TBS.com still does not list playoff schedule

I noticed this because of Dave Kohl's comment.

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Despite glitzy $20 million spent by Teflon Don Bud Selig, Minor League teams got advance notice from drug testers

• The glittering Grand Ballroom deception last December was just that, of course:

NY Times: "In recent interviews with The New York Times, four minor league managers, two team trainers, one general manager and one clubhouse attendant said the manager or trainer for their club was called by a tester the day before drug testing was to be done at the ball park.

None of them said that they knew of any instances when players were told about the tests ahead of time.

• However, one Class A manager who said he received a call from a tester during the season, said that if he believed one of his players was "dirty”

• he would have been tempted to tell the player that a tester would be coming the next day and that he should try to flush any drugs out of his system.

• The manager said he believed there would be others who would be tempted to tip off suspect players and that the practice of advance notice had to be eliminated.

• The manager spoke on the condition of anonymity because he did not want to be identified as being critical of the drug-testing procedures.

Major League Baseball initially indicated it was not aware of the practice."...

• Who will insist that Bud Selig resign immediately? Or that George Mitchell return the $20 million? Answer: No one. (sm)

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Brian Cashman to renew for 3 years--Newsday

"Brian Cashman has agreed to return as the Yankees general manager on a three-year contract, Newsday has learned....

• ...The new contract will be for slightly more than Cashman had been making, putting it at in the ballpark of $2-million per year.

Neither Cashman nor Yankees co-chairman

• Hal Steinbrenner, with whom Cashman negotiated the deal,

could immediately be reached for comment. The two work closely together, and met at Yankee Stadium on Monday, and

• that relationship was a huge positive for Cashman in making up his mind.

• The Yankees are expected to make an official announcement this afternoon."...

(A change would have been good. My expectations remain in the basement). sm

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Meat rationing floated to help global warming/climate change

• For those who didn't make a killing in 'unregulated' mortgage markets, try unregulated global carbon 'credit' trading!

(Guardian.co.UK): "People will have to be rationed to four modest portions of meat and one litre of milk a week if the world is to avoid run-away climate change, a major new report warns.

• The report, by the Food Climate Research Network, based at the University of Surrey, also says total food consumption should be reduced,

• especially "low nutritional value" treats such as alcohol, sweets and chocolates."...

(MLB is a strong backer of global warming/climate change financial investment).

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Joba Chamberlain still has a bad shoulder

No surprise, another sign Yankees 2009 will be no different/better than 2008-the Chamberlain situation is going from bad to worse:

• (NY Post): "For the second time inside of two months, Joba Chamberlain Joba Chamberlain experienced discomfort in his valuable right shoulder Sunday at Fenway Park.

According to several people, Chamberlain said the shoulder was tight after

• exiting the first game of the doubleheader against the Red Sox when he walked Jason Bay and gave

• up a ground-rule double to Mark Kotsay in the eighth inning."...

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Imus Ranch Record tops charts in debut

(NY Daily News): "The Imus Ranch Record," which features an unlikely crew of artists singing mostly country-style songs, has become an unlikely hit.

• It debuted at No.59 on the Billboard album chart, which is impressive for a record that gets little radio promotion outside of Imus' own show, which is heard on WABC (770 AM) (in the new York market).

It hit No.1 on Amazon, where it's dueling with new CDs by two obscure bands called Coldplay and Metallica.

• Like the music on Imus' show, "The Ranch Record" stemmed

• 0% from research and 100% from what Imus likes,

which is Willie Nelson, Little Richard, Patti Loveless, Bekka Bramlett, Delbert McClinton, Lucinda Williams and others. The record is downright refreshing and just plain good. It's nice to see that can also sell."

• via RadioDailyNews.com

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British Candy maker Cadbury recalls Chinese made chocolates

• The Chinese 'market' isn't so great if you end up dead...

HONG KONG — "British candy maker Cadbury said Monday it is recalling 11 types of Chinese-made chocolates after tests found they contained the industrial chemical melamine....

• Four infants have died and some 54,000 have developed kidney stones or other illnesses after drinking...contaminated baby formula.

• Authorities say suppliers might have added melamine, which is rich in nitrogen, to watered-down milk to deceive quality tests for protein." via MichaelSavage.com

Which MLB players will risk their lives next shilling for this alleged 'market'?

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New York Sun to cease publication after tomorrow

Very sorry to see it go. Bloomberg statement in part:

• "In a City saturated with news coverage and commentary, The Sun shone brightly, though too briefly. Whether you agreed or disagreed with the Sun’s writers, they were smart, thoughtful, provocative – and sometimes even courageous."...
• Certainly Tim Marchman shone brightly. And their reporting on the United Nations. (sm) via Poynter.org/Romenesko

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Financial media accessories to expected Wall St. bailout winners

• (Why people go into such shady jobs--aiming to be influential via attachment to someone actually doing a particular job, then yakking about it -- is another question).

(Ad Age): "So while some lawmakers are arguing that if taxpayers are going to bail out Wall Street screw-ups, then we're entitled to a piece of any future profits -- it's only fair!

• -- well, maybe taxpayers should also get a cut of the key accessories to the crime:

• the financial media.

After all, if the big bailout is meant to prop up Wall Street firms that would otherwise go under, it stands to reason that

• the bailout will also prop up the financial media that

• are dependent on those firms

both for reportorial fodder and advertising support."...via Poynter.org/Romenesko

• (Reminded me of baseball media being accessories to whatever scams MLB comes up with and fans left holding the bag. Noted previously on this blog and by others) sm

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AL Cy Young Predictor-- 9/29/08

Bill James/Rob Neyer 2008 Cy Young Predictor - American League
RK	PLAYER	CYP	G	GS	IP	ER	K	SV	SHO	W-L	ERA	VB
1	Cliff Lee, Cle	203.1	31	31	223.1	63	170	0	2	22-3	2.54	0
2	Francisco Rodriguez, LAA	200.2	76	0	68.1	17	77	62	0	2-3	2.24	12
3	Roy Halladay, Tor	177.8	34	33	246.0	76	206	0	2	20-11	2.78	0
4	Mariano Rivera, NYY	157.8	64	0	70.2	11	77	39	0	6-5	1.40	0
5	Daisuke Matsuzaka, Bos	153.6	29	29	167.2	54	154	0	0	18-3	2.90	0

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'Mets Fans Should Embrace the Suffering'--Marchman

• Because it's not going to get any better as long as the Wilpons run the team:

(Marchman, NY Sun): "A year after their last great collapse, the Mets suffered another one because of

• specific mistakes that weren't the result just of bad judgment, but

• of a misguided philosophy, one that's been consistently held

• as long as the Wilpons have been involved with the team.

This philosophy holds that money can solve all ills, that a team with a few true stars doesn't need to worry overmuch about what

• happens at the margins of the roster, and that

• changes are made to punish past failures

• rather than to prevent future ones.

A team built along these principles can be good, and occasionally better than that, but it can

• never enjoy any kind of sustained dominance.

• And indeed the Mets haven't....

There's little reason to believe that the thinking...will change next year, or any time in the near future. There's thus little reason to believe that the Mets aren't going to squander the opportunity to build a perpetually dominant team around David Wright and Jose Reyes, who will likely become the two greatest everyday players in franchise history,

• or that they are going to do much more than roll out yet another edition of the

• same incomplete and half-baked bunch of mismatched and broken parts

• that's been taking the field in Queens since 2005....

Dour a conclusion as this may be to draw from the wretchedness of the last two weeks (or, for that matter, years), it does point to the one thing that Mets fans can do on their own,

• without waiting for the light to dawn on Wilpon and their capos:

• They can give up all hope.

A pessimist is never disappointed and is sometimes surprised. Only by abandoning all expectations, and admitting the certainty that however badly one might think the Mets can scotch something they'll not only find a way to do so worse, but also to do so more painfully, can

• the Mets fan align himself with the natural order."...

• (This is the approach I've tried to develop as a Yankee fan since the beginning of the 2007 off season. I've had a small amount of success,
• and hope to keep building on my pessimism
• which will continue for as many years as George Steinbrenner's sons run the team). sm

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Mussina wins 20th, 9/28/08 in Boston

Mike Mussina finishing a strike in the 6th inning of his 20th win, 9/28/08 in Boston. getty photo. Top photo by AP with Molina.

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Dustin Pedroia, AL MVP candidate, looks confused

• "(Mariano) Rivera, bum shoulder and all, came on to replace Marte (in the 8th inning in Boston) and
• struck out Pedroia, the MVP candidate." photo by getty

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Joe Girardi would like Andy Pettitte to return

In conversation today on Yankee radio, Suzyn Waldman said Joe Girardi has told Andy Pettitte he wants him back next year-another example of how radically the Yankee organization has changed since the 2007 off season.

• I'm pretty sure Joe Torre never publicly announced at the end of any season (even those in which he knew he'd be returning) to a player that he really wanted him back (it wouldn't have been the manager's call in those days),

and then conveyed this action to the general public, as was done today via Suzyn in Joe Girardi's case. It didn't sound like a statement made by Girardi in passing, but something more emphatic. Suzyn wouldn't have remarked on it in the former case.

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Luxury boxes will be tougher to sell--Newsday

(Newsday): "Clemson University economics professor Raymond Sauer, founder of the 3-year-old "Sports Economist" Web site...found "really stunning" last week's Forbes report that roughly a quarter of pro sports' sponsorship revenue -- about $10 billion annually -- comes from

• financial services companies, the

• same industry most troubled by the current economic chaos.

• The poster company of financial services involvement in sports is American International Group,

its $59-million deal with the English soccer power Manchester United the largest sponsorship contract on the books. With this month's unsettling

• U.S. government bailout of AIG, taking control of 80 percent of the company's stock, observers wonder whether the government will be looking for out-clauses before the AIG-Man U. contract expires in 2010.

"In the short term," Sauer said, "the money that teams thought they'd get won't be so lucrative. The PSLs [personal seat licenses] are going to be harder to sell because the corporate market will be impacted, and

• luxury boxes are going to be much tougher to sell.""

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"It was really Beckett's hip, not his back," Didn't want to make a big deal. 4/6/08

A Newsday article cites the Red Sox as exemplary in revealing player health status. Media coverage of this topic varies depending on the team and how teams themselves deal with information rightfully viewed as confidential. 2 recent examples show the Red Sox are not necessarily forthright about player health, but they do have a unified front office in this case. I mention these for historical reference.

• From this blog, the 2 references are 4/6/08 and 3/17/08

Sunday, April 06, 2008

"It was really Beckett's hip, not his back--Suzyn Waldman

• Suzyn mentions news about other teams during Yankee radio and noted item about Beckett briefly.

• That yesterday either Beckett or someone with the team let it be known his recent malady had been

• with his hip and not his back.

• Sterling said it's common in all sports for teams to keep their own counsel regarding player health, injuries, etc.

Suzyn concurred, saying

• the team didn't want people to make a big deal about it.

• They made no further comment on the subject."

posted by susan mullen at 4/06/2008 07:44:00 PM

• Another example of a team controlling (withholding) actual health of its players also by the Red Sox, posted here, 3/17/08, item from NY Times:

Monday, March 17, 2008

• Blackout on health conditions forced on players by owners (my headline)

(From the NY Times): "...Red Sox players have been instructed not to complain about jet lag."...

• From the NY Times article by Tyler Kepner, "Yanks Prevail in Spring Training Showdown," 3/18/08

Newsday Reference: "Terry Francona routinely tells the media pre-game which of his relievers are and aren't available, and somehow the Red Sox have managed to win two World Series under Francona's watch"

• (The Beckett back/hip issue was treated kindly in Red Sox friendly media outlets ESPN and Boston.com), where it was described--after the fact--and excused. The Red Sox kept the truth hidden, used a less catastrophic excuse before the fact, and were not said to be
• "liars."
• This kind of coverage is more likely when a front office has somewhat of a clue). sm

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ProJo Red Sox writer moving to Boston Herald/ESPN.com/WEEI

"Sources have confirmed to Shots that (Sean) McAdam has been looking for new employment after the ProJo (Providence Journal) squashed McAdam’s outside work at WEEI 850 AM and ESPN.com over the summer. At least one upper management ProJoer, Shots is told by industry sources,

• found fault in McAdam being on-air at WEEI during the afternoon drive on baseball’s trade deadline day. That person - not directly associated with the sports department - evidently had a problem with where McAdam’s allegiance lied and subsequently put the kibosh on McAdam’s outside gigs (the very same gigs that provided exposure for the buzzless, sagging Belo Corp. property).

(McAdam’s last ESPN.com column appeared in early August and that coincided with his last WEEI appearance. There has also been a dearth of McAdam at other outside media outlets in the area, although he did remain a guest at Comcast SportsNet.)

• In fact, the day after the trade deadline, an ESPN ticker item

• was giving credit to the ProJo (thanks to McAdam) for information about veteran players meeting with Sox management over the Manny situation. The amount of

• traffic that kind of mention (and others) can generate for a website is substantial. It’s the ProJo’s fault for not maximizing McAdam - not McAdam’s fault for earning
• some extra income
• the same way most of his competitors do....

The Herald, Shots has been informed, has no problem with McAdam’s WEEI work or his contributions to ESPN.com"....via Poynter.org/Romenesko

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Tampa Bay Rays champs of American League East

Congratulations to the Tampa Bay Rays, #1 in the AL East, ahead of Boston, New York, Toronto, and Baltimore. It seems to take quite a few moving parts to reach such a pinnacle.

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Robbie Cano plans on being in shape in 2009

Robinson Cano is saying he plans to come to spring training next year 'ready to go,' (rather than) 'to get in shape,' Suzyn Waldman notes on Yankee Radio. Suzyn isn't saying this to criticize him, but she has time to fill in the game and wanted to inject some optimism for next year. Cano's faulty character has been well documented, but isn't it possible the Yankee organization could put something in contracts about players arriving in shape? (Or, if such a clause already exists, enforce it?) Suzyn doesn't mention the World Baseball Classic which could be another diversion for Cano.

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Response to messages from commenter 'Mark'

A person using the name 'Mark' continues to leave comments here. For his reference, I do not read them.

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Brian Cashman chooses not to support Joe Girardi, forces him to apologize for nothing

On WFAN, Mike Francesa played audio of Joe Girardi apologizing to the media for telling a "lie" about Mariano Rivera's own feeling about his physical condition. Which of course was not a "lie." I think Girardi should resign over Cashman's failure to back him.

• This is yet another sign of weak or non-existent front office leadership in the organization.

Girardi said he made a mistake and will improve his performance next year. If what he did is a "lie," then every team "lies."

• Cashman embarrassed Girardi by forcing him to apologize to reporters. For doing nothing except protecting a confidentiality requested of him by a player--which every team does. In this case, it's meaningless since the season is over.

The Yankee organization, lacking character and leadership, makes it easier to prepare myself for many years of failure.

• What a bunch of losers.

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With Yankee season over, media makes story about selves

Since the Yankee season is essentially over, regular players not needed for 6 months, the media turns to what is really important.

• Itself.

In what's normally just common sense, Joe Girardi chooses not to engage in speculation about and/or private medical information of one of the Yankees own players. On its own payroll, who is not needed for 6 months (in this case Mo Rivera). In fact, Girardi has done such a good and normal job in this area that his behavior has been termed by the NY Times as either

• 'a lie' or

• 'negligent.'

It's not any reporter's business. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK, JOE! Lock them all out of the clubhouse.

• The biggest stories in MLB are outside locker rooms and clubhouses. (After all, Paul Byrd kept all his drugs in clubhouse refrigerators and you guys either never knew about it or kept it to yourselves).
• Further, any manager revealing medical information to media or opponents should in fact be fired. (sm)

Newsday account.

• AP not as concerned: "Rivera is 6-5 with a 1.43 ERA and 38 saves in 39 opportunities, but his injury

• became an afterthought after the Yankees were eliminated

• from playoff contention on Tuesday night." (end of article)

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Derek Jeter says: Roy Halladay is #1

On Yankee radio, Suzyn Waldman notes recent conversation with Jeter in which he relates his opinion that Roy Halladay is the best pitcher in the American League.

• More for the record: NY Times Bats Blog by Tyler Kepner on 7/12/08 quotes Jeter saying Halladay is "probably the best starter in baseball."

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Johnny Damon filling out application for 2009 World Baseball Classic!

Johnny Damon leaving the field, 2006 World Baseball Classic. Damon injured his shoulder at the 'Classic,' so his playing time was diminished. At the time of this photo, I believe he had been put in as a pinch runner, but the final USA batter hit into a double play. Reuters photo published in NY Times, 3/17/06. Posted on this blog at that time. NY Times account of Damon, 3/14/06. It was popular in those days to start certain baseball articles with the words 'George Steinbrenner,' which the referenced article did.

• In 2006 Damon was to start playing for the Yankees, but he chose to begin his season at the WBC. The NY Times noted he's applying for the 2009 team as well:

(NY Times, Inside Pitch, Kepner):.. "Johnny Damon filled out his application Wednesday for a spot on Team U.S.A. at the 2009 World Baseball Classic. Damon took part in 2006, going 1 for 7 in five games."

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10-state group meets today to force 'carbon offset' pyramid schemes

Lehman Brothers served as a model for global warming scams. Their London based carbon desk is now defunct. While a stammering billionaire, Hank Paulson, removes $1 trillion from the backs of wage slaves, the 'climate change' carbon offsets pyramids seek heights sub-prime mortgages only dreamed of. MLB of course has appropriated a portion of the fan dollar and experience into some of these feel-good scams (posted on this blog).

• (From The American Thinker): "Nonetheless, the (10 state) New York-based Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative launches today, striving to freeze CO2 emissions through 2014 and then gradually reduce them to 10 percent below current levels by 2018. How? By setting steadily declining annual caps on the tonnage of carbon a utility may legally exhaust into the atmosphere and
• forcing those that cannot comply to "purchase" allowances at auction from those that can. Auction proceeds will then, at least in theory, be invested in low-carbon energy solutions such as solar and wind, which would gradually replace fossil-based generators.

• Violators may also opt to pay off a portion of their carbon "debt" by purchasing
• approved offsets to mitigate their pollution, such as sequestration of carbon through afforestation or landfill methane capture and destruction.

These offsets are perhaps the most comical component of carbon mitigation, as calculating each value implies an understanding of the same chaotic climate feedback mechanisms that even the world's leading climate modelers have thus far found elusive...

• And even for those more fortunate, blackouts are becoming more prevalent as EU anti-pollution directives demanding one third of all electricity be generated from wind turbines and other renewables by 2020,

• corrupt carbon exchanges, and austere green taxes are destroying the country's ability to meet energy demands.

Eight of nine nuclear plants - which supply 20 percent of the country's electricity - are soon to be taken off line. And nine coal and oil-fired plants - contributing an additional 20 percent - are being decommissioned in favor of untried renewable sources such as wind and tide power.

• Add to this mess the fact that an uncertain green tax future is causing companies to flee the island in droves -- according to a September 4th IHT piece, "in the past week alone, three British companies have announced plans to move their head office abroad before the end of the year" --

• and reaction to the non-crisis threatens the country's very existence.

And all for naught -- while England met its Kyoto goals by 1998, emissions levels began to rise the very next year. And 2005's were the highest since the country signed the treaty in 1997. This reality has many environmental groups, including Greenpeace, fighting hard to force further hardships upon the already suffering country....

"...Why now?"...

• Evidence continues to mount that natural variations in climate dynamics -- particularly solar activity and sea surface temperatures --

are primarily if not wholly responsible for global temperature anomalies. In fact, the absence of warming since 1998 and the current atypically sustained period of dormant solar activity have

• many researchers predicting another minor ice age may be looming - or already upon us....

Meanwhile, the hysteria to blame and control manmade Carbon emissions is essentially born of 2 parents:

• Theoretical mathematical computer simulations, which attempt to predict the complex interactions of unlimited climate feedback factors (cloud formation, oceans, trees, polar ice cap reflection, convection, etc) which might magnify or dampen the greenhouse gas effect on Earth's temperatures. Even were all of the physics understood, anticipating all possible interactions is currently beyond our scope, which is why General Circulation Model predictions (sea level variance, temperature anomalies, sea ice extent, etc.) have consistently failed to match physical observations.

• A disproven millennial-scale record based on improper calculations and often erroneous climate proxies (the MBH98 reconstruction aka the "hockey stick graph") which diminished the extent of the "Little Ice Age" (1500-1850) and totally omitted the Medieval Warm Period (800-1300). Heavily relied upon by
• both the IPCC and opportunists the likes of Al Gore, it continues to be cited as proof of AGW. This despite intentionally misrepresenting late 20^th century warming as unprecedented and obscuring the undeniable correlation between the Maunder (Sunspot) Minimum and the Little Ice Age."...via Lucianne.com

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Chinese poison found in popular candy export--USA Today

(USA Today): "New Zealand says one of China's most popular candies — a kind frequently sold at Asian markets in the United States — contains dangerous levels of the industrial chemical melamine.

In an extension of the broadening scandal in China over contaminated milk, testing by the New Zealand Food Safety Authority found 180 parts per million of melamine in White Rabbit Creamy Candies....

No contaminated products have been found on U.S. store shelves, she says."...

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Suspicious hot dogs detonated at Phillies stadium

Citizens Bank ballpark was safely re-opened at 5:20 PM:

• PHILADELPHIA (CBS 3) ― "The discovery of several hot dogs in packages outside Citizens Bank Park brought the bomb squad out and forced the temporary evacuation of the stadium Wednesday evening....

Pattison Street between Darien and 11th Streets was shutdown as officials investigated the discovery of several suspicious packages near a ticket office.

• Fans inside the stadium were evacuated, but players remained on the field during the incident.

Bomb squad members further investigated the packages and determined they were simply several hot dogs in foil wrappers. Sadly, the wieners were detonated as a precaution.

• The stadium was reopened at about 5:20 p.m."...via Drudge Report

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Sorry, it was Andy's shoulder, not 'offseason distractions'

• Andy Pettitte had quietly referenced nagging physical problems for several weeks. Like other players, he's not calling up other teams to give details, but has been more honest than necessary. Today word he's shut down for the rest of the season and that he had an MRI 'earlier this month.' Sad news for perps of 'off season distractions' being the cause of too many hits allowed, etc.

9/24/08-TORONTO (AP) -- "New York Yankees pitcher Andy Pettitte is done for the season because of a sore left shoulder....Pettitte

• had an MRI exam on his shoulder earlier this month, revealing no major damage."...(Does this wording mean 'minor' damage is evident?)sm

Trying for one last flailing gasp, George Mitchell's business partner, the NY Times, seat #1 in the press box, sends to millions of eyes and minds around the world:

• (9/10/08, NY Times): "His distracted off-season, when he found himself embroiled in the Roger Clemens steroids saga,
• may
• be taking its toll on his stamina."

Sorry, it was his shoulder, not the so-called 'off season' distractions.

• P.S. George Mitchell's own organization, the Red Sox, made Clemens an offer of $18 million to join them in the 2007 season, reported 5/6/07 in the Boston Globe.

• Around that time (May, 2007), Clemens accepted the Yankee offer.

• 3 months later in August 2007, Mitchell had his first sit down

• with McNamee."

I just don't think today's baseball writers have chosen an honorable way to make a living. There are other choices.

• P.S. 9/28/08: It's reasonable surmise that Andy did not have the same amount of time to devote to his spring workout and his current shoulder problem may be due to less than usual physical preparation. That is logical.
• It is something different to reference Roger Clemens, steroids, and distractions. I posted several times on this blog the Yankee.com site--controlled by MLB.com--ran a steroids report video through the beginning of the regular season on the Yankee site. I checked numerous other sites, and none had this treatment by MLB--all the other team site videos talked about the new season.
• The point is, due to a weak Yankee front office, this 'offseason' subject continues to be been beaten into the ground as it can possibly relate to any Yankee. It's almost never mentioned about other teams where it easily could be. I've documented this countless times in case anyone is interested.

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In response to commenter "Mark"

On September 1st I wrote in response to commenter, "Mark." I'm re-posting my response to him, as I've received 2 more comments from him today:

• "I have received a comment to this post from a person who identifies himself as "Mark." In the past I've received other comments under the name of "Mark" and it's possible they are all from the same person. Initially, "Mark's" comments suggested he was a public media figure who's first name is in fact "Mark," but I haven't received a last name from him and haven't asked for one before. (At that time some months ago, I believe he responded to references I noted about him. It's unlikely a public media figure would have found this blog otherwise). I've decided to ask "Mark" to include his last name in his comments if he is in fact the same media figure who has apparently left comments here in the past. It helps to differentiate between an average non-professional using the name "Mark" and a professional media figure, this being a space where no money is involved. I use my real first and last name only because I decided at the beginning to try it this way. So I ask if you are a public media figure and choose to leave a comment here, positive or critical, please use your real first and last name. Thanks. Susan Mullen."

11:52 PM (9/1/08)

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Police officer cleared in taser case vs Red Sox fan at Trop

ST. PETERSBURG --9/23/08-"Police officer Pat McGovern violated no rules when his Taser appeared to touch the back of

• a Red Sox fan's head during a Sept. 17 scuffle with police and security officers

• at Tropicana Field, police said today.

Officers cannot intentionally aim or fire their Taser guns at the head, but spokesman Bill Proffitt said McGovern’s superiors decided he "unintentionally'' aimed it at Chris Sciesinski.

• Police say a drunk and disorderly Sciesinski tried to jump onto the field

• when he was tackled by security.

A St. Petersburg Times photo of the skirmish in earned him minor infamy.

• But police said more
• photos of the incident on tampabay.com
• show how much trouble officers had arresting an unruly Sciesinski."...

photo of Red Sox fan and Trop Security man, Tampa Tribune

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Poisonous Chinese ingredient implicated in Canada coffee recall

(Canada.com, The Province): "A Canadian importer of Taiwanese instant coffee has voluntarily recalled several of its products because they may be tainted with melamine.

• The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and importer Thai Indochine Trading Inc. Tuesday advised people not to consume the Mr. Brown 3-in-1 instant coffee products.

• The affected Mr. Brown products are Instant 3-in-1 Mandheling Blend, Blue Mountain Blend and Arabica Coffees....

This latest recall follows one that was announced by the inspection agency on Sunday of the Chinese-made Nissin Cha Cha Dessert...

• Melamine is rich in nitrogen and relatively cheap. Adding it to milk

• makes watered-down milk's protein level appear higher.

Standard quality tests estimate protein levels by measuring nitrogen content." via Free Republic

• (Noted in the article, melamine is the ingredient said to have caused the deaths of Chinese babies).

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Shock--World Baseball Classic forces spring training a week earlier

Nothing mentioned in the story about the increasing toll on American players asked or required to do more international travel with shorter off seasons. I suggest players put clauses in their contracts saying they won't do international travel. What happened to MLB's concern about man-made climate change and abuse of the planet caused by international air travel? Why is there nothing in this article questioning the actions of MLB?

• An estimated $100 million will be made by the WBC in 2009.

CBS Sportsline: "NEW YORK -- Spring training is expanding by nearly a week next year because of the World Baseball Classic. Players will start reporting to training camps on Feb. 14, under an agreement between the players' association and the commissioner's office. Exhibition games will start about Feb. 25....

• The mandatory reporting date for non-WBC players was moved up to Feb. 22 from March 5.

The second edition of the 16-nation tournament begins March 5, and first-round games are scheduled for

• Mexico City; San Juan, Puerto Rico; Tokyo; and Toronto.

Second-round games will be in Miami (March 14-18) and San Diego (March 15-19). Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles will host the semifinals (March 21-22) and championship (March 23).

• This year's tournament is projected to bring in about $100 million in revenue, an increase from
• $60 million three years ago."

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Babysitting over with in 2009--Jim Leyland

MLB.com: ""The days of the babysitting and the milking along, that's over with," Leyland said.

• "We're under fire because of the year we've had, and that's fine and dandy. I have absolutely no problem with that. But I can assure you this:

• The best guys will be pitching, and the best guys will be playing. And I don't care what the names are."

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'Media' threatens not to cover Palin! How about promising that?

Hopefully the same group will stop 'covering' everything else. From The Caucus NY Times blog:

• (Caucus blog): "Update | 12:17 p.m.: Word now is that a print reporter will be allowed in at the next two meetings. Stayed tuned for updates on all the handshakes and pleasantries…

• Update | 12:02 p.m.: The campaign is relenting and letting in
• the television producer, so the camera crew will be going as well.
• But print reporters are up in arms about being excluded.

Media Rebellion: Live from New York, it’s Gov. Sarah Palin’s top-secret foreign policy tutorial!

• Ms. Palin, the Republican vice-presidential nominee, is scheduled to meet Tuesday in New York with President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan, President Alvaro Uribe of Colombia, and former Secretary of State Henry A. Kissinger.

But the McCain-Palin campaign’s sharp limitations on coverage of the meetings have sparked a mini-revolt –

• and a threatened boycott — among the press corps."

A THREATENED BOYCOTT? How about promising that? Then it might be safe to leave the house in this country. (sm)

• (Caucus blog, NY Times): "The campaign plans to bar print reporters from the meetings, and to limit coverage to brief photo-ops for a still photographer and a television camera.
• The television stations, though, are objecting,
• noting that they have a policy of not sending cameras to cover events without
• a producer, who provided
• editorial guidance.

A stand-off has ensued, with the networks threatening not to send cameras. The newspapers are trying to get back into the act as well."

• Hooray! (sm)

(Caucus blog, NY Times): "It is not uncommon for meetings with world leaders to be pooled, but in the past the McCain campaign has at times allowed print reporters and televisions producers to look in and report any color – or exchange of pleasantries, usually banal – that occurs." via Poynter.org/Romenesko

• Pool coverage of news (including baseball news) is more than sufficient. (sm)

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Misinformation about the 2000 Yankees

A poster to Neil Best's Watchdog blog left an inaccurate comment about the 2000 Yankees and PED use. According to the Mitchell Report, only 1 name was mentioned in connection with that year, which was Clemens. My 2 attempts to politely reference this were not accepted for some reason, so I'm posting my comment here. To the poster who wants the 2000 trophy back, where do the players you misrepresented get their reputations back? What about players on other teams who used but weren't 'mentioned'? From Watchdog blog:

• "Posted by cmm | September 23, 2008 14:11

• Hey Hank--

• The 2000 Yankees finished with the 5th best record in the AL, behind CWS, OAK, SEA, and CLE. Between that and the fact that half the team was on PEDs, are you going to hand back that trophy?"

The comment I submitted (which wasn't accepted) would have been comment #17:

• "First comment is incorrect referencing the 2000 Yankees. If you're going by the Mitchell Report, only 1 name was mentioned for anything during the 2000 season while a Yankee which was Clemens. Everyone is free to look up what is said about each name in the report. (I list links with detailed references at the end of this post),

Media have freely portrayed inaccurate information about the team knowing few people will go to the trouble of looking it up. The name David Justice was mentioned for the year 2000 but the mention was for something after the 2000 World Series, there was no evidence of it, no canceled check (customary at the time), and has been denied by Justice.

• Knoblauch was never mentioned for use in 2000, was mentioned for 2001. Evidence against GlenAllen Hill is in the form of a check in March 2001 at which point he was not on the Yankees. I've looked up every name and searched for other references, and still it's only Clemens.

George Mitchell's own organization, the Red Sox, made Clemens an offer of $18 million to join them in the 2007 season, reported in 5/6/07 in the Boston Globe. Around that time, Clemens accepted the Yankee offer. 3 months later in August 2007, Mitchell had his first sit down with McNamee."

Posted by: susan mullen | September 23, 2008 5:08 PM

• My previous posts on this topic:

• 12/22/07

• 12/23/07

• 1/15/08

• 2/10/08

• 2/15/08

• 3/8/08

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Baseball beat football, Last Game at Yankee Stadium--Neil Best

On the YES Network, "The 2½-hour pregame drew a hefty average of 5.3 percent of area households.

• The game itself averaged 10.2 percent of area homes on ESPN
• against tough competition,

• including the Cowboys-Packers game, which averaged 8.1 in New York.

• (In major markets, football whipped baseball nationally, 14.4 to 2.6.)"...

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TV booth happenings at the last game-NY Times

You never know what Yogi will say. From NY Times Richard Sandomir:

• "Jon Miller and Joe Morgan asked softball questions of the old teammates, but they were incapable of giving the expected answers. When asked if (Whitey) Ford was the best pitcher in Yankees history,
• Berra said, “Not bad.”"...

On Michael Kay's appearance in the ESPN tv booth:

• "ESPN generously invited Michael Kay, the YES broadcaster, to call part of the game, recalling the moribund

• tradition of home-team voices joining World Series crews.

• Kay is an ESPN Radio host,

and he and John Sterling read the pregame introductions"...

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Silent, compliant baseball media enable Bud Selig

The last game at Yankee Stadium was unavailable to those who can't afford cable TV and to many children. Bud Selig is one reason it happened, but he had his usual enablers:

• the 'silent, compliant' baseball media (many of whom get checks from ESPN or hope to):

(NY Post, Mushnick): "THAT the New York sports and news media would quietly allow the last game in Yankee Stadium to be a late start on a Sunday night, that Bud Selig was not shamed for trading common decency and common sense for TV money, is pathetic.

• And that's the kind of compliant silence media capitulation -

• that emboldens MLB for its next TV money-first act. Of course,

• the silence of those who get a second paycheck from ESPN or ESPN Radio
• was guaranteed.

No New Yorker, over the age of 8, should have been deprived of watching the last game played and the last out made at Yankee Stadium.

• The House That Ruth Built is now the House That Greed Closed."

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Next year is already over for the Yankees--NY Sun

(Tim Marchman): "Earlier this year, at the height of their power, before the slow decline of age and injury had fully set in, the Yankees were valued by Forbes magazine at $1.3 billion, on the back of an estimated 2007 revenue of $327 million....which is another way of saying that for all the attention they draw as the richest team in the richest city in the richest nation in the world, the Yankees are —

• judged in the fair scope of things —

• barely a going concern....

Next year, the Yankees, having endured the nearly catastrophic collapse that they've been warned of for years, will be younger, less well paid, chastened,

• and likely worse than they were even this year.

But they'll be better positioned for the long run. They may succeed, and they may well fail, but they'll be within their means, and built on a more solid foundation than they have been for years. Whatever the end of their old park and the rise of their new one might represent, with any luck, it will point up how even the barely going concerns can show the way for the great ones. At their best, that's what the Yankees have done. One can hope they'll do so again."

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Willie Randolph slides safely into 2nd, last night at Yankee Stadium

• World Series winner, Willie Randolph. getty photo

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Last game at Yankee Stadium, victory lap and final out

• Top, last game, victory lap, photo Newsday
• Bottom, last game, last out, Brian Roberts, Mariano Rivera, Cody Ransom, getty photo

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Bernie Williams to be on with Francesa in 4pm hour

Mike said Bernie Williams will be on WFAN with him at the beginning of the 4pm hour.

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These 4 Built the new house

These 4 built the new house across the street. newsday photo

• (Posada, Rivera, Jeter, and Pettitte)

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Richard Gere on field Last Yankee Game BP

• photo by Newsday

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Bob Ryan speaks the truth

"Modern sports economics have no interest - absolutely none - in the common man.

• You do not matter."...

Bob noting the main object of a new Yankee Stadium is to attract luxury suite customers. via BTF

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History redefined by ESPN: missing highlights of 2003 ALCS Game 7, Red Sox-Yankees

The game was condensed to 1 hour on ESPN Classic and showed their orientation: excessive time spent on Roger Clemens (their obsession since day 1), lingering on his face when nothing was happening, and staying with him for an extremely long, slow walk off the field. At the very end of the hour with seconds left, ESPN chose to go to their booth guys for some garbage time, chit chatting, then went to Aaron Boone's at bat. They spent a lot of time on Boone's reaction after the game, which was mainly that he was speechless. History has been redefined by ESPN accordingly. (Even MLB.com wrote at the time that the use of Mariano Rivera was key to the win).*

• Not 1 pitch was shown of Mariano Rivera's historic 3 scoreless innings in a tie game, 9th, 10th and 11th. (He was also the winning pitcher of the game).

• On the 2 occasions Rivera was shown to be at the stadium, once in the bullpen and once in the dugout, the camera shot was 1 second or less.

• Also erased from history by ESPN, (what actually happened after the game while Aaron Boone was saying nothing) the sight of Rivera boosted to the shoulders of his teammates, being carried across the field. Rivera was named MVP of the ALCS.

How fun it must be to edit history at will and without fear. After all, Bill Plaschke even said closers will never pitch 3 scoreless innings. The media drive works--Mo almost doesn't exist.

• *On 10/17/03, even MLB.com thought Rivera was the key to the win:

*(MLB.com): NEW YORK -- "It was an American League Championship Series that had classic written all over it before it began. By the end, it had rewritten the definition of classic...

• If the outcome of the deciding Game 7 can be boiled down to one thing,

• it was that the Yankees succeeded in going deep into the well of

• their best pitcher -- closer Mariano Rivera --

• and the Red Sox went too deep into the well of their best pitcher -- Pedro Martinez....

Yankees manager Joe Torre, meanwhile, went deeper into the well of Rivera's considerable talent as a closer than ever before, and it paid off to the tune of

• one of the most amazing non-save situations in postseason history.

• It was the shining moment for

• the very best October closer in history -- three innings of masterful work well worthy of
• his MVP status....

When the Yankees took two of three at Fenway Park with two games in Yankee Stadium, the Yankees had the Red Sox by the proverbial throat. They let the Sox slip out of the stranglehold, but once they got back to even,

• they went to the man who could put the grip on the game like no other.

• And the Yankees didn't let go, thanks to Rivera and a little magic

• from Boone at the end.

Classic."

• Suggestion: If you're interested in accuracy, do not patronize ESPN advertisers. Never mind--passivity is the order and disease of the day:

• "But this awful corrosive passivity is far more pervasive, and, unlike the psycho killer,
• is an existential threat to a functioning society." (Mark Steyn, 4/18/07).

Example of rationale put forth by ESPN/MLB minimizing Rivera, as expressed by opinion leader Buck Martinez, 10/08/07:

• Buck Martinez comment on Trevor Hoffman on WFAN

• "Let me say this about Trevor Hoffman.
• Hitters are more tired in October which is why Mo does better
• than Hoffman would."

Buck actually says nothing about Hoffman. All he does is knock Mariano Rivera, with the incredible statement that "hitters are more tired in October."

• (Mike and Chris on WFAN did not question Martinez on his assertion exemplifying today's passive culture).

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Overheard on Dodger radio

'Mannnnn-y Mannn-y Mannnn-eee' after his second homerun of the night v San Francisco Giants, 5 RBI's so far, and he gives the crowd a curtain call. Rick Monday marvels at his bat speed.

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Pettitte, Jeter, Rivera 'remember weeknights with fewer than 20,000 in the stands'--Hartford Courant

"This might be everyone's last chance to breathe the air in a Yankee world that

• was mostly about the baseball.

• Under the normal, baseball-specific philosophy, this would be a good time for the Yankees to start over, let the old players go and eschew big spending on free agents until enough young players are developed.

• The last time the Yankees were this bad, in the early 1990s,

• they were able to do that, getting by on 1.7 or 1.8 million in attendance at prices ($10.54 for the average ticket)

that sound today like something out of the Great Depression.

• Pettitte, Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera go back far enough to remember weeknights with

• fewer than 20,000 in the stands."...

If you call the current Yankee Stadium 'The House that Ruth Built,' there can be no question that the down payment on the new stadium was paid for by the 13 year excellence of these 3 players: Pettitte, Jeter, and Rivera. (sm)

• From Newsday: "The stands used to be half-empty when he (Derek Jeter) broke in 13 years ago

• and now they are packed every day."...

There is no evidence of a 'show' filling the stands. What filled the stands was the team going to the post season for 13 consecutive years. There is only one player on the team today who was in all 13 of those post seasons, equivalent to another year and a half of regular season performance, Mariano Rivera.

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Radio host responds to wealthy superiors at Media Matters

"Responding to a Media Matters item, Chris Baker said: "Media Matters people can kiss my supple buttocks. What I say is what I say, and if they don't like it,

• instead of hiding like a bunch of commie girls, they can challenge me if they like.""

Chris Baker is a host on KTLK FM, 100.3 in Minneapolis. 'Media Matters' is a well funded tax exempt rapid response group especially engrossed with words spoken on radio that don't meet its political criteria. Via Radio Daily News.

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Good news--writers to lose regal perk at new Yankee Stadium

From the NY Times in an article describing the current Yankee Stadium:

• "The beat writers park in the same lot as the players, a perk

• that will disappear next season."

(Hopefully more perks will be removed as time goes on. If media exists at all it should be forced to relate more to its audience and less to the celebrities it covers. There is more news outside the locker room anyway). sm

• P.S. Seating chart in press room: "The (NY) Times’s seat in the press box — Row 1, Seat 1"...
• Details of media hierarchy are fascinating.

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Heard on Tampa Rays radio

Rays' radio notes, "With today's win by the Rays, the Yankees are eliminated

• from the playoffs."

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Sign says: 'Mo-Town'

Fans hold sign feting Mariano Rivera in the 9th inning, Orioles-Yanks, 9/20/08. photo by Newsday

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Paul Simon, Joe DiMaggio, and Phil Rizzuto

Paul Simon recollects the unveiling of Joe DiMaggio's monument at Yankee Stadium:

• (NY Times): "After the ceremonies we were invited up to the Steinbrenner suite.
• I sat at a table with Phil Rizzuto, who introduced me to his wife, Cora. This was becoming a Yankee-dream-come-true afternoon. After an appropriate amount of time, I thought I ought (to) leave, but Rizzuto said:

• “You can’t leave yet. You didn’t eat any of Steinbrenner’s chicken.”

I said I had to pick up my son at a birthday party and, besides, I was a vegetarian.

• “A vegetarian?” Rizzuto said. “A vegetarian.

• Holy Cow!""

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Mo's high wire acts not yet old hat to Pudge

After 3-2 win over Orioles, 9/19/08 getty photo

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Instant Replay used in Twins-Rays game

The FSN Florida cameras clearly showed a fan had not interfered with a ball in play. About 4 minutes later, the umpires agreed. Carlos Pena ended up with a homerun instead of a ground rule double.

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Communist China knew about poison milk before Olympics but kept silent

"China's Food Chain Now at Risk:" "Ms Tian reported the contamination to the Government of Shijiazhuang, the capital of Hebei, with 9 million people,

• at the time the Olympic torch relay arrived there.

• But the Government did not respond, said Ms Wu,

• "because it wanted to ensure that, in its own words, the torch came first, nothing else mattered".

"Even though Sanlu's foreign partner (New Zealand's Fonterra) also warned,

• everyone was so weak and powerless in the face of

• the Olympics.""...

But keep sending our best baseball players over there. A centralized and censored information structure works wonders. (sm)

• via Lucianne.com

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Dave Anderson today with Charley Steiner on XM

Dave Anderson said on XM's Baseball Beat today: "(Joe) Torre had 12 years of a team in perfect health."

• He gave one item to back this up, saying every time he wrote the lineup card he could write down Derek Jeter.

Charley Steiner and Mr. Anderson had been discussing whether Joe Torre could have done any better with the Yankees this year. He said it's possible but not certain and stated the above about Torre's previous success with the Yankees.

• Dave Anderson is the long-time NY Times sports columnist. (Steiner did not take issue with his statement).

Jeter of course had his shoulder dislocated on the first day of the 2003 season and was out 6 weeks. During another season he had an abdominal strain and was out at least 10 days. He is reported to have frequently played while injured. When seasons involve deadlocked or come from behind pennant races, a fan tends to remember these things more.

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ESPN plans understated approach to Mariano Rivera's last 9th inning at Yankee Stadium

From Neil Best, Newsday quoting ESPN VP Event Production Tim Scanlan about the last game at Yankee Stadium:

• "Said Scanlan: "We believe as we get to that ninth inning

• it's really about the Stadium and the teams on the field. We will have

• an understated approach to

• that whole ninth inning.""

Yankee fans should expect this. In the All Star game televised by Fox at the stadium this year, they went to commercial right as the bullpen door opened for Mariano. Why not? Who in the Yankee organization is anyone afraid of? Prepare for Mo's last entrance to be erased from history and for cutaways and interruptions during his time on the mound. (sm)

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The media is the message--they said so in Time Magazine.

From Time Magazine on how traditional media arrange for a passive and befuddled public to think the way they want you to. The writer (a managing editor) references how news gets to be news in political campaigns--they decide (similar to what ESPN sees as its role--they decide what is sports news). Everything in the paragraph is wrong (especially about "their polls" which are easy to manipulate for a desired result). The pomposity is worse than I could've imagined.

• (Time.com): "These days, the press can't help being a player in the presidential campaign. We're the moderator--for better or for worse."

(If you have any role, it is self appointed and imaginary).

• (Time.com): "The candidates talk to the public through the media,"

(Not true. Just give the candidates a microphone and let them talk to the public).

• (Time.com): "and the public talks to the candidates through our polls."

(Polls are easy to manipulate in numerous ways-first on the subject matter, second on what questions, third on their wording, fourth on the respondents you choose, etc.)

• (Time.com): "The 24/7 news cycle--cable television, the Internet, the blogosphere--has the effect of trivializing big stories

• and making big stories out of trivial ones.

• It's disingenuous to say we're just the messenger,

• because we're often the message too."

Time Magazine says they are the message. This is what they think.

• via Lucianne.com

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