THE AMERICAN LEAGUE SHINES IN CINCY

The All Star Game brings me so much join! I know a lot of people are reading this and think "who cares?" Well, I do! The best players from both leagues playing at the same time? Hell yes, please! Okay, so I know the "best players" part will be highly debated. The voting process being what it is. Just don't rain on my parade, okay? I absolutely LOVE the All Star Game. It's not often that I sit to watch all these guys play. Plus, home field advantage, right?

The game started with Mike Trout homering in the top of the 1st, on a 1-2 pitch off of National League pitcher Zack Greinke. It was the fourth lead off homer at an All Star Game. Only six players in history have hit homers in the first - top or bottom. Trout has a good track record so far in the ASG.    Trout is hitting .312 so far this season with 68 runs and 26 homers. That's not to take away from Greinke who has a 1.39 ERA this season. Greinke hadn't allowed a run in 35 2/3 innings heading into the ASG. He became the first pitcher since Pedro Martinez in 1999 to strike out four hitters in the Midsummer Classic. The NL answered back in the bottom of the first when Jhonny Peralta hit a bloop single, to drive in Paul Goldschmidt.

David Price showcased some serious talent tonight as well. He struck out Bryce Harper and Goldschmidt in a 1-2-3 fourth inning. He's pitched in three ASG's and has allowed only one hit and no runs over four innings. Price is 9 and 2 this season.

Andrew McCutchen decided that he wanted to be a part of the notable moments. He hit an impressive lead-off homer in the bottom of the sixth. In my opinion, McCutchen has one of the most fluid swings in baseball right now. I don't get to enjoy watching him play as often as I'd like, but he's one of the few players whose stats I follow regularly.

Mark Teixeira, and Brett Gardner, the hitters representing the Yankees at the Midsummer Classic, were not as lucky as McCutchen and Trout. Both went 0-2 at the plate. Dellin Betances represented us in the bullpen. He pitched an inning, got one strike out, one walk, but didn't give up a hit or a run.

The American League took away this years win. Price was awarded win. Trout won the MVP award becoming the first player in MLB history to win back to back All-Star Game MVP's. He took the truck this time.

Now, American League has home field advantage... make it count, Yankees!

Final: American League 6 - National League 3 

Oh yeah... and just when you thought BYB wouldn't be able to reach Cincinnati for this years All-Star game... think again...

@BleednYankeeBlu Representing BYB with @nlbmprez @AllStarGame pic.twitter.com/xcWLbqXIKO

— joangyankee@aol.com (@joaniebaseball) July 15, 2015

BYB reader Joanie and her pal, the Negro League Baseball Museum President, Bob Kendrick in the seats of the All Star game.  Long live Bleeding Yankee Blue and baseball!  Love it!

--Erica Morales BYB Senior Writer 
Twitter: @e_morales1804

  


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AROD'S SIN ISN'T THE PROBLEM, IT'S AROD HIMSELF

A lot can be said about Alex Rodriguez. He’s a scumbag. He’s a liar, a sinner, a juicer, a 'roid head… go ahead, go on and on. If you’re a sports fan, a baseball fan, a parent... you're disappointed. You are entitled to your opinions.   I however am not going to go down that dark road.  I’m also not an Alex Rodriguez fan.  “How’s that possible?” you ask.  My answer is simple… I choose wisely. I was always a Jeter guy, not a Nomar Garciaparra or Alex guy. That being said, the guy's human, he's had missteps, we all have at one time in our lives. And to be perfectly honest, unless the guy came after me and my family, I'm not about to hate the dude.

Now look, I'm not exactly here to reprimand anyone for hating Alex. I am however curious as to why.  Alex Rodriguez is not the only one who made stupid decisions in life. He is however the only one being whipped fiercely.  The only thing I can tell you is that as a parent, as a fan of this great game, you need to rise above it.  We know Alex is tainted. That's old news. Here's a reminder on some other old news... many others have done the same thing or worse to disgrace the game or other sports... and they've been "cleared".  Not Alex. Never Alex. 

Alex Rodriguez admitted to using Performance Enhancing Drugs.  He didn’t come over to the states and infect everyone with Ebola and he sure as hell didn’t murder anyone. He did however lie to baseball fans everywhere… to my son, to your son,  and had denied ever taking PEDs.  But let’s make sure we tell the whole story here…

Ray Lewis was involved in a murder trial for an actual murder. Remember that?

Ryan Braun denied taking PEDs, had a sample collector fired from his job because he was hell bend on looking like he was wrongly accused. Then, later, Braun admitted he lied about it.

Lance Armstrong went on national television and told Oprah Winfrey he never failed a test after he won 7 Tour De France championships only to later admit that he made up the whole thing and doped for years.

Yet, Lance Armstrong is interested in coming back to racing, and his fans still wear his yellow LIVE STRONG bracelets all over the world. He's forgiven because he apologized. Braun returned to the Brewers after a 65 game suspension and continues to play… his fans welcome him with opened arms because he fessed up.

Ray Lewis’s attorneys negotiated a plea deal with the D.A. involved in his murder case and charges against Lewis were dismissed. He even gave a misleading statement to police on the morning of those killings!  I guess that didn’t matter... 

He was given 12 months probation and then went back on the field. The Ravens won the Super bowl with his help in 2001… and Ray Lewis was the MVP.  Ray Lewis was forgiven.  But Alex Rodriguez is the liar, the scumbag, the sinner and the juicer.  Not the others... just Alex Rodriguez.

I was surprised by Ian O’Connor’s piece on the ESPN pages. It was titled “Don’t bother with the apology, A-Rod”. In it, he began: 

“This time around, Alex Rodriguez should take a pass on the apology. We know that he is not sorry he used performance-enhancing drugs, again, and that he is only sorry he got caught… “

Well… OK. But in the context of what I just told you about the others, it would make sense to apologize for your bad behavior.  Fans forgive, don't we? Oh yeah, it's Alex, I guess an apology won't work. 

What ARod did was dumb, really dumb. But as a father, I think it’s more important that I steer my children away from him more than hate him directly.  He’s clearly a poor role model. He clearly made mistakes, but so did the others. And not just Ryan Braun, Ray Lewis and Lance Armstrong, but many before them as well. You can fault Alex for being dumb, maybe even for not having a spin machine PR firm showing him in a more positive light. But I ask you... if you're constantly being beaten up in the press, how would you react?   You'd serve your sentence and come clean. Alex did that.... it clearly isn't enough.

Athletes are role models.  I remember once Manny Ramirez, who by the way, tested positive for PEDs twice, only to recently be considered for a job as a coach with the Chicago Cubs, said  "I don’t want to leave the game like I did. I also want to show my kids that if you make a mistake, don’t quit. Just go back and fix it. And if you’re going to leave, leave the right way....I want to be a role model."

Positive quote. I applaud that. The only problem with it was Manny didn't realize that he was a role model all along. At the time, I wrote in WHY YOU WERE ALWAYS A ROLE MODEL MANNY... this:  

"Ramirez is just too immature to realize he was ALWAYS a role model for kids."
 

I also wrote in that piece that Manny deserved a 3rd chance. Call me crazy, but I did.  Whether you want to be a role model or not, you are one, and it’s how your present yourself that’s important.  Manny was selfish, and so is ARod. But strangely, Manny is forgiven… Lance is too… but not Alex Rodriguez.  He continues to get crucified by the fans, by ESPN and others.

I was shocked by a few tweets from Dick Vitale today. He tweeted:

Ppl at dinner say Arod will never ever play again 4 Yanks !
— Dick Vitale (@DickieV) November 6, 2014

.@NYDNSports Mike Lupica throws a haymaker @ Alex Rodriguez http://t.co/GgzDT0Rhq5
— Dick Vitale (@DickieV) November 6, 2014

Interesting. So, while not coming out directly and blasting ARod, he'll pin it on others... and wait! Mike Lupica hates ARod? Where’s the news? As a fan of Dick Vitale, it's pretty disappointing to see him, under the ESPN name to blast a player publicly.  Meanwhile David Ortiz showed up on a positive PEDs list ,but Dickie V has no problem posing for pictures with him.   

Amazing. Now look, I have nothing personal against Lupica or Vitale. I just wish they'd see the double standard here. Hey Dick, you're a hypocrite. Get over yourself.   

It’s too easy for sports writers. It's too easy to write about a player being a disgrace because, if they wrote what I'm writing, they'd get trashed. 

My thought is this; How about being provocative and write something that's different.  I didn’t bother reading Lupica today… because it’s more of the same.  “Alex is a disgrace.” Yup, we get it… and we agree… my question is… what about the other tainted athletes in all sports? What about the other athletes that skate for bad behavior?  They are never included in sports guy's articles ripping of Alex, but they should be.  It’s poor journalism. Hey Mike Lupica... Hey Bill Madden, your agenda is boring. Do some research. Sorry, that’s my opinion.

A person tweeted this the other day: “Alex makes it so hard for me to root for him.” It’s heartbreaking for a fan, and it’s 100% accurate.  ARod blew it and he’s blown it over and over again. But the haters just can’t get enough.  You all wanted him to get suspended for the full season, and he was.  Now he’s done the noble thing, he admitted using PEDs, and suddenly, that’s not enough either.  Now you want him banished, hanged, whipped into submission… even dead.  Why?  Again, I don’t like Alex Rodriguez as a player, and as a human being, I kind of feel sorry for him. It's ridiculous. When is Alex allowed to be forgiven?  Before you tell me "he did it to himself", I ask you... what did he do to himself? PEDs? OK, and? 

O’Connor writes this in his piece, literally insinuating that ARod would do it again if he could:

“...if he were being completely honest with himself and the fans, Rodriguez would admit that in an attempt to extend his career and earn the $61 million the Yankees owe him over the next three years, he might cross over to the dark side again if he can only find more discreet chemists and cousins.”

Really Ian?  I love ya, but really? That's absurd.

Look, forgiveness is a bitch. As fans, we don’t want to be disappointed when it comes to players and many times, when players come clean on wrongdoing, it’s over and we can all move forward.  Alex messed up many times, and fans have left the slugger's side. It’s a wicked web, but here’s the thing; it’s HIS wicked web, not mine and not yours.  As a father, as a fan, all I can do is hope the guy figures it out and steer my kids toward positive role models. I can't hate him, I just realize that he's not my problem.  Hating him gets me nowhere.  For me personally, I just move on.

Look, there is no question that if I’m the New York Yankees, I am figuring out a legal way to void Alex’s contract.  The marriage is clearly not working. He's clearly a poison they don't want to deal with. The once home run champion is tarnished forever and if the Yankees are truly full of class, they would suck it up and cut him loose.  But will they? Who knows, honestly.  That's the business side of it.  

Personally,  I believe in 2nd chances, 3rd and even 4th. But right around the 4th mess up, I'm reconsidering how to channel my energy.  Am I gonna yell that Alex Rodriguez is a loser? Not really... I just need to circle the wagons and make sure my kids understand what positive role models are.

As a fan of the game, ARod is a sad story, but it was also sad when the whole "PEDs gang" went before Congress years ago.  Mark McGwire has since admitted to using and then secured a hitting coach job with the Dodgers.  Nelson Cruz failed a PEDs test and came back with the Orioles this year and cranked out a bunch of home runs to help get them to the playoffs. 

When he was finally finished with his suspension, this appeared on the Gammons Daily: New Life for Nelson Cruz. Seems like a positive headline to me.  You'd never see a headline like that for ARod.  Cruz and McGwire are forgiven.  Alex Rodriguez is the liar and scumbag though.  I don’t get it. Or maybe I do. This isn’t about ARod’s sins at all… this is about ARod, the individual.

I often wonder is Alex didn’t sign that monster deal with the Texas Rangers all those years ago, if he would have that stigma attached to him. Sure, the PEDs use, the foolish way he deals with the media doesn't help, but I almost feel like him looking greedy came off bad.  From that day forward, people were gunning for him to fail.  Even Selena Roberts did. 

She probably sold 10 books in the process, but there is no question she was trying to help destroy him in 2009, all the while capitalizing on his popularity.  Well, it was a pile on and it sucks.  Since 2009, when that ARod interview with Peter Gammons took place, there have been 22 times a major league player has been caught or accused of using PEDs, some have been repeated.

But Melky Cabrera is back playing with the Blue Jays. Marlon Byrd’s still playing. Even Jhonny Peralta apologized and signed a big deal this past winter with the Cardinals.  But Alex Rodriguez confesses and according to Ian O’Connor… according to Mike Lupica, or the "hate ARod" fans… it’s too late.

Forgiveness for ARod will never be in the cards. No matter how much Bald Vinny wants to sell his T-Shirts or Mike Francesa backs Alex or no matter how much I think there’s a double standard, it doesn't matter.  Alex is a criminal. A murderer. A rapist, oh yeah... and a PEDs user. 

It’s finally crystal clear to me.  It’s not about his sins… it’s about him. He's the most hated man in America who virtually did the same thing as the many I’ve listed, and in some cases, not as bad.  But it doesn’t matter. ARod’s the bad guy.  ARod will never be forgiven. 

The others? Yup.. they’re free from judgement.  

Not Alex. He's the worst and it makes no damn sense.

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CARDINALS BEAT MATTINGLY & THE DODGERS!

For Clayton Kershaw, it was deja vu all over again.

The Dodgers ace had another costly seventh inning and allowed three runs as the St. Louis Cardinals came from behind to win 3-2 and advance to the NLCS.

It all started just as it did in Game 1—Matt Holliday led off the inning with a single, followed by another base hit from Jhonny Peralta. Then first baseman Matt Adams came to the plate and drilled a hanging curveball over the right field fence for a three-run homer.


Kershaw—who is contender for both the Cy Young and MVP awards—had a forgettable postseason. He had an ERA over 6 against the Cardinals and could not make it out of the seventh inning in both starts.

But Kershaw’s under performance was not the reason why the $290 million Dodgers payroll failed to advance yet again in the postseason. All year long, the team has struggled with RISP and the bullpen has been garbage—at BEST. Add that in with Mattingly’s constant tinkering with the lineup and you have an underachieving lot. You may be able to get away with these deficiencies in the regular season, but they show up big time in the postseason. And that’s what did the Dodgers in.

Mattingly’s decision to bench Yasiel Puig in favor of Andre Ethier didn’t seem to factor in the game. Puig had eight strikeouts in 12 plate appearances against the Cardinals. And while Ethier was picked off at third in the sixth, let’s not forget the Puig made the most outs on the bases (not counting steals) than anyone in the Major Leagues this year. 

Credit is also due to the Cardinals who just find a way to win. This is their fourth trip in four years to the NLDS and is manager Mike Matheny’s third NLDS appearance in a row since taking over for Tony LaRussa in 2012.

--Alexis Garcia, BYB's "Eye on MLB" Columnist
Twitter:  @heylexyg



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BIOGENESIS: ONE YEAR LATER & STILL NO END

It's been one year since the Biogenesis scandal broke. One year since we were told that 90 MLB players have been named on a list provided by Tony Bosch, the former director at the South Florida anti-aging clinic. Jhonny Peralta, Francisco Cervelli, Jesus Montero, Melky Cabrera, Ryan Braun, and Alex Rodriguez. There were others, of course. Players who weren't suspended and names that weren't released to the public.

The long and tortuous arbitration hearings of ARod that took all winter a constant reminder of all the things that are wrong with baseball. All the ways that Bud Selig failed to do his job as Commissioner. All the ways that he allowed the steroid problem to run rampant with players like Barry Bonds, Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire. He sat back and did nothing when steroids put butts in the seats. The home run race was good for business. It wasn't until he had his retirement to consider that he started making examples of players. A 162 game suspension is unheard of for a first time offender, without a positive drug test... unless that player is ARod, and Selig is retiring.

One whole year....

and still we're no where near over this.

In case you didn't know, Bosch has been arrested, along with nine others. According to USA Today he was charged with "distributing illegal drugs to professional and high school athletes." Yes, you read that correctly, high school students. It's bad enough this guy is distributing drugs to professional athletes. Adults, even if they made terrible choices. But to distribute to children? And this is the guy that the MLB protecting? These are kids between 15 and 17 years old. How is no one else outraged by this? Isn't this some sort of child abuse?

Now, with the DEA involved, it's not clear how much the MLB investigation will matter. There are probably more than a few players afraid that their names will be released, but the DEA probably doesn't care as much about the user as they do the supplier. It's like a Hydra. You can't just cut off the heads, because new ones will grow in it's place. You must burn the source of the regrowth. In other words, why go after Jesse, when we can take down Heisenberg?

I need the MLB to understand how stupid they look protecting Bosch. To say that they would testify for him is ridiculous! I understand that he cooperated, and that is good, I guess. But you are putting the reputation of the league on the line, order to come to the defense of a man that distributed drugs to minors? It really reflects poorly on the MLB. Though, I suppose a league run by Selig cannot possibly stoop any lower. That is NOT a challenge, Selig! Please don't get any lower.

I know I sound angry, and bitter. I am! Very! Look, I love the sport. Baseball will always be part of me. But the handling of this entire Biogenesis ordeal makes them seem like such a joke. It's been an entire year, and nothing has been achieved, or changed. Bosch deserves to be punished, along with anyone who aided in supplying steroids to high school children. It's despicable! Selig needs to own up responsibility for the role he played in the deterioration of baseball. The play at innocence and subsequent hero doesn't cut it for me. The use of illegal substances in sports has to end. This game deserves some integrity. Let's start working towards that.

I'm sure this has just begun. Stay tuned.

--Erica Morales BYB Senior Writer 
Twitter: @e_morales1804

 
  

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DAVID PHELPS: KEEPING AN EYE ON THE BALL

With Spring training in full swing, it is easy to read the sensational headlines and catch the dramatic soundbites from veteran and rookie stars and make a good inference about what kind of team we will have this upcoming season or what’s trending at the ballpark.  But sometimes the story is in between the lines and after the sound clip.   David Phelps is a young pitcher who doesn’t get enough of either.  But he does get credit, at least from us at BYB, for being articulate, mature, accountable, grounded and focused on the important role he will take on this season. 

"My job is to go out there and get guys out, regardless of my role. I haven't changed the way I approach the season anyway, I'm just going out there and trying to get on a roll, throw strikes. Regardless of my role, that's how I'm going to approach it,” stated Phelps in an interview with MLB.com. 

The 27-year-old right-hander from the University of Notre Dame, has a 4.11 Career ERA and 175 strike outs.  He is focused on throwing strikes and winning ball games.  He reflected on his last two seasons, and particularly on one play he wished he could have back.  Phelps was pitching in the 12th inning of the 2012 ALCS game when he gave up a grounder to Jhonny Peralta. I think all fans remember, perhaps even in slow motion, Derek Jeter, diving for the ball, rolling over his ankle.  This is a clip that will live in infamy and for Phelps; it’s grounder he wants back. 

“That’s a clip that gets played a lot. And when I see the ground ball roll towards him, I’m like, ‘That was my ground ball,’ ” Phelps said. “I really want him to get back, I want him to have success  again, because I don’t want that to be the last thing people remember,” Phelps said in an interview with WFAN on Friday.  The fact that he takes ownership for every pitch, every play, just shows you the maturity level, the passion-filled player, we have in Phelps.

In his first Grapefruit League start of the spring, Phelps gave up two hits, one a solo homerun.  But the story within the story is that he threw 30 pitches, 20 of them were strikes.  Phelps is competing for a slot in the starting rotation.  Among his competitors for this position are Michael Pineda, Adam Warren and Vidal Nuno. Yet the story behind the story is that Phelps is confident that he will be effective in any role the Yankee skipper chooses for him to play.  Guys like Phelps just want to play and play to win.  And guys like Phelps are the story.  That’s where our focus should be- on guys who want to win, on and off the field, through the mindset they set for themselves and the straight talk they give us in interviews, even when the microphone is turned off. 

Keep a closer eye on David Phelps, fans.  Don’t lose sight of the real story behind the headlines.  There will be a lot of them this season, if you just pay attention and keep your eye on the ball.

--Suzie Pinstripe, BYB Opinion Columnist
Twitter: @suzieprof



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FROM "A GREAT OFF-SEASON" TO "DOUBT"

Thanks again Joel Sherman for starting my week off wrong...

Joel Sherman put a piece together yesterday in the New York Post to state that while the Yankees spent alot of money this off-season bettering their club, they also signed a bunch of guys that have had injury filled pasts.  OK then... thanks for starting my Monday off right. That's sarcasm for anyone that didn't get that.

Sherman writes:

"... They have areas of real fragility and little in the way of strong second-tier options. In 2013, as they used a franchise-record 56 players, that meant fire-drill acquisitions of underwhelming players such as Ben Francisco, Lyle Overbay and Vernon Wells, and too many at-bats ultimately for lightweights such as David Adams, Reid Brignac and Luis Cruz. 

It was “The Day After Tomorrow” as age, lack of emphasis on the bench and a woeful farm system finally caught up with the Yankees, leading to a playoff-less season.

Well, “The Day After Tomorrow 2” is in pre-production."

Why the Yankees let this guy into their facility is beyond me.  I mean, yes, Sherman's doing his job and he has the right to criticize all he wants. I mean, even us fans know that the idea of some of these guys on our payroll is "rolling the dice", like a Jacoby Ellsbury for instance, but what Sherman is failing to understand is "What happens if we didn't do anything?" or better yet, "Who else is out there?"  I don't mind criticism if you write about the Yanks and their "bad moves" as he's suggesting, but here's an idea, if you criticize, have a suggestion on what you would have done better. I mean, there is never a good suggestion box when it comes to Sherman. He just spews out annoying columns to get Yankee fans riled up... and for what? To sell papers? Stop already.

(In Photo: Zoilo Almonte)
We here at Bleeding Yankee Blue have offered our own backup plans, like slowly sprinkle the kids in. Slowly bring up guys like Tyler Austin or Zoilo Almonte and get them prepped for the Bigs.  But Sherman even slams the Yankees minor league system writing:

"... the farm system still isn’t ready to help much, the depth remains iffy and the frontline is brittle enough to suggest the Yankees are going to need way more than 15 really good players, even if the plague doesn’t hit again to cause the need for 56."

You know what Joel? That's what the minors leagues is for... let the kids develop and you know what, every once in a while you throw a kid a bone.   Look at the Core Four. Look at Bernie Williams, All started out slow and all developed into superstars over time.  But that's what we need... time, not criticism every time we open your column bro.

And in the future, make a solid suggestion. What's your plan... these guys that you wrote about?

"...they were outbid on Jhonny Peralta and Omar Infante, and tried hard to acquire Logan Forsythe from the Padres, who was instead dealt to Tampa."

Hmm. It seems like those suggestions are like 2013 all over again. It also seems like you're contradicting yourself.  Plus, are we really gonna give a guy like Peralta a shot? He's dabbled in PEDs just like Alex Rodriguez. You know, the guy you rip for being a liar?  What's the difference between Jhonny and Alex? 

Sure Omar makes sense, but it was clear the Yankees wanted cheaper and so they went Brian Roberts.  After all, they were saving what they could to get Masahiro Tanaka at that point. Look, what's to say Omar doesn't get hurt this season? What's to say Brian Roberts doesn't have a great season? We don't know. The Yanks made moves based on what they thought was right.

Here's a good idea for your next column... Write about what you would have done if you were the Yankees and don't give me guys that have already been signed... really think!  It appears that what the Yankees did was pretty significant this off-season, many of us believe that. And while the future doesn't look bright in the minor leagues as you suggest... don't tell those kids that, because they don't believe it for 1 second.   I know them... they want it more than anyone, they just want a chance.

Dear Yankees... ignore the haters... go win in 2014!

Thank you to all the Bleeding Yankee Blue readers for continued success.  You've made BYB the fastest growing Yankees fan site in the history of Yankees fandom.  Thanks for reading, sharing and enjoying. Follow me on Twitter @BleednYankeeBlu and join the group Bleeding Yankee Blue (Official) on Facebook, just type it in.

PERALTA VOWS TO MAKE IT RIGHT

I’m not a Jhonny Peralta fan.  I hated the fact that he was suspended for PEDs and had a 50 game suspension and returned just in time for the playoffs last season.  I found that to be incredible. How can you be punished for an illegal substance, but once over, be rewarded and able to play in the playoffs?  It’s the big stage, it’s what players who work hard naturally to play in. 

After the season, he was rewarded again signing a big contract with the Cardinals and at the time, the Cardinals game out and said that they’re not the "morality" police.  No, they’re not, but ethics, morals and common sense should come into the equation when signing a player who’s a 1 time offender.  I mean, even Matt Holliday is now "forgiving" Peralta, probably because Jhonny is now his teammate, but I find that hypocritical too considering he's running his mouth off about PED offenders the week earlier. I mean, which is it? Have we lost our mind here?  

Hey, maybe that’s just the dad in me. I’m not a GM. I realize that money drives the baseball industry, just like every major field, but for the integrity of the game, I was hoping maybe Peralta would be shunned, maybe like Alex Rodriguez for instance.  And I'm not picking on just Peralta... all of them.

It didn’t happen, and now we’re where we are at, Peralta is a Cardinal, a ton of money and years in his contract and I’m convinced that once you’re a cheater, you’re always a cheater.

But Peralta is doing something that the others really haven’t done. He’s vowing to prove to the fans and MLB that he can play the game naturally… you know, the way he’s supposed to have played the game all along.

Now look, I tip my cap for coming out and saying he wants to do this, I don’t really remember the other players doing this, other than say that they were “sorry”, like Melky Cabrera, after he was caught with a fake website by the way (and only 50 games for that I might add.)  Yes, it’s true, Manny Ramirez came out and said he wanted to be a role model, but any smart player knows you’re a role model after your first big league home run or win.  

Whether you like it or not, being a role model comes with the job, Manny.  Enter Jhonny Peralta, who would very possibly going about it the right way.

This is what Peralta said, courtesy of David Wilhelm of the Belleville News-Democrat: “I’m trying to put it in the past… I’m trying to look forward and forget about it. … I know I can play baseball naturally. I have to show people that I can do it and that I can help.”

The key words there are “I know I can play baseball naturally. I have to show people that I can do it.”

He needs to show people… like my son, a kid with a dream to one day play baseball on a major league level. Like Cardinals management, so they know he’s not a bad guy, but actually someone who made a bad choice, but is hoping to turn it around.

Will he? Can he? Who knows. I’d like to think I can trust these players.  I trusted Alex Rodriguez until he got wrapped up in Biogenesis. Francisco Cervelli disappointed me.  Bartolo Colon, Melky Cabrera… even Manny Ramirez.  Hey, even David Ortiz… you remember he tested positive in 2003.   

He’s still trying to find out why he tested positive… I’m sure we’ll find out soon. 

The point is, baseball has changed. Now, Peralta has stepped up and said he’s going to play naturally and prove to everyone he can.  

I believe him, but I’m holding him to it. More importantly, I want the others to do the same.

By the way, read another piece BYB did on Peralta when his signed his big contract after his 50 game suspension of PEDs... THE UGLY SIDE OF THE PERALTA SIGNING.


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THE UGLY SIDE OF THE PERALTA SIGNING

Reward the behavior you want to see. Everyone from parents of small children to corporate executives understands that piece of advice. If you believe that nugget of wisdom, then Major League Baseball took a hit this past Sunday as the St. Louis Cardinals announced the signing of Jhonny Peralta to a 4-year, $53M contract. A 10-year veteran shortstop with the Tigers and Indians, Peralta fills a hole in the Cardinals roster. At the same, Peralta served a 50-game suspension this past season because of his involvement in the Biogenesis scandal regarding performance-enhancing drugs. Therefore, it makes you wonder why the Cardinals would shell out that much money to a player who has tarnished the image of baseball.

Let us review his performance over the last several years. In the four years that he played for the Tigers, he hit for a .275 average, and a modest .764 OPS. He does not work too many walks, and he does not steal bases. He has excellent fielding ability and range, which makes him a defensive asset. For this work, he has never made more than $6M in a year, exclusive of club options. So why does his annual salary suddenly jump to $15.5M, which is what he will be paid in 2014, as per his contract with St. Louis? You can see why many are crying foul, saying that baseball is rewarding bad behavior.

There is a dark issue here that needs to be addressed. If you ask any sports organization, whether it is professional or collegiate, they will tell you that winning is the name of the game. Winning fills seats at stadiums, winning sells merchandise, winning gets marketing endorsements. Because of that, sports organizations tend not to care about issues like PED use unless it gives them a bad name. However, PED use has given players a bad name, not teams. The Red Sox and the Dodgers do not have a bad name because of Manny Ramirez’s PED use – only Manny does.

Furthermore, all the financial risk goes to the player. If Peralta stays clean and plays in a way that meets expectations, then everybody wins. If he does not stay clean, the Cardinals will benefit from his “enhanced performance”. If Peralta fails a drug test, he will be suspended without pay and the Cardinals are not financially liable. Their biggest problem is being without a shortstop. That is where they were this time last week – in need of a shortstop. There is absolutely no downside for the Cardinals on the deal. Which is why it pays for them to reward bad behavior.

This is going to be a problem for baseball. Teams will go out and sign players that have violated Major League Baseball’s policy on performance enhancing drugs, without regard for the consequences. Maybe the penalties need to be harsher. Maybe there needs to be a penalty for teams connected to player drug use. One thing is for sure - baseball cannot ignore this.

Commissioner Selig, I hope you are listening.

 
--Ike Dimitriadis, BYB Writer
Twitter: @KingAgamemnon
My blog is: Shots from Murderer's Row

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THE YANKEES LIKE JHONNY PERALTA. DO YOU?

We already know that the Yankees signed Brendan Ryan as the back up shortstop to Derek Jeter.  That news came out today...read THE YANKEES MADE AN IMPORTANT MOVE AT SHORTSTOP to catch up.

They are also "interested" in Stephen Drew.  That story comes from Jon Heyman and writes, "The Yankees are still pursuing free-agent shortstop Stephen Drew as they have questions on both sides of the infield. Jeter signed a one-year, $12 million deal for 2014."

We also have Eduardo Nunez.  Well, the more the merrier I guess, because now the Yankees are reportedly interested in third baseman / shortstop Jhonny Peralta.  This comes from the great Jon Morosi of Fox Sports who tweets:

Yankees expressing interest in free agent Jhonny Peralta, sources tell @Ken_Rosenthal and me. @FOXSportsLive
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) November 18, 2013

So what does it all mean? It means it's rumor season and we're just going to have to wait and see what really happens.  Peralta batted .303 in just over 106 games and can do a lot for a club. He is also a very talented infielder.

He also is a failed drug user and was suspended for 50 games for testing positive for a banned substance last season. Don't the Yankees already have a guy that's dealing with his own issues with steroids at 3rd already?  I'm just asking.

Whatever the case, we'll have more on this if anything further happens.

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