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Monday, May 12, 2008

Outs Per Swing: Interview with Jeff Pearlman

EH: If not for his addiction issues where do you think Josh would be in baseball right now? Meaning would he be a several time All Star at 26? One of the best players in the game? One of the most popular players?

JP: He’d be Ken Griffey, Jr., age 26. All the talent in the world, all the charisma, etc. He’d be huge. And think how it would have impacted the Tampa franchise to have a true 5-tool star to build around.

TR: Do you think it would be a bad thing, bringing back old scenery and maybe old friends, if Josh ever came back to play for the Rays?

JP: Hmmm … good question. I definitely think it’s good that the Rays left him unprotected in the Rule 5. Anyone who kills the franchise for that doesn’t get it. His history with the Rays was long, deep and troublesome. He needed a fresh start, and the team did, too.

JoeRays Posted: May 12, 2008 at 12:17 PM | 13 comment(s)
Related News: General, Tampa Bay, Texas

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1. Toolsy McClutch Posted: May 12, 2008 at 02:51 PM (#2777888)

Just to make sure I understand: Josh is more of a hero because he succumbed to drugs and recovered, rather than say, Griffey because he was strong enough to reject them outright?

I think too many people are held up as heroes. Inspirations maybe, but I like my heroes a little more on the straight and narrow.

2. Guapo Posted: May 12, 2008 at 02:56 PM (#2777892)

Best interview question ever:

TR: Its election year, if these were the final four candidates for President who would win; Roger Clemens, Barry Bonds, John Rocker or Josh Hamilton?

I think the "winner" would be anyone with the means of immediately fleeing the country.

3. bunyon Posted: May 12, 2008 at 02:56 PM (#2777894)

I think inspiration is correct. It's good to know that if you get yourself all ###### up you can still come back and make something of yourself. You know, that you're never totally defeated until you're dead.

But "hero"? To me, a hero has to do something self-less, and with some risk, for someone else. Simply overcoming an illness or self-imposed obstacle to achieve personal success is admirable and inspirational, but not heroic.

4. bunyon Posted: May 12, 2008 at 02:57 PM (#2777896)

I think the "winner" would be anyone with the means of immediately fleeing the country.

Or buying Euros.

5. Mike Hampton's #1 Fan Posted: May 12, 2008 at 03:10 PM (#2777909)

Bonds. Because writers say he was a Hall of Famer even before the drugs. Had Clemens retired after his last season in Boston, he’d be Dwight Gooden, stats-wise.

Meh. Bonds was a Hall of Famer before he started juicing -- which, by the way, was, when? 2000? '99? Whatever. But Clemens after '96 already had three Cy Youngs, three 20-win seasons, and was still pitching very well despite the lousy won-lost records. It would have taken a catastrophic injury for him to retire at that point, and in that case I think he still goes in easily under the Koufax exception.

I'm no big fan of Roger Clemens, but the guy led the league in strikeouts his last year in Boston and was fifth in ERA+. He wasn't close to done, drugs or no drugs.

6. Le Samourai Posted: May 12, 2008 at 03:30 PM (#2777928)

Not that Hamilton's story isn't great, but I don't think it's better than Rick Ankiel going from an amazing 20-year-old pitching prospect to an .870 OPS CF in the majors a little over two years after making the switch to hitter.

7. JasonNCC Posted: May 12, 2008 at 03:54 PM (#2777957)

i think rick ankiel had a little "extra" help.

8. Craig Calcaterra Posted: May 12, 2008 at 03:59 PM (#2777966)

Out of those four I'd probably want Bonds as president. I mean, they're all pretty damn messed up, but if I had to guess, I'd say Barry is the most intelligent, broadly construed, of the four of them.

9. JasonNCC Posted: May 12, 2008 at 04:05 PM (#2777973)

i think rocker would be heavy on cleaning up immigration

10. B. Selig Posted: May 12, 2008 at 04:12 PM (#2777983)

If there was a final four for President, the death of the two-party system would make us all winners. There, I said it.

11. PreservedFish Posted: May 12, 2008 at 04:36 PM (#2777996)

Rick Ankiel's "most similar by age" at 21 was Scott Kazmir. After this year it's going to be someone like Benny Agbayani.

12. JoeRays Posted: May 12, 2008 at 06:07 PM (#2778082)

I definitely think it’s good that the Rays left him unprotected in the Rule 5. Anyone who kills the franchise for that doesn’t get it.

I hate when teams blame the Rays for leaving him unprotected. Glad somebody agrees

13. David Nieporent Posted: May 12, 2008 at 06:50 PM (#2778108)

TR: Its election year, if these were the final four candidates for President who would win; Roger Clemens, Barry Bonds, John Rocker or Josh Hamilton?

Only two of those are eligible.

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Monday, May 12, 2008

Outs Per Swing: Interview with Jeff Pearlman

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