Albert Pujols denies PED accusations, plans to sue former major leaguer Jack Clark - Yahoo! Sports

Albert Pujols (Getty)

This would be a welcome change in the current climate regarding MLB and PED's. I agree entirely with Pujols here and would extend it to say that the media at-large has been "irresponsible and reckless" throughout this era.

This is the bed that MLB has made for itself led by the media's prior witch hunt. The media was allowed to march unfettered and throw firebombs when the target was one particular unpopular guy. Now that the behavior continues and is directed at somewhat more popular guys, it is a Tar-Baby that they cannot separate themselves from so easily.

Good luck fellas, you made your bed, now lie in it.

Hopefully, Pujols follows through and is joined by Justin Verlander. And hopefully they win.

Jack Clark was once my favorite player when he was with the Giants. But in this case, The Ripper struck out.

from Yahoo Sports:
Albert Pujols denies PED accusations, plans to sue former major leaguer Jack Clark - Yahoo! Sports:

Accused of using performance-enhancing drugs by former major leaguer Jack Clark, Albert Pujols said Friday he would sue Clark and his St. Louis-based radio station, WGNU, calling Clark’s remarks “irresponsible and reckless.”

“I’ve said time and time again that I would never take, or even consider taking, anything illegal,” Pujols said in a statement released by his agent.

He added, “If I have to be the athlete to carry the torch and pave the way for other innocent athletes to see that you can do something about it, I am proud to be that person.”

In his first week on the job as an afternoon drive-time host and in the wake of the Biogenesis suspensions, Clark told his audience Pujols’ former trainer confided he’d “shot … up” Pujols. Early Saturday morning, the company that put Clark on the air announced it has "terminated its relationship" with Clark and his co-host, Kevin Slaten.

'via Blog this'

Yankees’ A-Rod Looking To Make Deal; Could Face Lifetime Ban | CBS New York

Down goes the guy who many in the media had championed as "the one who will replace Barry in the all-time record books". Glad we're not letting the court of public opinion decide things.

from CBS New York:
Report: Yankees’ A-Rod Looking To Make Deal; Could Face Lifetime Ban « CBS New York:

Now the focus has shifted to Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez.

The evidence against the 14-time All-Star is ”far beyond” what the league had against Braun, according to ESPN.com. However, the Yankees don’t expect Rodriguez to be suspended immediately, sources told the website.

ESPN.com is also reporting that, according to sources, Rodriguez could very likely face a suspension similar to Braun’s.

An MLB source told CBS Evening News’ Jim Axelrod, however, that the five-time American League home-run champion could be looking at a lifetime ban.

'via Blog this'

Whatever they have on A-Rod it must be pretty good if the options are 156 games or life. The good news for Alex -- there is a lot of room for negotiation. One wonders if TPTB in baseball will allow the Yankees to void what is left of his mega-contract and let Alex try his luck as a free-agent again ( after a suitable suspension ) as part of any deal.

Bet a dollar his average annual salary goes WAY down.


UPDATE:
Anger over latest PED scandal in baseball could lead to penalty of erasing contracts  

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/madden-anger-growing-time-void-contracts-article-1.1410722

The rank and file are outraged enough that, for the first time, there is the suggestion that steroid cheats should have to pay with their contracts. Up until now, baseball contracts have been sacrosanct, as in unable to be voided.

Then it wouldn't surprise me in the least if some "surprising new" information comes to light about the suddenly mortal, but equally as filthy locked-in rich as A-Rod -- Albert Pujols. Then we'll see if the the union ( and it's members ) bites back or if by then it will be too late and they will realize they have been out-foxed and out-maneuvered into adopting a TSA-NSA style position of  "if you're not guilty, you have nothing to worry about".

Enjoy life as a serf boys ( albeit a well-paid one ). At least you will know who your masters are. Ask your Dominican brethren to recount for you what having this kind of leverage does to your employers.

Or maybe my tin-foil hat is just screwed on too tight, IDK check with me on this in a couple of years.

Post Season baseball awards and AFL results

Cy Young Award winners:
AL - Zach Greinke
NL - Tim Lincecum

MVP Award winners:
AL - Joe Mauer
NL - Albert Pujols

I can't argue against either of these four choices. Mauer may be the face of baseball as Jeter moves on in years, a solid, Ripken-Jeter personality that will help market the game for the next ten years. Pujols is making up for the years he was blocked by Bonds. Greinke and Lincecum both toiled for sub-par teams with dominance and flair.

Special congratulations to Tim Lincecum for his second consecutive Cy Young. Timmy may have benefited from a tug of war among voters to figure out who was the top Cardinal candidate. The vote splitting between Carpenter and Wainwright had to help Lincecum.

Is it just me or does it seem as if voters are more likely to reward a pitcher from a bad team who pitches at the elite level but less likely to do the same for a hitter? I know Andre Dawson won NL MVP a while back, but I see that and raise you a Steve Carlton. It just seems like here is a different standard for hitters--perhaps because they are out there every day--as far as voters holding them more accountable for a teams success.

Anyway, maybe this balances out the infraction with the pipe. At least he didn't pull an Angel Villalona and cap somebody....allegedly. Maybe somebody should tell Timmy he's about to become the face of the franchise and be paid accordingly, he can't be getting caught with a bowl of weed like he was some high school junior in his mom's car. Embarrassing.

Speaking of prospects, future starting catcher Buster Posey did in fact flirt with the Mendoza line for most of the Arizona Fall League before "rallying" to end somewhere around the "Bud Harrelson" line. Even more disturbing was the increased strike out rate. Somewhere in the 100+ K's per 500 AB's rate. I don't know if this is enough for Sabean to go cuckoo for Benji Molina or if perhaps bringing in a veteran backup catcher who could play a week or two at a time may be the better answer.

I would have preferred that Posey cleared things up with a knockout AFL stint, but he didn't, so the door is open for Sabean mischief and tom-foolery. Hopefully, they've instituted some sort of multiple levels of organizational sign off before he goes running naked through the field of old, overpriced free-agents with the corporate checkbook in one hand and Lord knows what else in the other.

On a brighter note, both OF Thomas Neal and SS Brandon Crawford both hit around or over the .300 mark most of the year. Both should begin next year at AA-AAA level and will be no more than a phone call away.

I didn't see anything out of any of the pitcher's stats that made me think a major league position was in the future. But I could be wrong.

OBAMA THROWS OUT FIRST PITCH AT ALL-STAR GAME

After nearly bouncing the offering, the Southpaw in Chief immediately blamed his predecessor for leaving the most enormous hole on the mound since the Great Depression.

He also blamed Pujols for continually calling for the curve-ball when it was clear that lefty wanted to throw the heater.

Actually, from the pictures, it looks like the President turned the ball over which may have caused the late drop.



Anyway, the National League qualified for both bailout funds and federal disaster aid by not winning for the twelfth consecutive game.

You would think that if the draft was the great equalizer it is supposed to be that the NL--with sixteen picks every year versus the AL's fourteen--would be able to stockpile more good young talent than the AL.

Maybe free agency is more important, but again that explanation is a head scratcher since the NL was long noted for having the larger markets vis-a-vis the AL. Maybe the NL's large market teams are not as loose with the budget as the Yankees, Sawks and Angels.

You would think the DH argument would leave the AL laden with hitters and the NL with the better pitchers, but lately, not the case. Besides, the AL had the DH in the 1970's and couldn't win a lick back then.

Bring back Pete Rose, Joe Morgan and the Big Red Machine.

Now the tables are turned and the NL can't seem to buy a win.

Carl Crawford's catch was the highlight of the game and possibly the game saver.

Dan Patrick and Keith Olberman discuss Pujols Off the Juice

I'm sorry, that's how I heard it. I must be one jaded SOB, though. Really they did a great job of saying,

"Son of a bitch, I wish I could say this stuff about Bonds, because then we'd be able to twist it into proof positive that he's on something, but for God's sake it's Pujols. Shit, we like him, it just can't be! Do I trust my eyes, or my preconceived notions, biases and prejudices! Dammit, now I'm really confused!! God, I hate this shit, why couldn't it be Bonds."

Oh shoot, don't believe me, listen for yourself. I heard this myself as it was broadcast, but I have to credit the good folks at Steroid Nation for having the link to an audio of the broadcast. You can't make this stuff up. Of course, they can't resist taking a shot at Bonds at the end. No story about BALCO or Bonds various difficulties seem to end in a Pujols joke. Just helping everyone keep score at home. And in case you are scoring, it's spelled H-Y-P-O-C-R-I-T-E-S. F#$%^&G HYPOCRITES!!

Steroid Nation link:
http://grg51.typepad.com/steroid_nation/2007/03/dan_patrick_and.html

What a shame when these guys can't get the facts to square up to reality. But never let it be said that the facts need to get in the way of a good story.

And don't forget to read the story of the Grimsley Affadavit and the famous redacted names:
http://deadspin.com/sports/baseball/so-weve-got-some-affidavit-names-179400.php

Yes, interesting, whatever happened to those redacted names? Shouldn't we be having a leak of those names anytime soon, or a congressional inquiry or something. I suspect we know the reason why those names haven't seen the light of day. The names will soil the reputations of white, popular players. When I'm proven wrong about this, let me know. I wouldn't hold my breath waiting though, and neither should you. And in the interest of the health, safety and well-being of all the youth of America, neither should they.

Quote - We kept looking up and it kept being the fourth inning.

That quote is just priceless. THIS IS WHY I WILL ALWAYS PREFER THE NL OVER THE AL.

Not because of the DH, although it's got to be a factor, it's the style of play, the overall philosophy and the emphasis on the small ball features of the game like bunting, moving guys over, take out slides in the middle of double plays, etc.

Nothing personifies it as much as this comment from Sportsfilter.com regarding the Boston Marathon, er the Yankee - Red Sox games yesterday.

http://www.sportsfilter.com/comments.cfm/7512
August 19, 2006
"We kept looking up and it kept being the fourth inning." : In the longest 9-inning game in major league history, the Yankees take 4 hours and 45 minutes to seal a 14-11 victory over the Red Sox. The game was the nightcap of a double-header that added up to 8 hours and 40 minutes of baseball, 41 runs, 61 hits, and 18 different pitchers.

Wonder how lively they'll be in this afternoon's game?

The Pujols Connection?

This site is reporting that one of the names mentioned in the Grimsley affadavit is none other than Albert Pujols.


http://www.deadspin.com/sports/baseball/so-weve-got-some-affadavit-names-179400.php

If true it will be interesting to see how the sanctimonious media treats this since the connection is virtually the same as Bonds to Anderson to Conte. Maybe the Feds will want to get involved or Senator Mitchell? I doubt it to all of the above. There will be a full court press defense of Prince Albert. This is the golden boy to most folks now. If he falls, they have to admit errors in a lot of the way this issue has been reported all along.

The reporter of this story will not get the same treatment from the brethren that the authors of "Game of Shadows" received I can virtually gurantee you that as well.

Uh...Houston we have a problem!!

With one tremendous swing by Albert Pujols against Brad "Lights Out" Lidge, the Astros may very well have put themselves in a must-win Game 6 situation. Pujols titanic homerun was so strong, that it has taken momentum away from the already partying Astros and given it back to the Cardinals.

Don't underestimate the scrappy two out at-bat by David Eckstein (my second favorite player in the league) as well as Jim Edmonds walk that set the stage for the game winner.

I have to admit, I too was guilty of loooking ahed to a White Sox-Astros matchup. What a bunch of great pitching matchups that Series would feature. The over-under might be set at four runs for most of the games.

Of course, this is playing into the White Sox hands once again. They should be hoping for a Game Seven in this Series. However, I think Game Six will have all the significance of a Game Seven in this case.

Obviously, if the Astros win, it's over. But by the same token, I believe if the Cardinals can keep Big Mo' on their side and win Game Six, it's over, they'll win Game Seven also.

Was Monday Night Football on last night? I think they used to rule the airwaves on Monday Night back in the day, but I couldn't find them last night.