Barry Bonds

Alex Rodriguez could have taken the approach of baseball legends Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens and Mark McGwire, but he didn't. He took an approach similar to less notable star Jason Giambi. A-Rod honed up to the report and took the blame that he deserved. He did not claim to not know what it was, he did not play the victim. He took the high road and took responsibility for his actions.

Continue reading "Alex Rodriguez admits it: Does this ..."

Continue reading "Ken Griffey Junior: Ranking the 600 club"

Continue reading "Injury to Ortiz is Bad News for Boston"

I'm a Ryan Braun fan, and it's not hard to see why. He homered tonight for the fourth time in two games--two two-HR games in a row. Ever since he was brought up early last season, that's what he's done: hit the heck out of the ball. Doubles (he was second in the league last year with 13), home runs (his 34 last season put him in fifth place in the NL, and his 43 through the past two seasons is the fastest pace ever), both of these in spite of fewer than 500 ABs last year.

Continue reading "The Brawn of Braun"

As the hurricane of destruction that is Roger Clemens' personal and professional life gathers strength like a tropical storm reaching the balmy waters of the Gulf of Mexico, the storm has enveloped its latest victim: country star Mindy McCready. The Daily News reported last week that Clemens had carried on a decade-long affair with McCready, a family friend, ever since she was fifteen and he twenty-eight. (I should add that I'm following the media designation of McCready as a "star," even though I couldn't pick her out of a lineup of McSteamy, Matthew McConaghey, and the McDonald's McRib. Then again, I don't really follow country music--more to the point, I run far, far away from it at every opportunity).

Continue reading "Defending Clemens--Sort of"

For the first time in 15 years, the Giants will play a season without Barry Bonds in the lineup. Early word from Giants camp is that the clubhouse is looser and th

Continue reading "MLB 2008 Preview Part One: National League West"

 For 15 years, the focal point of the Giants was Barry Bonds.  No one knew who was on the Giants because they were never able to sign free agents with big names because they did not want anyone interferring with Bonds image.  Or Bonds did not want anyone to take the spotlight off of him.  When they did sign free agents, it was underachievers.  The Giants let Jeff Kent get away because he was getting in the way of Bonds.  Papers quoted the team as "Bonds and the 24 other players."  Since 2002, the Giants were never able to contend because they spent all their money on Bonds.  These are new days now.

Continue reading "Gone Bonds Gone: Giants Now able to Relax"

       WHO WILL PLAY? 

Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens are two people that changed the sport of baseball forever.  One might look at this statement and say, “Of course they did.  Bonds took down the most prestigious records in baseball by hitting more dingers than good Old Hank.  He has given the sport more publicity and has made it more popular.  Clemens is a superhero for all of us.  A man whose career was falling apart, quickly changed turned it around and showed the 40’s were the new 20’s.  With all those Cy Young’s, he is one of the best pitchers in history.”  I would tell you, “Nope, that isn’t how they changed it.  That is how they ruined the sport.”  You would then look at me funny and walk away.  Go ahead, walk away from the truth.  The truth is these men have tainted this sport and have embarrassed the players in the generation before them.

Continue reading "Bonds or Clemens? Who Will play in 2008?"