Mama Mea Culpa

Pardon me for not getting all misty eyed listening to Mark Mcgwire's statement that he read over the radio/telephone. I don't want to hear that he was trying to protect his family or that anyone in his position would've done the same thing. He said that the last five years playing Howard Hughes on his multi-million dollar estate has been torture. The weight carried on his shoulders had become too much for him to handle. Wait a second, Mark you know what might help that weight problem...steroids.

Shut up, Mark I'm not buying.

The only reason Mark Mcgwire is coming forward is because he going to be the Hitting Coach for the St. Louis Cardinals and Tony LaRussa doesn't want it to be a protracted distraction to the team. And by the way, Mark Mcgwire is going to be the Hitting Coach, really? Why not Dave Kingman or Steve Balboni. Talk about a "golden parachute." If I ever come back as a major league baseball player remind me to play for Tony LaRussa.

But back to Mcgwire's apology. Mark followed up his phoned in mea culpa with an interview with Bob Costas and then Bob Ley. If you watch those interviews he doesn't answer ANY of the questions directly. And for some reason neither of those to bastions of journalism probed any deeper. It was as though Mark's teary eyes got them all confused and disoriented. Where's Mike Wallace when you need him. [editor's note- I hate that the days of hard hitting journalism are behind us. Nobody answers any questions any more and it seems to be ok with those people running the interview. Think about it. The only time anything truly news worthy comes out is through an athletes webpage, twitter or my space. Sure occasionally a press conference turns up something but there is never a hard hitting interview with no rules. Bring back Mike Wallace.] 

In those interviews Mcgwire said that God gifted him with the ability to hit Home Runs. No, Mexico provided that gift, maybe Balco, but definitely not God. God blessed Mr. Mcgwire with the innate ability to miss the ball completely and hit high pop-ups.

Mcgwire said that he realy, really wanted to admit to taking steroids when he spoke in front of Congress, and that it killed him to listen to those stories about the high school kids that died, but that he "couldn't" come clean because he was protecting his family. Really, Mark? You're going to stick with that story, huh? Ok, well why was it ok for Jose Canseco to admit to using steroids? It's not like he DEA broke down his door after that book came out and he laid out EXACTLY how he did it.

Don't get me wrong Canseco is as slimy as a real estate agent. Wait I'm a real estate agent, $#!+. He's as slimy as a pair of forcep- too much? Ok, Jose Canseco is so slimy...(HOW SLIMY IS HE)...He's SOOoooo slimy Rachel Uchitel banged him first.

Wait, what was I saying? Oh, yeah Mcgwire. Look, I don't think Mcgwire is an evil guy I just wish that he would come completely clean. Own it, don't play the victim. How can we possibly feel sorry for a guy that did something illegal in order to succeed. I mean it would be one thing if it didn't work. You know because then he's a big dumb pathetic moron that traded his soul for magic beans.

But that's not what happened. He cheated for selfish reason, he lied for selfish reasons and now he is "coming clean" for selfish reasons. He doesn't get to play the martyr in this story. He cheated and so far his punishment has been earning millions of dollars, marrying a woman that wouldn't have said hello to him if they were stuck in an elevator together for a month and being handed the St. Louis Cardinals Hitting Instructor gig after compiling exactly 30 more hits than strikeouts in his 16 year career.

Mark, if you want to come clean, come clean. Don't tell us that you don't want to stoop to Jose Canseco's level. As far as I can tell you'll need a ladder to get there.

Go, Go, Godzilla

There is a major difference between Hideki Matsui and Alex Rodriguez can you spot it?

Are you having trouble? Let me give you a few clues.

It has to do with notoriety. No I'm not talking about the kind you get from late night trysts with Strippers that are used to getting paid in Loonys, while listening to Rush with the faint smell of two day old back bacon hanging in the air. In fact, I'm not even talking about the publicity you get from a messy divorce or the subsequent publicity bump you get from dating the daughter of a talented actress.

All of those things do bring notoriety, but ARod isn't the only person to get some notoriety for his extracurricular activities. Have you forgotten all the press Matsui got when he showed everybody a picture of his wife. It was the first time anyone had ever seen a picture of his wife...and he drew it. What? No I'm not joking the only picture of Matsui's special lady was sketched by MATSUI! No Paparazzi Photos, no full page spreads in Maxim, not even a side bar shot in Red Book. One sketch drawn by Hideki, that's it. And anyway that's not even the notoriety I'm talking about.

How can I give you a hint that will- Ahh, I've got it. Only one of them will will be credited and remembered for their dedication to their team and the sacrifices made in an effort to bring pride and honor to his hometown.

No, not Matsui's decision to represent his homeland of Japan in the World Baseball Classic. I mean I know that Matsui insisted on playing in the first WBC despite being injured. Sure he felt representing the country where he was born and raised, where he learned how to play the game that he still loves, was more important than being healthy for the million dollar incentives available to him with the Yankees.

No point in bringing that up because ARod basically did the same thing. Because when you think about it ARod was super generous when he played for the Dominican Republic, a team he coincidentally thought had the best chance of winning, despite having never VISITED the place. It's sort of the same thing, right.

No it's neither of those things. Let's see how shall I ease into this?

Ok maybe my clues are too vague. The major difference between ARod and Godzilla has to do with the respect. I know what you're thinking, but no I'm not talking about respect for the game. Although sure Matsui plays the game hard, congratulates his teammates, works the count to tire the pitcher, goes the other way to advance the runner and travels with the rest of the guys.

I'm not saying that ARod is out for himself and doesn't have the same respect for the game, but only one of those guys has been known to yell at opposing players during a routine pop-up, attempt to slap a ball out of the first basemen's glove following a weak ground out with runners in scoring position and, if you watched the game last night, only one of them faked being hit by a pitch on ball four just so he could look like a scrappy ball player. Pathetic.

No, I'm talking about being recognized for excellence on the biggest stage. Only one of these two men can call themselves World Series MVP.

Congrats Hideki Matsui for being named the 2009 World Series MVP. Now get outta here, buy some champagne and draw your wife...a bath.

The Pie Guy Cometh

I know that it's easy to say this today, but I have been a fan of A. J. Burnett from the moment he first unveiled his signature "Pie" move. Don't get me wrong "Pieing" has been around longer than the Designated Hitter, but Burnett brought it to the Yankees. Burnett's attitude has been completely refreshing.

Coming to the Yankees as a high priced free agent is often a death knell for a players productivity. Dave Winfield was The Compiler long before A-Rod, Ed Whitson, The Count, Rickey Henderson, Danny Tartabull, Randy Johnson, Jason Giambi are just a few on the long list of players that found NYC too big for their games. Face it Steve Sax and the scrappy Chuck Knoblauch both got such a bad case of the yips that they couldn't make the throw from second. It's hard to play in New York.

But this year seems to be different. From the jump C.C. Sabathia, Mark Teixeira and A. J. Burnett have come to play. None of them look like the stage is too big for them. Even during Teixeira's hitting slump leading upto the World Series, he looked like he was in control of his game and his emotions, and anchors the infield as well as anyone since Donnie Baseball. Sabathia has been the leader of the rotation throughout the regular season and play-offs and has proven the "experts" wrong on three days rest. Even in the game 1 loss C. C. only really made two bad pitches. [editor's note with Morgan Freeman voice over- C.C. Sabthia doesn't play for the Mets and he isn't Sid Fernandez but if you squint your eyes and the light is juuusst right...] As great as those guys have been the person who stands out to me is Burnett.

A. J. comes across as an A.J.. He has treated his first season in Gotham like a 18 year old senior playing for the local high school. Monkeying around in the bullpen, cracking jokes on the bench, having his kids answer questions during a press conference, and of course the Pies. Burnett seems to be having more fun playing baseball than anyone I can remember... that didn't get kicked out the game for betting. Tell me that you didn't do a double take the first time you saw A.J. pie that no-name rookie back in June. And it wasn't because you hadn't seen that act before, it's because you hadn't seen that act on the Yankees. Afterall this is the same organization that forced Johnny Damon to cut his trademark locks.

I don't think it's a coincidence that the Yankees led the league in walk-off wins this year. I know what you're saying, "Well they have the most talent off course they have the most walk-off wins." But they ALWAYS have the most talent, and they NEVER lead the league in comebacks. In the last one hundred years there have only been about twelve seasons where you couldn't make the argument that the Yankees had the most talent in the league. Most of the time that talent has their delicate collective psyche tied in such a knot that they fire easy ground outs into the Mezzanine.

This year is different before the Series even A-Rod seemed relaxed.[editor's note2.0- A-Rod has six K's in 8 at-bats. I'm not saying that I think he is going to face plant the rest of the way, but I'm not buying tickets behind firstbase anytime soon either. A-Rod's psyche makes Knoblauch's look like Dimaggio's.] I picked the Yankees in seven and I see no reason to change that prediction. Tell me you can't wait to see Burnett pie Jeter in the face after the Yankee Captain wins it with a walk-off double in the tenth.

Substance Over Style?

Jimmy Rollins is clutch. That guy is the closest thing to Jeter that there is and while Ryan Howard and Alex Rodriquez are going to get all of the pub for his big flies, I'll take Rollins and Jeter.

Lost in all of the A-Rod hullabaloo is the fact that in each game that A-Rod has been successful he has done so AFTER Jeter did something to show him the way. Whether its a clutch hit, a homerun, smart base running or a defensive gem, Jeter leads his team as well as any player ever.

The most exciting thing about this post season is that, by the end of this World Series the Cheese Steaks will likely be able to add their shortstop to the Pantheon of clutch leaders. Rollins does it all. And more importantly he does it just as well when nobody is paying attention.

Prior to the season last year Rollins came out and said that the Phillies had the talent to win it all and that they were head annd shoulders the best team in the NL East. It doesn't seem like such a big deal right now but the fact of the matter is that few experts were picking the Phillies in the East last year, much less ti be World Champs. The Mets had acquired Johan Santana and were considered by most to be the class of the East. And as far as winning the World Series they were firmly placed behind Colorado, Chicago, St. Louis and New York.

No matter Rollins calls it like he sees it, which is slightly different than the always calculated Jeter, but his effectiveness as a leader is no less successful. Rollins doesn't shy away from the spot light and proudly carries the burden of his teams failures.

Rollins' heroics last night were just the latest and most visible in a long line of clutch performances.

The obvious  Torre-coming-back-to-New-York storyline in the World Series is nice and appropriately Hollywood, but the match up with substance is Jeter-Rollins. Here's hoping for Substance over Style.