Who would win a Best Athlete Oscar?

I love the thrill of competing against other people -- and winning. But since I am bound to be at the back of the pack forever when it comes to athleticism, I have to do my competition in things like trivia, fantasy football, and Oscar pools. (Click here to read about the pool I set up for my running club.)

Anyhow, speaking of movies, since its Oscar weekend (as well as my birthday weekend!) the New York Daily News did a pretty good look at athletes' stellar acting performances in films.(Click here to read it.) Like Brett Favre in "There's Something About Mary," Dan Marino in "Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in "Airplane."

But I thought of at least one other good performance that could be added. How about Roger Clemens as a character named Skidmark in "Kingpin"? Fun fact: this is one of my all-time favorite comedies, but I didn't understand that it was a spoof of "The Hustler" until seeing the latter last year! I know Clemens was also in "Anger Management," but his role in "Kingpin" is much better! He is so convincing, I didn't realize it was him the first few times I saw the movie. (Warning: Language not safe for work.)




What else should be added to this list? Please leave your suggestions below!

Paul DePodesta would rather work for the Cleveland Browns than the New York Mets

The Jets ripped my heart out yet again Sunday, but at least I could take solace in the fact that I was not a fan of the Cleveland Browns. As ESPN notes, in a little over three years, crazy owner Jimmy Haslam will have had four coaches, four GMs and three team presidents/CEOs. What NFL executive in his or her right mind would want to work in such an environment? Apparently none, since Cleveland's latest hire is none other than the Mets' Paul DePodesta.

At first glance, it seems insane to leave a team that just made the World Series for a team in another sport that last won a title during the early days of Beatlemania. A team whose troubled quarterback reportedly put on a disguise to party in Vegas last weekend when he was supposed to be recovering from a concussion. Maybe DePodesta wants to be the next Theo Epstein, who brought a championship to the title-starved Red Sox and is well on his way to doing it again with the Cubs. Maybe he thought he was going to the Cleveland Cavaliers. More likely, before too long it will be DePodesta who will feel like wearing a disguise.

The last time a prominent member of the Mets organization left the team after a World Series appearance for a surprising destination, Mike Hampton claimed it was because of the school system.  Perhaps DePodesta will claim that he just wants to be closer to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. 

But what if DePodesta simply decided that the time was right to leave the Mets? That his marketability would never be higher after the 2015 World Series, because that was as far as this franchise was going to go? Maybe DePodesta saw a franchise still unwilling to spend and figured that there was no place for the Mets to go after last season's unexpected success than down. Every article about DePodesta talks about how smart he is, and he knows what is really going on behind the scenes, as opposed to people like me who continue to naively hold out hope that the Mets will upgrade their offense before the 2016 season starts.

In the meantime, let's see who the Mets pick to replace DePodesta. I just hope it's not John Idzik.

****

The Baseball Bloggers Alliance is holding a parallel vote for the Hall of Fame. Here are the players I voted for, in alphabetical order.

Jeff Bagwell
Ken Griffey Jr.
Trevor Hoffman
Edgar Martinez
Mike Piazza
Tim Raines
Curt Schilling
Alan Trammell

Unlike Squawker Lisa, whose ballot is here, I am not ready to support Barry Bonds or Roger Clemens. While Bonds would have been a Hall of Famer without steroids, it is far less clear with Clemens. At age 33 in 1996, Clemens had come off four straight mediocre years with the Red Sox, who were happy to let him leave. According to Baseball Reference, Clemens was statistically most similar in those years to Dwight Gooden. But while Gooden failed to realize his Hall potential, Clemens went on to four more Cy Young awards and 162 more wins with the help of his, uh, workout regimen.

What I find particularly galling is how many people refer to Bonds and Clemens as among the greatest players of all time. I concede it could be true with Bonds. Let's say he didn't do steroids and ended up with 625 homers instead of 762. Still pretty amazing.  But would a clean Clemens have topped 300 wins, let alone make it to 354?

With all the statistical analysis in baseball, it would be nice to see someone speculate on how Bonds and Clemens would have done without the juice before we start considering them for GOAT.

When I first heard about the Mike Piazza rumors, my reaction was to cover my ears and start yelling out nonsense syllables. Based on everything I've read and heard, I'm a lot more confident in giving the PED label to Bonds and Clemens than I am to Piazza and Jeff Bagwell. But I'm admittedly a biased Met fan.

And even if Clemens eventually gets in, at least let it not be alongside Piazza. Clemens has ruined enough special Piazza moments already.

Mike Mussina was a very good pitcher for many years, but he was never considered close to being the best pitcher in baseball, much less even on his own team. Mussina never won a Cy Young, finishing second once, and never finished higher than 19th in the MVP voting. 

Curt Schilling may have won far fewer games than Mussina did, but he was a more standout performer in his best years, particular in the postseason. Schilling also never won a Cy Young but finished second four times. He had two top-ten MVP finishes and finished 11th and 14th two other times.

Most of all, Schilling was sensational in the postseason, going 11-2 with a 2.23 ERA and 0.968 WHIP. Schilling was the co-MVP of the 2001 World Series, with a 1.69 ERA and 0.656 WHIP in three starts. In the 2004 ALCS, Schilling and his bloody sock earned one of the most famous postseason wins ever.

I also voted for Alan Trammell, who, according to Jay Jaffe's JAWS analysis is more worthy of the Hall among shortstops than future Hall of Famer Derek Jeter and current Hall of Famer Barry Larkin.

****

Squawker Lisa, I'm glad you resisted temptation when you saw the complete ballot -

Garret Anderson, Brad Ausmus, Jeff Bagwell, Barry Bonds, Luis Castillo, Roger Clemens, David Eckstein, Jim Edmonds, Nomar Garciaparra, Troy Glaus, Ken Griffey Jr., Mark Grudzielanek, Mike Hampton, Trevor Hoffman, Jason Kendall, Jeff Kent, Mike Lowell, Edgar Martinez, Fred McGriff, Mark McGwire, Mike Mussina, Mike Piazza, Tim Raines, Curt Schilling, Gary Sheffield, Lee Smith, Sammy Sosa, Mike Sweeney, Alan Trammell, Billy Wagner, Larry Walker, Randy Winn.

- and did not cast  a vote for Luis Castillo. You could have specified that his Hall plaque be sturdy enough that it would not break if he dropped it.

I'm also glad you did not vote for Billy Wagner, knowing that I would not be able to forgive his 16.88 ERA in the 2006 NLCS. But while Wagner's regular-season numbers are actually worthy of Hall consideration, his overall ERA in 14 postseason games was 10.03.

As for Hampton, at least his induction ceremony would make for a nice Colorado school trip.

Goodness gracious! Why not honor Roger Clemens in Monument Park?

The fact that the Yankees are going to honor admitted PED user Andy Pettitte in Monument Park, at literally the very same time that they have decided to challenge the milestone clause in the contract they signed with Alex Rodriguez, is ludicrous. What is even more ludicrous is that the very same time, the team is still pretending that Roger Clemens was never a Yankee.

Clemens was left out of the 2008 farewell ceremony for the old Yankee Stadium. He was left out of the Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera farewell hoopla at Yankee Stadium, although he did participate with the Houston Astros when they honored Jeter. He was left out of the team's number retirement ceremony for Joe Torre. He also was left out of each year's Old Timers' Day, even though he has been eligible since 2008.

Now, when Andy Pettitte is getting his number retired, and his own plaque in Monument Park, the Yankees are still acting like Clemens never pitched for them -- a far cry from his 2007 return sitting in George Steinbrenner's box at Yankee Stadium!

But here's the thing: if the Yankees are going to drop their standards for number retirements and Monument Park plaques, as they clearly have, then why not honor Clemens in Monument Park himself? And his relatively short time in pinstripes shouldn't make a difference. After all, Clemens has the same number of seasons in pinstripes as Monument Park honoree Tino Martinez does: six.

Clemens also is one of only five Yankees to ever win a Cy Young in pinstripes, and he is the only one to do so after Ron Guidry in 1978. He was a very important part of the late 90s dynasty years, as well as the early 2000s teams. And he won his 300th victory as a Yankee, one of only two pitchers to do so.


So, given the way the Yankees have dropped standards to sell tickets, and are even honoring an admitted PED user, why not honor Pettitte's one-time best friend, Roger Clemens? There is really no moral justification not to at this point. Pettitte and Clemens were workout partners who shared the same personal trainer, Brian McNamee. But we are supposed to believe that Andy only did it twice, and that was to recover from an injury? Really? C'mon now.

The selective morality here is very interesting. Clemens, like Barry Bonds, was a Hall of Famer before he ever touched a steroid. Yet most of the media and many fans have decided that they are somehow worse than the Andy Pettittes and the Jason Giambis of the world, because Pettitte and Giambi are defined as "nice guys" while they are not. And the Yankees are still literally trying to pretend that Clemens was never a Yankee!

It's funny -- Clemens burned a lot of bridges when he left the Boston Red Sox, yet they have welcomed him back in recent years and even inducted him in to the Red Sox Hall of Fame. Meanwhile, the Yankees still have Clemens on their persona non grata list -- I guess he took Jim Bouton's place!

What do you think? Tell us about it! 

Mets vs. Yankees, R.A. vs. CC -- Who will win the battle of the initials?

Listen up, Met fans -- my presence at Citi Field Friday meant nothing. Your team still beat the Yankees! So much for my so-called jinx. Now, I am about to head to your ballpark for the battle of the initials -- CC vs. RA -- but if Dickey's scoreless streak ends, don't blame me!

I hope it doesn't rain tonight -- Jon and I and 40+ thousand fans had to wait out an hourlong rain delay Friday. Not fun, although at least I didn't feel claustrophobic like at the old ballparks. Speaking of which, that's when I finally felt it was time for a new Yankee Stadium -- during a 2006 Subway Series rain delay, and the hallways inside were so cramped and crowded.

The last play of Friday's game, of course, was a popup. Needless to say, I was hoping to see another Luis Castilloesque play, but no such luck.

That was an awful Andy Pettitte start to the game -- five runs in the first took the crowd out of the game right from the beginning -- but at least he settled down, and the Bombers even made it get close. Did the Roger Clemens verdict mess him up?

Meanwhile, Clemens was at Fenway Park Friday, watching a Boston game. Good, Rocket -- stay with that old team and forget about going to any Yankee games!

I noticed that Darryl Strawberry and Dwight Gooden do a "Let's go Mets" chant. Of course, I helpfully pointed out to Squawker Jon how many rings each had as a Yankee!

Anyhow, as much as I like R.A. Dickey, here's hoping that CC wins the battle of the initials!

Roger Clemens: Still a lying jerk

So let me get this straight. Now that Roger Clemens has been acquitted of all the federal charges against him involving lying to Congress, I am supposed to believe that Brian McNamee supplied Andy Pettitte and Chuck Knoblauch and even Debbie Clemens with the juice, but Clemens never let McNamee, the trainer whose salary he was paying, touch him with steroids or HGH? Really? C'mon now. It's all Roger's hard work that enabled him to throw a fastball into his mid-40s? Spare me.

I am unsurprised by the verdict, and expected as much ever since Andy Pettitte backtracked on his testimony -- thanks for nothing, buddy. Not to mention that when you have not one but two people thrown off the jury for falling asleep,  the prosecution isn't exactly putting on a scintillating case. It also didn't help that the jurors were picked because they knew nothing about baseball. 


I read and watch a lot of true crime stuff, and whenever I see a trial, I am usually aware of what the great trial lawyer Gerry Spence advises attorneys: tell a story. That means to say something understandable for the jurors to ponder. That doesn't mean spending almost two months on minutia. I was on a murder trial that took less than a week. The prosecution in the Jerry Sandusky trial managed to tell eight victims' stories in four days. Yet this Roger Clemens trial dragged on for 10 weeks, much of it due to the prosecution's inability to tell a coherent story.

But the verdict isn't really a true vindication of Clemens. The thing is, my issue with Clemens at this point is more about the lying and the sanctimony than the steroids and the HGH. I think that he and Barry Bonds were both Hall of Famers before they ever touched a needle. That being said, don't give me this garbage about how it was just that hard work that enabled Clemens to pitch through 2007. Of course he worked hard -- PEDs generally don't work unless the player works out as well. But that doesn't mean he's innocent.


And I hope this verdict doesn't mean he gets invited back into the Yankee fold. It already makes me vomit that Joe Torre got such cheers at last year's Old Timers' Day. Seeing Roger Clemens get such accolades will make me just as sick.


What do you think? Tell us about it.

Andy Pettitte's Frankie Pentangeli moment

When I heard today about how Andy Pettitte indicated that he might have, um, misremembered what Roger Clemens said about HGH, my first thought was that it was something out of a movie. The Godfather, Part II, that is!

Specifically, I am referring to the infamous scene in which Frankie Pentangeli, who is set to testify as to what he knew about Michael Corleone's crimes, all of a sudden clams up. That's because Corleone has arranged for Frankie Five Fingers' brother to come in from Sicily. Seeing his brother keeps him from testifying -- he tells the Senate committee that he doesn't know anything:

The FBI guys promised me a deal. So I made up a lot of stuff about Michael Corleone. Because then, that's what they wanted. But it was all lies. Everything. They said Michael Corleone did this, Michael Corleone did that. So I said, "Yeah, sure."

The final script of the movie movie doesn't really explain why just seeing his brother would compel him not to testify, other than it being about Sicily and omerta, although Michael tells his wife Kay that "it was between those brothers." (An aside -- Pentangeli's character wasn't in the first movie, and he serves as a replacement for Clemenza after Richard Castellano, the actor who portrayed Clemenza in the movie, couldn't come to terms with Francis Ford Coppola on a new contract. While The Godfather, Part II is a great movie, I think Pentangeli's role would have been much more powerful if he were still Clemenza, like in the first film. But I digress.)

Anyhow, back to Andy Pettitte. According to his Congressional testimony, he told Laura Pettitte of what Clemens said back in the day about using HGH. However, as Ken Davidoff, now of the New York Post, reminds us:

The government’s best weapon to fight back would be to reveal that Pettitte acquired HGH from Brian McNamee, who will say he injected Clemens with illegal performance-enhancing drugs, and that Pettitte shared the details of the conversation with his wife, Laura. District Judge Reggie Walton has closed both doors, however, saying the McNamee connection would be “guilt by association” and the Laura Pettitte testimony “hearsay.”

Oh, great. Thanks, Andy, for potentially helping to set Roger Clemens free, by saying this today in court:

“As you sit here today, you believe in your heart and mind that you very well might have misunderstood Mr. Clemens in 1999 or 2000?” asked one of Clemens’s defense lawyers, Michael Attanasio. “Could have,” Pettitte said. “It’s 50-50 that you might have heard it, might have misunderstood it?” “That’s fair,” Pettitte replied.

The thing of it is, being so ambiguous, and unsure, will not change anybody's minds who thinks that Pettitte was a rat. It will not repair his friendship with The Rocket. But what it could do is give a jury reasonable doubt on finding Clemens guilty. Lovely. Thanks for nothing, Andy!

What do you think? Tell us about it!

Why Roger Clemens is not the reason Andy Pettitte may retire

I saw there was some whole to-do over Brian Cashman saying that it looked like "right now," Andy Pettitte is "still saying, 'Don't count on me'" for next season.  Oh, great.

The Yankees GM also said, that "Andy's been very communicative [with me] on this issue. Right now, he's not playing. If he decides to play, it will be for us. He's a Yankee, from start to finish." (Well, other than that whole "going to Houston for three seasons" thing, but I digress!)

Cashman told reporters, "I don't think he's determined whether he's officially finished, but is choosing at this stage to not start 2011" and that "I'm certainly not going to hound him or bother him." Hmmmm. Did the Yankees "hound" or "bother" CC Sabathia when they opened up the Brinks' truck for him? How about when -- shudder -- Cashman got Roger Clemens back in George Steinbrenner's box to pitch for the team in 2007? Goodness gracious!

At any rate, there's been some speculation in the media as to why Pettitte hasn't re-signed with the Yankees. Bob Klapisch and Wally Matthews are hooked on the idea that Clemens himself -- or, more to the point, the Clemens federal trial set for next summer -- has something to do with it. Matthews wrote:

"...you know Clemens' attorney, Rusty Hardin, is going after Pettitte in the only areas he can in order to discredit his testimony. He is going to do his level best to crush Pettitte's reputation for honesty and sincerity and religious convictions. Simply put, he is likely to try to paint Pettitte as a lying hypocrite whose word cannot and should not be trusted.

The cross-examination could get embarrassing and highly personal.

And in a situation like that, pitching for the New York Yankees every five days and facing a ravenous media horde on a daily basis is not exactly where anyone in his or her right mind would want to be."

Klapisch had similar sentiments (an aside: what do these reporters know -- or think they know -- that makes them say Clemens will expose Pettitte in some personal way?):

"Therein lies his defense strategy: for Clemens to prevail, he’ll have to destroy Pettitte’s credibility. One person who’s known the left-hander for many years said: 'You think that’s not weighing on Andy’s mind? Who knows what Clemens is going to dig up?'


Indeed, the dual burden of facing Clemens in court and then taking the mound in the Bronx might be too much for Pettitte. After 16 years, he might be thinking there’s no reason to fight two wars, not this late in his career, not at this point in his life."

A few points:

* The idea that Clemens will actually go on trial in July is laughable. Barry Bonds was indicted on federal perjury charges in 2007 and hasn't yet faced a trial (one is scheduled for this March, but there's all sorts of legal wrangling going on right now about the evidence.). I found this story online talking about the "eve" of the upcoming Bonds trial -- written in March 2009!

The wheels of justice move very slowly, especially in federal court, where years can go by between indictment and trial date. Clemens was only indicted last August 30. Bonds' lawyers have been very aggressive -- and sometimes very successful -- in challenging the evidence against him. Why wouldn't Clemens' legal team do the same thing, and drag this ordeal out for as long as possible?

* I think both these sportswriters have been watching too many reruns of the Frankie Pentangeli Congressional committee scene in 'Godfather II" or something. Because Roger Clemens isn't going to be able to haul in Andy Pettitte's brother (or an equivalent) to get Pettitte to shut up. And it's not very realistic to think that Clemens is going to somehow drag Andy down to his level and discredit him. You don't get to throw out rumors and innuendo willy-nilly in a federal court situation. Besides, Pettitte is pretty much Teflon, as his still great reputation besides admitting to PED use shows. Unless Clemens has evidence that Andy was running a dogfighting ring, I don't see anything the Rocket's lawyers saying as hurting Pettitte's rep.

* As for the "ravenous media horde' Matthews thinks will harangue Pettitte, I have to laugh over that, given that I'm still waiting for one of the tough media guys to 1) explain how A.J. Burnett got that black eye, and 2) tell us exactly why Dave Eiland lost his job with the Yankees, and what his leave of absence from the team was all about. All Pettitte would have to say is that he's not allowed to talk about the trial, and most media types will leave it at that.  If anything, still being part of the Yankees would give Pettitte more protection, not less, from the media inquiries.

At any rate, retirement isn't some silver bullet that will somehow prevent Pettitte from having to testify. And I really don't see that this trial -- if it happens at all this year -- is what's keeping Pettitte from returning to the Yankee fold. I would put Andy's lack of interest in returning on two things: he really does want to spend more time with his family, and Cashman hasn't made him a good-enough offer to convince him to come back. No need for wacky Clemens conspiracy theories here.

What do you think? Tell us about it!

Brett Favre and Roger Clemens: Are they the same person?

I was watching last night's New Orleans Saints-Minnesota Vikings game, and the media's Brett Favre worship drove me to write this on Facebook (click here to friend me): "Is there anybody more insufferable, more self-aggrandizing in the NFL than Brett Favre? That is all."

I got a lot of positive responses to that status update, and I also got people "liking" this subsequent comment on Favre: "He's like Roger Clemens with a Mississippi drawl, instead of a Texas accent."

Anyhow, I expanded my rant into this article for The Faster Times, "Do Brett Favre and Roger Clemens Share the Same Brain?" Check it out. And while you're there, also check out my article about the three Mets who skipped out on going to Walter Reed.

What do you think? Tell us about it!

Will Roger Clemens end up in the pokey? What are the odds?

In case you were wondering what the chances are that Roger Clemens will spend time wearing prison stripes instead of the pinstripes he used to wear, here are the odds of that happening, according to Bodog.com:

Will Roger Clemens do any jail time for allegedly lying during a Congressional hearing in 2008?       

Yes                  -115

No                    -115

(Must spend at least one day in jail as a result of his upcoming trial for Yes to be graded the winner.)

Will Roger Clemens admit to using performance enhancing drugs in 2010?

Yes                  +700

No                    -1400

(Must publically admit to using performance enhancing drugs by December 31st 2010 or a plea-bargain is reached during his court case by December 31st 2010 for Yes will be graded the winner.)

Also, I wrote an article about Clemens' love of Twitter -- and how it's already gotten him into trouble -- for The Faster Times. Check it out here.

A-Rod, Roger Clemens, Javy Vazquez, and the latest in Yankeeland

Now that the Yankees have gone 13-0 without Alex Rodriguez this year, are we going to hear about how the Yankees really don't need him on the team? Just wondering.

Two summers ago, I had a similar calf injury to A-Rod's, so I know what he's feeling. Not fun!

I've been busy over the past few days with real-life obligations, so I haven't had much time to squawk. But I did watch some of the games this weekend. I feel sorry for Javier Vazquez -- he's been upfront about his velocity being down, but nobody in Yankeeland seems to be paying attention. Maybe now that Ivan Nova's up in the majors, the Yanks can skip a Javy start, and see what the heck is wrong with him.

Oh, and there's the whole Roger Clemens indictment. I know I probably shouldn't revel in other's misfortunes, but I can't help but snicker over him. He thought he was so clever in demanding to squawk before Congress and spin his phony tale. So much for that! The only thing that would have made his indictment more entertaining is if Suzyn Waldman had announced the charges against him!

Speaking of reveling in other's misfortunes, how about that whole Jay Mariotti story?

Anyhow, hopefully this week I'll get to write more. And maybe Squawker Jon will recover soon from the loss of Rod Barajas. But what do our readers think of what's been going on in Yankeeland?

Message to Joe Girardi: Just say no to Chan Ho Park

Squawker Jon may be relieved that the Mets won, but I'm, of course, angry that the Yankees lost. And I'm also irate that Joe Girardi chose to use Chan Ho Park in a 1-0 game. Javier Vazquez - who pitched very well last night - may be the person with the L next to his name, but Park is the one who really deserves it.

From ESPN.com:

Friday night's awful outing was just another in a season full of them for the South Korean righty. Park has allowed a run in eight of his 15 appearances this season and given up a glaring 25 hits in just 19 innings.

"He's just not making pitches," manager Joe Girardi said. "He just didn't locate well enough to get people out. When you get behind the leadoff hitter and walk him, you're asking for trouble."

You're also asking for trouble pitching him at all, Joe. And where was Joba, anyway? Off hiding with the Yankee bats these days?

Seeing Chan Ho Park in Friday's game was as inexplicable as seeing Roger Clemens at Fenway Park last night. At least Roger's appearance was funny, in a twisted way - he's trying to clear his name on using steroids, and he shows up to see...Manny Ramirez? Heh!


What do you think? Tell us about it!

Bill James is dead wrong about Andy Pettitte

Do you think Andy Pettitte will be in the Hall of Fame one day, and that he will help Roger Clemens make it into the Hall as well?

Bill James does. He wrote a piece in his upcoming new book about steroids and Cooperstown stating just that. He also wrote that our grandchildren will be doing steroids. You can read my thoughts on his article here.

PR guru Ronn Torossian's thoughts on A-Rod, Manny, Clemens, and the Yankee front office

Can the Yankees get their new stadium filled? Did Alex Rodriguez kill his image for good by kissing himself in the mirror, dating Madonna, and using steroids? And what about how the steroid scandal has affected the reputations of Manny Ramirez and Roger Clemens? I asked a public relations expert about these issues and more.

Ronn Torossian is President & CEO of 5W Public Relations. His client list, which includes Coca-Cola, McDonald's, P.Diddy's Bad Boy Worldwide Entertainment Group, the Christian Trinity Broadcasting Network to the President of Serbia, is as diverse as his native Bronx, he quips.

Torossian, 34, grew up five minutes from Yankee Stadium and said he used to cut school to go watch Don Mattingly and Dave Winfield play. He calls the Yankees the "icon of American sports," but says that "the entire world has taken a fall," and the team isn't immune.

"The world has changed drastically financially," Torossian notes, "and the Yankees need to change with it." He says the Yankees front office has to "be receptive to what the fans have to say" regarding their criticisms of the new Stadium.

As for the team's dealings in the press, Torossian said "I didn't love" Randy Levine's response to Major League Soccer Commissioner Don Garber, where the Yankee president told Garber to "worry about Beckham, not the Yankees."

How can the Yankees stand out in this challenging economic climate? By being a positive story. "Many out there would like to see sports become fun again, Torossian says, "especially in these times."

The use of performance-enhancing drugs, of course, is one of the more negative issues facing Major League Baseball. I asked Torossian his thoughts on the players caught up in the scandal - Alex Rodriguez, Manny Ramirez, and Roger Clemens.

Alex Rodriguez is "not likeable.", the PR maven says, noting "his brand has really evolved in a bad way," Besides the steroids, there was the reported relationship with Madonna and that "absurd photo" of A-Rod kissing himself in the mirror. Rodriguez "doesn't do things to help himself," Torossian says.

So what can Alex do to fix his image? Torossian has a simple solution - "shut up and play ball."

These days, Torossian says that people think ballplayers make a lot of money from endorsements, but "the reality is very few athletes make money off the field."

Manny Ramirez, the PR expert notes, is one of the players whose star power has never translated to big commercials. As for Manny's marketability, "my perception is he really doesn't care that much" about that, Torossian says.

The 5WPR CEO says "the fall of Roger Clemens" coincides with "the rise of steroids" as a hot issue.

But the biggest issue facing baseball these days is the recession. So will the Yanks weather the current stormy economic climate? Torossian says yes. While the team is affected by what's going on in the world, the Yankees "won't fail," Torossian says. "They can't fail."


What do you think? Leave us a comment!

David Wells lowers the boom on Roger Clemens and Alex Rodriguez

Yesterday was the 11th anniversary of David Wells' perfect game, and the hefty lefty was in the Stadium to do the Yankee-Twins broadcast with Ron Darling for TBS. And Wells didn't just cover the news - he made the news by unleashing on steroids.

Wells suggested that steroid users be banned for life on the first offense:

"Just ban them right out of the get-go; I think that would be great," Wells said. "No 50-game suspension. Ban them right away, that would stop it in a heartbeat -- especially with the money they are giving out today. It would be incredible if they did that. You wouldn't have to worry about steroids or HGH."

Yeah, other than that there is no test for HGH! Everybody focuses on increasing the punishment for steroids as being a deterrent, but the reality is that almost nobody fails the PED test.

Only two MLB players failed it for the 2008 season, and three in 2009. And of those three, none of the players suspended so far this year - Manny Ramirez, J.C. Romero, and Sergio Mitre - were caught with actual anabolic steroids themselves in their system. Ramirez was nailed for his high testosterone level and the prescription for the female fertility drug, while Romero and Mitre were busted for banned supplements.

So MLB could raise the penalty to not just a ban from the game, but a sentence of being forced to listen to Celine Dion 24/7, and it wouldn't matter. Most players using PEDs would still figure out a way to do their thing without getting caught.

Wells did crack me up with his comments on Alex Rodriguez and Roger Clemens. Regarding the homers A-Rod hit off him as a Ranger, Boomer opined:

"He claimed he was on the juice so, no, they shouldn't count," Wells said.

What a solipsist. Wells doesn't want all the 156 homers A-Rod hit in those years removed from the record books, just the ones against him! Funny.

Wells also got his revenge against Roger Clemens for the Rocket calling him "Eli" all those years - a contraction for "He lies":

Wells said he last saw Clemens at a Toby Keith charity golf event in Oklahoma, greeting him with the old Yankees clubhouse nickname of "Eli." He grinned when asked about the reversal in their stances -- during their playing days, Clemens was lauded for his intense workouts while Wells rarely performed more physical conditioning than running and what he called "12-ounce curls."

"For years, he called me 'Eli,'" Wells said. "You know, whatever comes out of Boomer's mouth, 'He lies.' Well, I got payback. Actually, it was great. ... And Roger didn't like it very much, but he came over and said hello."

Heh! You know Wells was bitter about that whole Eli thing - I remember reading how Clemens bragged to reporters about that clever nickname he came up with for Boomer. So I did find it funny that he got to throw it back in his face.

What do you think of David Wells? Leave us a comment!

My thoughts on Roger Clemens' interview

I finally got to listen to Roger Clemens' interview on Mike and Mike yesterday. So what do I think? Not much. Clemens makes Alex Rodriguez look like a master of the media in comparison. How funny is that?

When A-Rod had a controversial book written about him, he politely told reporters he wasn't going to discuss the book. Clemens, on the other hand, thought it was a good idea to give the new book American Icon: The Fall of Roger Clemens and the Rise of Steroids in America's Pastime, a gazillion dollars of free publicity.

The Rocket's move was so bad, it made A-Rod's kissing himself in the mirror look sensible. There were so many ridiculous parts to Roger's interview:

* His son "accidentally" interrupting him to be asked to be taken to school
* Clemens talking about his family's history of heart disease preventing him from doing steroids, and mentioning his stepfather - somebody who wasn't related to him - as an example
* How much he talked about his charity work, as if that negates everything else said about him
* His continuing to characterize Andy Pettitte as "misremembering"

For some reason, Mike and Mike stuck to steroids, and didn't ask him about the women. Or about his penchant for icy hot linament on a certain body part. Thank goodness for small favors.

What do you think of Roger Clemens? Leave us a comment!

My review of 'The Rocket That Fell to Earth'

Jeff Pearlman's new book on Roger Clemens, "The Rocket That Fell to Earth," succeeds in doing the impossible. He manages to make Clemens seem a little bit likeable. Or at least understandable. That's no small achievement.

Longtime Squawker readers know how much I can't stand Clemens. I consider him an embarrassment not just to the pinstripes, but to our shared alma mater, the University of Texas. I was furious when he was spotted on the UT sidelines with Derek Jeter last fall - I'm still wondering why the heck Jeter was posing for pictures with him, and why the Longhorns even let Clemens in the stadium!

Yet despite my distaste for Clemens, I found myself so engrossed by "The Rocket That Fell to Earth" that I stayed up late three nights in a row reading the book. At times I even (shudder) found myself impressed with Clemens. And I would think to myself, maybe he wasn't as terrible as I thought. Then I'd read something dopey Roger did, and be reminded of what a jerk he could be. But after reading this book, I felt like I "got" Clemens in a way I didn't before.

I knew that Clemens wasn't a native Texan, but I didn't realize that, as Pearlman reveals, he lived in Ohio for most of his childhood, and wasn't exactly a born superstar (he split starts with a girl on his Little league team!) I also didn't know the sad saga of Clemens' brother Randy, who, for better or worse, made Roger into the Rocket.

There's also the salacious stuff, like Clemens' affair with Mindy McCready (although Pearlman says that she was 17, not 15, when she hooked up with Roger, and that she lied to him about her age.) Not-so-shockingly, it was Brian McNamee who instigated revealing the story. The book also shows that contrary to what Clemens claimed before Congress, he had a long-standing friendship with Jose Canseco.

And I knew from Roger's appearance on Michael Kay's "CenterStage" that he liked Charlize Theron. But I didn't realize how much of a thing Clemens had for her until this book - he reportedly tried to hit on her, to no avail.

But "The Rocket That Fell to Earth," is more about figuring out what makes Clemens tick than being a scandalfest.

It also is a balanced book. For example, Pearlman talks about how many good things Clemens did, without any fanfare, to help sick children. (Clemens was a Hall of Famer when it came to compassion for such situations).

I think Clemens saw himself as a Texas gunslinger type, but the person he ended up reminding me of after reading this book is somebody a bit more neurotic:

* Clemens frequently said dopey things to the media, was reckless with his personal life, often seemed clueless in the clubhouse, was completely self-absorbed, and had a reputation for choking when the pressure was on. He also did irrational things on the field, like throwing a bat at Mike Piazza (the book, of course, talks about Piazza's other issues.)

* On a more positive note, Clemens was known for his work ethic right from the beginning. And he would have been a Hall of Famer on his clean numbers, but may have ruined his chances for good by reportedly using performance-enhancing drugs.

Yeah, believe it or not, Clemens reminded me a lot of Alex Rodriguez!

If there is any flaw in "The Rocket That Fell to Earth," it's that it's unfortunate that Clemens' recent teammates were unwilling to share anecdotes about him, the way his '80s Red Sox teammates were. But that's the way these things work; in 10-15 years, I'm sure these players will be flapping their gums about the Rocket!

Pearlman, known to Mets fans as author of "The Bad Guys Won," is a very entertaining writer. Put it this way - I hated the Dallas Cowboys with a passion when I lived in Texas, yet I found Pearlman's "Boys Will Be Boys" book on the '90s Cowboys to be one of the top five sports books I ever read. And my Cowboy fan brother enjoyed it just as much as I did.

While "The Rocket That Fell to Earth" isn't as much of a page-turner as "Boys Will Be Boys" was, it's still a fascinating read, even if you don't care about Roger Clemens.

For more info on the book, click here.

Did Mike Piazza tell reporters he used performance-enhancing drugs?

Posted by Lisa Swan

Fans have speculated for ages that Roger Clemens was suffering 'roid rage when he threw that bat against Mike Piazza in the 2000 World Series. But now Clemens is not the only person in that rivalry accused of using performance-enhancing drugs.

In his new book about Clemens, "The Rocket That Fell To Earth", which comes out today, Jeff Pearlman writes that:

"According to several sources, when the subject of performance enhancing was broached with reporters he especially trusted, Piazza fessed up.

"Sure, I use," he told one. "But in limited doses, and not all that often." (Piazza has denied using performance-enhancing drugs, but there has always been speculation.)"

Pearlman, who writes about Piazza in the book's chapter on the 2000 World Series, continues:

"Whether or not it was Piazza's intent, the tactic was brilliant: By letting the media know, off the record, Piazza made the information that much harder to report. Writers saw his bulging muscles, his acne-covered back. They certainly heard the under-the-breath comments from other major league players, some who considered Piazza's success to be 100 percent chemically delivered."

Former Boston Red Sox first baseman Reggie Jefferson tells Pearlman, "He's a guy who did it, and everybody knows it. It's amazing how all these names, like Roger Clemens, are brought up, yet Mike Piazza goes untouched."

Another veteran player agreed, saying, "There was nothing more obvious than Mike on steroids."

According to Pearlman, when that player is asked what are the odds, on a scale of 1 to 10, that Piazza had used PEDs, the player replies:

"A 12," he says. "Maybe even a 13."

Yikes!

You can read more details in Pearlman's book, "The Rocket That Fell To Earth," a book I highly recommend. It is a balanced biography of Clemens. I will do a full-scale review of the book later this week.

Former New York Times writer Murray Chass, who, along with the New York Post's Joel Sherman, wrote about Piazza's back acne last month, was the first to talk about what Pearlman's book said about the former catcher. Interestingly, however, Chass did not mention what I think is the most explosive part of what "The Rocket That Fell to Earth" said about Piazza - the charge that the former catcher admitted to some reporters that he was using PEDs.

Some might say that it's ancient history to talk about whether Mike Piazza juiced up. But Piazza isn't just any former player. He is one of the faces of the Mets' franchise - remember that it was Mike who caught fellow icon Tom Seaver's last pitch thrown at Shea Stadium - and he is said to be one of the greatest-hitting catchers of all-time. Piazza is also expected to go into the Hall of Fame in four years.

Look, I like Piazza, but I also think that if he's going to be considered for the Hall, he needs to be under the same microscope that would-be HOFers Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Alex Rodriguez, Mark McGwire, and Sammy Sosa have faced. Piazza shouldn't get a pass from this type of scrutiny, even though he was a fan favorite and gave good quotes to the media.

What do you think about Mike Piazza? Leave us a comment!

We'll give you something to squawk about...

Lots going on in Squawkerland this week:

* This month marks the third anniversary of Subway Squawkers. To celebrate this event, we're going to have a cool contest for our readers. You'll have to come back later today for the details, and to enter the contest.

* I'm currently reading Jeff Pearlman's new book about Roger Clemens, "The Rocket That Fell to Earth," (great book so far!) It comes out next Tuesday, but I'll be sharing my thoughts about the book before you can even buy it.

* And I have a Squawker interview with "Confessions of a She-Fan" author Jane Heller, with all sorts of cool tidbits and observations about her time following the Yankees, including what it was like to see the Bug Game in person.

* * *

A few other notes:

* I know they're celebrating their big Team USA win in the World Baseball Classic last night, but I'm not sure how I feel about Derek Jeter celebrating with David Wright and Kevin Youkilis in this photo. It's like dogs and cats living together or something.

* Here's a headline that made me click to read the rest of the story, from Mass Live's Red Sox Monster blog: "Leprechaun takes over spring training, impersonates Dustin Pedroia." Heh.

What do you think? Leave us a comment!