From Sports Illustrated: the guy who Jose Canseco says supplied Alex Rodriguez with steroids has come forward. His name is Joseph Dion and he says he never supplied A-Rod with steroids.
If this is all true, Canseco's finished, and it couldn't come too soon.
The Lady
Jose Canseco's new book, Vindicated, will be in bookstores on Monday the 31st. Deadspin has exerpts of the part about Alex Rodriguez.
Last season, when Canseco first said he had "stuff" on A-Rod, I almost expected something really kinky or, at least another story about A-Rod cheating on his wife. Nothing of the kind.
Yep, someone's vindicated in this book, but's certainly not Canseco.
The Lady
Well, apparently Men's Vogue thought I'd be interested in blogging about their April 2008 cover feature on Alex Rodriguez, so they sent me a heads-up. Whatever gave them that idea? It's not like I spend an inordinate amount of time writing about A-Rod. I've only tagged 30 posts with his name. Where do they get the gall?
Around this time last year, Alex Rodriguez appeared on WFAN's Mike & The Mad Dog and said he didn't want to discuss his former friendship with Derek Jeter. Days earlier he'd made the now infamous statement about the cooling of the relationship. A-Rod preoceeded to go the entire 2007 season without so much as a word about Jeter, other than on-the-field issues.
Well yesterday A-Rod was talking about Derek Jeter on M&MD and it wasn't about on-the-field issues. Mike Francessa asked him how he would characterize his relationship with Jeter and A-Rod said, "I'll give it an A, A+." He said they were back on a honeymoon.
Turns out Jeter called A-Rod upon hearing the news of the 2007 MVP's new long-term contract with the Yankees, and a few weeks ago the two were seen having lunch at a trendy Florida restaurant. (Jeter later voluntarily admitted that the luncheon had taken place.)
What's the reason for this turnaround? My guess is that Jeter realizes that A-Rod isn't going away anytime soon. With that new 10-year deal of A-Rod's, Jeter might end up retiring and leaving the Yankees before A-Rod does. He knows he's stuck with him for the rest of his career. So if you can't beat him, join him.
The Lady
Due to a sore shoulder, Alex Rodriguez is the DH in today's Spring Training game against the Houston Astros. It's not a big deal. The Yankees are just being cautious. It it were the regular season he'd be at Third Base today. As I write this, so far so good. He's 1-1 with a double.
Except for Jorge Posada (lateral muscle) I believe there are no other Yankees who've been injured so far in Spring Training. It's a different story for the Mets, however. All their injuries are unnerving to Met fans, to say the least. My friend Paula, a huge Met fan, is (jokingly) calling for the team to set up a hospital wing next to the dugout at Shea Stadium.
The Lady
Has Alex Rodriguez forgotten how he responded to the media last season? He spoke as little as possible and for the most part, had no issues with them. Now he's already caused a stir by exaggerating when making comments about being tested for PEDs last year. Or, was he exaggerating?
I didn't think anything of it when A-Rod said he'd been tested nine or ten times last season. I don't know much about the testing program so I took A-Rod at his word. Then I read on Peter Abraham's blog that "...a player being tested for stimulants would get tested exactly nine times." Those extra tests would occur only if the player had already tested positive for stimulants.
The Yankees had A-Rod issue a statement which included the following: "I was not tested nine or 10 times last year. I was just using exaggeration to make a point." Exaggeration? This is a guy who finally seemed to get it last year, whom I thought had turned the corner when it came to choosing what and what not to say to the media. What? He forgot everything he learned? I find that very hard to believe.
The Lady
[Photo: Cataffo/News]
During Alex Rodriguez's appearance on "60 Minutes" last night he revealed that he and agent Scott Boras haven't spoken since The Opt Out.
According to A-Rod, Boras really had nothing to do with negotiating the new contract. However, "60 Minutes" reported that he'll get his $15 million commision and will stay on as the third baseman's agent.
So, let me get this straight: Boras had nothing to do with the new deal. Boras and A-Rod are not speaking. Boras is still getting paid. Boras will continue to be A-Rod's agent. What does it spell: Damage Control. A-Rod tried his best last night to separate himself from Boras and the opt out debacle, but he didn't do it as far as I'm concerned. I know that someone else in Scott Boras Corporation could have negotiated the deal, but why should they have? If A-Rod was really upset he could have gotten any number of competent people to help him out. Instead, he stuck with the Boras Camp.
The damage is still out of control.
The Lady
Now that Andy Pettitte has admitted using HGH, what will happen? While some members of the media have rejected his statement (among them, Peter Abraham and Mike Lupica), I'm not inclined to do the same. Pettitte apologized and I accept it. Abraham and Lupica are paid to pick things apart and (whether they want to admit it or not) to help sell newspapers. They're grabbing at straws at this point.
How will this affect his very close friend Roger Clemens? Will he admit anything or continue to have his lawyer vehemently deny everything? The more he continues to hide behind his lawyer, the more guilty he looks in my opinion.
Meanwhile, Alex Rodriguez answers questions about steroids on 60 Minutes tonight. I'm sure Jose Canseco is waiting with baited breath for that interview.
The Lady
Barry Bonds is going down, as fast as a juiced-up water balloon. Alex Rodriguez is going up, as fast as his private jet will allow him to. Two men whose names will be forever linked to home-run chases could not have had days more different from each other yesterday.
Bonds has been the victim of a witch hunt, but I could care less. He brought it on himself. Barry, this is what happens to you when you have the attitude you have. People don't like you and they'll do anything and everything to bring you down. You're a modern day Al Capone. They couldn't get Capone on racketeering but they got him on tax evasion. They couldn't indict you on steroids use but they did indict you on perjury and obstruction. So there.
The best thing Alex Rodriguez did this week was crawl back to the Yankees. The Yankees and their stage are the best place to break the all-time career home run record. Assuming that he'll stay healthy, he'll definitely break it in a Yankee uniform.
In other postseason news:
The Lady
It's official: Alex Rodriguez and the Yankees are negotiating.
Here's the statement he posted on Arod.com:
"After spending time with Cynthia and my family over these last few weeks, it became clear to me that I needed to make an attempt to engage the Yankees regarding my future with the organization.
"Prior to entering into serious negotiations with other clubs, I wanted the opportunity to share my thoughts directly with Yankees' ownership. We know there are other opportunities for us, but Cynthia and I have a foundation with the club that has brought us comfort, stability and happiness.
"As a result, I reached out to the Yankees through mutual friends and conveyed that message. I also understand that I had to respond to certain Yankees concerns, and I was receptive and understanding of that situation.
"Cynthia and I have since spoken directly with the Steinbrenner family. During these healthy discussions, both sides were able to share honest feelings and hopes with one another, and we expect to continue this dialogue with the Yankees over the next few days."
What does the italicized portion mean? It means that Scott Boras is not allowed to participate in the negotiations. However, Darren Heitner, who writes the very well-done I Want To Be a Sports Agent blog, thinks this doesn't necessarily mean Boras is out in the cold.
It'll be interesting to see what happens!
The Lady
Peter Abraham has some interesting things to say today about Alex Rodriguez and Scott Boras. A-Rod, he says should get the blame for Boras' World Series opt-out announcement. A-Rod is his employer and, as such, is the one calling the shots.
That's the way it's supposed to be, of course. So, why do so many players have so much trouble giving orders to Scott Boras? Yankee announcer Michael Kay once mentioned on his radio show that he posed the following question to Scott Boras: "Suppose I hired you as my agent. What would it entail?" Boras told Kay that he'd have to be willing to give him total control of his career. Kay would have to put his absolute trust in Boras and never interfere with what he was doing.
Kay didn't elaborate, but I wondered: Does Boras get something in writing on this from the player? Is that why players seem to be led around on leashes by him?
Actually, there are a few players out there who've mustered the courage to stand up to Boras: Abraham mentions Ron Villone. Kay has talked about how Andruw Jones finally signed with the Braves after his father sat him down and said, "Forget Boras, who do you want to play for?" Finally, there's the, now famous, late night phone call Bernie Williams made to George Steinbrenner while on the verge of signing that Boras-brokered Red Sox deal.
So, it can be done! Scott Boras is human after all.
The Lady
The Alex Rodriguez opt-out happened sooner than most people thought it would and shocked just about everyone. Should it have? No.
The Yankees have steadfastly said they would not negotiate with A-Rod if he opts out of his contract. They've said it so many times that it has become hard not to believe them. Even Scott Boras has commented on how unprecedented the Yankees actions are. The Yankees, it seems, have the upper hand. What else was Boras supposed to do? This was the only way he could wrest control of the situation back to himself: Announcing A-Rod's opt out at the earliest possible moment, during Game 4 of a World Series in which the arch-rival Red Sox were about to sweep.
Boras claimed that not knowing the contract status of key Yankees like Mariano Rivera, Jorge Posada and Andy Pettitte contributed to A-Rod's decision to opt out. He also focused on the fact that Hank Steinbrenner said the team was in a "transitional" phase and referred to the Steinbrenner Brothers as "the new owners."
This is transparency to the hilt. Boras knows Hank's comments about transition were just a shot at Joe Torre. He also knows that the Yankees always put a competitive team on the field, year after year. No matter what happens to Rivera, Posada and Pettitte, the Yankees will have a contending team next year. They're always willing to do what it takes for that to happen.
So, stop your bluffing, Scott Boras, and good luck getting A-Rod the contract you want from another team.
The Lady
We heard the question earlier this year. It was too early to hear it at that point but now it's not: Will Joe Torre be fired?
Technically, the answer is no. His contract expires at the end of this month. If the Yankees don't want him anymore they just won't offer him a new contract.
So, why wouldn't they offer him a new contract? There are several factors, of course, that I need not detail here. However, there is one factor that just might trump all the others: Alex Rodriguez. If the Yankees really want to bring A-Rod back next season, they might be forced to bring Torre back. Or, they might not be.
In post-game interviews last night, A-Rod said that whether or not Torre stays will definitely help him decide whether he, himself, will stay with the Yankees. He had this to say about Joe Torre: "Torre and I, we've had a funny relationship for four years. It's definitely come full circle, and I have the utmost respect for that man in there. I feel disappointed, because I feel like we let him down, as well as the city of New York." He continued: "It takes time to get to know people. For me, this year, I think we really got to understand each other and he really made it easy for me and very comfortable for me to play."
It's obvious that Alex Rodriguez doesn't have the same loving relationship with Joe Torre that a lot of his other teammates have. I think the potential is there for a scenario that has A-Rod telling the Yankees, "It's either Joe Torre or me." Who knows, maybe he's already told them that. All we can do at this point is wait and see how this whole thing turns out.
The Lady
[Photo: Jim McIssac/Getty Images]
So, why is Alex Rodriguez having such a monster season? According to Peter Abraham of the Journal News, it's because of his off-season, early-morning workouts with, of all people, Doug Mientkiewicz.
According to Pete's article, A-Rod, motivated by his failure in last year's ALDS, often called Mientkiewicz at 5:15 in the morning last Winter to convince him to work out with him.
I find this article interesting for two reasons: 1) This might explain away the theory that A-Rod is only having such a great season because he's already decided to opt out of his contract. 2) He really is friends with Doug Mientkiewicz! I don't think, as some in the media think, that Mientkiewicz was signed by the Yankees just for A-Rod's benefit, but there's got to be some kind of friendship there if the utility 1B is willing to get up at 5:15 AM for him!
The Lady
If there was any doubt about who should be the AL MVP, it was settled last night in the seventh inning during the Yankees' 10-2 rout of the Seattle Mariners. After returning from getting an MRI on his rolled over ankle, Alex Rodriguez talked his way into the line-up and proceeded to hit two home-runs in that seventh inning, erasing, in my mind anyway, any thoughts of anyone other than him being the League MVP.
These are the kinds of things A-Rod has done all season. When his team needs it most, he picks them up, straps them on his back and takes off. Last night was one of those times. Trailing 2-1 and in danger of having their Wild Card lead dwindle to to just one game, he picked up his team once again and went to work.
If it were not for Alex Rodriguez the Yankee season would have been over by the beginning of May.
No one really knows if he's having such a magical year because he's decided to opt out or because of some other reason. Whatever the reason, the debate needs to end now. Alex Rodriguez is the 2007 American League Most Valuable Player.
The Lady
Since July 25th I've been glued to my TV, waiting and hoping with the rest of Yankees Universe. I've raced through the streets like a madwoman, trying to get home in time; I've run around my apartment like it was on fire, trying to get things done in time; and, I've sat on the job praying that he wouldn't hit it while I was trying to raise money for the arts. Today was no different: I'd been running errands all morning and arrived home just before game time. As soon as I slipped out of my shoes I realized I'd forgotten to pick something up at the store down the street. The top of the first inning was about to begin. Dare I try it?
The Lady
Jose Canseco knows just the right buttons to push in just the right places. His recent comments on a Boston radio station are a prime example. By now, everyone has heard what he told WEEI: that he had "other stuff" on A-Rod. When prompted for details, he said "wait and see."
Canseco is just plain jealous of A-Rod. However, the fact that Canseco made these comments on WEEI is significant, for three reasons: 1) He knows about the Sox-Yankees rivalry; 2) He knows Red Sox fans still have not gotten over the fact that their team missed out on acquiring A-Rod; and 3) He knows the listening audience is comprised mainly of Red Sox fans.
If A-Rod were on any other team, Canseco would not have made those comments to WEEI. My guess is that Canseco has absolutely nothing on Alex Rodriguez. He's probably not even writing a book. Although, now that he's created such a stir, some publisher probably will offer him a book deal. *sigh*
The Lady
It's Hall Of Fame Induction Weekend and I'm worried about Tony Gwynn. Everytime I see pictures of him I can't help but think of Kirby Puckett, who essentially ate himself to an early death at age 44. I hope someone who's associated with Gwynn has thought the same thing and has spoken with Gwynn. It would be a shame if Mr Padre ended up the same way.
The Big Unit, Randy Johnson, is having season-ending back surgery. How do the D-Backs feel right about now? My guess is they feel the same way the Yankees feel right now about Johnny Damon: like they got sold a bill of goods.
Don't expect any retaliation by the Blue Jays for A-Rod's "Ha" play in Toronto the last time the Yankees were there. According to Peter Abraham, MLB spoke to the Jays last week and told them "any retailiation on Alex Rodriguez [will] be met with harsh consequences." A source told Abraham, “I wish they had let us handle it but we can’t. They were very serious about it.”
A-Rod did get hit by a pitch in last night's 3-2 10-inning win, but it was with the score tied, so nothing to scream about there.
The Lady
