This is the end...The end of Baseball

Well not exactly the end, but probably a nail in the coffin of the legitimacy skeptics have of the records broken in the last 10 years. The San Francisco Chronicle is reporting that both Jason Giambi and Barry Bonds testified to the Grand Jury as having used steroids provided to them by BALCO, and more specifically Greg Anderson, the personal trainer for Bonds. All this does is prove what many suspected of some of the games biggest stars over the last 10 years or so that MLB players were pumping more illegal drugs into thier bodies than Ivan Drago, although it is doubtful that the full report of everyone who took them over that time period will ever be known.

What i find very surprising about the whole ordeal is the frankness of Jason Giambi's testimony. He basically broke down the entire system of the company and how they gave steroids out and how the players used them. Although he named no names of other players involved, he intially started using steroids after going up to Anderson during a Japanese tour in 2001 asking what methods he used to keep Bonds in shape so well at his age. As for Bonds, he gave the more typical response that i would have suspected coming from players in this case, that they ingested the product but did not realize what they had used after the fact blah blah bla.... This is what makes Giambi's testimony so much more surprising, and even though it doesn't matter one iota, he has gained more of my respect actually telling the truth(despite losing much from taking the steroids) instead of passing the buck, as well as admitting to it for a long duration and not just one season.

This will all eventually lead into the debate of whether or not these records should count or whether they will get the Roger Maris asterik next to them for eternity. I'll lay out my opinion on this matter right now.... no, the records should not be taken away or asteriked. I say this for three reasons: 1) steroids were not a banned subtance tested for until this last season; 2) cheating has been an essential part of the game of baseball since it was created; and 3) just because you get bigger, doesn't mean you get better. Lost in all of the stories recently is the fact that Jason Giambi's brother Jeremy also admitted to using steroids. Assuming Jason did them during the same time period as older brother Jason his HR's went from 10 in the pre-steriods year to 12 with 30 point increase in batting average. The next year his HR production went up to 20 but his average went down 25 points. The following year he batting under .200 with 5 HR in 127 AB's. Although his HR total did double in two years after starting to use steroids it was still only 20, and he bottomed out the year after that. So what does this tell us, that you still need a bit of talent to go with the increased mass in order to be good, steroids themselves don't do all of the work. This ties into my second point which is that cheating has been an intrical part of the game since its inception. During the first 50 years of baseball's existence pitchers used pitches which were ultimatley deemed illegal, yet all of thier stats count in the record books. Even pitchers such as Hall-of-Famer Phil Niekro, who pitched after those pitches were outlawed, have admitted to doctoring the ball or throwing illegal pitches without getting caught(although they sometimes did). Even the games great savior in 1998 Mark McGwire admitted to using Andro, a drug which acts as a steriod after it is put into the bloodstream, to bulk up in the offseason, yet his records still stand and he'll probably be put in the all of fame on the first ballot when he comes up next year. These records accumulated still count, and this is the main reason why I believe MLB will not be able to discount these stats and records as if they didn't even happen.

The other big development is the possibility of Giambi having his contract terminated by the Yankees. Highlighted in an article from Jayson Stark it is possible that the Yankess can dismiss him and his $20 million plus salary for the next 4 seasons, but it does appear that the union will fight it at the present time if the Yankees were to follow through on this.

Where have all the closers gone??

With the signing of Armando Benitez by the San Francisco Giants the market for closers is effectively shut down for the offseason with the Cubs being shut out. It looks like they will have to turn to the Brewers to try and pry Danny Kold away from them, but for what is a relatively cheap price for the consistency you get over the last few year i would doubt the Brewers would trade Kolb, unless the Cubs or someone else drastically overpay. With this signing it looks like the Giants will have to go on the cheap to get a new Outfielder for next year with about $8.5 million already being given to new SS Omar Vizquel and now Benitez. Do notice however, that for an average of $7 million a year the Giants get the all-time postseason blown saves leader.

The only other closers on the market still are two guys coming off serious injuries recently, Matt Mantei and Rob Nenn - who hasn't pitched for the last two seasons. Mantei has expressed interest in joining the Cubs, and they might sign him to a minor league deal, but i wouldn't expect much from him next season.

Market getting a bit Leiter....

The Marlins are close to signing former Marlin Al Leiter to a one year contract worth $6-7 million a year and the promise of a broadcasting job with the team after his deal is up. The Mets have unofficially cut ties from Leiter but the other team from New York still would like to get him in Pinstripes, however i dont think he will be getting anymore money in a deal with the Yankees. Leiter will fill the void almost garaunteed to be left by Carl Pavano.

Hudson a goner...

A report out of Oakland is saying that Tim Hudson wants out of Oakland if he cannot get a contract extention by March 1 of next year. Hudson also appears to be Billy Beanes most tradable pitcher right now so its concievable he could be sent away to get his contract from another team. In a random thought Hudson could be the no.1 starter that the White Sox have been searching for and would really solidify thier rotation. Whether or not they have the combination of players and prospects that the A's want is a different question. Here's saying that the Braves become the winner of this derby to replace one of the two starters they will most likely be losing this offseason by giving Oakland Marcus Giles, who would vill a major void for the A's at 2B, and the Braves have a more than capable replacement for him in Nick Green - who took over for the injured Giles last season and proved his worth.

D'backs acting crazy...

The list of demands that Arizona is demanding from the Yankees for Randy Johnson is completly insane, even going as far as to give them a list of 10 other MLB pitchers from different teams they would have to trade for and then give to Arizona for the Big Unit, as well as picking up all but a million or so of Javier Vazquez's deal. I would most likely think this is a ploy by the D'backs to make Johnson expand his list of teams he's willing to go to in trade but you never know....

Nats trying to get things started

The new Washington Nationals GM Jim Bowden is apparently going to go hard after pitcher Russ Ortiz. Even though he has already added over $10 million is new payroll to the team Bowden still has around $20 million to spend in accordance to a approximate $50 million payroll handed down from MLB for the new franchise while the league tries to find an owner for this team. The upgrades already done and adding more talent like Ortiz will probably help find a buyer quicker for the newly named Nationals.

Pedro to the Mets??

Why are teams willing to shell out so much money to a potentially injured Pedro Martinez. The lastest news is that new Mets GM omar Minaya offered Martinez a 3 year deal worth $38.5 million with an option fourth year. The Yankees are still going to offer him a deal as well and will probably try to top that, if not for any other reason that to screw thier two biggest rivals. But is Martinez worth this much money at this stage in his carrer? Probably not. He has a damaged shoulder which could go at any time and hasn't pitched like the old Pedro for the last 3 seasons, even if he has put up decent numbers during that time. He's no better than a good no.2 at this point and cannot go 9 innings anymore. This just seems like a disaster waiting to happen to me and whatever team signs him is going to regret it in a year or two. The Red Sox already made thier highest offer and it will probably come down to whether Pedro wants to go back where he'll be a King, or live with the potential backlash of failure and injury - but for more money. Either way he will not be getting the $15 million a year he said he wanted and was worth earlier this free agency period.

Lost in Translation....

While all the major league teams are waiting for the next supposed monster pitcher, Daisuke Matsuzaka, to come from Japan, there are a few Japanese 2B that can come over this year and there just happens to be two teams in Chicago that need to fill that position. Why not take a flyer on one of these guys since both have cabable guys behind them that can fill in if they do not work out. The White Sox did this last year on Shingo and it worked out well. Maybe they think that you can't catch lightning in a bottle twice in a row, but these guys could sign relatively cheap and it would be worth a shot.

Jose, Jose-Jose-Jose....

Well the Red Sox are interested in Jose Valentin as a one year stop-gap until SS prospect Hanley Ramirez is ready in 2006. Even though Valentin has one of the better range factors in the league and can hit 25 bombs from the left side of the plate, I have to say, have fun Boston.....

Making room for Carlos...

The Yankees got rid of Kenny Lofton, shipping him and $1.5 million out to Philadelphia for Set-up man Felix Rodriguez in what could be concieved as a move to open an outfield spot on the team for Carlos Beltran. They also re-obtained set-up man Mike Stanton and $975,000 for Felix Heredia from the NY Mets in a cross town deal. Even though they opened up an OF spot, they also upped thier payroll by about $2 million, and with signings of Eric Milton for around $7-8 million and relievers Steve Kline and Ron Villone and Jon Leiber and either Randy Johnson or Pedro Martinez coming to town they might not have enough money left to seriously overbid on Beltran, leaving him to actually join the team he wants to play for instead of Boras forcing him to take the money. Those potential signings or trades would put the payroll at well over $200 million for next season and not even the Yankees can spend like that (or can they, we'll see).


Q o' the P

"My two biggest personnel mistakes were Michaell Ovitz and Mo Vaughn" - Retiring Disney CEO Michael Eisner