Sitting here listening to the pre-game show for the Royal's opening Spring Training game, I noticed a common question popping up in most of the interviews I'm hearing: "Does Alex Rodriguez belong in the Hall of Fame?"
My answer: Duh.
This shouldn't even be considered a serious question. The guys talent is off the charts. His numbers don't say he's a first-ballot Hall of Famer, they shout it. I looked up "no-brainer" today, and the definition was Alex Rodriguez is a future member of the Baseball Hall of Fame.
The hangup for many people is his recent confession to having used performing enhancing substances from 2001 to 2003, while a member of the Texas Rangers. It is very easy to forget that at that time in Major League Baseball, there was no rule against that practice. According to the rules of the day, he did nothing wrong. How can you punish him for that?
I heard that there was a mixed reaction in the crowd today when he came to bat for the first time. Some cheers, some boos. I suppose that this is to be expected. You can boo if you want. But let's try to keep this whole situation in its proper context.
Showing posts with label A-Rod. Show all posts
Showing posts with label A-Rod. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Breaking Down the Interview, Part 2
Picking up where we left off...
PG: How do you go about making people believe you?
AR: (to sum it up, he says look at what I did before Texas, look at what I've done since then, and watch and see what I do in the future)
Me: The proof is always in the pudding. Problem here is, people have become inherently skeptical of great players. And when you fail a drug test, it only add to that skepticism. So what else have you got for me?
AR: ...you realize that honesty is the only way...
Me: So Mom was right?
AR: ...I'm pretty tired of being stupid, and selfish...
Me: And we're tired of stupid, selfish athletes acting stupidly selfish.
PG: (asks if he was worried when everyone was looking forward to the time when he passes Barry Bonds as the all-time homeruns leader; worried about all of this coming out)
AR: (after talking again about "that era" when everyone was doing it, and not really knowing what they were taking) Yeah, it worried me. Absolutely.
Me: I can't believe that he didn't know what he was putting into his system. And, I'm starting to believe him when he says he's not sure. Surely there was more than one substance he was experimenting with.
(PG is asking another question and I'm watching some of the strange facial expressions A-Rod is making, wondering how much fun it would be to watch the main character from that new show on FOX, Lie to Me, tell us if he's telling the truth or lying. I haven't seen that show, but I've seen a lot of ads for it)
PG: Are you bitter at all that the [Players] Union didn't get those tests destroyed?
AR: (shaking his head) No. God is doing this for a reason... I could care less about the union... I could care less about Salina Roberts [the SI reporter]... This had to come out. It was very important...
Me: Would this have been as big a 'scandal' if he would have come out with this himself? I doubt it. I believe that he is sincere when he says that he's glad it's public now. Not needing to worry about every day has got to be a relief.
PG: Over the years, have you ever talked to anyone about this?
AR: No.
PG: You haven't talked to Scott Boras?
AR: Not one word.
PG: Your teammates?
AR: Not one word.
Me: Really? Not one word to anyone? Ever? Wow.
PG: How much did you learn from Andy Pettite, coming forward and essentially admitting what he did last year?
AR: It was very commendable. I mean, I love Andy like a brother...
Me: ...and you wish you would have thought of that...
AR: ...the truth will set you free...
Me: Preach on, Brother A-Rod!
AR: ...It's my fault. I'm responsible for this...
Me: Personal responsibility is a good thing that isn't exactly en vogue these days. It's nice to hear that he takes responsibility for his actions.
AR: ...and I'm deeply sorry for that.
Me: Another apology. I wonder if anyone has kept a tally of the number of times he apologizes in this interview?
PG: Given the opportunity, would you like to go to Major League Baseball and say, 'Okay. What can I do?' to help kids across the country?
AR: One-hundred percent...
Me: Good answer.
AR: (talking about helping kids and serving in the community [hopefully not court-mandated community service]...I have nine years, and the rest of my career to devote myself to children and their future, and bring awareness to where we need to head as a game...
Me: Is it just me, or does it seem like A-Rod has been around forever. Hard to believe he's got a contract with the Yankees for nine more seasons. Even harder to imagine the kind of dough he'll be making: The deal he signed was $275 million over ten years. Um... That sounds like a lot of money. It sounds like even more when I say it's over a quarter of a billion dollars. Geez. Yeah, I'd say this guy has a great opportunity to do some good off the field.
AR: (in response to a question about what his 'message' will be; talking about good things like hard work, believing in yourself, what you have is enough, and then talking about the consistency over the course of his career)
Me: Whoa. It kind of sounds like he transitioned from his message to America's Youth to a message to the Sportwriters of America and potential Hall of Fame voters.
AR: Yeah, I've talked to our front office...They're supporting me...I think overall they want me to be truthful and be honest...
Me: Huh. So does my employer. How ironic.
AR: ...what happened six years ago happened...six, seven, eight years ago...
Me: Yeah. Let's keep in mind that this didn't happen recently. Given the pace of today's society, this is practically ancient history.
PG: (talking about what other people think quoting an unnamed Yankee official – and might I add too, a very courageous one, having withheld his or her name)...his legacy is now gone...
Me: I disagree entirely. After nine more years of incredible baseball, probably at least a pair of MVPs, those three years in Texas will be seen as a bump in the road to the Hall.
AR: ...I think New Yorkers like honesty...
Me: Dude. Everyone likes honesty. Which is why this would have been easier for you if you would have scooped this reporter and come out yourself a few years ago.
AR: ...winning is the ultimate medicine. If we can win a championship...
Me: That's about the only thing you've never been able to do. The Yankees could be on the verge of another championship run, but I don't know. There hasn't been a player as good for as long that hadn't won a championship since Micheal Jordan back in the day. I think it's just a matter of time before you get a ring or too. And you're right. When you're on the float in the championship parade, nobody is going to care about what you did in Texas. But if I'm building a team, I still pick Puhols over you.
AR: (talking about the 'forgiving' nature of New Yorkers)
Me: LOL. What the heck was that? Hey dude! What in the heck are you doing? You're in the shot, moron! ...oops.(23:21)
PG: Do you think that a player who has tested positive, or admitted to taking illegal substances is disqualified from Cooperstown?
AR: I hope not...
Me: That didn't sound very confident.
AR: (responding to a Jose Canseco-spun allegation)... It's kind of funny how SportsCenter and EPSN still quotes this guy...
Me: Amen! (this, of course, coming from a guy, me, who thought Canseco was the bomb when I was little; thanks for bringing that illusion crashing to the floor, Jose)
PG: The drugs you took from 2001 to 2003, what do you think it did to your performance?
AR: ...I'm not sure...
Me: Nobody is. You can't quantify the effects of steroids. I know one thing for sure: I if had juiced, I still would have only ever hit one homerun in my life.
AR: ...I've always enjoyed hitting it Texas...it's a great place to hit...
Me: That is a really good point. Texas has always been seen as having a hitter-friendly ballpark. It's possible that playing 81 games a season there could be a bigger factor in his slightly larger offensive numbers during that time. Yeah. So many factors involved here.
PG: (asking another question; camera still focused on A-Rod)
Me: I wonder if A-Rod is wondering if this interview will ever end. I know am.
PG: Do you start to get tired of celebrity? Of being a celebrity?
Me: Do you, Peter?
AR: It comes with the territory...
Me: Yeah, but I still feel bad for you because of it. I wouldn't like it. All I need is the adoration of family and friends.
PG: When they get a little bit older, what will you tell your daughters?
AR: I was stupid for three years. Very, very stupid.
Me: That's would be really hard. Admitting you screwed up to people you love always is. The bigger the mistake, the harder it is.
PG: What will you tell kids around the country?
Me: C'mon Peter. This interview is heck-a-long. You already asked this and he already gave you a good answer.
AR: Work hard. What you have is enough...
Me: See?
PG: (asks if this has been more difficult to deal with than what came out of Joe Torre's book)
Me: What came out of Joe Torre's book?
PG: Did you feel betrayed by Joe Torre?
AR: No. I haven't read the book, Peter...
Me: Me neither. Can we move on please? I'm starting to think that at this point Peter Gammons is taking advantage of an exclusive interview with Alex Rodriguez. We've just about covered every angle of this substance issue.
PG: Did you hear people can you A-Fraud?
Me: Sticks and stones... Although, you have to admit, that one is clever. A-Roid is another good one. I'm sure there will be plenty of creative sign-makers in the stands this year.
PG: Are you worried now about how often you'll have to answer questions about those three years?
Me: Do you mean, now that he's been in this interview for so long, or just now that this information is out there?
AR: Well, I'm answering them here today...I hope we can move forward.
Me: Do you mean, move forward in this interview, or just in general?
AR: ...I can't wait for Spring Training...
Me: Neither can I. It will be interesting to see fans reaction and your on-the-field response this season.
...
(My eyes are beginning to glaze...)
...
PG: For the good of the game, would you like to see all of those 104 names released from the positive tests in 2003?
AR: I don't have any interest in any of that...
Me: Peter. You're interviewing Alex Rodriguez, not the forenamed Jose Canseco. He's not interested in naming names and subjecting others to the negative reaction he's received. Alex. Good answer.
PG: How do you think this got leaked out?
AR: Peter, it's not really that important. I don't know. I don't know.
Me: Yeah. Not that important. This interview's is almost over. Hallelujah...
PG: Are you concerned that over the next couple months this will hurt baseball?
AR: Maybe over the next couple of months it will hurt baseball, but in the long run I think it will help...Anytime you put the truth out there...it's very painful at the beginning, but at the end of the tunnel there will be light...
Me: Well said. But, I don't think this 'news' will hurt baseball. People are used to this by now. This happened six, seven, eight years ago, and everyone knows that it was an epidemic back then. It might be different if he was caught for doping last season.
PG: ...What do you regret most?
Me: That's a dumb question. Don't answer that unless you say, "Agreeing to an endless interview with you."
PG: What do you think the headline will be tomorrow in New York?
AR: I have no idea...
Me: Wrong. "I have no idea?" That headline writer deserves an automatic pink-slip.
AR: (closes out the interview with this) ...the truth will set you free.
Me: I wonder who said that first?
PG: How do you go about making people believe you?
AR: (to sum it up, he says look at what I did before Texas, look at what I've done since then, and watch and see what I do in the future)
Me: The proof is always in the pudding. Problem here is, people have become inherently skeptical of great players. And when you fail a drug test, it only add to that skepticism. So what else have you got for me?
AR: ...you realize that honesty is the only way...
Me: So Mom was right?
AR: ...I'm pretty tired of being stupid, and selfish...
Me: And we're tired of stupid, selfish athletes acting stupidly selfish.
PG: (asks if he was worried when everyone was looking forward to the time when he passes Barry Bonds as the all-time homeruns leader; worried about all of this coming out)
AR: (after talking again about "that era" when everyone was doing it, and not really knowing what they were taking) Yeah, it worried me. Absolutely.
Me: I can't believe that he didn't know what he was putting into his system. And, I'm starting to believe him when he says he's not sure. Surely there was more than one substance he was experimenting with.
(PG is asking another question and I'm watching some of the strange facial expressions A-Rod is making, wondering how much fun it would be to watch the main character from that new show on FOX, Lie to Me, tell us if he's telling the truth or lying. I haven't seen that show, but I've seen a lot of ads for it)
PG: Are you bitter at all that the [Players] Union didn't get those tests destroyed?
AR: (shaking his head) No. God is doing this for a reason... I could care less about the union... I could care less about Salina Roberts [the SI reporter]... This had to come out. It was very important...
Me: Would this have been as big a 'scandal' if he would have come out with this himself? I doubt it. I believe that he is sincere when he says that he's glad it's public now. Not needing to worry about every day has got to be a relief.
PG: Over the years, have you ever talked to anyone about this?
AR: No.
PG: You haven't talked to Scott Boras?
AR: Not one word.
PG: Your teammates?
AR: Not one word.
Me: Really? Not one word to anyone? Ever? Wow.
PG: How much did you learn from Andy Pettite, coming forward and essentially admitting what he did last year?
AR: It was very commendable. I mean, I love Andy like a brother...
Me: ...and you wish you would have thought of that...
AR: ...the truth will set you free...
Me: Preach on, Brother A-Rod!
AR: ...It's my fault. I'm responsible for this...
Me: Personal responsibility is a good thing that isn't exactly en vogue these days. It's nice to hear that he takes responsibility for his actions.
AR: ...and I'm deeply sorry for that.
Me: Another apology. I wonder if anyone has kept a tally of the number of times he apologizes in this interview?
PG: Given the opportunity, would you like to go to Major League Baseball and say, 'Okay. What can I do?' to help kids across the country?
AR: One-hundred percent...
Me: Good answer.
AR: (talking about helping kids and serving in the community [hopefully not court-mandated community service]...I have nine years, and the rest of my career to devote myself to children and their future, and bring awareness to where we need to head as a game...
Me: Is it just me, or does it seem like A-Rod has been around forever. Hard to believe he's got a contract with the Yankees for nine more seasons. Even harder to imagine the kind of dough he'll be making: The deal he signed was $275 million over ten years. Um... That sounds like a lot of money. It sounds like even more when I say it's over a quarter of a billion dollars. Geez. Yeah, I'd say this guy has a great opportunity to do some good off the field.
AR: (in response to a question about what his 'message' will be; talking about good things like hard work, believing in yourself, what you have is enough, and then talking about the consistency over the course of his career)
Me: Whoa. It kind of sounds like he transitioned from his message to America's Youth to a message to the Sportwriters of America and potential Hall of Fame voters.
AR: Yeah, I've talked to our front office...They're supporting me...I think overall they want me to be truthful and be honest...
Me: Huh. So does my employer. How ironic.
AR: ...what happened six years ago happened...six, seven, eight years ago...
Me: Yeah. Let's keep in mind that this didn't happen recently. Given the pace of today's society, this is practically ancient history.
PG: (talking about what other people think quoting an unnamed Yankee official – and might I add too, a very courageous one, having withheld his or her name)...his legacy is now gone...
Me: I disagree entirely. After nine more years of incredible baseball, probably at least a pair of MVPs, those three years in Texas will be seen as a bump in the road to the Hall.
AR: ...I think New Yorkers like honesty...
Me: Dude. Everyone likes honesty. Which is why this would have been easier for you if you would have scooped this reporter and come out yourself a few years ago.
AR: ...winning is the ultimate medicine. If we can win a championship...
Me: That's about the only thing you've never been able to do. The Yankees could be on the verge of another championship run, but I don't know. There hasn't been a player as good for as long that hadn't won a championship since Micheal Jordan back in the day. I think it's just a matter of time before you get a ring or too. And you're right. When you're on the float in the championship parade, nobody is going to care about what you did in Texas. But if I'm building a team, I still pick Puhols over you.
AR: (talking about the 'forgiving' nature of New Yorkers)
Me: LOL. What the heck was that? Hey dude! What in the heck are you doing? You're in the shot, moron! ...oops.(23:21)
PG: Do you think that a player who has tested positive, or admitted to taking illegal substances is disqualified from Cooperstown?
AR: I hope not...
Me: That didn't sound very confident.
AR: (responding to a Jose Canseco-spun allegation)... It's kind of funny how SportsCenter and EPSN still quotes this guy...
Me: Amen! (this, of course, coming from a guy, me, who thought Canseco was the bomb when I was little; thanks for bringing that illusion crashing to the floor, Jose)
PG: The drugs you took from 2001 to 2003, what do you think it did to your performance?
AR: ...I'm not sure...
Me: Nobody is. You can't quantify the effects of steroids. I know one thing for sure: I if had juiced, I still would have only ever hit one homerun in my life.
AR: ...I've always enjoyed hitting it Texas...it's a great place to hit...
Me: That is a really good point. Texas has always been seen as having a hitter-friendly ballpark. It's possible that playing 81 games a season there could be a bigger factor in his slightly larger offensive numbers during that time. Yeah. So many factors involved here.
PG: (asking another question; camera still focused on A-Rod)
Me: I wonder if A-Rod is wondering if this interview will ever end. I know am.
PG: Do you start to get tired of celebrity? Of being a celebrity?
Me: Do you, Peter?
AR: It comes with the territory...
Me: Yeah, but I still feel bad for you because of it. I wouldn't like it. All I need is the adoration of family and friends.
PG: When they get a little bit older, what will you tell your daughters?
AR: I was stupid for three years. Very, very stupid.
Me: That's would be really hard. Admitting you screwed up to people you love always is. The bigger the mistake, the harder it is.
PG: What will you tell kids around the country?
Me: C'mon Peter. This interview is heck-a-long. You already asked this and he already gave you a good answer.
AR: Work hard. What you have is enough...
Me: See?
PG: (asks if this has been more difficult to deal with than what came out of Joe Torre's book)
Me: What came out of Joe Torre's book?
PG: Did you feel betrayed by Joe Torre?
AR: No. I haven't read the book, Peter...
Me: Me neither. Can we move on please? I'm starting to think that at this point Peter Gammons is taking advantage of an exclusive interview with Alex Rodriguez. We've just about covered every angle of this substance issue.
PG: Did you hear people can you A-Fraud?
Me: Sticks and stones... Although, you have to admit, that one is clever. A-Roid is another good one. I'm sure there will be plenty of creative sign-makers in the stands this year.
PG: Are you worried now about how often you'll have to answer questions about those three years?
Me: Do you mean, now that he's been in this interview for so long, or just now that this information is out there?
AR: Well, I'm answering them here today...I hope we can move forward.
Me: Do you mean, move forward in this interview, or just in general?
AR: ...I can't wait for Spring Training...
Me: Neither can I. It will be interesting to see fans reaction and your on-the-field response this season.
...
(My eyes are beginning to glaze...)
...
PG: For the good of the game, would you like to see all of those 104 names released from the positive tests in 2003?
AR: I don't have any interest in any of that...
Me: Peter. You're interviewing Alex Rodriguez, not the forenamed Jose Canseco. He's not interested in naming names and subjecting others to the negative reaction he's received. Alex. Good answer.
PG: How do you think this got leaked out?
AR: Peter, it's not really that important. I don't know. I don't know.
Me: Yeah. Not that important. This interview's is almost over. Hallelujah...
PG: Are you concerned that over the next couple months this will hurt baseball?
AR: Maybe over the next couple of months it will hurt baseball, but in the long run I think it will help...Anytime you put the truth out there...it's very painful at the beginning, but at the end of the tunnel there will be light...
Me: Well said. But, I don't think this 'news' will hurt baseball. People are used to this by now. This happened six, seven, eight years ago, and everyone knows that it was an epidemic back then. It might be different if he was caught for doping last season.
PG: ...What do you regret most?
Me: That's a dumb question. Don't answer that unless you say, "Agreeing to an endless interview with you."
PG: What do you think the headline will be tomorrow in New York?
AR: I have no idea...
Me: Wrong. "I have no idea?" That headline writer deserves an automatic pink-slip.
AR: (closes out the interview with this) ...the truth will set you free.
Me: I wonder who said that first?
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Breaking Down the Interview, Part 1
This post is composed of the thoughts that crossed my mind as I watched Peter Gammons' exclusive interview with Alex Rodriguez, who recently admitted to using a banned substance earlier this decade. I wrote this as I watched and paused the interview, so the result is my stream of consciousness during the conversation.
AR: ...I did take a banned substance, and for that I am very sorry and deeply regretful.
Me: Is he really sorry, or is he just sorry and 'deeply regretful' because this went public? Am I too cynical? Have multi-millionaire super-star athletes earned a healthy dose of cynicism?
AR: ...and although is was the culture back then in Major League Baseball overall...
Me: Please say that you still knew that what you were doing was wrong; that you knew you were cheating...
AR: (struggling to find the words; not looking at Gammons)
Me: C'mon, man. Please say you knew it was wrong, even back then. Is he tearing up? Again, are those tears sincere, or are you just upset that you got caught and because you hoped you would never need to do this interview?
AR: ...I'm just sorry. I'm sorry for that time. I'm sorry to my fans. I'm sorry to my fans in Texas.
Me: I still don't know if that apology is sincere. It's very likely that someone coached him; possibly his agent Scott Boras. It almost seems like he was about to say something from the heart as he was searching for words just now, but then it seems he went back to his talking points. He's sorry to everybody.
AR: ...It wasn't until then [in Texas] that I thought about a substance of any kind...
Me: That's because you were already the best. You didn't need it. If there was anyone that didn't need that junk it was you. Maybe that's why this sucks. As a baseball fan you thought that A-Rod, whether you liked him or not, was clean; a pure talent. Is it possible to be simultaneously naïve and cynical?
AR: ...and since then I've proved to myself and to everyone that I don't need any of that...
Me: No kidding? You proved to everyone that you didn't need any of that long before you signed your big deal with the Rangers. Why didn't you believe what was obvious to everyone else? By the way... For your sake, I really hope you're telling the truth that you haven't used anything suspicious since then. If you think this fallout is bad...
PG: What kind of substances were you taking?
AR: Peter, that's the thing... blah, blah, blah...
Me: Hmm. That seemed like a straightforward question that probably receives more of a direct answer.
AR: I'm guilty for a lot of things. I'm guilty for being negligent, naïve, not asking all the right questions...
Me: Like maybe, "Hey Bruno (names have been changed), what's the name of that banned substance you're injecting me with this time?" or how about, "So, are there any side effects I should be aware of? You know, besides hitting huge homeruns and signing huger contracts (wink-wink)?"
AR: To be quite honest...
Me: ...Uh huh...
AR: ...I don't know exactly what substance I was guilty of using.
Me: Not just a cheat, but a dumb cheat?
PG: Where did you originally get the substance?
Me: I wish "the substance" had a name.
AR: Again, at the time, you have nutritionists, you have doctors, you have trainers; that's the right question today: Where did you get it?
Me: Seems like a pretty good question for back then too. Maybe that is one of the 'right questions' you forgot to ask.
AR: ...Back then, it was just about what.
Me: What? Hold on. If it was just about 'what,' why do you seem to have no idea what it is you took. I'm starting to think that he knows exactly what he took, but because there might be more than just 'the substance' that was leaked by Sports Illustrated, and he's not sure what 'the substance' is, he doesn't want to add to it. Does that make sense, or am I just rambling? Here's an example: Say I sneak three Girl Scout cookies; one Thin Mint, one Samoa, and one Lemonade. My wife catches me and calls me out: "Did you sneak a cookie?" Now, I'm not sure if she knows that I sneaked one of each, so instead of admitting, "Yeah. I had one of each," (which would be completely truthful) I confess to having sneaked a cookie (which is the truth, but still deceitful).
AR: (After explaining that there are many substances that could trigger a positive test) ...I'm not sure exactly which substance I used [you mean, you were caught using], but whatever it is, I feel terribly about it.
Me: Is it just me, or does each apology seem less and less sincere? Besides, I know from experience, if you're not sure exactly what it is you're sorry about, you're not really very sorry.
PG: When did you get the wake up call?
Me: Uh...When guys started getting busted for that stuff?
AR: It wasn't til 2003. I was laying in my bed in Surprise, Arizona. We were doing a team conditioning down by the pool down in Arizona, and I suffered a very serious neck injury that went all the down to my spine. I missed about two and a half weeks of Spring Training. And I was afraid I was going to miss time... It was at that point in bed that I realized, "What am I doing?" Not only am I going to hurt my baseball career, but I'm going to hurt my post-career. It was time to grow up, stop being selfish, stop being stupid, and take control of whatever you're ingesting. And for that I couldn't feel more regret, and feel more sorry...
Me: See. It looks like he's about to tell us of his turning point, then goes back to I-was-coached-for-this-interview mode with more apologies. So, is he saying that he's sorry he was lying in bed and had this epiphany? That was a poor apology transition.
Also, did you catch any contradiction there? He says he worried about his career, and his post-career, and in the same breath, says it was time to stop being selfish. I'm just not buying the apology.
AR: ...'cause I have so much respect for this game...
Me: Really?
AR: ...and the people that follow us, and respect me...
Me: Your respect meter is on a down-slide right now.
AR: I have millions of fans out there that will never look at me the same.
Me: That's true. Is that what you're sorry about? That your image has been tarnished? That you've been brought down from Mount Olympus to commune with the other mortal athletes?
PG: Let's go back. How were you introduced to these substances? Was it at the gym? Was it from other players?
Me: Nice. Peter's rephrasing the "Where did you get it" question. Also, notice that he used the plural 'substances' in this question. He's no dummy. He might be a homer (Go Sox!), but not a dummy.
AR: (explaining that it was everywhere, and there was no monumental moment when he met Mr. Steroid) ...the point of the matter was that I started experimenting with things that today are not legal or today are not accepted, and today you would get in a lot of trouble for.
Me: That's true too. I believe there was a different culture in baseball at that time. And, as Sam Mellinger pointed out, it was a culture that we helped create. But that still doesn't abdicate his personal responsibility.
AR: (talking again about that time in bed at Spring Training)
Me: I do think that this type of a turning point happened in his life. Like I said, up until this week, we believed that he didn't need performance enhancing drugs. There had to come a point when he finally realized it too.
AR: I am sorry for my Texas years. I apologize to the fans of Texas...
Me: This again is one reason I think he's actually just sorry he got caught. Sure, you can argue that he let the fans down that believed he was other-worldly. But you're sorry for your Texas years? You averaged over 50 homeruns a season. You gave them something to cheer about in Arlington for those three seasons. Besides, I'm guessing you lost most of your Texas fans when you moved to New York.
AR: ...there's absolutely no excuse and I really feel bad about it.
Me: Coaching Tip #1: Say you're sorry and how terrible you feel as often as you can. If you don't know what to say, say you're sorry and you really feel bad about it.
...
AR: (talking about people who will likely try to discount his entire career because of this)
Me: Yeah. I'm pretty sure that is going to happen. It's a shame. I really do think that he's a tremendous player. It's impossible to quantify the effects of the substance or substances he took, especially because many pitchers were also juicing – one man's artificially enhanced best against another's.
AR: It feels good coming out and being completely honest...
Me: Makes you wish you had done it before someone tattled, huh?
AR: (confirms that he was clean as a 21 year-old phenom) ...100%...
Me: I hope so. America can forgive you for messing up. She has a harder time forgiving the cover up. But I believe him. There is a sparkle in his eyes when he talks about young, clean, amazing A-Rod. I bet he wishes he could go back and start fresh and never 'experiment' with stuff he doesn't even know what it is.
AR: (talking about the consistency of his career numbers)
Me: True. I'll take this guy's off-year statistics any day.
...
PG: How long was it before you found out that what you were doing was actually illegal?
AR: Again, at the time of that culture, there was no illegal or legal...
Me: That maybe true. But there was always right and wrong. Here's a guideline: If you're even worried about getting caught doing something, just don't do it.
AR: (still explaining about the culture of that time)
Me: I bet GNC loves all the press they're getting.
AR: (says that he didn't even know he had failed a test for sure until the SI reported told him recently)
Me: Seems like more evidence that he's just sorry he got caught.
AR: (talking about believing that what he'd experimented with in Texas)
Me: He must be an optimist.
AR: (in response to a question about a specific substance) First of all, I want to see these tests. I haven't seen these tests, in fairness to me.
Me: Totally. I think he has a right to see his own tests, especially before being grilled in front of a world-wide audience.
PG: (asks about his interview with Katie Couric when he denied having used steroids, human growth hormone, etc.) In your mind, that wasn't a lie?
Me: Peter, didn't you hear him say that he has no idea what he took? He was very naïve, remember?
AR: At the time Peter, I wasn't even being truthful with myself. How am I going to be truthful with Katie, or CBS?
Me: Translation: No, I lied.
AR: (talking about his Boy-Scout-like cleanliness and the number of tests he's taking since 2004)
Me: I really, really want him to be telling the truth here. I think he is. I think he has been clean in New York. I'm not laying down any bets, but I want to believe him. If he's telling the truth then he went through a steroid blip along with the rest of the league. If he's still lying, well...
AR: (talking about his Sports Illustrated stalker)
Me: I think I am cynical. This type of behavior to get a story (or even fabricate a story, I don't even know) is despicable. But not surprising. It's this kind of stuff that makes me glad I'm not a mega-super-star. On this issue, I really feel sorry for him and his family.
AR: (still talking about the reporter, and other reporters following her lead)
Me: You can tell he's angry about it. I would be upset with her too.
...
Wow. This is a really long interview. I'll call this the end of the post, and break down the second half later.
My impressions so far are that he was caught, and hoped that he never would be. I believe him when he says he turned the page and had moved on. But rather than face his past and own up to it, he hoped that it would stay hidden. Maybe if he forgot about the whole thing, everyone else would too. Unfortunately, that's not usually how things work.
AR: ...I did take a banned substance, and for that I am very sorry and deeply regretful.
Me: Is he really sorry, or is he just sorry and 'deeply regretful' because this went public? Am I too cynical? Have multi-millionaire super-star athletes earned a healthy dose of cynicism?
AR: ...and although is was the culture back then in Major League Baseball overall...
Me: Please say that you still knew that what you were doing was wrong; that you knew you were cheating...
AR: (struggling to find the words; not looking at Gammons)
Me: C'mon, man. Please say you knew it was wrong, even back then. Is he tearing up? Again, are those tears sincere, or are you just upset that you got caught and because you hoped you would never need to do this interview?
AR: ...I'm just sorry. I'm sorry for that time. I'm sorry to my fans. I'm sorry to my fans in Texas.
Me: I still don't know if that apology is sincere. It's very likely that someone coached him; possibly his agent Scott Boras. It almost seems like he was about to say something from the heart as he was searching for words just now, but then it seems he went back to his talking points. He's sorry to everybody.
AR: ...It wasn't until then [in Texas] that I thought about a substance of any kind...
Me: That's because you were already the best. You didn't need it. If there was anyone that didn't need that junk it was you. Maybe that's why this sucks. As a baseball fan you thought that A-Rod, whether you liked him or not, was clean; a pure talent. Is it possible to be simultaneously naïve and cynical?
AR: ...and since then I've proved to myself and to everyone that I don't need any of that...
Me: No kidding? You proved to everyone that you didn't need any of that long before you signed your big deal with the Rangers. Why didn't you believe what was obvious to everyone else? By the way... For your sake, I really hope you're telling the truth that you haven't used anything suspicious since then. If you think this fallout is bad...
PG: What kind of substances were you taking?
AR: Peter, that's the thing... blah, blah, blah...
Me: Hmm. That seemed like a straightforward question that probably receives more of a direct answer.
AR: I'm guilty for a lot of things. I'm guilty for being negligent, naïve, not asking all the right questions...
Me: Like maybe, "Hey Bruno (names have been changed), what's the name of that banned substance you're injecting me with this time?" or how about, "So, are there any side effects I should be aware of? You know, besides hitting huge homeruns and signing huger contracts (wink-wink)?"
AR: To be quite honest...
Me: ...Uh huh...
AR: ...I don't know exactly what substance I was guilty of using.
Me: Not just a cheat, but a dumb cheat?
PG: Where did you originally get the substance?
Me: I wish "the substance" had a name.
AR: Again, at the time, you have nutritionists, you have doctors, you have trainers; that's the right question today: Where did you get it?
Me: Seems like a pretty good question for back then too. Maybe that is one of the 'right questions' you forgot to ask.
AR: ...Back then, it was just about what.
Me: What? Hold on. If it was just about 'what,' why do you seem to have no idea what it is you took. I'm starting to think that he knows exactly what he took, but because there might be more than just 'the substance' that was leaked by Sports Illustrated, and he's not sure what 'the substance' is, he doesn't want to add to it. Does that make sense, or am I just rambling? Here's an example: Say I sneak three Girl Scout cookies; one Thin Mint, one Samoa, and one Lemonade. My wife catches me and calls me out: "Did you sneak a cookie?" Now, I'm not sure if she knows that I sneaked one of each, so instead of admitting, "Yeah. I had one of each," (which would be completely truthful) I confess to having sneaked a cookie (which is the truth, but still deceitful).
AR: (After explaining that there are many substances that could trigger a positive test) ...I'm not sure exactly which substance I used [you mean, you were caught using], but whatever it is, I feel terribly about it.
Me: Is it just me, or does each apology seem less and less sincere? Besides, I know from experience, if you're not sure exactly what it is you're sorry about, you're not really very sorry.
PG: When did you get the wake up call?
Me: Uh...When guys started getting busted for that stuff?
AR: It wasn't til 2003. I was laying in my bed in Surprise, Arizona. We were doing a team conditioning down by the pool down in Arizona, and I suffered a very serious neck injury that went all the down to my spine. I missed about two and a half weeks of Spring Training. And I was afraid I was going to miss time... It was at that point in bed that I realized, "What am I doing?" Not only am I going to hurt my baseball career, but I'm going to hurt my post-career. It was time to grow up, stop being selfish, stop being stupid, and take control of whatever you're ingesting. And for that I couldn't feel more regret, and feel more sorry...
Me: See. It looks like he's about to tell us of his turning point, then goes back to I-was-coached-for-this-interview mode with more apologies. So, is he saying that he's sorry he was lying in bed and had this epiphany? That was a poor apology transition.
Also, did you catch any contradiction there? He says he worried about his career, and his post-career, and in the same breath, says it was time to stop being selfish. I'm just not buying the apology.
AR: ...'cause I have so much respect for this game...
Me: Really?
AR: ...and the people that follow us, and respect me...
Me: Your respect meter is on a down-slide right now.
AR: I have millions of fans out there that will never look at me the same.
Me: That's true. Is that what you're sorry about? That your image has been tarnished? That you've been brought down from Mount Olympus to commune with the other mortal athletes?
PG: Let's go back. How were you introduced to these substances? Was it at the gym? Was it from other players?
Me: Nice. Peter's rephrasing the "Where did you get it" question. Also, notice that he used the plural 'substances' in this question. He's no dummy. He might be a homer (Go Sox!), but not a dummy.
AR: (explaining that it was everywhere, and there was no monumental moment when he met Mr. Steroid) ...the point of the matter was that I started experimenting with things that today are not legal or today are not accepted, and today you would get in a lot of trouble for.
Me: That's true too. I believe there was a different culture in baseball at that time. And, as Sam Mellinger pointed out, it was a culture that we helped create. But that still doesn't abdicate his personal responsibility.
AR: (talking again about that time in bed at Spring Training)
Me: I do think that this type of a turning point happened in his life. Like I said, up until this week, we believed that he didn't need performance enhancing drugs. There had to come a point when he finally realized it too.
AR: I am sorry for my Texas years. I apologize to the fans of Texas...
Me: This again is one reason I think he's actually just sorry he got caught. Sure, you can argue that he let the fans down that believed he was other-worldly. But you're sorry for your Texas years? You averaged over 50 homeruns a season. You gave them something to cheer about in Arlington for those three seasons. Besides, I'm guessing you lost most of your Texas fans when you moved to New York.
AR: ...there's absolutely no excuse and I really feel bad about it.
Me: Coaching Tip #1: Say you're sorry and how terrible you feel as often as you can. If you don't know what to say, say you're sorry and you really feel bad about it.
...
AR: (talking about people who will likely try to discount his entire career because of this)
Me: Yeah. I'm pretty sure that is going to happen. It's a shame. I really do think that he's a tremendous player. It's impossible to quantify the effects of the substance or substances he took, especially because many pitchers were also juicing – one man's artificially enhanced best against another's.
AR: It feels good coming out and being completely honest...
Me: Makes you wish you had done it before someone tattled, huh?
AR: (confirms that he was clean as a 21 year-old phenom) ...100%...
Me: I hope so. America can forgive you for messing up. She has a harder time forgiving the cover up. But I believe him. There is a sparkle in his eyes when he talks about young, clean, amazing A-Rod. I bet he wishes he could go back and start fresh and never 'experiment' with stuff he doesn't even know what it is.
AR: (talking about the consistency of his career numbers)
Me: True. I'll take this guy's off-year statistics any day.
...
PG: How long was it before you found out that what you were doing was actually illegal?
AR: Again, at the time of that culture, there was no illegal or legal...
Me: That maybe true. But there was always right and wrong. Here's a guideline: If you're even worried about getting caught doing something, just don't do it.
AR: (still explaining about the culture of that time)
Me: I bet GNC loves all the press they're getting.
AR: (says that he didn't even know he had failed a test for sure until the SI reported told him recently)
Me: Seems like more evidence that he's just sorry he got caught.
AR: (talking about believing that what he'd experimented with in Texas)
Me: He must be an optimist.
AR: (in response to a question about a specific substance) First of all, I want to see these tests. I haven't seen these tests, in fairness to me.
Me: Totally. I think he has a right to see his own tests, especially before being grilled in front of a world-wide audience.
PG: (asks about his interview with Katie Couric when he denied having used steroids, human growth hormone, etc.) In your mind, that wasn't a lie?
Me: Peter, didn't you hear him say that he has no idea what he took? He was very naïve, remember?
AR: At the time Peter, I wasn't even being truthful with myself. How am I going to be truthful with Katie, or CBS?
Me: Translation: No, I lied.
AR: (talking about his Boy-Scout-like cleanliness and the number of tests he's taking since 2004)
Me: I really, really want him to be telling the truth here. I think he is. I think he has been clean in New York. I'm not laying down any bets, but I want to believe him. If he's telling the truth then he went through a steroid blip along with the rest of the league. If he's still lying, well...
AR: (talking about his Sports Illustrated stalker)
Me: I think I am cynical. This type of behavior to get a story (or even fabricate a story, I don't even know) is despicable. But not surprising. It's this kind of stuff that makes me glad I'm not a mega-super-star. On this issue, I really feel sorry for him and his family.
AR: (still talking about the reporter, and other reporters following her lead)
Me: You can tell he's angry about it. I would be upset with her too.
...
Wow. This is a really long interview. I'll call this the end of the post, and break down the second half later.
My impressions so far are that he was caught, and hoped that he never would be. I believe him when he says he turned the page and had moved on. But rather than face his past and own up to it, he hoped that it would stay hidden. Maybe if he forgot about the whole thing, everyone else would too. Unfortunately, that's not usually how things work.
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
The Golden Sombrero
Growing up as part of a winning baseball team had many advantages. One of which was being able to give your teammates a hard time when things didn't go their way. Practical jokes are more acceptable in the dugout when you are winning. One of my favorite recurring gags was when someone would strike out three times in the same game. Everyone on the team knew when a guy who went to bat had already struck out twice, and was in danger of a third. When he would get one strike away from his third strike out, everyone would be on the edge of their seats, with their hats in hand. Then, on the third strike of the third strike out, dozens of hats would fly out of the dugout in his "honor." It was a hat trick, and not in the positive sense of the term.
In sports, most often hockey and soccer, a hat trick is a rare and spectacular feat because it involves one player scoring three goals in a single game. Sometimes the term is used in describing any sort of success in triplicate, although 3-peat seems to have taken precedence when it comes to winning titles, pennants, or championships.
I had never stopped to think where the term "hat trick" originated, until now. According to Word-Detective.com, the term apparently started in the 1800's in the English game of cricket. The bowler (the guy throwing the ball to the striker -- the guy with the funny bat) who would hit three wickets with three consecutive balls would be awarded a brand new hat from his club. By the early 1900's, the phrase began to creep up in other sports. In the 1940's the Toronto Maple Leafs were given new hats for scoring three goals in a game as well. These days, players that score three goals in a game are likely to get rewarded with something much more valuable than a new hat.
But in baseball, the hat trick is still something you'd rather not be associated with, unless you are the opposing pitcher who contributed to the feat. But, there is something even more humiliating: The Golden Sombrero. That's the distinction you earn if you were to strike out four times in one game. According to Wikipedia, their are two more sombreros of which I was not aware. After all, who strikes out more than four times in one game? The Platinum Sombrero is reserved for the fifth strike out (and can also be termed "Olympic Rings," for the five zeros added to your batting average). If you've already earned a Platinum Sombrero, your worst nightmare may be for the game to go to extra innings, because you may be in danger of the Titanium Sombrero, also known as a Horn (named after player Sam Horn, who accomplished the coveted sixth strikeout in 1991). To date, no player has ever struck out more than five times in a 9-inning game.
"The count is one ball, two strikes... The pitcher looks in and gets the sign from the catcher...checks the runner...And here's the pitch...Swing and a miss at a slider on the outside corner; He struck him out. That's his fourth strikeout of the game."
Olé!
Friday, January 11, 2008
Fantasy Baseball: Living in a Dream World
The other day I saw an advertisement on ESPN.com for a live chat with one of their baseball experts. The subject was Fantasy Baseball, or more specifically, who should your first pick be, Alex Rodriguez or Albert Pujols. I didn't login to join the debate. To be honest, I would have rather listened to another John Edwards concession speech.
It wasn't too long ago that I loved Fantasy Baseball. I couldn't get enough of it. The first time I played, I was invited to join a friend's league. I drafted fairly well and I made some great pickups, and about 52,468 roster moves later, I was the league champion. I raked the free agent market looking for who was hot. I crunched all kinds of numbers. I researched all sorts of minutia that would make your head explode. I knew whether Jimmy Rollins had a better average against right-handers or left-handers. I even knew the difference between his average at home and away, against right-handed and left-handed pitchers. And after that season, when it ended, I felt a definite hole inside of me. It had been such a big part of my life for so long, that I didn't know what to do with myself. I would mindlessly browse every baseball website in the free world to get my fix, wandering through the muck of the off-season that people put out when there's really nothing to say about the sport.
When the next season came around, I was so stoked. I created my own league, and invited all of my friends and my brothers to join. Most of the people that read this blog were part of that short-lived league. That league was a little more fun because I knew everyone in it, and most of the players knew each other as well. I broke my previous record with 58,231 roster moves, and set all-time marks for minimal work accomplished at my job. Again, it enveloped me. Every free minute I had was researching my team and the free-agent market. I came in second that year.
But, towards the end of that season we moved to Kansas City and attended some Royals games. It was then that I noticed another crucial drawback to Fantasy Baseball, besides the obvious aspects of addiction: It began to get in the way of actual baseball. I started to care much more about numbers than the game itself. I also became torn between whether to root for my home team, or for "my" players who happened to be playing for the visiting team. For example, Victor Martinez anchored my catching position for both of my Fantasy seasons, and he put up some really good offensive numbers for me. But, then he came to town to play the Royals. I wanted him to do well for my Fantasy team, but I didn't want him to burn my actual team. I hated it. And it happened more and more, the further down the road of "Royals-fan-for-life" I traveled.
That was the last time I played in a Fantasy League. The following season I might not have known which pitcher had the lowest WHIP in the league, which 2nd baseman had the best strikeout to walk ratio, or who were the hot prospects in the Mariners organization that were about to hit the scene, but I did enjoy the actual game infinitely more. I could go out to the stadium and cheer for the home team and not worry about if someone else in my fantasy league had David DeJesus on their roster. I could root against the Red Sox and the Indians because I no longer had any sort of a vested interest in how they performed. I was a Fan again. To some degree, Fantasy Baseball had taken that away, but I broke the cycle. And my wife and my employer are forever grateful.
By the way, I'd take Albert every time.
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
A-Media-Lightning-Rod
So maybe I'm a few days late on the Alex Rodriguez hype. With not much going on in the baseball world these days, I figured I should jump on the band-wagon and throw in my two-cents on the subject, for what it's worth. If you're sick of A-Rod, you are definitely not alone, and you might just want to check back in a week for a new post. But, despite all the irritating things about this superstar, his accomplishments deserve some recognition--and what better way of recognizing the best player of the modern baseball era than by dedicating a post to him on an obscure blog with a readership of at least 7 (give or take).Alex Rodriguez was drafted out of Miami's Westminster Christian High School June 3, 1993 by the Seattle Mariners and broke onto the Major League baseball stage July 8, 1994 at the tender age of 18 years and 4 months. Newsflash: If you're good enough to get at-bats in the Majors when you're 18 years old, you are pretty good. But, just two years later, at the age of 20, A-Rod was already contending for the American League MVP. His 36 HR, 123 RBI, and .358 BA that year were enough to earn a second place finish in the balloting behind Juan Gonzalez.
With 518 career homeruns, and now only 31 years old, he is the youngest player ever to reach the 500 homerun mark. When Willie Mays was 31 he had hit a mere 368. Hammerin' Hank Aaron had pounded out 398. And Barry "Indict-Me" Bonds had smashed only 334. Let's conservatively say that over the next 10 years of Rodriguez's new contract with the Yankees he hits an average of 30 homeruns a season. Now, if you're unfamiliar with A-Rod's season-by-season homerun totals, you might think that this is a little optimistic. He's got to have some down years in there, right? Well, consider this: He has officially played in 14 seasons, dating back to his 1994 debut. However, in '94 he played in only 17 games, and in '95 he played in just 48. Still, if you average his 518 homeruns and include those first two seasons, where he hit a combined total of 5 homeruns, he's currently averaging 37 homeruns a year. So, if you only take the 12 full seasons he has played and subtract the 5 from his first two seasons, his average homerun output a year jumps to 42.75 (which I guess would mean 42 homeruns and one triple?).
A-Rod is a very special player. Most people have plenty of reasons for not liking him though. Most recently, he aroused the ire of the media by announcing his opt-out of his Yankee contract during the final game of this season's World Series, despite rules that prohibit such news during the Fall Classic. Indications were that he was seeking a 10 year, $350 million contact as a free agent. However, there were a few problems. Most importantly, there is only a very small group of teams that could afford that type of contract. Besides, it's obvious that you don't need A-Rod to win a championship, since that is about the only achievement he has yet to attain. So, the Angels, the Giants, and the Dodgers passed. Suddenly, his list of potential suitors had diminished to one team: the New York Yankees. So, it seems he returned to the negotiating table, hat in hand, saying he still wanted to be a Yankee after all.
And, I'm okay with that. The Yankees are probably the only team in baseball that is bigger than A-Rod. It seems like a perfect fit to me.
There's also one other reason why I think he decided to go back to New York and it can be summed up in one word -- Legacy. If he were to retire today and never play again, he's a hall of famer, no doubt. Having reached the plateau of 500 homeruns is enough for admission to the Hall. But, under what club would he be admitted. For quintessential stars like Ted Williams, or more recently, Cal Ripken, Jr. and Tony Gwynn, who remained with the same team for their entire careers, the choice is clear: Ted Williams=Red Sox, Cal Ripken=Orioles, and Tony Gwynn=Padres. But what about A-Rod? He spent a few seasons in Seattle, but bolted for the largest contract in sports history at the time when he signed a free agency deal with the Texas Rangers. He had some spectacular years there, but was soon traded to the Yankees because Texas couldn't afford the mortgage payments. But now, if he's able to play out his contract in New York and reach the monumental milestones for which he's ahead of pace, he'll finally have a home and a team.
Sure, you and I may not agree with everything he does, and it may be hard to relate to a man whose salary is over $22 million a year for most people. But, we have to admit, he is one of the greatest to ever play the game. There's A-Rod, and then, there's everyone else... In more ways than one.
Statistics provided by baseball-reference.com
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