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MLB: Major League Baseball chief wants tougher drug penalties

March 3, 2013 By Admin Leave a Comment

20ee4cab6abf21ae222aaaaf91a15e2e MLB: Major League Baseball chief wants tougher drug penalties

(Reuters) – Major League Baseball (MLB) commissioner Bud Selig has called for stiffer penalties for players caught using performance-enhancing drugs, asking the league and players association on Saturday to come up with a new system.

Selig asked MLB executive vice president of labor relations Rob Manfred to enter talks with Michael Weiner, MLB Players Association executive director, about introducing a tougher anti-doping regime.

“If people want to continue to do what they shouldn’t do, then the one thing that you have to do is you have to have stricter penalties. It’s as simple as that,” Selig told reporters.

“I’ve always wanted (fans) to understand that I’ll always regard cleaning up this situation as something I’m very proud of.

“But you’ve got to work at it, you’ve got to work at it every day. You can never rest, because certainly the chemists aren’t resting.”

The MLB drugs testing program is the strictest of major sports in the United States and recently added blood tests and baseline testosterone readings.

Currently players who test positive for a banned substance receive a 50-game suspension. A second positive test results in a 100-game suspension, and players caught a third time receive a lifetime ban.

The World Anti-doping Agency, by comparison, recommends two-year bans for first offences, with subsequent offences incurring four-year or life bans, though punishments can be lessened subject to conditions.

Seven Major League players were suspended for testing positive to performance-enhancing drugs in 2012, including All-stars Marlon Byrd, Melky Cabrera, Bartolo Colon and Carlos Ruiz.

Former Boston, Los Angeles and Tampa Bay hitter Manny Ramirez and former Mets and Giants pitcher Guillermo Mota remain the two players caught twice and given 100-game bans.

The current MLB regime runs through 2016 but Selig suggested change would be coming.

“I promised myself that I wouldn’t get in the way of what Rob and Michael do, but I would change everything,” Selig said.

“Change is always inevitable. You see how a program works. The program is working fine, but I’ve come to the conclusion, the more I’ve thought about this, that obviously there’s some people, a small minority, who need to be given a tougher lesson.”

(Reporting by Ben Everill in Los Angeles; Editing by Ian Ransom)

MLB: Major League Baseball chief wants tougher drug penalties is a post from: PhatzRadio.com

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Baseball’s Hall of Shame

September 5, 2012 By Admin

Here’s photos of some of your favorite baseball players.
They’re members of baseball’s “Hall of Shame.” These are police mug shots of players arrested. Players like Dave Stewart and Manny Ramirez. Stewart had several run-ins with police, but the most notorious incident occurred in Los Angeles in 1985, while he was a member of the Texas Rangers. Stewart was caught with a 6’3″ prostitute named “Lucille…who turned out to be a “transvestite. Stewart told police he didn’t know “Lucille” was a man. The big hard throwing right-hand pitcher was the MVP in 1989 – and appeared in five World Series during his MLB career.

Slugger Manny Ramirez was arrested with far less fanfare (the first time). His first arrest happened in the shadow of Yankee Stadium during his 1994 rookie season with the Cleveland Indians. He was arrested for DUI. The arresting officer said Ramirez mentioned “something” about playing in Yankee stadium and hitting a home run. But the cop added, he never heard of Ramirez. Ramirez’s girlfriend at the time went to her apartment to get his baseball card in an effort to prove his story. This past year Ramirez was again arrested. This time on domestic violence charges. Ramirez and his wife had a disagreement (at home) where tempers exploded – and Manny was led away in handcuffs.

Remember Todd Stottlemyre who appeared in the 1992 and 1993 Fall Classics as a member of the Toronto Blue Jays, he was arrested with Dave Stewart after an altercation with police outside a Tampa nightclub. Recall outfielder Luis Polonia, who appeared in the 1988 – 1995 – 1996 – and 2000 World Series with the A’s, Braves, and Yankees? He was famously arrested after being accused of having sex with a 15-year-old girl. Polonia spent 60 days in jail.

Deion Sanders was a certified star in baseball and football. They call Sanders “Hollywood.” He’s the only man to play in both the Super Bowl and World Series. He’s had several brushes with the law. In 1996 he was arrested for trespassing. Sanders, who was with the Dallas Cowboys at the time was found “fishing” at a Florida airport. Police arrested him for ignoring both “no trespassing” and “private property” signs. He was also arrested by police in 1994 while playing for the Cincinnati Reds for driving without a license.

Minnesota Twins Icon, Kirby Puckett, the hero of game 6 of the 1991 World Series against the Atlanta Braves had handcuffs slapped on him, first for “groping” a woman in a restaurant – later in retirement, his ex-wife lodged a complaint against the Hall of Famer. She told police he threatened to kill her. She also told Sports Illustrated that he tried to strangle her, had locked her in the basement and even held a gun to her head.

The “godfather” of “Steroids” Jose Canseco also had run-ins with the law (frequent). Baseball’s MVP in 1986 – six-time All-Star, the first MLB player to hit 40 homers and steal 40 bases in the same season, Canseco had cuffs slapped on him by police for bringing drugs across the border – domestic violence – bar fights, and driving (speeding) incidents dating back to 1980.

Add the photo’s of Yankees pitcher Joba Chamberlain for DWI – Padres Ken Caminiti, 1996 MVP, arrested in 2001 for cocaine possession. Caminiti died of an apparent drug overdose in New York City (2004). Yankee Dwight Gooden, drugs, and World Series hero, Yankee Jim Leyritz, for DUI, and you have a large group of “star” athletes in “BASEBALL’S HALL of SHAME.”
It isn’t the “HALL” where they wanted their photo’s hanging………….

Larry Upton
“Upton on Sports”-source: weirdnews/wikipedia

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George Steinbrenner “permanently ineligible” and Aaron hit 537th on This Day In Baseball

July 30, 2012 By Admin

TDIB%20still 3 George Steinbrenner “permanently ineligible” and Aaron hit 537th on This Day In Baseball

July 30^th 1990, Commissioner Fay Vincent places New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner on the “permanently ineligible” list. “Steinbrenner was suspended for paying a private investigator to dig up dirt on Dave Winfield. Bud Selig would reinstate “The Boss” in 1993.

July 30^th 1965- Milwaukee manager Bobby Bragan says his pitchers threw 75 to 80 spitballs in a 9 – 2 loss to the Giants. Bragan says he ordered the spitters to prove rules against them are not being enforced.

July 30^th 2009, A story appearing in the New York Times alleges that Boston sluggers David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez are among the 104 major leaguers who have tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs in 2003. The test results were supposed to have been confidential, but Alex Rodriguez‘s presence on the list had been leaked earlier in the year. Ortiz claimed that he was unaware of the positive test six years earlier and denied using steroids.

July 30^th 1969, Hank Aaron blasts the 537th home run of his career moving him past Mickey Mantle on the all-time list.

July 30^th 1983, the Atlanta Braves remove mascot ”Chief Noc-a-homa” and his teepee from left field to make room for more seating at Fulton County Stadium. The Braves would go on to lose 19 of their next 21 games before restoring the mascot and teepee.

July 30^th 1909- After winning 13 in a row, Christy Mathewson loses to Pittsburgh 3-1, giving up four hits and three runs in the first inning. Red Ames relieves in the 2nd. Mathewson’s record is now 15 and 3.

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009b06f38695de0d0d383c24bf894a9e George Steinbrenner “permanently ineligible” and Aaron hit 537th on This Day In Baseball

1df4af0e6e8f900d91267ca68edfd555 George Steinbrenner “permanently ineligible” and Aaron hit 537th on This Day In Baseball

7f14bbf0b0c13fca3af83ff82c0b71ca George Steinbrenner “permanently ineligible” and Aaron hit 537th on This Day In Baseball

7c7d24e16ce9807a51c9caae4d336d4f George Steinbrenner “permanently ineligible” and Aaron hit 537th on This Day In Baseball

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Fantasy implications of Hanley Ramirez trade to the Dodgers

July 26, 2012 By Admin

hanleyramirez 2 Fantasy implications of Hanley Ramirez trade to the Dodgers

A lot of player movement is sure to take place between now and July 31, but it’s hard to imagine a bigger offensive name being moved than Hanley Ramirez. According to Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports, the Los Angeles Dodgers pulled the trigger on a trade for Ramirez early Wednesday morning.

BREAKING: Sources tell me and @jonmorosi: #Hanley to #Dodgers, Eovaldi and prospect to #Marlins.

— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) July 25, 2012

Where Hanley will bat is unknown. It’s also unknown whether Ramirez will play third or short, but this has potential to be an incredible move for Hanley and his fantasy owners. At the very least, there is no reason to believe it will be a bad move. But let’s take a look at the comparisons.

National League East vs. National League West

These are two of the better pitching divisions in baseball. Both do feature hitter friendly parks, but the majority of them are at least neutral, if not flat out pitcher’s parks. The east has pitchers like R.A. Dickey, Stephen Strasburg, Jordan Zimmermann, Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Cole Hamels (for now), and Gio Gonzalez, while the west features Matt Cain, Ryan Vogelsong, Madison Bumgarner, and pitcher’s parks such as Petco Park, AT&T Park, and Dodger Stadium. For now, the East is probably the better pitching division, but if Tim Lincecum continues his upward swing of the second half and the Diamondbacks pitchers show their 2011 form, this is a wash.

As it is, it’s not a bad trade for Hanley’s stats. The NL East is one of the only divisions in baseball with pitching comparable to the NL West.

Marlins Park vs. Dodger Stadium

Neither are extremely hitter friendly. Miami has been a pitcher’s park for its first year, while Dodger Stadium has been pitcher friendly for the last 50. Still, it’s always been a lot more fair to right handed hitters.

The loss for Hanley is that the gaps in Los Angeles aren’t quite as big (though they’re not small). So, he may lose some extra base hits, but he’ll pick up a few extra homers.

Protection

We don’t exactly know where Hanley will bat in the lineup, but the second spot makes a lot of sense. Splitting up the righties and lefties, a lineup of Ramirez in the two hole, followed by Andre Ethier, and then Matt Kemp makes a lot of sense. All three have historically dealt with injury issues but when they’re in the lineup together, that’s a magic trio.

Change of Scenery

Hanley has floundered in Miami for a good amount of his career. He’s been very good, but never quite reached that full potential. Now, for the first time in his career, Hanley’s team will be involved in a real playoff race. The Dodgers currently trail the Giants by a very manageable 2.5 games in the NL West race, while they are only a half game out of the National League’s second Wild Card spot.

When an immensely talented player has been a little disappointing in one place or worn out his welcome, a change of scenery often makes all the difference, at least in the short term. If you’re looking for a relatively recent example, look at Manny Ramirez in 2008. His brilliant Red Sox career ended ugly, he got traded to Los Angeles, and took off. Eventually, he wore out his welcome in Los Angeles too, but he was fantastic in 2008. If he can stay healthy, look for similar success from Hanley for at least the rest of 2012.

The post Fantasy implications of Hanley Ramirez trade to the Dodgers appeared first on Fantasy Baseball Crackerjacks.

Be sure to check out other great articles at Fantasy Baseball Crackerjacks.

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Chipper Jones, Sorry to Say Goodbye

March 23, 2012 By Admin

Chipper 1 Chipper Jones, Sorry to Say Goodbye

It was announced earlier today that Chipper Jones, one of the greatest sports villains in New York history, will be exiting stage right at the end of the season.

009b06f38695de0d0d383c24bf894a9e Chipper Jones, Sorry to Say Goodbye

1df4af0e6e8f900d91267ca68edfd555 Chipper Jones, Sorry to Say Goodbye

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MLB Spring Training Roundup: Manny hits first home run; A’s win against Brewers (SS) 8-6

March 14, 2012 By Admin

Manny Ramirez #1 of the Oakland Athletics follows through on a swing against the Cincinnati Reds during a spring training game at the Phoenix Municipal Stadium on March 10, 2012 in Phoenix, Arizona.
(March 9, 2012 – Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images North America)

PHOENIX (AP) — Manny Ramirez hit his first home run of the spring and Yoenis Cespedes went hitless again in Oakland’s 8-6 win Tuesday over a Milwaukee Brewers split squad.

Ramirez sent a long drive to left-center against right-hander Mike Fiers. Ramirez, who has not played in the majors since last April, had been 0 for 8 this spring. He also drew a walk and flied out.

Ramirez must serve a 50-game suspension for a violation of baseball’s drug policy.

Cespedes, the Cuban outfielder the A’s signed to a four-year, $36 million deal, struck out twice and grounded out. He has gone hitless in six at-bats over his past two games.

INDIANS 8, RANGERS 8, 10 INNINGS

GOODYEAR, Ariz. (AP) — Yu Darvish couldn’t command his fastball over three innings for the Texas Rangers in a 10-inning tie with the Cleveland Indians.

The Japanese star walked four in his second spring start. He allowed two runs and three hits and struck out three.

Darvish limited the trouble by getting Shin-Soo Choo to ground into a bases-loaded double play. Texas catcher Yorvit Torrealba helped Darvish by throwing out two would-be basestealers.

In Darvish’s debut, he pitched two scoreless innings against San Diego.

RED SOX 1, YANKEES 0

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Ivan Nova allowed two hits over four scoreless innings in the Yankees’ loss.

Nova, a 16-game winner in his rookie season last year, had given up seven runs over 4 2-3 innings in his two previous spring training starts.

Jacoby Ellsbury hit a first-inning double and Dustin Pedroia had a single in the fourth off Nova. Alex Rodriguez singled for one of the Yankees’ two hits off Felix Doubront, who threw four shutout innings.

Yankees closer Mariano Rivera, who has strongly hinted that 2012 could be his final season, pitched his second straight scoreless inning this spring. He struck out one and broke a pair of bats during a 13-pitch outing.

It was the first time that Bobby Valentine managed Boston against the Yankees.

MARLINS 2, BRAVES 2, 10 INNINGS

JUPITER, Fla. (AP) — Carlos Zambrano struck out five in four innings for Miami in a 10-inning tie with Atlanta.

Zambrano gave up two hits and one run. The last time he faced the Braves was Aug. 12 when he stormed off the mound after allowing eight runs, cleaned out his locker and never pitched again for the Chicago Cubs.

Braves starter Mike Minor gave up one hit in four scoreless innings and struck out four.

CUBS 5, GIANTS 4

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Cubs newcomer Chris Volstad pitched three shutout innings for the second straight time this spring.

Volstad, acquired in January from the Miami Marlins for fellow right-hander Carlos Zambrano, gave up two hits. In his prior outing, he allowed one hit against Seattle.

Volstad also got a hit against San Francisco.

ASTROS 6, PHILLIES 5, 10 INNINGS

KISSIMMEE, Fla. (AP) — Livan Hernandez pitched five scoreless innings for Houston and Brian Bixler’s three-run homer in the 10th lifted the Astros over Philadelphia.

Bixler had two hits, drove in four runs and stole a base.

Domonic Brown’s home run in the top of the 10th put the Phillies ahead.

Hernandez gave up five hits, walked none and struck out one in his third spring start.

Phillies starter Cole Hamels gave up a run while striking out four and walking none in five innings.

CARDINALS 7, METS 1

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (AP) — Adam Wainwright pitched three scoreless innings in his second outing of the spring, and David Freese and Yadier Molina homered as St. Louis beat the Mets.

Wainwright, returning from elbow surgery that shelved him all of last season, gave up one hit and one walk, throwing 25 of 40 pitches for strikes.

Mets starter Mike Pelfrey left some pitches up early on, and the Cardinals took advantage. Freese, the World Series MVP who also had a three-run homer Monday, hit a two-run shot over the right field wall with one out in the first inning, and Molina led off the second with a homer to left.

ANGELS 3, DIAMONDBACKS 0

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Dan Haren struck out seven of the last eight batters he faced in three innings and the Angels went on to beat Arizona.

Haren gave up one hit, a leadoff single to Willie Bloomquist, and walked none. It’s the only hit the former Diamondbacks ace has allowed in two spring starts. Overall, he has 10 strikeouts and one walk in five scoreless innings.

Alexi Amarista hit his second home run of the spring for the Angels, a solo shot off Arizona starter Trevor Cahill, who allowed two runs and five hits in three innings.

MARINERS 7, BREWERS (SS) 4

Zack Greinke threw three scoreless innings for Milwaukee’s split squad before Seattle came back.

Greinke gave up one hit and struck out five. He left after issuing his lone walk to Casper Wells leading off the fourth.

Mariners catcher Jesus Montero, who entered the game hitting .389, struck out in all three at-bats.

ORIOLES 7, RAYS 7, 10 INNINGS

SARASOTA, Fla. (AP) — David Price worked into the fourth inning, and Matt Moore made his spring debut with a hitless 1 2-3 innings in Tampa Bay’s 10-inning tie with Baltimore.

Price pitched 3 2-3 innings and allowed the Orioles’ biggest inning of the spring — four runs — keyed by a three-run homer by Jai Miller.

Moore, the heralded left-hander who made his major league debut in mid-September and started the first game of the ALDS against Texas on Oct. 1, struck out three and walked one after missing time with abdominal soreness.

BLUE JAYS 8, TWINS 2

FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) — Francisco Liriano’s fast spring start slowed when the Toronto Blue Jays scored four runs off him in the third inning and beat Minnesota.

The streaky lefty, who pitched a no-hitter last year while going 9-10, struck out five. But Toronto’s Travis Snyder and Travis d’Arnaud hit consecutive two-run doubles off the right-field fence against Liriano.

Liriano had allowed only two hits and no runs while striking out seven in his first two exhibition outings.

ROYALS 7, REDS 5

SURPRISE, Ariz. (AP) — Alex Gordon and Lorenzo Cain homered and Everett Teaford pitched three scoreless innings as Kansas City defeated Cincinnati.

Gordon’s home run to lead off the fourth snapped a 4-4 tie. Cain homered to open the fifth. Teaford struck out four in three innings to pick up the victory in relief.

Jay Bruce homered in the first inning to extend his hitting streak to six games.

PADRES 6, WHITE SOX 3

PEORIA, Ariz. (AP) — Catcher Nick Hundley went 3 for 3 with two RBIs and threw out a runner in San Diego’s win over the White Sox.

Hundley played in just 82 games last season because of an elbow injury.

ROCKIES 5, DODGERS 2

GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Drew Pomeranz pitched two more scoreless innings before leaving with tightness in his right hip and Colorado beat the Dodgers.

Considered a top prospect, Pomeranz was acquired by the Rockies last summer in the trade that sent Ubaldo Jimenez to Cleveland. The 23-year-old left-hander, drafted fifth overall in 2010, is a projected member of Colorado’s rotation this season after making four starts for the Rockies last year.

Pomeranz has showed his talent all spring, tossing seven shutout innings. He retired all six batters he faced Tuesday, but had to leave earlier than expected.

TIGERS 6, NATIONALS 3

VIERA, Fla. (AP) — Washington right-hander Edwin Jackson struggled through three-plus innings.

Jackson allowed four runs, two earned, while giving up five hits, walking two and striking out two in 3 1-3 innings. The two-run homer he gave up in the first inning to Detroit’s Ryan Rayburn came with two outs, one batter after left fielder Jason Michaels dropped a fly ball for an error.

Detroit starter Duane Below walked three batters in 2 2-3 innings but allowed only one run on four hits.

Rayburn finished with two hits. Washington’s Jayson Werth hit his second home run of the spring, a solo shot in the sixth inning.

MLB Spring Training Roundup: Manny hits first home run; A’s win against Brewers (SS) 8-6 is a post from: PhatzRadio.com

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Manny Ramirez Goes 0-For-2 in Oakland Athletics Exhibition Debut

March 4, 2012 By Admin

manny ramirez 0 Manny Ramirez Goes 0 For 2 in Oakland Athletics Exhibition Debut

Oakland Athletics’ slugger Manny Ramirez had a less than stellar first day on the job.

009b06f38695de0d0d383c24bf894a9e Manny Ramirez Goes 0 For 2 in Oakland Athletics Exhibition Debut

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MLB: Manny reports to A’s camp, grateful for new start

February 25, 2012 By Admin

d71299a0b2af74e0ac2c6365fdc42311 MLB: Manny reports to A’s camp, grateful for new start
Designated hitter Manny Ramirez #24 of the Tampa Bay Rays bats against the Baltimore Orioles during the game at Tropicana Field on April 3, 2011 in St. Petersburg, Florida.
(April 2, 2011 – Photo by J. Meric/Getty Images North America)

PHOENIX (AP) — Manny Ramirez arrived at the Oakland Athletics training facility Friday to begin his return to baseball and said he was intent on demonstrating “I can still play.”

The A’s are hoping he can return to the level that made him one of the most feared hitters in baseball. Ramirez got off to a good start.

After taking batting practice, in which he hit seven home runs off A’s coach Mike Gallego, Ramirez addressed the media accompanied by his wife, Juliana, and two sons, Manny Jr. and Lucas.

“I was kind of nervous coming to the stadium,” Ramirez said. “I’m here because God brought me here. I know a lot of people are, ‘Oh, he’s not going to play anymore,’ but you know something? When God says that they’re going to open the door for you, no matter what anyone says, the door is going to open. That’s why I’m here.”

Juliana occasionally put her hand on Ramirez as he spoke about difficulties — he did not address specifics — he’s endured since telling Major League Baseball he was retiring a week into the 2011 season. He was arrested last September for allegedly hitting his wife during a domestic altercation.

“I made some mistakes and I want to show my children I can correct them,” Ramirez said. “I was about to lose my family. My wife brought me to church. She changed my environment and I found a lot of good people out there.”

The 12-time All-Star signed a minor league deal with the A’s on Monday that’s worth $500,000 if he’s added to the big league roster. He will be allowed to participate in spring training games and exhibition games scheduled in Japan, but must serve a 50-game suspension for his second positive drug test before he can play in the regular season for Oakland.

“Sometimes you don’t appreciate what you have until you lose it, and that’s what happened to me,” Ramirez said. “Now I appreciate my family more, my kids, the game. I’ve got a beautiful wife, I’ve got my kids, my family and I’m getting my career back. It’s been a blessing.”

Ramirez had retired from the Tampa Bay Rays last season rather than serve a 100-game suspension.

“I’m thankful that I have a job,” Ramirez said. “At least I can still play baseball in the minor leagues and work on things.”

Ramirez, the career leader in postseason home runs (29) and RBIs (78), said he has no expectations other than to show he can play.

A’s manager Bob Melvin said someone of his stature could influence the rest of the team.

“He can be a great example with his work ethic,” Melvin said. “We have some young kids and, who knows, maybe something will rub off.”

Ramirez is 14th on baseball’s all-time home run list with 555 and 18th on the all-time RBIs list with 1,831 and is a career .312 hitter.

“I think guys are excited to see what Manny Ramirez is all about,” Melvin said. “He said all the right things; that he was thankful to be here. He said `you will have no problems with me,’ and I appreciated that.”

Ramirez will wear the number 1 — as in a new start — because his first choice, 7, belonged to infielder Adam Rosales.

“God made the world in seven days,” Ramirez said. “And everything starts with one.”

There was a buzz in the A’s clubhouse the moment Ramirez walked in and sat in front of his locker. His new teammates warmed up to him quickly as introductions were made around the room.

Everybody stopped what they were doing to watch Ramirez take batting practice. Melvin was certainly impressed in the little he saw of it.

“I saw all I needed to see,” he said. “I saw the one ball he hit off the center field wall. He truly is one of those guys who has the mechanics of his swing right away. Rarely do you see him off balance.”

Notes: Brett Anderson and Dallas Braden, each coming off season-ending surgeries, threw side sessions, while tentative opening day starter Brandon McCarthy threw to hitters for the first time. “They both looked like regular pitchers instead of guys on rehab,” Melvin said. “McCarthy really went at it and he looks to be in midseason form.” … Ramirez was slotted into a hitting group that also includes former teammates Coco Crisp and Jonny Gomes. … RHP Ryan Cook continues to impress. “I look for him to compete for a spot in the bullpen,” Melvin said. “He has an exploding fastball and movement on top of that.”

MLB: Manny reports to A’s camp, grateful for new start is a post from: PhatzRadio.com

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MLB: Manny Ramirez signs minor league deal with A’s

February 21, 2012 By Admin

d71299a0b2af74e0ac2c6365fdc42311 MLB: Manny Ramirez signs minor league deal with A’s
Designated hitter Manny Ramirez #24 of the Tampa Bay Rays bats against the Baltimore Orioles during the game at Tropicana Field on April 3, 2011 in St. Petersburg, Florida.
(April 2, 2011 – Photo by J. Meric/Getty Images North America)

PHOENIX (AP) – Manny Ramirez found a taker in Oakland — at a bargain price.

The suspended slugger agreed on a minor league contract Monday with the Athletics that is worth approximately $500,000 if he’s added to the big league roster.

The A’s announced the deal and said Ramirez is expected to report to spring training by the end of the week, in time for Oakland’s first full-squad workout Saturday. He is a non-roster invitee.

The 12-time All-Star is due to serve a 50-game suspension for his second positive drug test before he can play for the A’s. Barring rainouts, his first game could be May 30 — on his 40th birthday. But that didn’t deter general manager Billy Beane and the Athletics.

“I am very pleased Billy was able to add Manny to our team,” owner Lew Wolff said in an e-mail. “I look forward to welcoming him and the entire team that Billy and his people have assembled for the coming season.”

ESPN first reported earlier in the day that the sides had reached an agreement, speaking directly to Ramirez.

The A’s made public their interest in the enigmatic outfielder, who had been working out in Florida this winter. Starving for offense, Oakland finished third in the AL West last season at 74-88 and ranked 12th out of 14 American League teams in runs.

For the small-budget A’s, Ramirez presents little financial risk. They don’t have to pay him during his suspension and will give him per diem money during the club’s spring training stint in Phoenix, which is shorter than usual because of two season-opening games in Japan next month.

Oakland sent representatives to Florida this winter to watch workouts by Ramirez, who retired from the Tampa Bay Rays last season rather than serve a 100-game suspension. For Ramirez, this could become a chance to help mend his reputation — at least a little bit — and serve as a positive clubhouse influence on a young team.

The A’s recently agreed to terms on a $36 million, four-year contract with highly regarded outfielder Yoenis Cespedes, a Cuban defector who has expressed interest in playing with Ramirez.

At baseball’s winter meetings in December, it was announced that Ramirez had applied for reinstatement. He had his suspension for a second failed drug test cut to 50 games because he sat out nearly all of last season. MLB had announced his retirement on April 8, saying he was notified “of an issue” under the drug program.

Ramirez ranks 14th on the career list with 555 home runs. He went 1-for-17 (.059) in five games last season for Tampa Bay, which had signed him to a one-year deal worth $2.02 million.

This would be the 20th major league season for Ramirez, a career .312 hitter with 1,831 RBI.

MLB: Manny Ramirez signs minor league deal with A’s is a post from: PhatzRadio.com

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Michael Vick Named America’s Most Disliked Athlete By Forbes Magazine

February 9, 2012 By Admin

09171032f1465de2060c0a0564ef9446 Michael Vick Named America’s Most Disliked Athlete By Forbes Magazine
Michael Vick (7) of the Philadelphia Eagles talks with head coach Andy Reid before the start of the Eagles game against the Washington Redskins at Lincoln Financial Field on January 1, 2012 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
(December 31, 2011 – Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images North America)

(PhatzRadio / SN) — America can be forgiving for many things, but animal cruelty apparently isn’t one of them. Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick remains the most hated athlete in America, according to an annual poll released yesterday by Forbes magazine.

Vick clocked in with an usually high awareness rate of 42 percent, meaning he’s well-known in America even among non-NFL fans.

“His awareness is up there with Peyton Manning, but a lot of it is people knowing him for the wrong reasons,” said Stephen Master, VP of Sports for Nielsen.

Other notable names toward the top of the most-disliked list included Kris Humphries, Tiger Woods, Alex Rodriguez and Kurt Busch. Mark McGwire, Randy Moss, Manny Ramirez and Ben Roethlisberger fell out of the dubious top 10.

One shocking 180 was that of the Detroit Lions’ Ndamukong Suh, who went from one of the NFL’s best-liked players to one of its worse in a matter of months. Suh’s reputation took a beating after a highly publicized stomping of a Green Bay Packer on national TV on Thankgiving.

Michael Vick Named America’s Most Disliked Athlete By Forbes Magazine is a post from: PhatzRadio.com

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