Cleveland Sports Forum

Someone else agrees with me.


Martin signing necessary, corrects past mistake
In acquiring top-notch backstop, Blue Jays paying for letting Gomes go



By Anthony Castrovince / MLB.com | @castrovince | 4:15 PM ET

For a born-and-bred Canuck, for easily the top catcher in the free-agent class (if not the only viable everyday option in the free-agent class), for a guy whose pitch-framing, game-calling prowess, offensive impact and conditioning diligence make him a better bet than most to age gracefully behind the plate, for an organization that needs to have a win-now mentality, the reported five-year, $82 million commitment the Blue Jays are making to Russell Martin makes sense.

If only it weren't necessary in the first place.

Two years ago, the Blue Jays traded both Yan Gomes and Mike Aviles to the Indians for a hard-throwing reliever named Esmil Rogers. It seemed relatively harmless at the time. Lest I come across as some sort of hindsight-aided snob, let me finesse the point: Nobody thought Toronto was getting totally hosed on that trade, Cleveland included. Aviles and Gomes were both best described as utilitymen, and Rogers' raw stuff made him an encouraging relief option. Maybe the sheer 2-for-1 nature of the deal and Aviles' established identity as a usable and pliable infield piece gave a perceived edge to the Indians, but certainly nobody thought Gomes was on the verge of becoming one of the best catchers in the American League (again, the Tribe included).

Well, two years later, we know that was a terrible trade for Toronto, and now we have an $82 million price tag to put a figure on just how costly it was in the long run.

Major Hot Stove movesMajor Hot Stove moves 8:19
MLB Network's Hot Stove discusses Russell Martin signing with Toronto and the trade sending Jason Heyward to the Cardinals

Gomes was a harder worker, better listener, more adaptive hitter and simply stronger defensive asset than advertised, and Cleveland has him signed at ridiculously team-friendly terms through at least 2019 (with team options for '20 and '21). Thanks to Gomes, the Indians have had the highest wins-above-average marks (per Baseball Reference) at catcher in the AL each of the last two seasons.

The Blue Jays, meanwhile, had the lowest such mark in 2013 and the fourth lowest in '14. Their need for an upgrade was clear, and any area of upgrade potential on this Toronto team must be addressed in the immediate, because the Blue Jays' window to win with a ballclub built around Jose Bautista, Edwin Encarnacion and the like is in the here and now.

So while you've got to hate the fact that this need presented itself, given the way Rogers quickly flamed out and Gomes (and Aviles) flourished elsewhere, you've got to give the Blue Jays credit for filling it so quickly and decisively.

Martin is a natural fit. He was born in Toronto, and he's proud of his roots and ready to take whatever pitching staff he inherits to another level. Martin did it with the Pirates, and he can do it north of the border, too.

It's no coincidence that the Pirates' only postseason appearances in the last 22 years coincided with Martin's two seasons in black and gold. Ask scouts or even some people in that clubhouse, and they'll tell you there's an argument to be made that Martin was every bit as valuable to those '13 and '14 Bucs teams as Andrew McCutchen, the '13 National League Most Valuable Player Award winner. The Pirates don't win in '13 and '14 without successful reclamation projects for the likes of Francisco Liriano and Edinson Volquez and sterling defensive play; Martin's intellect and input was a big part of both of those traits.

For the small-market Pirates, keeping Martin never seemed particularly realistic. That's why the club acted swiftly to swap for Francisco Cervelli from the Yankees last week. And it is true that, from Pittsburgh's perspective, the notion of committing, say, more than 20 percent the player payroll (which is what this Martin contract would have meant for a team with a $72 million payroll in 2014) to an aging catcher didn't make a lick of sense.

For the Blue Jays, that percentage is considerably less drastic (Toronto had a $137 million payroll in 2014), and this contract is the first sign that after the unmistakable quiet of last winter and the '14 Trade Deadline, this is a team ready to do what must be done to bridge the gap between here and October.

Besides, I'd be slightly less concerned about the catcher aging curve with Martin than I would be with most. Beyond the obvious points of appeal -- the .764 OPS over the last two seasons, the career caught-stealing rate of 32 percent -- one of Martin's signature skills is his pitch framing. It's a skill that has been increasingly appreciated in today's game, and it's one that shouldn't be affected by age.

Defensive Player: Martin, CDefensive Player: Martin, C 1:37
The Pirates' Russell Martin wins the Defensive Player of the Year Award at catcher

Then there's the matter of Martin's offseason and in-season work ethic. MMA training, Pilates, Muscle Activation Techniques -- you name the rigourous routine, Martin has tried it. He has been both the poster boy for the "best shape of my life" adage that we all snicker at each spring, and he's also the proof that, yes, sometimes guys really are reporting to camp in great shape, and it has an impact in how they hold up to the grind.

So on the whole, this is a fine signing for the Blue Jays. The free-agent market beyond Martin was abysmal, and the trade market doesn't figure to be much better. An overpay is easier to stomach when you know it's the absolute best move you could make to improve an area of your team that needed improving.

As far as the Gomes trade, well, that still stings. Every team in MLB makes multiple evaluative errors every year, and some are more costly than others. (Indeed, the Yankees are probably still kicking themselves for not re-signing Martin at a reasonable rate before 2013, because that eventually led to the gargantuan $85 million commitment to Brian McCann.)

The Blue Jays are going to pay a lot of money to correct the Gomes mistake.

But that's a heck of a lot better than not correcting it at all.

Anthony Castrovince is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his columns and follow him on Twitter at @Castrovince. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Putting it that way, that's quite a penalty they are paying, isn't it?!

Boston claims Francisco off waivers from Jays

The Red Sox claimed infielder Juan Francisco off waivers from the Blue Jays on Wednesday.

With the injury to Urshela, it would have been nice to claim Francisco.

Red Sox reportedly land Panda, Hanley



By Ian Browne / MLB.com | @IanMBrowne | 8:30 AM ET

BOSTON -- It looks like a big week for the Red Sox.

Hours after reportedly agreeing to a deal that will bring three-time All-Star Hanley Ramirez back to Boston, the Red Sox agreed to a deal with two-time All-Star and three-time World Series champion Pablo Sandoval, CBSSports.com reported Monday morning. Citing sources familiar with the deal, CBSSports.com said it is worth close to $100 million over five years.

The Red Sox have not commented on the reports.

Ramirez reached agreement with Boston on a contract in the neighborhood for five years and $90 million, FoxSports.com reported Sunday.

Red Sox club policy is that they don't comment on negotiations with free agents until a deal is final, including the completion of a physical.

FoxSports.com reported that Ramirez was to fly to Boston today in hopes of completing the deal.

With Sandoval choosing the Red Sox over his other two suitors, the Giants and Padres, he is all but certain to become Boston's new third baseman. Less clear is how Boston would utilize Ramirez.

Ramirez's natural position is shortstop, but Xander Bogaerts is currently holding down that spot for Boston.

One option is that Ramirez -- who turns 31 next month -- could move to the outfield. Though Ramirez has never played the outfield, he certainly seems to have the athleticism that would be necessary to make that transition.

If a Sandoval-Ramirez tandem becomes a reality in Boston, look for the Red Sox to trade multiple outfielders. Yoenis Cespedes, Rusney Castillo, Mookie Betts, Jackie Bradley Jr., Allen Craig and Shane Victorino are all with Boston.

The Red Sox met with Ramirez at the General Managers Meetings in Arizona earlier this month and have since stayed in contact.

Ramirez is a three-time All-Star and a career. 300 hitter with 191 homers, 654 RBIs and a line of .300/.373/.500.

Aside from the ongoing efforts to improve the offense, Red Sox general manager Ben Cherington is also on a mission to add to the starting rotation. An offer was made recently to Jon Lester in hopes that the lefty will return to Boston. Lester is still in the midst of talking to other teams.

"But the Tribe doesn't need Ramirez..."

Nothing worse then a Red Sox fan !

Cowboys fan?

Cespedes would be a near perfect fit for the Indians

Yoenis Cespedes

By Tony Lastoria
November 25, 2014
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A lot of attention is on the Red Sox at the moment after their blockbuster free agent signings of Hanley Ramirez and Pablo Sandoval on Monday. The Red Sox are still looking to add more pieces through free agency, but suddenly the focus around baseball is who they may trade in the wake of their spending spree.

Ramirez is expected to play left field for the Red Sox, a position they were already knee deep with options to begin with. It looks certain that they will trade at least one of their outfielder, though they may end up trading two or three of them when all is said and done. The Indians could use an outfielder and should at least check in with the Red Sox to see what they want for their surplus in the outfield.

The Indians are pretty locked up with contracts for position players throughout the roster, but the two areas they could use an upgrade are at third base and right field. Even with all of his warts and inconsistent play, Lonnie Chisenhall will probably get another year as the regular third baseman for the Indians.

The same can’t be said in right field.

Right field is a position that the Indians could use some help as David Murphy is not an everyday player. They either need a very good right-handed hitting option with good platoon splits to complement him, or they need a regular everyday option to supplant him and push him to more of a fourth outfielder role.

When looking at the Red Sox there are a lot of interesting trade possibilities, but the one player who interests me the most is Yoenis Cespedes.

Cespedes, 29, pretty much fits everything the Indians need in their lineup, defensively and from a contract standpoint. He is far from a perfect player as he surely has his warts, but he is a good player and someone who I believe could impact the Indians roster.

Last season Cespedes hit .260 with 22 homers, 100 RBI and .751 OPS in 152 combined games with the Red Sox and Athletics. For the advanced metric fans, he also had a 115 wRC+, .190 ISO and 3.4 WAR. What is most interesting is how consistent he has been in his three year Major League career. In all three seasons he has hit between 22-26 homers, racked up 80-102 RBI, scored 70-89 runs, struck out at an 18.9% to 23.9% clip, walked at a 5.4% to 8.0% clip and been a 2.2 to 3.4 WAR player.

Those are some good numbers across the board, no matter how you look at them. They are not superstar level, but that is a pretty valuable and consistent player nonetheless.

Obviously there are some concerns as Cespedes has seen a gradual decline in his walk and strikeout rates going from an 8.0% walk rate and 18.9% strikeout rate in 2012 to 6.4% and 23.9% in 2013 to 5.4% and 19.8% last season. His power has also been in gradual decline going from a .214 isolated power in 2012 to .202 in 2012 and then to .190 last season. He also does not walk much so he carries a less than desirable on-base rate.

Even with those concerns and the gradual decline in his performance, the important thing to note is that an acquiring team would only be on the hook for the final year of his contract for $10.5 million. It would be one thing if he had three or four years left on his deal and was making $15 million or more a season, but for one year and around $10 million that is a pretty good gamble that he will continue to be at least a slightly above average or better player in 2015.

The Indians are very left-hand oriented with their lineup. They have three switch-hitters with Jose Ramirez, Carlos Santana and Nick Swisher along with five left-handed hitters in Michael Bourn, Michael Brantley, Lonnie Chisenhall, Jason Kipnis and David Murphy expected to be in their everyday lineup. The only everyday right-handed bat they have in the lineup is Yan Gomes.

The addition of Cespedes would not only give them a middle of the lineup alternative, but would help balance the lineup a little more by taking Murphy’s left-handed bat out of the everyday mix. Cespedes would probably hit fourth or fifth in the lineup and bring some production capabilities into the mix as well considering he hits better in the clutch. For his career he is a .303 hitter with an .867 OPS with runners in scoring position, a .435 hitter with a 1.038 OPS with the bases loaded and a .295 hitter with a .815 OPS with two outs and runners in scoring position.

By inserting Cespedes into the four spot of the lineup, a spot he has spent most of his Major League career in and had good success, it may also help take some of the pressure off of Carlos Santana which may bring more consistent production out of him. Santana would slide to the fifth spot or even be moved into the second spot in the lineup considering the high rate he gets on base and him being a switch-hitter.

Defensively, Cespedes is probably an average defender so there would not be too much of an impact there, though he would still be an improvement over Murphy and Ryan Raburn. On top of that he has one of the best arms in the game and would help keep runners from going first to third or second to home on the Indians. He has not played right field in his Major League career but is open to playing there and certainly has the arm for it.

The contract is what should be most inviting to the Indians. The Indians currently have three prospects in Tyler Naquin, James Ramsey and Carlos Moncrief who they feel very good about that could eventually take over the full time right field duties by the end of the season. Even Bradley Zimmer could enter into the mix sometime in 2016. Ramsey and Naquin could also be center field options in line to replace Bourn if he were traded, but at the moment right field is their best opportunity to break into the big leagues. With Murphy and Raburn both only signed for one more guaranteed year and with three good prospects on the verge of potentially helping them, they would probably prefer to avoid any multi-year commitments for right field this offseason via trade or free agency beyond 2015.

The Indians have roughly $10-15 million to spend this offseason. Their biggest needs are a backend pen arm, defensive improvement and a right-handed bat for the middle of the lineup. The addition of Cespedes would obviously eat a majority of their available money, though if they acquired him they wouldn’t need to add much more from a Major League perspective except for that backend pen arm. Most importantly, his contract would not affect anything they want to do beyond next season.

The key in all of this is what the Red Sox will demand in a trade for Cespedes. Given his good performance in his three-year career to date and low risk contract, they undoubtedly will have a ton of suitors for his services. What it ultimately takes to land him will be fleshed out by the market and the intensity in which teams chase him these next few weeks. If the Red Sox play their cards right, he could be one of the biggest storylines to follow at the Winter Meetings in a few weeks and bring them a good haul in return.

Of course, the one thing that will hurt the value the Red Sox get in exchange for Cespedes is that an acquiring team cannot offer him a qualifying offer after next season. In almost every case a team can extend a departing free agent a qualifying offer in order to get a first round draft pick as compensation, but his case is unique. He was signed to a four year deal which under normal circumstances he would just be arbitration eligible after next season and still under a team’s control because he has less than six years’ service time to be considered a free agent. But like most international players signed to a Major League deal, it was written into his contract that he has to be non-tendered after the fourth season thus making him a free agent and because he is non-tendered a team can’t extend a qualifying offer.

The Red Sox will probably want Major League value in return, so in the end the key to all of this is whether the Indians match up with what the Red Sox want and if the Indians are willing to part with it. The Red Sox will surely look for pitching in exchange for Cespedes, something the Indians have a lot of at the Major League level but not much depth behind it where they may feel comfortable parting with a young pitcher they control the next several seasons.

Finding a good fit and something the Red Sox are interested in and then selling that to them is the job of Indians GM Chris Antonetti and his staff. Time will tell whether or not there is a fit to be had here, but there is no doubt that Cespedes would be a nice addition to the roster and help fill a big need for the Indians going into next season.

Follow Tony and the Indians Baseball Insider on Twitter @TonyIBI. Also, his new book the 2014 Cleveland Indians Baseball Insider which profiles the Indians' Top 100 Prospects and more is available for sale.

Tribe considering new third-base option in Headley

Free agent may be prime candidate to add defense at hot corner

By Anthony Castrovince / MLB.com | 1:05 PM ET + 3 COMMENTS

CLEVELAND --

Publicly, the Indians have not made third base a priority in their offseason pursuits, focusing instead on rotation and bullpen depth. Privately, though, the Indians appear at least slightly open to the possibility of tinkering with the position, especially if it can improve their defensive outlook.

The Indians are among several teams who have shown an interest in free-agent third baseman Chase Headley, according to a source. The source could not confirm whether or not an offer is on the table, but it said Headley is in the midst of "weeding out" the clubs that will not be a good fit for him.

As it stands, Lonnie Chisenhall remains penciled in as the Indians' third baseman after a 2014 season that was often encouraging, but at times perplexing. Chisenhall had a .915 OPS in the first half that included one of the greatest individual performances in club history (three homers, nine RBIs on June 9 vs. the Rangers), but just a .591 OPS in the second half. Like many members of the '14 Tribe, he had some defensive foibles (18 errors) that impacted the bottom line, but he also made some less-publicized development strides.

• Hot Stove Tracker

"Even beyond maybe what you guys see on the surface, Lonnie's development as a teammate -- the way he improved as a baserunner, how important the little things were to him and how hard he worked at those things -- was one of the developmental highlights of our year," general manager Chris Antonetti said at season's end. "So we're really excited to see how that continues, because he's such a young player. If he continues the same path he's on, next year could be a really good year for him."

Acquiring Headley -- a player the Indians showed interest in on the trade front in 2012 -- would obviously alter Chisenhall's positional outlook (it has been speculated in the past that he might one day transition to a corner outfield spot) or potentially even make him winter trade bait. That said, fitting a Headley salary into the financial frame would be challenging, to say the least.
As it stands, between arbitration cases and built-in contractual raises, the Indians have less than $12 million to commit to the 2015 budget without raising payroll from its '14 level. So adding a top-flight free agent like Headley -- on whom interest is ramping up in the aftermath of the Pablo Sandoval and Hanley Ramirez signings with the Red Sox -- would require either a boost in budget or a shedding of some other salary or salaries.

So this might not be a realistic fit, ultimately, but the Indians' interest, however realistic, is understandable. At this point, Headley is probably not the run-producer he was in a terrific 2012 season (31 homers, 115 RBIs) in San Diego, but he is an elite defender. And after getting traded from the Padres to the Yankees in July, he re-established himself as a consistent threat to get on base (.371 OBP in 58 games), with some power to boot.

If the Indians don't make any changes at third, prospect Giovanny Urshela, who was added to the 40-man roster last week, looms as a potential midseason addition after a strong year at Triple-A Columbus and Double-A Akron. Urshela, a strong defender, sprained his left posterior cruciate ligament in the Venezuelan Winter League this month, but Cleveland announced last week that the injury will not require surgery and Urshela should be ready for the start of the 2015 season.

Anthony Castrovince is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his columns and follow him on Twitter at @Castrovince. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Headley and Cespedes works for me.

White Sox add LaRoche on two-year deal

The White Sox added a veteran power bat to mix with their young sluggers, agreeing to a two-year, $25 million contract with first baseman Adam LaRoche. The deal was announced on Tuesday.

HB posted the Castrovince article earlier.....

Blue Jays To Acquire Josh Donaldson From Athletics For Brett Lawrie, Others
By Jeff Todd [November 28, 2014 at 8:48pm CST]

9:27pm: The deal is official, with the A’s announcing it.

8:48pm: The Blue Jays have struck a deal to acquire third baseman Josh Donaldson from the Athletics, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (Twitter links). Infielder Brett Lawrie, righty Kendall Graveman, and shortstop Franklin Barreto are part of the package going back. Prospect Sean Nolin is also in the deal, Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports tweets.

This deal’s franchise-changing implications are evident on its face. Donaldson, 28, and Lawrie, 24, have each been viewed as cornerstone third basemen for their respective clubs.

MLB: Oakland Athletics at Toronto Blue Jays

Donaldson is, of course, the best piece moving in this swap and one of the more valuable commodities in all of baseball. A late bloomer, he had emerged as one of the game’s very best position players over the last two seasons. Collectively, he has slashed .277/.363/.477 with 53 home runs and 13 stolen bases over 1,262 plate appearances since the start of 2013. With stellar defense included, Donaldson has racked up 15.4 rWAR and 14.1 fWAR in that span.

Projected by Matt Swartz/MLBTR to earn $4.5MM in his Super Two season of arbitration eligibility, Donaldson was just starting off on a track to become rather pricey. But he comes with four seasons of control, and will unquestionably be paid less than his anticipated worth on the diamond.

Though significantly younger, Lawrie comes with one less year of control. He is, however, projected to take home just $1.8MM this season and will therefore also have a much lower starting point for his next two seasons of earnings.

On the other hand, he has yet to match Donaldson’s output in spite of his own, oft-noted ability. Over his first three-plus seasons in the bigs, Lawrie owns a .265/.323/.426 slash (good for a 104 OPS+) and has generally drawn solid-to-outstanding reviews on his defensive work. Injuries have limited his time on the field over each of the last two seasons, but Lawrie has generally performed at a well-above-average clip when healthy.

The other pieces involved are, of course, responsible for making up the gap in value between Donaldson and Lawrie. Barreto could be the hidden gem in the package, with Ben Badler of Baseball America noting on Twitter that the 18-year-old was the top July 2 prospect of two years prior and is probably at top-100 level player at this point. He came into the year as Toronto’s fifth-rated prospect, per Baseball America, and his .865 OPS with six home runs and 29 steals in just 328 low A plate appearances did nothing but improve upon that standing. Per BA, Barreto has several plus tools (hit, speed, arm) with good power and room to improve on his footwork at the shortstop position.

Meanwhile, the 24-year-old Nolin, a lefty, placed tenth on that BA listing. He has been deemed ready enough to warrant one MLB appearance in each of the last two seasons, though he has spent most of his time in the upper minors. In 105 Triple-A innings thus far, Nolin has posted a 3.17 ERA with 7.5 K/9 against 3.9 BB/9. BA credits him with a “true four-pitch mix” and calls him a fairly polished number four starter.

Graveman, 23, sprinted through the Blue Jays’ system after going in the eighth round of the 2013 draft. He threw 172 innings across five levels of the organization just last year.

Nelson Cruz agrees to 4-year deal with Seattle Mariners
Gabe Lacques and Bob Nightengale, USA TODAY Sports 11:52 a.m. EST December 1, 2014
MLB: ALDS-Baltimore Orioles at Detroit Tigers


Nelson Cruz, the top right-handed slugger on the free agent market, has agreed to a four-year contract worth $57 million with the Seattle Mariners, according to a person with direct knowledge of the agreement.

The person spoke to USA TODAY Sports on condition of anonymity because the deal has not yet been announced.

Cruz's signing would continue a huge financial push for the Mariners, bringing their long-term contract commitments since February 2013 to a whopping $572 million.

El Caribe, a newspaper in the Dominican, first reported that Cruz was in agreement with the Mariners.

USA TODAY

MLB stage is set for a wild December

Cruz joins the Mariners one year after they pursued him in free agency, but ultimately backed away as he signed a one-year, $8 million deal with the Baltimore Orioles, then proceeded to hit a major league-leading 40 home runs as the Orioles advanced to the American League Championship Series.

The Mariners finished just a game out of a wild-card berth, and Cruz, 34, gives them the right-handed power bat they have long lacked.

While Safeco Field is unkind to right-handed sluggers, Cruz will balance a lineup that's leaned too far to the left in recent years and currently is anchored by second baseman Robinson Cano.

And the deal also signals a continued financial commitment from the Mariners. They lavished a $175 million extension on ace Felix Hernandez before the 2013 season, signed Cano to a 10-year, $240 million deal last December and recently agreed to a $100 million extension with All-Star third baseman Kyle Seager.

The Orioles were not willing to go more than three years with Cruz, who has had injury problems in the past and served a 50-game suspension at the end of the 2013 season due to his ties with the Biogenesis clinic, which supplied him with banned performance-enhancing substances.

This is not news, but I came across this story that details ARoid's steroid use.

Alex Rodriguez’s DEA confession: Yes, I used steroids from fake Miami doctor

By Jay Weaver

jweaver@MiamiHerald.com

11/05/2014 9:37 AM


For 21 tumultuous months, New York Yankees superstar Alex Rodriguez has defiantly maintained he never used banned substances from a Coral Gables anti-aging clinic, that he was the victim of a “witch hunt,” that his suspension from baseball was unjust and that he would fight to the end to clear his name.

But in a Weston conference room back in January, facing federal drug agents and prosecutors who made him swear an oath to tell the truth, baseball’s highest-paid player admitted everything:

Yes, he bought performance-enhancing drugs from Biogenesis of America, paying roughly $12,000 a month over about two years to fake doctor Anthony Bosch. Yes, the Biogenesis owner gave him pre-filled syringes for hormone injections into his stomach, and even drew blood from him in the men’s room of a South Beach nightclub. And yes, Rodriguez’s cousin, Yuri Sucart, was his steroid go-fer.


Publicly, however, he never veered from his I-am-innocent narrative.

Less than three weeks before his date with the prosecutors and the Drug Enforcement Administration, an arbitrator reduced his Major League Baseball suspension from 211 to 162 games. Rodriguez indignantly declared: “I have been clear that I did not use performance-enhancing substances … and in order to prove it, I will take this fight to federal court.”

Joseph Tacopina, the attorney who represented Rodriguez at the meeting with prosecutors and the DEA, declined to comment on his client’s about-face, citing the need to maintain grand jury secrecy.

The Miami Herald reviewed a 15-page synopsis of Rodriguez’s meeting with the feds, which took place Jan 29.

It is his never-before-revealed confession.

According to the DEA’s “report of investigation,” Rodriguez used substances prohibited by Major League Baseball from late 2010 to October 2012. He admitted getting testosterone cream, lozenges laced with testosterone (aka “gummies”) and human growth hormone injections.

“Rodriguez said Bosch told him the HGH would help with sleep, weight, hair growth, eyesight and muscle recovery,” the report stated.

It also noted that Bosch, who pretended to be a doctor even though he wasn’t one, “injected Rodriguez in the buttocks with a red liquid substance.” He told Rodriguez the liquid was “vitamins, not testosterone.”

In total, the report said, Bosch injected Rodriguez with the “vitamin cocktails” five to 10 times.

Rodriguez also described how Bosch gave the ballplayer “tips on how to beat MLB’s drug testing,” the DEA report said.

The secret? According to Rodriguez, “Bosch advised him to only use mid-stream urine for MLB drug testing. Bosch told Rodriguez not to use the beginning or the end urine stream.”

It worked. During the American League Championship Series against the Detroit Tigers, Rodriguez was called to take a drug test. He passed. The Yankees were swept in the series.

Rodriguez’s DEA statement would fortify the criminal steroid case against Bosch, the owner of now-closed Biogenesis, and his network of South Florida suppliers and distributors. Rodriguez would also implicate the “middleman” — his cousin Sucart — who introduced him to Bosch, “discussed price, arranged pickups for PES [performance-enhancing substances] and delivered money to Bosch on Rodriguez’s behalf,” the DEA report said.

Since criminal charges were filed in August against Bosch, Sucart and five others, four defendants — including Bosch have pleaded guilty. Sucart, who has admitted nothing but was caught on wiretaps discussing and buying steroids, “fully plans on going to trial” in February, said his attorney, Edward J. O’Donnell IV.

Prosecutors plan to use Rodriguez’s testimony against Sucart if he doesn’t cut a plea deal before trial, prosecutors Pat Sullivan and Sharad Motiani wrote in court papers.

Biogenesis’ customers included not just MLB players but also high school athletes, police officers, a few federal agents and a state circuit court judge. Some of those customers, including Rodriguez, were outed as Bosch’s clients in a Miami New Times exposé on the steroid clinic published in late January 2013. There are no plans to prosecute any of them.

Besides Rodriguez, prosecutors granted “direct immunity” to a total of eight current and former professional players: Ryan Braun; Melky Cabrera; Nelson Cruz; Francisco Cervelli; Yasmani Grandal; Cesar David Puello; Jordany Valdespin, and Manny Ramirez. Direct immunity means their statements can’t be used against them in the Biogenesis criminal case.

In all, 14 ballplayers were suspended by Major League Baseball for their links to the now-shuttered clinic.

Rodriguez, 39, a onetime Miami-Dade high school standout and University of Miami benefactor whose name is on UM’s Coral Gables baseball stadium, received the longest suspension. He was reinstated to the Yankees after the 2014 World Series.

Whether the aging star can play anywhere near his old standard remains to be seen. He has two surgically repaired hips and hasn’t played organized baseball in a year. Rodriguez is still owed $61 million by the ball club for the three years left on his $271 million contract, baseball’s largest.

Rodriguez had been on the league’s radar for steroid abuse since 2009, when he admitted that he had used performance-enhancing substances as a member of the Texas Rangers in 2001-03 and fingered Sucart as his conduit back then. After that disclosure, Sucart was banned from associating with anyone involved in professional baseball.

According to Rodriguez’s statement to DEA agents, in summer 2010 he had gained some weight and was experiencing some “problems” with injuries to his knee.

He wanted to lose five to 10 pounds. Sucart, a man of considerable girth, told him he himself had lost some weight with the help of a South Florida “doctor.” Sucart said the man — he didn’t name him — could help Rodriguez get into better shape.

“Sucart told Rodriguez that the doctor was a smart guy and a guru,” the DEA reports said. “Rodriguez stated that Sucart was very aggressive and persistent about Rodriguez meeting the doctor.”

Then, later that summer, Sucart told Rodriguez that the “doctor” would be in Tampa at the same time as the two of them and arranged a meeting in Rodriguez’s hotel room. The man introduced himself as “Dr. Tony Bosch.” Although Bosch graduated from a medical school in Belize, he was not licensed to practice medicine in Florida. In addition to Sucart, also present at the meeting was one of Bosch’s steroid suppliers, Jorge Velazquez, from Miami.

“During the meeting, Bosch told Rodriguez that he treated hundreds of baseball players,” according to the DEA report. “Bosch told Rodriguez that [former Los Angeles Dodgers and Boston Red Sox outfielder] Manny Ramirez was one of his clients. Bosch took credit for how well Ramirez performed in baseball.”

Ramirez, who is no longer playing in the majors, was one of the best hitters of his generation. At the time of that discussion, he had been exposed as a steroid cheat, having been suspended in 2009 for 50 games after testing positive.

Bosch said Ramirez got caught because he didn’t follow Bosch’s “protocols.”

Bosch, who referred to himself as a “wizard,” told Rodriguez that he could help him lose weight, reduce his pain from injuries and increase his energy. Bosch examined Rodriguez in the hotel room and told Sucart that the ballplayer was “fat.” Bosch said he wanted to run tests of his blood to check his testosterone levels.

“Bosch told Rodriguez he would protect Rodriguez’s name,” the DEA report said. “When Bosch did draw Rodriguez’s blood, Bosch told Rodriguez he would send the blood to the laboratory for analysis under a fictitious name.”

The name Bosch chose was a code name, “Cacique.” The term derives from the Spanish-speaking Caribbean, roughly translating to “local chieftain.”

Rodriguez told DEA agents that from late summer 2010 to October 2012, Bosch drew his blood about 10 times in South Florida, Tampa and New York. Rodriguez also confirmed that Bosch drew Rodriguez’s blood in the bathroom of the LIV nightclub in Miami Beach, just as Bosch would later claim in a 60 Minutes news segment.

Bosch told the ballplayer that his “testosterone levels were low for a man of his age.”

Finally, the DEA report said, “Bosch told Rodriguez he was not a rat and would not break if he was ever approached by MLB or anyone else.” It was a promise that Bosch would break in 2013, when major-league officials sued him and others, while federal authorities stepped up their steroid investigation.

Rodriguez ordered the drugs through Sucart, who would receive and send text messages between the ballplayer and Bosch. Sucart’s role would end, however, in April 2012, after the two had a falling out over money.

After that, Rodriguez and Bosch would deal with each other directly.

To pay his drug dealer, Rodriguez would either write personal checks to “cash” — to avoid any paper trail — or he would request “petty cash” from the Yankees’ team secretary, the report said.

Bosch turned on Rodriguez after the Miami New Times published the bombshell story in early 2013 on his anti-aging clinic’s sale of banned substances to major leaguers. He became a cooperating witness who helped Major League Baseball secure the suspensions of 14 ballplayers — including Rodriguez, a three-time American League Most Valuable Player, and Braun, the 2011 National League MVP. In exchange for Bosch’s cooperation, MLB paid for his costly criminal defense.

Most of the suspended players, including Braun, have given sworn statements to DEA agents and prosecutors.

As the government ratcheted up the pressure, onetime allies Rodriguez and Sucart became enemies. Rodriguez told DEA agents that Sucart sent him an “extortion letter,” demanding $5 million so that he “would not disclose Rodriguez’s relationship with Bosch,” the DEA report said. Rodriguez visited with “his friend,” prominent Miami criminal defense attorney Roy Black, seeking advice.

Ultimately, Rodriguez agreed to pay Sucart $900,000. Sucart was also allowed to keep his southwest Miami-Dade home and Chevy Suburban SUV, both bought for him by Rodriguez.

Miami criminal defense attorney Frank Quintero, who is representing a co-defendant accused of conspiring with Bosch to distribute steroids to high school athletes, said the government’s immunity deal with Rodriguez was a “farce” in light of his alleged crimes — including bribery, tampering with witnesses and obstruction of justice.

“The immunity given to Rodriguez and these other ballplayers is an attempt by the Justice Department to cover up their alleged crimes,” Quintero said. “MLB committed the same alleged crimes that these ballplayers did by bribing witnesses, interfering with the state and federal investigations and obstructing justice.”

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