According to a very interesting Washington Post article, MLB is taking a look at measures to test Dominican prospects for drugs. This follows some shocking and brutal revelations in another recent Post article that Dominican prospects are abusing drugs and supplements intended for veterinary use. At least two young ballplayers, Lino Ortiz and William Felix, have died after taking stimulants, dietary supplements, or steroids intended for horses and other animals.
What is most revealing about the article is the position of Rob Manfred, MLB's VP of labor and human resources. He stated that "We'd like to do something about the problem that is: a) not prohibitively expensive and b) practical. . . . We don't want to flush a lot of money down the toilet." All U.S. minor leaguers are going to be tested this year, a plan which will cost $1.25 million, but even random tests may be too expensive for MLB in the Caribbean. Manfred said that testing for steroids would be prohibitively expensive in the Dominican Republic, but we aren't talking about players who are using high-tech masking agents here. MLB could always ask WADA (the World Anti-Doping Agency) for help; WADA are well used to supervising testing at far-flung competitions all across the globe, including in countries poorer than the Dominican Republic. MLB aren't likely to do that, since it would engender uncomfortable questions from WADA about why MLB aren't doing more to stop doping. (WADA, of course, is completely wacky... their insistence that the international chess and bridge federations test for drugs if they hope to be chosen for Olympic competition is clearly insane. But they know drug testing better than anyone.)
Incidentally, doesn't it make you mad when the media describe MLB as "baseball"? Nobody calls Stu Jackson "basketball senior vice-president" but Manfred gets described as "baseball's VP".
The news on Dave Berg is becoming more disturbing. Berg has been put on the 15-day DL (with Howie Clark replacing him from Syracuse) due to fatigue. Berg has been unable to take infield practice, and according to a report gets fatigued after taking only a few grounders. This is following incidents with dizzy spells last month. Unfortunately, all the tests on Berg have come up negative, so for now it appears to be a question of waiting the problem out.
The Marlins whaled on the Braves last night, with a final score of 20-1, but the worst casualty wasn't any of the Braves pitchers. A photographer (at time of writing he hadn't been identified) was struck in the head by Darren Bragg's bat when it "flew out of his hands" after a seventh-inning swing. Apparently the photographer's face was cut (and bleeding all over), but there were no other reports of injuries; he was airlifted to hospital. It's easily the most damage that Bragg has done with his bat this season... he's hitting .149/.196/.161, with one extra-base hit (a double) and four walks versus 21 strikeouts in 87 at-bats.
You'll have noticed I put "flew out of his hands" in scare quotes. That's because though it's the phrase that's always used, it isn't really the right phrase, is it? The bat isn't flying. It's being flung, by a player who's too careless to keep his grip on the bat or use a little pine tar or a larger knob on the handle. Those of us who watched the Jays-Expos series on the weekend saw Endy Chavez indulge in some sort of bizarre bat-throwing festival, with the lumber spinning toward the dugout five times in three games. It's not like the bat taking off is going to be a surprise to the player, or if it has a mind of its own. I'm not shedding crocodile tears for the poor photographer; those guys (and ladies) know the risks they take when they step into the photographers' enclosure, right in the line of fire. But the umpires could easily get the players to keep a grip on their bats, simply by offering a warning to the player who does it. Foul balls are dangerous enough.
Brian Jordan is heading for knee surgery (likely but not definite), and I'm starting to wonder if retirement mightn't be in the offing too. Jordan is 36, and his football days couldn't have helped his knees any. This isn't a ligament problem, just the patellar tendon, but still it's at least possible that he would consider hanging up his spikes since surgery would end his season. The Dodgers hold a $10.5 million option on Jordan for next year, but they might take the $2.5 million buyout option instead; instead of testing the newly chilly free-agent market at 37, Jordan might want to negotiate a settlement now, while he can walk. The tough thing is that Jordan's hitting as well as he ever has - a remarkably consistent player - and naturally might want to add to his legacy or his bank account.
Don't forget about me! One of the two potential buyers for the Montreal Expos has reiterated his interest. Robert Johnson had been using the Expos as a stalking horse in order to pursue his desired NBA expansion team (Johnson was using MLB, presumably, as extra leverage in order to extract a good price from the NBA, who were desperate to add a black owner to their stable). Now, the first real potential owner has announced himself again - he's Mark Broxmeyer, a New York real estate developer. He doesn't apparently care whether the team goes into D.C. itself or into Northern Virginia - which has to make the local fans feel good, knowing that Broxmeyer's scouted the situation so thoroughly. Broxmeyer is up to his armpits in Middle East politics, especially in Israel and in Iraq where he's a supporter of Iraqi National Congress leader Ahmad Chalabi. He's an amateur "national security analyst", a darling of the FOX "News" crowd, and an admirer, backer, and confidant of Steve Forbes of all people. A thoroughly detestable character, if you ask me... which would surely give him the inside track with MLB. Fred Malek's group, which is also interested, have been quiet recently but are also building support. Both groups have lined up investment bankers, which means real money is getting spent. Malek, of course, was the guy who drew up a list of Jews working in the Bureau of Labor Statistics for Richard Nixon while he was deputy director for CREEP. Malek and Broxmeyer (Chairman for the Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs) should join forces... I'm sure they'd get along great.
MLB's reps have been skipping out on meetings with D.C. councillors and others. Yet another indication that the plans to move the Expos are going nowhere.
Incidentally, the San Antonio Express had the best line this week about the Expos... the unchallenged line that "Baseball says the Expos don't generate enough revenue to compete in Montreal". Meanwhile, the Expos are in the thick of the wild-card race, where they will likely stay for a while longer, thanks to the White Sox sweeping in and trading for Roberto Alomar. Apparently, Omar Minaya was trying to acquire Alomar for Montreal, a disastrous move in the making. Alomar would have played second base with Jose Vidro moving to third, a nonsensical shuffling of the deck when Expos third baseman Jamey Carroll is as good a hitter as Alomar anyway. I like what Minaya has done, and the respect he gets around the league is gratifying to Expos fans, but there are times that I swear he doesn't watch his own ballclub. FREE TERRMEL SLEDGE! Have a great day.
What is most revealing about the article is the position of Rob Manfred, MLB's VP of labor and human resources. He stated that "We'd like to do something about the problem that is: a) not prohibitively expensive and b) practical. . . . We don't want to flush a lot of money down the toilet." All U.S. minor leaguers are going to be tested this year, a plan which will cost $1.25 million, but even random tests may be too expensive for MLB in the Caribbean. Manfred said that testing for steroids would be prohibitively expensive in the Dominican Republic, but we aren't talking about players who are using high-tech masking agents here. MLB could always ask WADA (the World Anti-Doping Agency) for help; WADA are well used to supervising testing at far-flung competitions all across the globe, including in countries poorer than the Dominican Republic. MLB aren't likely to do that, since it would engender uncomfortable questions from WADA about why MLB aren't doing more to stop doping. (WADA, of course, is completely wacky... their insistence that the international chess and bridge federations test for drugs if they hope to be chosen for Olympic competition is clearly insane. But they know drug testing better than anyone.)
Incidentally, doesn't it make you mad when the media describe MLB as "baseball"? Nobody calls Stu Jackson "basketball senior vice-president" but Manfred gets described as "baseball's VP".
The news on Dave Berg is becoming more disturbing. Berg has been put on the 15-day DL (with Howie Clark replacing him from Syracuse) due to fatigue. Berg has been unable to take infield practice, and according to a report gets fatigued after taking only a few grounders. This is following incidents with dizzy spells last month. Unfortunately, all the tests on Berg have come up negative, so for now it appears to be a question of waiting the problem out.
The Marlins whaled on the Braves last night, with a final score of 20-1, but the worst casualty wasn't any of the Braves pitchers. A photographer (at time of writing he hadn't been identified) was struck in the head by Darren Bragg's bat when it "flew out of his hands" after a seventh-inning swing. Apparently the photographer's face was cut (and bleeding all over), but there were no other reports of injuries; he was airlifted to hospital. It's easily the most damage that Bragg has done with his bat this season... he's hitting .149/.196/.161, with one extra-base hit (a double) and four walks versus 21 strikeouts in 87 at-bats.
You'll have noticed I put "flew out of his hands" in scare quotes. That's because though it's the phrase that's always used, it isn't really the right phrase, is it? The bat isn't flying. It's being flung, by a player who's too careless to keep his grip on the bat or use a little pine tar or a larger knob on the handle. Those of us who watched the Jays-Expos series on the weekend saw Endy Chavez indulge in some sort of bizarre bat-throwing festival, with the lumber spinning toward the dugout five times in three games. It's not like the bat taking off is going to be a surprise to the player, or if it has a mind of its own. I'm not shedding crocodile tears for the poor photographer; those guys (and ladies) know the risks they take when they step into the photographers' enclosure, right in the line of fire. But the umpires could easily get the players to keep a grip on their bats, simply by offering a warning to the player who does it. Foul balls are dangerous enough.
Brian Jordan is heading for knee surgery (likely but not definite), and I'm starting to wonder if retirement mightn't be in the offing too. Jordan is 36, and his football days couldn't have helped his knees any. This isn't a ligament problem, just the patellar tendon, but still it's at least possible that he would consider hanging up his spikes since surgery would end his season. The Dodgers hold a $10.5 million option on Jordan for next year, but they might take the $2.5 million buyout option instead; instead of testing the newly chilly free-agent market at 37, Jordan might want to negotiate a settlement now, while he can walk. The tough thing is that Jordan's hitting as well as he ever has - a remarkably consistent player - and naturally might want to add to his legacy or his bank account.
Don't forget about me! One of the two potential buyers for the Montreal Expos has reiterated his interest. Robert Johnson had been using the Expos as a stalking horse in order to pursue his desired NBA expansion team (Johnson was using MLB, presumably, as extra leverage in order to extract a good price from the NBA, who were desperate to add a black owner to their stable). Now, the first real potential owner has announced himself again - he's Mark Broxmeyer, a New York real estate developer. He doesn't apparently care whether the team goes into D.C. itself or into Northern Virginia - which has to make the local fans feel good, knowing that Broxmeyer's scouted the situation so thoroughly. Broxmeyer is up to his armpits in Middle East politics, especially in Israel and in Iraq where he's a supporter of Iraqi National Congress leader Ahmad Chalabi. He's an amateur "national security analyst", a darling of the FOX "News" crowd, and an admirer, backer, and confidant of Steve Forbes of all people. A thoroughly detestable character, if you ask me... which would surely give him the inside track with MLB. Fred Malek's group, which is also interested, have been quiet recently but are also building support. Both groups have lined up investment bankers, which means real money is getting spent. Malek, of course, was the guy who drew up a list of Jews working in the Bureau of Labor Statistics for Richard Nixon while he was deputy director for CREEP. Malek and Broxmeyer (Chairman for the Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs) should join forces... I'm sure they'd get along great.
MLB's reps have been skipping out on meetings with D.C. councillors and others. Yet another indication that the plans to move the Expos are going nowhere.
Incidentally, the San Antonio Express had the best line this week about the Expos... the unchallenged line that "Baseball says the Expos don't generate enough revenue to compete in Montreal". Meanwhile, the Expos are in the thick of the wild-card race, where they will likely stay for a while longer, thanks to the White Sox sweeping in and trading for Roberto Alomar. Apparently, Omar Minaya was trying to acquire Alomar for Montreal, a disastrous move in the making. Alomar would have played second base with Jose Vidro moving to third, a nonsensical shuffling of the deck when Expos third baseman Jamey Carroll is as good a hitter as Alomar anyway. I like what Minaya has done, and the respect he gets around the league is gratifying to Expos fans, but there are times that I swear he doesn't watch his own ballclub. FREE TERRMEL SLEDGE! Have a great day.
