The Official 2013 MLB Thread

[claphamsa]

Originally Posted by spleen1015

If I am the Yankees, there is no way I let him in my clubhouse while this BS is going on.

im sure the yankees realize they have no choice.

[spleen1015]

Why can't they tell him to stay home and keep paying him? There's no rules that say they have to let him play are there?

[spleen1015]

Imagine being the kid that gets sent back to AAA or released because they have to put this jackass on the 25 man roster.

[DaddyTorgo]

Originally Posted by Thomkal

They are about to announce Rodriguez suspension on Sportscenter

Through 2014.

[Ronnie Dobbs3]

Originally Posted by spleen1015

Why can't they tell him to stay home and keep paying him? There's no rules that say they have to let him play are there?

Actually there are rules that he needs to be on the active roster. I suppose they could just go with a 24-man team for the time being but that seems a little drastic.

[Easy Mac]

Originally Posted by spleen1015

Imagine being the kid that gets sent back to AAA or released because they have to put this jackass on the 25 man roster.

Pretty sure Cervelli was placed on the restricted list while he serves his suspension.

[Jas_lov]

What A-Rod should do is appeal, play the rest of the season, work out a b/o with the Yankees in the offseason and retire.

[path12]

Originally Posted by Jas_lov

What A-Rod should do is appeal, play the rest of the season, work out a b/o with the Yankees in the offseason and retire.

I'm sure the Yanks would love to do just that to get out of that contract. As a Yankee hater I hope it doesn't happen. Isn't he signed through 2016?

[Ronnie Dobbs3]

2017 (signed 10 years during 2007 offseason).

MLBPA looks like they're backing A-Rod pretty strongly here.

[path12]

Originally Posted by Ronnie Dobbs3

2017 (signed 10 years during 2007 offseason).

Even better!

[Logan]

Originally Posted by Jas_lov

What A-Rod should do is appeal, play the rest of the season, work out a b/o with the Yankees in the offseason and retire.

What about A-Rod has ever shown you that he wants to be out of the spotlight? He isn't leaving a dollar on the table when he can just show up in 2015 and earn his tens of millions the rest of the way.

[Thomkal]

Hmmm several of the apologies from the Biogenesis players sound eerily familiar:

Several Biogenesis players are stunningly equally ashamed of themselves | HardballTalk

[sterlingice]

I love some of the comments to that article:

"Maybe MS Office 2K10 has an Steroid Apology Template?"
"This reads like stereo instructions.."
" I wonder how much in fees the lawyers accepted to copy/paste/search/replace."

SI

[DanGarion]

Can't the Yankees just suspend him for actions detrimental to the team?

[Ronnie Dobbs3]

Originally Posted by DanGarion

Can't the Yankees just suspend him for actions detrimental to the team?

Punishments related to PEDs are codified in the CBA, so no.

[DanGarion]

Originally Posted by Ronnie Dobbs3

Punishments related to PEDs are codified in the CBA, so no.

But he's an ass. Isn't there an ass clause? I mean we are talking about the organization that has rules about facial hair and hair length...

[molson]

They could always trade him to the Dodgers.

[DanGarion]

Originally Posted by molson

They could always trade him to the Dodgers.

We don't want him.

[MrBug708]

We do need a 3B

[DanGarion]

Originally Posted by MrBug708

We do need a 3B

Very true, but even A-Rod wouldn't solve that problem. I'd rather have them rush Seager or Santana.

[SackAttack]

Originally Posted by molson

They could always trade him to the Dodgers.

No thanks.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by DanGarion

We don't want him.

At his pricetag nobody wants him, including the Yankees.

[molson]

A-Rod in the lineup hitting cleanup tonight.

[miked]

Originally Posted by Ronnie Dobbs3

2017 (signed 10 years during 2007 offseason).

MLBPA looks like they're backing A-Rod pretty strongly here.

I'm no Yankee fan, but why shouldn't they. As far as I understand, he didn't test positive and they are suspending him for violating drug policies based on the evidence from shady people. Moreover, they are punishing him about 4x as much as everyone else, because he apparently covered it up (though they didn't extend Melky Cabrera's suspension for making a fake website and covering up his usage). So as far as I can see, unless MLB is going to go public with all their documentation and allow shady drug pushers to get sweet deals for ratting people out, I see this as no different from Nevin Shapiro.

[bhlloy]

Not to mention Braun who basically defamed a guy and the league program and then shows up guilty a year later and took the suspension when it suited him. I tend not to have a problem with the length of the ARod suspension but I'm not sure why it needs to be four times as long as some of the other guys on the list

[Vince, Pt. II]

What miked said. As much as I don't really like the guy, it's hard to see the MLBPA and A-Rod losing the appeal - unless he goes for something like no punishment. There's literally no precedent for the punishment he has received, and I find it hard to believe that anyone will be able to uphold it.

[molson]

Well, for one thing, A-Rod was the one guy that refused to take a deal. His supension would have been shorter if he did, and everyone else's would have been longer if they fought it. Who knows how much of the gap that accounts for, but it's something. Now A-Rod has a chance to fight this and get it all wiped out ala' Braun the first time, or reduced.

He was also the only one who got specifically punished for "attempting to cover up his violations of the program by engaging in a course of conduct intended to 'obstruct and frustrate' the investigation." From what I've read, that course of conduct goes beyond one silly website. (And that in general, they had more dirt on him than anybody else, including Braun). Also, Cabrera agreed to his ban and didn't challenge it, which probably saved him from extra punishment over the website. And this comes up in NCAA punishment stuff sometimes, but I don't know if MLB has any obligation to punish people equally. When people are talking deals, strength of evidence is going to play a part.

[miked]

I understand your point, but a lot of this is being done behind closed doors, including all this evidence. That is why I think Selig didn't break out the ban stick. I'm sure ARod and the MLBPA would have sued, they could have brought Biogenesis and MLB to court and forced them to reveal all this evidence. But there is really no precedent for this and I'm not a big fan of scumbags getting awesome deals to give secret evidence to the commish that can't be challenged.

Also, we don't know what "deal" ARod was being offered, so it's silly to say how short it could have been. I really dislike ARod, but think he's being given a bum deal that proven cheaters haven't even gotten.

[MrBug708]

Runner at 2nd and 3rd in the Dodgers-Cards game and we go to the A-Rod AB?

[JonInMiddleGA]

Should have lifetimed him under "interests of baseball" clause, Braun too for that matter.

[DaddyTorgo]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

Should have lifetimed him under "interests of baseball" clause, Braun too for that matter.

All of em for that matter. Zero tolerance.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by DaddyTorgo

All of em for that matter. Zero tolerance.

Well, I was giving credit for the mutually negotiated terms for PED suspensions. Braun phony b.s. and all of A-Rod's constitute further circumstances (Melky should have gotten it for the website deal as well)

[Crapshoot]

Originally Posted by Logan

What about A-Rod has ever shown you that he wants to be out of the spotlight? He isn't leaving a dollar on the table when he can just show up in 2015 and earn his tens of millions the rest of the way.

Why on earth should he give up the money on his guaranteed contract? Because BudSelig is a decrepit old fart who's trying desperately to make an example out of a-rod? You dont have to like Arod (and I don't) to believe the process for the 211 games was absolute bullshit, and more about Seligs grandstanding than anything else.

[Crapshoot]

Ps, I love baseball more than my other sport, but the moralizing in the coverage of it (as compared to say the Nfl, which let fucking concussed players go out there) is just ridiculous.

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by miked

I'm no Yankee fan, but why shouldn't they. As far as I understand, he didn't test positive and they are suspending him for violating drug policies based on the evidence from shady people. Moreover, they are punishing him about 4x as much as everyone else, because he apparently covered it up (though they didn't extend Melky Cabrera's suspension for making a fake website and covering up his usage). So as far as I can see, unless MLB is going to go public with all their documentation and allow shady drug pushers to get sweet deals for ratting people out, I see this as no different from Nevin Shapiro.

They don't need to prove anything in the court of public opinion. And I think if they just had some really shaky evidence, we wouldn't see Nelson Cruz or Jhonny Peralta just sitting there and accepting it down the stretch run. It could be argued that it gets them back in time for the playoffs, but if I'm Texas, I'm not sure I'm making the playoffs without Cruz.

SI

[cougarfreak]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

Should have lifetimed him under "interests of baseball" clause, Braun too for that matter.

This X 100.

[Danny]

Originally Posted by sterlingice

As in specifically anabolic steroids or are we including HGH, blood doping, etc?

SI

I was referring specifically to steroids. However, while I am sure some use HGH, I don't see it as being very effective for baseball players. It really doesn't help you with strength, it just adds size which isn't a big deal (and possible detriment) to baseball players. I see HGH being far more of a concern for football players.

But in any case, looking at statistics, if anything is being used, it isnt helping. We are at our lowest runs per game since 1992.

[lighthousekeeper]

Originally Posted by MrBug708

Runner at 2nd and 3rd in the Dodgers-Cards game and we go to the A-Rod AB?

[Matthean]

Whatever, Tigers bitches.

[MizzouRah]

Originally Posted by lighthousekeeper

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Royals pass the Yankees. Next up in the sights: Baltimore.

FWIW.....It looked like a 'men amongst boys' situation in KC tonight. Even got to see a positional player pitch the 8th inning for the Twins.

[sterlingice]

Tigers starting to play to their true talent level. That had to be a crushing defeat for the Indians.

SI

[Ronnie Dobbs3]

Originally Posted by miked

I'm no Yankee fan, but why shouldn't they..

Who is the MLBPA beholden to? Every player?? The bulk of the players? It's an interesting case. Jonny Gomes made an interesting point tonight in that he was wondering if every player's union dues were going to supporting A-Rod's appeal. The tide amongst the players is turning; I don't think the thin blue line really exists much anymore in the clubhouses.

[RomaGoth]

Originally Posted by Danny

But in any case, looking at statistics, if anything is being used, it isnt helping. We are at our lowest runs per game since 1992.

Perhaps this is not because the stuff isn't working, but because less guys are using?

[Danny]

Originally Posted by RomaGoth

Perhaps this is not because the stuff isn't working, but because less guys are using?

I stated that, my point from the quoted part is whatever guys are still using, aren't impacting things to a significant degree.

[rowech]

Originally Posted by Danny

I was referring specifically to steroids. However, while I am sure some use HGH, I don't see it as being very effective for baseball players. It really doesn't help you with strength, it just adds size which isn't a big deal (and possible detriment) to baseball players. I see HGH being far more of a concern for football players.

But in any case, looking at statistics, if anything is being used, it isnt helping. We are at our lowest runs per game since 1992.

And we are at our highest strikeout rates ever. Until that changes, runs will keep going down. Guys aren't willing to adjust to get hits with two strikes. They still want the homerun even then.

[RomaGoth]

Originally Posted by miked

I really dislike ARod, but think he's being given a bum deal that proven cheaters haven't even gotten.

This. I can't stand the guy, but to punish him more than guys like Braun, Cabrera, Bonds, McGuire, etc. seems a bit much.

I really just want the whole thing to go away and all the players associated with it to go away as well. My interest in baseball has dwindled over the years and this stuff sure doesn't compel me to come back.

[spleen1015]

Originally Posted by RomaGoth

This. I can't stand the guy, but to punish him more than guys like Braun, Cabrera, Bonds, McGuire, etc. seems a bit much.

I really just want the whole thing to go away and all the players associated with it to go away as well. My interest in baseball has dwindled over the years and this stuff sure doesn't compel me to come back.

I've been feeling down on sports in general over the last few weeks because all of the news is about all of this bad stuff that's going on. All everyone talked about yesterday was A-Rod, suspensions and Johnny f-cking football.

No talk about what is happening on the field. It sucks.

[Easy Mac]

Justin Upton's stats in months that start with "A"

PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	IBB	SO	HBP	SH	SF	ROE	GDP	SB	CS	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS
137	116	30	37	6	0	16	28	19	2	36	1	0	1	3	3	4	0	0.319	0.416	0.784	1.201

Justin Upton's stats in all other months

PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	IBB	SO	HBP	SH	SF	ROE	GDP	SB	CS	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS
327	284	42	69	13	2	4	29	37	2	80	2	1	3	1	7	3	1	0.243	0.330	0.345	0.675

[DanGarion]

Originally Posted by RomaGoth

This. I can't stand the guy, but to punish him more than guys like Braun, Cabrera, Bonds, McGuire, etc. seems a bit much.

I really just want the whole thing to go away and all the players associated with it to go away as well. My interest in baseball has dwindled over the years and this stuff sure doesn't compel me to come back.

Bonds is much less guilty than any of those other guys and PED-Rod.