The Game of Baseball: January 2008

Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Reports Say Twins To Deal Santana To Mets For Prospects

"USA Today" reported Tuesday that the Minnesota Twins, and the New York Mets have agreed in principle to a deal that will send former Cy Young Award winner starter Johan Santana to the New York Mets for a bevy of minor league players.

The report says that the trade is contingent on Santana passing a physical, and the Mets and the player's representatives working out a long term contract extension. Santana is scheduled to become a free agent at the end of the 2008 MLB season. The extension is believed to be in the neighborhood of 6-7 years. Santana, has a no trade clause that he would be willing to waive if the deal is consummated. New York and the two time Cy Young Award winner have a window of 48 to 72 hours according to the report to work out the extension.

The report says that the Mets would give the Twins, outfielder Carlos Gomez, and three pitchers. Deolis Guerra, Phil Humber, and Kevin Mulvey would all go to Minnesota, if the proposed deal goes through. Santana, has been the subject of trade speculation since the end of the 2007 World Series. At times it looked like the New york Yankees, and Boston Red Sox were the front runners to land the highly sought after hurler. If the deal is consummated, it would alleviate a lot of criticism that Mets General Manager Omar Minaya has received from the New York Tabloids.

Posted by Jeff Sack at 6:31 PM | Permalink | Comments

Thursday, January 10, 2008

Congress To Delay MLB Hearings

The United States House Of Represenatives have postponed their hearing in which Roger Clemens, Andy Pettitte, and former trainer Brian McNamee from January 16, until February 13. The delay is to give the congressmen more time to study the case, McNamee who was strength and conditioning coach with the Toronto Blue Jays and New York Yankees, named Clemens and Pettitte to the Mitchell Commission as being involved with performance enhancing drugs. McNamee claims that he injected Pettitte with HGH, a charge Pettitte does admit to. McNamee also says he was injecting Clemens with Winstrol and HGH. Clemens denies the claims and says he received Lidocaine, and B-12 injection from McNamee. The House Committee will however still meet with MLB Commissioner Bud Selig, former Senator George Mitchell, and MLBPA Union rep Donald Fehr on January 15, as originally scheduled

Posted by Jeff Sack at 4:16 AM | Permalink | Comments

Wednesday, January 09, 2008

Interview With Marty Stanovich

The Game Of Baseball's Jeff Sack was a guest on the Marty Stanovich Show Tuesday January 8, 2008 on NEWSRADIO 1620 in Pensacola, Florida. Marty and Jeff discussed The Roger Clemens Interview on CBS 60 Minutes, Rich Gossage's induction into the MLB Hall of Fame and Jim Rice's chance to get in to the Hall in 2009.

Part 1:

Part 2:

Posted by Jeff Sack at 1:46 PM | Permalink | Comments

Tuesday, January 08, 2008

Goose Flies Alone Into Cooperstsown

Former MLB closer Rich "Goose" Gossage was named Tuesday as the sole member named to the MLB Hall Of Fame Class of 2008. Gossage who was in his ninth year of eligibility was elected with 85.8% of the votes cast by the Baseball Writers Of America, far above the cutoff point for eligibility which is 75%. Jim Rice former Boston Red Sox slugger was just shy of getting elected as he received 71.2% of the vote, next year will be his final year of eligibility. Andre Dawson who spent the majority of his career with the Chicago Cubs captured 65.9% of the votes, while former starter Bert Blyleven garnered 61.9% of the tally. Former Cardinal and Oakland A's slugger Mark McGwire was again, greeted with disdain by most of the writers receiving only 23.6% of the votes, despite his prodigious home run numbers.

Gossage being named was long overdue, frankly I told colleagues when Bruce Sutter was named to the Hall a few years ago, that Gossage deserved equal treatment. Gossage pitched 22 seasons in the Major Leagues and acquired 310 saves. Much of his career was spent in the glaring spotlight of the "Bronx Zoo" AKA the New York Yankees teams of the late 1970's through the middle of the next decade. Gossage not only performed under the glare he thrived on it, becoming a major factor to the success of that era for the Bronx Bombers. Gossage joins, Sutter, Rollie Fingers, Hoyt Wilhelm, and Dennis Eckersley as the only five relievers in Cooperstown.

Posted by Jeff Sack at 3:25 PM | Permalink | Comments

Clemens Denies Use Of P.E.D.'s

This segment of Monday's press conference with Roger Clemens had him denying that he ever took any perfomance enhancing drugs.

Posted by Jeff Sack at 6:23 AM | Permalink | Comments

Clemens Tries to Defend His Name

What you are about to watch is Roger Clemens Press Conference held Monday January 7, this segment Clemens tries to Defend his Name.

Posted by Jeff Sack at 6:17 AM | Permalink | Comments

Clemens Phone Conversation With McNamee

What you are about to watch, and hear is Brian McNamee's phone conversation with Roger Clemens.

Posted by Jeff Sack at 6:07 AM | Permalink | Comments

Opening Statements By Roger Clemens Attorney

What you are about to watch is the opening statements made by Roger Clemens attorney at a press conference held Monday 7, that they organized to prove that Clemens did not receive PED's (performance enhancing drugs, as alleged by his former trainer Brian McNamee.

Posted by Jeff Sack at 5:51 AM | Permalink | Comments