Home Run Derby

In advance of the Mitchell Report being published, there was a lot of talk this offseason about teams possibly shying away from players who had been associated with performance enhancing drugs.

Don’t count the Milwaukee Brewers among them.

Because with the Brewers’ signing of free agent outfielder Mike Cameron last week, the Brewers have acquired three players (since November 2007) who have either tested positive for PED’s or have been alleged to have purchased them.

Let’s take a look …

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Yesterday’s Mitchell Report named Glenallen Hill as one of Kirk Radomski’s clients (page 183-5).  

Apparently Hill purchased Human Growth Hormone from Radomski and it is implied that he was taking it prior to their meeting in 2000.

Who’s shocked at this one?

When Hill played with the Cubs, the man’s arms and lats were so thick he simply couldn’t put his arms straight down at his sides.  

Because of this, the Wrigley Bleacherites called him “Frankenstein.” 

And they would mimic the Frankenstein arm motion after every Home Run hit by Hill.

But here’s the real evidence.  It’s believed that only one player has ever hit a ball on the roof of a building across the street from Wrigley Field.

That player … is Glenallen Hill.  Cue the video.

Yes, folks, Chip Caray was that annoying long before you ever heard him call playoff games on TBS.

Hit Tracker estimated that the blast would have travelled 500 feet if the building wasn’t there.

I think just about everybody expected Sammy Sosa to be named in the Mitchell Report.

He wasn’t. 

I think just about everyone who opined on who would be named by Senator George Mitchell today would have had Sammy Sosa listed.  And I would have agreed with them, which would have kept my “fabulous” record of predictions intact.

But he’s not there. 

Okay, Sosa is mentioned in the report - but he’s not listed among the 86 names.  And he’s only referenced once.  His only mention comes when Senator Mitchell was detailing his attempts to contact Mark McGwire through his attorney …

I sent similar letters with specific questions to lawyers for Barry Bonds, Rafael Palmeiro, Sammy Sosa and Gary Sheffield, none of whom provided answers to my questions either.

Now mind you - just because Sosa isn’t in the Mitchell Report list of players doesn’t mean he didn’t use a performance enhancing substance.  It could just mean that Mitchell didn’t find any cancelled checks payable to Kirk Radomski from Mr. Sosa.

My eyes tell me differently. 

I thought that I could handle any name on the Mitchell Report.  I was wrong.  Wrong.

There are reports out there which say Home Run Derby’s patron saint of overweight pitchers is on the Mitchell Report.

Rich Garces.  El Guapo.

It can’t be true.  Say it ain’t so, Guapo.

What the heck did he take?  Weight Gain 4000?  Let’s go to a live video feed with El Guapo ….

Follow Your Dreams
You can Reach your Goals
I’m Living Proof
Beefcake!  BEEFCAKE!! 

Or did El Guapo eat someone who was on Steroids?

UPDATE:  WOO HOO!!  El Guapo is NOT in the Mitchell Report.  I knew it.

So the Mitchell Report is coming out today at 2PM Eastern Time …

And names will be named.  The New York Times says that “high level MVP’s and All-Stars” will be named within the highly anticipated report, and that …

“MLB’s not going to love it, the union’s not going to love it”

I imagine baseball fans aren’t going to love it either.  Especially if their favorite player’s name is in it. 

Which begs a question - Who do YOU not want to see on the Mitchell Report this afternoon?

I’ll go first. 

I will be CRUSHED if Jim Thome’s name is on that report. 

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With Senator George Mitchell playing the role of Santa Claus.

Of course what that Santa Claus looks like depends entirely on your perspective.

Let’s take a look at what Santa Claus might look like at 2PM this afternoon when Senator Mitchell releases his report to the Public.

If you’re a member of the sports media

George Mitchell will look very much like this jolly man dressed in red.  You’re going to get a present.  Something wonderful.

Something you asked for in your letters every December …

Headlines and readers.

But if you’re a MLB player …

This day could be a very grim one indeed.  Not one you want to remember.

George Mitchell probably looks like the Grinch who’s going to steal something from you …

Quite possibly your legacy. 

And probably your ability to charge three figures for an autograph at memorabilia shows.

If you’re a baseball fan …

This could very well be a punch in the gut that you can’t even fathom.  Especially if your favorite player is on there. 

I might avoid the Mitchell Report today - George Mitchell might tell me that the Red Ryder carbine-action 200-shot range model BB rifle with a compass in the stock will shoot my eye out.

And if you’re Bud Selig, later today you’re probably going to look like this:

Add the US Government to the list of people who think that Barry Bonds has lied about his involvement in steroids. 

What took them so long?

Okay, they’ve probably thought that for some time … but now they’re saying they think they can prove it. 

Here’s a piece from the five count indictment from The Smoking Gun.  I highlighted the part which formally accuses the defendant of what almost all of us have alleged for some time now - that Barry Bonds used steroids …

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David Chalk of Bugs and Cranks and I are engaging in a well intentioned, respectful debate on Barry Bonds, Home Run ball #756 (and its asterisk) and a call to boycott the Baseball Hall of Fame. 

David got the ball rolling with his call for the boycott, which led to my post saying we should boycott Barry Bonds.   After David read my post, he authored another post clarifying his position, stating the real issue here is about injustice.

Well, I thought I could address David’s writing with a simple comment attached to his post, but alas, I have more to say.  

Here is the comment I posted earlier today at Bugs and Cranks …

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First and foremost, Home Run Derby thinks Bugs & Cranks is one outstanding blog, written by excellent writers and passionate fans. 

So it is with the utmost respect that I say I must summarily disagree with their call to boycott the Baseball Hall of Fame and anything related to Marc Ecko (the fashion mogul who bought Barry Bonds’ record 756th Home Run ball that he will brand with an asterisk and send to the Hall of Fame).  

David Chalk begins the uprising with a call to boycott the Hall of Fame.  I am not sure I really understand this one.  The Hall of Fame isn’t complicit in the branding of the ball.  They are merely the recipient of a piece of history - baseball history.  And like it or not, the controversy over Bonds and his steroid use (please note the word “alleged” is purposely missing) is a part - no make that a huge part - of the history of the game, this era, and the career Home Run record that Bonds holds (please note that I am not one of the Bonds haters that refuses to acknowledge his record). 

The Hall of Fame, or more appropriately called the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, is in the business of recording the history of the game of Baseball.  Not just the statistics - but the history.  Barry Bonds will forever be known as the man who broke baseball’s most hallowed record with the help of steroids.  That is his history.

And here is the part that of David’s case that I really disagree with:

“This is The United States Of America.  Baseball is the National Pastime of The United States Of America.  If a man declares his innocence, he is considered innocent until he is proven guilty.  We cannot give that precious right away because someone paid money at an auction, or because other people voted on the Internet.”

People in this country have to stop associating the right of presumed innocence afforded to our citizens in a court of law with the nonexistent “right” that extends to arena of public opinion.  Just because Barry Bonds professes his innocence and he has not been convicted of anything doesn’t mean that I have to suspend common sense and buy into his legitimacy. 

The circumstantial evidence is pretty damning. 

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