Cleveland Sports Forum

I would have never guessed that Jeter would be the first to 3,000 in Yankee history.

Now that I think about the careers and time periods of former Yankees, I guess it makes sense.

Derek Jeter was limping, literally and figuratively, toward history. His journey toward 3,000 hits had been stalled by declining abilities and a stint on the disabled list. We did, of course, know this day eventually would come. But like this? Jeter went 5-for-5 Saturday, reaching 3,000 with a home run (just his third of the year) in his second at-bat. He drove in the winning run with a single in the eighth. It was one of the greatest days for one of the greatest Yankees of all time.

Uncle Dennis and I have talked about it before, but I began to despise Jeter considerably less when he hustled and made the miracle play against the A's at the plate in the playoffs.

Marcus Thames - OF - Dodgers
Dodgers designated OF Marcus Thames for assignment.
The Dodgers signed Thames to a one-year, $1 million contract this offseason with the hope that he'd mash left-handed pitching. Instead he struggled mightily in 70 plate appearances, missing about a month with a quad strain, and posting a .197/.243/.333 slash line with two homers when healthy. Thames could still be salvaged, however. Between 2006-2010, as a member of the Tigers and Yankees, he had an .820 OPS and 94 homers in 1,547 plate appearances. A team in desperate need of outfield punch might give him a shot.

Thames is not very good in the outfield.

Nice move picking up Rivera by the Dodgers. He's batting .327 vs lefties with a .509 SLG%.

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Brewers, Mets both get what they need from K-Rod trade


Francisco Rodriguez gives Milwaukee some much-needed bullpen help

New York no longer has to worry about K-Rod's $17.5M vesting option for 2012
It's unclear whether K-Rod will become a set-up man or be the Brewers' closer



PHOENIX -- The trade of star closer Francisco Rodriguez from the Mets to the Brewers works well for both teams. The Brewers added a proven closer who's amassed nearly 300 saves before age 30, while the Mets ridded themselves of the vesting option that hung over them like a noose.

The Brewers look like the bigger winner for now, though, as they badly needed bullpen depth in the tight NL Central and did just that by acquiring Rodriguez plus cash ($5 million, which covers about half K-Rod's remaining 2011 salary and the buyout for 2012 on the vesting option, which is $17.5 million for next year if he finishes 55 games this season). But the Brewers also may have bought themselves a bit of an unwanted issue. They already have a talented closer in John Axford, who has 23 saves and a 2.83 ERA,so they could wind up with a closer controversy.

While they're unlikely to immediately remove Axford from that role, and K-Rod's vesting option provides ample incentive to stick with Axford at the end, Rodriguez's position now is that he wants to stay as a closer. "He's a closer, he's one of the game's best closers,'' Rodriguez's new agent, Scott Boras, said before the trade to Milwaukee was consummated. "And he wants to remain a closer.''

Brewers GM Doug Melvin made the trade before checking with K-Rod, but Boras and Melvin spoke about the subject shortly after the trade. Boras made the case that K-Rod should close, suggesting he wouldn't do nearly as well setting up, while Melvin apparently made no commitment, suggesting only that things "will work out,'' or words to that effect.

This is something the Brewers may need to work on to make it work out. Because while K-Rod has behaved impeccably all year, he has a bit of a reputation, and a player close to him said, "You don't want him unhappy.''

For today though, the Brewers are thrilled. Club owner Mark Attanasio burnished his reputation as a small-market owner with big-time moxie and a ready pocketbook. The Brewers under Attanasio have created a serious buzz in a town that's loving its baseball, and this move may at least temporarily stamp Milwaukee, currently tied for first with St. Louis with Pittsburgh one game back, as the favorite in the division. This isn't as big as CC Sabathia coming to Brew town in 2008, but it solves an immediate need for a reliable back-end reliever. Aside from Axford, a couple members of the Brewers bullpen, like Marco Estrada (2-6, 4.71 ERA) and Kameron Loe (3-7, 4.50), have struggled.

The Brewers depleted their farm system to turn an ordinary rotation into a potentially excellent one with offseason trades for Zack Greinke and Shaun Marcum, so they needed to use financial heft (a phrase not normally associated with Milwaukee) to get the reliever they needed. The trade market looks like it will become stocked with relievers, but the Brewers would have had trouble matching prospects with the Cardinals, Rangers, Phillies, Yankees or any of the teams looking for relief.

"There's not much in their farm system so they had no chance to get most of the others,'' one rival GM noted.

The Brewers players are starting to feel they might have something special going in what is very likely All-Star MVP Prince Fielder's last year there. "It's great news,'' Brewers All-Star second baseman Rickie Weeks said of the K-Rod trade. "We're trying to bring a championship to Milwaukee.''

Similar excitement was surely heard in Mets offices, though they may temper it a bit. The Mets were determined not to have to deal with K-Rod's vesting option -- which one rival GM termed "scary.'' The Mets will receive two players to be named later in the deal. But the key was ridding themselves of an albatross of an option.

As one rival executive put it, "They were desperate.''

The Mets may actually have a decent in-house replacement for K-Rod in Bobby Parnell, a flamethrower who threw seven consecutive pitches of at least 100 mph in a game earlier this year. So this is not the "white flag'' type trade it would be if All-Star shortstop Jose Reyes were dealt. The biggest downside for the Mets may be the public-relations hit they take for trading their proven closer while a game over .500 and still technically on the periphery of the pennant race, at 7 ½ games behind the wild-card-leading Braves.

But the Mets just didn't want to take a chance of being stuck with K-Rod at $17.5 million next year. (He has already finished 34 games and needs just 21 more for the option to kick in.) It appears K-Rod's hiring of Boras, which happened only the day before, may have had an impact in this case. It's certainly curious how quickly they traded K-Rod. Boras' presence changed the game a bit, as the agent immediately seemed to set a new course, saying Rodriguez wouldn't be happy to be traded to a team where he'd be a set-up man, in opposition to K-Rod's previous public pronouncements. So the Mets have been concerned some teams would become scared.

One rival said he believed the Mets "took the first deal that came along.'' Though considering the glut of relievers headed to the market, that may not be the worst decision in the end.

The Mets are intent on lowering their payroll significantly next year -- though GM Sandy Alderson has said he didn't believe it would be cut all the way down to $100 million from $140 million, as team owner Fred Wilpon suggested in the infamous New Yorker article -- and so they couldn't take the chance on spending $17.5 million on a closer, even an accomplished one.

K-Rod also had a list of 10 teams to which he could veto a trade. That list did include some small-market teams like Pittsburgh and Oakland, but the Mets didn't have a list with Milwaukee on it.

The Mets talked to some other teams, believed to include the Yankees and Rangers. The Cardinals and Phillies are among other deep-pocketed teams seeking bullpen help. An executive with one interested team said it was the option that ultimately scared them off -- no surprise. "No team wants to touch that option,'' one rival exec said.

Interestingly, it's possible that dreaded option -- as unsightly as it seems -- could be negotiated away. While teams don't want to spend that much for a closer, K-Rod could get a multiyear deal as a free agent, so he might not mind so terribly giving up the vesting option and becoming a free agent instead. He's not having one of his best years but has been very productive, saving half the Mets' 46 victories. He is 23 for 26 in saves with a 3.16 ERA and 1.41 WHIP, which is a bit high by his standards.

Amazingly, his 291 saves at 29 dwarfs the 129 saves the great Mariano Rivera had at that age. Some question whether K-Rod is the same pitcher he was, but he remains a reliable save man.

"This kid has had a great career,'' Boras said, pointing out his unusually high number of saves before age 30. While Rodriguez's velocity is down from a peak of 98 to the low 90s, Boras said he makes up for the lost zip in other ways. "This guy's got movement, stuff and an array of pitches,'' Boras said. "He hasn't seen 98 mph for four or five years.''

The thinking had been that the Mets would most likely trade K-Rod to a team where he'd set up and could possibly avoid the vesting option, and maybe that's what the Brewers are thinking. But if they are leaning that way, they might have one unhappy set-up man on their hands.

Around the Majors

Albert Pujols was not selected for the All-Star Game for the first time in his career.
UPI/Landov
• Word is, CC Sabathia has done some selling on the Yankees to his good buddy Fielder. This doesn't necessarily mean the Yankees will make a play for Fielder, as Sabathia could be acting on his own. But it may be a sign that Sabathia has an indication the Yankees will take care of him. His opt-out likely gives him the power to add two or maybe three years to a contract that will have $92 million over four years remaining after the year.
• Bud Selig defended absent All-Star shortstop Derek Jeter, with the commissioner going so far as to say he probably wouldn't have come had it been him in Jeter's shoes. That was no surprise in that Jeter is viewed as a superstar who's only brought honor to the game. There are too many stars over the past couple decades who became tainted by misdeeds that Selig understandably tried hard to counteract the negative publicity surrounding Jeter's decision not to come to Phoenix to be introduced following his 3,000-hit magic. No players criticized Jeter, but some executives said they were surprised Jeter would do anything that could hurt his image.
• One problem at the All-Star Game was the lack of star power compared to usual. Though there were 84 All-Stars by the time all the replacements were named, Jeter, Mariano Rivera, CC Sabathia, Alex Rodriguez and Chipper Jones were named but not here, Jon Lester, David Price, Ryan Braun, Shane Victorino, Justin Verlander, Felix Hernandez and James Shields were here but either not active or eligible, and Joe Mauer, Ryan Howard and Albert Pujols did not make the team.
• Pujols, who wanted to come, should have been named as a replacement rather than Scott Rolen or Miguel Montero. However, manager Bruce Bochy said he didn't see the St. Louis papers in which Pujols expressed an interest in coming. Bochy also said he picked Montero because of his concern of having a third catcher after last year when Yadier Molina came out hurt and the NL had no possible replacement if Brian McCann had gotten hurt. Rolen is not having a particularly good year by his standards, but Aramis Ramirez refused to go. Bochy seemed to have regrets about leaving out Pujols, but said, "I'm not taking a bullet for [Ramirez].''
• Bengie Molina, asked if he was going to play this year, said "No.'' He said he hadn't retired "yet'' though.
• The Phillies seek a reliever and a righthanded bat. They play to win, so any claim of having little money to spend should be taken pretty lightly.
• The Tigers could be a suitor for Carlos Beltran, who's been more often linked to the Giants, Red Sox or Yankees. The Tigers could look to add one hitter, either a second baseman, third baseman or outfielder. Someone else mentioned the Brewers for Beltran, though they'd have to move Corey Hart to centerfield to consider that.
• It's no surprise that David Ortiz wants a two-year deal. The Red Sox would prefer a healthy one-year deal. But it might be hard for them not to accede to his wishes considering his performance: .304, 19 home runs, 55 RBIs.
• Sources confirm there's a deal for Jaime Garcia with the Cardinals. It's reportedly for $27.5 million over four years with two team options.
• The Reds brought up Ubaldo Jimenez's name in trade talks, as FOXsports.com reported. But the Rockies aren't really looking to sell, so it's uncertain how that could work at this time.
• The momentum seems strong for a switch to a 15/15 league split. The Astros are the team that would have to move from the NL to the AL, as they have an incoming owner who wouldn't be in position to protest. The Diamondbacks have been mentioned as the other possibility for a switch, but D-backs sources said they would not agree to be moved.
• The momentum is also strong for expanded playoffs, and there seems to be decent sentiment for a one-game wild card playoff among the players.
• Players union chief Michael Weiner said umpires and player-umpire relations are "areas of substantial concern.''
• Selig suggested replay could be expanded in a small way, using the example of a line drive down the lines as something more they could add for review.
• There may be some discussion about moving the All-Star Game to Wednesday since the relatively new rule disallowing pitchers who started Sunday to pitch in the game severely limited the pitching star power. Sabathia, Verlander, Hernandez and Shields all happened to pitch Sunday.
• Heath Bell probably won some fans with his sprint from the bullpen, which was punctuated with a slide on the infield grass, just short of the mound. He had alerted a few teammates he was about to do something special. Or at least different. Asked why he didn't do a head-first slide, Bell responded, "I'm stupid, but not that stupid.'' He also seems like a terrific guy.
• Asked if their checks were clearing, the Dodgers' Matt Kemp and Clayton Kershaw both said yes.

Jeter fan getting his own baseball card

Updated Jul 13, 2011 11:01 PM ET

NEW YORK (AP)

The fan who returned Derek Jeter's ball from his 3,000th hit will get a bit of memorabilia to keep — his own baseball card.

Topps says it will produce a trading card featuring Christian Lopez that will be included in sets later this year.

''We thought what he did captures the essence of what baseball and the Topps company is about,'' said Mark Sapir, Topps' vice president for sports.

The recent college graduate with outstanding student loans will get some financial help, too.

Memorabilia dealer Brandon Steiner and sporting goods CEO Mitch Modell said they will make sure Lopez gets at least $50,000 toward his outstanding student loans of $150,000.

Steiner said he got a call on Wednesday from his buddy Modell, and they got the ball rolling. Steiner set up an auction of memorabilia that eventually will include baseballs signed by both Lopez and Jeter and said Modell is pledging five percent from the sale of Yankees-related merchandise at the Modell's chain during what will be called ''Christian Lopez Week.''

''That itself is a totally awesome situation right now for all parties involved,'' Lopez said.

What impressed the sports executives — as well as countless fans across the country — was the way a 23-year-old mobile phone salesman passed on the chance to sell the ball.

Instead, Lopez gave the ball to Jeter, saying he deserved to have the keepsake.

''Can you believe how good a mensch this kid was?'' Steiner said.

And it appears he won't have to pay for it, should the IRS not consider the items Lopez has received as gifts.

MillerCoors released a statement Wednesday offering to cover any taxes because it "believes you should be rewarded for the right thing, not penalized."

"Our aim is to help and make sure he can enjoy ... the gifts we are willing to provide," MillerCoors spokesman Julian Green said, "without overburdening him with taxes or more debt."

Lopez has been overrun with requests since Saturday.

''It's been overwhelming to be honest with you,'' he said. ''It's been a little crazy. But I'm handling it as best I can. I'm trying to get back to everybody I can.''

That includes Topps.

''Yeah, I spoke with them a couple days ago,'' Lopez said. ''All I know is they kind of want to make a baseball card out of me.''

Lopez was an avid collector as a kid. He said he has ''probably a couple thousand baseball cards.''

His favorite? A Yankees card, of course. It depicts Babe Ruth and one of the Yankees' owners at the time he came over from the Red Sox in 1920.

''It's a very dear card to me. I've had it for 15 years now or so,'' Lopez said.

Now he'll have another Yankees card to keep next to it.

NewsCore contributed to this report.

Roger Clemens mistrial: closure hard to find in steroid scandals

A mistake by a prosecutor leads Judge Reggie Walton to declare a mistral in the Roger Clemens perjury case, leaving a big question mark over the government's antidoping crusade.




By Patrik Jonsson, Staff writer / July 14, 2011

Just four months after former home run slugger Barry Bonds escaped the most serious charges in a steroid-related court case, the federal judge overseeing the perjury trial of former baseball great Roger Clemens declared a mistrial Thursday.


The mistrial came after a prosecutor revealed details that the judge had previously declared were hearsay and thus inadmissible in front of a jury. Mr. Clemens faced several perjury charges relating to testimony he gave to Congress in February 2008, when he told congressmen he had never used steroids, despite a trove of evidence that he actually had.

Though government prosecutors are free to retry the case, the quick mistrial is a blow to what has been widely seen as an effort to bring closure to the government's decade-long fight against doping in professional sports. Indeed, it is likely to fuel misgivings that many American sports fans have about the government pursuing athletes, sports business experts say.


"This will cause a lot of people to ask, 'Why are we spending resources on this when the economy is struggling and there are bigger issues requiring government attention?' " says David Carter, the director of the Sports Business Institute at the University of South California in Los Angeles. "Collectively, people are tired of it, and perhaps athletes are banking on that fatigue."

That frustration was shared at least in part by US District Judge Reggie Walton, who declared the mistrial after the prosecution brought up a statement made by Laura Pettitte, wife of former Yankees pitcher and key prosecution witness Andy Pettitte, which referred to steroid use.

"Government counsel doesn’t do just what government counsel can get away with doing … I’m very troubled by this," Judge Walton told prosecutors pointedly. "A lot of government money has been used to reach this point. The government should have been more cautious. I don’t see how I can un-ring the bell.”

Walton set a Sept. 2 hearing to discuss where the case goes next, if anywhere.

"The prosecution will likely continue to pursue this case when the matter is revisited in September," writes Craig Calcaterra on NBC Sports Hardball Talk blog. "But at this point, between the Bonds acquittal and this blunder, I suspect that the fates are trying to tell the government something about the wisdom of pursuing high-profile perjury prosecutions regarding professional athletes and steroids."

No celebrity gets convicted of anything anymore.

Martha Stewart

I do believe OJ is in jail.

LOL, they even have websites on it:

http://myfivebest.com/five-famous-peopl ... y-in-jail/

I was watching the end of that Reds game last night.

The way Franchise embracing the role of The Bad Man reminds me of Joey/Albert.