgive Me; Sen. Kerry is Good...

Patriots fans, I have seen the light and know now never to dispute the great John Kerry. You can stop with the emails, and all. I am sorry, truly am.

The consumers are right - I guess fans should have to right to see historic events; moreover, it looked the liked the NFL overvalued the price of it's product and gave into the will of the fan (which it should have, in retrospect). The move was a good thing, as fans all over can see the game, and the NFL saves face.

As we know, the NFL Network, only after Kerry's intervention, in conjunction with CBS and NBC will be broadcasting the Patriots’ pursuit of regular-season perfection to television on Saturday night against the New York Giants.

I still think John Kerry was indeed grandstanding.

Yes, New England will walk over the Giants and finish the season 16-0.

Quick Hits: MLB Style, Jim Leyritz in Trouble, Prior, More Hot Stove Wheeling & Dealing...


Yikes. Things do not seem to be all good PR Wise for the Yankees, and there's another incident, this time with an ex-player that may have him in hot water.

According to MSNBC, Jim Leyritz was arrested Friday morning on suspicion of DUI and vehicular homicide.

***


Mark Prior will be pitching closer to home, and that may be a good thing. The oft-injured former phenom will be pitching in confines of spacious Petco Field in San Diego next season. He agreed to a one year , $1 million, deal with the Friars.

From Yahoo Sports: Mark Prior and his hometown San Diego Padres agreed to a $1 million, one-year contract on Wednesday, making him the second postoperative pitcher to join the team in less than a month.

Prior, whose once-promising career has been sidetracked by various injuries, missed the 2007 season after undergoing right shoulder surgery on April 24. He last pitched for the Chicago Cubs in 2006, when he made nine starts and went 1-6 with a 7.21 ERA.

***

Cuban slugger Alexei Ramirez has agreed to a deal with the Chicago White Sox. Here's some more info on the player:

Ramirez, who left Cuba in early September to join his wife and kids in the Dominican Republic, batted .335 with 20 homers and 68 RBIs last season. He helped lead Cuba to a second-place finish in the inaugural World Baseball Classic in 2006 and a gold medal at the Athens Olympics in 2004.

Primarily a second baseman and outfielder in Cuba, Ramirez told the AP shortly after leaving Cuba that he hoped to play shortstop and follow in the footsteps of Ozzie Smith, Rey Ordonez and Omar Vizquel.

That appears unlikely with the White Sox, who acquired Gold Glove shortstop Orlando Cabrera from the Los Angeles Angels in November. They do, however, need help in the outfield.


***

* Free agent outfielder Darin Erstad signed a one-year contract worth $1 million plus incentives with the Houston Astros on Thursday.

* The New York Yankees finalized a $3.75 million, one-year contract with LaTroy Hawkins on Thursday, strengthening their weak middle relief with the veteran right-hander.

* Catcher Miguel Olivo signed a one-year contract with the Kansas City Royals on Thursday.

* Jose Castillo signed a one-year contract with the Marlins.

The 2007 Oriole Post Awards: Major League Baseball, Part One...

Well, every entertainment industry has their award season and while most of them are completely not revelant to me, it's fun to watch from afar when other stars and rich people, well, honor other stars and rich people.

Being that's it's Holiday week and 2007 is coming to a close, what more perfect time than ever would be it to start up a completely meaningless awards show, only this time on my blog.

I'll be doing this until the 31st, in order to get the creative juices flowing, save my sanity from being bored, plus get some eyes on the blog, and comments going. I will not only include the Orioles, but all of baseball, perhaps a few things from other sports, and also maybe from the general culture at large.

Ah, what can we say about the year in baseball; alas, there were some highlight moments, but like in life, we remember the bad more than anything else.

Yes, there was a lot of bad stuff to the happen to the sport, more than I can ever remember. Baseball is a wonderful game, but 2007 perhaps revealed more than fans ever wanted to know, and the stench unleashing the sport's dirty laundry will stick with us for some time to come.

I'm going to give out my MLB awards in three parts, so here's part one...


The Moment of the Year, Off the Field: I would have originally said Barry Bonds being indicted, but the release of the Mitchell Report takes the case. The Mitchell Report blew the dirty laundry and the seedy side of the sport out in the open, and we all know what was really happening.

The Moment of the Year, On The Field: Sadly, it's seeing Barry Bonds hit his 756th home run. As much as it disgusted fans, history was made -- for better or worse. However, I was not that impressed with Barry, I was left moreso by Mike Bacsik, by the way he handled the situation at hand and being a part of history.

The Team of the Year, The Colorado Rockies: Well, I am not picking the Red Sox not because out of a lack of respect, but I think what Colorado had to endure and accomplish to get the World Series was even more impressive than what Boston did.

National League MVP, Matt Holliday: Sorry, I know Jimmy Rollins won the NL MVP, but I think what Matt Holliday did in 2007 and in the playoffs (yes, they don't count, but so what) was even more impressive than what Rollins did.

I love J-Roll in Philly as a player, but I don't see how he won the MVP over Holliday.

American League MVP, Alex Rodriguez: Yes, he deserved it - amazing season.

Pitcher of the Year, Jon Lester: With no disrespect to C.C. Sabathia, Jake Peavy and the other fine hurlers out there, I think what the young man accomplished was extraordinary and his performance in the World Series just showed how far he came from his cancer diagnosis in '06. I know the experience of cancer and what people go through all too well, and though I am not a Sox fan, Lester deserves all the credit in the world for coming back. To survive it is one thing, but peform at that high of an athletic level after what he had to go through is another.

Stupid Quote of the Year: Eric Byrnes: I like Captain America, but he should not be absolved of his stupidity.

Jerk & Douche of the Year, Alex Rodriguez: I was not sure who was worthy of this award. I narrowed my three choices between Alex Rodriguez, Barry Bonds and Elijah Dukes, but I'm giving the award to Alex Rodriguez for upstaging the World Series with his selfish contract demands and then his mea culpa thereafter on CBS and whoever wanted to listen to him. Bonds may be distasteful, but at least he didn't try to upstage an event and take the attention for himself.

Fan Friendliest Player: Torii Hunter. I saw him in Baltimore chat with fans, autograph items, and talk with whoever, including myself for at least 20 minutes in Baltimore after a game, and keep in mind, this is with his family in tow.

The Little Rugger Award: I'm giving this to the Red Sox's Dustin Pedoria in the AL, and Jamey Carroll in the NL.

Comeback Player of the Year: Dmitri Young, NL; Jon Lester, AL. Honorable Mention: Carlos Pena for kicking ass with his bat in Tampa.

Single Game Performance of the Year, Clay Buchholz: Boston Red Sox rookie upstart Clay Buchholz for no-hitting my precious Birds of Baltimore in only his second start ever in the Major Leagues...

Orioles Quick Hits: Some Season Tickets Are Going Up, Anita Marks, The Rundown...

As a long suffering Oriole fan, some friends of mine who have had season tickets for a number of years and I have the fortune of getting to know and purchasing tickets from them have had their season ticket prices go up (mainly with box seats on the lower level).

Just that the Orioles did not tell them that there would be increase.

The other day, Baltimore Sun columnist Peter Schmuck penned an article criticizing the organization, and ESPN 1300 talk show host Anita Marks defended the team's decision in response to Schmuck's words.

I do not have what Ms. Marks said verbatim, but she said the Orioles were justified in doing so because of playing in the American League East, and we should be lucky that the fan of Baltimore did not have the suffer the indignity of a team being broken up year after year of winning (ala, her hometown Florida Marlins).

Ugh. She has no clue. Sorry, as a fan, I will pay a lot of lot of money to see the Rolling Stones or the Super Bowl or a prize fight; however, I will not pay more than what I did from last year to see a baseball team with a lack of marquee players or a snowball's chance of hell of seeing the playoffs within the next few seasons.

Asinine.

I love the Orioles, but the way they have handled themselves in raising certain ticket prices is just wrong.

***

The Baltimore Sun's Rock Kubatko projects the Orioles' lineup for 2008 as the team stands right now. Honestly, I don't see much in the way of hope for the organization unless we by some miracle get another bat, Nick Markakis becomes A-Rod with the stick, or Luke Scott suddenly becomes Ted Williams. No offense, I don't see a team that would win 70 games unless Daniel Cabrera taps into his inner sanctum and becomes the pitcher he needs to be, Jeremy Guthrie has a repeat of his '07 until August, and Bedard remains on the team. Lest we forget, oh yes, we play in the AL East.

Then again, stranger things have happened.

Pressbox's Craig Heist has a great interview with manager Dave Trembley and he gives his thoughts of the players acquired in the Miguel Tejada trade as well as the starting pitching.

Thursday, December 27, 2007

The Awards' Ceremony Season: Oriole Awards

Well, every entertainment industry has their award season and while most of them are completely not revelant to me, it's fun to watch from afar when other stars and rich people, well, honor other stars and rich people.

Being that's it's Holiday week and 2007 is coming to a close, what more perfect time than ever would be it to start up a completely meaningless awards show, only this time on my blog.

I'll be doing this until the 31st, in order to get the creative juices flowing, save my sanity from being bored, plus get some eyes on the blog, and comments going. I will not only include the Orioles, but all of baseball, perhaps a few things from other sports, and also maybe from the general culture at large.

That being said, let's get started...

***

Favorite Oriole: Considering all the drama the team has been involved in this season, as well as the off-season with steroids, rumors, bad behavior, stupid behavior and wishing for the good 'ol days, this fellow deserves this award from resurrecting his career from the dead and becoming not only a breakout pitcher in 2007, but also a fine character in the community.

Congratulations, Jeremy Guthrie.

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Most Valuable Oriole: This is not even a contest - Nick Markakis. If he had not been a Baltimore Oriole, he assuredly would have been a contender for the Gold Glove.

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Least Valuable Oriole: I had no idea where to begin with this one, as there were so many contenders for this award. Do I pick the guy who lost 18 games, a guy who got hot when 2/3 of the season was over, a guy who plain didn't want to be here, one who decided to become a Red Sox cheerleader, or the guy who forgot how to hit and then got himself in trouble with drugs?

The winner: Jay Gibbons. He's a nice guy, but when it comes down to a lack of production and just plain badness, he takes the cake. Then again, if he were hitting .300 with 25+ homers, and still had the drug issue, he would not be on this list.

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Best Moment of the Year: Cal Ripken being inducted into the National Hall of Fame.

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Worst Moment of the Year: The God awful, 30-3 game. As much as the team tries to deny it, I don't think they ever recovered from that game and the wheels certainly did fall off after that.

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Honoring "Wild Bill" Hagy, as he lived out a dream that every fan wishes for -- he became part of the game and part of the culture of the Baltimore Orioles.

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Best Orioles Website: Orioles Hangout; Best Orioles Blog (well, since I cannot include sites I work on): Camden Chat

Tomorrow, I'll give out general awards for Major League Baseball...


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Roger Clemens Now Hiring P.I.'s To Look Into McNamee's Claims...

Roger Clemens must really want to convince us that he's not guilty. Much like O.J. and he trying to find the "real killers", Clemens is supposedly trying to get to the bottom of the situation by hiring P.I.'s, or in the vernacular term, private investigator.

Yes, one of the greatest pitchers of all time is not only trying to save face, but perhaps his reputation and Hall of Fame chances.

If McNamee is allegedly lying about his interactions with Clemens, or fudged the truth to save face, boy is Major League Baseball and the United States Government in trouble.

Not to mention, if Clemens is telling the truth, the Mitchell Report goes into the wastebasket and is not worth anything at all.

From the New York Times: Roger Clemens’s lawyer has hired private investigators to try to challenge the credibility of Brian McNamee, the trainer who told federal agents and former Senator George J. Mitchell that he had injected Clemens with steroids and human growth hormone, a lawyer familiar with the matter said Wednesday.

The investigators may have a tape of McNamee contradicting what he said about Clemens, the lawyer added, although it was unclear whether the tape predated McNamee’s interviews for the Mitchell report on performance-enhancing drugs in baseball. The lawyer was granted anonymity because he was not authorized to talk about the case.

Clemens’s lawyer, Rusty Hardin, said in an interview late Wednesday that Mitchell had failed to interview some key people who know Clemens and McNamee, who was Clemens’s personal trainer for years. Asked about the use of private investigators or the existence of a tape, Hardin said he would not discuss specifics.
Good luck Roger. I don't know if I exactly believe you, but really, how can you find something really tangible out of this investigation.

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Wednesday, December 26, 2007

I Guess Kerry's Pleas Worked; The NFL to Simulcast Patriots-Giants on NBC and CBS...

I guess Kerry's plea worked -- now, everyone will get to see if the Patriots do indeed make history.

From the Baltimore Sun: The NFL is making Saturday night's historic game between the New England Patriots and New York Giants -- scheduled to be carried only the NFL Network -- available on broadcast television, the league announced today.

CBS and NBC will simulcast the NFL Network's production of the game, in which the Patriots will try to become the first team to go 16-0 in the regular season.

"We have taken this extraordinary step because it is in the best interest of our fans," commissioner Roger Goodell said in a news release. "What we have seen for the past year is a very strong consumer demand for NFL Network. We appreciate CBS and NBC delivering the NFL Network telecast on Saturday night to the broad audience that deserves to see this potentially historic game. Our commitment to the NFL Network is stronger than ever."


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Senator John Kerry Threatening the NFL So Fans Can See the Patriots; Political Granstanding At It's Best...

If you're a sports fan, unless you have been living under a rock, you know the New England Patriots are 15-0, and have a chance to be the second team in NFL to finish a season perfect (the other team being the '72 Miami Dolphins).

The New England Patriots will take on the New Yorks Giants in the Meadowlands in NEw Jersey.

However, there is one slight problem; alas, the game will be aired on the NFL Network, which is available to only 30 million viewers and Massachusetts senator, John Kerry thinks that it is an issue - a big one.

See, the senator wants the game to shown across the country on network TV:

From Boston.com: Massachusetts Senator John Kerry has appealed to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to take action to ensure that all Patriots fans in New England, and across the country, will have the chance to view the team's season finale against the Giants.

The game is scheduled to be broadcast on NFL Network. WCVB in Boston (Channel 5) will also carry the game, but that still means parts of New England won't be able to see it.

“In just five days, the Patriots will try to become the first team since Don Shula’s legendary ‘72 Dolphins to finish the regular season undefeated, but huge numbers of Pats fans today wouldn’t be able to see the game. Unless immediate action is taken, thousands of fans outside the Boston area will not even have access to the broadcast,” Kerry said in a press release.

“If this isn’t fixed in a hurry, it speaks volumes about how some big interests see the fans. I hope the NFL sees the error of its ways and allows every ‘twelfth man’ to see this unprecedented event.”

John, as noble as your gesture may seem, do you not have other issues to worry about? The NFL is a big business, a private one at that, and they can do as they please. Do I support it - no; however, I think government has no place in determining in what private entities should do with their product.

Meanwhile, I'll be praying for my Redskins to whoop on our arch enemies, the Cowboys and maybe the Ravens will perhaps come out with a miracle win against the Steelers.



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Roger Clemens Going On the Offense Against His Steroid Use...

It looks like Mount Clemens is about to erupt and unleash his fury upon us.

Well, last week, Roger Clemens repeated his denials of the steroids use alleged against him in the Mitchell Report and let the world know will be interviewed for a future episode of "60 Minutes" by Mike Wallace.

Clemens and the legal firm of his attorney, Rusty Hardin, plans to launch their own probe into the allegations of his HGH and steroid use.

From ESPN: Roger Clemens' lead attorney told the New York Times that his firm is launching its own investigation into allegations the seven-time Cy Young winner used steroids and human growth hormone.

"We are convinced the conclusions in Mitchell's report are wrong and are investigating the findings ourselves," Rusty Hardin told The Times. "At this stage we have uncovered a lot of logical people who we thought Mitchell was going to talk to but never talked to him or his investigators. That's troubling."


Ok. I'll be waiting to see what comes of all this so-called "investigation".

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Quick Hits: The Orioles' Rundown...

Not much is going on in Oriole or in baseball as we are in the Holiday Season. I have been taking a break from extended blogging because I have been busy with family and also with some other stuff.

Oriole Magic's Heather Irvin takes a look at the off-season so far with the Baltimore Orioles, and boy has it been an infamous one.

As well, the podcast I do with James Baker, Beltway Baseball had it's return on Saturday.

Press Box Online's Stan Charles takes about the offseason so far with the Orioles as does Craig Heist; Amber Theoharis believes that Orioles need to move forward by stripping the team down and starting from scratch, & Phil Jackman has a nice story on former Oriole ace Mike Cuellar.

The Orioles.com site has a fluff Q&A with Dave Trembley.

ESPN's Jayson Stark takes a shot at the Orioles via Melvin Mora and the infamous, along with pathetic, 30-3 game.

This all happened, in real life, in the Rangers' 30-3 win over the Orioles on Aug. 22:
The Orioles' bullpen gave up 24 earned runs. How hard is that? The Red Sox bullpen gave up 18 earned runs in the entire month of July.

The Rangers' No. 3 hitter, Michael Young, drove in none of those 30 runs. But their eighth and ninth hitters, Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Ramon Vazquez, knocked in seven apiece.

The Rangers hadn't scored 30 runs in a series in their past 54 series. Then they scored 30 in one game.

The Rangers hadn't scored 16 runs in any of their previous 372 games. But they rang up 16 just in the last two innings.

And somehow, some way, the Rangers scored 30 runs in a game in which they had more innings in which they didn't score (five) than innings in which they did (four). And that, like every other item in this column, has been certified as 100 percent genuine, factual and true.

and...

Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain Dept.: Melvin Mora managed to get ejected during a rain delay of a June 28 Yankees-Orioles game. So what got him booted? He was arguing that the umpires should have started the delay while the Orioles were leading, instead of waiting until the Yankees took the lead. Another great moment in Bird Land.

Nice. Just pour more salt on the wound, eh? But then again, this all no doubt actually happened, so how we can argue with that?

Monday, December 24, 2007

WBAL Video About Brian Roberts...



From WBAL: A video highlighting Brian Roberts breaking his silence from earlier last week - Courtesy of WBAL.

The Mitchell Report - Youtube Style...



Youtube is great, and has been a source of great content for the blog over the past year.

Anyhow, amongst hardcore baseball fans, the Mitchell Report has been a topic of great conversation. Well, tonight, since I have nothing better to do, I decided to find the best homemade videos looking at the Mitchell Report. Some are serious, fun, and a few will make you wonder what the hell people were thinking.

Alas, here's the best I have been able to find.



I'm not sure what his point is, but hey it's interesting as weird as it looks and sounds.



Lord...



A funny little satire...





Baseball players use drugs, really?



Ah, what a vast wasteland we have here...

Quick Hits: X-Mas Coming Our Way, Orioles Rundown...

Not much is going on in baseball, as it is the Christmas holiday, and I have been trying to scour the news, but there's not a lot out there.

At this point, my wish as an Orioles fans is just to see the team come up with a viable plan to not only rebuild, but to have a core of players who remain in the Black & Orange for years to come.

We need to get rid of what Mark Suchy of WNST calls the Holy Trinity -- Millar, Huff, Gibbons. Yes, it will be fair easier said than done considering their value right now. Also, you can add Payton on the list too.

I have not heard much from the Bedard front as of late, and it looks like the Roberts deal has been tabled (though most people expect him to be dealt) before spring training.

Sunday, December 23, 2007

Jose Canseco Denies His Drug Use From 1988...



I just found this on Youtube, and it's of video from 1988 denying that he ever used steroids as alleged by a 1988 column by the Washington Post's Tom Boswell.

The announcers are fawning over Canseco, but what if they knew then what they know now...

Roger Clemens Issues Another Mea Culpa…

In an effort to save not only face, but his reputation, Roger Clemens once again denied ever using steroids.

From the Baltimore Sun: Roger Clemens posted a video today repeating his denials of the steroids use alleged against him in the Mitchell Report. He also said he would be interviewed for a future episode of "60 Minutes," but a spokesman for CBS said nothing has been finalized.

The seven-time Cy Young Award winner was accused in the report of using steroids, an allegation made by his former trainer.

In October last year, the Los Angeles Times reported Clemens was linked to steroids in the May 2006 sworn statement of a federal agent who cited former big league pitcher Jason Grimsley. At the time, the names of players in the public version had been blacked out. When the full affidavit was unsealed Thursday, Clemens' name was not in it, and the paper issued a correction and an apology.

"I faced this last year when the L.A. Times reported that I used steroids. I said it was not true then, and now the whole world knows it's not true, now that that's come out," Clemens said in the video, which was posted Sunday on the Web site of his foundation and on You Tube.


Looks like Roger is definitely going on the offensive to clear his name...


Saturday, December 22, 2007

The Los Angeles Times Apologize to Roger Clemens; Jason Grimsley's Documents Unveiled...

The other big news from the week in terms of the world of steroids and the Mitchell Report is that former MLB player Jason Grimsley's documents were unveiled, and there was a surprise -- Roger Clemens' name not mentioned in the affidavit despite being reported by the Los Angeles Times it was.

The Los Angeles Times issued a full page apology on Friday, and perhaps this shred of news helps to bolster Clemens' case that he did not use drugs.

From the New York Times: The judge who unsealed the Grimsley affidavit had harsh words for The Los Angeles Times, which printed a report in October 2006 headlined "Clemens Is Named in Drug Affidavit." Clemens was not named in the affidavit, although he was named last week by Mitchell.

The newspaper had been challenged on the accuracy of its story by the United States attorney in 2006. It had said its report was based on two sources and that its reporter, Lance Pugmire, had seen the affidavit, and the newspaper stood by the report. In fact, the Los Angeles Times got four of the five people it named wrong.

Edward C. Voss, a United States magistrate judge, wrote in the unsealing order signed Thursday: "A review of the disclosed affidavit proves that the Times never saw the unredacted affidavit. Roger Clemens is not named in the affidavit and Grimsley makes no reference to Roger Clemens in any context. At best, the article is an example of irresponsible reporting. At worst, the ’facts’ reported were simply manufactured."

Voss wrote he was "compelled to point out what appears to be an example of abusive reporting."

The Los Angeles Times ran a correction on Friday that said the newspaper, “incorrectly reported that in a search warrant affidavit filed in May 2006 in federal court in Phoenix, an investigator alleged that pitcher Jason Grimsley named former teammates Roger Clemens, Andy Pettitte, Brian Roberts and Jay Gibbons as players linked to performance-enhancing drugs.” The correction said that, “Grimsley did not name those players,” and the 2006 article incorrectly stated that Grimsley said Tejada used steroids. “The only mention of Tejada in the affidavit was as part of a conversation with teammates about baseball’s ban of amphetamines,” the times said. A front page story clarifying the affidavit ran in Friday’s edition.

"We acknowledge the inaccuracies of the report and deeply regret the mistake," Stephan Pechdimaldji, a spokesman for The Times, wrote in an e-mail message.

Clemens’s lawyer, Rusty Hardin, seized on the error as an indication of Clemens’s veracity, since he has denied accusations in the Mitchell report.

"When this grossly inaccurate story broke in 2006, Roger said it was untrue and the Los Angeles Times chose not to believe him," Hardin wrote in a statement. "As the record now proves, Roger was telling the truth then just as he continues to tell the truth today."

The Los Angeles Times report listed five names it said a reporter had seen when shown the unredacted affidavit by "a source with authorized access" to the affidavit. Of those five, it got four wrong: Clemens, Andy Pettitte, Brian Roberts and Jay Gibbons were not named in the affidavit.


It's just absolutely asinine, and not to mention highly irresponsible for a media outlet to just come up with names without double, triple checking, etc., their sources before it goes to print.

Although this does not get the onus off of Clemens, the Los Angeles Times ought to be ashamed of themselves for dragging various names through the dirt without proof, or just to get more on eyes on their papers.

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The Hits Keep Coming Internet Radio Show - The Mitchell Report Aftermath and Hot Stove



Topics Discussed:

* Mitchell Report
* Free agent roundup

Tune in to us on Wednesdays as Jason of My Baseball Bias, and Ian of Sox and Dawgs join me for our hour long baseball show called, “The Hits Keep Coming” on Blog Talk Radio and on MVN Radio. Every week at 7PM Eastern Time (6PM Central/ 5PM Mountain/ 4PM Western/Pacific) we chat, analyze and comment about the world of Major League Baseball.

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Orioles Quick Hits: Bedard Most Likely Staying, Jason Grimsley, The Rundown...

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After weeks of speculation, talk, and chatter on the Hot Stove, in the media, on the Internet and amongst fans, it looks like Erik Bedard will be staying in Baltimore. According to the Baltimore Sun's Jeff Zrebeic, Andy MacPhail is on record as saying that the lefty ace will stay in town perhaps because only the team cannot find a suitable trade partner who are willing to give the Orioles what they need.

After listening to trade proposals for his ace for the past couple of months, Andy MacPhail says it is a "strong likelihood" that Erik Bedard will be the Orioles' Opening Day starter rather than being traded.

"It's up to [manager] Dave Trembley in the final analysis to set his rotation, but that's what [Bedard] is today, and I think that's a strong likelihood," said MacPhail, the Orioles' president of baseball operations. "But that said, you never know."

Granted, Bedard could still be moved, but it looks like teams like the Mariners, Reds and Dodgers are right now unwilling to move their prospects.

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The other big news from the week is that former Oriole Jason Grimsley's documents were unveiled, and there was a surprise -- Brian Roberts, nor Jay Gibbons' name not mentioned in the affidavit despite being reported by the Los Angeles Times that they were. Both Orioles were in the Mitchell Report.

The Baltimore Sun has more on the story.

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Sorry, I have been busy with work and Christmas activities, so blogging has to take a break for few days.

The podcast, Beltway Baseball returns on Saturday at 12pm live, or you can hear us at http://blogtalkradio.com/natsandos or head to Oriole Magic later on today to download the show.


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Thursday, December 20, 2007

The Yankee Captain Defends Roger Clemens…



Well, Derek Jeter, the Yankee captain on Thursday in the New York Post went out a limb and defended Roger Clemens in light of the allegations against him.

"From the NY Post: It seems right now people are rushing to judgment," Jeter said of his pal, whose name headlined the Mitchell Report last week thanks to the testimony of former personal trainer Brian McNamee. "You have to let it play out a little bit before you say he is guilty or not guilty."

Jeter talked tonight before hosting a Turn 2 Foundation night at the movies for 500 children at the Ziegfeld Theatre.

Jeter never has disguised his feelings for Clemens. When Clemens joined the Yankees in 1999, Jeter, who wasn't a fan when Clemens pitched for Boston and Toronto, gravitated toward the legendary pitcher. During the 2006 World Baseball Classic, they shared a house in California.


As well, he speaks out in defense of Andy Pettitte and he revealing he used HGH...

Jeter lauded Andy Pettitte for admitting last weekend that he used HGH in 2002 to help a balky elbow heal quicker. McNamee said in the report he injected Clemens and Pettitte...

"I talked to Andy and he knows how I feel about him," Jeter said. "He came out and was honest about it and it's time to move on."


We shall see what comes of Roger's dilemma; however, he's looked less than endearing in the past week...

Wednesday, December 19, 2007

Burning the Midnight Oil: Orioles Quick Hits, Roberts, The Rundown

It's been a bad week for sports in the area, as MASN blogger Matthew Perl ever so illustrates; therefore, I and a lot of fans in the area just pretty much want forget about 2007 and move onto to bigger and better things in 2008.

Well, the Baltimore Orioles have pretty much accepted Brain Roberts' apology and want to move on from this whole sordid affair. Meanwhile, U.S. Rep. Elijah E. Cummings wants Orioles second baseman Brian Roberts to become an anti-steroid advocate & join "Powered by ME!," a Baltimore-based awareness campaign that instructs youth about the dangers of illegal performance-enhancing drugs. I don't know if it's Roberts place to stand up against drug use or if he even wants to participate, as he should be focusing on baseball; however, it could only help in the cause of eradicating it from sports and obviously it makes for good PR.

Read what Roch has to say about the proposal by Rep. Cummings and how it pertains to Brian Roberts.

I, at this point really don't care anymore; however, it seems that a lot of fans are ready for forgive and forget with Brian because of his work in the community, and his play on the field.

I caught the Anita Marks Show on Tuesday where he explained himself and gave his mea culpa -- fine; however, I am not so sure I bought his excuse or any I have heard as of late. However, I will give Brian credit for coming out in the open and admitting what he did was wrong -- something a lot more athletes should do. He handled himself well, and I appreciate his candor on the issue. I do wish Anita would have asked some deeper questions about the issue, but she did her best to make him comfortable and Roberts was able to illustrate his points in front a friendly audience. Anyhow, let's move from it...

***

I have been real busy with work this week, but I'll give you all more thoughts this weekend or when I get more than five minutes to myself.

Tuesday, December 18, 2007

To Tell the Truth, Orioles' Style: Roberts, More Woe Is the Baltimore Orioles & The Rundown...

This has been a real bad week for sports in Baltimore -- I mean real bad. Between the Ravens and the Orioles, where do fans turn to for hope?

Well, things have seemingly gone from bad to worse in terms of those who follow the Baltimore Orioles. As we know by now, Brian Roberts this morning told the Baltimore Sun that he dabbled in steroids once.

Now, the Baltimore media is taking Brian Roberts to task, much like they did Jay Gibbons, despite his otherwise stellar and squeaky clean reputation. As a blogger, sometimes writer and a general sports fan, the cynicism that many are showing Roberts is what I felt this week, even though I really *wanted* to believe in Roberts.

The silence this week though was pretty damning, and the carefully written apology is proof of what has now been alleged. So far, the rats, clubbies, former players and trainers who have turned against those who they use to help in the Mitchell Report and previous cases have been proven right.

I'm sure Roberts is very sorry now, but he's probably only found religion since he was ensnared in the whole steroid thing to begin with.

More on the story from the Baltimore Examiner, Orioles.com, & Orioles Hangout.

The Sun's Rick Maese finds it hard to believe Brian, and for good reason considering his history and denials on the issue. Meanwhile, Dan Connolly finds Roberts' revelation to be a hard blow to Orioles' fans considering he's homegrown and his stature in the community.

Whatever you think of WNST, take a look at Nestor's piece on their site about Roberts and drug use, as it gives a lot of insight as to why athletes do it; meanwhile, Bob Haynie is trying to feel sorry for you, but can't; Glenn Clark has his take the story and other Oriole news.

Check out what Roch has to say about the issue...

And Bill Ordine wonders if we care...

Oh, yes - the Baltimore Orioles decided to let the world finally know about some ticket price increases, I mean why wait until now and why could you all have not been upfront about it?

Steve Walters in a special article in the Examiner wonders if Peter Angelos can save baseball...

Boy, for a team that has had some bad times, the Orioles have pissed off more fans than ever, and the public relations strategy is NOT WORKING for the fans you have left and still care. If you want some great insight and someone who can tell it better than I can, check out Drew Forrester's piece on WNST today, along with this bit from Matt Bender.

Camden Chat has their thoughts on Roberts; Ben from Oriole Central has his thoughts on the Mitchell Report; Dempsey's Army has this thoughts on the Orioles and the Mitchell Report; Random Reality Thoughts has a quick rundown of O's news; The Wayward O has thoughts on Roberts;

News on an Old Friend: Javy Lopez is trying a comeback with his former team, agreeing Monday to a minor league contract with the Atlanta Braves.

The Admission: Roberts Tried Steroids Once


I figured there was a reason for the silence, but now we know.

From the Sun: "I would like to address the allegations that were made against me in the Mitchell Report. I will begin by saying that I have worked very hard to develop a good reputation both on and off the field. I have always taken pride in being a man of integrity and values. I know that by being a professional athlete, I am held to a very high standard. I never have and never will take that for granted. However, I am also human and I have made mistakes.

"In 2003, when I took one shot of steroids, I immediately realized that this was not what I stood for or anything that I wanted to continue doing. I never used steroids, human growth hormone or any other performance-enhancing drugs prior to or since that single incident. I can honestly say before God, myself, my family and all of my fans that steroids or any performance-enhancing drugs have never had any effect on what I have worked so hard to accomplish in the game of baseball. I am very sorry and I deeply regret ever making that terrible decision. My only hope and prayer is that the Orioles, my family, friends and fans that have supported me so faithfully will forgive me."

Now, do I believe him? I'd like to say yes, but history has proven to us that there may be more to the story.

Monday, December 17, 2007

Woe is the Baltimore Orioles: Peter Schmuck's Say

If you want some interesting reading, check out what Peter Schmuck says in today's Baltimore Sun.

Here's a quote from the piece that pretty sums up how and I and lot of people feel about the Orioles' organization right now.

Alas, I applaud Peter for telling it like it is.

I'm still scratching my head over the club's decision to e-mail its reaction to the Mitchell Report to the media at 10:21 p.m. on a Saturday night, unless the people who are in charge of communications (the last time I looked, that would be John Angelos and director of communications Greg Bader) simply hoped everyone would be too deep into the Christmas eggnog to care.

Or maybe they were hoping it would seem like such old news by yesterday that no one would look too closely at the strange four paragraphs that first seem to applaud commissioner Bud Selig and Mitchell for their efforts to eradicate performance-enhancing drugs from baseball but then call into question the legitimacy of Mitchell's investigation.

It gets better, and read what he thinks of the team's announcement...
Say what? Maybe the Neo-Comms (that's my nickname for Bader and Mid-Atlantic Sports Network public-relations guy Todd Webster) knew what they were doing when they sent the thing out under the cover of darkness. I can't imagine Selig is going to be too happy to see that the Orioles - with 19 current or former players named in the report - are challenging the integrity of the 409-page document.

It's pretty obvious Peter Angelos got his back up when he saw that Brian Roberts was included in the report on admittedly scant evidence, and I would be applauding him right now if he had come forward immediately and taken a public stand for his player. Instead, team officials needed nearly 60 hours to formulate a four-paragraph statement and get approval to send it out, which says a lot about the way they still do things at the top of the organization.

Enough said.

And yes, for the high-dollar crowd, even more bad news.

After 10 losing seasons, declining attendance, and taking fans for a ride, guess what the Oriole have decided to do -- raise the price of season tickets in some sections! This is mainly for the field box seats, but what in the god damn world are they thinking?

The same goes for the sneaky price hike. The O's sent out season-ticket renewal mailers Dec. 13 that include a letter about the team's bright future from MacPhail and an unspecified increase in some prices.

The best field boxes cost $45 per seat if you bought a full plan last year. This year's full-season plan costs $3,888 per seat, which breaks down to $48 per ticket, though nowhere is that mentioned in the mailer. You have to get out your calculator to figure out the team is raising some prices at the same time it's drastically slashing payroll and being, as MacPhail likes to say, "brutally honest" with fans about the meager prospects for success in the near term.
And to close out...

Honestly, I thought the team - as part of this new era of good feelings - might slightly reduce all prices as a gesture to the fans who have remained faithful through a horrible decade. Of course, we all know I'm a gullible idiot, but I really thought there might be some discussion in the law office of throwing the public a bone this winter.

Instead, you get the same old song and dance, except you probably won't be dancing with any stars next season.
Ouch.

Wither A-Rod? Says No to Drugs, Not On Speaking Terms with Boras...



Last night, Alex Rodriguez denied using performance-enhancing drugs on national television, telling CBS' "60 Minutes" in an interview aired Sunday night that he's never felt as if he needed them to compete.

From CBS: "I've never felt overmatched on the baseball field," he said. "... I felt that if I did my, my work as I've done since I was, you know, a rookie back in Seattle, I didn't have a problem competing at any level."


As well, he reveals that he and Scott Boras are not on speaking terms due to the contract debacle that took place during Game Four of the World Series.

But the player revealed the depth of the hard feelings in a "60 Minutes" interview that aired Sunday, telling the CBS news magazine that he and Boras are not speaking to each other.

Rodriguez worked as his own agent in netting another record contract for himself -- $275 million over 10 years -- which was finalized Thursday. The three-time AL Most Valuable Player removed Boras from the negotiations after Boras announced Oct. 28 that his client would be opting out of his current deal.

When asked by CBS' Katie Couric to expound on his relationship with Boras, Rodriguez took his time before finally replying, "The whole situation saddens me a little bit. There hasn't been much back-and-forth talking."

When asked if he and Boras are speaking, Rodriguez said, "Not right now." Asked if that could change, he told Couric, "We'll see." Rodriguez said he had no contact with Boras during negotiations with the Yankees.


For a man who is such a gifted athlete, boy, he's got a lot of issues.

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Sunday, December 16, 2007

Jay Mohr Talks On Steroids, Roger Clemens, etc...



Jay Mohr shares his utter shock on Roger Clemens and Andy Pettitte's inclusion in the Mitchell report, Marion Jones stripped of her medals and whatever else is on his mind.

This is not for the squeamish...

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A Commercial Interlude: The Baltimore Orioles' Cal Ripken





With all the crap going on with baseball and the Baltimore Orioles, here's someone who can make us feel good again -- Cal Ripken.

Here's two commercials of him in for the Holiday Inn hotel chain.

The Hits Keep Coming Internet Radio Show - The Mitchell Report Aftermath...

This afternoon, myself, Ian of Sox and Dawgs and Jason of My Baseball Bias gave our initial thoughts to the Mitchell Report as we spoke about many of the different issues surrounding it.

With everything going on in the world of baseball today, and the grave importance of the drug and how it would affect the sport, we decided to convene and conduct the shoe on Sunday.

You can listen to us on Blog Talk Radio and on MVN Radio. Every week on Wednesdays at 7PM Eastern Time (6PM Central/ 5PM Mountain/ 4PM Western/Pacific) we chat, analyze and comment about the world of Major League Baseball.

Feel free to listen the show below.



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The Baltimore Orioles Issue A Statement On The Mitchell Report; Orioles Rundown...

In light of the events of the Mitchell Report, the Baltimore Orioles have issued a statement:

"There is no place in baseball or in any other sport for the use of performance-enhancing substances.

The Orioles support Major League Baseball's efforts to institute the most comprehensive testing program of any professional sport and one that strives to eliminate the use of performance enhancing drugs from all of baseball.

As to the information and allegations contained in the Mitchell Report, the Orioles caution observers to resist the temptation to accept collective judgments based upon unsubstantiated allegations.

The Orioles further believe that each Major League player must be treated on an individual basis, must not be judged responsible by mere association, and is innocent of any improper conduct until proven otherwise beyond a reasonable doubt."

Well, as we all know, the organization has been hit real not only with the allegations of the past week, but also in the past. They have been down the road before, but this time, the stakes and circumstances are much different.

The only thing as sports fans we can do is just wait and see how the story will play out as the Mitchell Report has more or less let the world truly know about the drug culture in baseball, but also in a way has ruined many reputations.

There's more on the issue from the Baltimore Examiner, & WNST's Drew Forrester believes those implicated in the report are screwed, no matter what comes out.



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Saturday, December 15, 2007

Andy Pettitte Admits HGH Use...

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According to ESPN, Andy Pettitte, admitted Saturday to using HGH twice in 2002 when he was healing from an elbow injury. "If what I did was an error in judgment on my part, I apologize," Pettitte said.

From ESPN: Andy Pettitte used human growth hormone to recover from an elbow injury in 2002, the New York Yankees pitcher admitted two days after he was cited in the Mitchell Report.

Pettitte said he tried HGH on two occasions, stressing he did it to heal faster and not enhance his performance. He emphasized he never used steroids.

"If what I did was an error in judgment on my part, I apologize," Pettitte said Saturday in a statement released by his agent. "I accept responsibility for those two days."

On Thursday, Pettitte was among 85 players named by former Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell's investigation into steroids and performance-enhancing drugs. Pettitte had not commented public on the allegations.


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The Hits Keep Coming Internet Radio Show - The Mitchell Report Edition...

Topics Discussed:

* Mitchell Report
* Miguel Tejada trade
* Fukudome signs with the Chicago Cubs. Is he worth $12 million a year?
* Are certain recent free agents being overpaid?



Give us a listen, take a whirl, and let me know what you think! We’re on Blog Talk Radio and MVN every Wednesday night at 7PM EST.

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Jose Canseco Says Names Are Missing; Implicates A-Rod…

Ugh, looks who's back again. The sad thing is though despite he wanting to sell books and get his mug on TV and in print -- he's been right.

Jose, the admitted steroid user, and D-list celebrity has popped up again. To be honest, if it weren't for him, baseball would have probably been much, much, slower to adopt drug testing.

Look at what's he said now:

The former Oakland Athletics slugger tried to get into the Mitchell report news conference Thursday but was barred by Major League Baseball officials, who said it was a "media only" event.

"[The report is] a slap on the hand," he told Fox Business Network. "The report proved nothing. It just proved what we already knew."

Canseco's name appears 105 times in the Mitchell report, more than that of Barry Bonds (103) or Roger Clemens (82). In all, the 409-page report identified 86 names to differing degrees, but Clemens clearly was the symbol.

"I saw the list of players, and there are definitely a lot of players missing," he told Fox Business Network. "I don't know what they accomplished or what they are trying to prove."

Prodded further about players not included, Canseco said this of A-Rod: "All I can say is the Mitchell report is incomplete. I could not believe that his name was not in the report."


Oh boy. Alas, Alex Rodriguez has responded...

Jose Canseco said he couldn't believe that Alex Rodriguez wasn't named in the Mitchell report. But A-Rod says in an interview on CBS' "60 Minutes" he's never even been tempted to use performance-enhancing drugs.

In the interview, scheduled to air Sunday, when asked by Katie Couric if he had used steroids, human growth hormone or another performance-enhancing drug, Rodriguez said, "No."

"I think baseball's done a fine job of implementing some very strict rules," Rodriguez said in the interview. "I mean, I got tested eight or nine times. I know some of my teammates got tested, you know, seven, eight ... times and, you know, if you think about where the game is today versus where it was six years ago, I think Major League Baseball has made some nice strides."

As much we want him to go away, he's sadly built up a lot of credibility over the years...



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Perception is Reality: Baseball's Drug Problem and the Mitchell Report; Segui/Roberts, Orioles Rundown

As the Mitchell Report was released this week, the nation's reaction has ranged from apathy to downright anger. Right now, much has not been heard from the Baltimore Orioles or any of their players at all regarding the report itself despite the consistent cloud around the team for years.

The more I read of it, the reputations of players, who may have not have done anything are ruined off some evidence are ruined forever and it is based on a lot of innuendo, hearsay and the words of two trainers, Jason Giambi and Frank Thomas.

Many players had the chance to speak, but they didn't. That's the problem.

Whether or not we like it, drugs are in very sport and there's no way to stop it. Honestly, will all the travel in sports, time zone changes, and everything else - do you really think guys are playing without help?

The sad thing is that we try to stop drug use amongst teenagers and young adults, but seeing the money in sports and also the lack of punishment -- why would anyone not want to do it?

As well, men who were potential or shoo-in Hall of Famers are now having their credibility questioned. Mark Mussina of WNST takes a good look at that question.

Perception is reality, and it seems it looks like baseball has a drug problem. I say if baseball is being picked apart, pick apart the national game --- football. Baltimore Sun columnist, Peter Schmuck, raised that issue in today's paper.

The only way baseball gets out of this hole is to create a stringent drug program - no questions asked.

John Wilt of Orioles Hangout believes that out of the sordid news and the latest crisis as a result of the Mitchell Report, Major League Baseball should relish the opportunity to make changes in the sport. As well, John Domen gives his thoughts of the drug issue and the Tejada trade.

Baseball will go on, and in the end, this week will be another part of history; however, for now, the sport needs to look itself in the mirror.

***

Former Oriole and a figure in the whole drug investigation, David Segui, in today's Sun goes out of his way to defend Brian Roberts. As we all know, the second baseman's name was in the report and Segui, along with many people are just disturbed to see his name in the document.

"By far, that's the thing that's bothered me the most about the whole entire thing," Segui said yesterday. "[Bigbie] threw Brian Roberts' name out on complete hearsay. Calling it hearsay would be giving it more credibility than it deserves. I'm at a loss as to why Brian Roberts' name would come out of his mouth."
Segui is right. Hearsay and just plain chatter have perhaps ruined a lot of reputations, and perhaps there might be some truth to the statement; however, there's no substantive proof.

Drew Forrester takes a look at the Mitchell Report, David Segui and gives his thoughts on it, and you can check out their website for another perspective.

Alas, a lot of people now believe that all the players in the Mitchell Report have done drugs, and now it's up to those who are innocent to stand up. When the President speaks on an issue, such as this, the nation stands up and takes notice.

***

One of the pitchers who came to the team in the Tejada trade, Troy Patton was upset when he was traded, but now sees a chance in Baltimore to make a name for himself.

The organization has another arm in their stable, as they have claimed right-handed reliever Greg Aquino off waivers from Milwaukee, completing their 40-man roster. According to the Examiner, Aquino went 0-1 with a 4.50 ERA and 12 strikeouts in 15 appearances for the Brewers in 2007.

I have yet to go into the Miguel Tejada trade because of the Mitchell Report madness; however, I'll try to get that done Monday and I'll have on it Oriole Magic as well.

***

Also, if anyone is a huge Brooks Robinson fan, he's doing a signing at Ollie's in Dundalk today, and another in Harrisburg, Pa., between 11am -2pm on Sunday.

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Friday, December 14, 2007

Orioles Quick Hits; The Long & Dirty; Opinions From the Orioles' Media, Fans & Bloggers

The Baltimore Orioles have been rocked by the developments from the Mitchell Report and they were 19 former and current Orioles mentioned in it.

Today, in conjunction to the media articles and blogs I usually post to, I am going to specifically post to blogs, as they give a true reflection as to what fans really think and talk amongst themselves.

The only current members of the team in it are Brian Roberts and Jay Gibbons.

As we know, Miguel Tejada was traded on Wednesday to the Houston Astros and Gibbons has already admitted to drug use; however, there has been potential damage to the reputation of Roberts.

Although most of the name have been heard before in drug use allegations, it is still a shock to fans to see these names in print.

The Examiner's Sean Welsh in his article, "The Dirty Birds", asserts that the cloud of drug use over the organization is far worse than the impact of a decade of losing. Well, I cannot disagree with that assertion -- the fact the team might be dirty and that a drug culture existed within the organization hurts the esteem of fans more than anything.

While Curt Schilling is a member of the Boston Red Sox, I concur with his take:

Look, if you ordered HGH or steroids, in your name, and there is documentation to prove that you did, please do us all a favor and admit you made a mistake and move on. If you needed it for medical reasons then I am sure you can back that up through your physician if you choose to.
I’m past tired of hearing everything but “I screwed up” or “Ya I made a mistake, I apologize”.

This is a pretty damn forgiving country.

We are all about giving people second chances. The quicker anyone guilty is accountable the quicker we can all move on and hopefully make this thing go away, and fix what needs to be fixed.

The guys at Camden Chat are disheartened that Roberts is in the report..., and the Loss Column gives their take on the Mitchell Report, and Matt Perl of MASN believes Thursday might be the darkest day in baseball history.

Yes, I said I may not care, but in a way I do. Dave Trembley asserted, "it's a not a good day for baseball..."

Here's more from Oriole Central , Oriole Insider & the Wayward Oriole.

Meanwhile, the most prominent name in the report for the Orioles, Brian Roberts, was mentioned in the Mitchell Report. Here's what was said:

"When Bigbie and Segui used steroids in the house, Roberts did not participate," the report states. "According to Bigbie, however, in 2004 Roberts admitted to him that he had injected himself once or twice with steroids in 2003. Until this admission, Bigbie had never suspected Roberts of using steroids."

Now, there is not much here at all to imply that Roberts ever did performance enhancing drugs aside from the words of former Oriole, Larry Bigbie; however, because his name was mentioned in the Mitchell Report, for many, perception is reality and Roberts is clumped in the same category as everyone else.

Rick Mease of the Baltimore Sun has an article in the paper today titled, "On Scant Evidence, Roberts Tangled In Controversy", he looks how such little evidence and the word of one guy can alter a player's reputation. Right now, the court of public opinion will determine Robert's fate, but considering the history of the Orioles in the steroid dragnet, it may be easier said than done to see the second baseman's image restored to what it once was.

Peter Schmuck believes that the Mitchell Report will haunt baseball for years to come, and I agree with him. I'd also like to go further -- I think things will get far worse for now, as there will probably be hearings in Congress as a result of the report, and probably more names that will be released. Furthermore, you have several guys who may be eligible for the Hall of Fame, and the results of the Mitchell Report will hinge on it.

Roch Kubatko is his blog chats with former Orioles about the Mitchell Report and the impact of it.

Will the games go on, yes -- will the steroid issue go away, no.

Although the report is pretty damning, I expected a lot more than the rehash of names and facts I have seen before. Until tanigble solutions are drawn up, and baseball's steroid testing program becomes even more stringent and harsh, the Mitchell Report, no matter it's intentions would have generated little change.

Meanwhile, I have seen varying reactions of fans. Some are shocked; some don't car and want to move forward; some are melancholy, and there are some who swear never to watch baseball again.

The Baltimore Sun in an article, "Fan reaction: 'It's about time'", the paper gauges the reactions of fans and they cover all areas of the spectrum.

Well, are there other events that took place in Oriole Nation aside from the release of the Mitchell Report.

First, The Orioles offered arbitration to pitchers Erik Bedard and Daniel Cabrera on Wednesday night and elected not to tender offers to Corey Doyne and Roberto Novoa.

However, Novoa and Doyne were picked up a day later by the Orioles.

Second, Press Box's Craig Heist talked with Andy MacPhail about the winter meetings, and the COO of Orioles believes that the team was successful in spite of the moves (then again, Miguel Tejada was traded on Wednesday). Buck Martinez of MASN talks about the changes so far with the Orioles.

Third, well, we might as well go back to the negative. Amber Theoharis in her colum in Press Box titled, "Most Miserable Time of the Year" writes a sardonic poem and then goes into how miserable Oriole fans are, how the Ravens suck, and why X-mas in these parts are so bad. Amber, you're preaching to the choir...

Allen McCallum belives that O's fans deserve more under the tree. Um, we know that, we have had the same wish for years and ending up with a lump of coal. Yet, another preaching to the choir...

Fourth, Jim Henneman believes that the Orioles should trade Erik Bedard if the price is right...

Finally, in a rare moment of a positive development, Oriole Magic's Heather Irvin looks at some of the other key prospects in the organization.

For those of you all that are still not sickened by the Baltimore Orioles yet, Join the Hot Stove Baseball baseball returns on MASN and WHFS Radio (105.7) as Jim Hunter and Roch Kubatko discuss the team. I assume a lot will be discussed this week. As well, Hunter gets in a few words with Melvin Mora and Jays pitcher, A.J. Burnett.

This might have been the longest entry I have spent time on, and after this, I might want to watch a couple episodes of the Brady Bunch to feel better about myself.



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