<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>ESPN's Pedro Gomez says Manny Ramirez has signed a contract with the Oakland A's. Angels fans, are you scared to have him in your division?</p>— 1450AM ESPN (@1450AMESPN) <a href="https://twitter.com/1450AMESPN/status/171664128170135552" data-datetime="2012-02-20T18:34:52+00:00">February 20, 2012</a></blockquote>
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Quote:
ESPN's Pedro Gomez says Manny Ramirez has signed a contract with the Oakland A's. Angels fans, are you scared to have him in your division?
Can't wait for preseason - looking forward to checking out some games down here.
I'm having to choose between keeping 2 out of Miguel Cabrera, Chase Utley, and Jose Reyes.
Any suggestions?
Keep Cabs as this team will score a pile of runs this year. Especially in the AL Central. He's had 4 consecutive 30+ HR seasons playing at GIGANTIC Comerica Park.
Utley (33yrs. old) & Reyes (28 yrs. old) have both battled injuries the last couple of years but I think Jose will light it up for his new club, in a new ballpark with a big fat new contract.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>ESPN's Pedro Gomez says Manny Ramirez has signed a contract with the Oakland A's. Angels fans, are you scared to have him in your division?</p>— 1450AM ESPN (@1450AMESPN) <a href="https://twitter.com/1450AMESPN/status/171664128170135552" data-datetime="2012-02-20T18:34:52+00:00">February 20, 2012</a></blockquote>
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The New York Yankees found their left-handed designated hitter on Monday, agreeing with free-agent Raul Ibanez on a one-year, $1.1 million contract, according to a major league source.
The New York Yankees found their left-handed designated hitter on Monday, agreeing with free-agent Raul Ibanez on a one-year, $1.1 million contract, according to a major league source.
All the guy could get was $1.1 mill? I know he's like 40 but he's still a 20 HR, 80 RBI player. I'm surprised he couldn't sign for more.
In the age of sabermetrics, teams are starting to wise up and not be deceived by rbi totals. Last year Ibanez was a poor hitter and fielder.
When you're sporting numbers like .245 AVG, .289 obp and 0.419 slg 91 OPS+ and -1.3 WAR, you shouldn't be entitled to much. I'm sure Raul knows that which is why he took the offer. The silver lining for Ibanez is that his contract is incentive based and he could earn up to 4 million this year.
In the age of sabermetrics, teams are starting to wise up and not be deceived by rbi totals. Last year Ibanez was a poor hitter and fielder.
When you're sporting numbers like .245 AVG, .289 obp and 0.419 slg 91 OPS+ and -1.3 WAR, you shouldn't be entitled to much. I'm sure Raul knows that which is why he took the offer. The silver lining for Ibanez is that his contract is incentive based and he could earn up to 4 million this year.
Yeah, but I seem to recall Ibanez hitting like eighth in the order and providing the Phils with a lot of clutch hits from that spot... though I may be thinking more of the 2010 season than the 2011 season. He should be primarily a DH with the Yanks this year.
My first reaction to the Billy Beane/Manny Ramirez story was, "I guess they're not playing moneyball out west any longer," but then I found out that Manny's contract is worth a maximum of ~500k for this year... which begins for him in June due to that 50-game suspension.
Also, I would just like to say **** political correctness because that Houston Colt .45's logo/uni posted a few up is one of the best I've ever seen (great team name, too).
I haven’t been following much but has there been any word on braun’s appeal??
Absolutely no news. The decision was expected to be announced before spring training started but something is holding it up. I've read some speculation that Braun might have a case for a false positive but not definitive enough to completely overturn the suspension so it could possibly get reduced to something like a 25-game suspension, but that is just speculation. A decision should be coming soon though.
The Red Sox will receive relief pitcher Chris Carpenter from the Cubs as compensation for letting former general manager Theo Epstein out of his contract to become Chicago's president of baseball operations.
Yeah, but I seem to recall Ibanez hitting like eighth in the order and providing the Phils with a lot of clutch hits from that spot... though I may be thinking more of the 2010 season than the 2011 season. He should be primarily a DH with the Yanks this year.
My first reaction to the Billy Beane/Manny Ramirez story was, "I guess they're not playing moneyball out west any longer," but then I found out that Manny's contract is worth a maximum of ~500k for this year... which begins for him in June due to that 50-game suspension.
Also, I would just like to say **** political correctness because that Houston Colt .45's logo/uni posted a few up is one of the best I've ever seen (great team name, too).
Ibanez will DH but could play some RF when Tex might need a day off from 1B (by either having the whole day off or a half day by DHing) and Swisher would play at 1st (unless it's a lefty starter, then Andruw Jones would play RF instead if the situation I mentioned before happens).
CBS Sports is reporting that Ryan Braun won his appeal.
Quote:
Brewers outfielder Ryan Braun has won his appeal and will not serve a suspension for a positive drug test late last season, CBSSports.com's Jon Heyman has confirmed. The news was first reported by the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. This means Braun's test was a false positive or an erroneous test of some sort.
The appeal was held by a third party and Major League Baseball is not happy. Here's the statement released by MLB executive vice president for labor relations Rob Manfred:
“Major League Baseball considers the obligations of the Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program essential to the integrity of our game, our Clubs and all of the players who take the field. It has always been Major League Baseball’s position that no matter who tests positive, we will exhaust all avenues in pursuit of the appropriate discipline. We have been true to that position in every instance, because baseball fans deserve nothing less.
“As a part of our drug testing program, the Commissioner’s Office and the Players Association agreed to a neutral third party review for instances that are under dispute. While we have always respected that process, Major League Baseball vehemently disagrees with the decision rendered today by arbitrator Shyam Das.”
Phoenix - Milwaukee Brewers leftfielder Ryan Braun became the first major-league player to have a positive drug test overturned when he was informed Thursday that an arbitration panel ruled in his favor on appeal and decided against a 50-game suspension for the reigning National League most valuable player.
There has been no official announcement of the verdict but the Journal Sentinel has confirmed that Braun won his appeal.
Someone familiar with the decision said the appeal went Braun's way not so much on contesting the result of the test but the testing process itself, some kind of technicality. And it was arbitrator Shyam Das who decided to rule in favor on that technicality, making it a 2-1 decision by the three-man panel.
Whatever the reason, the ruling was a tremendous boost for both Braun, whose reputation was at stake, and the Brewers, already missing free agent Prince Fielder from their 2011 NL Central championship club. Instead of having to figure out a way to replace Braun for the first 50 games of the season, the team can move forward with its original plans.
Though the drug testing process is supposed to be confidential, because of leaks of the positive test and hearing, the Major League Baseball Players Association released a statement that Braun won his appeal. The union confirmed it was a 2-1 vote.
That statement read: "Under the Joint Drug Agreement, a player's successful challenge to a suspension normally would not have been made public. The parties have agreed, given the particulars of this case, that an announcement is appropriate."
It is my understanding that MLB officials are not pleased with how this played out and will be making a statement in support of the drug testing process.
Braun is expected to report to the Brewers' camp Friday on schedule, and now will not have the cloud of a suspension hanging over his head. It had become a point of noticeable nervousness and anxiety among other players and staff as well as they awaited what many feared would be a negative outcome.
Braun appealed the positive test that took place in early October, at the outset of the playoffs. His hearing before a three-man arbitration panel was held in New York on Jan. 19-20, when noted attorney David Cornwell presented his case against the test result and suspension.
The three-man panel included Major League Baseball Players Association executive director Michael Weiner, MLB vice president for labor relations Rob Manfred and independent arbitrator Shyam Das. The history of such hearings suggested Weiner would back the player and Manfred would support the testing procedure, leaving Das to cast the decisive vote.
The MLB drug policy calls for a maximum of 25 days for the panel to render its verdict but that is considered more of a guideline than a rigid deadline. Accordingly, the panel took much longer to announce its decision. Thursday marked five weeks since the appeal hearing began.
There had been speculation that the delay was because Braun already had been told he won the case and his side hadn't announced it. The commissioner's office wouldn't announce the player had won the appeal because the process is supposed to be confidential. But a source familiar with the decision said Braun was not informed until Thursday.
An MLB source familiar with the history of game’s drug testing said none of the previous 12 major leaguers who appealed a positive result were able to overturn a suspension. Thus, even though successful appeals are not announced because of confidentiality, someone familiar with the process said Braun was the first major-leaguer to win an appeal.
Originally, players were suspended for 10 days but that penalty was stiffened to 50 games in 2006, with pay forfeited.
The burden of proof rests squarely on the player in such hearings because he must prove the banned substance was not in his system by his fault or through negligence. The MLB drug policy has a “strict liability” provision in which players are not exonerated merely because they ingested a banned substance unknowingly.
Braun’s positive test reportedly included “insanely high levels” of testosterone, by far the most ever detected in a player. He requested an independent drug test a few weeks after testing positive, which was clean, but it was not authorized nor recognized as exculpatory by MLB.
After ESPN reported Braun’s positive test, he immediately proclaimed his innocence, sending this test message to the Journal Sentinel: “I am completely innocent. This is B.S.”
Braun indicated he wanted to give his side of the story but was instructed not to by his advisors. But his camp went on the offensive, citing “highly unusual circumstances surrounding this case which will support Ryan’s complete innocence and demonstrate that there was absolutely no intentional violation of the program.”
The agency that represents Braun, CAA Sports, hired noted attorney David Cornwell to present his case before the panel. Cornwell had defended other high-profile athletes in such matters as well as other legal entanglements.
Shortly after taking the case, Cornwell issued a statement saying, “Any report that Ryan ingested a performance-enhancing drug is wrong.”
Cornwell limited his comments to that and the Braun camp closely guarded its defense strategy prior to the hearing. Word leaked, however, that Cornwell would attack the test finding on several fronts, questioning the veracity of the test itself because Braun’s testosterone level was more than twice as high as any previously recorded.
A source familiar with MLB’s drug policy indicated there were only a few ways to overturn a positive test, such as proving a chain-of-custody issue, a flaw in the collection process or providing proof that the player’s team signed off on the substance. Otherwise, the “strict liability” aspect of the policy makes it extremely difficult to exonerate a player.
Apparently, Braun won his appeal by contesting something in the process itself.
Braun claimed 20 of 32 first-place votes for NL MVP after batting .332 with 33 home runs, 111 runs batted in, 109 runs scored and 33 stolen bases in 150 games. He led the league with a .597 slugging percentage.
Braun has done a lot of amazing things during his big-league career, but considering the history of the drug program and its appeals, some might consider his biggest accomplishment.
I'm very surprised Braun's suspension was overturned. This is going to lead to a lot of people questioning the fairness of the system and if it favors the young, superstar players. I'd heard that Braun had a real case but I still didn't expect the suspension to get completely overturned and thought at best it'd be reduced.
I'm very surprised Braun's suspension was overturned. This is going to lead to a lot of people questioning the fairness of the system and if it favors the young, superstar players. I'd heard that Braun had a real case but I still didn't expect the suspension to get completely overturned and thought at best it'd be reduced.
If we won his appeal based on a technicality in the testing process, as that article suggests, then I would think the MLB will investigate its testing process and amend any issues...
Wow am I shocked. Interesting how MLB comes right out and disagrees with the arbitrator. While Braun's part is probably over, this story is far from finished.
Wow am I shocked. Interesting how MLB comes right out and disagrees with the arbitrator. While Braun's part is probably over, this story is far from finished.
+1, this is gonna go on for a while, glad he won though
+1, this is gonna go on for a while, glad he won though
As long as he is 100% innocent, then I'm gald he won as well, even though I'm a Cubs fan. Baseball needs good heroes. Hopefully Braun will be one of those good guys.
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