Hero or selfish monster? : Discussing the morality of Ryan Dempster's hitting of A-Rod

 John Farrell and Dempster himself both insist that the Sox pitcher didn't 'intend' to bean Alex Rodriguez last night but nevertheless, we all know he did. 

After the Yankees went down without a run in the 1st inning, the sent Alex Rodriguez to the plate in the top of the second with no outs, nobody on and with Boston leading 2-0. What happened next well, one watching the game could judge just by the reaction of the crowd. In the blink of an eye, the boos emanating from A-Rod's sheer presence on the feild turned to cheers roaring in favor of Ryan Dempster's pitch behind Alex Rodriguez. Through the reminder of the at bat, the boos never returned as Dempster continued to pound the inside corner of the plate.

Those cheers never died down but they came to a climax on the 4th pitch when Dempster finally made contact with A-Rod, catching him on the elbow guard. A-Rod simply stood there. Dempster betrayed no emotion while home play umpire Brian O-Nora issued warnings to Dempster as well as both benches (which soon emptied). 

But for Yankees manager: Joe Girardi, warnings were not enough. He came flying out of the dugout, fists flying, spit racing out of his mouth all while asking, demanding that Dempster be tossed from the game. When all ended, the only person going home early was Girardi himself. 

The Red Sox would go on to lose the game by a margin of 9-6. 

                                                                                           

But regardless of the score, nearly 24 hours after the adrenaline of watching baseball's most hated man get drilled with a 90 mile per hour fastball has subsided, one begins to wonder many things. If Dempster had not plunked Rodriguez would Boston have won the game? Did A-Rod deserve it? And in a question with an obvios answer: did Dempster intend to hit him.

Well we know the answer to one of those questions. Fact is, in the court of public opinion, A-Rod did deserve getting hit. He has obviously been cheating, he hasn't really hired the most admirable of followers and above all he has ratted out his own teammates, a rule that is far from unwritten among MLB clubhouses. It seems that every day something new has come out about Alex Rodriguez and for Ryan Dempster he obviously wanted to add his own chapter...in the form of a hefty bruise on the Yankee 3rd basemen's arm. 

But in an answer to the 3rd question posed earlier Dempster defied what we all knew. He insisted that the hit by pitch was an accident. 

“No, I was just trying to pitch him inside,” he said. 

“Regarding the first at-bat to Rodriguez, much like Ryan has done many, many starts, that he establishes his fastball, and there are hitters in a given lineup he’s got to establish it in,” Farrell said in a similar tone. 

But their firm denial soon turned to a far less rigid collection of words. 

“I don’t know that he hit him on purpose. I don’t think he did,” Farrell said. 

But while Farrell was relatively cool headed, he understood the rage coming from Joe Girardi.

“Do I understand why Joe was upset? If it’s one of my players, yeah, I’m going to interpret a certain way on our side as well.”

But back to that first question.. That being: if Dempster had not beaned A-Rod would Boston have won the game? Well, no doubt about it, the anger and thirst for retribution sure ignited New York. They would tie the game in that second inning then take the lead in the 3rd. From then on, the Sox would fight back and eventually jump out to a 6-3 lead going into the 6th inning. The Sox were winning and beating up on CC Sabathia. The game seemed over until once again A-Rod's excellence made it a game again.

Once again leading off an inning, Dempster well, didn't try to take Rodriguez' head off and in the end, A-Rod would get the last laugh belting a solo shot to center field kicking off what would become a 4 run game changing inning. 

“I knew he got it when he hit it,” Dempster said about. “I’m sure any time any hitter gets hit by a pitch, when you hit a home run the next time up it always probably feels good. That’s just reality. It was unfortunate because it started off the inning with a run when you’re trying to get the leadoff guy out.”

“I’m disappointed in the fact that I couldn’t hold a 6-3 lead,” he said. “That’s the bigger story. We’ve got a game right there in hand to win and I didn’t do a very good job of making pitches in the sixth inning. I’ve got to execute better. The guys go out there and score a bunch of runs off a guy like [CC] Sabathia, you’ve got to go out there and make your pitches and hold your lead and I didn’t do that.”  

The Red Sox lost last night, 9-6 your final. Their once impenetrable 4 game lead on the East has fallen down to just 1 single game. And....in a far more violent situation, Alex Rodriguez was beaned by Ryan Dempster and no matter the effect it had on the game, it happened. 

The Red Sox need to move on and win these next few games in San Francisco.

To see a full video of the incident click here

Also, you may comment below with your thoughts on the A-Rod incident. Is Ryan Dempster a hero for hitting Rodriguez or was he out of line in his actions?

Read More

Ryan Dempster beans A-Rod: Tempers flare at Fenway

July 24th, 2004: Jason Varatek catching for Boston and Alex Rodriguez batting for New York. 

The pitch: strikes A-Rod in the back and the Yankees 3rd basemen is angry. He says something that brings similar feelings to the mind of Varatek. The result is well, what has been immortalized as 'the glove sandwich'. 

                                                                                            

At that point, we didn't even know that Alex Rodriguez was cheating but to date the Red Sox still hated him. Now at that point it was not clear whether or not Boston pitcher: Bronson Arroyo intended to hit the Yankees lightning rod of a roster member but nearly a decade later the intention behind a similar situation was clear. 

On the first batter of the top of the 2nd inning, Ryan Dempster intentionally hit Alex Rodriguez. Red Sox fans were thrilled Joe Girardi was not.  

As I said it was the top of the 2nd inning. The Red Sox had just scored and were up 2-0 with Alex Rodriguez coming to bat to lead off the inning. Ryan Dempster was pitching. Now in his career Dempster has had no history of intentionally hitting players and frankly he has not been on the Sox long enough to develop the 'Yankees die' mentality that his new town has known for so long. But for so many years Dempster has been a major leaguer and for so many years he has known that Alex Rodriguez is not a well, role model. 

So for Dempster after A-Rod was revealed to have been cheating AGAIN, the motivation was there.  

On the first pitch of the at bat, Dempster came inside on an obvious attempt to bean his target. After A-Rod managed to get out of the way on pitch number one, Demptser then fired at Rodriguez on both the 2nd and 3rd pitches...but no intervention was issued so Boston's pitcher was left with one last chance to do what he obviously wanted to do. 

Long story short it was on that 4th pitch that he connected. Almost immediately, Fenway exploded with atmosphere as Dempster, Farrell, and CC Sabathia were all issued prompt warnings. But Yankees GM Joe Girardi was not satisfied. He flew out of his dugout sprinting towards home-plate all while screaming about how Dempster should be tossed. 

He wasn't but when it all ended Girardi was tossed. It was the second time this year that the Yankees GM had been tossed out of a game and the 23rd time in his career that Girardi himself had been ejected. 

Nonetheless even with their manager sitting back in the clubhouse, the Yankees rallied in the 2nd scoreing A-Rod from second before tying the game later on. 1 inning later they would take the lead to make it 3-2. As it stands no retribution has been made although ESPN's broadcast team has made predictions that the benches will clear at least one more time in the game.  

Read More

Red Sox trashing A-Rod before Yankees come to town: Lackey, Gomes' comments

The New York Yankees are the owners of a 1 man circus and that circus' name is Alex Rodriguez.

Whether it be the infamous 'slap' of Bronson Arroyo's glove in 2004 or well any of the negative stories that have emanated from the Yankee's 3rd basemen, the Red Sox have always hated him...and coming into tonight's tight match-up with the New York, they were not letting up.

According to John Lackey:

"I've got a problem with it. You bet I do, how is he still playing? He obviously did something and he's playing. I'm not sure that's right. ... It's pretty evident he's been doing stuff for a lot of years I've been facing him.

Sure, we talk about it." he said when asked about the atmosphere in the Boston clubhouse regarding A-Rod "But talking to the media about it is a little bit different. People have strong feelings. He took me deep the first time I faced him as a rookie, and he admitted to doing stuff back then. There are a lot of things I want back from him."

Lackey has only allowed 207 home runs in his career, one of the earliest of which being that A-Rod homer when the then Texas 3rd basemen belted a booming home run off poor Lackey. A-Rod soon admitted that he was using drugs at that time.

Lackey will get another crack at a drug infused A-Rod on Saturday in game two of this series.

But as Alex comes into America's most beloved ball park, Lackey will not be the only Sox member casting him his share of ill will.

With Alex Rodriguez currently appealing his suspension, he will likely get to finish off this season as, as we all know, these court battles never go quikely...Johnny Gomes does not approve of that facet of this whole scandal.

"I don't think so, to tell you the truth," Gomes said when asked if it was right that Rodriguez was still out there, according to MassLive.com. "I can imagine being the pitcher, just knowing this guy is on or has done steroids. That's not an equal battle right there. I don't know how that would really work out. Good thing I don't pitch. It doesn't make much sense that he's still playing."

Gomes is right, it doesn't make sense that Alex Rodriguez is still in baseball.

Read More

...And the Circus comes to town: Alex Rodriguez and Yankees come to Boston for the first time since the Biogenises suspensions

 Let’s face it, this recent 10 game road trip was not a fun one for Boston baseball fans.

With the exception of Mike Napoli's base clearing double and his game tying 2 run shot in game two of the Toronto sires, the Sox 1st basemen was 2 for 33, amounting to an average of just .060. The Sox lost 6 games and in their sixth loss of the road trip could likely be named the hardest to take.

In possibly the best game of his season, Jake Peavy was dominant through 6 innings holding the Blue Jays to just 2 hits before a 7th inning collapse that ultimately lost the game for the Sox. But on this Friday morning the attention has turned from looking to the past to looking towards a rapidly approaching 'circus' that will take over the capital city of Massachusetts in just a few hours. 

For the first time since he appealed the 211 game suspensions that came down due to his involvement in the Biogenises scandal, Alex Rodriguez and the Yankees are coming to Boston. Since making his return to MLB action, on the very day that his suspension was handed down, A-Rod has played 9 games coming to the plate 36 times while contributing just 10 hits. A-Rod may not be the power bat that he has the possibility of being but he has certainly brought his fair share of publicity to the Big Apple and it's favorite baseball team.

But for A-Rod his name was further tarnished this morning literally hours before he will inevitably be taunted in nearly every way possible tonight.

According to a report by 60 minutes, Rodriguez intentionally leaked documents implicating the involvement of Ryan Braun and Fransisco Cervelli in the same drug scandal that had befallen him. Fact is, when it all started, Alex Rodriguez was the only name involved in Biogenises and well, A-Rod didn't like that.

But to date, he and his agent: David Cronwall insist his innocence.

"The allegations are untrue and are another attempt to harm Alex _ this time by driving a wedge between Alex and other players in the game,'' Cornwell said in a statement. "While Alex focuses on baseball and repeatedly states that he is going to respect the appeal process, the drumbeat of false allegations continue.

These improper and viciously false leaks will not alter the fact that MLB exceeded its authority under the JDA (Joint Drug Agreement) and the 211 game (suspension) will not stand.''

But oh by the way, there IS more to this upcoming sires than simply excising some easy material for Sox fans to verbally assault the most hated athlete on earth. Fact is, the Red Sox NEED to do good over these next 3 days. Why? Because like I said even while the Rays were stumbling in a 6 game losing streak, Tampa has returned to form and with Boston's division lead stretched down to just 2 games, their schedule is not giving them any help.

After their series with New York the Sox will race west to play against the defending champion Giants before moving south to play against the hottest team in baseball: the Dodgers. But all this is going on while the Rays will toddle around the sub-par Al East with sets against the Jays, Orioles an Yankees.

Either the Red Sox need to sweep this series or well, we could be right back into this intense pennant race.

Read More

MLB Home Run Record: Example of human strength of symbol of cheating in pro sports

  

    

Wane Gretzky's 92 goals in 1981, Nadia Comanche’s perfect score at a minor age of 14. Peat Rose's hit mark and Greg Lemond's title of only American to ever win the Tour De France.

These records and amazing feat of athletic achievement are wonders in it of themselves. These records stand as spectacular testaments to their sports, all achieved by the raw power of the human body. No one will ever beat Wane Gretzky's 92 goal year, nor will a younger person win at the same level that Nadia did all at such a young age, and as it stands, no human being of American blood might ever again win the Tour De France period.

But it seems that I may have left one more milestone record off that list. But for a reason.

Widely regarded as the greatest hitter in the history of baseball, Babe Ruth first burst onto the stage in the early 1900's hitting 714 career home runs and taking with him as he retired the all-time mark as, statistically the greatest home run hitter in the MLB's short history.

Now in the 65 years since Ruth died, his coveted claim to fame has been approached by many and even broke not once but twice. But nevertheless, when looking at the list of baseball's top home run hitters, when you judge by the pure human power that it takes to hit a home run, really the large majority of those within the top 10 on the all-time list needed more than what their bodies allotted them to do what they did.

First and foremost, you must acknowledge the name atop the all-time list: Barry Bonds. Throughout MLB history there is no name that brings more shame to baseball than that of long time San Francisco Giant Bonds. After he was drafted late in the 1985 MLB draft, Bonds began to show is colors in just his first year in the league. By 1990 he was an all-star and by 1992, just his 7th year in the league, he had gleefully eclipsed  150 career homers. But right as the rest of baseball finally realized the potential this kid possessed, his Pittsburgh Pirates became unable to compete with the big number contract, the Giants were offering mighty Bonds.

So off to San Fran he went and for Bonds, that was where things got crazy. By the end of the 2000 season, Bonds had smacked 472 home runs and was  charging towards history as with so many years remaining on his contract, the approximately 300 long balls separating him from Hank Aaron's then all-time home run mark was well within reach.

Yet as quick as his skill had become evident, a 73 long ball season put Bonds under question and, just 2 years after that mega season, those questions were answered. Barry Bonds has cheated and although he did become the all-time home runs leader, one begins to wonder: if Bonds had not cheated would the record books still be the same?

You see it is guys like Bonds that make you angry, it is guys like Bonds that make you say, "these are records and there should not be any indecision of any sort." 

But as time has gone on, Bonds was joined on the list of cheaters by a man who many hoped would erase the negative legacy left behind by Barry himself. Fact is you have always had this feeling that Alex Rodriguez is not the best of baseball. You have always had this feeling but until Monday, you never had any proof to solidify your argument to the fact that A-Rod was a cheater. Well, now you do. Over the next few weeks, Rodriguez' appeal will likely be shot down and baseball will finally be ridden of a blemish they have soon come to hate.

Records are records, there are good players and then there is the ONE player who reigns supreme as the best of them all. But for the MLB home run record that is not the case. Of the top 10 home run hitters in history, only 6 of them have gone without a positive drug test, a sore fact as when you look at it the 4 players, outside the top 10 that would be within that mark if any and all cheaters were removed include both Reggie Jackson and Mickey Mantle. 

Baseball is the sport that raised this nation. But no matter how captivating or intriguing it is, it has it's blemishes and perhaps its biggest is one that could easily be its greatest strength: the home run. In a list riddled with cheaters while sparsely punctuated with honest sluggers, the Home Run Record is all but meaningless, its only use being its presence as a bruising reminder to when competition turns to cheating.

Read More

Alex Rodriguez and 12 other suspended for involvement in Biogenesis scandal: What this means for all sides involved

"Today is a sad day for MLB, the fans of this great game, and all players who may have been negatively affected by others selfishness, Ultimately, although today will be a day of infamy for MLB, it is a tremendous step in the right direction for the game we love." ~ Jose Bautista: Tampa Bay Rays third basemen

Over 8 months later, it has happened. 8 months after we were given the first hint that Yankees star Alex Rodriguez might be suspended, he has.

8 months after the word Biogenesis was widely introduced into our vocabulary, we have finally been given some clarity on what that strange combination or words actually means. But even now, so many versions conflicting reports and hope for various suspensions later, even now, that simple word while it has been finally defined, its meaning remains crazily different depending on who you are.

First and foremost, if you are Alex Rodriguez well, Biogensis means 2 things. Number one, it signifies the drug scandal that turned you into the most hated athlete on earth, but also, it represents a 211 game ban that will void over 36 million dollars of your contract.

If your name is either, Nelson Cruz, Jhonny Peralta, Jesus Montero, Everth Cabrera, Francisco Cervelli, Antonio Bastardo, Jordany Valdespin, Fernando Martinez, Jordan Norberto, Fautino de los Santos, Cesar Puello or Sergio Escalona, Biogenesis means a 50 game suspension that basically whips out the reminder of your 2013 MLB season.

If your name is Joe Girardi, this mega ban, despite it's taking out one of your top hitters in addition to smacking one of your catching prospects, is actually a good thing. Between Rodriguez and suspended catcher Francisco Cervelli, Biogenisis has giving the Yankees an additional 38 million dollars to play around with, a good thing seeing as they are one of the least efficient salary teams in baseball.

For Rodriguez, Girardi and his Yankees, and those 12 other suspended players, their interpretation and the impact delivered by Biogenisis is largely centered around the suspensions or money aspects of this singular event. But for Bud Selig and the MLB as a whole, this 8 month whirlwind of a doping saga represents something so much larger than the one south Florida anti-ageing clinic that has corrupted their league once again. 

It is no question, for 19 years, Alex Rodriguez has been a thorn in the side of the MLB, working his way out of some drug involvement in 2003 then lying about the fact that he would never again use PEDs. They would love to kick him out of baseball for good, but even though that may never happen, holding him off the field until April of 2015 is a close second. But there's a catch. 

Rodriguez has found a way to avoid the suspension, at least for a short time. For guys like Cruz and Peralta today and Ryan Braun a couple weeks ago, they all accepted their suspensions immediately meaning that each of them would begin serving those suspensions the second they accepted them. Rodriguez on the other hand immediately responded to the MLB's announcement with this statement: "I am disappointed with the penalty and intend to appeal and fight this through the process. I am eager to get back on the field and be with my teammates in Chicago tonight. I want to thank my family, friends and fans who have stood by my side through all this."

So, although there is likely no way for Rodriguez to get out of at least some sort of suspension, he eluded to possibly the one reason he has not accepted the suspension. A-Rod will take the situation into court meaning that with all the different steps necessary to overturn or confirm this suspension, Rodriguez' appeal could drag on for weeks. In the meantime, with his suspension not yet accepted, he will be allowed to play at least until a verdict is delivered, a fact that with New York not that far out of the pennant race could serve up yet another spell of controversy should New York close their gap in the Wild Card race and get to the playoffs.  

Alex Rodriguez WILL be suspended, don't get me wrong, but that punishment will not be effective immediately, a fact that I personally, do not understand. We all know A-Rod is guilty, so why should he be able to play? 

Cheating is bad, and bad things in pro sports are punished with swift action. Alex Rodriguez is cheating and cheating is bad, but for this Yankees 3rd basemen, it has already taken 8 months for justice, and as it stands, we may still have to wait a little longer.

Read More

As Red Sox have been faltering, the Yankees have been falling out of the sky dead

The New York Yankees website has a bolded title hanging in the foreground of its home page reading Yankees: a timeless legacy.

Now it is true that the boys in pinstripes have seen more World Sires titles than any other team in MLB history (27) and sure they have seen the greatest home run hitter in the history of baseball come through their town, and sure they have Mariano Rivera: a name that speaks for all the greatness its owner possesses but over the past few years and in this season in particular, the Yankees have been faltering. For the first time in so many years, fans of this team might not have much of a future to look forward to meaning that the best thing they have is what has already passed: the legacy.

After their inception in 1900, the New York Yankees formally known as the Highlanders began play in 1901 but struggled in their first few years in the MLB as they failed to make the playoffs every single year before 1921.

They made it to the World Series that year and did the same in the ensuing 3 seasons, winning it all in 1923. From then on, the Yankees left their 21 year playoff drought behind them winning 4 titles in the next 10 seasons and 6 more in the 10 years after that. 

For more than 40 years, New York was the city of winners snagging 20 of their 27 titles in that span from 1923 to 1962. Nevertheless, with the rest of the league getting stronger, New York’s championship decades soon became a thing of the past as even while forgetting the World Series, the team missed the playoffs 26 times over the next 30 years.

But nevertheless as the century turned into the year 2000, new names like Mariano Rivera and Derek Jeter rapidly turned things around in the Big apple as from 1996 to 2000 they would win the title 4 different times. Both Rivera and Jeter would win a world series MVP award through that stretch. From then on it looked like the Yanks were poised to dominate in a similar fashion to that of the early 1920’s but even with the additions of Jason Giambi and Alex Rodriguez, that was simply not the case. They would win just once more before 2010 a title that even though it came nearly 4 years ago remains their most recent in team history. 

Now in the 3 completed seasons since that 4-2 series win over the Phillies New York has been well less than stellar. They won the division twice but only on the slimmest of margins and in 2010 their year of title defense they barely managed to get into the postseason by winning the wild card berth.

But nevertheless, they HAVE made it in and HAVE succeeded as they have been to the ALCS twice in that 3 year span. But after looking less than Yankee like in 2012 the Big apple has been watching their team have one of their worst seasons of the new millennium in this 2013 and as it stands there is a slight chance that come October, there will be no baseball played in the Bronx: a shocking occurrence that has only happened once in almost 10 years but could soon become a regular theme.

Kicking off the season with two huge series’ against the Red Sox and Tigers respectively, New York went 4 and 2 in those 8 games and never really found their footing. By May 1st they were 17 and 10 and 2 games behind the Red Sox for the division lead. One month later their number of games above 500 began to shrink as in the month of May the Yanks fell to a record of 31 and 24 yet they were still just 2 games behind the Red Sox.

But nevertheless, it was in mid June that things really began to worsen for the Yankees as by June 15th they were just 6 games above 500 and by then they were a full 4 games out of first place. But that is only where their free-fall begins.

By July 1st, they were then 3rd in the division while boasting a record of 43 and 39 and managing a winning percentage of just .524. And worse, Derek Jeter seemed to be injured once again and Alex Rodriguez was once again right in the thick of a PED scandal that at this point in time might end his career. But still their decent had not bottomed out.

No, that low point came on July 27th when the Yankees were thrown a 2 hit shutout by David Archer and sank to a horrendously imperfect 7 and a half game deficit separating them and the division leading Red Sox.

Now for a normal team you would say something like “oh there is always next season.” But for the Yankees, that might not be the case… at least for a lot longer than 1 year.

Now no matter how wonderful Mariano Rivera’s march through baseball in this farewell season is, it has a flipside. No matter how heartwarming it was to watch Mariano Rivera jog out during the all-star game, there is a heart wrenching side of this all.

Mariano Rivera is a great closer and deserves to be respected on his way out but… Mariano Rivera is a great closer and on his way out one cannot help but see how deep down Yankees fans want to say something along the lines of “come on, one more year!” 

Why? Because the Yankees have no other prime closers within their ranks, a fact that produces a stunning number.

If you assumed that 25 percent of the games that Rivera has saved this season were not saved, a truth that with any other run of the mill closer, the team would have approximately 8 fewer wins to date. That tally that would have them sitting a whopping 15 games out of 1st.

But for NY, Rivera is not the only big piece of the puzzle possibly leaving next season.

After he was linked to the Biogenisis PED scandal back in January, the MLB has been constantly working to punish Alex Rodriguez. Fact is, Ryan Braun has already been suspended. For 65 games in fact and in the words of commissioner Bud Selig, an impending Rodriguez suspension could dwarf that handed down to Braun.

Now while it is true that the Yankees would much rather shoot A-Rod between the eyes rather than keep him in their uniform, his absence from the lineup will take away an average of 108 RBI’s a year.

Finally, the 3rd piece of this eroding puzzle is that man who played a pivotal role in leading the Yankees to those the World Series titles almost 15 years ago: Derek Jeter.

With persisting quad troubles keeping him out of the lineup, the 39 year old isn’t getting any younger and after nearly 2 decades in the MLB, one cannot help but wonder. Are Derek’s days numbered? 

Rivera is retiring, Jeter may be soon to follow and A-Rod will likely be getting the boot for a LONG time if not forever. The Yankees are no longer the dream team of the 1920’s or even the early 2000s, they are a ball club, smashed into pieces and watching idle as the waves of time sweep their best players away. Their window is closing FAST but the Yankees are not moving to beat time. Their window is closing fast but after looking at the standings, that window is threatening to slam shut far faster than any expected.

Yet where are the Yankees? 7 and half games removed from a pennant race that is threatening to leave them in the dust.

Read More

The popularity problem: why America's youth's lack of interest in baseball will come back to hurt the MLB

October 9th, 2012: Seattle based rapper Macklemore releases  a song deviating from his theme of intense controversial topics and turning to sing one tribute to a love of his, under-appreciated by the world: baseball.

About 3 months ago, I stumbled upon that very song; a track entitled My Oh My and was instantly smiling at the passion he showed when singing about a famed playoff victory by the 1995 Seattle Mariners. Here was a man, a 30 year old who "couldn't have been older than 10" when the subject of his song occurred. Here was a 30 year old rapper who, 2 decades after that spine tingling walk off was still in love with the game he grew up watching.

“I used to sit with my dad in the garage.” He sings Mariners jersey across his torso and smile ever present on his face.

“That sawdust that pine sol and the moss. Around every spring when the winter thaw, we'd huddle around the radio, twist the broken knob. 710 AM no KJR Dave Niehaus voice would echo throughout the yard. Couldn't have been older than 10, but to me and my friends the voice on the other end might as well have been God's” 

5 sentences: each one firmly exemplifies Macklemore’s unbelievable love for the Mariners. Yet nevertheless, embedded within those first few lines of that 2012 song is an underlying truth that in 15 years’ time might very well threaten the very integrity of not only the Mariners but the entire MLB. At this point in time, the groups of 10 year olds within this nation that repeatedly “sit with my dad in the garage,” and “huddle around the radio twist the broken knob” are slim in numbers.

“After practice we listen to the M's in the kitchen, and if mom wasn't trippin' come on dad please I swear just one more inning.” You see, the MLB loves  it when kids beg for their parents to let them watch just one more inning but in 2013, those standoffs do not occur in the huge number that they did back in the 80’s and 90’s.

In this day and age 10 year old's do not love baseball the way they did in 1995. They fight to watch football, they fight to PLAY football, and frankly for many, sports like basketball and hockey are more closely watched that baseball. 

Nevertheless, while ratings do pose a major problem for the league, their talent pool is now beginning to shrink as the number of kids involved in competitive baseball leagues has been steadily dropping. 

In just 9 years, (2000 to 2009) participation in the baseball’s largest youth organization: Little League has fallen off a cliff. It has dropped 24 percent as, like I said before, children turn to football, basketball and even start up floor hockey leagues instead of baseball.

"You get more action… it's not as slow.” Keegan Antelman: a fielder/pitcher who plays in a 6-10 year old spring/fall baseball league said when I asked him why he likes street hockey more than baseball. “It takes more skill.”

Too slow. Baseball is too slow for children and it shows. Perhaps the fastest team sport on planet earth: hockey has seen participation skyrocket by almost 38 percent while Football, a sport now regarded as America’s NEW pastime has seen its participation numbers jump by almost 21 percent.

But back to baseball where, speed is not only a problem for kids.

"Parents want to see their kids moving," says John Mitchell, a former college baseball coach from Alabama. "They drop their kids off at soccer and they know they're going to run around like maniacs for an hour. When they watch baseball practice, they often see them standing around in the outfield while the coach throws batting practice."

In a nation now riddled with an obesity rate of over 10%, for kids as young as 8 or 9, sports are not just about having fun, they are about exercise…. and for baseball: the exercise you get from running 90 feet and stopping is not enough.

But wait, there is more. With major league baseball once again reeling from a recent resurgence of PED use, parents of budding ball players do not want to put their kids into a sport that someday might prompt them to  take steroids that could easily take 10 years off their life.

“I think it disappoints them. They’re taught to do their best — and then they see all their favorite players getting suspended,” Baseball mom Debi Manby said in an interview with the Vancover Sun. “I would be horrified if he [her son] ever used.”

So at this point, you begin to wonder: how does a group of games played by 4th graders affect one played by 25 year olds? 2 words: talent pool.

If you look back at 2000, if you had a promising 8 year old hitter, a 8 year old in 2000 would be 21 now and contending for the attention of an MLB scout. The only problem is, if that 8 year old left the sport with the half million other kids who have fled between 2000 and 2009 well, he wouldn’t be there for the scout to look at. 

"There are still players, but there aren't the numbers out there anymore," said David Bloom, a scout with the Baltimore Orioles. "The great players just don't stand out like they used to."

So: with all this riding against them, what does baseball need to do to ratchet them back to the top? SPEED THE GAME UP! Limit a batters right to call time to just 1 or 2 stoppages per at bat. Prohibit the catcher from visiting the mound unless the coach came out. Maybe even introduce a play clock if you will, forcing a pitcher to only take 8,9,10 seconds in between pitches.

But nevertheless, no matter what they do in the coming years, the MLB’s window of fame might be closing regardless of who is standing in between the walls trying to hold back the inevitable.

The roots of the game profiled in Macklemore’s less than hit song do not exist anymore. The magic is fading and at the pace that things are getting worse, there is nothing that the MLB can do about it.

For the music video of My Oh My  by Macklemore click here

For the complete lyrics to My Oh My by Macklemore click here

Read More

Shane Victorino: The Ryan Braun ban "very unfortunate for the game" according to ESPN

Over the All-Star Break, the MLB hinted that a major punishment in reaction to the Biogenesis scandal was coming.

Fact is after news was broken back in January, the names of nearly 2 dozen Major League Baseball players were linked to a list of PED clients of a closed down Miami anti ageing clinic.

As baseball struggled to recover from that major blow in the field of Public Relations, they threatened to hand out mega suspensions for the two biggest stars involved in the scandal: Alex Rodriguez and Ryan Braun. At just after 12 noon yesterday they carried out at lest part of that threat by kicking Ryan Braun to the curb for the reminder of this 2013 season.

Former World Baseball Classic teammate of Braun: Shane Victorino was disgraced.

“It’s a very unfortunate situation. Speaking from a guy I know personally, been on two WBC teams with and played against him all those years, it’s very unfortunate. He stood up for it today, took the brunt of it. 

It’s a sad situation, I look at the game of baseball. Is there more, who knows? People talk about there’s more, more to come, but I worry about what I’ve got to worry about and not worry about what’s being said. Rumors are rumors until they’re solidified like today’s situation, we’ll worry about it then.

Braun was suspended for the remainder of the season, a total of 65 games, for 'violations of the Basic Agreement and its Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program,' 

If somebody’s cheating in your job, you’d probably feel the same way if they were succeeding and being considered the best at their job, not just baseball, any job,” he said. “And I think that’s where it gets unfortunate. As people say, you want everybody to be on a level playing field, but hey, individuals make choices to do things like that. 

It’s unfortunate for the game. Very unfortunate for the game of baseball.”

Read More

MLB moving forward in Biogenes prosecutions: Why both A-Rod and Ryan Braun deserve lifetime suspensions and will it happen

Alright, this is beginning to get old.

2 days before the MLB All Star game, you would expect that going into the MLB's "midsummer classic", “who was in and who was out?” would be the headline dominating this media facet of the game. Well, after what has come out over the past few days, when those players take to the field Tuesday, only part of that in out statement will be true.

On Tuesday July 16th, the eyes of a nation will turn to New York and well stay there as the running saga of Alex Rodriguez may and in some ways should come to an end within the next few years.

Fact is after he was linked to the now pending near armagedon of a scandal that is the Biogenisis investigation by the MLB, A-Rod's name has been constantly floating around the league most notably in a chilling tweet by ESPN saying that basically there is a reasonable possibility that both Rodriguez and Braun COULD be facing lifetime suspensions.  

Of course, for many this is not new news. Beginning back on January 29^th, a report put out about a closed down Miami anti-ageing clinic immediately caught eyes as included in a list of PED users were names like Alex Rodriguez, Melky Cabrera, Gio Gonzalez and Nelson Cruz. Slowly but surely the MLB moved forward, suing owner Anthon Bosh for “corrupting their game” all bringing us to the present where the names of Cabrera, Gonzalez and Cruz have all but melted out of the picture all to be replaced by that of Milwaukie star Ryan Braun.  

Both Braun and Rodriguez are assumed to be guilty of something although Rodriguez is the center of most of this choking controversy.

Nevertheless as much as Rodriguez is hated by the league, the likelihood of that happening might not be very high. Why? Because, as confusing as it stands, it seems like it will not be A-Rod who will be getting off with the worst of this all: it will be Ryan Braun. 

Born in November of 1983, the 29 year old Braun is a likable man as, excluding this current scandal; he really has been the golden child of the MLB. NL MVP award, 5 time All Star nominee, NL rookie of the year, NL home run leader, the awards don't lie, Braun is not a man who commissioner Bud Selig dislikes.

So why hit him with a hundred maybe 150 game suspension with the possibility of booking him for life? 2 words: double infraction. Fact is after he was connected with the Biogenesis scandal by failing a drug test back in 2011, the MLB actually requested that Braun answer their questions regarding the investigation meaning that when he did not, well the league has seemed like they plan to go all Hamaribi Code on his career.

Now while the double infraction stemming from Braun's refusal to answer the MLB's questions will undoubtedly be the reason for a suspension for Braun if one comes, that will not be the case for Rodriguez.

Why? Because of behavior basically the polar opposite of that of Ryan Braun. 

Now all be it, Rodriguez certainly has not been Mr goodie two shoes through this all. While out rehabbing after hip surgery, he has done a pretty good job at staying on the headlines, letting loose multiple controversial tweets once even prompting Yankees GM Brian Cashman to say "You know when the Yankees want to announce something we will, Alex should just shut the F*** up!". 

In addition to that, mere hours before a July 13th rehab stint, it was reported that Rodriguez was "nowhere to be found." 

Nevertheless, early Sunday morning news came out that both Rodriguez and the MLB will be working to organize a plea deal in which Rodriguez would answer to anything the MLB wanted to know thus possibly reducing his suspension to a less career threatening 100 games with the possibility of being reduced to a 50 game punishment.

Baseball remains America's pastime but it is things like this that threaten to sink this ship for good. Baseball remains America's pastime but while it continues to battle with Football to retain that title it is things like this that shoot them in the foot. As a fan of the game I would say that the league needs to book these guys for life yet when you look into what has gone on over the past few weeks, it seems like that will not happen, simply because Baseball needs answers and the man who has those answers is the very Yankee whom they look to suspend.

Read More