Author: Anthony Stalter (Page 805 of 1503)

      Former Cub Sandberg says Sosa doesn’t belong in Hall of Fame

      June 24, 2009 /

      Former Cubs infielder Ryne Sandberg recently said on a Chicago radio show that Sammy Sosa shouldn’t be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame after the New York Times reported last week that he tested positive for PEDs in 2003.

      Appearing on the “Waddle & Silvy” show on ESPN 1000, Sandberg was asked whether Sosa belongs in the Hall of Fame. “I don’t think so,” he said.

      “They use the word ‘integrity’ in describing a Hall of Famer in the logo of the Hall of Fame, and I think there are gonna be quite a few players that are not going to get in,” Sandberg said. “It’s been evident with the sportswriters who vote them in, with what they’ve done with Mark McGwire getting in the 20 percent range.

      “We have some other players … like [Rafael] Palmeiro coming up soon, and it’ll be up to the sportswriters to speak loud and clear about that. I don’t see any of those guys getting in.”

      “I was around Sammy for about five years before I retired, and there wasn’t anything going on then,” Sandberg said. “I did admire the hard work he put in. He was one of the first guys down to the batting cage, hitting extra. I figured he was working out hard in the offseason to get bigger. It was just happening throughout the game, that even myself was blinded by what was really happening, maybe starting in the ’98 season.

      “I think it’s very unfortunate. I think suspicions were there as they are with some other players. Those players are now put in a category of being tainted players with tainted stats. I think it’s obviously something that was going on in the game. Players participated in it and, as the names have come out, I think that they will be punished for that.”

      Isn’t it ironic that Sosa and McGwire essentially saved baseball after the ’94 strike with their steroid-invested home run derby, yet they’ll probably both be denied of baseball’s most cherished honor because they cheated to accomplish what they did?

      Sandberg didn’t say anything that we weren’t already thinking ourselves. Sosa might have been one of the hardest working players in the game when he played, but he juiced (allegedly) and therefore doesn’t deserve to be inducted into the hall. Sosa wanted to hit a bunch of home runs and inflate his power numbers, so he took PEDs and accomplished what he set out to do. But now he has to pay and part of the punishment is not having his name listed aside Willie Mays, Ernie Banks and Mickey Mantle.

      Sorry, but that’s just the way it is. I agree with Sandberg and while baseball didn’t have a steroid policy in place before 2003 and those tests were supposed to be anonymous, the bottom line is that Sosa cheated. We shouldn’t turn a blind eye to that like baseball turned a blind eye to their steroid mess in the first place.

      MLB

      Dolphins’ first round pick Vontae Davis was arrested on June 9

      June 23, 2009 /

      Dolphins’ rookie cornerback Vontae Davis was arrested in Champaign on June 9 for “unnecessary vehicular noise” and driving without a valid license according to The Daily Illini.

      The incident occurred at 6:47 p.m. The report summary said the stop was a “Terry Stop,” which Champaign Police Department spokesperson Rene Dunn defined as a routine traffic stop.

      The loud music isn’t a huge deal, I mean, who hasn’t blasted a little REO Speedwagon on the car stereo from time to time? But the fact that the moron was riding around without a valid license while blasting music (which certainly drew attention to himself) shows a major lack of judgment. I’ve never made it a habit to drive without a valid license but if I ever do, I can assure you that my hands will be at 10 and 2, while the music is at whisper-level.

      On the surface, this might not be a huge deal and we don’t need to paint Davis with a Pacman Jones-type brush. But Ron Zook benched Davis twice while he played at Illinois because he had behavior issues and word has it that second rounder Sean Smith has outplayed him so far in offseason OTAs. Thus, this hasn’t been a good start to Davis’ pro career and it sounds like the young man has some growing up to do.

      Davis might have to pay a trip to Bill Parcells’ office soon for a come to Jesus meeting.

      Update: Apparently Davis wasn’t even in the state of Illinois on June 9. The Daily Illini screwed the pooch on this one, and made me look like a fool in the process – a fool! My apologizes to Vontae Davis for believing anything the Daily Illini printed…a fool!

      NFL

      MLB Trade Rumors: Beltre, DeRosa and Washburn

      June 23, 2009 /

      – According to SI.com, the Mariners have yet to receive any interest for third baseman Adrian Beltre, who Seattle would love to move because he’s in the last year of his $64 million contract.

      – One name that continues to be involved almost daily on the rumor mill is Indians utility man Mark DeRosa. According to ESPN’s Buster Olney, the Cardinals and Yankees have expressed interest in DeRosa, but neither are willing to give up young pitching like Cleveland covets.

      – The Mets are rumored to be interested in DeRosa, Nationals first baseman Nick Johnson and Orioles one-bagger Aubrey Huff, but Newsday’s Ken Davidoff writes that the club shouldn’t make any stupid trades just to fill a spot while Carlos Beltran is on the DL.

      – MLB.com reports that the Diamondbacks could become sellers soon and that pitchers Doug Davis and Jon Garland, as well as second baseman Felipe Lopez could all be on the trade block.

      – The Phillies want to add an arm, but the pitchers they’re looking at (Erik Bedard, Jake Peavy, Aaron Harang, Bronson Arroyo and Jason Marquis) are either hurt or playing for contending teams.

      – The Dodgers have interest in Seattle pitcher Jarrod Washburn according to MLB Fanhouse and Juan Pierre’s name has come up as a potential trade piece.

      MLB

      Brandon Marshall a Bear? Don’t count on it.

      June 23, 2009 /

      Bears quarterback Jay Cutler made some comments recently at a football camp about his former Bronco teammate Brandon Marshall and now several media outlets are trying to drum up the idea that Cutler is campaigning for Chicago to trade for the wideout.

      This is what Cutler said:

      “I played with Brandon for three years and I think he’s one of the best receivers in the NFL. I think he can be one of the greatest ever to play.

      “He’s big and fast, and can do everything you want him to do, on the field and in the meeting room. I don’t know what we’re going to do. That’s up to the guys upstairs. If we make a run at him, we make a run at him.”

      Cutler also made it clear that he has a lot of faith in current Chicago receiver Devin Hester:

      “I’ve watched every game from last year and seen him in action quite a bit,” Cutler said. “It’s a tough transition from (defensive back) to receiver. He’s still learning, but overall I can’t be happier with how we’re working together and his progression.

      “I think he’s definitely a legitimate No. 1 receiver in the NFL.”

      That’s it – that’s what Jay said. To me, that’s not Cutler campaigning for Chicago to make a play for Marshall – that’s Cutler stating that Marshall is a great receiver and if the Bears do make a move for him, then so be it.

      But even if Cutler were making a case for his new team to trade for his old teammate, it wouldn’t matter because Marshall isn’t going to Chicago. The Bears simply don’t have enough trade pieces to send to Denver because they already traded away two first round picks to acquire Cutler. So unless the Bears would be willing to give up linebacker Brian Urlacher or another veteran of his ilk, then Marshall is headed for another destination other than the “Windy City.”

      Furthermore, Chicago GM Jerry Angelo has already stated that the Bears won’t go after Marshall. Sure, he could change his mind. But it would seem at this point that Plaxico Burress is more of an option for the Bears than Marshall is given that Burress would require no compensation to acquire and the team could simply dump him at the end of ’09 assuming they sign him to only a one-year deal. (Theoretically, the Bears could do the same for Marshall because he’ll be a free agent after 2009 too, but why trade for him if you’re not going to sign him to a long-term deal?)

      The media is trying hard to make story here, but there isn’t one at this point. There are no signs that Marshall is going to Chicago.

      NFL

      The Donald Fehr aftermath

      June 23, 2009 /

      Donald Fehr has been the executive director of the Major League Baseball Players Association since 1986. In that time, Fehr led the players union through the 1994 strike and the subsequent cancellation of the World Series. He’ll also forever be known as one of the significant behind-the-scenes pieces of baseball’s steroid era.

      On Monday, ESPN reported that Fehr will be stepping down from his position as the MLBPA executive director.

      Here’s what sports columnists are saying across the nation on the topic:

      – The Chicago Tribune wonders aloud if Fehr’s retirement is tied to the media leaking the news that Sammy Sosa tested positive for PEDs in 2003.

      – Phil Sheridan of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes that Fehr’s legacy was more about making money for the players and less about overall ethics.

      – ESPN’s Buster Onley writes that Fehr fulfilled his responsibility as union head, which was to serve as an advocate to the players.

      – Hal Bodley of MLB.com details Fehr’s ups and downs as MLBPA executive director.

      – Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com writes that if not for steroids issue, Fehr might “rightly be hailed as one of the greatest leaders in the history of American labor. He certainly presided over the wealthiest union.”

      MLB, News

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