What’s Your PED of Choice?

From Michael Schmidt (NY Times):

WASHINGTON — When George J. Mitchell was appointed to investigate the use of performance-enhancing drugs in baseball nearly two years ago, amphetamines were not part of his mandate. The substances had been around baseball for decades, were sometimes winked at and were not even banned until the 2006 season, several years after the sport began to address what seemed to be the far larger controversy of steroid use.

Nevertheless, it was amphetamines that left baseball looking flat-footed on Tuesday when Commissioner Bud Selig and players association chief Donald Fehr joined Mitchell to discuss the report’s hearings before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.

Amid discussion of steroids and human growth hormone, amid an atmosphere more tame than tempestuous, it was Congressman John Tierney, a Massachusetts Democrat, who caught everyone’s attention when he asked why the number of major leaguers claiming therapeutic use exemptions for adult attention deficit disorder had mushroomed to 103 this past season from 28 in 2006.

To Tierney, the implication of the sharp increase was clear. Players were brazenly getting around the ban on amphetamines by making attention deficit disorder claims that allowed them to use stimulants like Ritalin and Adderall. Based on the 2007 numbers, Tierney said, the use of such stimulants among major leaguers was “almost eight times the adult use in our population.”

Selig actually acknowledged stimulant use as a legitimate problem in baseball, stating that they’re currently trying to find out “why it happened and how it happened.”

Aren’t both the “why” (e.g. enhance one’s performance) and “how” (e.g. fake prescriptions, paying out doctors, weak policies and regulations) fairly obvious?

I’m sure that this has been happening for years, but the legal loophole which has allowed this to problem to further itself (without fear of punishment) is tremendously unsettling.

In college, I remember everyone was snorting Adderall (crushing up its original pill form) in order to stay up late and study hard for finals. I’m no saint, but the thought of snorting a prescription drug (which treats narcolepsy, ADHD, etc.) in order to do well on a test the next morning was just never worth it.

In baseball though, I’m sure stimulants such as Adderral can provide a distinct advantage over your competition. Imagine flying across the country (after a 3-game set which is part of an unrelenting road trip), only to have batting practice in a mere 5 or 6 hours. Why not invest in an effective energy source? That’s why amphetamines or “greenies” (a type of stimulant) were used by baseball players for years until they started testing for them in 2006.

Although I’m relatively unhappy about the current congressional attacks on baseball, it’s good to see them uncover this type of thing and question its presence.

The Powerful… Melky Cabrera?

From Joel Sheehan at Baseball Prospectus (Props to MBB):

Melky Cabrera. Cabrera went backwards in ’07, but not by enough for concern. Remember that he is just 23 years old and has more than 1100 plate appearances in the majors, with average to average-plus defense (good physical tools, but very raw, takes bad routes) and a very good 129/96 K/BB. He is a mature player offensively, patient at the plate and fair on the bases (25-for-35 stealing in his career). One interesting quirk is his G/F ratio, which is 1.63 for his career and was a whopping 1.81 last season. Cabrera is listed at 5’11” and 200 pounds. He’s not Willy Taveras, but rather a player who should be developing power and learning how to drive the ball, rather than hitting the ball on the ground 60 percent of the time.

I’m reminded of Alex Rios, who doesn’t look a thing like Cabrera. Rios was largely disappointing in 2004 and 2005, hitting just 11 homers in more than 900 at-bats, with an isolated power of 117. The problem: Rios was hitting the ball on the ground too much, a 1.82 G/F in those two seasons. Starting in ’06, Rios put the ball in the air more than half the time, and became a star. When you look at Cabrera’s body, his established control of the strike zone, and his ability to hold his own at a young age, you recognize that all it’s going to take is for him to start elevating the ball. Cabrera may not get there in 2008, but he’s going to pop 80 extra-base hits and slug .500 in a season very, very soon.

Comparing Melky to Alex Rios is a pretty nice compliment, considering what Rios did in 2007. The numbers do seem fairly similar. Watching Melky play, you’ve never really thought of him as being capable of hitting home runs or really driving the ball.

Last year, Melky hit .273/.327/.391, which is a pretty poor line. His figures in 2006 had a better look (.280/.360/.391) simply because his OBP was a lot higher (poor first half). It’s true he’s still young though, so maybe there’s something there.

If he can surpass .400 (SLG) next year, I wouldn’t be surprised. But, slugging .500 would be some feat indeed (don’t get your hopes up, at least not for 2008). It’d be nice to see Melky issue a strong response to the doubters.

What do you think? Will the Melk-Man deliver? (I had to do it).

Non-Roster Invites for Spring Training

Here’s a report on the non-roster invitees for the team’s ST. I actually think Jason Lane can make the club, and maybe even Darrell Rasner. You’ve also got some “star” prospects in there as well (e.g. Jose Tabata, Alan Horne).

Twins Losing Leverage?

After weeks of waiting things out with Minnesota, it now appears as though the Mets may switch things up and go after Erik Bedard, especially if the Mariners don’t get him. The Mets would rather give up a load of prospect then give up the prospects and pay a lucrative contract extension for Minny’s Johan Santana, and Bedard’s contract would have him locked up for a longer period of time.

While the Yankees are still in the Santana Sweepstakes, they’ve been slowly backing away from Minnesota’s price tag. Hank Steinbrenner has said that the two teams are indeed, still talking, but GM Brian Cashman (along with Hank) has also made it clear that it is now up to the Twins to contact them with a deal that makes sense (financially and player-wise) for NY (basically, something “reasonable”).

It seems like the Yankees are sort of, “on the brink,” if you will, of backing out of talks completely, especially if the Twins contact them asking for a package that includes Hughes-Melky-Kennedy (all in one). Hank has stated that he does expect the team to open the 2008 season with what they currently have, but, again, he did state that this is essentially up to Minnesota (call me, I won’t call you).

With the Yankees falling out of the race (almost) and with the Mets reexamining their options, some are wondering if the Twins are losing leverage and overextending their power in this situation. Sure the Red Sox are still involved, but how much of that was a ploy to keep Santana out of pinstripes? Then again, the Twins do have a top-of-the-rotation ace that would surely dominate in either league, so maybe they do have all the power.

Of course, if all else fails, they can always trade away their closer for something good, I’m sure. (Or they can simply let both players, Santana and Nathan, walk away after 2008 and pick up some compensation in the form of draft picks, so it’s not all bad).

Santana Recap, Clemens Cooperates

Quick update before I end the night.

• Currently, the Yankees do not have any offers waiting on the table for the Twins and Johan Santana. Although this is the case, Hank Steinbrenner reiterated that negotiations are still ongoing. Brian Cashman also stated that it’s up to the Twins to reach out to the club and make a deal, one that is not as valuable as what they have asked for in the past (No Hughes, Melky, Kennedy, Marquez deal).
• Obviously, earlier reports which stated that trade talks between the two clubs had completely dissolved, are clearly false. Expect these talks to continue up until the last minute (and with Hank involved, maybe even beyond that point). But remember, time is running out for the Twins since Santana has stated that he would not approve a midseason move.
• Hank makes it clear that he trusts Brian Cashman’s input (as well as Eiland and Girardi), and will listen to his “baseball people.” He also says that he won’t blow up and do something drastic, even if the young pitchers are having a tough time in 2008 (wow, restraint from a Steinbrenner?).
• A brief bit on Roger Clemens, he apparently is willing to cooperate with Congress and will likely offer up more taped “evidence” for the congressional hearings/investigation (no subpoenas). He’ll also provide a sworn deposition (again, most likely, but not definite).

That’s all for now folks. More later, so stay tuned.

Cano Says We Need Santana

 

Robinson Cano has followed in Jorge Posada’s footsteps, stating outwardly that the Yankees do need an ace of the Santana variety.

From Bryan Hoch (Yankees Website):

“It’s a great deal if we can get Santana. We need it. We need a No. 1 guy like him. … If [the Red Sox] got Santana, they’re going to be a way better team. I hope we get him. It’s not a good idea for us if they get Santana.”

You know, many of us do agree that the Yankees need “No. 1″ type of pitcher (e.g. strikeouts, strikeouts, strikeouts) and, secretly, although we’re happy with Wang’s abilities (and results), we all crave for that prototypical monster on the mound. However, I simply disagree with stating out-loud, that the team needs Johan Santana, or, more specifically, stating that the team needs a “No. 1.”

Again, by doing so, you’re essentially throwing Wang under the bus (so to speak). He has been one of the most successful pitchers in baseball for the past 2 years, so to sort of brush all of that aside in order to situate Santana as the go-to-guy is kind of disrespectful and works against that team collective that you’ve established.

Cano also spoke about his good friend Melky Cabrera (who would actually be a part of the package for the “needed” Johan Santana), and the rumors which have surrounded the talented young outfielder.

“It’s like I tell him — don’t pay attention to the rumors,” Cano said of Cabrera. “If you get traded, just keep playing. He wants to be a Yankee; he said he doesn’t want to leave. I told him, ‘If you have to leave, keep playing hard. You never know. You might come back.’

“I love Melky, but he [would] play every day in Minnesota. If the deal is going to be great for him, I’ll be happy. That’s what I told him. If you’re going to play every day, you prove to yourself that you can be in the big leagues. You don’t want to be sitting on the bench.”

Pretty positive message there (and he’s right). But, Melky Cabrera earned his spot as a starting player last season, and, as far as we know, he will be the starting CF come 2008 (barring any trades, of course).