Mark Mcgwire admits to using Steroids
January 12, 2010
Another one bites the dust. A report came out today that Mark McGwire, who broke Roger Maris’ single-season home run record with 70 home runs back in 1998, admitted today that he used steroids through the 90’s while playing baseball. This includes his record breaking season which hurts me because I really looked up to the guy back in the day. While he was not my favorite player, he was one of them. The day Greg Maddux comes out and says he has used steroids is the day that I stop watching baseball. This comes at no surprise to most baseball fans as he dodged a lot of the questions in his testimony in front of the Senate. Most of his fans are actually coming out in support and Bob Knight has even come out in support of the Mark McGwire legacy. ”I wish I had never used steroids. It was foolish and it was a mistake.” Those words make me think that maybe McGwire isn’t sleeping too well these days. The media claims that its probably because he is taking a new job. His family seems to be very understanding just giving him words of encouragement throughout this whole ordeal. He was a baseball icon back in the 90’s with his grandiose physique and a swing that only a 12 year old dreaming of hitting that home run in the 9th inning of the World Series could appreciate. With the swing came the fans barreling out of their cars three hours before the game even started just to see a glimpse of the home run machine that was Mark McGwire. With this I can only say that in my mind Roger Maris is now the single season home run leader (Sammy Sosa and McGwire being the only two players to have statistically more home runs in a season).
Who Cares about Steroids?
June 17, 2009
Seriously? On the eve of Sammy Sosa being labeled as one of the 104 names on the list of players who failed drug screenings back in 2003. First of all, are you really that suprised about it? Sammy Sosa lied in open court about the use of the substances, but who didnt lie? Did you expect him not to lie? I am not saying that since everyone lies, it makes it alright, but this was back in 2003 (6 years ago) and I think its crazy to think that we are still talking about this and I know over the next few weeks there will be more and more names let out of the bag. To be honest with you, if I were Sammy Sosa, I would be trying to figure out which law firm decided to leak this information out into the public because they were supposed to get rid of the document, destroy it, and never look at it again. Obviously thats not whats going on here, someone has the list and is leaking it to the New York Times. I think what makes me angry about the whole situation is that 10 years from now, this isnt going to be a big deal. In fact I am almost certain that Sammy Sosa, Mark McGuire, Roger Clemens and others will still be voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame and if that happens what was the point in even talking about it in the first place. I understand that this baseball era (1980’s-Present) will be known as the “Steroid Era” and it looks like America’s Past Time has now reverted to Football, but that doesnt mean we have to freak out about everything considering I would be willing to bet that at least half of NFL players have taken some sort of performance enhancing drug. I understand they test for illegal drugs which has gotten several players in trouble, but what about performance enhancing drugs? I guess what I am trying to ask is does anyone really care about this issue or would you rather get mad at the football players who are getting wasted and killing people with their cars. Dante Stallworth got sentenced to just 30 days in jail, his career is not ruined, and he will more than likely end up getting the same punishment from the commissioner of the NFL as Michael Vick. What do you think about it?
Last Place in Salary is First Place in MLB
April 13, 2009
Thats right, the Florida Marlins are tied with the Atlanta Braves for first place not only in the Eastern Division of the National League, but all of Major League Baseball through the first two weeks. They have scored 37 runs in their first 6 games which to me considering last year they were only 3-3 through the first 6 games only scoring 21 runs. November 11th, 2008 is a day that the Florida Marlins will not forget for a while. Its the day the Washington Nationals traded Emilio Jose Bonifacio (a pitcher from the minor leagues) to the Florida Marlins. So far through the first 6 games he is batting .500 has a home run and 5 RBI’s. Believe it or not that Fantasy baseball league has adopted this guy because over 80 percent of them own him on their baseball team. So whats so great and amazing about Florida being on top of the world right now? The fact that they pay their players the least amongst all MLB teams. Their team salary right now is $22,650,000 whereas the New York Yankees pay their players the most with a team salary of $207,108,489. So where is this near quarter billion dollar team at in the standings? They started out 0-2 but have now jumped to 3-3 tied with the Rays for 3rd place in the American League East Division. This is not surprising for me as the Yankees spent the bank in the off season picking up players left and right and paying them whatever they asked for. If you have the money, great, but why don’t you go spend it on some of the local business that seem to be failing in New York? All in all I expect big things for the Marlins and look for them in the wild card position by the end of the season. I doubt the Yankees will even make the playoffs. You have heard it here on SidelineBlog.com, the Yankees will not make the playoffs.
Here is a list of all the team salaries as of right now. If you take a look at their records vs. how much they pay their players, I think that you will find it pretty funny how it ends up working out in the end. This table only represents how much the teams pay their players, not their staff or anyone else.
| Team | Payroll (US$) |
| 1. NY Yankees | 207,108,489 |
| 2. NY Mets | 137,391,376 |
| 3. Detroit | 137,290,196 |
| 4. Boston | 133,220,112 |
| 5. Chicago Sox | 121,189,332 |
| 6. LA Angels | 118,825,333 |
| 7. LA Dodgers | 118,188,536 |
| 8. Chicago Cubs | 117,954,333 |
| 9. Seattle | 116,876,482 |
| 10. Atlanta | 102,849,666 |
| 11. St. Louis | 99,624,449 |
| 12. Toronto | 97,001,500 |
| 13. Philadelphia | 95,479,880 |
| 14. Houston | 88,930,414 |
| 15. Cleveland | 78,970,066 |
| 16. San Francisco | 76,194,000 |
| 17. Milwaukee | 74,687,499 |
| 18. Cincinnati | 74,117,695 |
| 19. San Diego | 72,626,616 |
| 20. Colorado | 68,655,500 |
| 21. Baltimore | 66,806,249 |
| 22. Texas | 66,312,326 |
| 23. Arizona | 66,202,712 |
| 24. Kansas City | 57,855,500 |
| 25. Minnesota | 56,932,766 |
| 26. Washington | 54,166,000 |
| 27. Pittsburgh | 48,689,783 |
| 28. Oakland | 47,167,126 |
| 29. Tampa Bay | 43,422,997 |
| 30. Florida | 22,650,000 |
Just goes to show you a lot about money. Not only doesn’t it buy you happiness, but also a winning baseball team.
Major League 2009 Picks
April 7, 2009
I have not been blogging for a while with this blog, but I have decided that I want to start it up again in honor of my Mother Barbara Janette Sherrill. She died September 25th, 2008 and I kind of lost touch with everything after that. I realize now that sports has really gotten me through a lot of the hard times and I want to give back to the sports world by talking about it. Anyways, here are my picks for the 2009 MLB season:
American League
East – Boston Red Sox
Central – Cleveland Indians
West – LA Angels
National League
East – Atlanta Braves
Central – Chicago Cubs
West – LA Dodgers
I know that some of you are going to think I am crazy for making those pics, but I really do believe that these teams are playing the best RIGHT NOW. I cannot help if it players decide to hurt themselves…lets just hope CC Sabathia doesnt decide to shoot himself in the leg.
CC Sabathia…the Yankee
December 10, 2008
To this point I couldn’t tell you where the largest prize on the free agent market was going to be heading for next season. I was almost sure that it was not to the New York Yankees because CC himself has come out saying he did not want to live in the city. Several credible sources are saying that is the case now just like in the case of Mike Mussina before. This time they didn’t have Joe Torre on the phone telling him how he doesn’t have to actually live in the city, just in the suburbs and what not. Is this a good move for the Yankees to lock up this work horse of a pitcher? He carried the Brewers into the playoffs this year and them dropped them off at the ball park. He has not proven to me yet whether or not he can make it in the post season. For his career, CC Sabathia is 117-73 with a 3.66 ERA in 254 games. He has however completed 26 full games and he has 10 complete shutouts in his career with 1,393 strikeouts.
Tampa Bay favored in Game 2
October 24, 2008
Its going to be the Shields-Myers show tonight has the Philadelphia Phillies take on the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in the 2008 World Series Game 2. After the first inning the Rays lead 2-0 getting a walk, a hit, and two runs in the first inning. This stands to be a pretty good game but I am hoping that the Rays can pull off a victory and make this series worth watching. Its already considered the least watched World Series in its televised history. Myers is going to need to step it up tonight in order to keep the Phillies in this because we all know that he has struggled throughout the season getting sent back to the farm this season and coming back to now find himself with a chance to go up 2-0 in the World Series. I think Ryan Howard will end up getting a hit tonight because he is most certainly due for one. I would keep an eye out for him tonight and he might even go out of the park if he gets hot. I think this game comes down to “Big Game James” Shields and how he can pitch against this loaded Phillies unit.
Tampa Bay leads series 2-1
October 14, 2008
Tied for the 3rd largest deficit for the Boston Red Sox at home in the post season, Tampa Bay dealt the Red Sox with a horrible hand crushing them 9-1. Joe Maddon replies with, “We won tonight, Ive talked about it a lot, its one day at a time, one game at a time. We happened to win tonight. We gotta come out ready for bear tomorrow.” Happened to win? You guys obliterated the Red Sox last night and I had no doubt the entire game that you guys would be the first ones to strike gold. Red Sox coaches and players were talking about how it was a pretty good game except for 1 inning…psh, you guys anihilated them hardcore. Congrats to you guys because I know your home fans arent appreciating you guys enough. I think its high time you guys come to Austin because we respect our minor leaguers, I think you guys would be golden here. I can promise you that I am going to be watching the game tonight, and I am sure that half the country will too. You guys are amazing, I am excited for you, and just ROLL RAYS ROLL!@!@
As for you Red Sox fans, I hope you guys are comfortable with where your boys are at right now because it doesnt get any easier tonight…I hope that you guys can make this a series, because I have been watching pretty closely. Hey, look at it this way, if Utah can get a vote for 1rst place on the Harris Poll then you guys shouldnt have a problem winning at home. Dont let the Rays treat you like that…You should try to make this a series, maybe a comeback or something. That doesn’t happen that often. If a kid at Mesa State can cut off his pinky finger to keep playing on the team, then you guys can do something to figure this series out. I am begging you to make this sport interesting. Because a Phillies vs. Rays series makes me want to yawn, puke, and soil myself at the same time. I am tired of fans not showing up in Tampa Bay so I am sure they will be alright when they actually do…its not looking too good for the Rays…
Too soon to call Rays down 2-0?
October 12, 2008
After the first inning, I would have to tell you that the Rays are already out of this game. Boston struck first with 2 runs in the first inning. When Tampa got up to the plate, their first two went down Carlos Pena doubled into far left center. With Pena on 2nd base, Evan Longoria (my pick for AL rookie of the year) homered into left and was able to tie the game up at the end of the first inning. I give the Rays a good chance of tying the series up tonight as I have this feeling in my stomach that they are going to be alright. I personally feel as if they have been looked upon as a nothing team all season. I really do hope that they can pull this off and go to a World Series…Hell, you can have your home games at the Astrodome if you would like? I would give anything to be able to see the Tampa Bay Rays on a regular basis. You old retired folks dont know what you are missing out on and what you guys have.
What a huge Sheame
September 29, 2008
Monday has New York Mets fans burning “anything that says Mets on it.” Bryan Saunders of the New York Daily News feeling ashamed of the fact that the Mets have done the unthinkable for the second year in a row. They have blown a playoff spot going just 13-12 in the month of September. This breakdown is the second time in 2 years that the Mets have blown it with a month left in the regular season. This is just more evidence to the fact that the New York Mets cannot close the season. If they have one thing to look positively at its the fact that this years collapse was not has historical as last years. If you look at what all the Mets have been through this season with the struggle of the bullpen, the firing of Willie Randolph on June 16th, and just everything else…you start to feel bad for them. Then you see their success in the middle of the season after changes had been made and you understand that the decision needed to be made. Going 18-9 to start out with the new manager which was amazing considering they started out 6.5 games back and exactly one month later on July 17th, 2008 they were tied for the lead in the NL East. Mets fans should be ashamed because there is no reason for this to happen again. Please Freddie Wilpo…..CLEAN HOUSE….if not for you, for your friends and fans. Do something.
MLB Playoffs start October 1rst!
September 18, 2008
Major League Baseball has announced that the playoffs will be starting on October 1rst. This is the second year in a row that the game is starting on a Wednesday. This has fans questioning whether this is a good idea or not. A lot of fans are saying that its killing a tradition while others question whether it will get as high of ratings that it would starting on a weekend. I have a couple of things to say about this:
- Its not that long of a tradition…about 30 years or so which could be considered tradition if it hadnt started during the week for the 60 years before that.
- Two words: College Football. If you expect to have any kind of ratings you need to put it on a night that doesnt have a whole lot else. What I am trying to say is that if the games started this weekend, would you be watching Arizona State vs. Georgia or the Red Sox and Astros? If youre a hardcore baseball fan its probably the Sox game, but if you are a coniseur of all sports, or a football fan you are watching the Georgia Bulldogs probably whoopin up on some Sun Devil soft offense. Oh ya, and dont forget that thing called the National Football League because Sunday is pretty much dedicated to church and football.
Bottom Line: Baseball fans…Get over it. Take your chew out and stop whining. You need to start gearing up for World Series starting October 27th.
Categories
- Division 2 (7)
- Scores (3)
- FBS (37)
- Bowls (5)
- Coaching Changes (3)
- Games to Watch (7)
- News (23)
- Predictions (5)
- Rankings (7)
- TV Schedule (5)
- FCS (2)
- News (1)
- High School Football (10)
- News (3)
- Texas High School Football (10)
- NFL (23)
- News (7)
- Player/Coaching Changes (2)
- Playoffs (1)
- Weekly Picks (11)
- Other Sports (31)
- Uncategorized (3)
Other Stuff To Look At
