First blog from camp: Kenny on hearings
Yes, I got back from the Dominican all right, albeit pretty well exhausted. Tried to rest up for a few days before heading down to Lakeland last night. And sure enough, it was time to watch the players watch and react to the Congressional hearings with Roger Clemens and Brian McNamee. And nobody had more of a reaction than Kenny Rogers, who compared this to the Black Sox scandal.
"It's similar. You fixed the results of the game. Anybody who says that stuff doesn't benefit you greatly, it's obvious [it does]. Back then, when when they decided how these games were going to end, it's hte same thing. You're able to do things better than you ever were before. And to me, that's like fixing the results."
As for the level of attention it's getting now, Rogers said, "It's probably what happens when you try to sweep it under the carpet. It just gets bigger and bigger."
On Andy Pettitte: "I'm a great friend of Andy. Love him to death. This isn't one of his better decisions. Not a bad guy. Just a bad decision."
On John Rocker, who admitted Monday that he tested positive in 2000 but suggested baseball tried to cover it up: "The guy would've never been in the big leagues in his whole life without it. He was the most unathletic guy I've ever seen throw a baseball."
More to come later on the site.
I've deliberately stayed away from following the hearings, but it's impossible to ignore it all, so I guess I follow from afar. I've always liked Andy Pettitte myself, even when he was with the Yanks. John Rocker, on the other hand, behaved like a juiced up jerk most of the time.
I think there is less use now. Roy Oswalt said he sees the game slowing down to more like it used to be. I agree with that. We've had some pretty good baseball the past 3-4 years.
Anyway, here's one for Dan and you old-timers. I was on another site earlier today, just some sports site where they like to post a picture of the day, usually some past great. I was reading the posts regarding the hearings and there on the side was the picture of the day. Al Kaline. The irony.
--Rich
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Mercy me! I wondered if the players were watching. Thanks, Jason.
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It's official:
(After those comments by Rogers)Don't sit Sheff next to Kenny at your next dinner party.
I don't get it. The owners made billions off of their employees because said employees used performance enhancing drugs. After a myriad of terrible decisions and work stoppages, the popularity of the game was dwindling. All of a sudden, out of nowhere, a bunch of melon-heads break all power numbers. POOF..........the game starts turning a serious profit again. Personal fortunes grew at an alarming rate(almost as fast as McGuires biceps.)
Steinbrenners investment went from what, around 10 million in the late 70's to over a billion today? That's some return.
And now, those same group of miscreants want to snub their collective noses at the very group that got them their misbegotten hundredfold return?
When the owners return the billions they've made since steroids became an ugly part of this game, then I'll take this seriously.
Until then, they need to sit down, and shut up. Particularly Selig.
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