Results tagged ‘ steroids ’
Sign of the Apocalypse? Ruiz Suspended for Stimulant Use
Well, at least it was not steroids. Still, the news that the Phillies’ beloved catcher Carlos Ruiz has been suspended 25 games for violating the league’s drug policy does sort of feel like the end of the world may be upon us. Is the Phillies 2013 season already going down in flames? Oh Chooch, say it ain’t so! I am so depressed…
The stimulant Ruiz took was Adderall, which is an amphetamine used to treat ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder). College students use it to improve focus and stamina. For ADHD, it helps alleviate symptoms and allows patients to behave “normally” (if there is such a thing as normal).
Many major league baseball players are prescribed this type to drug for ADHD and they are granted an exception from MLB. A good example would be our old pal Shane Victorino, who has struggled with ADHD since childhood. He even wrote about it in his book that was released last year, “Shane Victorino: The Flyin’ Hawaiian.”
Another Phillie, Kevin Frandsen, was suspended in 2011 for a different amphetamine, Ritalin, while in the minors. These pills have become more common over the years among athletes looking for a “mental” boost instead of a physical one, like steroids. There is much debate over whether or not amphetamines really offer any serious edge, but Ruiz’s numbers this past year do seem suspicious. He had career highs in many categories including batting average, home runs and slugging percentage.
Know what else is a stimulant? Caffeine. So can players just drink jugs of coffee before games to get a similar effect? And how about energy drinks, like 5-Hour Energy or Monster? While these are not nearly as strong as Adderall, it does raise some interesting questions. Does feeling more “awake” enhance baseball performance? And if so, how much?
There have been a number of studies which can be found in scientific journals, but the results are varied and, therefore, inconclusive. An article at LiveScience.com reviews a journal entry by six scientists from top universities who advocate the use of amphetamines by healthy people. But the review serves to show an opposing view, noting the dangers of drug dependency and side effects. So even scientists cannot seem to agree on the subject.
Whatever the individual opinion on the subject, the end result is the same. There will be no Chooch for the first month of the season. Worse, players are only given a suspension for use of amphetamines after their second failed test. This means Ruiz knew he was to be retested, and still did not stop taking the drug. Chooch, you are killing me, man! What the *%*^@!!??
This is a crippling blow to the Phillies, who are already in a tenuous situation as this team continues to age. The window of opportunity for wins with this core group of players is closing fast. Of course, Erik Kratz will be there to fill in, but with so many questions going into the 2013 season, this is a huge setback. Will Chase Utley be healthy? How about Roy Halladay? Can the team sign a solid outfielder? And the list goes on…
I need a stiff drink right about now. Spring training has not even begun, and I already feel the weight of impending doom upon us. Hey, isn’t the end of the world nearly upon us? December 21, 2012 is less than a month away and, according to the Mayan calendar, we are all as good as gone. Is Chooch the first sign of the apocalypse or do the Phillies just have a black cloud over them in 2012? And could the Angels signing of Ryan Madson, who the Phillies should have gone after this offseason, be apocalypse sign #2? I officially hate the Mayans for prompting this silly discussion.
Let us all hope that 2013 has better luck in store for all of us.
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Photo by Jenn Zambri Photography
Steroid Drama Overshadows Philles Victory
There were many positives for the Phillies in last night’s 7-2 win over the Rockies. Cole Hamels returned to form and pitched extremely well. John Mayberry Jr. continued his hot streak with 2 extra base hits, including a homer. And Carlos Ruiz had 3 RBI and 2 hits, also including a homer. Even better, the Phillies finally got through a game without committing an error.
But all those positives were overshadowed by some overwhelming negatives. First, the lost of injuries for the Phillies keeps getting scarier. Laynce Nix had a setback in his recovery, possibly reinjuring the same leg. David Herndon underwent Tommy John surgery and is out for the year.
However, the biggest bomb dropped when it was announced before the game that rookie infielder Freddy Galvis would be suspended 50-games for violating the MLB drug policy. He apparently tested positive for a trace amount of clostebol, an anabolic steroid.
Between this year and last, the Phillies have gone from first to worst. They have seen their All-Star players and important role players decimated by injuries. This is simply not what this team needed to hear right now.
To say this is disappointing is an extreme understatement. Galvis was the one bright light in an otherwise dreary season for this team and now, that has been taken away as well. I suppose the good news is that he can serve the suspension now, while he is in a back brace on the DL. He probably would have missed at least 50 games anyway.
I do not pretend to know whether Galvis is innocent or guilty. Although, you would think if he was juicing he would have hit a lot better than .226 with 15 doubles, 1 triple, 3 home runs and 24 RBIs. We will probably never know for sure.
There are several reports in reputable medical journals that say this steroid can show up in urine in trace amounts after ingesting contaminated meat or after having “relations” with a woman who was using a particular cream for a “female condition” that contains clostebol. In other countries, cattle are injected with this drug to “beef” them up, literally.
Even chicken are sometimes injected with steroids. Studies in that area produced similar results, showing trace levels of the drug in those who consumed the meat.
So I suppose you have to be a vegetarian, Catholic priest with some mad baseball skills in order to avoid a false-positive test result?
And this is why I say we will never know for sure. There are too many variables as we have seen in previous cases where athletes tested positive after taking a tainted substance. Former Phillie J.C. Romero is a good example. He won a law suit against the company who made supplements that were laced with a banned substance which was not on the label. But even though MLB now acknowledges this issue, Romero still had to serve the suspension and will forever be judged unfairly in public opinion.
This by no means exonerates Galvis, but it does, once again, call into question the legitimacy of MLB’s drug policy. A more recent example is Ryan Braun of the Brewers, who got off on a technicality involving the “transport” of his sample.
Now that MLB has made announcement about Galvis, we know that either there was no appeal or he already lost the appeal. It is MLB policy to wait until that process is done before making the official announcement.
Regardless of what did or did not actually occur here, Galvis’ reputation is now mud. And that is a real shame for a kid with so much potential. And it is especially a shame for a fan base that has been desperately searching for a small glimmer of hope for this stumbling, last place team.
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Photo by Jenn Zambri Photography
Thoughts to Ponder…
The news out of Phillies spring training thus far has been basically what we all expected…kind of boring. Everyone returning from injury says all the right things; “I feel great,” “I am ready to play!” and things of that nature. The coach and the GM also say all the right things, “Such & such…looks good…ready to play, etc…”
Then we hear all kinds of conflicting reports about recovery times. Like Ryan Howard will return to the line-up in April… or May, June or after the All-Star break. Chase Utley will hit 20 home runs…or 10 or maybe none. But hey, reporters gotta eat too, right?
I get that part of the charm of spring training is wading through all of the great “unknowns” and speculating on the “what might be’s.” But wouldn’t it be refreshing to hear someone respond with, “I have no clue. I am not a psychic nor do I own a crystal ball. Next question.”
Here, I’ll go first: When will Howard return from injury? – I have no clue. I am not a psychic nor do I own a crystal ball. Next question.
That was very cathartic. I already feel like a weight has been lifted. ;o)
So just for fun, here is a nice list of questions I thought of to ask major league ball players that would be highly entertaining, but have zero chance of ever being asked or ever receiving an honest answer on:
- If given a choice between a machine calling balls and strikes or a live umpire, which would you prefer and why?
- Do you think that Ryan Braun’s overturned suspension, due to what appears to be a technicality, casts doubt upon the efficacy and accuracy of MLB’s PED testing program?
- (Not that this will ever be a reality but…) Would you agree to a pay for performance structure throughout baseball instead of the current guaranteed contracts? Why or why not?
- Who got voted to or picked for the most recent All-Star game that did not deserve to go?
- Which teammate, current or former, do/did you dislike the most and why?
- In a fight between Bud Selig and Satan, who wins and why?
Spring training would be way more fun if only we could get a few real answers ;O) But since that is never going to happen, those reading can feel free to answer any of these questions in the comments below. The best answers may be featured in a future blog!
So, what is YOUR opinion? Go for it…
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Phils Get Home Field
Even though the Phillies lost, again, to the Marlins yesterday, a loss by the Cardinals gave them home field advantage for at least the first round of the playoffs. They will face the Rockies starting on Wednesday in Philly. The Dodgers get the Cardinals.
Despite the loss, a few good things came out of the game yesterday.
· Jayson Werth now stands at 99 RBI for the season with 1 game left.
· Antonio Bastardo, who was with the team earlier in the season but got hurt, is now back and pitched a scoreless 7th inning. Bastardo is a lefty, so this may be good news for the pen.
· Brett Myers pitched a scoreless 6th inning and felt no pain since the hip surgery and shoulder injury.
· Ryan Howard blasted home run #45 for the season.
· Miguel Cairo went 1 for 3 and is making a good case as a bench player on the post-season roster.
· Brad Lidge looked like he may have his mojo back – he pitched a 1-2-3 9th inning and looked sharp for the first time in a LONG time. Maybe it was the change in music? Lidge dumped Drowning Pool’s “Soldiers” in favor of Linkin Park’s “No More Sorrow” as his intro song. I’d say that is fitting.
JA Happ will pitch today in the final game of the regular season and try for lucky win #13 to make his case for Rookie of the Year. Game time is 1:35pm.
Congress & Steroids Revisited
Yesterday, I posted some information on a CBS article that covered a possible Congressional inquest to see whether the regulations on dietary supplements should be revised by Congress. Pennsylvania Senator Arlen Specter was made aware of the issue because of JC Romero’s suspension when he took a supplement that was illegally tainted. Some felt that Congress should not worry about such issues and here is my response:
Senator Specter was made aware of the issue because of baseball, which is always in the limelight, but that is NOT the big picture. This is beyond baseball. It is about innocent people everywhere going to stores like GNC, which is in almost every major shopping mall in the country, and buying their vitamins and supplements and getting more than they bargained for. I am one of those people.
I take a variety of vitamins and supplements which my doctor advised for various medical conditions. These pills are not properly regulated by the FDA, which means you cannot know for sure what you are taking. We all try to buy from reputable sources, but the bottom line is, companies can and will taint their products with illegal and dangerous substances either to save a buck or get you hooked so you will buy more. I hope the only thing in my Vitamin C pill is Vitamin C, but do I know that for sure? No.
These companies are putting people’s lives at risk. Personally, I do not want steroids or anything else that could hurt or kill me in my supplements, do you? So while the steroid issue in baseball may have been the catalyst for looking into the matter, it is not the main issue. Congress does have plenty of issues to tend to, but regulating these drug companies is important as well. Remember that the next time you take some Ginkgo Biloba, Glucosamine and Chondroitin or any other supplement which is unregulated.
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Two Games Left / Congress & Steroids
The Phillies went down in flames last night against the Marlins, who are officially out of the post-season race. While the Phils have already clinched, home field advantage is still up for grabs but the team has been playing like they are not worried about home field. They looked tired and lifeless in a 2-7 loss last night. The team does play well on the road, with a 48-33 record this year. However, nothing beats the 10th man advantage at home.
Ryan Howard gave the Phils their only jolt of energy in the 1st inning when he blasted a 2-run homer. But pitcher Joe Blanton had a bad game, allowing 4 runs in the first 2 innings, which seemed to put the team right back to sleep. Overall, Blanton allowed 5 runs in 6 innings and took the loss. Several relief pitchers got some work and looked pretty good; Chad Durbin, Clay Condrey and Scott Eyre did not allow any runs in their outings and all 3 are recently recovered from injuries, so that is good news.
On the other hand, the rookie lefty Sergio Escalona, did not do well. He allowed 2 runs on 3 hits in 1 inning and now has a 5.25 ERA for the year. Escalona was the only lefty possibility out of the pen besides Eyre now that JC Romero is hurt. JA Happ may wind up in the bullpen as a result, because at this point, the Phillies cannot afford to put Escalona on the post-season roster.
If the Phillies can win their final 2 games, home field may still be possible. They own the tiebreaker over the Cardinals, but not the Dodgers. The Dodgers would need to lose their final 2 games. So at 4:10pm today, the Phillies will try to beat the Marlins and then tomorrow at 1:35pm. I will be at the last game and return with photos!
Congress & Steroids
Pennsylvania Senator Arlen Specter is looking into a possible Congressional inquest to see whether the regulations on dietary supplements should be revised by Congress. The inquiry is a result of over-the-counter supplements being tainted with steroids and illegal substances and Specter became interested in the subject due to JC Romero’s 50-game suspension this year.
Romero took an over-the-counter supplement after getting approval from the Major League Baseball Players Association but the supplement was illegally tainted. Romero sued the supplement manufacturer, but MLB refused to over-turn his ridiculous suspension. The CBS article on the topic goes into greater detail, but essentially these companies need to be held accountable. They are putting people’s lives at risk and it needs to stop. Best of luck to Senator Specter!
Photo by Jenn
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Fireworks In Philly – How FOX Sports Tried To Ruin The 4th Of July
Before I get to FOX Sports, I have a game re-cap for you. Jamie Moyer, the oldest player in the major leagues, took the mound today against the New York Mets for his 600th career start! 
Congratulations Jamie! What a milestone! Moyer was outstanding in his effort and allowed only 1 run in 6 1/3 innings. Not only is Jamie an amazing baseball player, he is an even more amazing human being. Jamie dedicates countless hours to charity work with The Moyer Foundation and is ever-present in the community; a true role model for children and people of all ages. It is refreshing to see such success come to a person who really deserves it.
Jamie got the win by a score of 4-1. Shane Victorino and Pedro Feliz were the Phillies offensive stars of the game today; Victorino went 3 for 4 with an RBI; Feliz had 3 hits as well. Even Jimmy Rollins joined the party and collected 2 RBI on a double. SO nice to see Jimmy creeping back to life! It is also a big relief to see Ryan Madson begin to pitch his way back to normal. In to relieve JC Romero, he recorded 2 quick outs to retire the Mets in the 8th inning. Then Brad Lidge came in for the 9th, saved the game, and all is as it should be…at least for today ;O)
This gives the Phillies a series win at home for a change, and more importantly, an opportunity to sweep the Mets! I will be at the game tomorrow and bring back news and photos.
Trade??
In some very odd news, Paul Bako, our back-up, back-up catcher (not a typo) has started 3 of the last 4 games. This has given me some reason to speculate. Could Carlos Ruiz be on the trading block with the Phillies desperately seeking pitching? If they are in the middle of negotiating with another team, it makes sense to sit Ruiz as they would not want him to get hurt while making decisions. With Chris Coste as a solid back-up and Lou Marson waiting in AAA, this may not be such a strange move. Another possibility is that Ruiz is hurt again and no one is talking. Then again, maybe Charlie Manuel was just feeling a bit silly this week? We shall see as the week progresses.
Why FOX Sports Sucks
Can someone please explain to me WHY my Phillies – Mets game today was interrupted multiple times so that FOX sports could should gratuitous footage of Manny Ramirez at bat in San Diego? It was Manny’s 2nd game back with the Dodgers since serving a 50-game suspension for violating MLB’s drug policy. Can I get a big “WHO CARES??” from the peeps, please? Thank you.
Seriously, it was not Manny setting some amazing record; not Manny greeting aliens from a spaceship for our first extraterrestrial encounter; not even the President of the United States giving an important speech…Manny’s 2nd game back after a STEROID suspension. Heck, not even the 1st game back (even so, I would not have cared to see that either). Has FOX Sports reached an all-time low in trying to get ratings? You betcha. It was like them interrupting a blessing from Jesus Christ himself to show a drive-by shooting. What exactly were they expecting to happen? That Manny’s head would explode? Or, he was going to announce the cure for cancer? Now THAT would have been news.
And yet, on this most important day in America where we celebrate the freedom of our great country, we are subjected to this ridiculous, infantile Mannywood hype by FOX Sports. On the 70th anniversary of Lou Gehrig retiring from baseball while suffering from a fatal disease…we get Manny-Insanity. On the day Jamie Moyer celebrates his 600th career start as a pitcher, are we shown historical footage of the eldest current player in baseball…a person who is a great humanitarian as well? No…we get dreadlock fever.
Truly disgusting. FOX Sports – you should be ashamed of yourselves.
Moyer & Manny Photos by Jenn
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Ibanez Rocks New York
Raul Ibanez brought the pain to the New York Mets last night with a 3-run shot into the bullpen in the 10th inning. The Phillies win the series in New York, 2 games to 1 and come home with a 7-3 record on this most recent road trip.
Ibanez has been the biggest surprise of the year for this team, bringing the defense to match his offense. In the 4th, Ibanez played a hot shot off the wall and nailed David Wright at 2nd who was trying for a double. From all the way back on the warning track, not only did Ibanez get the ball to Chase Utley without a hop, he placed the toss perfectly so Utley could make an easy tag.
This guy has been like the Incredible Hulk for the Phillies (or the Ibanez Hulk), tossing opponents around as if they were small woodland creatures instead of professional ball players. While leading the majors with 58 RBI’s, slugging percentage (.674) and he is also second in homers with 21, Ibanez has put this team on his back and intends to carry them to the promise land. Could chants of “MVP!” from the fans at the ball park be far behind? Just wait; it’s coming.
And the starting pitching continues to improve as well. Jamie Moyer had another quality start against the Mets, going 6 innings with 3 runs on 8 hits and did not walk anyone. He looked a bit frustrated at times, but he is the master at buckling down and getting it done. The bullpen had another great outing too. Clay Condrey continues to turn heads with his 2.27 ERA and last night he pitched 2 scoreless and hitless innings. Chad Durbin and Scott Eyre took care of business in the 9th and Ryan Madson saved the game in the 10th.
But just when everything is about to click….the Phillies are getting ready to butt heads with the Boston Red Sox who are coming off a 3-game sweep of the Yankees. The Phillies have been extraordinarily bad in inter league play historically; will 2009 be different? Or will the Sox derail the train in Philly? We shall see…
Save A Pet
If you are going to the game tonight, stop by the Save A Pet charity booth which will be located at the first base gate and run by the Phillies Wives. You can adopt an animal in need, donate toys and blankets, and/or purchase a calendar for which the proceeds go to benefit the SPCA. Phillies players were photographed with either their own animals or adoptable pets from the SPCA and the result is a very adorable calendar. You can also buy the calendar online if you are not able to get to the game. I may need to get about 10 copies… :O)
“Minor” Steroid Issue
Pablo Ozuna signed a Minor League contract with the Phillies on Jan. 22 and has since been playing 2nd base for the AAA Iron Pigs. Yesterday, he was suspended 50 games for violating the league’s drug policy with an elevated testosterone level. Prior to this year, he spent a short time with the Dodgers in 2008 and 3 years with the White Sox before that. The Phillies are the 5th team he has played for.
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Utley photo: Phillies.com
Ibanez Is a NICE Man – Leave Him Alone!
I nearly cried when I read the Philly.com article where poor Raul Ibanez had to defend himself against an irresponsible and moronic blogger. Apparently, some idiot came out in his blog stating he felt that Ibanez must be taking steroids and that this was the only explanation for his outstanding year.
I will not post the link to that blog here because I do not wish to give that guy any support. The nerve of him; not only does he seek to slander the name of a good man, but he gives responsible bloggers everywhere a bad rap.
Do we all get annoyed and rant sometimes? Sure. But generally speaking, we rant about the truth, not some idea we have made up in our heads. If your team had a bad game, feel free to say so. The facts are the facts, a loss is a loss. And if we make jokes to lighten the mood (like I do, A LOT), they are solely for entertainment purposes and not to hurt anyone. But for goodness sake, do not spread rumors and report unverified and even worse, totally speculative information and present it as news!
Poor Raul; he does not deserve that. Just because we are immersed in an era of baseball where steroids have run rampant, does not mean that all players have joined in. Does hard work and dedication no longer pay off? Or are we to instantly attribute all good play to steroids? Sure, we have been disappointed by a lot of players, but that does not give anyone the right to make such accusations.
And that is my informed and totally honest rant of the day :O)
‘Phillies Memories’ DVD Review
I wrote a review for the new MLB DVD, ‘Phillies Memories’ which was posted on Phillies.com today. The DVD is only $19.95 and is very entertaining and informative, covering all 126 years of the Phillies. Please read the review and feel free to pass on any comments. I did make one typo…let’s see if anyone figures it out ;O) Maybe I should take steroids to enhance my performance? (FYI – This is a JOKE – just in case some idiot takes that to a new level of stupidity :O)
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Technology; you cannot escape! Just thought I would note that if anyone would like to be my Facebook friend, send me an email and I will send you the link. I have received letters from many, many readers in the last few months since I posted my email address and I appreciate the feedback very much! I am always open to finding new Phillies friends to talk baseball with!
As for Twitter, I am listed as PhilsPhollowers. Feel free to follow me :O)
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Photo by Jenn
Mets Mutilate Moyer
Jamie Moyer has historically not done well against the Mets; today, however, was a total massacre. I’m talkin’ a George Romero, Stephen King, Wes Craven-type massacre. Call it the “Nightmare on 126th Street.” 
Pulled after only 2 1/3 innings, Moyer gave up 7 earned runs on 7 hits, 3 of which were home runs. And in the new Citi Field, home runs are hard to come by. But the Mets looked like they were taking batting practice off Moyer as balls flew over the high outfield wall. Apparently, Moyer did not attend the Charlie Manuel Spanish Inquisition.
So JA Happ took over for Moyer and totally shut the Mets down. Oh yeah, tell me again WHY Happ is not a starter? Please excuse the sarcasm ;O) Happ racked up 3 2/3 innings, not allowing any runs. A job well done! Could the offense come back to reward Happ for his effort? Ummmmm…no. 
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Shane Victorino extended his hitting streak to 16 games today, but the offense was mostly quiet again. Ryan Howard hit a home run in the 4th that went about 420 feet, which was nice, but then the team went silent once more. Jayson Werth woke everyone up in the 8th with a 2-run bomb; it was his 4th hit of the night and brought the Phillies closer, then trailing the Mets 7-5. In his perfect night, Werth was 4 for 4 with 2 RBI and 2 runs scored. The score held into the 9th inning but Pedro Feliz stepped to the plate and flied out on the 1st pitch. The 1st pitch! UGH! Feliz swings at the 1st pitch probably about 80% of the time – pitchers know this. Can someone give him a clue, please! So then Miguel Cairo grounded out, Matt Stairs walked and Jimmy Rollins popped out to end the game.
If the offense could have pulled out a few runs last night, they would have won that game. But tonight, when Moyer puts them in a 7-1 hole, they finally score, but not enough to overcome the deficit. This short 2-game series was a real disappointment and another blown opportunity against a division foe.
Manny Being…A Moron?
So, I do not want to dwell on this. Frankly, I am sick of the whole steroid issue. Manny Ramirez was suspended for 50-games for taking the female fertility drug, human chorionic gonadatropin. Ramirez says it was prescribed by a doctor for an undisclosed medical condition. Well folks, the only reason a doctor would prescribe this drug to a man, would be to treat a lack of testosterone. And what is the #1 reason among athletes for a lack of testosterone? Steroid use. So, enough said on that topic, although I would be curious to see if Ramirez can produce an actual prescription slip.
The Big Apple Has Gone Big-Time Nuts
Today, I logged on to the New York Yankees site to see about getting a ticket to the Phillies series at the new stadium. I have been anxious to see the stadium; the Yankees are my “other” team so I was really hoping to get a look at what would someday be my dream World Series match-up as well. However, I was shocked, appalled and utterly disgusted by what I found. A basic seat beyond row 5, behind home plate in Citizens Bank Park in Philly costs $80. It is the second most expensive seat in the ballpark. The exact same seating location at the new Yankee Stadium is $900. No, this is NOT a mistype – $900 dollars. That is more than 11 times more expensive! So, just for kicks, I looked up the same seat at the Mets new Citi Field: $695. Holy Crap!
Ok, it gets better…the Handicapped seating in Yankee stadium: $375. Wow! Talk about raping the disabled. How about the limited view seating? 
Mind you – you cannot see the whole field – $125. OMG. The bleacher seats, which are FAR away in centerfield, in CBP are $18. Same seat for the Yankees: $125. The Mets – $70. And the most expensive seat in Yankee stadium – $2,625. For ONE ticket! STOP the insanity! Oh, and by the way, these prices are actually reduced from what they were charging at the beginning of the season…no one was showing up to games, so the Yankees lowered the prices. These are the NEW prices I have given you.
Seriously, where do these money-hungry, greedy, morally-defunct people get off charging these prices? Is the state of New York on some higher plane of existence than the rest of the world? And you know how I hate to cuss, but, WTF! I am actually ANGRY over this right now. Because now, unless I hit the lottery or some rich person takes pity on me, I may NEVER see the inside of new Yankee stadium! And frankly, that is SO unfair to the millions of fans all over who just cannot afford these ridiculous prices. Please join me in a collective, “ARRRRGGGHHHH!”
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As The Ankle Turns
The soap opera that is the Curse of Cole Hamels continues… First, he hurts his left elbow in Spring Training and misses his Opening Day start; then in his last start, he gets hit in his pitching shoulder (left arm) with a line drive; and yesterday, he turns his left ankle while fielding a bunt that he knew ahead of time was going to be coming. The batter turned and squared to bunt before Hamels threw a pitch. So, is this man made of glass or is he just cursed on the left side of his body? Will he ever finish a game in 2009? Maybe we should cover him up in bubble wrap and then seal him in a hermetic chamber. Just a thought…
Cole tossed one warm-up pitch after the turned ankle and then, in obvious frustration, he tossed the ball at manager Charlie Manuel and walked off the field in dramatic fashion. Cue the cheesy soap opera music… The good news is, the MRI’s were negative and it appears to be only a sprain. Hamels told the media he expects to be ready for his next start, but that remains to be seen. After being very disappointed last year when he did not make the All-Star team, it looks like this year will be no different after this roller coaster start to the season.
The real shame of it all is that Hamels was off to a great start in these last few outings, only to be pulled due to injury. Last night, he had only given up 4 hits and not surrendered a run before leaving in the 5th with only 1 out recorded. Chad Durbin came in to take over for Hamels though and pitched a superb 3 2/3 innings of 1-run ball. That run, an Adam Dunn solo shot, was the only hit recorded off Durbin. Kudos to Durbin for saving the day! What an effort to pick up his teammate!
Also doing a lot of the heavy lifting last night was Chase Utley; Utley took his revenge on John Lannan, the same pitcher who broke his hand 2 years ago. In the 3rd, Utley took Lannan deep for a 2-run shot and then completed the humiliation with a solo shot in the 5th. That’s what you get for breaking this super-star’s hand!
Pedro Feliz
Congrats also to Jimmy Rollins who finally recorded his first stolen base of the season last night! J-Roll was 1 for 4 at the plate and seems to be in the midst of waking up offensively and getting his batting average out of the gutter; it currently stands at .195, which should change very soon.
And now on to our Fan of the Game: This is Buddy from Philadelphia and he is a big Phillies fan. Buddy was especially high on Raul Ibanez, as I heard chants of “Pat who?” echo throughout the outfield. Well, we do still miss Pat Burrell, but Ibanez has left no doubt that not only will that role be filled, but he will give us a more consistent bat and so far, great defense as well. Let’s hear it for RAUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUL!
I have posted a Photo Album from the game; these will be a bit different than what you usually see from me as I had a seat in straight away centerfield at the top of the section last night. A different, and much more distant, perspective for sure.
Romero Sues
JC Romero is suing the company of the supplement he took that was tainted with an unlisted ingredient which caused him to test positive for steroids and resulted in a ridiculous 50-game suspension. He is also suing the manufacturer and one of the people named in the law suit is Patrick Arnold, a chemist who has already spent time in jail after the BALCO scandal. Just a few things to note here: Supplements are not regulated by the government and therefore, even if MLB approves of a supplement, it can still cause a player to test positive if it has been tainted in the manufacturing process. Romero did get an ok from the MLBPA to take the supplement, but did not call some 800# to check again, and so MLB decided he was negligent. He got the same suspension as would a person who actually took steroids. Disgusting.
I have been thinking this over for the last few days now and trying to put those thoughts into words. This has been an emotional ride for JC, his family, his teammates, and his fans. As for myself, I know personally what an honest and forthright human being JC is and can tell you that not only is he innocent, but he is a victim here. I hope he takes these people for all that they have and that this sets a precedent for other players who may be victimized by this system. MLB needs to revisit their policies and create a fair regulation process.
There have been some questions about why Romero is not suing MLB. What may not be widely known is that when he first tested positive, he was offered a reduced suspension, 25 games to begin immediately, if he agreed to waive his rights to an appeal. However, he would have missed out on playing in the World Series if he took the deal. Not wanting to let down his team and knowing he was innocent, he turned down the deal and chose his TEAM over his own personal well-being. He knew that if he lost the appeal, he would get the 50 game suspension and lose out on more than a million dollars in salary. And still, Romero did the right thing and should be commended for that. This is a man who always does the right thing and yet, MLB punished him for it. The reason he is not suing MLB is probably because as another term of going to appeal, he most likely had to waive his rights to future litigation. A very sad an unfortunate set of circumstance; so again, I hope he slaughters these companies in court.
Next Up
So the Phillies will work on their 2nd straight sweep tonight, trying to beat the Nationals again starting at 7:05pm. While you are watching the game, log on to VOTE for your All-Stars! Vote a maximum of 25 times per day, per email address. Get the Phillies to St. Louis!! And as always, feel free to leave your comments and thoughts below. Go Phillies!
Photos by Jenn
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