Archive for the 'World Series' Category

Jan 07

[PHRAUDS] 2008 World Series Champs: Philadelphia Phillies*

JC Romero, Philadelphia Phrauds, World Series Cork Gaines 79 Comments »

[Update: MLB says they wanted to suspend Romero for the playoffs but instead allowed him to negotiate his way out of it. The claim is that the normal appeal process would have lasted longer than the postseason]

The Tampa Bay Rays won’t say it…Major League Baseball won’t say it…the mainstream media won’t say it…So we will. The Philadelphia Phillies cheated their way to the World Series title, and Major League Baseball let them.

JC Romero of the Philadelphia Phillies has been suspended by Major League Baseball for 50 games for testing positive for a banned substance. And despite his pleas of innocence, Romero tested positive for a substance that comes in a bottle with a warning label indicating that it may be a banned substance. And despite testing positive twice, he was still allowed to pitch in four of the five World Series games.

Romero tested positive twice prior to the World Series
Romero first tested positive on August 26 with the Phillies nursing a half-game lead in the NL East. The results of that test came back positive on September 23. The results of a second test came back positive on October 12, just ten days prior to the start of the World Series.

Two positive tests and yet Major League Baseball refused to immediately suspend a player participating in the postseason. Romero was granted an arbitration hearing without having to file an appeal. The arbitration hearing was held during the first two games of the World Series.

Supplement had clear warning
Romero intentionally used a supplement (6-OXO Extreme) which has a label that reads “use of this product may be banned by some athletic or government associations (including military).” We can’t speak for Romero, but we are pretty sure the label wasn’t referring to the US Badminton Association. 

He tested positive twice. He was given an arbitration hearing. And he was still allowed to pitch in the World Series. A World Series in which he was the winning pitcher in two games. He appeared in four games, allowing no runs on just 2 hits and no walks. He struck out 4 in 4.2 innings.

Why was Romero not suspended after the first test? Why was he not suspended after the second test? Why did Major League Baseball allow an arbitration hearing without first suspending the player?

And if Romero is as innocent as he claims, why is he not appealing the suspension?

World Series Champion Philadelphia Phillies*
Questionable substance on the brim of pitcher’s cap? Check.

Performance Enhancing Drug user? Check.

Would the Rays have won a fair World Series? We will never know. But we do know that Phillies fans love asterisks.

Phils’ Romero a casualty in baseball’s drug war [Philadelphia Inquirer]
J.C. Romero Rises Up For [Dumb] Puerto Ricans Everywhere [Deadspin]
Filthy Joe Blanton says that’s just filth on the brim of his hat [Big League Stew]
Phils or Phrauds? Y*u decide [Daily News]

Oct 28

[WORLD SERIES MONSOON] Phillies Fans Have Only Head Groundskeeper To Blame (And Maybe Karma)

Karma is a bitch, Mike Boekholder, World Series Cork Gaines 29 Comments »

For all the complaints (and whining) we have heard today directed at FoxTV, Bud Selig and Major League Baseball, the one group that deserves the brunt of the fans’ wrath is the Phillies’ ground crew.

During the bottom of the 5th inning, Chris Myers reported from the field that he had just spoken with the head groundskeeper who claimed that the ground crew had the situation under control and that the field could handle the rain.

“I just spoke with the head groundskeeper Mike Boekholder just before this inning started. He walked out, checked the field. The forecast, a tenth of an inch of rain per hour. He says this field can hold that all night…He doesn’t think that this can stay all night but it should not worsen.”

This is the same person that Major League Baseball and the umpires are checking with and Boekholder is telling them that the field will not be a problem. The field did not appear to become a big problem until the top of the 6th inning. In the 5th inning water was only seen collecting along the warning track in foul territory. And while one could argue that the game should have been postponed during the top of the 6th, umpires always prefer to call rain delays in between innings. A delay during an inning is always the last resort.

The head groundskeeper had the umpires and MLB believing the field would be fine in the 6th inning and once it proved not to be, the umpires were just trying to finish the inning before calling for the tarp.

And for those that think MLB refused to suspend the game earlier just so the Rays could tie the game, that only makes sense if you think they would have kept playing if the Rays do not score in the top of the 6th. Major League Baseball was never going to award a win to a team in the World Series from a rain-shortened game. The score could have been 12-2 and MLB would still make the teams finish the game at a later date. That second run for the Rays had zero bearing on when the game was suspended.

Then again, maybe Phillies fans should not be planning the victory parade…or throwing mustard packs at a 7-year old girl…or pouring beer on a 9-year old boy…or screaming at babies…or, eh. You guys get the point.

Phillies fans, we would introduce you to Mr. Karma, but we have a feeling you guys already know each other pretty well.

Nothing Is Ever &@$#ing Easy [The Fightins]
Only in Philadelphia [Beerleaguer]
Phillies/Rays World Series Game Five Will Forever Be Remembered As Raingate, Unless [The Good Phight]
Game Five Postponed At 2-2 Tie [Phillies Nation]
Philles fans prematurely planning victory parade [Ump Bump]
Rays seek a bit more security [LA Times]
World Series: Phils’ fans live down to their reputation [St. Pete Times]
Rays fans complain of treatment at ballpark [Philadelphia Inquirer]
25-Year Championship Drought [Philadelphia Daily News]

Oct 28

[WORLD SERIES] Continuation Of Game 5 Postponed

Andy Sonnanstine, Charlie Manuel, Cole Hamels, David Price, Grant Balfour, James Shields, Joe Maddon, Matt Garza, Scott Kazmir, World Series Cork Gaines 6 Comments »

The St. Pete Times is reporting that Major League Baseball has already postponed tonight’s continuation of game 5. According to the press release from MLB, the game is tentatively scheduled for 8:37pm tomorrow (Wednesday). Don’t think Fox TV’s desire to keep “House M.D.” from being postponed was not a factor in this decision.

As for the Rays, this postponement means very little for the pitching staff. Joe Maddon will still go with Grant Balfour (or David Price) to start the final three and a half innings of game 5. Maddon will also likely stay with James Shields and Matt Garza as his games 6 and 7 starters.

One change could be the availability of the other starters in a potential game 7. If game 5 is completed tomorrow, games 6 and 7 would be held on Thursday and Friday (Halloween). Andy Sonnanstine would certainly be available on Friday (4 days rest) but conceivably he could also throw on Thursday in game 6 out of the bullpen. Also, Scott Kazmir could be available out of the bullpen in a potential game 7 (not that we would recommend that).

As for the Phillies, Charlie Manuel could choose to bring Cole Hamels back on three days rest to start a potential game 7. Hamels only threw 75 pitches last night.

Game 5 postponed … again [St. Pete Times]