Beautiful by the Bay

From 3000 miles east of San Francisco, I'd like to offer congratulations to Jonathan Sanchez of San Francisco, who threw a no-hitter tonight with his father in the stands.


Baseball is a beautiful thing.

News N' Notes

So, for the record, I love Fridays. Today in particular.

Anyway, in case you've missed it, some news and notes from around the league:

Radomski avoids prison time. Moral of the story: It's okay to commit crime, as long as you rat out your accomplices, especially if your accomplices are from New York. Sam Waterson's Law and Order universe, this is not.


Santana would get to choose whether or not to exercise 2014 option. Isn't this a fancy way of saying that Santana's now got an opt-out clause? Have the Mets learned nothing re: A-Rod? I mean, I know Santana's agent is not Boras, but still, that can't be the smartest move the Mets have ever made.


Curt Schilling has shoulder injury and disagrees with team over surgery/no surgery. All that blogging must have taken a toll. Guess it's on the list of verboten off-season activities such as motorcycle riding and pick up basketball...


FIVE days to go.

It's a Small League After All...

Not much new in Yankee land, so some news stories around the league you may have missed...

Dan Haren to 'Zona. The price for Arizona? Most of its present and future farm system. Remember when the Yankees used to think that was a good idea? Yea? Well, I'm glad the Yanks don't any more.

Jim Edmonds to Padres. Remember when this guy was good?


Phillies interested in Mike Cameron Wow, the center field market must be really thin...




SPORTSTALKNY moves back to its regular timeslot this week at 9 PM on Wednesday. Our guests are Ed Willes, author of The Rebel League, and former major league pitcher and coach Mark Littell, also the inventor of the 'nutty buddy'.

Tune in, turn on, have fun.

This is Where it gets Interesting...

Heh.

If fate didn't love irony so much, I'd have my last final today, and not tomorrow evening, when the Mitchell Report is released.

Oh joy.


Mitchell has planned a news conference for tomorrow (no time is given, so I hope it's in 'early afternoon' territory), and then the report will be released online on MLB.com afterwards.

I've already told you where I stand on this--Mitchell might be one of the most honest senators in government (and, by his track record, it looks like that), but Selig and MLB erred when they chose someone who is part of the front office for the Boston Red Sox. I am not saying this because I am a Yankee fan; the same conflict would exist if he was in a similar position with the Dodgers, Giants, Marlins, Cubs, Rangers...and yes, even Yankees.

Mitchell might be an honest man and the names in the report balanced among the 30 teams, but it's the concept of appointing him as head of the commission that is at fault.

If current or ex-Yankees are named at a greater rate than Red Sox, expect to hear considerable outcry. I would expect at least one former or current Red Sox athlete to be named; Mitchell will be crucified otherwise.



In other news, the Yankees are working on signing Robinson Canó and Chien Ming Wang; according to Pete Abraham, Wang would prefer a multi-year deal, but the Yankees are hesitant to do so.

Hopefully, the situation gets resolved before it gets nasty.

Andy Pettitte's deal has been finalized, which leaves A-Rod, Mo and new acquisition LaTroy Hawkins to be finalized.



Have to get some going-home preparations taken care of today; the SportstalkNY webcast will air Thursday evening this week. If you get a chance, click the link and look at the guest list...

What with the Shenanigans and the Going Ons...

First things first, since enough of you are asking:

I had two finals yesterday. I thought the first one would be easy and the second would be hard, so, of course, the first one was hard and the second one was easy. I know a lot more about Aerica and World War Two than I realized I did, and it came in very, very handy.

Anyway.

There is (for once, and maybe the only time this winter) not a whole heaping of news concerning the Yankees, but that does not mean there isn't news elsewhere. So, in case you haven't been paying too much attention, here are some of the bigger stories around the league:

Kosuke Fukudome to come Stateside. Fukudome is regarded as one of the best Japanese outfielders; interested teams include the Padres, White Sox and Chicago Cubs.

I'm not sure, but I believe the correct pronunciation of his surname would be something like 'Foo-koo-doh-may'. However, I've never studied Japanese, so I might not to be the one whose advice you take.


Paul Lo Duca agrees to one-year deal with Nationals. This now means that the Nats have taken Milledge, Lo Duca and Clippard, all from New York. It will...uh...be interesting to see how these moves pan out, especially the Milledge one, considering the Nats got him for almost nothing.


Gagné and Brewers finalize one-year $10 million contract. Well, if you honestly thought Gagné would stay in Boston after the disaster of last August and September...

At least, in the National League, Gagné will only see his old team either during interleague play or the World Series. It'll probably do him some good to be away from Boston.

Rangers set to add Bradley to line-up. Bradley, if you forgot, was the dude whose season came to an end last year after a rather interesting confrontation with an umpire...



The big news we are a-waiting is, of course, the release of the Mitchell Report, possibly Thursday. I am singularly amazed it hasn't already been linked.

All About Barry (Again)

It's generally a bad idea to make posts about things that are highly emotional right after you find out about it--so that's why my Bonds post last afternoon was so short.

So I've had a day to think about it.

There is, of course, a lot you could say about the indictment. You can argue that 'okay, finally something is being done about steroids" or that "Why did they wait until now", or even "they're only going after Barry because he's Barry."

Truth is, it's a bit of everything.

Steroids are a real problem. They are a big problem. Barry Bonds is an easy target. Barry Bonds is a good target. The government has proof that Bonds did use steroids.

There is no question that this has suddenly become the biggest story of the off season (and not A-Rod...wow, I almost feel bad for Scott Boras. Almost.) and that it could, if it goes to trial and Bonds is proven guilty, be something that shakes the sport for a long time to come.


However, Barry Bonds is not Micheal Vick. Bonds did not harm another human being, did not desecrate property, did not harm animals, did not cause tangible damage. It is important to remember this when weighing whether or not Bonds deserves to be criminally prosecuted. Remember that Bill Clinton perjured himself while President, and simply ended up impeached, not incarcerated.

What Barry Bonds did do, however, is hurt an idea, and perhaps an ideal. He hurt the idea that men could do truly great feats, like hit 756 home runs, on nothing more than talent and honed skill. He hurt the idea that it was possible to have heroes that were human doing things that were not human. He hurt the idea that the home run record was sacred, that only someone touched by divine grace such as Hank Aaron could touch it.

So what should happen to Bonds?

Well, it seems the worst has happened. Before 2000, Bonds would easily be a shoo-in for the Hall of Fame. Now, despite the record, he will probably end up in the limb of Mark McGuire, Pete Rose and those others who let things slightly less than legal, slightly hubraic (I just invented a word!) overwhelm their on-field accomplishments.

Bonds will never be able to fully separate or exonerate himself from the steroid allegations. He has become a symbol, a caricature of everything we see wrong with baseball today.

Perhaps, in some sense, that is punishment enough.

Bonds Might Need THAT Sort of Bond

Well, free wireless at the airport has many uses. Such as, I can now tell you all that according to the Enterprise-Record,

Barry Bonds has been indicted on perjury and obstruction charges

I could go on about how this has completely made my day, if not my week, but I have a feeling that would be juvenile.

Seriously, though, this is one crazy off season. Wow. Battery dying, must go.