4,257: Can Derek Jeter Save Baseball?

So far Derek Jeter has everything Alex Rodriguez ever wanted. So why not take what MLB wanted, needed and hoped for him to do; save baseball. Jeter currently sits at 2,535. 1,721 hits shy of the all time hit leader Pete Rose. Jeter would have to sustain his average of 195 hits per season for nine more seasons to pass Rose. That would make him 44 years old and put him in his 22nd season as a Major Leaguer. It is highly unlikely that Jeter, a SS, would even last that long let alone continue to rack up close to 200 hits per year for nine more seasons. It would certainly be a great feat and surely would help baseball rise up out from the doldrums of the sports world.

In the wake of the Mitchell Report having been released, Jeter admitted he had put on too much weight in his decade long effort to bulk up in hopes to add more power to his swing. Yet his power numbers remained low last season as the rest of his offensive numbers dropped significantly. Perhaps last season was an indicator of things to come. As well, we all know that Jeter is no longer the premier position player he once was. He has certainly lost as step and judging by his perfomance in the WBC, though be it “pre season” he is far from where he was as an All-Star and World Series MVP.

Even passing Ty Cobb would be almost as improbable. At this point, baseball has not much to look forward to in wake of the recent economic collapse. As well, the current Administration having already backed off unrealistic promises and yet to overcome its love affair with itself is yet to even return from the campaign trail. Futher pushing an already long overdue economic recovery back until the Honeymoon is over. Which may not be until 2016 given its Carpenter like status.

So perhpas we will just have to wait until the next Babe Ruth comes along. Funny how what saved baseball the first time around is what ultimately killed it in the end. I just hope the next Babe Ruth is a sober, non-smoking, drug and disease free, athiest celibite with the heart of Secreteriat the charisma of Shaquille O’Neal, and my overwhelmingly charming yet devestaingly hadsome good looks. Who is born smack dab in the middle of the 39th and 40th parallels. West of the Mississippi and East of the Rocky Mountains under an Earth sign on a snow day in Spring.

Greener Pastures For Jeter?

Derek Jeter has been the main man at SS ever since he arrived on the scene in New York. Yet, without a title to show for it in the past eight seasons Jeter is feeling the heat. He spent the first eight years of his carrer taking a beating from fans and media. The topic of conversation almost nightly on New York talk radio would always spawn the debate of who was the best shortstop in baseball. Through all the frenzy though give Jeter credit, he outlasted them all. Silencing most if not all of his critics. Looking back, any one of those guys would give it all back for Jeter’s resume.

Now, those who were silenced have a new focus which stirs their whispering. Jeter’s demise as a shortstop. In fact the whispering is turning into quite a low roar. It was hard to see at first but if you were baseball savvy you saw the writing on the wall. A revolving door on aging veteran outfielders trying to not so gingerly replace Bernie Williams. A huge albatross in Jason Giambi at first base which ulitmately cost Bernie Williams the chance to write his own ending to his Yankee legacy. Tension, angst and ego’s clashing between Jeter and A-Rod blanketed most of the problems. Compounded by the colossal loss in the 2004 ALCS to the Boston Red Sox.

Although I would not have expected Jeter to step aside at shortstop it would have been a tremendous gesture both as a teammate and as a Yankee. He would not be the first Yankees great to move from the infield to the outfield nor would he be the first Hall Of Fame shortstop to do so. Nevertheless it is a no brainer right now. Jeter plays shortstop like a free safety who is not afraid to tackle a fire hydrant. Perhaps not the most talented, he is clearly the most versatile athlete on the field. The Yankees have themselves a gift that could solve all their outfield problems. Robin Yount a true power hitting shortstop made the move because of a shoulder problem and still took in another MVP in center for the Brewers. Jeter does not have to win the MVP or hit home runs in center or left to prove he is a winner but surely he would play like one.

Make the move Derek! If you want to win another World Series you have to do it like you have done it in the past. Take it on your shoulders. Prove to be worthy of the “C”. Put your ego away and put this team on your back and take them and your career, home!

Bud Selig Is A Crime Boss

Gambino… Genovese… Selig? What? I was shocked too. How could a complete dolt, a simpleton, a coward, find himself amidst the names of some of the most notorious figures of all time? Alas, it is true. Perhaps you have not heard or just had not paid much attention to the story. As well the mainstream media surely gave Allen Huber Selig Jr. a pass on this one. In fact they gave him a pass on more than just one occasion, but I assure you Mr. Selig is a criminal avoiding justice. As the old saying goes money talks…!

In 2002 the minority owners of the then Montreal Expos filed RICO charges against Mr. Selig and Jeffrey Loria. MLB could have been found liable for up to $300 million. Mysteriously, the case was sent to arbitration and eventually settled for an undisclosed amount. This is what happens when rich white men take large sums of money from one another. Lawyers get involved and as long as everyone gets their money all parties agree no one has to serve any jail time. This in itself is a crime as far as I am concerned. Especially when all this is going on behind closed doors at the expense of the hard working people who inexplicably sit idly by and continue to support this man and his sport.

Mr. Selig has also been part of a very hush hush collusion scandal that has been going on in recent years. On at least four seperate occasions since 2002 Bud Selig and the Owners of MLB have been have been cited for collusion ranging from money owed from revenue sharing to contracts including players such as Barry Bonds and Alex Rodriguez.

The latest scandal is that of banned trainer Angel Presinal. Who somehow avoided notoriety in 2001 after being banned from baseball for having been caught with steroids and syringes. Obviously his ties to baseball were strong and still are the even after having been caught Bud Selig never exposed him nor made it evident to any player to refrain from contact with this man. Presinal was also allowed to work with players in the 2006 World Baseball Classic; a Selig creation.

You be the judge but clearly Selig’s hands are dirty and it is only a matter of time before a young hot shot Federal investigator gets wise and takes him down. Elliot Ness where are you now?

Step Up!

The truth will set you free. How many times have we heard this cliche? Enough is enough already. Getting caught cheating, lying, stealing or any other form of ill repute is not “admitting” to the crime itself. YOU GOT CAUGHT! HOLA? Jason Giambi, Andy Pettitte, A-Rod and any other drug user on the ever growing list of athletes who got caught should not be credited with “admitting” to anything. That is not an admission it is more like a confession of guilt after the fact. So I ask you Sportsroiders will anyone out there really “step up” and come forward under their own volition and speak the truth without ratting out their friends or cousins and just plain admitting to having broken the law and cheated by taking steroids or HGH without having formerly been caught or charged with allegations?

Come on Derek Jeter. Just Do It!

Furthermore for the Curt Schilling Jamie Moyer crowd of athletes who are suddenly outraged by all the cheating I ask you this: Where were you guys for the last 26 years? How come you did not step up and demand testing for illegal substances, specifically steroids, if you are so horrified by all this. Do not tell me you did not see it going on. Do not even think of trying to tell me that the union would not allow it. Squeaky wheel gets the oil my friends and absolutely no one in baseball that is allegedly “clean” has ever come forward before now and been outspoken about this issue. As far as I am concerned you are all guilty. GUILTY! You helped make the bed you now lie in.

Someone please STEP UP!

The Truth In Earnest

In 1986 weather you wanted to believe it or not, the baseball world was introduced to steroids. Then, an 11 year old kid, I was at the height of collecting baseball cards. I still have them and what fun it was to spend most or all of what little money I had buying up as many as I could. By the ripe old age of 12 thanks to Jose Canseco I could identify a “muscle head” or “juice head” from a mile away. By the 7th grade I was already wondering if I would ever even make it as a high school athlete because I thought that everyone who played football was on steroids. In the 8th grade I learned everyone was not on steroids, steroids were bad for you, and if you wanted some I could get them for you. That was 1989. Baseballs were “juiced” not players. The Cold War was ending and the Steroid Era in baseball was well underway. A year later The Anabolic Steroids Control Act of 1990 became law on November 29, 1990, when President Bush signed the Omnibus Crime Control Bill.

Why then since that day does MLB or any other professional sports organization continue to be held at bay by a players union that somehow does not think that the law applys to its members? How can any player who belongs to the union that plays under the same collective bargaining agreement expect anyone to believe they they are “clean” when their own union affords them the right to be “dirty”? Why would any fan, including reporters/beat writers/media etc. of MLB be upset or shocked to find out that Alex Rodriguez or any player for that matter used steroids? Why then would these same people call for everything short of a beheading of said players when they knew all along these “sacred” and “holy” records were already compromised?

As much as I detest Barry Bonds. As much as I hate the Yankees for having signed Jose Canseco, Jason Giambi and Kevin Brown and for resigning Andy Pettitte the lying, cheating, rat. And as much as I hate A-Rod for further disgracing the pinstripes I have to say according to the rules of baseball at that time, they crossed no lines nor broke any rules. (other than the law) But since that does not count in baseball, never has, never will – let the records stand. Everyone including Ownership, MLB Executives, MLBPA and its members, the media and us the fans should all accept our responsibility and just put it to bed and move on.

If MLB, MLBPA, U.S. Congress, or parents/teachers/coaches of children in the United States think that only now steroids is a problem at the high school level, they are sadly mistaken and grossly ignorant.

Shame Shame Shame

Alex Rodriguez has tested positive for steroids. Shocked? I mean really now. Does anyone even care? I never thought that MLB would be the biggest joke in professional sports. Certainly now if it was not already MLB has no credibility. There is only one way to fix our national sport. First MLB needs a new commissioner, one with a backbone and no allegiance to either players or owners. I suggest me. Second the MLBPA needs to be busted. Clearly, the union, like any other union is to provide a safe working environment for its members as well as insuring fair practice. They have failed. Third the owners must all be forced to sell. An arbitrator should hold bids for each franchise and settle fair market value for all. Lastly all players and coaches at the major league level should be sent packing. They can all receive full contract value from revenue collected when the teams are sold. Baseball could continue with the stars of tomorrow: today! In less than five years no one will remember or care about A-Rod, Albert Pujols, Derek Jeter, Manny Ramirez or any other aging cheating superstars.