Category: MLB (Page 80 of 448)

      NFL has 14 players suspended to start season, but MLB has steroids!

      September 7, 2010 /
      August 16, 2010: New York Jets wide receiver Santonio Holmes (10) with a smile after missing a catch in the end zone during the NFL preseason game between the New York Giants and the New York Jets at the New Meadowlands Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The Giants beat the Jets, 31-16.

      One of the biggest double standards in all of sports is how the NFL gets a free pass when it comes to criticizing players for off-field problems, yet because baseball had the steroid era MLB players might as well be the devil reincarnate.

      Fourteen players will start the 2010 NFL season suspended:

      Ben Roethlisberger – wasn’t charged, but accused of sexual assault twice in one year

      Cary Williams – domestic dispute

      Quinn Ojinnaka – arrested and charged with battery, accused of throwing his wife down the stairs of their house and throwing her out

      Aqib Talib – punched a cab driver, charged with resisting arrest without violence and simple battery

      Jonathan Babineaux – substance abuse

      Robert James – PEDs

      Santonio Holmes – violated substance abuse policy

      Shawn Nelson – failed drug test (supposedly marijuana)

      LenDale White – failed drug test (supposedly marijuana)

      Vincent Jackson – two DUIs

      Leroy Hill – arrested on marijuana-possession charge

      Johnny Jolly – felony drug charge

      Brian Cushing – PEDs

      Gerald McRath – PEDs

      Let’s see, we’ve got battery, sexual assault, failed drug tests, PEDs and one punched cab driver. And yet somehow, Pacman Jones’ name didn’t make the list.

      When an NFL player is suspended, one of the first things that fans ask is, “How long will he be out for?”

      When a MLB player is caught using steroids, it’s: “He disrespected the game! Cut off his f**king hands! Prepare him for sacrifice to the baseball Gods!”

      Mark McGwire tried to get a job earlier this year as the Cardinals’ hitting coach and you would have sworn that he set a school on fire that happened to be next to a church, which also burned down. Yet Santonio Holmes is being viewed as the ultimate late round sleeper in fantasy football drafts because he’s going to be out for the first four games for violating the league’s substance abuse policy.

      Look, I realize that steroids can have a profound effect on scared records, wins and whether or not players have an unnatural advantage over another player.

      But I’m sorry, steroids take a back seat to domestic violence, battery and sexual abuse. Wrong is wrong and cheating the game of baseball is definitely grounds for being scrutinized for the rest of your life but come on – NFL players are breaking the law and it’s not even Page 7B news anymore.

      The double standard between how NFL and MLB players are viewed is appalling.

      External Sports, MLB, NFL

      Report: Colby Rasmus requested a trade earlier this season

      September 5, 2010 /
      St. Louis Cardinals center fielder Colby Rasmus makes the out against Chicago Cubs batter Aramis Ramirez during the first inning of their MLB National League baseball game in St. Louis, Missouri, August 15, 2010. REUTERS/Sarah Conard (UNITED STATES - Tags: SPORT BASEBALL)

      The St. Louis Post-Dispatch is reporting that Cardinals’ centerfielder Colby Rasmus requested a trade earlier this season due to frustrations with manager Tony La Russa.

      The La Russa-Rasmus relationship remains a source of intrigue. During spring training Rasmus made clear the issues he confronted as a rookie. He and his father, Tony, then began a series of July hitting tutorials at a county high school that annoyed the manager. Club sources insist that Rasmus’ frustrations with La Russa led him to request a trade earlier this year and that his lengthy absence last month due to a right calf strain also resurrected concerns. The organization has long considered Rasmus untouchable in trade talks. Few dispute his talents and potential but there remains a question of toughness and willingness to accept criticism. There are those who share the same clubhouse who wonder if La Russa has “lost” Rasmus, or if Rasmus has permanently withdrawn from the taskmaster.

      I’ve never understood why La Russa continues to give Rasmus as many days off as he has. Here the Cardinals are yesterday, playing the Reds in a pivotal series and Nick Stavinoha (0-for-3) is starting over Rasmus (double in the ninth as a pinch hitter). Even if Rasmus is a mental midget (I’m not saying he is – just going off the report above), he’s too talented to ride the bench as much as he does.

      This is an interesting storyline in St. Louis and certainly one worth following with La Russa questionable to return next season.

      External Sports, MLB

      Mikey’s MLB power rankings

      September 4, 2010 /

      The Yankees just keep winning, and suddenly the Padres keep losing, sitting with an 8-game losing streak, but still clinging to a three-game lead over the Giants. We may wind up with very few pennant races, but we are likely to have lots of new match-ups in the postseason this year. For that, I’m excited. And let me go out on a limb here. Watch out for the Rockies. They have this knack for winning 98% of their games in September and climbing fast in the standings.

      1. New York Yankees (85-50)—They haven’t lost since I did my last rankings. The Rays caught up, but then the Yanks jumped back out to a 1.5-game lead. I know I’ve been high on the Rays, but the Yankees ain’t gonna fold. And CC for Cy Young?

      2. Tampa Bay Rays (83-51)—With a 7-game lead in the wild card, that’s got to be what the Rays are gunning for. And they’d have to suffer a major collapse for that to happen at this point.

      3. Cincinnati Red (78-56)—No longer a flash in the pan, the Reds are not just for real, they are striking fear in every other MLB team. How about the addition of Aroldis Chapman? Did anyone thing he would be helping this team in a pennant race in September?

      4. Minnesota Twins (78-57)—The White Sox have Manny Ramirez now, but that won’t stop the Twins from pulling away this month.

      5. Atlanta Braves (78-57)—Hanging tough as the Phillies make a charge. This could be one division race worth biting your nails over.

      6. San Diego Padres (76-57)—Speaking of biting nails, how are you Padres’ fans feeling these days? Yikes.

      7. Texas Rangers (75-59)—Now with a 9-game lead, Nolan Ryan can print those playoff tickets.

      8. Philadelphia Phillies (77-58)—This team has caught fire at the right time, and we all knew they had it in them. One game back, and the Braves could wind up missing the postseason entirely after a great year.

      9. Boston Red Sox (76-58)—A good season, and they’d be in the divisional hunt in every other division but the AL East.

      10. San Francisco Giants (74-61)—With the Padres losing 8 in a row, the Giants have still not been able to capitalize. And now they trail the Phillies by 3 games in the wild card hunt.

      External Sports, MLB

      Nyjer Morgan gets close lined by Gabby Sanchez [video]

      September 2, 2010 /

      Nyjer Morgan probably expected the Marlins to seek revenge on him after he bowled over their catcher Brett Hayes on Tuesday night and separated his shoulder.

      So what does he do? Well, go apesh*t of course.

      Here’s the scene from last night’s Marlins-Nationals brawl, which is making national headlines:

      Only a marginal leadoff hitter on a last place team like Nyjer Morgan could garner this much attention.

      The ironic thing is, Morgan also took out Cardinals catcher Bryan Anderson last Saturday night on a similar play and had this to say following the game:

      “You go out there and play hard and don’t try to hurt somebody. It happened to maybe look like that. I don’t want to be perceived as a dirty player. It was just an intense play. From what I saw, I saw [Albert] Pujols threw a nice little pump fake. I was going full-speed around third. It was just what I saw. I thought maybe the ball was coming. I saw the catcher maybe tense up. I could have took the kid out if I wanted to, but I kind of grazed him. It wasn’t, in my eyes, intentional. From what I saw, I guess have should have slid. Next time, I’ll slide.”

      Only next time he once again decided to take the catcher out instead of sliding. And had he slide on Tuesday night, he would have scored and the Nationals may have won instead of dropping the game, 1-0.

      The shot he took from Sanchez was well deserved and like the announcer from the broadcast said, baseball needs to do something about Morgan (a suspension that lasts the rest of the season should do the trick) because obviously the guy doesn’t get it. Collisions at home plate happen, but guys can’t be looking to deck unprotected players – I don’t care if the catchers do have gear on. If you come full steam at somebody that’s not looking, you’re going to cause more damage than he is. Plus, the main point is that Morgan didn’t have to go into home that way. He could have slide both times, despite his claims that he could have gotten hurt when he bashed into Anderson.

      It’s too bad, because if Morgan stopped doing stupid things he’d probably be a popular player. Dude is actually pretty funny…

      External Sports, MLB, Video

      Secondary pitches will keep Chapman in big leagues – not 105 mph fastball

      August 31, 2010 /
      LOUISVILLE, KY - APRIL 16: Aroldis Chapman #51 of the Louisville Bats is pictured before the game against the Columbus Clippers at Louisville Slugger Field on April 16, 2010 in Louisville, Kentucky. The game was cancelled due to bad weather (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

      I love the Reds’ decision to call up Aroldis Chapman for the stretch run. Why not bring him up? First of all, the kid has posted a 2.40 ERA and 49 strikeouts in the minors over 30 innings after being converted into a reliever. Cincinnati also gave him a six-year, $30 million contract last winter so let’s see what he can do.

      But while his fastball (which was reportedly clocked at 105 mph last Friday) has garnered the most attention, it will be his secondary pitches that will help the Reds now, and subsequently keep him in the big leagues for good.

      It doesn’t matter how hard a pitcher throws – major league hitters are going to catch up at some point. If a hitter doesn’t have to worry about a player’s secondary pitches, then they’ll just sit dead red on the fastball and drive it into the gap.

      That’s not to suggest that a fastball isn’t important because it is, of course. But when hitters have other pitches to worry about, then a 105 mph fastball may as well be 205 mph.

      Continue reading »

      External Sports, MLB

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