IIATMS Interview: "The 100 Sporting Events You Must See Live"

Over the last nearly 18 months, I've been lucky enough to conduct interviews with some insiders within the game. From an agent (Matt Sosnick), players (Darryl Rasner, Eric Hacker), a former manager/player (Mike Hargrove), a professional writer (Jeff Pearlman), to a current assistant GM (Paul DePodesta). My goal is to bring you interesting perspectives from those in and around the game, people who you might not hear from every day. As always, I hope to continue to be so lucky to do more of these types of interviews.

My latest interview is with Robert Tuchman, founder and president of New York-based TSE Sports & Entertainment, a global leader in sports and entertainment promotion. He's also the Executive VP of the corporate division. In addition to being the leader of an organization responsible for corporate sponsorships and outings, Robert somehow found the time to write the book "The 100 Sporting Events You Must See Live". Click here for the website.

I choose Robert not merely because he wrote a book about the best sporting events to see live, but also because of his story about making it in the sports and entertainment industry.

About Robert Tuchman:

When Robert Tuchman graduated from college, Tuchman was quickly forced to abandon his dream of becoming a sports reporter. Applications to sports programs across the country were ignored and eventually he accepted a position as an investment advisor at Lehman Brothers in New York, followed by a stint Paine Webber.

Still wanting to break into the sports industry, he joined Sports Profiles after reading about them in Entrepreneur, working out of his apartment selling sports magazine advertisements. Quickly realizing that everyone to whom he sold ads wanted the perks (tickets to games or luxury trips to events) more then the ads, he decided to start a business that catered to this niche called Tuchman Sports Enterprises (TSE).

Within two years of working out of that tiny one-bedroom Upper East Side apartment, with one phone and a fax machine, his company was named to the annual Inc. 500 list of America's fastest growing privately held companies and as one of the top 100 promotion agencies by Promo Magazine.

He started TSE with no money and no investors and ended up selling it for millions of dollars to Premiere Global Sports. Last year PGS earned over $70 million dollars in sales. Robert Tuchman now serves as President of that division, still guiding his company in its new form.

So if you are curious about getting started in the sports & entertainment industry, which baseball game is the best event to see live, whether Wrigley is a better experience than Fenway, and dog owners who buy books, please read on and enjoy:

Background questions

• It's About The Money, Stupid: Tell us how you got started in the corporate events business?
  
  Robert Tuchman: I always wanted to work in sports. I left Lehman Brothers after six months on the job after graduating school to follow my passion. Funny enough at the time this move was considered renegade and Lehman was the safe route. Well we all know what happened there!
  


• IIATMS: How did you handle the fears and risks of starting your own business?
  
  RT: I tried to use the energy from those emotions to feed my desire to continue going even when things got very tough. I also realized that I had to get over those fears if I wanted to go after my dreams.
  


• IIATMS: What’s the best lesson you can share?
  
  RT: Persistence is extremely important when starting a business. It’s a marathon so try and take a step forward each day. When you get knocked down, pick yourself off the mat and start again.
  


• IIATMS: What advice could you offer for anyone interested in getting into your line of work?
  
  RT: Try and get in the door anywhere you can in the industry. Even if that means starting as an intern. We have hired many interns over the years. You will also get to see what is going on from the inside and determine where you want to be.
  


• IIATMS: What sort of background would someone ideally like/need to have in order to be successful at your company?
  
  RT: Anyone who brings good energy and a can-do attitude is 95% there.
  


• IIATMS: What’s the greatest misconception about your job?
  
  RT: That I get to hang out at the Super Bowl and the Final Four and have a blast. It's more work then fun, but I do get to have at least a little fun, so I can't really complain.
  


• IIATMS: How many days a year are you on the road? More or less than prior years?
  
  RT: About the same. I would say a week out of the month is on the road.
  


• IIATMS: Has the economy had a major impact on companies’ desires to use frontline sporting events as major schmoozing/relationship-building opportunities?
  
  RT: Certainly. We were hit pretty hard for a few months, but the business is starting to come back, which is nice to see.

Book-related questions

• IIATMS: Have you personally attended every one of the events listed in “The 100 Sporting Events You Must See Live”? How long did it take for you to see them all?
  
  RT: I wish. I am only at about 38. The most I have heard was Lesley Visser and her husband Dick Stockton with around 50. Also Harvey Schiller had close to 50.
  


• IIATMS: If you haven't been to them all, how did you get to your final ranking?
  
  RT: A lot of research and speaking with people who have been to the events. Really just talking with those who have been or worked the events.
  


• IIATMS: It’s difficult not to be a spoiler, but the Masters are your #1 event to see live in our lifetime. What if I am not into golf, watching golf, being around golfing fans wearing visors, etc.?
  
  RT: Funny thing is I am not a big golfer myself. This one is strictly about the venue and its beauty. Its really a magical place.
  
  [IIATMS edit: If anyone from Augusta National happens to wander on by, I'd love to come to the Masters. I just need tickets and access and I'll write up the whole thing. I'm serious. Hootie, email me!]
  


• IIATMS: Number 9 on your list is Redsox/Yanks, at Yankee Stadium. As a Yankee fan, I understand this, but why “at Yankee Stadium”? Why not “at Fenway”? Would this change now given there’s a new Yankee Stadium? [As a parallel, the same goes for #30 Canadiens vs. Maple Leafs at Toronto , but not “at Montreal"]
  
  RT: Yankee fans [IIATMS edit: Don't blame me, Sox fans.]
  


• IIATMS: Number 14 is any Cubs game at Wrigley. Is that really better than the Final Four or The Daytona 500? I haven’t been to all three of these, but it seems the drama of the other two would outweigh “any game” at Wrigley.
  
  RT: Without a doubt there is more energy and excitement at those events but a game at Wrigley sends you back in time. It's an incredible experience.
  


• IIATMS: Speaking of both Fenway and Wrigley, is seeing a game at Wrigley (#14 overall) that much better than seeing a game at Fenway (#55)? Even as a Yankee fan, I love the Fenway experience. And if you have seats on the Monster (which I have had before), that’s about as good an experience as you can get.
  
  RT: Fenway is special. I actually worked there as a security guard one summer so I have been around the park many times. I have not had a chance to sit on the Monster, that seems like an awesome experience.
  
  The Wrigley experience though is more of a time machine event. You really feel like your back at the turn of the century watching baseball. It's as pure to the roots of the sport that I have gotten at the major league level.
  


• IIATMS: Getting back to golf, the US Open sits at #64 on your list. I would have expected it to be higher, given that there tends to be a rowdiness factor that you don’t get at the British Open.
  
  RT: That is true but the British Open, especially when it is played on some of the older European courses is pretty cool. Plus, I had the Masters as number one so I had to give the Europeans something.
  


• IIATMS: Could #1 overall be “Any golf event with Tiger in the Top 5 on Sunday”?
  
  RT: Funny enough, with out a doubt. Tiger has elevated golf and interest in the sport, especially at the Masters, more then anyone. In fact, without Tiger, I don’t think I would have selected the Masters number one.
  


• IIATMS: Westminster Dog Show? At #93? Ahead of Men’s Lacrosse Championship (#95), the College Baseball World Series (#96)? Really?
  
  RT: It's amazing how many people love dogs, and they like to buy books.

About attending any of these events

• IIATMS: What are the best tricks to landing tickets to any of these events if you a) aren’t flush with money, b) not getting tickets from your employer, c) not well connected?
  
  RT: Box office day of is always a possibility. Tickets get held back sometimes or released late so you never know. Companies like gotickets.com are good to buy market value tickets.
  


• IIATMS: What’s the best event to attend if you are: a) looking for rowdiness, b) not looking for rowdiness, c) looking for a unique experience, d) looking to impress a client/partner?
  
  RT:
  a) Hong Kong Sevens
  b) Little League World Series
  c) Nathans Hot Dog Eating Contest
  d) Super Bowl
  


• IIATMS: What are the most accessible events in the US ? Meaning: ease of getting there, ease of getting a ticket, etc.? (Perhaps by region of the US : NorthEast, SouthEast, West, South)
  
  RT:
  NorthEast: Head of the Charles Regatta
  SouthEast: Bayou Classic
  West: UCLA/USC @ Pauley Pavilion
  Midwest: Little 500

Bonus Question:

• IIATMS: Are you hiring? How can someone break into the business with your Company?
  
  RT: Not right now with the downturn, but we will be I am sure pretty soon. Internships are a great way to get your foot in the door.

Please visit Amazon if you are interested in buy the book. It's not merely a ranking; it's also a great travel guide for each of the events. {Disclaimer: I do not make any commission off any sales of the book}

Each Ranked Event contains the following sub-sections: Where, When, Significance, Who attends, History, Notable Athletes/MVPs, Records, Things to know before you go, How to get there, Tickets, Accomodations, On-Site hospitality, Travel packages, Dining.

Thanks again to Robert Tuchman for his time.

Jump Steady with Garry Templeton

As one who has sought out former players (and managers), I always love a recent look into their goings-on. Josh from Jorge Says No! did just that, getting some time with Garry "Jumpsteady" Templeton, the current manager of the Long Beach Armada of the Golden League.

Jorge Says No!: And how about the other guys on the team, do you think they're still playing hoping to latch on with an organization or are they playing for the love of the game?

Garry Templeton: Well, my team is pretty young. I think the average age on the team is right around 25. I find a bunch of guys that you know just got out of A ball and I found some that have been released from AA. So I still have a team full of guys that could go back and sign with a organization and have an opportunity. As a matter of fact, I got a couple of guys that organizations could look at and I feel that they could go back and pitch for them. So my team is fairly young, I don't have a lot of the older guys. I got Irabu and Lima and everyone else is right around the 25 mark.

Irabu AND Lima?!?! Party on.

Nice work, Josh!

IIATMS on 670 The Score in Chicago today

From this morning with Mully and Hanley (link to mp3)

Clearly, some get it

Clearly, there are some who truly "get it". The response and number of links and discussion my "Vote For Manny" idea has spawned has been humbling. Here are some:

• Voting For Manny Probably Won't Matter
• The Manny candidacy gains steam (Buster Olney's blog; first time a blogger was linked to, I'm told)
• Nightcapper: See Selig Squirm, Vote Manny Ramirez Into 2009 All-Star Game
• We Endorse the "Vote For Manny" Blog
• By voting for Manny, fans get to stick it to baseball
• Vote For Manny!
• It's Time To Rock The Vote
• Yay Jason!
• Want To Send A Message To Major League Baseball? Then Vote For Manny!
• Vote For Manny!
• WHYGAVS
• Manny Ramirez's All-Star credo should be: "If I've been 'roidin', I must be avoidin' "
• No consequences for Manny
• VOTE MANNY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!..A Movement against Bud...
• Fans still want Manny as an All Star pick?
• What Would MLB Do If Manny Ramirez Were Voted Into All-Star Game?
• Subway Squawkers
• Some more on "Vote for Manny" & Bud Selig is rolling over in his grave
• A Hypothetical Ponderance - How Much For A Year Behind Bars?
• If You Thought This Guy’s Blog Was Funny, Give Yourself A Pat On The Back
• Fan Starts Rally To ‘Vote For Manny’
• Baseball faces some needling if Manny makes All-Star game ("a wickedly devised Web site")

There are many more and I am thankful to all who have enjoyed riding this wave with me.

IIATMS on the Tony Bruno Show

Big audio file here (available for 7 days). The show can also be heard on XM 143 and Sirius 122 via Westwood One Radio. The fun starts around 1:30.

Something I missed last week

Among many things that whizzed by without me noticing or commenting, Maury Brown's interview in the USA Today is worth reading. In addition to being a good guy and more than upstanding citizen, he's becomming darn well-connected. We dig this.

What type of baseball fan do you cater to?
Since the direction has always been to cover all aspects of baseball outside the lines, the readership runs the gamut. Since we cover how contracts and salaries influence the game, there are a lot of fantasy sports fans, as well as agents. We are also visited heavily by members of the media due to how we report on television, radio and internet. And finally, each of the 30 clubs, the Commissioner's Office, and the MLBPA read us almost daily.

Congrats, Maury and keep up the top notch work.

Oh yeah, Maury interviews MLB Network's Matt Vasergsian today. Read on, friends.


(h/t to Shysterball for the head's up)

MLB Notebook: The Life and Times of a Baseball Blogger

A good FOTB Zach Sanders of MLB Notebook had a good idea: Interview a bunch of bloggers to give you an idea what it's like and what's required to be an active blogger. Zach was kind enough to ask me my thoughts on a few topics, so I will put my quotes below, but I'd strongly recommend a visit to his site for the whole read.

on Breaking News
"I wouldn't call it pressure, but I think being timely is important. Otherwise, you get lost in the crush. Not to mention, if you have a good quick summary before others, there's some measure of making your claim first that appeals to me," says Jason Rosenberg of It Is About The Money, Stupid, a blog devoted to all things baseball. "I don't want to post something that someone might read and think that I merely repackaged someone else's opinion."

on Attracting Readers
"I'm not a self-promoter by nature, so I have to try to fight against that nature. I started by being active in the comments of blogs that I frequented, testing my arguments, logic, etc," said Rosenberg. "I also tried to befriend bloggers, gaining a level of dialogue "off site". Whenever I create something that I know is better than a regular, derivative posting, I will send it to fellow bloggers for their review. If they like it, they can link to it, but I don't ever like to ask someone to link to something I write."

There are some very interesting takes from some talented bloggers and I was honored to be included.

Thanks, Zach!

Excerpt: The Rocket That Fell To Earth

Jeff Pearlman posted on Yahoo! an exerpt from his book that was released today. There's a lot to read there, but here's a snippet:

Before long, Roger came to lack this perspective, too. Although [older brother]Randy was no longer living at home, having graduated from high school in 1971 and accepted a basketball scholarship to Division III Bethel College in Mishawaka, Indiana, his influence on his brother remained profound. As he advanced from elementary school to junior high to high school, Roger turned increasingly combative. Though he was still a chunky kid through his early teens, on the courts and fields Roger carried himself like a scowling, trash-talking 20-game winner.

He even promised those around him that one day he would start the All-Star Game, win the final game of the World Series and wind up on the cover of Sports Illustrated. In football, he was a stout defensive and offensive lineman. In basketball, he was a physical power forward and center. And in baseball, he was a gap-hitting third baseman and a soft-tossing control artist.

Yes, Roger Clemens was a soft-tossing control artist. Though Roger was usually one of the better pitchers in the various leagues in which he participated, intimidation was not his game.

For my interview with Pearlman on this subject, please click here.

Pearlman on MLB on XM right now

Jeff Pearlman is on MLB on XM radio right now talking about his book. Listening now...

• I know someone from XM visited my site earlier today (thank you, StatCounter) and their first question was almost verbatim my first question! Sneaky, XM, sneaky, but I am onto you.
• Second question was essentially my "what surprised you the most" question.
• Fourth was the "famed workouts" question.
• Fifth was about Piazza and his PED usage and why Pearlman decided to "go down that road". Joel Sherman is clearly enjoying the dulcet tones of his own voice, implying that Piazza wouldn't have gotten as many HOF votes as we might have otherwise thought due to the quiet whispers that surround him.

IIATMS Exclusive: 20 Questions with Jeff Pearlman

A few weeks ago, I learned that author Jeff Pearlman was finishing a book about Roger Clemens, deftly titled "The Rocket That Fell to Earth: Roger Clemens and the Rage for Baseball Immortality". I emailed Jeff, requesting an interview via a 20 questions email. Jeff was kind enough to give it a whirl. Presented below are Jeff's answers to my questions.

[I do want to note that I do not and did not have an advance copy of the book so my questions reflect this fact. I asked questions without knowing if they were addressed in the book and without insight into any particular stories, like the Giambi story that came out last week.]

1. It's About The Money (IIATMS): Why Roger Clemens? Haven’t you had enough of mucking around in the PED pool after your Bonds book?
   
   Jeff Pearlman (JP): Good question. People always think—and understandably so—that I selected subjects because they're "bad" guys who cause controversy. That's not the case. What I see in Roger Clemens is the same thing I saw in Barry Bonds—an iconic sports figure who we know almost nothing about, beyond surface information. I know Clemens was a great pitcher who used drugs and was from Texas and never said much. But what makes him tick? How did he reach this point? What led him to make the decisions he made? That's what fascinates me, but it's hard to find icons (nobody's buying a Roberto Kelly biography) who haven't been revealed. Clemens, for the most part, is a mysterious figure.
   
   


2. IIATMS: Was Clemens’ PED usage similar in psychology to Bonds (“Yes I am already a legend, but I want more”) or was it related to him fading in Boston (with Duquette’s famed “in the twilight” comment looming)?
   
   JP: Sort of both. He was already a legend, but the spark was the Boston fade, and Dan Duquette sort of calling him out and saying publicly what everyone else was thinking: The guy is a shot pitcher.
   
   Clemens has a lot of pride and even more ego, and the idea of some pencil-necked geek ending his career never sat well. So he did what he had to do to revive a fading fastball and a fading baseball existence: He cheated.
   



3. IIATMS: Did Clemens lure Pettitte or did Pettitte seek out Clemens?
   
   JP: Really, neither. They were friends, and Pettitte, understandably, saw Clemens as a the ideal mentor—a Texan and a legend who knew how to survive in a profession that eats its middled-aged. I don't think either man was the villain or victim, when it comes to one another. They just ... were.
   
   


4. IIATMS: Was Pettitte the lapdog that the media portrayed him? Do you think Pettitte used more than he admitted to?
   
   JP: I actually think Pettitte is a lapdog—sorta simple, gosh, golly, OK, that sounds good, just try my best, love God, play to the best of my abilities. And do I think he used more than twice? Of course I do, because it doesn't make sense. Something makes you recover quickly and gives you more oomph and energy—and you only used twice? Hard to fathom. That's actually what angers me, a bit about the Pettitte thing: There was very little follow-up to his "confession." Twice? Really? Only twice, Andy?
   
   


5. IIATMS: How elaborate was Clemens’ PED usage?
   
   JP: In a sense, very elaborate, and in a sense, no very. He used myriad PED, from HGH to different steroids, and he had it set up so Brian McNamee would provide and inject in the privacy of his own home. But, on the other hand, it was pretty basic in the grand scheme of cheaters. Unless you're injecting elephant blood and road spit, steroids and steroids and HGH is HGH. There are different varieties, different potencies—but, come day's end—it's a performance enhancer.
   
   


6. IIATMS: Much has been made about Clemens’ workouts. What did you learn that surprised you? Was it the liniment on the testicles?
   
   JP: Actually, I'd say the liniment is pretty crazy. I can't imagine how he stomached that. But also, I was sorta blown away by the lie of it all, and the scheming. Toward the end of his career, Clemens worked really hard to make sure everyone knew he worked really hard. There are endless newspaper articles about Clemens' work ethic; reporters tagging along and watching. It was sort of the classic bait and switch—the more you think I'm busting ass, the less you'd think I'm cheating behind the scenes to do so. Sort of cleaver, in a pathetic way.
   
   


7. IIATMS: Who did you interview for this book?
   
   JP: Approximately 420 people, ranging from teammates to coaches to classmates from elementary school on up. My goal here, to be honest, wasn't to write "Game of Shadows: Clemens Version." As I noted earlier, I wanted a detailed, in-depth bipography of who Roger Clemens is, and how he became this person; what led him down the path.
   
   


8. IIATMS: For those of us who have never considered what goes into writing a book like this, can you tell us about the process? What goes into it? Research? Timing? Editing?
   
   JP: Hell. Pure hell. This was the hardest book I ever wrote, because the publisher wanted it faster than usual. So basically, the first thing I do is get copies of every media guide Clemens has appeared in, from college to this final seasons in the big leagues. I make files for every teammate, coach, etc—and reach out to them, one by one. I find his old yearbooks and track down classmates, coaches, administrators. I'll travel for big reasons—visit his hometown, go to Houston, etc. But much of it is over the phone. Then, on a newspaper database program, I'll go through every Roger Clemens clip from the early 1980s through today—that'd be about 10,000 articles. It's nightmarish and hard, and when you write, you can easily get lost beneath a mountain of paper. But I also enjoy the detective-ness of it all.
   
   


9. IIATMS: How does the publishing process work? Did you seek a publisher or do they seek you?
   
   JP: Well, I've had a relationship with Harper for four books now, so I pitch them my ideas first. But for my first book, "The Bad Guys Won!" I had an agent contact me, ask if I ever wanted to get into books. We talked it over, and came up with the '86 Mets as an idea. We pitched the book to different publishing houses, and Harper was interested. That's how it started ...
   
   


10. IIATMS: What surprised you the most about your research?
    
    JP: Clemens' youth. Growing up, Bonds was this stud athlete who kicked ass everywhere. Clemens was the opposite—fat, schlumpy, unimpressive. Very, very mediocre. In Little League, he split starts with Kelly Krzan—a girl. And she had better stuff. Also, the lies. If you look at Clemens' life, he has lied about major things throughout: He's not from Texas, he's from Ohio. He wasn't drafted by the Twins, wasn't offered a football scholarship from Georgia, didn't have a basketball tryout with the Sonics. Those are just a few of the things he's said over the years—none true. And the list is endless. It's odd—he has spent a lifetime writing a narrative that doesn't ring true.
    
    


11. IIATMS: How pervasive was PED usage during the ‘90’s? At its height?
    
    JP: This is a guesstimate, but I'd say 70% of major leaguers were using something more than Andro. That's pretty damn pervasive. It was part of the culture of the game. But as I always say, if 70% of my daughter's class cheats on a test, I'm still pissed beyond belief if she does, too. It's easy to go along; difficult—but righteous—to buck the trend.
    
    


12. IIATMS: How much PED usage is still going on? What %?
    
    JP: I couldn't give a % at this point; it'd be a pure guess. But I still believe it to be very high. You know HGH was widely used before the so-called crackdown, and there remains no test for it. I look at a guy like Jason Giambi, and think, "He was a pretty mediocre prospect, then he takes, presumably, roids and HGH and is great. He gets caught, supposedly stops taking ... and is still great? Hard to believe. Not impossible, I guess. But hard.
    
    


13. IIATMS: Was this part of the Yankees locker room culture? Between Giambi, ARod, Sheffield, Clemens, Pettitte, and the Mitchell Report, there’s an awful lot of pinstriped heroes who have been shamed. Not all were Yanks while they used or got caught using, but there’s a link.
    
    JP: Truthfully, it was a part of baseball culture, period. But I do think the Yankees allowed it to flower, and never, ever questioned it. I mean, this is the team that brought in Giambi, Jose Canseco and Kevin Brown. This was a don't-ask-don't-tell team. You don't think Brian Cashman or Joe Torre had any suspicions? None? That'd be very odd. It doesn't make the Yanks any different than the Padres or Mets or Cubs—but the whole blame-the-players approach of baseball is wrong.
    
    


14. IIATMS: How would you allocate the “blame” for this Era: Media, Union leadership, clean players, dirty players, ownership, Selig?
    
    JP: Ownership: 20%
    Selig: 10%
    Dirty players: 30%
    Union leadership: 30%
    Media: 5%
    Clean players: 5%
    
    


15. IIATMS: Was Clemens regarded as a good teammate, unlike Bonds?
    
    JP: For the most part, yes. He could be very selfish, and his no-show act grew very old in Toronto and Houston. But, unlike Barry, he wasn't a purely bad and selfish human being. Clemens wanted to be nice and helpful, and he would answer teammates' questions, take them out for dinner, treat rookies well. Overall, he was liked, and some guys—Oil Can, Al Nipper—swear by him.
    
    


16. IIATMS: How is Clemens’ life these days? Is he in seclusion or is he still embraced by the Houston community?
    
    JP: Well, he's not overly embraced. Still plays golf, attends his kids' events, lives an OK life. But this is a man whose goal was to become an immortalized legend; a superhero for eternity; the greatest blah, blah, blah. He desperately wanted to Hall of Fame; even demanded he be inducted as a Yankee, or not at all. So now here he is, no legacy, no hope. It's sad, in the fallen-hero-is-pathetic way. But it's largely self-induced.
    
    


17. IIATMS: Does Clemens’ much care about the Hall of Fame? It’s been noted that McGwire doesn’t care all that much.
    
    JP: Yes. More than breathing, he wanted to be alongside the all-time greats. This kills him.
    
    


18. IIATMS: Does Clemens regret:
    a. Using?
    b. His defense?
    c. Anything?
    
    JP: Roger Clemens doesn't do regret.
    
    


19. IIATMS: If you could go back 10, 15 years and become the whistleblower, would you know that it might have resulted in your being blackballed from the inside of the game? Or would you have been pressured to keep quiet (either due to editors, lack of evidence, etc.)?
    
    JP: If I had the information, and it was sound, of course I'd do it. It'd be the sports equivalent of Woodward turning down Watergate because he was worried about future White House access ...Without question.
    
    


20. IIATMS: Tell us about the Giambi/Cashman fallout that surfaced last week:
    
    JP: [This is canned as the answer comes directly from Jeff's blog and came out after I had sent him my initial list of questions.]
    I’ve never been one to shy away from difficult subjects. I try and tackle issues/people head-on, and can’t remember a time when I’ve decided to not write something because the fallout would be too difficult.
    
    I’d be lying, however, if I said I enjoy the fallout. I hate it—truly hate it. I want people to read my books, and it’s certainly the way I feed my family and afford and house. I also enjoy the PR that comes with promoting a book—it’s fun emerging from the light for a month or two to do TV and radio. But when the spotlight is negative, or confrontational, or awkward … well, it’s no fun. I don’t hide from it—but enjoyable? No.
    
    A final thought on this matter, and I’ll move on: Cashman was 100-percent right, in that I should have called him for comment, and it was mediocre journalism that I didn’t. I truly regret that. My explanation—admittedly, not a very good one—is that, in my mind, I knew he’d deny, and I could always get it during spring training, when I’d see him in person in Tampa. When the book deadline was moved up, I lost that chance—but forgot about it. Not a good excuse, obviously, and all rips are fair game.
    

A huge thanks to Jeff for making himself available in the height of his pre-launch activities. [I don't make a nickel on any referral or anything like that, but if you want to pre-order a book at Amazon, click here.] Also, Jeff has a pretty interesting "Cast Of Characters" that appear in the book. Great stuff.

The Clemens saga is tragic and I hope that these Q&A's are helpful in scratching the surface on his persona.

"Whatever you were taking in Oakland..."

For those who aren't aware, author Jeff Pearlman has a new book coming out in less than 2 weeks (3/24/09) called "The Rocket That Fell to Earth". While most of us are totally sick of Clemens' legal issues, I remain fascinated by the stories leading up to all of this, including his misguided defense strategy. The NY Times has an advance copy and asked Cashman about a reported comment he made in 2002, this about Jason Giambi:

The book said that when Giambi went through a slump in the 2002 season, his first with the Yankees, Cashman was heard yelling at a television in the Yankees’ clubhouse during a game. Citing “one New York player,” the book said that Cashman screamed, “Jason, whatever you were taking in Oakland,” get back on it.

The book said that Cashman then added, “Please!”

In a telephone interview Thursday night, Cashman said that the anecdote described in the book never happened.

“That is completely false,” Cashman said.

He added, in reference to the author: “This guy never even called me and asked me if it was true. You think he would have done some fact-checking.”

In a telephone interview on Thursday night, Pearlman stood behind his account.

“The source was a Yankee player who was an eyewitness and in whom I have 100 percent confidence,” Pearlman said.

I've got an email into Jeff to see if he's got a anything else to add. If so, I will post it. I've been in touch with Jeff lately in advance of the book's release and he's agreed to a "20 Questions" interview about it. I hope to have it for you next week. Said Pearlman:

“I wrote the book to be a biography of Clemens more than anything else,” Pearlman said. “I wrote this book because I was honestly curious about what led Clemens to the point where he finds himself and what contributed to him becoming who he is.”

UPDATE (12:20am, 3/13/09): Just heard back from Jeff Pearlman. With his permission:

"I really don't have much more to add. Read your post—appreciate it. I mean, the one thing I'll say—that you can write—is that, when it comes to performance-enhancers in baseball, Cashman's track record is brutally bad. He didn't merely employ users of performance-enhancers, but he signed three: Jose Canseco, Kevin Brown, Jason Giambi—who were known throughout the baseball world for their ways. We couldn't report it, because we, the media, didn't have proof. But all three were discussed among players ... writers ... executives; it was hardly a secret. So if Cashman wants to play the 'I had no idea, and any suggestion that I did have an idea is ludicrous!' card, well, I find it hard to fathom. That doesn't make him different than many (if any) of his GM peers, but it's odd to watch all these players go down in flames, while executives who paid huge salaried for 'enhanced' players walk away clean, with their jobs and reputations without stain."

[Addendum from Jeff: "I misused the word 'signed' ... I know Canseco and Brown weren't brought in as free-agents ... just saying Cashman added them without Qs."]

For me, I've oft wondered that very thing: how come Cashman has never come close to saying "I had my thoughts and heard rumors but without testing, my hands were tied"... or something like that.

That being said, Brown wasn't signed by NY; he came via trade. Canseco wore a bunch of uniforms before and after NY. But the list of the guilty (Mitchell Report or by other means) players who have worn the pinstripes at some time or another is much longer than I care to examine (Knoblauch, Ron-DL White, Canseco, K.Brown, ARod, Sheffield, Grimsley, D.Neagle, R.Villone, M.Stanton, Giambi, Leyritz, R.Velarde, Pudge, Clemens, Pettitte, Mitre).

Dissecting the ARod transcript, pt III

While someone correctly called this exercise "a fool's errand", I will continue to be the fool to run the errand. While this is getting lengthy, reading everything so closely has be very helpful for me.

PETER GAMMONS: How do you go about making people believe you?

ALEX RODRIGUEZ: Well, I think coming into the league at 20 years, coming second to Juan Gonzalez as MVP is one good indication. And then, 14 years later in 2007, having the greatest year of my career is another. The other thing is, I'm going to have a sample of 14 years past this Texas era where I get to show and prove to the world who I am as a player. Hopefully I'm part of a championship team or two.

And I also, more importantly, have a chance to, you know, tell the story to kids so they can learn from my mistake. Because there's a story to be said here. I'm looking forward to that challenge.

But to me, '09, now I'm getting excited going to spring training. When you take this gorilla and this monkey off your back, you realize that honesty is the only way. I'm finally beginning to grow up. I'm pretty tired of being stupid and selfish, you know, about myself. The truth needed to come out a long time ago. I'm glad it's coming out today.

Let's face it, there is NOTHING that ARod can do, right now, to convice people he's telling the truth about anything. The only thing he CAN do, is run counter to the Union and have his blood tested and stored. He's not glad it came out. He's just dealing with the reality of it all. If he was really glad, he would have volunteered this years ago (which we know would never happen for any athlete). I'll believe his "telling the story" crap when I see it.

PETER GAMMONS: Two years ago when Barry Bonds was passing Henry Aaron, it was written a lot of places, well, the great thing -- when you pass Bonds, the great thing will be we'll finally have a legitimate home run champion. When you
read those articles, did you worry a little bit about all this coming back to haunt you?

ALEX RODRIGUEZ: You naturally have to worry. I mean, again, there's such a gray area. That era wasn't about facts. That era -- those words you just mentioned, I guarantee that half the guys that did that in any sport don't know what that is.

You basically end up trusting the wrong people. You end up, you know, not being very careful about what you're ingesting. And, yeah, it worried me completely, absolutely. And today, although I know that people are going to be very disappointed, just like I am, I feel good about moving forward and doing things the way I've been doing it the last five years and the way I did it prior to being in Texas. And that's a very important point for me.

What he should have said: "Peter, I hoped like hell that it would never come out, that the samples were actually destroyed. Unfortunately 'anonymous' doesn't mean what we thought it did." I would have given him big bonus points for being honest if I heard that.

PETER GAMMONS: A lot has been said about the fact that the union did not get those samples destroyed, which involves over a hundred players. Are you bitter at all that the union didn't get those tests destroyed?

ALEX RODRIGUEZ: No, I mean, God has done this for a reason. There's a reason why. I can care less about what the union did. I could care less about what Selena Roberts did. This has to come out. This is very important. The most important thing for me in my career is to be honest and forthright, to go into my '09 season as part of the greatest organization in the world, as one of the guys to go out and try to reach our goal.

And when you have that monkey on your back, it's really hard to be the person that you know you can be. It's hard to fulfill your potential that way.

Too bad Peter never really seemed to push ARod's answers back in his face a bit. Too many softballs with no defense. To invoke "God" is just pathetic. Everyone can believe and worship whatever, whenever, whoever. But "God" had nothing to do with outting just ARod's name.

PETER GAMMONS: Over the years, have you talked to anybody about this?

ALEX RODRIGUEZ: No.

PETER GAMMONS: You haven't talked to [agent] Scott Boras?

ALEX RODRIGUEZ: Not one word. Not one word.

Bullsh*it. Hell, it wouldn't surprise me one iota if his ex-wife tipped someone off about all this. Way to push him, Peter.

PETER GAMMONS: How much did you learn from Andy Pettitte coming forward and essentially admitting what he did last year?

ALEX RODRIGUEZ: It was very commendable. I love Andy like a brother. He's one of my best friends on the team. I know he went through a very hard time.

But the one thing is all of us, 1 through 25, we supported him, we loved him, we didn't judge him. And going through this process, Andy has been texting me four or five times.

You know, one thing I'm learning as I get older, and hopefully a little wiser, is that honesty, the truth will set you free. I'm just proud that I'm here sharing my story. Regardless of what the union -- this is no one's fault. This is my fault. I'm responsible for this. And I'm deeply sorry for that.

Then where were you at Andy's presser? Girardi, Cashman and Jeter were all there. Liar. At least he said "I'm responsible".

I feel compelled to call it quits here. The balance of the interview are the same questions, re-asked. A few more softballs or leading questions, too.

I want to believe that he's been clean since the testing really was stepped up a notch. I want to believe that for all players, not just ARod. But, we will just never know. We have to continue to root for the laundry. Have your kids idolize players that you feel best represent your own ideals, and if that player breaks your heart, well, you've got a good excuse to teach your kids about the bad things people do.

Pitchers and catchers report in a few days. The business of baseball gets demoted for PFP, sore hamstrings, rookies making noise and veterans fading away. Spring is coming. The Rays will seek to prove they are more than a one-hit wonder. The Phillies try to repeat. The Yanks and Sox will resume their "Hatfield & McCoy" battles. Someone will come from out of nowhere to be this year's Rays.

I am going down to Florida on Saturday for a family vacation. If all goes well, I will try to drop by Legends Field in Tampa to get a first hand account of what's going on in Yankeeland. I want to smell the freshly cut grass, hear the gloves pop, watch players run and shag flies. And when/if I am sitting there in the sun with my two boys, I can promise you I won't be thinking about ARod, PED's and the rest of this mess.


Other dissections:

• Dissecting the ARod transcript, pt I
• Dissecting the ARod transcript, pt II

Dissecting the ARod transcript, pt II

Click here for the transcript on ESPN.

PETER GAMMONS: To talk a little bit about that culture. It was an underground culture. A player said to me last summer that he really believes in that period between about '98 and 2004, that the players who didn't do one thing or another were either scared or didn't care. Do you agree with that?

ALEX RODRIGUEZ: I think you just felt a tremendous need to keep up and to play well. You know, it was hot in Texas every day. It was over a hundred degrees. You know, you felt like, without trying to overinvestigate what you're taking, can I have an edge just to get out there and play every day? And that's what it came down to. I can't speak for everybody who did. I can only speak for myself.

Regardless of what we want to [unintelligible] and say and justify, there's absolutely no excuse for what I did. I'm sorry. If I was a fan, a fan of mine, a fan of the Rangers, I would be very pissed off. And I can't take that back. But just realize that I'm sorry, and I want to do things to change.

I want to do things to influence children and realize they should learn from my mistake because, you know, it's the biggest regret I have in my life because baseball's given me everything, and I have so much respect.

There will be some people that say, you know, Alex is not a great player, going back to high school, I mean, they're just going to have this blanket cloud over my career. And for those, they may have their own point, but it feels good coming out and being completely honest and putting it out there and realizing that the more honest we can all be, the quicker we get baseball to where it needs to be.

Channelling his inner McGwire. I will only believe the "influence children" when I see him on anti-steroids ads. Using the Texas heat as an excuse is just lame. Steroids don't cool your core body temperature. Sure they help recovery and that helps getting out on the field day in and day out, but to use steroids for this purpose is silly.

The "without trying to overinvestigate" comment is again so profoundly absurd, it's amazing that he kept going back to this. Gammons, who knows ARod as well as anyone, should have hammered on this. I'm disappointed he let it slide the way he did. Sure he asked ARod a few times but never said "C'mon Alex. Do you mean to tell me that you injected or ingested whatever someone gave you without asking what it was, what it did, what the effects were?"

PETER GAMMONS: To go back, you were 21 years old. You're saying at that point in your career, high school, No. 1 pick in the country, you're hitting .358 at the age of 21, you were completely clean?

ALEX RODRIGUEZ: 100 percent. 100 percent. Even before that I had never even seen or even heard of the idea of taking any substance. I've been very fortunate to come up. I was up at 18 years old. I remember meeting you when I was a few months removed away from high school. I was all of 195 pounds or 200 pounds. That was a special time.

And you put my first year and you put my very last year in New York, there haven't been many peaks and valleys. I had the greatest year of my career in 2007. It's a year that I'm very proud of. Although we didn't win a championship, it was a year that was full of -- you know, it was a very historic year. Just to have 2007, 1996, that for me says a lot.

I can believe most this. ARod hasn't had the pronounced peaks and valleys. His numbers are consistently astounding. But if you're one who likes to look at pictures to determing guilt or innocence, his bulk arrived in Texas. He's even come down in size in NY (not saying he's been clean since arriving, but he's clearly smaller than his Texas days).

PETER GAMMONS: How much of the culture -- how prevalent was this culture in Texas at that time?

ALEX RODRIGUEZ: You know, I've always been a guy that raced my own race. And I don't like to look left, I don't like to look right. You just feel there's an energy. To say only Texas, that wouldn't be fair. But overall, you felt that there was -- I felt a tremendous pressure to play and play really well. I felt like I was going up against the whole world. I just signed this enormous contract. I got unbelievable negative press, for lack of a better term, for [Rangers owner] Tom Hicks and I teaming up together...

So I felt that I needed something, without overinvestigating what I was taking, to get me to the next level.

There's more pressure in NY, but I guess as the first guy to break that salary thresholds, the pressures were surely significant, I can't dismiss them. Maybe he has gotten better about handling his pressures.

See above for my thoughts on ARod's "without overinvestigating" comments.

PETER GAMMONS: How long was it before you found out that what you were doing was actually illegal?

ALEX RODRIGUEZ: Again, at the time of that culture, there was no illegal or legal. It was just -- you have to understand the time. To take you back there, again, people were taking a number of different things, from GNC, to whatever.

To be quite honest with you, the first time that I knew I had failed a test 100 percent was when the lady from Sports Illustrated [Selena Roberts] came into my gym just a few days ago and told me, "You have failed a test."

Cop-out. Plain and simple.

PETER GAMMONS: [Major League Baseball Players Association COO] Gene Orza didn't tell you that? There's a report that says that he told all the players who failed drug tests in 2003.

ALEX RODRIGUEZ: Gene was very specific in 2004. We had a meeting in September or August. Don't quote me on the date. But he said there's a government list, there's 104 players on it. You might or might not have tested positive.

At that point I said OK. That was five years ago. I never heard anything ever since. In my mind I assumed that, OK, whatever I was experiencing in Texas perhaps was OK, I'm OK. And in my mind, as I did my interview with CBS last year, I felt I haven't failed a test ... And that was my belief. Whether I wanted to convince myself of that or ... That's just where my mind was.

I felt it was important for me that all my years in New York have been clean, and I wanted just to move to the next chapter in my life.

"Might or might not have"? This is very sketchy. I have a hard time buying this. As far as the CBS interview, he lied, plain and simple.

PETER GAMMONS: ESPN surveyed a number of doctors and experts in this field, and they said the Primobolan could never be prescribed by a doctor. But it was accessible?

ALEX RODRIGUEZ: First of all, I want to see these tests because I haven't seen them ... I am saying I'm guilty of being naive and not having all the information and being negligent. But I would love to see the tests before I start answering questions that I've never even heard before, probably yesterday for the first time.

So, again, I am guilty of being very naive, and I'm deeply sorry for that.

Lame. Sorry for the short comment, but it's just the perpetrating of this bogus claim that bugs me.

PETER GAMMONS: Now, you mentioned the Katie Couric interview. You were asked if you ever used steroids, human growth hormones or other performance-enhancing substances. You said no, flat-out no. In your mind, that wasn't a lie?

ALEX RODRIGUEZ: At the time, Peter, I wasn't even being truthful with myself. How am I going to be truthful with Katie or CBS? Today, I'm here to tell the truth, and I feel good about that. I think my fans deserve that. I'm ready to put everything behind me and go play baseball. You know, we have a great team this year. I couldn't be more excited about the guys that we've brought in, Mark Teixeira, A.J. Burnett ... It's an important time in my life to turn the page and focus on what's next.

"I feel good about that"? Maybe he does feel better with the truth out, but have we heard the entire truth? I am not sure. We heard part of it and overall, it was a very good first step for him.

PETER GAMMONS: So from 2004 on, you have been completely clean?

ALEX RODRIGUEZ: Yes.

I want to believe this. I sincerely do. I think that most players had been scared straight. With ARod, I just don't know.

PETER GAMMONS: Have you even been able to check and find out how many times you've been tested?

ALEX RODRIGUEZ: I don't know the real number, but I would guess at least eight to 10 times. But I would like to know that number. I know I've been tested quite a bit over the last five years.

I mentioned this yesterday.

PETER GAMMONS: You were tested during the WBC [World Baseball Classic] in 2006, is that correct?

ALEX RODRIGUEZ: Correct. I got tested in 2006. And also this year when I go down to Puerto Rico, I'm sure I'll get tested again in 2009.

Prior to Texas, I really had -- at that time in Seattle, I had never even heard of a player taking a substance, a steroid of any kind in my Seattle days. I mean, I know this lady from Sports Illustrated, Selena Roberts, is trying to throw things out there that in high school I tried steroids. I mean, that's the biggest bunch of baloney I've ever heard in my life. I mean, what makes me upset is that Sports Illustrated pays this lady, Selena Roberts, to stalk me. This lady has been thrown out of my apartment in New York City. This lady has five days ago just been thrown out of the University of Miami police for trespassing. And four days ago she tried to break into my house where my girls are up there sleeping, and got cited by the Miami Beach police. I have the paper here. This lady is coming out with all these allegations, all these lies because she's writing an article for Sports Illustrated and she's coming out with a book in May.

Really respectable journalists are following this lady off the cliff and following her lead. And that, to me, is unfortunate.

The character attack on Roberts has no place here and dilutes anything ARod's trying to accomplish. It's an unfortunate turn. Particularly since Roberts has come out and refuted it all. His "this lady" reminds me, sadly, of Clinton's distancing himself of "that woman, Ms. Lewinski".



Other dissections:

• Dissecting the ARod transcript, pt I
• Dissecting the ARod transcript, pt III

Dissecting the ARod transcript, pt I

I listened to the Gammons/ARod interview on the way home. I also watched it again at the gym and again at home afterwards. I have debated what I should do here, in this forum. Repeat what I have said earlier? Get derivative on what the beat writers have to say? Say nothing more and look for other baseball stories? Tear into the transcript and see what happens?

Click here for the transcript on ESPN.

Here are my thoughts following each Q&A:

PETER GAMMONS: Alex, this weekend Sports Illustrated reported that in 2003 you tested positive for testosterone, an anabolic steroid known as Primobolan. What is the truth?

ALEX RODRIGUEZ: When I arrived in Texas in 2001, I felt an enormous amount of pressure. I felt like I had all the weight of the world on top of me, and I needed to perform, and perform at a high level every day.

Back then, it was a different culture. It was very loose. I was young. I was stupid. I was naive. And I wanted to prove to everyone that, you know, I was worth being one of the greatest players of all time. And I did take a banned substance. You know, for that I'm very sorry and deeply regretful.

... The culture back then, and Major League Baseball overall, was very -- I just feel
that, you know, I'm just sorry. I'm sorry for that time. I'm sorry to my fans. I'm sorry for my fans in Texas. It wasn't until then that I ever thought about a substance of any kind, and since then, I've proved to myself and to everyone that I don't need any of that.

I think this lead-off answer is, for the most part, a true statement by ARod. Sure, ARod is sorry he got caught. He wasn't going to turn himself in otherwise. He is regretful. Is he sincere? I have to think so, now, particularly that the toothpaste is out of the tube and not going back in. That there was a "culture" is almost immaterial. Sometimes, you have to stand in the face of what you know is wrong and hold the higher ground. ARod caved, which is yet another example of his insecurities and suspect moral fibers.

As far as the pressure, did it get any less difficult when he was traded to the Yanks? Last time I checked, NY isn't exactly a let-'em-off-easy sort of town.

PETER GAMMONS: You're saying that the time period was 2001, '2 and '3?

ALEX RODRIGUEZ: That's pretty accurate, yes.

"Pretty accurate"? Very poor choice of words, ARod. Neyer had it right here. "Pretty accurate" leaves the door open to interpretation and more questioning of the veracity of his claims.

What did surprise me, and credit to ARod for taking this step, is that ARod gave a rather large window. He could have simply pegged it to one year, but instead, he gave a 3 year window. Does that lend credibility to his story? I'm not sure but I did find it impressive that he copped to a three year window.

PETER GAMMONS: What kind of substances were you taking?

ALEX RODRIGUEZ: Peter, that's the thing. Again, it was such a loosey-goosey era. I'm guilty for a lot of things. I'm guilty for being negligent, naive, not asking all the right questions. And to be quite honest, I don't know exactly what substance I was guilty of using.

I hate this one. ARod is a work-out fanatic. This is well-documented. There is no way he didn't know exactly what he was putting in his body or injecting into his butt. I think he could have tackled this differently, admitting using the two steroids he got caught using. Answering this question this way again leaves his answer open to all conjecture. Cynics could suggest that he's been trying everything presented to him, from HGH, to Dura, to Stanazolol/Winstrol, to Andro, etc., and there would be no way to refute any of it. Expecting the public to "buy" this naivete was a mistake, in my opinion.

PETER GAMMONS: Where did you originally get the substance?

ALEX RODRIGUEZ: Again, at the time, you know, you have nutritionists, you have doctors, you have trainers. That's the right question today: Where did you get it? We're in the era of BALCO ... Back then, it was just about what.

There's many things that you can take that are banned substances. I mean, there's things that have been removed from GNC today that would trigger a positive test. I'm not sure exactly what substance I used. But whatever it is, I feel terribly about it.

Same as above. Was he withholding for fear of a court case down the road? Afraid of getting dragged into congress? How soon does his supplier(s) identify himself? What if he got the PEDs from a former player? Is that why he kept mum?

PETER GAMMONS: Now, when did you get the wake-up call?

ALEX RODRIGUEZ: It wasn't until 2003. I was laying in my bed in Surprise, Arizona. We were doing a team conditioning down by the pool in Arizona. And I suffered a very serious neck injury that went all the way down to my spine. I missed about 2½ weeks of spring training, and I was scared I was going to miss time.

I also had a streak of about 400 games consecutive played, or 300, I'm not sure what the number was. But it was that point in bed that I realized, what am I doing? Not only am I going to hurt my baseball career, but I'm going to hurt my post career.

It was time to grow up, stop being selfish, stop being stupid and take control of whatever you're ingesting. And for that, I couldn't be -- I couldn't feel more regret and feel more sorry because I have so much respect for this game, and, you know, the people that follow me and respect me. And I have millions of fans out there that are, you know, will never look at me the same.

Can we believe this? I have no reason not to but I always find athlete's "come to Jesus" moments rather hollow. And if you had an idea that you were going to mention this moment, wouldn't you (or your handlers) at least fact-check the number of consecutive games played?

I also find the "I have so much respect for the game" stuff hollow. If you did indeed have that much respect for the game, that respect would have kept your body free of these substances.

PETER GAMMONS: Let's go back. How were you introduced to these substances? Was it at the gym? Was it from other players?

ALEX RODRIGUEZ: The culture, it was pretty prevalent. There were a lot of people doing a lot of things. There was a lot of gray area, too. You know, back then you could walk in GNC and get four or five different products that today would probably trigger a positive test. It wasn't a real dramatic day once I arrived in Texas that something monumental happened in my life. The point of the matter was that I started experimenting with things that today are not legal or today are not accepted and today you would get in a lot of trouble for.

Ever since that, that incident that happened to me in Arizona, Surprise, I realized that, you know what, I don't need any of it, and what I have is enough. I've played the best baseball of my career since. I've won two MVPs since, and I've never felt better in my career. Of that I'm very proud of.

The fact that he couldn't remember the moment he made the decision speaks loudly for me. Maybe it's just me, but if I am going to make the rather large leap from emerging all-time talent and future of the game to steroid-aided slugger, that's a pretty weighty decision that I don't take lightly. I view this passage as another window into ARod's fragile psyche and how it shows he is oh so worried about being loved and idolized.

The GNC comment is a cop-out. What he got nabbed for was never for sale in GNC. Maybe he was on Andro and that was available at GNC, but GNC's do not have a "testosterone and steroids" aisle, last I checked.

PETER GAMMONS: So the test that was failed in 2003, that came off -- what were you using of the spring training before you got hurt?

ALEX RODRIGUEZ: I'm not sure exactly of the timing of everything, because it is a long time. It's been almost six years. But I do remember thinking in my bed in Arizona, "What am I doing? Wake up. Stop being selfish." You get to a point where you get tired of being stupid and selfish and not being honest with yourself. And that's what I realized in '03.

So I am sorry for my Texas years. I apologize to the fans of Texas. And there's absolutely no excuse, and I really feel bad about it.

Deflect, deflect, deflect. Why not just say "I was using what the tests showed I was using"? This deflection only kicks the door open wider.



Other dissections:

• Dissecting the ARod transcript, pt II
• Dissecting the ARod transcript, pt III

Update on Yanks pitching prospects

Chad Jennings has a good update on the upper level Yankees pitching prospects, including one on my boy Eric Hacker. Guys profiled include: Phil Hughes, Humberto Sanchez, Ian Kennedy, Phil Coke, Alfredo Aceves and even Kei Igawa. Because I got to interview him here, Hacker's review is below:

Eric Hacker
Right hander
25 years old
Where he's been: Hacker is older than you might expect because he too has been hampered by injuries which cost him all of 2004 and 2006. When he's pitched, though, Hacker has a 2.70 ERA in the minors and he was outstanding last season in Tampa and Trenton.
Where he's going: I've been thinking he'll open back in Trenton, but Hacker is on the 40-man and he'll turn 26 before opening day, so a push to Triple-A has merit, especially if he gets in some games in big league camp and opens some eyes on the major league coaching staff.
Ticket to New York: Consistency. Health is too obvious and goes without saying. Hacker doesn't have massive strikeout numbers, but he also doesn't walk many guys and he gets a lot of outs on the ground. If he's steady in Triple-A, he should earn a shot. That consistency, obviously, requires that he not go back on the disabled list.

I'll be down in FLA right after P&C report. Eric, if you're reading this, I'll give you a call/email when I am down there. How's about a tour of the ballpark/facilities?

More on Mitre; Dissecting Romero's claims

I managed to get hold of Matt Sosnick from Sosnick-Cobbe Sports, the firm that represents Sergio Mitre. Sosnick is not Mitre’s representative; Paul Cobbe is. Matt was kind enough to take a few moments to help clarify some things about Mitre’s story.

IIAMTS: Why should we believe Mitre’s story?
Sosnick: Paul and Sergio have been dealing with this issue for months, working with the MLBPA. Based on what I know about the situation, I believe there is zero chance that Sergio would be making this up.

IIATMS: It was noted in Peter Gammons’ original article that Romero claims he was offered a more lenient suspension (25 games) if he plead guilty. Was Mitre offered that same deal?
Sosnick: Mitre was not offered that deal. A lot of scenarios were bantered around as possibilities but Mitre was never offered a choice. My partner Paul Cobbe handled the entire deal with Mitre and the MLBPA hearing/appeals process. He was never offered a choice. We hoped for zero games; it came down as a 50 game [suspension] for both Romero and Mitre. We, along with the MLBPA thought that was unfair. If Romero claims he was offered 25 games to admit guilt, that comes as a surprise to us since Mitre was never made that offer.

IIATMS: Who knew about this and for how long?
Sosnick: Only myself, Paul and Sergio [and the MLBPA] were aware. We’ve been working on it for months. Paul and Sergio have been to NYC to discuss and meet with MLB officials. Once we knew that the league would release this today, the only person that I called was Yankees’ GM Brian Cashman, out of respect for him and our working relationship. We released Sergio’s statement after the Romero statement was released.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

A few things that I’ve been thinking about since the news broke and it’s only now, after I have had a chance to re-read everything and digest it all, that some things are becoming clearer.

First of all, while I am fortunate to have a good relationship with Sosnick, I do not work FOR him. Just because Sosnick told me that he doesn't believe Mitre intentionally did anything wrong doesn't mean you or I have to believe him. I'm presenting his side since I have access; decide for yourself.

That said, I think Paul Cobbe’s statement on behalf of Mitre was spot on. Nothing resonates more than someone taking responsibility for their actions, even if it means certain punishment. Man-up, as they say. Mitre manned-up. Mitre’s entire statement (emphasis mine):

"Although being suspended for 50 games is tough to accept, I think that it is important to understand that I am in full support of drug testing in Baseball. I did take the supplement in question, and accept full responsibility for taking it. What has been difficult for me to understand is that I legally purchased this supplement at GNC, and had no intention nor desire to cheat or to circumvent the system in any way. As confirmed through the drug testing and grievance processes, it contained a "contaminant" amount of an illegal, performance-enhancing drug. This was not listed as an ingredient on the packaging, should not have been in the supplement and certainly should not have been available for legal purchase at a store. Despite this, I do accept my punishment because, as a professional, I have a responsibility for what I put into my body. For this I will suffer a significant financial penalty and, more importantly, it will affect my reputation. I only hope that this will help others avoid being punished for having taken a product bought legally at a retail store."

Whether you or I believe that Mitre was unknowingly taking a substance that was against the rules is almost immaterial here. What is important is that he acknowledged it and takes responsibility for his actions.

What also struck me here is how much his statement felt like the similar tactic that Andy Pettitte took last Spring in speaking out in the face of the Mitchell Report fallout. Different circumstances, to be sure, but I can tell you that more people respected Pettitte for admitting his guilt than the morbid path that Roger Clemens decided to take. Clemens, as you will never forget, blamed everyone else and never took responsibility for his actions.

I went back over some of the other things that I read about the Romero “situation”, since that clearly had greater legs than Mitre’s. Peter Gammons’ timeline shows us that this was ongoing in the Fall, through the playoffs and actually during the World Series! Pretty interesting how long this process takes to germinate.

What really sticks out is Romero’s response, how he blamed everyone he could seemingly think of, from the MLBPA (the very organization who serves as his advocate and also happens to be the most powerful union in perhaps the world), to GNC, to the manufacturer, down to his trainer on the Phillies.

Regarding the 25 game “offer” that Romero suggested that he received from MLB [EDIT: see update at end], Romero’s comments come across as Clemens-esque. The first comment is particularly insulting:

"But they are not going to make an example of me thinking that I’m just a (dumb) Puerto Rican. It’s not going to happen. It’s not the way I’m built.

"For me to keep my mouth shut? That’s not the right thing to do. If they want to bump me out of the game, so be it. What am I going to do, just sit back and take it? When I know in my heart I’m innocent? That doesn’t fly well with me and it doesn’t fly well in my house, either."

Sounds like Clemens’ initial reaction, too, but I’m willing to give Romero a break here since we don’t know all the facts and we don’t have the benefit of the Mitchell Report to rely upon.

So let’s dig deeper since some things begin to look very sketchy when laid out on a kitchen table:

What did the MLBPA know and when did they know it?

According to the Gammons’ article, Romero claims that “he spoke to Michael Weiner at the MLBPA and told him he did not know the cause of the positive test. On Oct. 1, Weiner told Romero that the specific supplement was indeed the cause of the failed test and that because it was purchased over the counter in the U.S., he believed the case would be dropped.”

Why, then, would Michael Weiner, MLBPA’s General Counsel, issue a tersely written “Statement Statement In Response to Media Reports on the Suspension of J.C. Romero” emailed to all MLBPA personnel? “Press stories” here has to only refer to that Gammons’ source article, essentially coming from Romero’s mouth. So what did Weiner have to say about one of his dues-paying Union members’ claims?

“Some press stories have stated that the Association advised players that the particular supplement J.C. took was safe. Others have suggested that the Association knew, in advance of the positive tests, that this supplement contained a banned substance. Neither is accurate. The Association knew nothing about the particular supplements involved here prior to learning of these positive results.

"There also has been a suggestion in some reports that the MLBPA misled its members about the potential dangers of nutritional supplements. That suggestion, too, is not accurate. We have and will continue to do our utmost to counsel players with regard to compliance with our Program.”

Friends, that is the general counsel of the world’s most powerful union effectively calling “bullsh*t” on one of its members. Do not take this lightly. Weiner is essentially calling Romero (and his claims) a liar. I cannot believe, for a second, that the senior attorney for the union would publish a comment like this without it being a bulletproof statement.

It makes me wonder if there really was a firm offer to accept a lesser penalty for pleading guilty. Maybe it was a trial balloon. Who knows? But no matter what, Weiner’s calling him out on it.

Weiner goes on to then say that he thinks the punishment is too harsh and unfair but the statement abruptly ends there. That’s Weiner doing his job after slamming the door. Weiner issued a joint release for Mitre and Romero that also criticized the ruling.

The Union respects the arbitration process and treats the decision as final. In our view, though, the resulting discipline imposed upon Mitre and Romero is unfair. These players should not be suspended. Their unknowing actions plainly are distinguishable from those of a person who intentionally used an illegal performance-enhancing substance.

He's sticking up for his Union members, as you'd expect, but it's the MLBPA email with the time stamp of 01/06/2009 01:05 PM To: All MLBPA Personnel that is particularly scathing.

What’s certainly possible: Romero, like Mitre, unknowingly took something from GNC that contained elements that are against the MLB drug policy. However, attacking the MLBPA is not the way to go about defending yourself.


The GNC Supplement in question:
Will Carroll from Baseball Prospectus had an interesting little piece on what Romero was supposedly taking: Ergopharm 6-OXO Extreme. Notes Carroll:

According to multiple sources (and also reported by the Philadelphia Inquirer), Romero tested positive for 6-OXO Extreme, a product that enhances testosterone production in ways very similar to anabolic steroids. While legal and still available at your local GNC, 6-OXO Extreme has always carried a warning that it could result in positive tests. If you look at the above link, you’ll be able to find the same warning in the online information.

But it gets better, or worse, if you’re Romero. 6-OXO is a product of Ergopharm. Ergopharm is owned and operated by a guy you might remember: Patrick Arnold. Yes, that one. Arnold was the source for the THG used by BALCO. Arnold served several months in jail due to his involvement and is now back in business.

If Romero didn’t know what he was taking, he sure got unlucky in picking the product marked “for hardcore users only” and with a connection that baseball fans would rather forget.

Whoops. Rob Neyer had the logical comment worth repeating:

Here's a crazy idea: Read the label, and if the label says the product may be banned by an athletic association and you're a professional athlete subject to drug testing … don't take that drug.

The Inquirer article did secure a comment from Arnold, which puts Romero in a further negative light, if you ask me:

In an e-mail exchange, Arnold said there was nothing in his supplement that should have created a positive drug test.

"We have funded two independent clinical studies (one done at Baylor University) that have been peer reviewed," Arnold wrote. "These studies demonstrated the efficacy and safety of the product. We also have funded studies that have demonstrated the compound’s compliance with FDA regulation. Furthermore, we funded another study at (the University of Illinois) in Chicago using classical protocols that demonstrated that 6-OXO is absolutely not an anabolic steroid."

Why didn’t MLB alert its players about this OTC product?
According to the Philadelphia Inquirer article referenced by Carroll:

In July, Romero showed the new supplement to Phillies strength coach Dong Lien, who recommended that Romero get a second opinion before using it. Romero then showed it to his personal nutritionist, "the guy I’ve been working with since I’ve been in major-league baseball," Romero said.

That nutritionist checked the product’s label and saw nothing on MLB’s banned list. Romero began taking the supplement at that point.

Meanwhile, according to the arbitrator’s report, Lien sent a sample of the supplement to MLB for testing. The tests showed the supplement contained a substance that could result in a positive drug test. A copy of those results was sent to commissioner Bud Selig’s office in July.

Considering it was the first time a banned substance was found in an FDA-regulated, over-the-counter supplement — one available to every major-leaguer and millions of youths — that should have sounded alarms. But no one from MLB, the players’ association or the Phillies told Romero that there was a problem with the supplement.

Note the timing: In July. Unfortunately, the MLBPA memo citing certain OTC supplements may trigger positive tests came in November. Again from the Inquirer:

The Major League Baseball Players’ Association has told players that supplements purchased in U.S. retail stores should be safe and within the guidelines of baseball’s drug-testing program. The union acknowledged giving that advice in a letter it sent out to players and their advisers in November. That letter, which arrived too late to help Romero, informed players that three over-the-counter supplements were found to create positive tests under baseball’s drug program.

The Phillies response:
From GM Ruben Amaro:

"I feel very confident with how our staff handles -- and has handled -- these situations, both [trainer] Scott Sheridan and Dong Lien. I have absolutely no problem with the way they handled their roles," Amaro said. "It's unfortunate that J.C. and the Phillies have to deal with this situation, but that's how it is."

Standing by his staff.


Conclusion:
Right now, regarding Mitre, we have a player who admits to taking something that triggered a positive test. He’s taken responsibility for his actions. He might be lying to us and we will never know, but this is all we have right now. I commend him for his statement.

Honestly, I think that Romero might be as unwittingly guilty as Mitre at the core of it all. But his plan of attack on his Union, his team/trainers, plus the supplement in question and his not taking any responsibility for his actions is disturbing. What I have presented above is purely conjecture based upon various reports issued. I am not claiming that Romero is lying about the circumstances or the MLBPA’s actions. What really is bugging me is Weiner’s statement flatly calling Romero’s claims false. That’s a big red flag to me.

We've seen a lot written how Romero's not getting a fair shake because it seems that everyone is believing Romero's story that the MLBPA was aware of this supplement's potential for causing positive tests yet they did nothing to help him. I'm not sold that's the truth.

I don't know what the truth really is --and doubt I will ever know-- but there are just some very curious things that Romero's comments and their reaction brought to the surface.

UPDATE (1/7/09, 10:55am): Reader Larry Selzer was good enough to provide this link with Rob Manfred's admission that a 25 game suspension was indeed offered to Romero. Seems that MLB didn't want a player who has tested positive in the World Series. Thanks, Larry!

"We generally do not negotiate discipline in the drug area," MLB's executive vice president for labor and human resources Rob Manfred said. "If he appealed it would go beyond the World Series. We offered to reduce the suspension to avoid him being in the World Series. ... I think a scientist will tell you that the [banned] substance was no longer in [Romero's] system, but the appearance of it - you prefer to avoid. With any drug program, the goal is to remove the athlete as quickly as possible."

Again, all this does is tell us there is so much more we don't know. It still does not change the fact that Romero's attack on everyone else rather than taking any responsiblity is a bad PR move. I'm OK with a player protesting the claims and professing his innocence, but I would not have recommended Romero's tactics.

UPDATE (1/9/09, 11:15am): An update from USA Today's Bob Nightengale, with an interesting tidbit on the company certifying supplements:

NSF International, a not-for-profit organization based in Ann Arbor, Mich., certifies supplements for Major League Baseball, the NFL and the PGA Tour. EgroPharm, the manufacturer of 6-OXO Extreme, is not one of NSF's approved companies and any product that purported to be a testosterone booster, like 6-OXO Extreme, should be avoided by professional athletes who are tested, according to Ed Wyszumiala, NSF's general manager of dietary supplement programs.

"There is a certain segment of the market where we're not convinced isn't adulterating their products," Wyszumiala said. "Maybe this is a case where a company would spike a product in order to gain market share.
[...]
"Oftentimes, what's on the label is not in the bottle," said Lori Bestervelt, senior vice president and chief technical officer at NSF. "The only way you know is through testing the product and having a certification process."