Balco Indicted, Anderson Released on Same Day
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by Niteowl049
Baseball Notebook
Balco Indicted, Anderson Released on Same Day
After years of speculation about whether there was enough evidence to indict Balco Bonds, he was indicted and charged with perjury yesterday, coincidentally, on the same day his trainer, Greg Anderson, was released from prison. Whether he was released in return for finally talking to the grand jury in San Francisco or released because of Balco being indicted with or without his testimony has not been disclosed.
There has been overwhelming evidence that Balco was using steroids and now it looks like the federal government has enough non-circumstancial evidence to put Balco behind bars for many years. All he had to do was admit his use of steroids but if he did lie to the grand jury he not only perjured himself but obstructed justice.
Jason Giambi is thinking today how smart he was to admit his use of steroids or he may have been charged like Balco with perjury. Gary Sheffield could be next to be indicted but not sure of how strong a case if any they have against Sheffield who blamed Balco for taking steroids. I remember several years ago when Sheffield was with the Braves that the announcers were talking about Sheffield working out with Balco and using Balco's training program. Little did they know that the training program almost certainly involved steroids.
It is a shame Balco was so consumed with bettering Mark McGwire's season home run record that he took steroids which were not illegal at the time to hit 73 home runs. I feel sorry for great players of the past who played by the rules like Frank Robinson, Willie Mays, Babe Ruth and the one who lost his career home record to Balco in Hank Aaron. I doubt seriously if he would have ever passed Mays, Ruth or Aaron without using steroids. He may have hit 600 home runs without them but he went on to pass his own godfather Mays on his way to passing Aaron.
Balco would have been a shoe-in for the Hall of Fame but now his career may be over with him falling just short of 3000 hits and 2000 RBI's. His massive ego couldn't stand to see McGwire getting all the publicity so he loaded up on steroids and his home runs jumped from 34 in 1999 to 49 in 2000 and 73 in 2001.
If he is convicted there will be little chance he will be in the Hall of Fame. He may not even walk on a major league field again. I feel saddest for Aaron who had to see his career home run record which had stood for 33 years passed by a cheater using steroids to bolster his performance.
Balco was one of best hitters in history of baseball and was on fast track to the Hall of Fame. But now his train is stalled at the station and the train may never make it to Cooperstown.
Jeter in Tax Trouble?
Getting lost in all the publicity about Balco and Alex Rodriguez being close to signing with they Yankees was the fact that Derek Jeter may have to prove in court that his claiming Florida citizenship to avoid higher taxes was legal and above board. Unless he has squandered millions he should have no problem paying the taxes and penalties back to the government if he loses his case.
Rodriguez Close to Signing With Yankees
Alex Rodriguez is closer to signing with the Yankees after they both agreed to the basic outline of his $275 million contract for ten years. Scott Boras will go over the contract before it is signed. Boras comes out looking very dumb after telling the Yankees they wouldn't even talk with Yankees till the Yankees offered $350 million but Rodriguez pulled an end around and went to Hank Steinbrenner and told him he would accept less money to play for Yankees.
It was almost a foregone conclusion that Rodriguez would not return to the Yankees but now the speculation on which team Rodriguez would wind up with has come to a screeching halt. Joe Torre surely is disappointed with this latest development since the Dodgers offense needed the bat of Rodriguez who hit 54 home runs. The top three home run hitters for the Dodgers last year combined to hit 54 home runs between them. He had 69 more RBI's than Dodgers leader Russell Martin who had 87. Dodgers have to make some moves to bolster their offense or they may be looking up again at end of the season in NL West.
Selig Says Baseball in Great Financial Shape
Bud Selig disclosed yesterday to the owners that major league baseball had $6.05 billion in gross revenue in 2007. Attendance was 79.5 million in 2007 which was very good for the thirty major league clubs. Yankees led in average attendance with 52,739 a game while the Marlins were 30th with 16,919. The leader in total attendance was also the Yankees with 4,271,867 fans for the season while Marlins again were last with only 1,370,511 fans going through the turnstiles.
Despite the financial success of the 2007 season major league baseball still trails NFL in income which is amazing since pro football teams only play 16 games a season while major league baseball players play 162 games a season.
Jake Peavy Wins NL Cy Young Award
Jake Peavy also got little notice but won the NL Cy Young Award yesterday taking all the first place votes and became along with Randy Johnson, Steve Carlton, and Dwight Gooden only the fourth pitcher to win the triple crown for pitchers in NL as he led the league in wins, ERA and strikeouts.
Peavy allowed only 169 hits in 223 innings a plus 54 in more innings pitched that hits allowed. For the fourth straight year he had more strikeouts than innings pitched with 240 strikeouts in 223 innings.
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