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Wednesday, June 10, 2009

I’m clean, angry Ibanez says

I’m Clean, happy Kilgour says!

Raul Ibanez has a message for those who say his spectacular offensive performance in a Phillies uniform could be a result of performance-enhancing drugs.

“I’ll come after people who defame or slander me,” he said before last night’s game against the New York Mets. “It’s pathetic and disgusting. There should be some accountability for people who put that out there.”

A column in yesterday’s Inquirer brought to light an Internet blogger who wondered if Ibanez had used such drugs.

...Ibanez said he had never used performance-enhancing drugs.

“You can have my urine, my hair, my blood, my stool - anything you can test,” Ibanez said. “I’ll give you back every dime I’ve ever made” if the test is positive.

“I’ll put that up against the jobs of anyone who writes this stuff,” he said. “Make them accountable. There should be more credibility than some 42-year-old blogger typing in his mother’s basement. It demeans everything you’ve done with one stroke of the pen.

“Nobody is above the testing policy. We’ve seen that.”

...“It’s unfair because this story should be about how hard work, determination, and desire trumps chemicals and shortcuts,” he said. “That should be the message: desire, character, work ethic. But some guy who doesn’t know me - one idiot - says something like this. They should be held accountable. It’s cowardly.”

Repoz Posted: June 10, 2009 at 04:47 PM | 79 comment(s) Login to Bookmark
Tags: community, phillies, rumors, steroids

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1. Roy Hobbs of WIFFLE Ball Posted: June 10, 2009 at 05:01 PM (#3213076)

Raul Ibanez is not a fraud and will give you the poop from his pants.

2. PASTE is not impressed by Albert Pujols (Zeth) Posted: June 10, 2009 at 05:03 PM (#3213080)

I bet Juan Pierre's hot start was fueled by steroids.

3. The cushions are crowded for Edmundo

Posted: June 10, 2009 at 05:06 PM (#3213082)

4. twon8 Posted: June 10, 2009 at 05:08 PM (#3213085)

I'd like someone to take him up on the offer and test his urine. Rick reilly you're our only hope.

5. JJ1986 Posted: June 10, 2009 at 05:09 PM (#3213088)

I think the newspaper is the one giving credibility to this story. If they hadn't written about it, no one would have cared about what some random person posted on his blog.

6. Crispix Attacks Posted: June 10, 2009 at 05:10 PM (#3213089)

Pat Burrell, 2009: .250/.349/.315
And fewer home runs than David Ortiz!!!!!!!

His walk-to-strikeout ratio is still good, though.

Of course, most of Burrell's and Ibanez's performance can be explained by the massive superiority of the AL over the NL, as Bill Simmons explains.

7. virginiasteve Posted: June 10, 2009 at 05:10 PM (#3213090)

Poor Raul. Now everyone who has a good month is going to get the steroid story. Time for government regulation on anyone over 40 with a computer who lives with mom.

8. Dirty Tom Rackham Posted: June 10, 2009 at 05:27 PM (#3213125)

in the basement of course.

9. base ball chick Posted: June 10, 2009 at 05:27 PM (#3213126)

actually raul needs to be kicking the ass of any momma who let her 42 year old son run around her basement wearing only his underwear. no matter WHAT he is doing Down There

heck i don't let my FIVE year old son run around in only his underwear (or less!!!!!) and we don't even GOT no basement

- also i am curious about why do You People Up There have your computers in a icky cold basement and why aren't you even a little cold in only your underwear?????

10. Ron Johnson Posted: June 10, 2009 at 05:32 PM (#3213133)

bbc, take the cover off of your computer and get a nice big fan to blow the hot air your way. Nice locally heated basement.

11. Tripon Posted: June 10, 2009 at 05:34 PM (#3213136)

12. The cushions are crowded for Edmundo

Posted: June 10, 2009 at 05:36 PM (#3213139)

- also i am curious about why do You People Up There have your computers in a icky cold basement and why aren't you even a little cold in only your underwear?????
Not when BTF has ads showing skanky women wearing clothes that are too small.

13. Obama Bomaye Posted: June 10, 2009 at 05:41 PM (#3213147)

Is Tripon sighing because he does not believe the NL to be a minor league?

14. base ball chick Posted: June 10, 2009 at 05:45 PM (#3213153)

edmundo

i understand. guess i kind of forgot about that because the BTF ads don't show grady sizemore standing around in his nutty buddy

15. Esoteric Posted: June 10, 2009 at 05:48 PM (#3213158)

Forgetting the fact that Raul deployed the hoary "blogger in mother's basement" trope, I sympathize with him. And since I still like him despite his flaws as a ballplayer and the fact that he plays for the Phils now, I choose to believe him.

16. Shock Posted: June 10, 2009 at 05:50 PM (#3213160)

Roid rage!!

But he's right of course. Yes, everyone having a good year is on steroids, and everyone having a bad year was on steroids but stopped. Everyone that isn't hitting exactly .270/.340/.430 is or was on steroids, even though there is 0 evidence to support it.

I heart you media.

17. Moneyball can't buy you love (Joey B.) Posted: June 10, 2009 at 05:54 PM (#3213165)

I have sympathy for those who have been clean all along, whomever they might be. However, my sympathy is tempered since virtually all the ballplayers stuck their heads in the sand and didn't call out their brethern to behave better.

I agree 100%. If they had listened to Rick Helling, much of this could have been nipped in the bud a long time ago.

Instead, they took the shortsighted route and resisted as long as they possibly could. Now, even the clean guys who play well will always raise some level of suspicion. That's unfortunate, but they have only themselves to blame.

18. Tripon Posted: June 10, 2009 at 06:01 PM (#3213174)

13. Obama Bomaye Posted: June 10, 2009 at 01:41 PM (#3213147)
Is Tripon sighing because he does not believe the NL to be a minor league?

Yeah, because anybody in the NL would get destroyed by the dreaded AL central right, or AL west? I will admit that the AL East would be tough for any team, but the whole AL>NL thing gets overblown to a large degree.

19. phredbird

Posted: June 10, 2009 at 06:06 PM (#3213182)

bbc, i'm over 42 and i run around in my underwear at home whenever i feel like it. i'm the king of my castle!

can't believe it took 8 posts to pick up on the 'basement' comment.

20. David Nieporent (now, with children) Posted: June 10, 2009 at 06:08 PM (#3213183)

I agree 100%. If they had listened to Rick Helling, much of this could have been nipped in the bud a long time ago.

Instead, they took the shortsighted route and resisted as long as they possibly could. Now, even the clean guys who play well will always raise some level of suspicion. That's unfortunate, but they have only themselves to blame.

That's stupid even for sock. How do you know what Raul Ibanez was saying in 1998?

21. anthonyL Posted: June 10, 2009 at 06:27 PM (#3213204)

Raul's anger should be towards the other players that have used or use. It's because of them that anyone that looks pumped up or slams homers is going to be questioned. So point your anger at the players union and ask your fellow players to give urine, hair and whatever else that you say you would do. Fan's have a good right to point fingers at any player they want until all players put an end to this bull.

22. Moneyball can't buy you love (Joey B.) Posted: June 10, 2009 at 06:34 PM (#3213207)

How do you know what Raul Ibanez was saying in 1998?

I have no idea whatsoever what he was saying in 1998. I assume that as a still relatively young and new player back then, he most likely wasn't even in attendance at the now-famed 1998 MLBPA Executive Board winter meeting where Rick Helling tried to warn his fellow board members about the problem, and was completely ignored.

Your distracting non-sequitur of course does absolutely nothing to change history, or Edmundo's main point, or mine.

23. David Nieporent (now, with children) Posted: June 10, 2009 at 06:35 PM (#3213209)

Raul's anger should be towards the other players that have used or use.

Why? Does Rafael Palmeiro using steroids somehow force retards to hurl accusations without evidence at Raul Ibanez?

So by your "logic," black people stopped by the police for no reason should blame OJ Simpson, rather than, say, the police officers.

Incidentally, you may not have noticed -- I'm guessing lots of things escape you -- but we've had steroid testing in baseball for several years now.

24. HGM Posted: June 10, 2009 at 06:55 PM (#3213227)

Yeah, gotta love this logic. The hardcore anti-steroid people are the ones clamoring about how the steroid users make everything so unfair to the clean players, yet they're the same people that will throw around baseless accusations willy-nilly.

25. billyjack Posted: June 10, 2009 at 07:00 PM (#3213233)

Incidentally, the "sigh" thing (#11, 13, and 18) is both incredibly obnoxious AND effective. It can make any quote in any context look odd...

When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

sigh.

Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

sigh.

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate...we can not consecrate...we can not hallow this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract.

sigh.

I drink you're milkshake.

sigh.

I gotta go to the bathroom.
You gotta go, you gotta go.

sigh.

26. The Essex Snead Posted: June 10, 2009 at 07:08 PM (#3213247)

Instead of the same old hoary roid BS, we shd take some time to listen to that Clean track Repoz linked to -- Rickenbacker jangle, y'all!!!!

27. rconn23 Posted: June 10, 2009 at 07:10 PM (#3213250)

“You can have my urine, my hair, my blood, my stool"

No. No. Uh, that's OK, Raul, thanks...Keep up the good work.

28. Famous Original Joe C Posted: June 10, 2009 at 07:11 PM (#3213251)

Honestly, though, who cares what "J-Rock" or whoever this guy is says?

29. Famous Original Joe C Posted: June 10, 2009 at 07:16 PM (#3213253)

I have sympathy for those who have been clean all along, whomever they might be. However, my sympathy is tempered since virtually all the ballplayers stuck their heads in the sand and didn't call out their brethern to behave better.

I agree 100%. If they had listened to Rick Helling, much of this could have been nipped in the bud a long time ago.

Come on, this was NEVER going to happen. Never, ever, ever. It's pointless to even say they should have at this point.

30. Moneyball can't buy you love (Joey B.) Posted: June 10, 2009 at 07:22 PM (#3213260)

Honestly, though, who cares what "J-Rock" or whoever this guy is says?

Good point. This isn't Rick Reilly handing him a mason jar and asking him to urinate in it for him. This is an anonymous "Internet blogger", possibly even sitting at home in his mother's basement wearing nothing but a pair of Fruit of the Loom's.

If Ibanez is clean, he should calm down a little, and possibly think about developing a thicker skin.

31. RJ in TO Posted: June 10, 2009 at 07:24 PM (#3213262)

No. No. Uh, that's OK, Raul, thanks...Keep up the good work.

Are you sure? He's already got it all bagged up for you. In fact, I hear he hands them out to trick-or-treaters.

32. The Kids Are Enright (1k5v3L)

Posted: June 10, 2009 at 07:25 PM (#3213264)

I'm angry, clean Ibanez says

33. SoSH U at work Posted: June 10, 2009 at 07:26 PM (#3213268)

Are you sure? He's already got it all bagged up for you. In fact, I hear he hands them out to trick-or-treaters.

And they, in turn, leave them aflame on Albert Belle's doorstep, explaining everything.

34. AROM Posted: June 10, 2009 at 07:32 PM (#3213275)

Of course, most of Burrell's and Ibanez's performance can be explained by the massive superiority of the AL over the NL, as Bill Simmons explains.

That and going from one of the worst parks for hitting homers to one of the best.

35. Designated Sitter (GGC) Posted: June 10, 2009 at 07:33 PM (#3213278)

J-Rock. Isn't he that faith healer that David Wright promoted back in '06? There was a 1000 post thread about that, if memory serves.

36. Swoboda is freedom Posted: June 10, 2009 at 07:36 PM (#3213283)

“You can have my urine, my hair, my blood, my stool"

But the kid just wanted your autograph.

37. Swoboda is freedom Posted: June 10, 2009 at 07:37 PM (#3213284)

What is more suspicious to me is the beautiful catch off the wall and peg to second base to nail Gary Sheffield at 2nd last night. I was used to the guy who throws darts, but 5 feet in front of him. And what is with his zone rating?

38. Barry`s_Lazy_Boy Posted: June 10, 2009 at 07:53 PM (#3213298)

Big Papi would be hitting 300/400/500 in Philly.

39. Walt Davis Posted: June 10, 2009 at 08:10 PM (#3213321)

heck i don't let my FIVE year old son run around in only his underwear (or less!!!!!) and we don't even GOT no basement

But what about the hubby? Or are Friday nights at chez BBC not as fun as I would have thought?

40. cardsfanboy

Posted: June 10, 2009 at 08:31 PM (#3213338)

as I wrote someplace else

I loved Ibanezs rebuttal, that was awesome, and I honestly think anybody who writes in a paper or a blog accusing someone without evidence and asking for a test, should be required to take a test (and performance enhancers for writers is pot, cocaine, and any type of hallucinogen--heck Alchohol could be considered an enhancer for writers)

If you are going to throw out baseless accusations you should also be tested, I call it the hypocrisy rule.

Yeah, because anybody in the NL would get destroyed by the dreaded AL central right, or AL west? I will admit that the AL East would be tough for any team, but the whole AL>NL thing gets overblown to a large degree.

agreed, but on here that isn't even considered to be a debateable issue, the NL is so far below the AL that evidence which supports the AL (Ibanez and Burrel) are allowed to be counted but evidence that counters it (Bradley and Kennedy)is just a fluke.

41. Ron Johnson Posted: June 10, 2009 at 08:49 PM (#3213363)

If they had listened to Rick Helling, much of this could have been nipped in the bud a long time ago.

Nonsense. They have testing now and all deviations from expectations are explained by "steroids". Why on earth would you expect things to be different if they'd agreed to testing sooner?

42. cardsfanboy

Posted: June 10, 2009 at 08:58 PM (#3213379)

Nonsense. They have testing now and all deviations from expectations are explained by "steroids". Why on earth would you expect things to be different if they'd agreed to testing sooner?

because even though it's painfully obvious that nfl players are using something performance enhancing, they have a reputation as a league of trying. People don't expect you to get all the cheaters, they expect you to make the effort. The fact that baseball didn't make the effort has gotten people riled up, and that created lingering feelings. From my point of view though it seems people do care significantly less now that there is testing, they get upset when a superstar tests positive, but they don't seem to be guessing as much as in the past.

43. Metman died today. Or yesterday maybe, Posted: June 10, 2009 at 09:02 PM (#3213385)

That and going from one of the worst parks for hitting homers to one of the best.

Certainly a factor, but 12 of 20 HRs hit on road. No real home/road split for Ibanez.

44. NotLikely20 Posted: June 10, 2009 at 09:07 PM (#3213394)

"because even though it's painfully obvious that nfl players are using something performance enhancing, they have a reputation as a league of trying. People don't expect you to get all the cheaters, they expect you to make the effort. The fact that baseball didn't make the effort has gotten people riled up, and that created lingering feelings. From my point of view though it seems people do care significantly less now that there is testing, they get upset when a superstar tests positive, but they don't seem to be guessing as much as in the past."

Agreed. The NFL will always get a pass on this issue however, as the public seems to accept that today's "modern day gladiators" need something "extra". Baseball has quite a few "purists" who have a loud voice in the media who don't give players the same pass.

Remember when the Panthers team/team doctors were caught with millions of dollars worth of steroids after the SuperBowl? Hell, even the punter was using. Neither does Joe Public, credit to the NFL PR people...they have a huge and effective broom.

45. zenbitz Posted: June 10, 2009 at 09:09 PM (#3213397)

Methinks the lady doth protest too much!

BURN HIM.

46. Obama Bomaye Posted: June 10, 2009 at 09:24 PM (#3213420)

on here that isn't even considered to be a debateable issue, the NL is so far below the AL that evidence which supports the AL (Ibanez and Burrel) are allowed to be counted but evidence that counters it (Bradley and Kennedy)is just a fluke.

What kind of evidence would be acceptable? How about looking at the numbers of ALL the players who switch leagues? How about the AL winning almost 56% of interleague games over the past 5 years? Over 58% since the beginning of '08.

47. cardsfanboy

Posted: June 10, 2009 at 09:34 PM (#3213435)

What kind of evidence would be acceptable? How about looking at the numbers of ALL the players who switch leagues? How about the AL winning almost 56% of interleague games over the past 5 years? Over 58% since the beginning of '08.

I find the interleague record thing to be unimportant(you need to separate home vs away, because the AL has a tangible advantage at home, they built their teams for dhing, then you need to figure out a way to separate the extra two teams in the two leagues to ensure that their isn't a bias for the lesser nl teams playing more, then of course you need to separate the natural rivalries in which one team may dwarf the other team). And past 5 years is more or less unimportant by this years measure.
I don't doubt the superiority of the AL over the previous two, maybe even three seasons, but think that the NL has improved, they have done a better job of bringing in an influx of young talent (imo-although Al is doing a better job this year) which may explain partly for the inferiority of the nl in the past as they are bringing in younger players who aren't just up to snuff yet. The fact that there are people who say the nl is a minor league is just silly. I understand hyperbole, but it's still just funny hearing how much people want to downgrade the NL.

last year San Diego, Houston, Washington, and San Francisco got the 18 interleague games(rest of the teams got 15), going a combined record of 24-48

Say the AL is 100 (on a scale of 1-100) the NL is probably a 97 on that scale,(say japan is a 90 on that scale and the best minor league is an 80) not the 80 or so that people want to pretend it is. Again he said it was overstated, and it is.

48. Obama Bomaye Posted: June 10, 2009 at 09:43 PM (#3213456)

I don't see how the AL gains any more by using the DH than they lose when they can't use their DH. It's certainly possible it's an advantage, but that's not obvious to me. Furthermore, in the earlier days of interleague, the two leagues played pretty even, maybe slight advantage to the NL. Maybe the NL was notably better 10 years ago, and the DH thing made the AL look even? Anyway, the points you raise about home/away, rivalry games, etc. are not meaningless, but I don't think they're nearly enough to wipe out the substantial advantage the AL has had of late. (And I think it goes back about 5-6 years now, not just 2 or 3.)

Anyway I have no desire to downgrade the NL. I am a Yankee fan but otherwise do not support one league over another. If indeed the NL is weaker now (and there is probably no way to definitely prove that, but evidence strongly suggests it), I see no reason why it should last and the NL may very well be stronger in a few years.

49. Mister High Standards Posted: June 10, 2009 at 09:49 PM (#3213474)

Raul Ibenez... maybe the mets should have signed him. Nah, he isn't as good as Daniel Murphy.

50. Alberto Gilardino Posted: June 10, 2009 at 09:51 PM (#3213477)

What kind of evidence would be acceptable? How about looking at the numbers of ALL the players who switch leagues? How about the AL winning almost 56% of interleague games over the past 5 years? Over 58% since the beginning of '08.

I'm sorry.. my initial response was rude and I have edited my comment. Just want to point out though that looking at stats of players who switched leagues is not the best measure to determine which league is better.

51. Jeff K. Posted: June 10, 2009 at 09:56 PM (#3213489)

Bloggers should be paying close attention to the case in Houston right now involving the woman who wrote about Anna Nicole Smith in the wake of her death. I believe that woman only even penned comments on others' posts, but she's been hauled in front of a judge as part of a defamation suit brought by one or another party (the twists on the whole thing are lost to those like me who didn't pay attention to the actual story back when it happened), and is now sitting in jail on contempt charges. Ordered to turn over her computer, she claims it was stolen and that she can't produce it now, the judge disbelieves.

52. cardsfanboy

Posted: June 10, 2009 at 10:02 PM (#3213501)

I don't see how the AL gains any more by using the DH than they lose when they can't use their DH

Because not all teams stock a ninth bat that can only hit and not play the field, the NL has to have guys on their bench who can passably play the field it gives the AL a much better ninth batter on average. As to the other way around, a few teams in the AL get hurt by losing one of their best hitters, but if they have a full team they still are playing with 8 good players and a pitcher just like the NL. They have a slight advantage when it comes to pinch hitting probably, but the NL has the advantages in longer games because of the ability to double switch their pinch hitters. (which a dh only player really can't participate in) over short stretches the AL team is designed better for short series even when playing out of their environment.

I'm sorry.. my initial response was rude and I have edited my comment. Just want to point out though that looking at stats of players who switched leagues is not the best measure to determine which league is better.
.

I agree with his premise of checking out players who switch leagues, but everytime I see someone do something like that they seem to want to ignore variables (aging, quality of the player, luck etc) or focus on a handful of players. I don't agree with interleague results except as a starting point, and again they need to be parsed down to be more relavent.

53. Alberto Gilardino Posted: June 10, 2009 at 10:13 PM (#3213512)

but everytime I see someone do something like that they seem to want to ignore variables (aging, quality of the player, luck etc) or focus on a handful of players.

My point is precisely what you said. It becomes almost impossible to compare the players' stats because there are so many variables. Throw in the fact that some players play better close to home, are late bloomers, early decliners, etc. etc. Matt Holliday is not an example of the AL being tougher (for example)... it's park factors. Players like Tex and Santana are going be great in both leagues. You can compare numbers and point to certain years where someone did better in one league or another, but this argument really does not show that a certain league is better. Definitely not quantifiably so.

54. Rich Rifkin Posted: June 10, 2009 at 10:20 PM (#3213525)

“You can have my urine, my hair, my blood, my bar, my stool, my dinette"

It's been a long time since I've seen anyone advertising "bars, stools and dinette sets." Is it just that they went out of fashion 30 years ago?

55. Crashburn Alley Posted: June 10, 2009 at 10:37 PM (#3213552)

Sorry for the shameless self-promotion, but I have a response here I think offers a perspective that isn't really getting any time.

Not accusatory in the least. You hear this — “the speculation is inevitable in this era” — almost ad nauseam on ESPN when they have their pseudo-intellectual debates between such noted scholars as Skip Bayless, Jemele Hill, Woody Paige, and Jay Mariotti. It’s okay when the MSM does it, but not a friggin’ blogger. No, not those nerds who live with mom and don’t wear pants and have level 80 World of Warcraft characters and wore a Jedi suit to prom.

[...]

In science, you never eliminate any possible explanations unless you can prove them wrong repeatedly. What the blogger is practicing here is good science. He stated his hypothesis, did his research, and came to a conclusion that he had no conclusion and that the many possible explanations are all still valid as far as he can see. There is nothing wrong with that.

He did not say, “Raul is on the ‘roids.” He essentially said, “Based on the evidence at hand, I cannot rule out the possibility that he is not on ‘roids.”

[...]

If Woody Paige said this on ESPN’s Around the Horn, nobody would have batted an eyebrow. Somehow, a blogger does it, and he’s betraying law and ethics; he’s liable to be sued; he represents everything that’s wrong with blogging, etc.

What this is, really, is the MSM seeing a door slightly ajar and busting it wide open — one of few opportunities they have ever had to really criticize bloggers for what they do (and oftentimes do better than their paid counterparts). This is the mainstream media fighting over territory it’s already lost and will continue to lose. It is not about wrongfully accusing Ibanez of any wrongdoing.

56. Tiboreau Posted: June 10, 2009 at 11:02 PM (#3213567)

The controversial comment that caused all this fervor, which was made after considering the following factors:

Recent track record
Safeco and Citizens Bank park factors
Road stadium park factors
Quality of opposition
Sample size and luck

History of fast starts
Lineup protection
Anomalous career path
Changes in preparation routine
Performance enhancers

...it’s time for me to begrudgingly acknowledge the elephant in the room: any aging hitter who puts up numbers this much better than his career averages is going to immediately generate suspicion that the numbers are not natural, that perhaps he is under the influence of some sort of performance enhancer. And since I was not able to draw any absolute parallels between his prodigously [sic] improved HR rate and his new ballpark’s hitter-friendliness, it would be foolish to dismiss the possibility that "other" performance enhancers could be part of the equation.
...
It will be a wonderful day when we can see a great start by a veteran like Ibanez and not immediately jump to speculating about whether steroids or PEDs are involved. We certainly are not at that point yet, however.

Lookout Landing's Jeff Sullivan's take.

57. Sleepy supports unauthorized rambling Posted: June 10, 2009 at 11:14 PM (#3213575)

The AL also gets significantly more home games each year in interleague play, which probably makes a difference. Around 40, IIRC.

58. base ball chick Posted: June 10, 2009 at 11:50 PM (#3213670)

Walt Davis Posted: June 10, 2009 at 04:10 PM (#3213321)

heck i don't let my FIVE year old son run around in only his underwear (or less!!!!!) and we don't even GOT no basement

But what about the hubby? Or are Friday nights at chez BBC not as fun as I would have thought?

- smile

even IF we didn't have kids running around (and no it is NOT cool for a grown man to be prancing about in his undies around kids) i wouldn't like him runnin around the house in tighty whitys.

NOT sexy

unless, of course, he was also

59. Jeff K. Posted: June 10, 2009 at 11:51 PM (#3213674)

Wait, why? The NL has two more teams, shouldn't, if there's any deviation at all from even, the weight be the other way? How have I missed this, and why am I unable to figure out the logistics and justification now?

(Other than the painkillers.)

60. The cushions are crowded for Edmundo

Posted: June 11, 2009 at 12:56 AM (#3213869)

It's possible that Ibanez is so irate because the Philadelphia Inquirer mentioned the blog article in one of their notes columns. That is very irresponsible of the Inquirer.

61. The George Sherrill Selection Posted: June 11, 2009 at 01:14 AM (#3213904)

Lookout Landing's Jeff Sullivan's take.

The one with the clip of Ibanez getting angry at the bottom? Gee, I wonder why that was placed there. Not that it was intended to imply, I dunno, "roid rage" or anything. Naaah, couldn't be.

(And IIRC, Ibanez was very mellow during his time in Seattle.)

62. Mike Emeigh

Posted: June 11, 2009 at 01:28 AM (#3213962)

even IF we didn't have kids running around (and no it is NOT cool for a grown man to be prancing about in his undies around kids) i wouldn't like him runnin around the house in tighty whitys.

Hey, we have Tighty Whity races at Five County Stadium a couple of times every home stand!

-- MWE

63. Mike Emeigh

Posted: June 11, 2009 at 01:30 AM (#3213971)

And here are some photos from a game at West Virginia a couple of years ago.

-- MWE

64. ValueArb Posted: June 11, 2009 at 01:52 AM (#3214046)

Raul's anger should be towards the other players that have used or use. It's because of them that anyone that looks pumped up or slams homers is going to be questioned. So point your anger at the players union and ask your fellow players to give urine, hair and whatever else that you say you would do. Fan's have a good right to point fingers at any player they want until all players put an end to this bull.

It all started with Roger Maris. If he had only submitted blood samples during his suspicious career year, we'd truly know we have a clean sport. Except for Mantle of course, after he admitted it was a steroid needle that caused that infection. And Aaron and Mays using greenies.

Fans don't care about steroids, they just want to see home runs. The only people who care are loud mouth columnists and underwear wearing bloggers...

65. Jeff K. Posted: June 11, 2009 at 01:55 AM (#3214055)

Hey, we have Tighty Whity races at Five County Stadium a couple of times every home stand!

If they're doing this in front of kids, sounds like they should rename that Five-to-Ten County Stadium.

66. BeanoCook Posted: June 11, 2009 at 02:59 AM (#3214224)

Of course, most of Burrell's and Ibanez's performance can be explained by the massive superiority of the AL over the NL, as Bill Simmons explains.

And Jason Bay is suddenly Stan Musial after donning the Red Sox jersey.

67. SoSHially Unacceptable Posted: June 11, 2009 at 03:37 AM (#3214251)

The AL also gets significantly more home games each year in interleague play, which probably makes a difference. Around 40, IIRC.

I don't think there's any difference. I could be mistaken, but I believe all AL teams get three home and three away series, for 18 games total. And 4 NL teams get three of each, while 12 others have five series (due to the disparity in league sizes), with half playing an extra home series and half playing an extra road series.

68. The Kids Are Enright (1k5v3L)

Posted: June 11, 2009 at 04:29 AM (#3214276)

Raul Ibenez... maybe the mets should have signed him. Nah, he isn't as good as Daniel Murphy.

Nice. Too lazy to search for the threads, but what was the promised production out of Murphy this year? Something like .325/.400/.500?

69. rfloh Posted: June 11, 2009 at 04:36 AM (#3214279)

The one with the clip of Ibanez getting angry at the bottom? Gee, I wonder why that was placed there. Not that it was intended to imply, I dunno, "roid rage" or anything. Naaah, couldn't be.

(And IIRC, Ibanez was very mellow during his time in Seattle.)

Not to dissimilar from the lawn dart videos. I like LL, but most posters there have never liked Ibanez. When it suits them, with regards to Ibanez, sample size goes out of the window, as it did in the lawn dart videos.

70. rfloh Posted: June 11, 2009 at 04:43 AM (#3214283)

From the accuser of Ibanez:

I set out trying to disprove that there was reason to speculate, but the past 15 or so years has made it hard to do so. I always defended Manny Ramirez and he made me and a lot of other people look like a fool; and honestly, that re-opened the floodgates to me erring on the side guilty until proven innocent, as opposed to the other way around — as it should be.

So, he did essentially accuse Ibanez of using steroids. Saying that he is erring on the side of guilty until proven innocent, is basically an accusation. It isn't "Based on the evidence at hand, I cannot rule out the possibility that he is not on ‘roids."

71. Crashburn Alley Posted: June 11, 2009 at 04:50 AM (#3214288)

Too lazy to search for the threads, but what was the promised production out of Murphy this year? Something like .325/.400/.500?

I (and Marcels) put him at a .330 wOBA, compared to last year's .373. .309 so far this season -- not bad for me, considering I predicted a Rockies-Indians 2008 World Series. :)

72. The Kids Are Enright (1k5v3L)

Posted: June 11, 2009 at 04:57 AM (#3214293)

Thanks for the link, Crashburn. Interesting read.
Sam M really seemed to have a thing for Murphy.
.400 OBP?
.870 OPS?
Murphy really needs to get cracking, I say.
Who does he think he is, a #### Diamondback?

73. rfloh Posted: June 11, 2009 at 05:03 AM (#3214295)

If Woody Paige said this on ESPN’s Around the Horn, nobody would have batted an eyebrow. Somehow, a blogger does it, and he’s betraying law and ethics; he’s liable to be sued; he represents everything that’s wrong with blogging, etc.

What this is, really, is the MSM seeing a door slightly ajar and busting it wide open — one of few opportunities they have ever had to really criticize bloggers for what they do (and oftentimes do better than their paid counterparts). This is the mainstream media fighting over territory it’s already lost and will continue to lose. It is not about wrongfully accusing Ibanez of any wrongdoing.

So, Raul Ibanez is part of the MSM?

74. The Kids Are Enright (1k5v3L)

Posted: June 11, 2009 at 05:05 AM (#3214297)

Man, Sam really was on fire back in the day

Daniel Murphy is the anti-Frenchy. He is left-handed, patient, works the count, maintains his swing (which is compact and classic). Pitchers have yet to find a hole.

Well, pitchers seem to have found a hole lately, and are really pounding it

75. Shock Posted: June 11, 2009 at 08:12 AM (#3214346)

What this is, really, is the MSM seeing a door slightly ajar and busting it wide open — one of few opportunities they have ever had to really criticize bloggers for what they do (and oftentimes do better than their paid counterparts). This is the mainstream media fighting over territory it’s already lost and will continue to lose. It is not about wrongfully accusing Ibanez of any wrongdoing.

Yup.

76. Gambling Rent Czar Posted: June 11, 2009 at 08:39 AM (#3214350)

You know what we need?
A Blog Czar that reads everything written on a blog, before said nude basement loving Americans hits submit.

Obama can save us. Actually I can't believe he hasn't thought of it yet.

He is slipping.

77. greenback

Posted: June 11, 2009 at 09:56 AM (#3214357)

What the blogger wrote:

Thirdly, it’s time for me to begrudgingly acknowledge the elephant in the room: any aging hitter who puts up numbers this much better than his career averages is going to immediately generate suspicion that the numbers are not natural, that perhaps he is under the influence of some sort of performance enhancer. And since I was not able to draw any absolute parallels between his prodigously improved HR rate and his new ballpark’s hitter-friendliness, it would be foolish to dismiss the possibility that “other” performance enhancers could be part of the equation.

Sorry Raul Ibanez and Major League Baseball, that’s just the era that we are in — testing or no testing.

What the mythical average reader read:

Blah, blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah: blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah suspicion blah blah blah blah not natural, blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah performance enhancer. Blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah HR blah blah blah blah blah blah-blah, blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah “blah” performance enhancers blah blah blah blah blah blah.

Blah Raul Ibanez and Major League Baseball, blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah — blah blah no testing.

78. bunyon Posted: June 11, 2009 at 12:08 PM (#3214372)

bbc, i'm over 42 and i run around in my underwear at home whenever i feel like it. i'm the king of my castle!

Why are you people wearing underwear at home?

79. The George Sherrill Selection Posted: June 11, 2009 at 05:48 PM (#3214687)

I set out trying to disprove that there was reason to speculate, but the past 15 or so years has made it hard to do so. I always defended Manny Ramirez and he made me and a lot of other people look like a fool; and honestly, that re-opened the floodgates to me erring on the side guilty until proven innocent, as opposed to the other way around — as it should be.

So basically - he got hurt over Manny, and as a result is taking out his anger on Ibanez, and saying that "guilty until proven innocent" is a good thing?

Someone has a lot of issues.

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