Tag Archives: Melky Cabrera

Apr 15

Is The Steroid Era Actually The Real Deadball Era?

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alex rodriguez

ADD DESTROYING CRIMINAL EVIDENCE TO A-ROD’S RAP LIST?

On Friday afternoon, Michael Schmidt of the New York Times broke the story and identified Alex Rodriguez as the player who allegedly purchased documents from a former employee of Biogenesis of America in an attempt to destroy evidence linking him to the anti-aging clinic’s distribution of performance-enhancing drugs.

When the Miami New Times broke the story in January, I remember saying “this is the White Whale. This is the one that will blow the lid completely off the entire steroid and PED scandal.”

Since that day more than a dozen players have been implicated and tied to Biogensis including Rodriguez, Melky Cabrera, Gio Gonzalez, Bartolo Colon, Nelson Cruz and Yasmani Grandal and 2012 MVP Ryan Braun.

While they all continue denying everything and scrambling for and convenient excuse they can find, the plot keeps thickening and the sordid details are piling up by the hundreds. Real details and real documents that even MLB themselves are trying to illegally buy at any price to get to the bottom of this and protect what little integrity the game has left.

The person charged with the role of Super Spy is none other than Bud Selig himself who who has been authorizing and signing off on huge sums of cash that is being used to secure whatever documents they can get their hands on from former employees of the lab who are now all seeking to cash to pay off their significant mounting legal fees.

And while Alex Rodriguez is no less guilty of doing the same thing, there is a huge difference.

MLB wants those documents so they can go after every player that is implicated and try to clean up the game.

A-Rod on the other hand, was seeking to get those documents and destroy them before the FBI or MLB got a hold of them.

But wait, there’s more…

Of course, Rodriguez flatly denied the accusation through a spokesman, but then he dropped another bombshell alleging that it was the New York Yankees that were paying for and buying those documents from the rogue former employee. Wow…

Oh and one more thing… Let’s stop calling them documents and lets start referring to them instead as illegally obtained evidence to hinder an ongoing federal, state and MLB investigation.

These are all allegations at this time, but when this is all over, I think more than a few people, including players, will be looking at life from a different perspective…

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Mar 03

Delcos Sunday Column: Selig The Cause And Cure For Drug Problem

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Major League Baseball already has the strictest doping policies among the four major professional sports, yet commissioner Bud Selig wants them even tighter.

Even prior to the expiration of the current CBA, Selig asked his VP of labor relations, Rob Manfred, and MLB Players Association chief Michael Weiner to hammer out a new agreement.

“I’ve always wanted (fans) to understand that I’ll always regard cleaning up this situation as something I’m very proud of,’’ Selig told reporters.

Selig wants his legacy to be that he’s the commissioner that got rid performance-enhancing drugs, which sound about right because it was under his watch that the problem mushroom into its current mess.

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Feb 20

Mets Prospect Cesar Puello Linked To PEDs

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This is a good way to get a career started. Mets outfield prospect Cesar Puello is linked to Anthony Bosch’s biogenesis clinic in South Florida, joining such luminaries as Alex Rodriguez, Ryan Braun, Melky Cabrera and former Met prospect Fernando Martinez.

In an e-mail statement, the Mets said: “Because of the ongoing investigation, we have no comment. We refer all questions to Major League Baseball.’’

Puello was injured for much of 2012 while playing for Single-A St. Lucie, and Martinez, you’ll recall, was frequently injured during his unsuccessful tenure with the Mets.

FRANCISCO TO THROW: Reliever Frank Francisco could begin throwing this weekend. He is down with elbow inflammation. If Francisco opens the season on the disabled list, which remains a distinct possibility, it could create a spot for submariner Greg Burke.

NOTEBOOK: Daniel Murphy received a cortisone injection yesterday in New York and is expected to be out seven to ten days. … If Pedro Felciano shows he has something left he could join Josh Edgin as a lefty in the bullpen. Terry Collins feels limited with only one lefty reliever. … The Mets have an intrasquad game Friday and start the exhibition schedule Saturday against Washington.

Sorry for the short post, I’ll have something else for you around noon. Have a great day.

Jan 29

Alex Rodriguez In PED Trouble Again

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This much we can say about Major League Baseball’s drug policy. It is working. Players are failing tests and being suspended. And, accusations of players using performance-enhancing drugs at an anti-aging clinic in Miami are being investigated.

A-ROD: Not smiling today.

A-ROD: Not smiling today.

Also clear is PEDs won’t go away, with players thinking the risk of being caught and docked 50 games pay is worth it for the performance numbers and an enhanced contract.

There is no greater example than Melky Cabrera, who paid his fine and sat out 50 games and the postseason only to be rewarded with a two-year, $16-million contract.

Perhaps, what should be open for discussion is to strengthen the penalties.

Alex Rodriguez, who admitted using steroids from 2001-2003 before joining the Yankees, yet vehemently denied taking the drug. He finally came clean.

He along with Cabrera, Nelson Cruz and Gio Gonzalez, were linked by a Miami News Times report they sold performance-enhancing drugs. Reportedly, Rodriguez used human growth hormones.

In material supplied the paper from an employee at the clinic, Rodriguez’s name appeared 16 times. Rodriguez retained heavyweight lawyer Roy Black, who denied the Yankee third baseman used. Even so, 16 mentions represent more than a coincidence.

The documents indicate Rodriguez’s alleged use of HGH began in 2009, the year he helped carry the Yankees to a World Series title.

Rodriguez, who recently underwent hip surgery (his second), might not be able to play this season. If found guilty of HGH use he won’t be suspended 50 games while on the disabled use, but could be fined 50 games salary.

Rodriguez once took great care in protecting his image, but that doesn’t appear the case anymore after being caught in Toronto with a stripper while still married, high-profile relationships with actresses while at the same time attempting to pick up women from the dugout in the ALCS.

Now comes this. As of now, the man many thought could become the all-time home run champion is hurt, connected to PEDs a second time. Rodriguez has his hired gun, but there is over $100 million at stake for the remainder of his contract. It wouldn’t be surprising if the Yankees explore their legal options under the presumption they were mislead when they signed Rodriguez, thinking he was clean.

Teams have been reluctant to challenge players on this issue because of the strength of the MLB Players Association. Now might be the time to go to court.

Dec 31

Saying Good-bye To 2012; Saluting The Giants And Dickey And Farewell To Carter

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With 2012 in the ninth inning, let’s take a look at some of the more interesting and important baseball stories of the year.

There were many to choose from, ranging from the feel-good, to the sad, to the historic, to the inane. There are dozens that will fall into the category of being a trivia question answer, but let’s settle on ten:

1) GIANTS WIN THE SERIES:  This might be my favorite because I like the way they play the game. Their blueprint is pitching and defense, which is always the best way to build a winner. The Giants simply play the game the right way. And, when they lost their best hitter, Melky Cabrera, to a suspension for using performance enhancing drugs, they declined to bring him back for the playoffs when it would be tempting to do so. And, when ace Tim Lincecum struggled and was taken out of the rotation, instead of crying he shut his mouth and went to the bullpen.

2) SELIG STRONGARMS DODGER SALE: There’s no denying Frank McCourt wasn’t a terrible owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers, but it was still his team and he was on the verge of negotiating a contract with FOX that would ease the team of its financial problems. For some reason, this wasn’t good enough for Commissioner Bud Selig, and certainly not an exercise in fair play when other ownership groups have been as miserable, or worse. The sale was to a group headed by Magic Johnson, and one of their first moves was the horrible acquisition of Josh Beckett and Carl Crawford. Meanwhile, the baseball team in Flushing …

3) THE YEAR OF THE PITCHER: There were three perfect games thrown in 2012, by former Mets prospect Phil Humber, Matt Cain and Felix Hernandez. There were four other no-hitters last summer, including the first by a Met in Johan Santana. It took a blown call to change a hit into a foul ball. Perhaps the best performance by a pitcher was the yearlong mastery of Mets knuckleballer R. A. Dickey who won 20 games and the Cy Young Award and for his efforts was traded to Toronto.

4) THE BIRDS FLY AGAIN: After 14 straight losing seasons, including the previous four in last place in the AL East, the Orioles flipped their record from 69-93 to 93-69, with 29 of those victories coming by one run. The Orioles also won 16 straight extra-inning games, and took the Yankees to the limit in the AL Division Series. They did all this with a patchwork rotation and losing their best player, Nick Markakis, for most of the last month of the season.

5) COMEBACKS IN ALL FORMS:  The Oakland Athletics came from 13 games behind to overtake Texas to win the AL West. They closed the season with a six-game winning streak, including a three-game sweep of the Rangers to win the division. St. Louis also rallied to beat Washington in the playoffs, and San Francisco came from behind to beat Cincinnati and the Cardinals.

6) MIGUEL CABRERA WINS THE TRIPLE CROWN: For the first time since 1967 when Carl Yastrzemski did it for Boston, there was a Triple Crown winner in Detroit’s Miguel Cabrera, who hit .330 with 44 homers and 139 RBI.

7) WASHINGTON SPITS ON BASEBALL:  For the first time in over six decades, there was a playoff team in Washington. The Nationals played inspired, team baseball for much of the season and were led by young ace Stephen Strasburg. The Nationals,  trying to protect their investment, opted to shut him down after 159.1 innings, which gave the arrogant impression they believed they’d be back again. More than a few baseball executives were pleased when the Nationals’ pitching collapsed in the playoffs against the Cardinals.

8) THE MARLINS BLOW IT UP: Speaking of bad ownership groups, the Dodgers had nothing on the Marlins, another example that pennants aren’t won in the winter. The Marlins moved into a monstrosity of a new stadium with Jose Reyes, Mark Buehrle, Heath Bell and new manager Ozzie Guillen. It all fell apart in June and the Marlins finished in last place. Guillen was fired and Reyes, Buehrle and Josh Johnson were traded to Toronto. The Blue Jays also added Dickey and Melky Cabrera to raise the question: Are they the 2013 version of the Marlins.

9) THE LOCALS FALL:  The Mets collapsed in the second half to finish with their fourth straight losing season. The Mets have done nothing this offseason – save signing David Wright – to indicate things will change. Meanwhile, the Yankees got a brilliant season from Derek Jeter, who broke his ankle in the playoffs. Also, while their season was sliding away, Alex Rodriguez was trying to pick up women from the dugout.

10) SAD LOSSES:  I Googled the list of baseball deaths in 2012 and was staggered by the names I recognized from my youth. The most important name was Marvin Miller, the former head of the Players Association who, more than anybody, was largely responsible for today’s economic structure in the game. Then, there was Gary Carter, whom Mets fans will always remember.