Here We Go Again

Last night came word from ESPN that Major League Baseball was ready to suspended players connected to the Biogenesis clinic in baseball. Here are the players that could face a suspension.

The players who might ultimately face discipline from MLB include: Rodriguez, Braun, Cabrera, Colon, Grandal, Nelson Cruz, Francisco Cervelli, Jesus Montero, Jhonny Peralta, Cesar Puello, Fernando Martinez, Everth Cabrera, Fautino de los Santos, Jordan Norberto and a number of other players who either are identified by code names or whose names appear in other documents not obtained by "Outside the Lines."

A few observations:

- Strip malls aren't the place to go for "anti-aging" whatever. They just aren't. Strip malls are good for going to place like Rite Aid to get a jug of milk or maybe some Tylenol. "Anti-aging" drugs? Nah.

- I find myself agreeing with this Rob Neyer column on the subject. We can't act outraged that Barry Bonds is breaking records while allegedly juiced and not act outraged that baseball is going after these guys. It's hypocritical since a lot of people wanted baseball to go after the drug cheats 10 years ago.

- This is just the beginning. There will be appeal processes and hearings. It wouldn't surprise me if this story lasts until next season as well with the suspensions if they're upheld in court.

- Really the only teams that would be hurt by suspensions would be the Rangers (Cruz) and the Tigers (Peralta). The Yankees have done just fine without A-Rod so far and the Brewers have admitted that they are currently rebuilding. The rest of the players are either scrubs (Cervelli), players on losing teams (Grandal, Cabrera), or former busts (Montero). And the A's did just fine last year without Colon.

This is going to be ugly no matter how it plays out. Best case scenario MLB wins in the appeal process against some of the players and loses others. Worst case scenario suggest by Jonah Keri is that the player's union goes on strike. Either way this whole thing is ugly for baseball and the players.

Is There A Player In Baseball That Hasn't Used PED's?

Tell me, is there a baseball player that hasn't used PED's? Because obviously not. NY Times is reporting that both David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez were among the 100 players that failed a drug test in 2003.

So if you are counting at home, Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Manny Ramirez, Sammy Sosa, Alex Rodriguez, and David Oritz have all been linked to PED's. The biggest names of the past and current decade have all been linked to steroids.

But what does the players union go from here? Some of the biggest names linked to the failed drug test have been released. And that's after they were told their names wouldn't be released. Does the union just provide the full list to the media to clear the air? Then they don't have to worry about which name will be released in another couple of months. The union in the end would never reveal the entire list. They have to protect their clients. But they would be wise to do so, for they don't have to take these types of PR hits every couple of months.

Ortiz and Ramirez Said to Be on 2003 Doping List (NY Times)

The Links

Spencer Scott to start the mourning.... Vanity Fair slams Gov. Palin..... Mississippi is America's fattest state.... How about Obama's slogan of Hope & Change, the job market takes a turn for the worse.... The DEA is now investigating Michael Jackson... Remember Josh Childress?

Some classy photos of Maria Sharapova (Totally Crap)

The hottest wives of Wimbledon (The Big Lead)

Say hello to Queen Michelle Obama (Another Black Conservative)

Colleges need to ban Facebook from their athletes (Fanhouse)

UFC 100 Fan Expo Updates (Bloody Elbow)

80 reasons to love the Big Ten (The Rivalry, ESQ.)

This guy really likes LeBron James (With Leather)

ESPN.com case study (Dan Shanoff)

Players, fans don't care about steroids..... welcome back Manny (SF Chronicle)

What's it like for players during a drug suspension (ESPN)

Kimbo Slice's competition on The Ultimate Fighter 10 (Camel Clutch Blog)

Ramirez tested positive for: Sexual Enhancer*

Manny Ramirez's 50-game suspension is because Manny was using a sexual enhancer. Via Yahoosports....

"A source close to Manny Ramirez said Thursday that the illegal substance for which the Los Angeles Dodgers slugger tested positive was not “an agent customarily used for performance enhancing.”

At least not on the baseball diamond. The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the substance is supposed to boost sex drive. It is not Viagra, but a substance that treats the cause rather providing a temporary boost in sexual performance, the source said."

Wow! Manny must be taking some type of women's fertility drug.

And if he is using this drug, then he had to have taken steroids at some point. I remember reading "Game of Shadows" and the book talking about how Barry Bonds had to use a fertility drug to restart his testosterone. They take fertility drugs because steroids have opposite affects on people. When a man takes steroids, they lose their testosterone and gain estrogen. And the opposite for women.

So Ramirez at one point had to be taking some type of steroids. Why else would he need a fertility drug?

UPDATE: Yep I was right. Manny tested positive for a fertility drug. Via ESPN....

However, two sources told ESPN's T.J. Quinn and Mark Fainaru-Wada that the drug used by Ramirez is HCG -- human chorionic gonadotropin. HCG is a women's fertility drug typically used by steroid users to restart their body's natural testosterone production as they come off a steroid cycle. It is similar to Clomid, the drug Bonds, Giambi and others used as clients of BALCO.

A source with intimate knowledge of steroids told ESPN that a male athlete usually uses HCG after a cycle of steroids because steroids often shut down the testosterone-making ability of the testicles. HCG restores their capacity to make testosterone. The source said that some males may use HCG in lieu of steroids also. HCG by itself can provide a substantial boost in the body's own testosterone, and this may provide some performance-enhancement benefits.

How freaking amazing is that. You have to be paid big bucks to inject yourself with the same type drug the Octomom used to have so many kids.

I mean take a step back for a moment and think about this. A man comes up to you and says "inject yourself with this and you will add a couple more points to your batting average." So you take the drugs but your manhood starts faltering. So you have to take a WOMEN'S fertility drug to jump start your manhood. Just amazing to think about.

This story keeps getting better and better. I will keep you updated throughout the day.

The Links

Happy St. Patrick's day, now here's Jurgita Valts.... Natasha Richardson is in critical condition after an ski accident... 10 things you didn't know about Ireland.... Houston Rockets guard Carl Landry was shot in the leg... A-Rod finally opens up... Cole Hamels is going to have his elbow looked at, never a good sign.... Sci Fi Channel has a new name

- Jenna Jameson and Tito Ortiz had twin baby boys (US)

- Could the next steroid problem come out of the NBA? (Fanhouse)

- The players union and the NFL could go to "War" over the next Collective Bargaining Agreement (PFT)

- The AVP knows how to market beach volleyball (Deadspin)

- Remember when you are watching Eric Devendorf play in the NCAA tournament, you are watching a guy who hits girls (Rumors and Rants)

- Ladies of Stephen F. Austin (Busted Coverage)

- Cal has to focus on Maryland guard Greivis Vasquez in the tournament (SF Chronicle)

- Who does Jerry Tarkanian think will win the NCAA tournament (LA Times)

- The SEC is mad about lack of seeds and low seeds (Indianapolis Star)

- Paul Finebaum explains why the NCAA tournament is also a bad thing (AL.com)

- John Calipari says the Non-BCS schools get overlooked in the tournament (Memphis Commercial-Appeal)

Another Wrestler Found Dead

Here we go again. Tell me where you have heard this before. A wrestler is found dead in his or hers apartment. There is no sign of foul play but there seems to be drugs involved. If you have heard this before, then you now where I am going with this story.

At approximately 8:00pm on Friday, March 13, 2009, Tampa Police Officers responded to the Post Harbour Apartments, located at 725 Harbour Place Drive to check on the welfare of Mr. Andrew J. Martin. A neighbor reported that she could see into his apartment through a window and that Mr. Martin appeared motionless for several hours.

Officers entered the apartment and discovered Mr. Martin to be deceased. At this time there is no indication of foul play. The deceased was transported to the Medical Examiners Office for an autopsy to determine the cause of death. The date of the autopsy is undetermined at this time. The next of kin has been notified of the death.

Andrew Martin, known in the wrestling world as Test, was found dead at the age of 33. He wrestled in the WWE up until 2007 when he was released due to a failed drug test.

Just another sad story coming out of the wrestling world. How many wrestlers have to be found dead, before someone does something.

I know Martin wasn't wrestling with the WWE before his death. But they have had wrestlers die during their stay with the WWE. Namely Eddie Guerrero and Brian Pillman. The WWE needs to do a better job with the health of their wrestlers.

I have said before, if there was an organization that needed an union it is the WWE. Too many former or current wrestlers of the WWE have turned up dead. And the majority of the deaths revolve around heart failure due to steroid use.

After the Chris Benoit murder-murder-suicide, that should have been a clue for them.

Oh they rolled out some sort of drug testing policy, and even suspended a couple of high-profile wrestlers, but it isn't enough.

Guys are still showing up on T.V. jacked-up as ever. They are still getting hit in the head with steal chairs. They still have no off-season. And more and more wrestlers are popping up dead. There is at least one a year who ends up dead.

Add Andrew Martin to the list of wrestlers found dead in a room somewhere. He is just the latest. There will be more. And the WWE or other wrestling organizations still don't do enough for their former employees.

Business as usual in the wrestling profession.

Video of the Day

From the man who brought us Billy and Jeanine, is at it again.

This video is what I have been saying for years now. If baseball was going to ignore the steroid problem, they should have just made them legal. Then baseball would officially become the freak show.



It would be great for these economic times. Charge fans about $5, to see steroid freaks blast a baseball into outer space. Think about the promotional standpoint.

You can have a "Cream and Clear" day for the first 10,000 fans. Instead of watching players hit from the batting cages, you can watch them bench press the batting cage. Instead of singing during the seventh inning stretch, we can watch these freaks inject themselves. How cool would it be to see these guys "Hulk Up" in the middle of the game.

Hey we are in tough economic times, I bet someone has thought of it.

Miguel Tejada Will Play in the WBC

Miguel Tejada said that he wasn't going to play for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic because they wanted him to play first base. A phone call from Felipe Alou changed his mind.

"I had a conversation with Felipe and the issue was solved," Tejada, of the Houston Astros, said from Kissimmee, Fla. "I'll play with the Dominican Republic at the World Baseball Classic."

Felipe Alou has that kind of power. He could fall asleep in the Giants dugout during a game and the team would still lose. His Jedi mind tricks always work.

No seriously Tejada needed to play in this tournament to fix his image. He was the first major leaguer to be convicted of a crime related to the steroid era. His image is in the tank right now and not playing in the WBC because they wanted you to play first base is a bad play. Miguel better thank Alou for that phone call.

(ESPN)

A-Rod Could Help Case Against Steroids

With Alex Rodriguez admission of steroid use and yesterday's apology, A-Rod could help kids in the future. He said that when he used steroids he was young and stupid. This will give A-Rod a chance to speak out in the future against steroids and the problems with using them. A-Rod has the baton now and has a loud enough voice to speak out for the issue. Maybe the baseball union will listen? (NY Times)

A-Rod's Admission Not Enough

A-Rod actually did something that makes him smarter than Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens, he apologized for taking steroids. But was that enough.

Alex Rodriguez admitted to taking steroids during his three year stint with the Texas Rangers. He said that he was in a wrong place, felt pressure, felt the Texas heat, so he roided. He said that he stopped after he was traded to New York. If you believe this, then good for you. I don't.

Who's to say he didn't use steroids during his Seattle days. Seattle is close enough to the Bay Area that he could have made a call to Victor Conte and BALCO. What about his time so far in New York? He was in the same clubhouse as Clemens, Jason Giambi, and Andy Pettite.

This is what the steroid era has done to baseball. We don't know who did steroids or when they did steroids. This is why I can't take Rodriguez's word right now. He is in the club with the rest of the steroid era players.

A-Rod's teammates are sticking behind him, but there are a lot of people questioning his story.

A-Rod will continually being questioned about his steroid use for the rest of his career. If he breaks Barry Bonds home run record it will be tainted. When he is eligible for the hall of fame, he will be questioned. This is the grave A-Rod dug for himself, and he will have to lay down in it with McGwire, Bonds, and Clemens.