Red Sox Looking At Tino For Hitting Coach Job

I think I speak for every Yankee fan out there when I say don't do it, Tino.

Bartolo Colon Suspended For PEDs

Here's the latest from the athletes are morons department via the AP:

Former Cy Young Award winner Bartolo Colon of the Oakland Athletics was suspended for 50 games Wednesday after testing positive for testosterone.

...

"I apologize to the fans, to my teammates and to the Oakland A's," Colon said in a statement released by the players' association. "I accept responsibility for my actions and I will serve my suspension as required by the joint drug program."

He will miss the final 40 games of the regular season and the first 10 games of the postseason if Oakland advances that far. Any remainder of the suspension would be served in a future season, if Colon signs another major league contract.

"It's a shock," Oakland reliever Grant Balfour said. "He's a guy that we're definitely relying on right now. I guess you could say it's bad timing any time, but especially now."

Oakland, which hasn't made the playoffs since 2006, began Wednesday a half-game out in the AL wild-card race. The A's were preparing for an afternoon series finale with the Minnesota Twins at the Coliseum when they got the news from the clubhouse TVs. A closed-door team meeting was quickly called.

"The Oakland Athletics are disappointed to learn of today's suspension," the team said in a statement.

The 39-year-old Colon is 10-9 with a 3.43 ERA in 24 starts this season, his first with the A's, and has a 171-122 record in 15 big league seasons. He was due to start Thursday in Tampa.

Seriously, what the **** is wrong with these guys?

Melky Cabrera Tests Positive For PEDs, Suspended 50 Games

Here's a quote from the Melky:

"My positive test was the result of my use of a substance I should not have used ... I am deeply sorry for my mistake."

Thanks for stating the obvious, you cheater. Anyone who watched him as a Yankee should have known something was a little fishy by his numbers this year.

Clemens Trial: Not Guilty On All Counts

From The Associated Press:

Roger Clemens has been acquitted on all charges by a jury that decided he didn't lie to Congress when he denied using performance-enhancing drugs.

Jurors returned their verdict Monday after close to 10 hours of deliberation. The outcome brings an end to a 10-week trial that capped an expensive, five-year investigation into one of the greatest pitchers in the history of baseball.

The 49-year-old Clemens was accused of perjury, making false statements and obstructing Congress when he testified at a deposition and at a nationally-televised hearing in February 2008. The charges centered on his repeated denials that he used steroids and human growth hormone during his 24-year career.

The verdict is the latest blow to the government's pursuit of athletes accused of drug use.

And the United States Justice system continues to be an embarrassment to all citizens of this great nation. Clemens cheated, he knew he cheated, and he lied about it to Congress. Somehow the painfully obvious was lost on these 12 idiots.

"Hey Rusty, I can't believe they bought it."

Burnett Says He Regrets Not Pitching Well With Yanks

From WCBS:

“I can’t even imagine what that place (Yankee Stadium) would have sounded like over there,” Burnett said before his Pirates lost to the Mets on Tuesday. “And there was maybe like two words that came out of the crowd here.”

Burnett eventually settled down and got the win, allowing just three hits and two walks over seven innings pitched. It was a stark difference for the right-hander, who was known for his puzzling mid-game meltdowns while with the Yankees.

“I guess that’s why CC (Sabathia) is so good, because he could care less,” said Burnett. “He just pitches. Obviously, (Yankees fans) love him because he’s dominant, but I don’t think it would matter either way.

“I maybe went out there and tried to overdo it.”

...

“I had my good times there,” said Burnett. “I don’t regret it at all. I don’t. I regret not performing better.”

Burnett also sounded optimistic about the Yankees chances going forward, saying he's "sure they’ll do fine once they put it together”. Amazingly, that's a hell of a lot more optimistic than I am.

Repeat After Me "Giambi Wasn't a Bust"

Jason Giambi has not been a New York Yankee since 2008 & ever since his last appearance; the masses have only been saying one thing about him.  Bust.  That could not be further from the truth.  Did he live up to the contract that was awarded to him based on his previous three seasons in Oakland beforehand?  Definitely not.  The Yankees thought that they were getting a high average offensive threat that was going to hit close to 40 bombs a year.

That version of Giambi was alive & well during the first year of his contract but that was the only year we would see it.  Having said that, it doesn’t make the guy a bust by any stretch of the imagination when you look at his offensive output for the rest of his Yankee career.  In 2004 and 2007, the guy wasn’t healthy and the numbers represent that. 

>He was no longer a high average hitter but Batting Average, while important, is not the be all and end all for batting statistics.  Personally, I am more interested in a player’s On-Base Percentage.  The lowest OBP that Giambi put up during his healthy Yankee seasons was in 2008, when his was .373.  To go with that, he was sporting an .876 OPS.  Power-wise, that may not be what the Yankees signed up for on December 13, 2001.  However, that is still an immensely effective Major League hitter, and that is in the final year of his contract.  During the course of the contract, he would put up OBP’s of .435, .412, .342 (injury shortened year), .440, .413, .356 (injury shortened year), and .373.  Except for a respectable .271 batting average in 2005 and his monster year in 2002, the average was always relatively low. 

When you look at the On-Base Percentages and his power output throughout his Yankee days, you cannot possibly call him a bust.  The inevitable comparisons have already begun and those are between the Giambino and Mark Teixeira.  Frustrated fans over the past three years have seen Mark go from all-around offensive threat to a more one dimensional homerun hitter.  They have said things like “Great, he’s turning into Giambi.”  Now, Teixeira has plenty of time to return to his 2009 form but comparing him to Giambi as if that is a bad thing, is an insult to Giambi. 

In 2009, Tex put up an On-Base Percentage of .383, which is fantastic and pretty much on par with what he has done throughout his career.  But we’re not comparing their careers as a whole; we are talking about what they have done as members of the New York Yankees.  Now, thus far .383 is Tex’s peak (for now).  By comparison, Giambi’s peak OBP with the Yankees is .440.  I mentioned what his lowest OBP was earlier in the article, and that is merely ten points lower than Teixeira’s highest.  Yet, people are calling Giambi a bust?  If he’s a bust, what does that say about Mark Teixeira? 

Before you begin with the baseless insults that make absolutely no sense, I am not calling Teixeira (I hate spelling this name) a bust.  I am simply putting out there that if this trend continues, those screaming about Tex “turning into Giambi” offensively would only be so lucky.  Those people that look only at Batting Average need to check the rest of Giambi’s baseball card because he was an offensive beast as a Yankee.  Worth the salary?  Nope, but then, who is?  Bust? Not even remotely close…now I want all of you to repeat that until it finally sinks in.

Twitter: @trevwolff

Yanks Release Jorge Vazquez

Brien Taylor Arrested For Cocaine Trafficking

From John Swartz:

Taylor, 40, was arrested Thursday in Beaufort and now faces a host of cocaine charges after a joint effort between the Carteret County Sheriff's Office and the Morehead City Police Department. Investigators said they bought "a large quantity of cocaine and crack cocaine from Taylor over a period of several months."

The former No. 1 selection in the Major League Baseball draft now faces a slew of charges involving the possession of and the intent to sell and distribute cocaine.

Taylor was placed in the Carteret County Jail under a $275,000 bond and is scheduled for a court appearance Friday morning.

It's amazing how the guy's life changed after that incredibly stupid bar fight. A sad story gets even sadder.

Welcome to the NL, AJ

From the AP:

Pirates pitcher A.J. Burnett will undergo surgery on Friday to repair a fractured right orbital bone.

The right-hander injured himself Wednesday at the team's spring training facilities in Bradenton, Fla., after a bunt attempt caromed off his face. He flew to Pittsburgh late Wednesday to be further evaluated.

There is no immediate timetable for Burnett's return.

To make matters worse, one of the reasons he wanted to go back to the NL was so that he could hit again. Like they say, be careful what you wish for.

Thanks to Robot Devil for pointing out that there was video of the incident:

Excuses From AJ

From Kevin Kernan:

No more excuses for A.J. Burnett and no more Yankee thoughts.

Burnett the Pirate took some blame for his failures with the Yankees yesterday at Pirate City, but also said he may have let too many people in pinstripes mess with his mechanics.

“Without getting too far into it,’’ Burnett explained, “I would just say I let a few too many people tinker with me and when you let that happen, you get out there, you start doubting yourself sometimes, like, ‘Am I doing it right? Is this the way it is supposed to feel?’

“In ’09 nobody messed with me,’’ Burnett said of the Yankees’ World Series championship season. “I was able to do what I wanted to do on the mound, whether it was turn all the way around, close my eyes; pitch upside down, whatever it was. Then you have a few bad games and you start changing and listening.’’

...

Asked by The Post his view of the Yankees staff, Burnett responded: “Without sounding too arrogant, I don’t care, they’re good dudes over there and they got a good leader in CC [Sabathia], but I need to get over here and learn my staff and I’m looking forward to that.’’

...

“It was fun the first couple of years,’’ Burnett said of his time with the Yankees.

Kernan may say no more excuses, but that sounds like an excuse to me. I was terrible because too many people tried to help me? Yea, OK. Whatever you say, AJ.

Piniella on Verge of Signing on with YES

From the NY Daily News:

Sweet Luigi is headed back to the Yankees.

Lou Piniella, a fan favorite as both player and manager, is deep in negotiations and close to signing a deal to return to the Bombers as an analyst for the Yankees Entertainment & Sports Network. He also will likely serve as a spring training instructor.

According to industry sources, Piniella will do a limited number of appearances for YES in the broadcast booth and studio.

Piniella would join YES’ cast of analysts that includes Ken Singleton, John Flaherty, Paul O’Neill, David Cone, Al Leiter and play-by-play man Michael Kay.

Piniella is no stranger to the Yankees broadcast booth. After being fired — for the second time — as Bombers manager by George Steinbrenner in 1988, Piniella still had a year left on his contract. He spent the 1989 season in the Madison Square Garden Network’s Yankees booth.

Welcome back!

Brackman Signs With Cincy