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.

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?