Two Yankees Linked to Balco

The new book, "Game of Shadows: Barry Bonds, BALCO, and the Steroids Scandal that Rocked Professional Sports" (Gotham), may force MLB commissioner Bud Selig to finally deal with Barry Bonds and other cheaters. The book also sheds new light on two of the 2006 New York Yankees strongest hitters - Gary Sheffield and Jason Giombi. Almost every newspaper is reporting revelations of this book today. Newsday, NY Daily News, NY Times, and the NY Post all have stories on this subject. Although this is a fun topic for Yankee Haters, it is a troubling story for baseball lovers. Let us hope the commisioner moves forward to strengthen the MLB's steroid policy to eliminate steroids from baseball once and for all. I say test all of them for the use of growth hormone and other steroids ASAP! Before Bonds has a chance to hit his fifth home run of this pre-season.

Sun and Fun

It's the phone call I shouldn't have made but couldn't resist while sitting in my seat. Just after 3 pm, I dialed home from my cell and asked my son, "How's the weather?"

"Not too bad, why?"

"Because it's around 80 degrees, I'm wearing sunscreen and sweating while I watch Kevin Youkilis hit a home run," I retorted.

"I hate you."

"Yeah, but I bought you a t-shirt."

"Alright. OK, so I don't hate you now."

At 8am my plane Boston on a frosty St. Patrick's morning. By noon time, I had rented a car and was on my way to City of Palms Park. I had never been there before and it struck me how much it reminded me of the stadium in Pawtucket. It was clean and comfortable but it still felt a bit like Bizarro world where they sold beer in the stands and you had to go down to the concourse for a hot dog. In fact, I heard one of the beer vendors yell out, "Get your cold beer even if you're not thirsty - it's St. Patrick's Day."

There were oddities too. The songs were out of order - playing "Tessie" and "Dirty Water" between innings and starting "Sweet Caroline" in the regular spot but at the chorus instead of the verse.

I sat with three guys - two of whom were Marlins fans and one was a Red Sox fan. It was great to watch the game with people watching from a different perspective and who truly loved the game. We talked about how no one in the American League seems to know how to lay down a real bunt anymore. We talked about players who successfully transitioned between the leagues and those who didn't. (Although, as one Marlins fan pointed out, Edgar Renteria learned how to bunt when he was a fish.)

While the preview of summer was something I loved, the other thing I previewed were some of the chants and call outs I could expect at Fenway this season. Like when Mark Loretta followed Coco Crisp to the plate, someone yelled out, "C'mon Sugar Smacks!" (What's next, calling Trot Honey Comb?)

In the 7th, after Crisp had a nice solid hit, someone yelled out, "You're like a good bowl of cereal in the morning - something to get you started."

After 10 it was tied and time for everyone to go home. That's when it hit me, a year ago I had been posing with the World Series trophy in an auditorium in Newton, MA. A year later, I was sitting in the sun clapping, chanting and taking notes on the back of my score card the way I normally do during the season. Still the regular season can't get here fast enough. I don't have tickets for the home opener, but I do for the next day. I'm taking my son to that game, the one who hates me for calling from Florida to bust his chops. On April 10th we'll be in Pawtucket catching the PawSox do their thing and watch the guys we hope to see in Fenway later in the year.

Right now, all I can say is, "Put me in coach, I'm ready to play today."

Play Ball!

All Things Must Pass

Back in August 1987, Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Kevin Gross was caught cheating. He had glued some sandpaper to his glove and was scuffing the ball. He was immediately ejected from the game and then suspended for 10 days. He appealed his suspension, citing other players who had suspensions that were less than his.

On September 1, 1987, A. Bartlett Giamatti submitted a written denial of the appeal writing:

"Cheating corrodes the integrity of any game. It undermines the assumption necessary to any game declaring a winner, that the contestants are playing fairly, i.e., under identical rules and conditions. It destroys public and participant confidence, moral and goodwill."

There in lies the problem with Barry Bonds and other players that take steroids.

Cheating carries other consequences. When players take to the field, we trust that they are going to give it their all - you know, win it for the home town and such. We look at those nine players on the field as well as the ones in reserve and our hopes, dreams, fantasies and expectations are there along side of them. They are the examples of excellence, they are the best of the best of the best, the elite that only few will ever be destined to achieve.

Barry Bonds deserved our trust and support until he became involved with BALCO. It would be one thing if he was a middling nobody that would be the answer to bar bets and trivia questions, but he wasn't. He was on his way to snagging the brass ring of athletics: he had a hall of fame career going before taking supplements from BALCO.

Barry Bonds cheated because he was getting old.

Growing old in sports is not a good thing. As you age, your numbers start to fade. There's that desire to just hang on to one more good year, and another and another. No one wants to step away from the spotlight and let the next young turk take their place. No one wants to listen to the crowd roar for the next guy - the guy you used to be - but that's how time works. In spite of desire and theoretical concepts, time is still a linear unit of measurement.

I know what it's like to feel old. Twenty five years ago, in the prime of my youth, I was 125 pounds of solid muscle. I could go all night and then some - from work to class to homework to party and then home to crash for a couple of hours and start it all again the next day. After raising four kids - the youngest of whom is in 7th grade - I may still be 125 pounds of solid muscle, but there's a lot of extra winter padding (to be nice) covering that muscle now. My hair is graying and there are crows feet around my eyes and furrows in my forehead. I fall asleep in the chair watching TV the way my mother did before me and the way my kids will after me at some point.

I could cheat. I could go make a visit to a cosmetic surgeon and with a vacuum and a little nip/tuck here and botox there, I could once again look 25 years younger. The problem is I'm not really 25 years younger. Instead I would be a pathetic woman clinging to an era that belongs to my oldest and her peers.

Barry Bonds tried to cheat to avoid the reality faced by all players including Ted Williams, Mickey Mantle, Joe and Dom DiMaggio, Roger Maris, Carl Yaztremski, Hank Aaron and on and on and on. I'm sure none of them wanted to step aside and give up the spot light either, and yet that's how it works. Some are more graceful than others - choosing to retire before being cut or offered a minor league deal while others cling on until the bitter end.

Life can be cruel, just ask the ghost of Lou Gehrig, but that's how it is.

To those who say, "Just strip away the five years of BALCO and you still have a hall of fame player," all I have to say to you is that we will probably agree to disagree. The reality is when you cheat, there are consequences and this is one of them. You can not just polish up your reputation; you have to be accountable for your actions. It's what we teach our kids. (Isn't that why Super Nanny and Nanny 911 are so popular? Watching hardcore British nannies hold little brats and their parents accountable for bad behavior?)

Imagine a kid showing up for an interview with you and saying, "Well yes, I was thrown out of college my senior year for plagiarizing my senior thesis; however, the three years previous to that, I was on the Dean's list on my own. I just felt pressured to make sure my senior thesis was perfect and cut a few corners - but trust me, if you guy by my high school and college record leaving out my senior thesis, you'll see I'm the best person for the job...."

You'd ask for a hit of what they were smoking.

The old saying "be careful what you wish for" comes to mind right now. Bonds didn't want to give up the spotlight, I just don't think this is the one he wanted.

Mets Looking Good for 06

The New York Mets' off-season gave a boost to the club's mentality. The team is building toward an eventual division win. Omar Minaya has shown he is willing and able to make the Mets a winning team again.

Bringing in Carlos Delgado earns New York my first congratulations. With 33 homers and 115 RBI last year, Carlos is a monster. If he can pull those same numbers in Shea stadium this year, people will love him. He is a power hitter and a decent first-baseman. The Mets had some terrible heartaches at first base but they turned a negative into a positive. Hopefully his health won't be an issue -- neither his elbow nor his kidneys.

The Mets also deserve congrats for getting Billy Wagner. Wagner has a fastball like no other pitcher in baseball and will singlehandedly save games that would have been lost a year ago. Now the Mets have a strong bullpen. Gosh, that sounds awfully weird, but with the acquisition of Wagner, it's now true! I am also glad that Braden Looper is out the door.

The Mets filled Mike Piazza's former catcher spot without trouble. I was not ready to see Ramon Castro playing catcher. They brought in veteran righty Paul LoDuca to do the job. Yeah, he won't hit for power, but he is very good at playing the position. There shouldn't be any trouble throwing the runners out now.

Now let's talk about the guys that have been here, done that. Guys like Jose Reyes and Cliff Floyd are in for a big year now that the Mets have filled all of those holes (except for second base where Kaz Matsui still stands, having no idea what to do.) I really don't like him and I want him off the team. He has not shown any talent in New York and that's not what the Mets need.

David Wright is the next big thing on this club. He has so much potential, with 27 homers and 102 RBI last year. I would seriously like to see a 40-homerun season out of this kid and I wouldn't be surprised if he did it. He could make a case for MVP. That's the kind of player he is.

This off-season, the Mets were able to fill those spots that weakened them during the 2005 season. That's to be admired. Now, let's all sit back and relax while spring training rolls on. Mets fans should get ready to actually enjoy this season!

Mack's A.L. Central Preview

White Sox
The World Series champions have made some changes. Getting rid of star center fielder Aaron Rowand and obtaining Jim Thome, the injury prone first baseman, in return. I think that Thome can be a good asset but will have to try hard to avoid injury and put up the monster numbers. Paul Konerko was re-signed, a good move as I expect a bigger and better 2006 season. Another guy that I really like is third baseman Joe Crede. He is much underrated, a fine prize for any team at this day and age. Look for good stuff from him in '06. The pitching staff should remain the same. Mark Buehrle has shown his talent, but I don't think he will have the numbers like last year. I really do have faith in Jose Contreras, I think that last year was the starting point for something great to come in the future.

Indians
I think that Cleveland definitely deserved a playoff berth last season for that A.L. Wildcard.

Underrated names like Cliff Lee and C.C. Sabathia have vastly improved the pitching staff over the last couple of years. I also like Jake Westbrook's horizon in the big leagues, and I think he's in for a solid 2006. Paul Byrd, a journeyman who can bring a lot to the table, was brought in this off season as well. I love Bob Wickman, I know he won't disappoint this year. On the hitting front, Johnny Peralta is the stud to be de-studded. With 24 home runs last year, I see nothing but great things for this youngster in 2006. The thing that I really did admire about these guys last year is that they were young and they still almost made the playoffs. This year, being a little bit older and more used to things, they should be even better. With guys like Travis Hafner, Victor Martinez, and Ben Broussard, this club can win a world series.

Tigers
Detroit can have a winning team this year. Their pitching staff needs to straighten up a little bit. With the addition of Kenny Rogers, this club is much stronger. I also love Jeremy Bonderman. Only 14 wins last year and 13 losses, I think his numbers will definitely improve this year. Newbie Justin Verlander is being spotted as a possible rookie of the year candidate. Don't expect great things from guys like Mike Maroth and Nate Robertson. Combining for 21 wins and 26 losses last year, they won't improve to a great extent. The hitting will get this club the wins. The addition of Placido Palanco last year should have done more then it did. Look for that to happen this year. Magglio Ordonez will be much healthier this year and I like his possibilities for a 20-10 season this year. I really like Chris Shelton. He has a lot of upside, and I see 25 homers this season.

Twins
Minnesota has a lot of holes to fill. After last season's 83-79 record, I think the Twins have a chance in 2006. Torii Hunter is coming off of that broken ankle last season, and I think he will have a better year this year, but don't expect a huge year as he is aging. I like the acquisition of Luis Castillo at second base especially since they've had trouble at second base for quite a few years. Joe Mauer is going to have a stellar season this year and I have a lot of faith in him even though he is not a power hitter. All he needs to do is stay healthy. As for the pitching, Johan Santana is still the man, going 16-7 last year. I'm tired of Brad Radke coming in every year and just not putting up those numbers like he used to. I think he should retire. I like Carlos Silva, I think he can be a great relief option. Joe Nathan is always great so expect nothing but the same this year.


Royals
with Kansas City, they did some major upgrading this season. They picked up Mark Grudzielanek, Doug Mientkiewicz, Joe Mays, Reggie Sanders and Mike Redman. These guys will boost the club; I think they need a year to get used to each other so expect a transition 2006 season for the Royals.

-- And my predictions :
1. Indians
2. White Sox
3. Tigers
4. Royals
5. Twins

Breaking Second Base Down

Joe Davis is angry about USA losing 8-6 to Canada today... So he is late on his entry. Without further waiting, here is the breakdown of the Red Sox and Yankees' second basemen.

Robinson Cano (NYY) - The Rookie of the Year candidate for the 2005 season is returning for the Yankees this year. The Yankees will be hoping for the same numbers ( .297 AVG, 14 HR, 62 RBI, .320 OBP). His defense isn't stellar, but better than Alfonso Soriano. He is still very young (24 in October), and still has a lot to learn. He can potentially turn into a very good second baseman.

Mark Loretta (BOS) - Loretta will be returning for his 12th major league season, and it is his first in the American League. It will be interesting to see if he can return to 2004 form (.335 BA, 16 Homeruns, 76 RBI). If he does, or even raises his batting average over the .300 mark, he will be crucial to the Red Sox offense. If Crisp can get on before Loretta gets on, and he moves him over before the big bats come up, it will make the Red Sox a better team. Remember, the Red Sox still lead the league in runs last year even with Edgar Renteria batting in the two-hole for most of the year. Loretta is in a similar situation as Renteria except he will not have the same expectations.

Edges:

Offense - Yankees
Defense- Red Sox
Speed- Red Sox

Throwing Arm - Red Sox
Range - Red Sox
Turning the Double Play-Red Sox

The edge goes to the Red Sox. The edge is to Boston right now, 2-1 for starters.

Thursday: Third Base

The Truth Comes Out.

Barry Bonds is a cheater. The very argument I have had against so many people has finally come to an end.

Reported by ESPN.com, the new book, Game of Shadows, written by two San Francisco sports writers, Mark Fainaru-Wada and Lance Williams, describes Bonds' illegal drug use since 1998. The drugs include illegal steroids, growth hormone and a drug called Winstrol, a popular steroid. The book is based on thousands of documents and interviews by over 200 people, which provide information on Bonds' illegal use.

Bonds still denies all accusations, and looks forward to the upcoming season. Good for him.

The new book, which will be released later this month, talks about and proves Bonds' use -- and commitment to his drug abuse -- extensively. It speaks of Bonds' relationship with Greg Anderson, Bonds' trainer and steroid "dealer," and it also tracks records of Balco's connection to Bonds himself. The records were taken by federal officials in 2003 after a raid of the Balco business. The book also talks about Bonds' incredible doses, his "routines," and the fact he took the drug every which way he could (example: Injections, pills, Greg Anderson/others injecting him, drops under his tongue).

What more proof would you all want? Bonds to flat out say he did it? For him to be tested? Well, hopefully he will apologize, if not, he will just keep denying it. And he can't be tested because he had all last year to drain his body of what he was doing.

So what does this all mean? Well in my opinion, all his "records*" should be forgotten, give Mark McGwire the credit for the single season home run record, and any home run Bonds hit after 1998 should be disqualified. I think it would be a shame to see baseball's greatest record broken by a cheater. The books states Bonds never used any illegal drug prior to 1998, so in this case, at least the way I feel, Bonds has only 374 career home runs. So keep chasing the record buddy, you got a long ways to go.

But what do steroids really do? They don't help you hit the ball right on the nose. They don't give you good eyes, or good hands. But they do make the ball go that extra bit when you need to hit a home run. Steroids help you heal, and for a man that is 41 years of age, staying healthy, and being able to keep playing the way Barry Bonds is, steroids might be my best friend too.

If the records and stats are taken from him, and he is cleaned up, I think it would be easy to allow Barry Bonds back into baseball. As long as the man admits it and apologizes, I will welcome him with open arms, and I feel the baseball world should as well. My only fear is Barry Bonds retires before he can play another baseball game "clean" -- meaning we will never see what help steroids truly had for Barry Bonds.

All in all, I am just happy, the truth FINALLY came out.

Yankees vs. Red Sox Breakdown: First Base

Joe Davis continues his breakdown of the Yankees and Red Sox in today's installment: First Base.

Each player has a starting first baseman, and a defensive replacement for late innings.

Jason Giambi (NYY) - The overpaid, overrated, steroid using first baseman is back for the Yankees this year. He had a "rebound" year last year after admitting using steroids. I am not sure what to think of him this year. He is a player that can either hit very well, or hit very poorly. I think he will put up average numbers: A .260-.270 batting average, 25-30 homeruns, 80-90 RBIs. It also depends if he's using his steroids or not. I cannot trust that Giambi is clean now, and I would not be surprised if he got caught using them this year if his numbers start to fade.

Andy Phillips (NYY) - Young and inexperienced, Phillips will get more playing time this year. He has not proven himself to Yankee fans and baseball fans yet, so anything can be expected from him.

Kevin Youkilis (BOS) - Like Phillips, he is young and inexperienced. Was projected to be the starting third baseman after Bill Mueller left, but the arrival of Mike Lowell pushed him to first base. His range is average, better than Kevin Millar. He is nicknamed the "Greek God of Walks," and is Billy Beane's dream player because of his OBP. I expect him to have a solid year. He will draw walks, and will score runs before Crisp, Loretta, Ortiz and Ramirez if put in the eight or nine hole. He will put up good 10-15 homeruns and 60-70 RBIs, which compared to Kevin Millar will be an upgrade. Also, his OBP be higher than .400 and will help the Red Sox to try to defend their league leading run status this year.

JT Snow (BOS) - Six time Gold Glove winner. Need I say more?
Edges:

Offense - Yankees (Giambi)
Defense- Red Sox (JT Snow)
Speed- Red Sox

Throwing Arm - Red Sox (JT Snow)
Scooping Up Wild Throws - Red Sox (JT Snow)
Holding Runners On- Red Sox

The edge goes to the Yankees... I believe the offense will help more than the defense of the Red Sox.

Wednesday- Second Base: Cano vs. Loretta

Timlin in the Fourth...Lidge in the Ninth...

The World Baseball Classic kicked off in the United States of America today. I eagerly rushed home from school today to catch the end of the Dominicana (Dominican Republic) vs. Venezuela game in Florida.

I watched David Ortiz go for 2 for 3, hit two moon shots, and bat in three runs. I watched as his new teammate, Julian Taverez go one and a third innings, striking out one and giving up one hit. The Dominicana team won in commanding fashion, 11-5, with a big ninth inning posting up five runs.

It was a sight to see. The fans of the Domican Republic and Venezuela were out with their respective flags, cheering, chanting, singing and watching a very hard fought game by both teams. Miguel Tejada, despite having a terrible time at the plate, tried very hard on defense. He gave Baltimore Oriole fans something to worry about when he fell on his knee on a barehanded play hit by Edgardo Alfonzo. Miguel Tejada led off the ninth inning with a bunt. This set up a two-run homerun by David Ortiz. That extended the Dominican lead by three, which would open up to six. It was clear that this lineup is a force to reckon with, and will be making lots of noise.

But that did not end my day of baseball. No, there was another game to play. Mexico versus the United States. Jake Peavy had an impressive start, giving up just one hit in three scoreless innings. He struck out three batters. Peavy threw 23 pitches, 19 for strikes. Compare that to Rodrigo Lopez, the starter for Mexico, who threw 54 pitches, 41 for strikes in four innings. There is a pitch count in the World Baseball Classic, and since he threw over 50 pitches, he cannot pitch in another game until Saturday. The pitch limit for a game is 65. A pitcher is allowed to finish off an at-bat, but must be taken out after that. Ken Griffey Jr. had a big part in the high pitch count for Lopez, fouling off pitches in a 12 pitch at-bat in the first inning.

Derrek Lee launched a two-out homerun in the bottom of the fourth off of Lopez. After that, it was USA, all the way.

Chipper Jones gave the Americans some breathing room after jacking a one-out homerun in the bottom of the seventh inning.

The Americans shut down the Mexicans, giving up just four hits. The Mexicans had their best shot in the 7th inning with two hits off of Todd Jones. But Jones buckled down and forced three ground outs in the inning.

After Peavy pitched three innings, Timlin, Cordero, Wheeler, Jones, Nathan, and Lidge pitched the next six innings. They allowed three hits and struck out six.

The pitching is the Americans' strength. Their deep bullpen will carry them far in this tournament.

The next game for the Americans is Wednesday at 4 EST versus Canada. Mexico plays South Africa at 9 EST on Wednesday. The projected starter for USA is Dontrelle Willis. Jason Varitek will be Willis' starting battery, as announced by Buck Martinez.

Good Bye Little Big Man.

On a regular Monday afternoon, the true "Little Big Man," Kirby Puckett, passed away.

Kirby was 44 years old, he was in critical condition this past weekend after he had surgery from suffering from a stroke.

Puckett became a member of the Hall of Famer in 2001, his greatest accomplishment. He also led the Twins to two World Series in 1988 and 1991. Kirby had 6 outfield gold gloves and a career .318 batting average. He led the A.L. in hits for three seasons ('88,'89, and '92), and was MVP's of the '91 ALCS and the '93 All-star game. Sadly, Puckett's career ended early after he found out he has glaucoma after the 1995 season.

My fondest memory of Puckett was a baseball card I had. It was a picture of him, holding a ten foot bat, with the title "Little Big Man". Puckett was 5'9'' but carried a big bat. He had 207 home runs during his eleven year career, including 31 in 1986. I respected the man very much, because he played his own game. He wasn't the ideal big strong outfielder, but he still played like one.

Though he did some other things in his life that most people look down upon, we will still never forget what he meant to the fans of Minnesota, and the fans of baseball all over. He will be missed.

Bud Selig talked to the Associated Press, and this comment was reported by ESPN.com:
"....He was revered throughout the country and will be remembered wherever the game is played. Kirby was taken from us much too soon -- and too quickly."

Rest in peace Kirby Puckett, you will be missed.

(The image used here is Puckett's plaque from the Baseball Hall of Fame)

Yankees vs. Red Sox: The Breakdown

The Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees are set to start in the AL West April 3rd. The Texas Rangers will host the Red Sox while the Oakland Athletics host the Yankees. The two will face off for the first time in the 2006 regular season on May 1st at Fenway in a two-game series. The division rivals will face each other eight times in May.

Who has the edge? I will give my opinion for each position every day (with the five potential starting pitchers coming on separate days) Then I will give a chance to you, the readers, to give the best counterpoint if you believe otherwise. I will then add your entry to the entry. So without further ado, I give you the 2006 Red Sox vs. Yankees catcher breakdown.

Catcher:

Jorge Posada (NYY) - Posada is getting old (35 in August), and it is showing in his offensive numbers. 2005 brought his worst batting statistics since 1999. From 2000 to 2003, he was the best offensive catcher, hands down. He took the Silver Slugger for catcher in those four years. A hot start in 2004 brought high hopes from New York that he was still getting better, however, his numbers have steadily declined. He has cut down on his strikeouts, from 142 in 2002 to 94 in 2005. He is not the same hitter as he used to be as his OBP has dipped to below .400 in 2005. He was fourth in 2004, and fifth in 2003. He has not won any Gold Glove awards, but is certainly not the worst defensive catcher in the league.

Jason Varitek (BOS) - Varitek is not getting any younger either (34 in April), both unlike Posada, his numbers are improving. Although 2005's stats were not as great as 2003 and 2004. He had four more homeruns than 2004, but with three less RBI. His average lowered .015 points, and his OBP lowered .024 points. He cut down on strikeouts by 9. His doubles, triples and walks remained the same. Despite the number drop, he took home the Silver Slugger and Gold Glove in 2005. It will be interesting to see how Varitek will bounce back after the World Baseball Classic. He struggled after the All Star break in 2005 and had a considerably worse second half than first half. I think he will be just fine. Even if he has a bad start, he still be Captain of the Red Sox.

Edges:

Offense - Varitek
Defense- Varitek
Speed- Varitek
Leadership - Varitek

Throwing Arm - Varitek
Plate Blocking - Posada
Play/Pitch Calling - Varitek

The edge goes to Jason Varitek for catcher of the Boston Red Sox.

Wells Stays

At the beginning of the 2005-2006 off season, the Boston Red Sox had many questions and many holes that needed to be filled. We didn't have our lead-off man and true "Idiot," Johnny Damon, anymore. We had to re-build our infield. Who was the GM? And we had to worry about granting trade requests by both Manny Ramirez and David Wells.

Well, we got Coco, our veteran defensive infield is looking quite good. Theo's back. Manny showed up. And now Wells is here to stay according to an Ap article written by Howard Ulman.

In the article, Theo Epstein says that Wells is here to stay. After wanting to be traded to the west coast to end his career, David Wells finally took back his request and says he is to retire after this year in Boston. Wells complains that there is no privacy in Boston and that he, his family and friends cannot go out in public peacefully, the same thing Manny complained about.

But luckily for Red Sox fans, Wells and his family will "tough it out" one more season. After this however Wells is "99.9 percent sure" that this is his last year.

Now, Wells is working on strengthening his knee that he had surgery on in the off season. Because of his knee, and his intentions to retire, it was extremely difficult to trade Wells like he wanted. But the Red Sox did make attempts, even though Theo was strongly against it.

According to Ulman, the Sox captain, Jason Varitek, had a talk with Wells that helped Wells make his final decision to stay. With Wells staying, it now helps the Red Sox, who already have a deep and powerful pitching staff, with a definite arm for the middle for the rotation.

I think Wells has been a class act this past off-season. I respect why he wanted to be traded, for the simple reasons he wanted to be at home with his two young daughters, and he wanted to retire where he lives. But after he realized what a hassle his request had become for both him and the team, Wells withdrew the request.

Wells finished his conversation with Howard Ulman with this comment, one that makes me feel even better he decided to stay."Instead of trying to make a mess out of the whole situation, I think it's best that you just deal with it, go in with good thoughts and good goals and try to help this team win a championship."

It is starting to look like a championship team the Red Sox have put together.

A.L. East Division Preview

Editor's Note: Welcome new blog writer, Mack R. Mack will be writing about Baseball in general, and the Mets, in particular. But today he looks at the American League.

The A.L. East is up for grabs this year with the Blue Jays as the new kid in town. Who will take home the title? This division is up for grabs this year...

Blue Jays
I liked to see the Blue Jays acquire some hot bats & I think that it will help them tremendously. Troy Glaus is still young and still full of power. This team is very young and growing. I think the pitching is where they really did improve. Burnett has continuous talent that I believe will carry into this organization and continue to progress this year. The Jays are a team on the rise.

Yankees
Now on to the Yankees: The Bronx Bombers still need some helpers in the pitching department. I am still not at all convinced that they will be healthy enough to have a successful pitching season. Plus, Randy Johnson is getting older and will have to push even harder this year to be a good asset. Hitting wise, the story is a lot different. I believe this team has the best offense in baseball. They are absolutely flawless. The signing of Johnny Damon was just the icing on the cake. This lineup has potential hall of famers all over it. Good luck to anyone who thinks they can compete with the New York offense.

Red Sox
As for the Red Sox, I still have faith in them and I would love to see them win the division this year but the fact that they got rid of Damon really hurts them at the top of the order. Coco Crisp will fall a little short when it comes to replacing him. I like his chances, though. The pitching is strong, for the most part. Josh Beckett has come in and I think he can provide a solid year like last year when he posted 15 wins. He can use that statistic to beef up the wins category. Schilling only had eight wins last year. I know he is capable of better even though he is getting up there with age. Wakefield is always a good go, but he is on his way to retirement. The hitting will have to be the strong point on this team. Getting Mike Lowell helped them, and they still have Nixon, Manny and Oritz. I like their chances this year.

Devil Rays
The D-Rays are a rebuilding team with high hopes this year. They are not quite there yet but I think they're closer then everybody thinks. They will be competing with tough teams in this division. The pitching is slowly progressing. I love the young stars who are hitting well. Guys like Johnny Gomes, Aubrey Huff, and Delmon Young can make this club a competitor.

Orioles
The situation in Baltimore is simple. They went up, and then they went down. They just seem to have lost it all on the pitching side of things. I like Daniel Cabrera, but he is a little wild, which I think will play a factor in his success. Erik Bedard, Rodrigo Lopez, and John Maine combined for just 36 wins last year and 33 losses. They have potential but they need to win more. I don't like their chances with pitching. With hitting, it's a so-so situation. Miguel Tejada is probably the only guy that can hit. Javy Lopez could first base and he's not happy about it so his numbers might go down, he only had 15 homers last season. I see the Orioles as possibly the worst team in baseball.

Prediction for AL East Winners in 2006:
1. Yankees
2. Blue Jays
3. Red Sox
4. Devil-Rays
5. Orioles

Right one Time?

Manny Ramirez finally showed up in Red Sox training camp today and, as usual, he had many things to say, but few things to reveal.

In an article by Gordon Edes of the Boston Globe, it is reported that when Manny showed up, all he wanted to talk about was baseball, but anything regarding trade rumors or anything else was rejected. Trying to read Manny, to see if he was happy, was hard to do. In Edes article it says that Manny was happy to see the guys, he mentioned David Ortiz, Julian Tavarez but did not mention Enrique Wilson, who happens to be one of Ramirez‚ closest friends.

When asked if he was happy to be back, or happy to be playing, all Ramirez could respond was "I'm here, I'm here. I get paid to play baseball."

Though it is hard to tell what Manny's intentions are, I think it is pretty clear that he is here to play, and win. He says he is in the best shape of his career, and that the past three years he was having hamstring problem, and that those problems are finally gone.

As I have said before, Manny doesn't always say the right things, but always has intentions to say the right things. He says he is here because he gets paid to play, but he also says he is here because he wants to help Boston win. It's a mix of Keith Foulke and Trot Nixon I guess, where Foulke isn't even a fan of baseball, and Trot just wants to play and win.

My predictions are that Manny is going to have an incredible season, with Boston. Will he be MVP? Maybe he's in the race. It is hard to win MVP when you have guys like David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez taking votes from one another. All in all, Manny's back, he's in camp, he's here to stay, and he's here to win.

Here are a few bones that Manny Ramirez threw to to Gordon Edes (from Wednesday morning's Boston Globe:
"...My main focus is getting prepared for the season, to help Boston win"...I ain't got no problem in Boston, I especially like the attention. I know that I'm one of the top guys in this game and all the attention is on me, I got a lot of people on my shoulder but I'm human. I like to go. I like to have fun. I like to do this and that but I gotta represent Boston and the Red Sox in every way that I do outside this game... Like I said I get paid to play baseball no [matter] where I go to play I still gotta go and perform even if I like it or not." And regarding trade rumors -- "I got a beautiful career going on and I'm not gonna let little things like this mess [up] all the things that I accomplished"