Orioles Sign Nelson Cruz

Nelson Cruz finally has a new home after waiting all winter. The Baltimore Orioles signed the slugging outfielder to a 1 year $8 Million deal. I have mixed feelings about this deal after Cruz was suspended for 50 games for being involved with the Biogenesis scandal.

Nelson Cruz

No matter what the circumstances, this is a great signing for the Baltimore Orioles. After signing Ubaldo Jimenez and forfeiting their first round pick making the decision to forfeit their second round pick for Cruz was made easier. Whether Cruz plays the outfield or hits as a designated hitter the lineup for the Orioles looks more dangerous than the Texas Rangers or the Los Angeles Angels.

Over the past three seasons Cruz has been pretty consistent with his stats. He is averaging a 112 OPS+ over the past three seasons with 27 home runs per season and an on base percentage of .319. Now that he is playing the for the Orioles and most likely batting 5th behind Chris Davis, much of the pressure should be relieved from Cruz. Expect a good season from Cruz, or at least another consistant season from the outfielder.

Now the problem I have is the salary for Cruz. He was suspended 50 games last season for his actions with Biogenesis, willingly took the suspension, indirectly saying he took performance enhancing drugs. This guy still gets $8 Million after doing something completely frowned upon by Major League Baseball. Not surprisingly Melky Cabrera was suspended 50 games in 2012 when with the San Francisco Giants and become a free agent after the season. He signed a 2 year $16 Million deal with the Toronto Blue Jays, just like Nelson Cruz. So the message here is, it doesn't
matter if you take steroids, at the end of the day, you'll still get paid. Jhonny Peralta can also vouch for this concept.

Anthony Bosch Interviewed on 60 Minutes

Last night Anthony Bosch, the man who sold and administered performance enhancing drugs to many Major League Baseball players, spoke out on CBS. The statements that Bosch made were eye opening and more than surprising as it appears the A-Rod situation is much more than everyone suspects. If all of what Bosch said was valid and true, Alex Rodriguez is likely to never play in another game in Major League Baseball. To watch the interview click the following link: The Interview Regarding Alex. The second part of the interview is just beneath the first on the right hand side of the page. It is important that you watch the second part if you watched the first. I strongly advise if you have not seen both parts the interview you do watch them, so you can form your own opinion and are not mislead by my words.

In the first part of the interview (The first link) Bosch mentions all of the types of drugs he issued Alex Rodriguez. The part most surprising to me, and that really put the nail in the coffin for me was the fact that Alex Rodriguez had these gummies given to him by Bosch. These gummies would be taken just before a game and have enough dosage of a performance enhancing drug to get A-Rod through a game and if there were a surprise drug test after a game he would test negative.  This means that Alex had these performance enhancing drugs in the locker room and in the dugout, around other players, opening taking them, without anyone knowing. Bosch taught Alex how to pass urine tests, Bosch studied how long these drugs would stay in his system and even administered a blood test in a bathroom stall in a Miami club.

Regarding the second part of the interview (Second link), Alex Rodriguez may be facing much greater penalties. Bosch mentioned that when the news about Biogenesis broke out that Alex Rodriguez's people came to him and were willing to pay him money to move to Columbia for a period of time and stay under the radar. Bosch refused to go along with this scheme. Perhaps the greatest concern that came up during the interview would be a text message sent to Bosch's girlfriend, which basically said Bosch will not live to see the end of the year. The sender of this message is a known associate of Alex Rodriguez, confirmed by a member of MLB HQ. Even if Bosch is lying completely, making a statement such as that on national television and having it confirmed is a very very bold statement.

All of this is groundbreaking if and only if Bosch is telling the truth. The evidence does support Bosch's argument and it all does make sense, but anything is possible. Bosch may be a shady character because he as expressed by interviewer Scott Pelley "Is a troubled man." Bosch has had trouble with alcohol and smokes much. Additionally Bosch initially refused to cooperate with Major League Baseball and insisted he was only a nutritionist and had no connection with any of the players mentioned in the scandal.
 

Alex Rodriguez Suspended 162 Games

It was finally announced that Alex Rodriguez will be suspended 162 games and the 2014 playoffs. Rodriguez's original suspension was for 211 games, but after a long and strenuous revision and tons of law stuff I don't completely understand, the suspension was reduced to 162 games.

Rodriguez released a statement saying that he plans to bring the case to federal court and fight for his justice because he feels as if he was treated unfairly. I can agree and disagree that A-Rod was treated unfairly because this is the longest suspension of all time, and Alex never failed a drug test. The other players associated with Biogenesis received 50 game suspensions, and Ryan Braun received a 65 game suspension. A-Rod may bring the case to federal court, but looking in the past, the verdict is not usually changed.

Alex Rodriguez is a good man off the field and is just like any other father or friend. I grew up watching A-Rod without the slightest bit of knowledge that he was taking performance enhancing drugs. When reports came out that he did, and when Alex admitted it, he disappointed me along with millions of other fans, young and old. The little bit of hope I had for when he came to the plate turned into a feeling of burden and expectancy of a strikeout.

With the suspension of Alex Rodriguez the Yankees save roughly $25-$27 Million. This money can be used to fill several holes present on their team. Michael Young and Mark Reynolds have been named fluttering around to fill the hole at third base, Masahiro Tanaka becomes even more realistic to be a member of the Yankees, and perhaps Andrew Bailey or Grant Balfour can top out the Yankees'  bullpen.

At the end of the day, Alex Rodriguez is suspended and will not contribute in 2014. Whether you like the decision or not, Major League Baseball has set a much needed example. I hope this gets to many players and they do not take performance enhancing drugs, because the game is better without them. Baseball is a game where you can be any size and succeed, lets keep it that way.

Performance enhancing drugs

If you haven't already heard the 2011 national league MVP Ryan Braun tested positive for performance enhancing drugs. Ryan Braun claims he has never taken any performance enhancers, but the tests say he has. Not a lot of specifics have been released about the controversy yet, but i assume they will soon.

I was extremely disappointed to hear about this, because athletes who take performance enhancing drugs don't deserve the money, fame, or opportunities that they have abused. There are 25 athletes in Triple A that would love to have that position that you are taking away with your fake artificially produced talent.

Ryan Braun will have to serve a 50 game suspension, just like Manny Ramirez. I am a huge fan of the New York Yankees and I was astonished by the season Alex Rodriguez was having in 2007. When I found out he had taken steroids i was devastated. This is very similar to what Ryan Braun did to all those kids who look up to him in Milwaukee.

To discuss strategy now, the Brewers are pretty much screwed. If they don't sign Prince Fielder, which seems very unlikely, they will have lost their number three and four guys for 50 games. the N.L. central will be deprived of action without Fielder, Braun, and Pujols assuming Fielder signs with a team not in the central. I guess what the fans in the central have to look forward to is Joey Votto.