Message to Larry Dolan: If You Pay Them, They Will Come!

Have you been paying attention to the Major League Baseball Playoffs? If so, and you’re a present or former Cleveland Indians Fan, you have noticed the ridiculous amount of former Indians playing outstanding baseball.

Meanwhile, Cleveland Indians owner Larry Dolan can’t figure out why the Indians’ attendance has plummeted since the Dick Jacobs days.

Here is a hint Larry: you have only paid Grady Sizemore, and that is it.

The Indians produce a mediocre team year in and year out, and the fans day by day miss Dick Jacobs more and more.

The title, “If You Pay Them, They Will Come” means that if you pay the players you let go, your fans would appear in groves to Progressive Field. With the talent you let go and that is currently stretched across the eight teams that made this year’s playoffs, you too would be contending for a World Series title.

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Random Observation / Question: Do Baggy Baseball Pants Influence the Strike Zone?

Last weekend I was lucky enough to catch a baseball game everyday.  Watching the White Sox vs. Yankees series was entertaining, there is not doubt about it.  Sitting in front of the TV I was able to revisit something that has been on my mind:  

Has the advent of the baggy pants (pajamas) in baseball caused the strike zone to change?

My perspective on this is that once the players started to wear loose fitting pants the umpire was no longer able to see exactly where their knee began.  While it is comfortable for them, they are putting themselves behind the eight ball from the umpire’s perspective.

One player that I noticed tried it both ways was Jermaine Dye earlier in the season.  While he only wore the pants in the traditional fashion for a couple of games, to me it was obvious that his strike zone was different.  It would be nice to sit down and discuss this with him.  I wonder if he saw the same thing that I did while I was sitting on my couch?

It is obvious that taller players with long legs are at the biggest disadvantages.  I also think that it has to have some impact on their ability to run.  Just look at Manny Ramirez’s pants.  How can he run in those things?

I guess the bottom line for me is that if you take away the umpires’ point of reference, then don’t complain.  I really wish the players all would go old school and wear their pants in the traditional sense.  Just for arguments sake it would be interesting to see if the strike zone were to go back to the official rule definition of the strike zone.

* – Jermaine Dye photo credit: Getty Images via Daylife

LOTD: New York Times Reports Manny Ramirez, David Ortiz Tested Positive for PEDs in 2003

The Big Lead put it perfectly: the lawyers who keep leaking information about the confidential 2003 MLB drug test results are just “twisting the knife in baseball.” And the knife twisted again today as the New York Times reported that both Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs during that 2003 round of testing.

The report does not identify the substance that they tested positive for.

I have a feeling that the level of surprise at this report among baseball fans will be the equivalent to what most of us feel each morning when the sun rises: something along the lines of same $hit, different day.

Anyway, here is your link of the day, and then some other links for your daily perusal.

Ortiz and Ramirez Said to Be on 2003 Doping List — (New York Times)

Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz, the sluggers who propelled theBoston Red Sox to end an 86-year World Series championship drought and to capture another title three years later, were among the roughly 100 Major League Baseball players to test positive for performance-enhancing drugs in 2003, according to lawyers with knowledge of the results.

…

The information about Ramirez and Ortiz emerged through interviews with multiple lawyers and others connected to the pending litigation. The lawyers spoke anonymously because the testing information is under seal by a court order. The lawyers did not identify which drugs were detected.

Unlike Ramirez, who recently served a 50-game suspension for violating baseball’s drug policy, Ortiz had not previously been linked to performance-enhancing substances.

Scott Boras, the agent for Ramirez, would not comment Thursday.

Asked about the 2003 drug test on Thursday in Boston, Ortiz shrugged. “I’m not talking about that anymore,” he said. “I have no comment.”

Here is some other relevant reading on the topic of Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz reportedly testing positive for PEDs in 2003, including an old Bill Simmons column that looks even more prescient now.

• Confronting my worst nightmare — (Bill Simmons, May 9, 2009)
• NYT: David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez Tested Positive for Performance-Enhancing Drugs in 2003 — (The Big Lead)
• Big Cheat, or Is He? — (My Sports Rumors)
• David Ortiz, Manny Ramirez, and the Bloody Sock on 2003 Steroid List — (Deadspin)

Quick excerpt from the Deadspin post by Dash:

As everyone will gladly point out, 2003 was Ortiz’s first season in Boston. It was also the season he saw a significant improvement in his stats. He set then career highs in HR and RBI and saw his .OPS jump about 130 points. 

And some other links:

• Label me a Favre skeptic — (NFL.com blog)
• Happy Birthday Jaime Pressley — (MoonDog)
• Splain it: lazy children — (Straight Pinkie)
• 10 hilarious celebrity impersonated prank calls — (Hail Mary Jane)
• New blog: Jay Cutler Superstar
• Big Ten Media Days Signal That Football is Almost Back — (Not Qualified to Comment)

* – Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz photo credit: MLBToday.net

Breaking Report: Manny Ramirez Tests Positive for Performance-Enhancing Drugs, Suspended 50 Games

Breaking news raining down across the Internet and sports radio: Los Angeles outfielder Manny Ramirez has reportedly tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs and will be suspended by Major League Baseball for 50 games. MLB is expected to make the announcement later today. According to the ESPN.com account, the report originated at the LA Times. (And here is the LA Times report on the Manny Ramirez suspension.)

And here’s a quick update on the Manny Ramirez suspension from The Big Lead:

Manny didn’t test positive for steroids according to his agent, Scott Boras. So far, the story is that Manny went to a doctor in Miami who prescribed him something (for personal use), which triggered the positive test. Gammons: “Manny was absolutely devastated by this.”

And apparently the suspension will cost Manny $7.7 million, so that answers one of the questions in the comments about the suspensions being without pay.

So let’s see here…

• Boston Red Sox legend begins to enter expected twilight of career and sees numbers drop.
• Said legend is unceremoniously bounced from Boston with bad feelings all around.
• Legend goes to new team and suddenly experiences a career renaissance and is again considered among the very best at his particular craft.
• The legend then signs a huge contract, becomes rich, and is talked about among the greatest who ever played.

Anyone else notice any parallels between Manny Ramirez and Roger Clemens?

Unbelievable. But you know what? I’m not the least bit surprised. Another baseball legend linked with steroids. Ho hum, just another day in baseball. True, Ramirez is the biggest star to be caught since the MLB instituted testing, so that provides some shock value, but I can’t imagine any seasoned baseball fan being truly taken aback by this.

Who knows when Ramirez started using PEDs, but when he left Boston I think a lot of people assumed that his best days were behind him. Then he goes to LA and magically has one of the greatest runs of his illustrious career. RED FLAG!!! Then, this offseason, he parlayed it into a huge contract. Well played Manny, and all you have to do is sit out 50 games and suffer a little bit of shame…but does anyone think Manny Ramirez is really capable of shame?

I need to stop writing this. I’m starting to get pissed off and I’m sick of being pissed off about steroids in baseball. What a bunch of cheating, f’ing liars:

Manny Ramirez picture courtesy of the Baltimore Sun.

Could Manny Ramirez and Jim Thome Reunite with the Cleveland Indians?

While browsing the headlines over at ESPN.com this afternoon I stumbled upon an interesting story regarding some comments by Manny Ramirez about possibly returning to Cleveland. Seeing as how the Indians are not providing much joy to the city of Cleveland right now with their 1-5 start (but plenty of joy for White Sox fans!), I figured I’d give all of you suffering Indians fans something to make you smile.

Here are Manny Ramirez’s comments about a possible return to Cleveland, from the original USA Today article by Bob Nightengale:

Manny Ramirez will be back in Los Angeles Monday to renew his love affair with the city, but before his career ends he hopes to be reunited with his first love: the Cleveland Indians.

“I would like to play for Cleveland one more time, to go back where I started,” said Ramirez, with the Dodgers playing their home opener Monday against the San Francisco Giants at Dodger Stadium. “I have so many good memories there, why not?

“I think to go back where you started is everyone’s dream.”

The article goes on to discuss how Ramirez discussed the possibility during the offseason with former Indian and current White Sox DH Jim Thome. Thome says that Ramirez was “very sincere” when talking about rounding up all of the old school Indians for one more run in the AL Central.

“Me and Thome back in Cleveland?” Ramirez said. “That would be sweet.”

Apparently Albert Belle was not available for comment.

But before Indians fans get all excited and start packing Travis Hafner’s bags for him (if they are not doing that already), our buddies over at Waiting For Next Year provide a Lee Corso-style not-so-fast-my-friends.

From the WFNY story on the Manny Ramirez back to Cleveland comments:

Well, I can tell you what won’t happen: Jim Thome and Manny Ramirez coming back to Cleveland. It’s not saying that I wouldn’t welcome them both back; they would put a ton of fans in the seats, and a few baseballs in the bleachers. But to say that this team has moved on without Manny and Jim Thome would be an understatement.

Among the many reasons cited by WFNY for why Ramirez and Thome coming back to Cleveland won’t happen are the youth of the Indians and the fact that their future currently resides in Columbus with promising youngsters Matt LaPorta and Michael Brantley.

Click here for great deals on Cleveland Indians tickets

I obviously don’t know the Indians inside and out, but I certainly cannot see something like this happening. While I’m sure Manny Ramirez would love to return to Cleveland, he certainly would not do so for free, and I cannot see the Indians shelling out significant money to get him — or they would have done it this offseason when Ramirez was available. In regards to Thome, the Indians would have to pull the cord on the Travis Hafner career life support and eat a huge chunk of change to open up the DH slot. I just cannot see that happening either.

And I will say this about Jim Thome: I wouldn’t want to see him go. Up until last year, I would have gladly shipped him back to the Indians. For whatever reason I always hated Thome, and I was not excited when the White Sox signed him. But he has grown on me the more removed he becomes from his Indians career, and the more I open my mind up to the value he brings to the South Side, both as a lefty power hitter and a clubhouse leader. Now that I’ve finally fully embraced Thome as a true South Sider, I hope he retires with the White Sox. I sure as hell don’t want to have to go back to hating him again if heads back over to Cleveland.

So while I’m sure it’s fun for Indians fans to think about a Ramirez-Thome reunion, much as it would be for White Sox fans to consider Frank Thomas and Robin Ventura reuniting at the corners, I think the chances of it happening are slim to none. At least Ramirez and Thome are still highly productive players, unlike the injured Thomas and retired Ventura, but it would signal a complete shift in organizational direction for the Indians. A shift that, I agree with WFNY, will not happen.

Now, maybe if they could bring back, say, Jaret Wright to replace Cliff Lee in the rotation we might actually be talking about something plausible…

Chicago Cubs Cursed Again – Dodgers Move to NLCS

The Chicago Cubs suffered their second consecutive sweep in the playoffs falling at the hands of the Los Angeles Dodgers 3-1 Saturday night. The Cubs were one of the favorites to win it all this year after an impressive 97-64 record during the regular season, running away with the division by 7-1/2 games over the Milwaukee Brewers.

The sweep was the Cub’s first since June 27-29 when they lost three straight games to their cross town rivals Chicago White Sox in Interleague play.

Ironically the Dodgers avenged an earlier sweep at the hands of the Cubs at the Friendly Confines back in May. The only difference is that the Dodgers are advancing to the National League Championship Series and the Cubs are looking to 2009 where they will hopefully find a way past the first round.

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