Rocker Flip-Flops

Recently, reports have surfaced stating that John Rocker accused A-Rod of steroid use. In those same reports, Rocker also alleged that MLB/Players Union officials informed him how to use steroids. Well, now he’s blaming the media and saying that his comments, which were originally aired on Atlanta radio stations, were taken out of context.

Here’s what he’s saying now:

• ”I never had any doctor employed by the MLB Player’s Association or MLB Commissioner’s Office tell me ‘HOW’ to use steroids,” Rocker wrote. “I was simply informed by these two gentlemen that steroids, taken in minimal doses and administered correctly, were not physical (sic) harmful.”

• ”Alex Rodriguez, along with two other teammates, was a part of this casual conversation. In no way, shape, or form do I believe or have I ever alluded to the opinion that Alex has ever been involved with the use of any Performance Enhancing Drug.”

• ”I do not know nor would I accuse any front office personnel of any of my former teams that they directly and positively knew what I or any other player was specifically doing as it relates to the use of PED’s.”

This guy always has someone or something to blame, yet he never thinks that maybe it is he that is the cause of all of his problems, and the reason that nobody likes him.

My Final Clemens Recap (For the Day)

Two things:

• Here’s a nice writeup about the Clemens-Congressional hearing. It’s a fairly interesting summary produced by the AP. I must admit, that committee sounded awfully dumb with some of their questions (e.g. “what uniform will you wear into the Hall of Fame?” — This guy was probably a Red Sox fan).
• Secondly (and finally), Debbie Clemens has admitted to using HGH. She contends that she injected herself (that’s what Roger has said) and McNamee is saying that he was the one to inject her (at Clemens’ discretion). Debbie Clemens never explicitly said this but Roger read a statement from his wife which confirmed this.

In conclusion, it’s becoming pretty evident that Roger Clemens used HGH. I mean, based on the evidence, it just seems to be a practical and logical choice to assume that the man used HGH. Hell, his wife and his teammates (including a very friendly teammate) were using HGH supplied by his own personal trainer. Steroids, I don’t know about, but HGH, that’s a different story. However, the keyword here is “assume,” because that’s all I’ve done. It’s not definitive, nor is it concrete.

Spring Training is Here… But, Will Everyone Be There?

The Yankees start their official Spring Training tomorrow at Legends Field, however, not everyone will be in attendance. Andy Pettitte has been granted permission to attend Spring Training 4 days later, and will join his fellow teammates on Monday.

Here’s what Cashman had to say about it:

“I know what he’s going through right now is not an easy situation,” Cashman said. “It can become a distraction if you let it. So we’ll do everything we can to help get him on line as soon as possible, and prepare him in the proper way, and get him back to the basics of baseball. But that won’t start here until Monday at the latest.”

And here’s what Joe Girardi had to say about it as well:

“I didn’t have any hesitation,” Girardi said. “It was a conversation that took place between Andy and I a few times, and we talked about it, and we felt that’s what was best for Andy and his family. Sometimes players need a little bit of time, and that’s okay.”

So, Andy Pettitte will be late for Spring Training. Not necessarily earth-shattering information, but at least we know he’ll be better off with a few extra days to clear his head. Is it just me or does Pettitte always seem to end up in these situations where the club has to grant him extra time for some reason or the other.

Quick Rundown on Roger

Honestly, in the West Coast, it’s only 1 PM. I’ve slept through the majority of the Clemens-Congressional Mania that has ravenously swept through the internet. I’ve become sort of numb to the entire concept. However, I do have some information about the situation that should interest fans (who are interested… yes it’s redundant).

First, Joe Girardi knows that Andy Pettitte has been going through some tough off-season issues and has told him that he should consider these issues a “difficult life test.” Girardi has discussed the subject with Pettitte, not only as a manager, but as a friend.

In phone calls and text messages, Girardi, who caught Pettitte when they were teammates, has reminded Pettitte that he is simply facing a difficult life test. Speaking more like a therapist than a manager, Girardi has reinforced to Pettitte that the fallout from his admission of using human growth hormone and his deposition to Congress about Roger Clemens should not ruin him.

“I told Andy, ‘This is a trial you’re walking through,’ ” Girardi said last week. “You know what? We all walk through trials. I think he can probably look back on this at some point. Will it be the toughest trial he ever walks through? Maybe, maybe not.”

Next up, Joe Torre has also dealt with questions ever since the Mitchell Report was released. People are continuously criticizing the legacy of his Yankee Dynasty and, today, as he sat there (in a warm and cozy training complex) watching Roger Clemens testify, he was asked another question about his legacy.

VERO BEACH, Fla. – It was supposed to be a day of starting over for Joe Torre, a day to finally forget about New York and talk about his hopes for his new team, the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Instead, he spent part of the morning watching his former player and friend Roger Clemens testify about steroids in a nationally-televised congressional hearing. Instead, he found himself being asked how the current steroids scandal could impact how his 12 years with the Yankees will be remembered.

“My legacy? I think that’s for someone else to decide,” Torre said.

Honestly, unless Joe admits that he injected Roger Clemens with steroids or helped him along by not saying anything, only then should his “legacy” come into question.

Well, speaking of Roger Clemens… it seems as though he might be in trouble. Federal officials are now saying that Roger Clemens explicitly lied today in his hearing.

“During his deposition, he made statements that we know are untrue,” Waxman, the Democratic chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, said at the hearing on drugs in baseball. “In other areas, his statements are contradicted by other credible witnesses or are simply implausible.”

Waxman and Representative Tom Davis, the committee’s ranking Republican, said after the hearing that they had made no decision on recommending action by federal prosecutors on perjury.

Clemens has arrived at a very ominous intersection. With Pettitte fingering him, with McNamee fingering him, with Congress outwardly stating that he has lied, he needs to go on the offensive and figure something out. He’s not winning over anyone anymore.

To wrap it all up, here’s are some excellent and very appropriate comments made by Shelley Duncan as he watched the congressional hearings today, down in Florida. These comments were overheard by George King IIIIIIII (of the NY Post).

“All that stuff is pretty boring to me; if it was a cage match it would be a lot more interesting to me,” Duncan said.

Duncan said had he continued to watch the hearing he would have missed the workout.

“I saw Henry Waxman at the start and that’s when I started to fall asleep,” Duncan said.

John Rocker: A-Rod Used Steroids

From the Daily News:

John Rocker may have a new enemy in New York City.

The loudmouth former reliever said he and then-Rangers teammate Alex Rodriguez, among others, were advised in spring training of 2002 by management and players’ union doctors on how to use steroids in a way that is “not going to hurt you.”

I wrote about Rocker the other day after a report was released stating that he had used steroids but was instructed on how to use them by MLB/Players Union officials. Honestly, I don’t know who’s worse, Rocker or Canseco, as they both have leach-like tendencies and for a variety reasons. Therefore, based on these allegations (by disgraced and fallen baseball players/human beings), I wouldn’t jump to any definitive conclusions.

The Immovable Object

 

What will the Yankees do with Jason Giambi this season? Platoon at first with Shelley Duncan? Let him play until he wins a gold glove hurts himself? Will they slot him in as the regular DH? These are all questions that need to asked and are surely a thorn in the side of many within the Yankee offices. Granted, Giambi could probably put up decent numbers and his OPS will be around .800, but he’s still a $22 million question mark.

The Yankees could easily give Giambi the DH role, fulltime. However, this would prove to be problematic with Hideki Matsui sitting on the bench. The team wants all the offense it could muster (it takes pressure off the younger pitchers), so if the Yankees pursue this route, there would have to be a tremendous juggling act in order to give these guys playing time. Also, who will play first base with Giambi off the field for good? Do you really feel comfortable with a suspect platoon while Hideki Matsui rots on the bench?

My suggestion is very simple. Why not let Giambi play first until he falls apart? It sounds sort of mean, but it’s probably the best solution. You could put Giambi in the lineup as DH, where he has a career line of .246/.385/.476 or you can slot him in as the first baseman (everyday) and hope that his career line of .309/.433/.575 runs its course for as long as possible before he leaves the field with some stupid injury (note-I’m guessing these numbers are inflated due to Giambi’s “enhanced” years, but you get the point). Once the injury pops up, then stick with the platoon. If he comes back partially healthy, just keep the platoon going with him and Shelley Duncan (instead of… Ensberg?).

This move would also free up the DH slot for Hideki Matsui who has proven his effectiveness in this role. In fact, Matsui’s career DH line of .308/.382/.555 is not only an adequate replacement for Giambi’s line (as a DH), but it’s actually better than Matsui’s line as a regular in LF (although the sample size is considerably smaller). With this configuration, you’d have Damon in LF, Matsui at DH, and Giambi at 1B. This would prove to be the best offensive lineup possible, so why not just do it?

That’s not to say that Giambi or Damon can’t slot into the lineup as a DH. With the normal configuration demonstrated above, Girardi could also tinker with the lineup in order to provide guys with ample rest. He could put Matsui in LF on some days, allowing Damon to get some rest as the DH. He could also have Giambi slot in as DH on some days and either give Damon a chance at first (he tried last year) or throw in a role player.

I’m sure that Giambi will give up runs at first. That’s almost guaranteed. But, I’m sure that the entire team, being the offensive juggernaut that it is, can ultimately move past those errors and runs. Giambi will probably get hurt, true. But, again, who cares? He’s done after this year and as long as we get enough production from him to justify a fraction of his cost, then putting him on the field doesn’t really sound too bad.

In order for it (Giambi as a regular player in the field) to be a practical option, it all comes down to what Girardi thinks. In the past we’ve heard Giardi values defense:

“I always value defense,” Girardi said. “I think defense is very important, because you can save a lot of runs, as well as drive in a lot of runs. So we will look at those things as the season goes on, but it’s very important to me.”

This quote was from a few months ago. Has Girardi switched his tone knowing that the best offense would have Giambi on the field, everyday? Well, he may have done just that. Here’s some new information from our old friend Peter Abraham.

Cashman has no plans to pursue a first baseman via trade. The answer, he said, will come from within. Giambi could have an edge, since Girardi believes he would be a more productive hitter if he plays in the field.

So, in the end, let’s let the guy play until his limbs fall off. He’s about as mobile as a patch of moss, but having him at first would help the team’s offense considerably.

Pettitte Speaks on Clemens

From the AP (via Yahoo):

WASHINGTON (AP)—Roger Clemens told Yankees teammate Andy Pettitte nearly 10 years ago that he used human growth hormone, Pettitte said in a sworn affidavit to Congress, The Associated Press learned Tuesday.

Pettitte disclosed the conversation to the congressional committee holding Wednesday’s hearings on drug use in baseball, a person familiar with the affidavit said. The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the document had not been made public.

According to the person familiar with the affidavit, who said it was signed Friday night, Pettitte also said Clemens backtracked when the subject of HGH came up again in conversation in 2005, before the same House committee held the first hearing on steroids in baseball.

Pettitte said in the affidavit that he asked Clemens in 2005 what he would do if asked by the media about HGH, given his admission years earlier. According to the account told to the AP, the affidavit said Clemens responded by saying Pettitte misunderstood the previous exchange in 1999 or 2000 and that, in fact, Clemens had been talking about HGH use by his wife in the original conversation.

When I read the first paragraph, I thought it was pretty much over for Roger Clemens. However, the final paragraph is interesting. This report says that when Pettitte asked him about their previous HGH-related conversation, Clemens “backtracked.” I don’t know if this was the word employed by Pettitte, or if the writer chose to use it.

In fact, the final paragraph seems to imply that Pettitte just misunderstood their earlier conversation, although it does throw Debbie Clemens under the bus (why not throw her in my room?). Maybe Clemens didn’t “backtrack” and was simply stating what he had thought was said in their prior conversation. Maybe Pettitte really did misunderstand him? Or, maybe Clemens got HGH from McNamee and gave it to his wife (huh!)?

Or, maybe Roger Clemens started his PR campaign back then. Maybe he was actually using HGH at the time, and was smart enough to know that this could all come back to haunt him one day. So, as soon as Pettitte asked him that question, he immediately started “backtracking” and preparing for the worst.

Whatever the case maybe, we still must work with the innocent until proven guilty paradigm. With that said, here’s something to keep in mind before passing any judgements, judgements which are based upon Pettitte’s testimony.

Sources told Quinn that Pettitte was not a good witness when he appeared before congressional lawyers during a sworn deposition on Monday. Pettitte often contradicted himself, the sources said, so the committee agreed to his request not to appear Wednesday.

Mench Signs With Texas

Earlier reports indicated that the Yankees were interested in the living, breathing bobble-head doll that is Kevin Mench (bench option). However, he has now signed a minor league contract with the Texas Rangers.