Apparently the only thing holding up the deal is Lee’s troubling back. He had an injection in the epidural of his lower back on Monday to help ease the discomfort created by a bulging disk and has missed the past two games.

Lee is in the final year of his contract and is still owed $3.4 million. He has struggled for much of the season while hitting just .251 with 16 dingers in Chicago. But his .939 OPS since the All-Star break is attractive to the Braves, especially with Troy Glaus struggling at the dish.

Lee (who has a no-trade clause in his contract) can reject the deal, just as he did in July when the Cubs were ready to send him to the Angels. But Atlanta has reportedly already been told that he would accept a deal, so the only issue that remains is his back.

It’s doubtful that the Cubs will get much in return for Lee at this point, but the key is that they’ll get a little financial relief heading into what will be a rebuilding year in 2011. The youth movement is already on in Chicago, who has traded Ted Lilly, Ryan Theriot and Mike Fontenot over the past month.

Now if only the Cubs could find someone to take Alfonso Soriano, Koskue Fukudome and Carlos Zambrano off their hands.

In order to help get you ready for the MLB season, we’re doing division-by-division rankings with quick overviews on how each club could fair in 2010. Next to each team, you’ll also find a corresponding number written in parenthesis, which indicates where we believe that club falls in a league-wide power ranking. Be sure to check back throughout the next two weeks leading up to the season, as we will be updating our content daily. Enjoy.

All 2010 MLB Preview Content | AL East Preview | AL Central Preview | AL West Preview | NL East | NL Central | NL West

Next up is the NL East.

1. Philadelphia Phillies (2)
Much like the Yankees in the American League, it’s hard to find bad things to say about the Phillies. They’re the three-time defending NL East champions and considering they’re ready to bring back the same core of players that got them to the World Series the past two years, there’s no reason to doubt them. Oh, and they added Roy Halladay. Roy, I’m going to dominate your face for nine innings, Halladay. If Cole Hamels rebounds and J.A. Happ’s 2009 wasn’t a fluke, the Phillies won’t suffer a setback this season. In fact, the pitching doesn’t even have to be that great with the likes of Jimmy Rollins, Placido Polanco, Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, Jayson Werth and Raul Ibanez taking up the first six spots in the order. The problem, however, is that Hamels might not bounce back and Happ’s ’09 season may have been a fluke. There’s also that nagging Brad Lidge closer issue that could haunt this club as well. That said, odds are that the Fighting Phils will be right back at the top of the NL East again this season. They’re too good, too talented and too experienced to fold and they have a great chance to reclaim their title back from the Yankees.

2. Atlanta Braves (11)
A lot of pundits are high on the Braves this year – and for good reason. In Jair Jurrjens, Tommy Hanson, Tim Hudson, Derek Lowe and Kenshin Kawakami, their starting rotation is one of the best in the National League. Atlanta has the starting pitching to go toe to toe with the Phillies in the division, but the real question is whether or not they have enough offense. Top prospect Jason Heyward looks as good as advertised, but if he’s not ready to produce then Atlanta’s corner outfield situation is questionable at best. This club has a nice blend of young and veteran hitters, including Heyward, Brian McCann, Nate McLouth, Chipper Jones, Yunel Escobar, Martin Prado and Troy Glaus, but they’re one or two big injuries away from falling to the middle of the pack in the National League. This club has more than enough talent to push the Phillies in the division and as of now, are the early favorites to win the NL Wild Card. But players like Jones, Glaus and Billy Wagner have to stay healthy and produce or else the Braves will fail to live up to expectations this season.

3. Florida Marlins (18)
The Marlins are usually pretty easy to project nowadays. They’re always slightly better than what you think they’ll be, but just not as good to rank ahead of some of the more talented teams in the National League. Hanley Ramirez continues to be one of the best players in the game and his supporting cast (Josh Johnson, Chris Coghlan, Dan Uggla and Ricky Nolasco) isn’t bad either. In fact, Ramirez and Johnson are reason alone to go to the ballpark on a weekly basis. But unless players like Cameron Maybin, Jorge Cantu, Emilio Bonifacio (who was confused for Ricky Henderson for about three games at the start of last season) and prospect Logan Morrison produce, then the Marlins will fall to the middle of the pack this year in the NL. Still, while they’re not as talented as the Mets, over the last seven years they’ve won more games and have spent nearly $600 million less over that span. For whatever reason, Florida always finds a way to be competitive with their young roster and while I don’t think they have enough to succeed in the end, I wouldn’t be shocked if they made a run at the Wild Card again like they did last year.

4. New York Mets (20)
If I were a Mets fan, I would have tried to take a bath with one of my kitchen appliances by now. I don’t mean any disrespect – I’m just concerned with their well being after watching this team underachieve over and over and over again. Every year this club has talent and every year they find a way – whether it be through poor managing, injuries or what have you – to screw it up. The Mets have enough star power in David Wright, Jose Reyes (when healthy), Jason Bay, Johan Santana, Francisco Rodriguez and Carlos Beltran to succeed, but bad luck, incompetence in the front office and poor fundamental play always sinks this club. Then again, bad luck won’t have anything to do with why the Mets will fail this year. Simply put, they don’t have enough starting pitching to succeed. There’s no guarantee that Santana will be 100% all season and after him, the rest of the rotation is under whelming to say the least. Sorry Met fans, but the torture looks like it’ll continue for at least another year.

5. Washington Nationals (29)
There are plenty of people high on the Nationals this season, but I’m having a hard time taking a leap of faith. I realize the additions of Jason Marquis, Brian Bruney, Matt Capps and Ivan Rodriguez filled needs, but let’s not confuse these players with Catfish Hunter, Johnny Sain, Dennis Eckersley and, well, Ivan Rodriguez in their primes. I think this club has improved, but some publications believe they’ll finish third in the division and I just don’t see it. Stephen Strasburg isn’t quite ready to save the day yet and therefore the rotation is still similar to the one that allowed 874 runs last year. Marquis should help, but the end of the rotation is scary and Capps might be the only reliever that winds up with a sub 4.00 ERA by the end of the year. While there is hope on the horizon in the form of Strasburg, the Nats just don’t have enough overall talent to get out of the basement of the NL East.

Photo from fOTOGLIF
]]> https://www.scoresreport.com/2009/04/13/report-troy-glaus-used-steroids-in-2003/ Mon, 13 Apr 2009 16:30:56 +0000 https://www.scoresreport.com/?p=16580 According to the New York Times, Cardinals’ third baseman Troy Glaus told investigators that he injected himself once every four days with performance-enhancing drugs starting in November of 2003 and continued using for three months after.

sEven after Major League Baseball and its players union bowed to pressure and started a testing program in 2003, the All-Star third baseman — Troy Glaus of the Anaheim Angels — and the worn-down pitcher — his teammate Scott Schoeneweis — said they continued using steroids. (Steroids had been banned in baseball since 1991, but there was no way to enforce the ban until 2003.)

Glaus said he was “willing to take the risk” because he needed to play, according to a report written by the federal agent who interviewed him. Schoeneweis said he knew when players were tested because he was his team’s union representative, according to the report, though Schoeneweis said in an interview last month that the agent misinterpreted him. A basic tenet of effective drug testing is that the element of surprise is essential.

It was in 2003 that Glaus, a four-time All-Star and the most valuable player of the 2002 World Series, went on the disabled list for the first time in his career. He injured his right shoulder while trying to field a bunt in July and a month later received a diagnosis of a partly torn rotator cuff and fraying labrum. He missed the rest of the season.

Frustrated with his rehabilitation, Glaus contacted Scruggs, whose only request was for a blood sample to see whether Glaus’s testosterone levels were low enough to warrant a prescription for steroids. Medical files seized from Scruggs’s office show the steroids were sent before Scruggs reviewed Glaus’s blood test.

Asked by the investigators whether he was concerned that Scruggs did not ask to see him, Glaus was quoted in the report as saying: “I just wanted to get better, it didn’t alarm me. I just wanted to get better and play.”

None of these steroids reports should surprise anyone anymore. It would be more of a surprise if a ball player said that they didn’t use steroids and they were proven innocent.

– The Twins placed RHP Scott Baker on the 15-day DL with right shoulder stiffness, which means Francisco Liriano will start for Minnesota on Opening Day. (Rotoworld.com)

– It appears that Huston Street has officially beat out Manny Corpas for the right to be named the Rockies’ Opening Day closer. (Denver Post)

– Giants’ closer Brian Wilson (who saved 41 games last season and made the All-Star Game) hasn’t pitched in eight days because of an infected middle finger and could miss Opening Day. San Fran would likely choose either Jeremy Affeldt or Bob Howry to close in Wilson isn’t ready by next Tuesday. (San Francisco Chronicle)

– Cardinals’ third basemen Troy Glaus might not return before the All-Star Break as he continues to rehab following shoulder surgery. (St. Louis Dispatch)

– The Reds are showing interest in outfielder Gary Sheffield, who was released by the Tigers last week. (Reds.mlb.com)

– Fernando Rodney has been named the Tigers’ closer for Opening Day, although manager Jim Leyland indicated that Brandon Lyon could still get the opportunity to close games early on. (Detroit Free Press)

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Offseason Movement: The biggest move the Cardinals made this offseason was acquiring former Padres’ shortstop Khalil Greene, who the club hopes will bring a little pop to the lineup. St. Louis also added pitchers Trever Miller and Dennys Reyes, the latter of which posted a 2.23 ERA in 46 1/3 innings last season in Minnesota.

Top Prospect: Colby Rasmus, OF
Rasmus isn’t just the Cardinals’ top prospect – he’s one of the top prospects in all of baseball. Although St. Louis is expected to go with Chris Duncan as their starting left fielder, Rasmus’ potential is going to force him onto the field in 2009. The 22-year old isn’t expected to produce a high average right away, but he flashes good power and speed, while his defense is above average as well. Rasmus is a stud prospect and could become a household name in the next couple years.

The Big Question: Is Chris Carpenter finally healthy?
The Cardinals’ ace pitched just one game in 2007 and four games in 2008. But so far this spring, Carpenter hasn’t allowed an earned run in 19 innings and his WHIP currently stands at 0.74. With Adam Wainwright and Kyle Lohse coming off solid 2008 campaigns, one would assume that if Carpenter were to stay healthy for an entire season, he could be the key to a postseason run. Then again, nobody knows what kind of form Carpenter will be in once the regular season starts. After all, he’s only pitched in five games in the past two seasons and is no 33-years old. Expecting him to win 21 games again like he did in 2005 would probably be unreasonable. But maybe the 15 games he won in 2006 wouldn’t.

Outlook: The Cardinals should definitely compete with the Cubs in the NL Central this season or at the very least, the Wild Card. But just because they’re contenders doesn’t mean that they don’t come without their question marks. Chris Carpenter has to stay healthy, Kyle Lohse has to prove that his 3.78 ERA last year wasn’t a fluke because he wanted a new contract (his career ERA is 4.67), and it remains to be seen if this club can succeed without any real base-stealing threats (leadoff hitter Skip Schumaker only swiped eight bags last season). That said, the Cards have one of the best pure hitters in all of baseball in Albert Pujols, will get decent power production out of Rick Ankiel, Ryan Ludwick, Troy Glaus and Khalil Greene, and the starting rotation (assuming Carpenter stays healthy and both Lohse and Todd Wellemeyer did what they did last year) is pretty solid. Again, this club is a definite contender, but the Cubs are still the clear favorites in the division and the NL East has three postseason contenders themselves in the Phillies, Mets and Braves. So the competition for the NL Wild Card this year will be tough.

Projection: 2nd NL Central

Tony LaRussa is much more than a World Series-winning manager and current skipper of the St. Louis Cardinals. Along with his wife Elaine, Tony is also is the founder of a foundation that reaches out to animals that are very much in need.

Tony and Elaine started Animal Rescue Foundation (or ARF) in 1991. The goal of ARF is to find families for adoptable animals before they become euthanized and according to the foundation’s website, the foundation now has a 4-star rating by Charity Navigator, which is America’s largest charity evaluator. Considering only 25 percent of charities reach a 4-star rating, it’s quite an achievement.

This Sunday, January 18, Tony will host “Stars to the Rescue”, which is an event that benefits ARF and other St. Louis area animal non-profits. “Stars to the Rescue” will be held at 6:30 p.m. at the Chaifetz Arena on the campus of St. Louis University and will feature music and entertainment such as country music star Vince Gill, rockers Huey Lewis and The News, Kevin Cronin and Dave Amato from REO Speedwagon, as well as comedians Lewis Black and Kathleen Madigan, and 2008 CMA Horizon Award winner Lady Antebellum. For tickets and general information, please call Metrotix at 314-534-1111, or visit the foundation’s website at www.arf.net.

Tony was gracious enough to sit down with us recently to talk about “Stars to the Rescue”, ARF, and whether or not he would ever consider concentrating solely on his charitable work in the wake of Tony Dungy retiring from coaching to work more on his off-field contributions.

We also had the opportunity to ask him some baseball questions, including what it meant to add shortstop Khalil Greene this offseason, how the Cards look heading into the new season and what the health status was of Albert Pujols.

Tony LaRussa: Hey, this is Tony.

The Scores Report: Hey, Tony this is Anthony – thanks for sitting down with us, we really appreciate it!

TL: Not a problem – looking forward to it.

TSR: For those who aren’t familiar with Animal Rescue Foundation or “Stars to the Rescue”, can you explain what you guys do?

TL: We try to save animals that are adoptable, but ones that if they don’t find homes with families they get euthanized. That’s the traditional approach – that’s how we first got started. In St. Louis, we do a show where we partner with about a dozen other local rescue groups. Through sponsorships like AT&T and Purina, we’re able to give blocks of tickets to these rescue groups and whatever they sell they get to keep 100% for their programs. So it’s about animal rescue and at the same time, what ARF has become to be known for is we also use these animals as the rescuers of people with much different needs — whether it’s kids, seniors (who need) companionship, someone that has been hospitalized or other special needs (such as) victims of violence, (these animals become rescuers themselves). So that’s really our mission.

TSR: And what motivated you to start a foundation like ARF?

TL: Well, I grew up always wanting a pet in the house and then when I got married with Elaine, she had a dog and a cat and I realized that having a couple of companions be a part of your family was as special as it comes. So, as you learn more about them you realize just how many – like in the millions – adoptable animals there are. There’s an overpopulation and they’re not adopted enough so they’re being euthanized, and that’s part of the issue. So one of the ways, besides the public effort, is to form a non-profit (organization) to complement the public effort and that’s why we started ARF.

TSR: Do you work with any other athletes, managers, or coaches who specifically target animals in their charitable efforts?

TL: Well, we’ve been really fortunate (because) we’ve gotten a lot of help from different athletes and coaches in all sports. But recently a good example (of athletes getting involved) just happened last week. We had CC Sabathia, Jake Peavy, Barry Zito and Nick Swisher come together and make a donation for something we call Camp ARF at our facility in Walnut Creek, California. It’s a Monday through Friday program where kids spend the day learning, meeting and interacting with the animals. It’s become really popular – so much so that we have a waiting list – but it’s also one of the few things ARF does where we earn a fee. There are some kids that are kind of stretched for income or (for whatever reason can’t) be a part of the program, so these four baseball players are going to fund scholarships for a bunch of these students.

TSR: That’s absolutely outstanding and I’m sure a lot of people appreciate what those four athletes, as well as other athletes, do for the community. I’ll tell you what, that wouldn’t be a bad starting pitching rotation for the Cardinals either.

TL: Yeah, those are some stalwarts there.

TSR: (laughs) Absolutely! Do you feel that more athletes will get involved in ARF or charitable foundations like this?

TL: You know, the way I usually answer that question is – just get involved in something. Make it a cause that you have a passion for, (whether) it’s something in your family or somebody that has had an issue or a problem…get involved somehow. So yeah, if you wanted to make animal rescue or specifically get involved in ARF, we have a website at www.arf.net. We would love to have you with us, but the key is to get involved in something and don’t just be involved in taking from the community – give something back.

TSR: And that was going to be my next question. You see so many young athletes come into sports and they’re fortunate enough to make a lot of money – how important is it in your mind that athletes get involved in something and give back to the community?

TL: Well I think it’s absolutely critical. I learned that from people like Jerry Reinsdorf (who was) our owner in Chicago and Walter Hobbs in Oakland.

TSR: Right.

TL: You’re in a very special position as an athlete. Number one, you’re usually in the public eye so people are aware of you. You can lead by example so people can see your involvement and that’ll lead to more people being interested and getting involved. At the same time, just your personal (contributions)…you know, it doesn’t have to be money. It can be money, but you can always give your time, your energy, your connections – all of those things really add up. So, I think the worse thing you can do is not be involved and you don’t want to help anybody but yourself.

TSR: Absolutely. I wanted to ask you about Tony Dungy, who recently retired as head coach of the Indianapolis Colts so that he could spend more time on his off-field foundations and charitable events. Is ARF something that you can focus on while managing or could you see yourself eventually going the route Dungy did and retiring to focus solely on your foundation?

TL: That’s a good question, really, because we’ve wrestled with that as an organization, whether it’s our staff volunteers or especially our board of directors. When you’re actively working like in baseball – we have such a long season, we play so many games – there are 162 games where before and after I talk to the press. So I have opportunities to not only be known, but also spread a certain message. And there’s always media looking for some notes rather than just the pure game story. So, if you don’t have that kind of platform, you wonder about the effectiveness (the foundation can have). But if you had more time, maybe you can take some of your personal contacts and develop them better. I just keep it simple – right now I’m managing and I do have an opportunity to develop a lot of relationships and spread the word, and quite a few are joining up and helping.

TSR: It must be great to not only do something you love like be around baseball, but also give back to a foundation you truly care about. I think Tony Dungy is one of the best stories in sports and I always enjoy reading news about guys like you and him, as well as other athletes and coaches who reach out to the community and find a cause to get involved in.

TL: Well I appreciate it and if you grow up in team sports…I’m not a golfer or tennis player…but I’ve always been involved in team sports, so what you have away from the playing field, it often becomes a team (in itself). You know, we now have about 60 staff (members) and about 600 volunteers but we’re still all very personable, very connected to what we’re trying to do. And it’s been interesting because from day one – we’re 18 years old now –we’ve always tried to be innovative. We’ve always tried to find a different way and a new way, so it’s been a neat place to be around because there’s a lot of creativity.

TSR: If you could talk a little about “Stars to the Rescue”…which once again is this Sunday January 18 in St. Louis…there will be a lot of different stars there from Vince Gill to Huey Lewis and the News to Lewis Black the comedian. Who are you looking forward to working with the most?

TL: That’s like asking which one of your kids you like better.

TSR: (laughs)

TL: They’re all wonderful. “Stars to the Rescue” is set up like an all-star baseball game – you don’t ask anyone to do their full game or full show. Just like an all-star pitcher will only (be asked to pitch) a few innings; we’ll get each (musical performer) to do about 30 minute sets and then the comedians – Lewis (Black) and Kathleen (Madigan) – will (do their sets) for about 15 or 20 minutes in between. We’ve (used this format) for years in California and we’ve done four of them in St. Louis. It really works for the audience because they get a nice section of entertainment – you know, Vince (Gill) will do his country and Huey Lewis and the News will do rock and we also have Kevin and Dave from REO Speedwagon, so they’ll do a nice healthy segment. And then we’re really lucky because we got Lady Antebellum, who won the Horizon Award (this year), which is just like the Rookie of the Year Award. So it’s a terrific show and we’re pricing it right – there’s nothing elitist about it. The tickets are $55, $40 and $25 and it’s (held at the) Chaifetz Arena, which is a brand new arena on the campus of St. Louis University. So there are a lot of things that make it a very special night and the sponsorships (as well as the) money (from the event) will go right to the (animal) programs. It’s also the weekend of our “Winter Warmup”, which is like our fanfest, so we’ll have a lot of Cardinals players that are in town for their warmup. They’ll come to the show and our fans will enjoy seeing them (at the event) as opposed to being at the ballpark.

TSR: Do you know right now what specific players will be there?

TL: Well, yeah, you can go up and down the list. Our starting pitchers – whether it’s Chris Carpenter, Kyle Lohse or Adam Wainwright – they’ll be there. A lot of our relievers will be there – Jason Motte, Kyle McClellan, Ryan Franklin and Chris Perez. I’m not sure if Yadier (Molina) will be there because he’ll be in Puerto Rico, but Albert (Pujols) will be there and our new shortstop Khalil Greene…Troy Glaus I’m hoping will be there…a lot of great outfielders will be there. We should get a good turnout. Some of our Hall of Famers will be around, so it should be a real nice night.

TSR: How important is it to you for your players to show up to an event that you’re hosting like “Stars to the Rescue?”

TL: It’s kind of heart-warming, really. (The Cardinals) have a history of being a very family oriented team. It’s a family, besides our family, you know? We spend a lot of time together and you have your real family, and then your team family. Guys do a terrific job of supporting each other. A lot of the guys have causes or foundations and if they have an event, (their teammates) will all show up. So, they help me as well and I’d do anything for them.

TSR: My girlfriend lives in St. Louis and has always been a Cardinal fan – her favorite player is Ozzie Smith – so I’ve got to ask how the ’09 Cards will look this year.

TL: Well, we have a good nucleus. We’ve been trying hard to add a good piece or two because every time you do that you get better. We ended up being very competitive last year (even though) we were a little young. Now guys are a year older and they’re more experienced, plus we’re starting from a healthy place. Adding a piece or two has been tough because (the league) is very competitive, but we did acquire Khalil Greene from San Diego so we got a young, powerful shortstop.

TSR: How big is it to add a little pop to the shortstop position?

TL: Well, if he’s got power it helps. But if he hits 15 home runs and .220 he really doesn’t help as much as if he hits .300 because base hits get rallies going. I think the key thing for a guy like Khalil…when he hits it he’s got extra-base carry, but he has to first make sure he gets enough contact to where he’s putting the ball in play.

TSR: I know you haven’t seen him in any workouts yet, but how is the health of Albert Pujols?

TL: Well, we keep tabs. He really works hard at it and he’s feeling great, so if we can keep him healthy – knock on wood – he’ll have another great year. He really does everything possible to stay (in shape).

TSR: That always seems to be the challenge for every team entering the season – keeping their guys healthy for 162-plus games a year.

TL: Yeah, part of it is health (and the physical part of the game) and some of it is mental. (The season) is such a grind, so we really try to do things to keep guys fresh mentally and hopefully they don’t get into a rut. There are some things that you do – not gimmicks, not tricks – but strategies that we use to keep them mentally, as well as physically strong and ready to go.

TSR: Well Tony I really appreciate your taking the time to talk with me and I encourage everyone to go and check out “Stars to the Rescue” this Sunday. Is there anything else that you wanted to add about the event this weekend or any other general information about ARF?

TL: Only that you can get tickets at 314-534-1111 – that’s Metrotix. It’s a Sunday night on Martin Luther King weekend; it’s a very quiet weekend in St. Louis but the fans are in town, the players are in town and it’ll be a great show. It’ll be a very, very personable show. If you know Huey (Lewis) and Vince (Gill) and the REO guys – they really connect with the audience.

TSR: What seems great about the event is that there are so many athletes and entertainers that you really have something there for everyone and people can go out, have a good time and get involved in a great cause.

TL: I agree and the next thing to do is to get the word out and that’s why I appreciate today and your helping me do that.

TSR: It’s our pleasure and I’ll make sure to get the word out the best we can and help you draw people to the event. Again, we really appreciate your taking the time to chat with us.

TL: Thank you and take care, Anthony.

TSR: Thank you, Tony.

For tickets and general information, please call Metrotix at 314-534-1111, or visit the foundation’s website at www.arf.net.