Hey McGwire… maybe today isn’t the day you call someone DISHONEST

I turned Mark McGwire’s bogus apology off before I realize that he DID address Canseco… the very person he should be giving a teary apology too.

Costas asked him about the injecting in the bathroom and he brushes it off as “There's absolutely no truth to that whatsoever.”

OK, let me get this straight… the only thing we know is that McGwire has been lying for at least a dozen years and EVERYTHING Canseco has said has come true.

Gee whiz, I wonder who is telling the truth.

OK, enough of this crap.

Back to baseball.

McGwire owes an apology to one more person...

Yesterday's shocking to nobody and pathetically late and half baked confession by Mark McGwire isn't worth any more of our attention after today.

Baseball is right around the corner and yes, it is time to stop talking about the past.

But let's NOT let McGwire off the hook completely.

First of all, I couldn't finish watching the interview yesterday. It was so filled with self pity, lack of responsibility and forehead slapping moments that I couldn't stomach it.

Of all the stupid things he said... I wish steroids never found me... his not being sure if they even worked (THEN WHY TAKE THEM?)... I wish there was better testing (in other words I wish the house had a better lock then I wouldn't have robbed it)...nothing was stupider than "I wish I never played in the steroid era.

Um Mark... you WERE the steroid era!!!

That's like the Beatles saying "I wish we weren't part of the British Invasion."

It began with the Bash Brothers... you and Jose Canseco were using 'roids in the late 1980s... and you stood out!

Most sluggers were lean guys like Andre Dawson and Jim Rice with the occasional Steve Balboni masher with a beer gut.

Then the Bash Brothers appeared in green, looking like a pissed off Bruce Banner and suddenly became the body type of choice.

You were the pioneer... Lewis and Clark never complained "I wish this trail wasn't here."

But Mark McGwire came clean... sort of... and I guess a little bit of the truth is better than none.

He does owe one more apology.

Not to the sluggers whose careers were cut short by injury before him. With a little steroids, maybe Ron Kittle could have been a borderline Hall of Famer.

Not to the kids who idolized him and later emulated him (including his teammate Jason Giambi who did what he did because everyone else in the clubhouse was doing it.)

Not to the Maris family, as Roger is probably more revered than ever now.

Nope, he owes a BIG apology to Jose Canseco!

Remember how many times he said Canseco was lying?

Remember how when some congressmen asked McGwire about Canseco's claims, McGwire would ask them to "consider the source"?

I defended Canseco as a source nearly three years ago... but how's about a big apology from Big Mac?

How about a little "Hey Jose... sorry I called you a liar all of those years?"

I'm not saying Canseco is above reproach... but he did tell the truth and all of it and he said it before everyone else.

As for McGwire... who cares? He blew his chance to be noble. Now he has to coach hitting for the Cardinals and try NOT to have his advice be "inject this horse hormone into your ass."

Back to baseball.

I am disappointed that Mark McGwire told the truth

Yeah you read that right.

I prefer lying McGwire to this whole weepy “I wish I never played in the steroid era” McGwire.

Jon Heyman of SI asked a valid question when he said “if you lie for 10 years, and everyone knows you're lying, what's the value of finally telling the truth?”

Well the value was in the fact that he is in uniform again and was going to be hounded with questions about “the past” in spring training.

And oh yeah… his Hall of Fame candidacy could have a nice shot in the ass if he can start to portray himself as an honest martyr.

(Look how fast A-Rod and Andy Pettitte put their juicing behind them!)

But McGwire’s chance and heroism came and went in March of 2005. Imagine if he came clean when he went to Congress. There would be some backlash, but then people would start admiring his honesty.

He would have saved baseball in 1998 and then saved it again in 2005!

And when he first popped onto the ballot in 2007, two years would have come and gone and he’d have a better showing than 23.7% in the vote.

But that came and went… and if we learned anything from Pete Rose, it’s that if you lie for decades at a time, people aren’t so quick to applaud your confession when it seems to have ulterior motives.

And frankly it’s no longer fun.

It could be my fascination with con artists, but isn’t it cool to watch someone lie when you know they are lying… and everyone on the PLANET knows they are lying.

I almost admire the stones of someone who carries out a lie in the face of overwhelming evidence.

The other night Richard Heene, the Balloon Boy’s dad, was on Larry King and it was fascinating.

What he did was a hoax. Everyone knows that. His wife admitted it. His kids admitted it. HE admitted it in a court of law.

Then he came on Larry King, realizing that his 15 minutes of fame were long gone, and he insisted that it wasn’t a hoax and he truly thought his son was in the balloon.

And Larry kept asking “Why did you plead guilty?” “Why didn’t you press forward?” And his responses kept getting more and more incomprehensible. Yet he stuck to his guns. Cried a few times. Made no sense and lied through his teeth in front of millions of people and a grand total of zero people believed him.

He even brought a character witness to show he was telling the truth and his friend didn’t even confirm what he was saying.

Yet he pressed on.

It was good TV.

I was hoping for more of the same with Big Mac.

Oh well… we’ll always have Clemens and Bonds.

Sully Baseball Endorses a CHARGERS - SAINTS SUPERBOWL

I don't usually write about football on Sully Baseball and there are two very good reasons for this.

First of all, it's Sully BASEBALL not Sully Football or Sully Sports in General.

Secondly, I don't really follow football. It's not that I don't like football. I do. I enjoy a good football game and yesterday's Packers/Cardinals overtime "don't bother playing defense" masterpiece was great to watch.

But I've never followed football so closely that I even know who all of the top players are.

And my loyalty to any NFL team is so fluid that I casually switch allegiances based on not confusing people instead of any passion.

But that being said, the NFL playoffs tend to be exciting and this year with the Patriots and Giants out, I want a team that has NEVER won the Super Bowl to win it.

And specifically I would like to see San Diego play New Orleans.

It isn't because of any love for the players (other than Brees, Tomlinson and Rivers, I can't name a single player on either team... is Natrone Means still playing?)

But San Diego has sports futility that is underrated. The Padres have given their fans agita, as I wrote in 2008.

And the Chargers haven't won since 1963. And no, that wasn't a Super Bowl.

That wasn't even an NFL title.

That was an AFL title.

When you think of it, San Diego has been waiting for a title longer than the fans of Cleveland.

The weather is a little better in San Diego.

As for the Big Easy... the Saints not only have never even been to a Super Bowl, they never even won a single playoff game until 2000.

And with neither the Jazz nor the Hornets ever able to win an NBA title game in Louisiana, the grand total of New Orleans titles has been zero.

And of course a big celebration for a Super Bowl would probably do a lot for New Orleans' psyche after what we can all safely call a miserable decade.

They have earned a good party.

Then again, I was in New Orleans just 7 months after Katrina hit, and there were no shortage of parties there.

So no, I don't want to see the Cowboys tack on another title.
Nor see Peyton Manning pad his resume.

And yeah it would mean a lot to Minnesota and to Arizona... but the Twins won in the 1990s and the D'Backs won in 2001... so those fan bases should be patient.

Have it be San Diego vs. New Orleans.

And if it isn't... I'll go right back to writing about baseball.

The All "Ungraceful Exit" Red Sox team of my lifetime

For whatever reason the Red Sox seem to be portrayed as a warm tradition filled franchise and the Yankees often are shown as a cold and uncaring evil empire.

But as it was addressed a few weeks ago, the Yankees aren't cold hearted at all. They are a bunch of softees.

Conversely, the Red Sox often act cooly and without sentimentality.

Mike Lowell is the latest Red Sox hero that is being told not to let the door hit his ass on the way out.

But when Mike gets dumped, he shouldn't feel too bad.

Just in my lifetime of watching baseball, the Red Sox have been able to fill a 25 man roster with all of the quality players who left the franchise in a huff and with a bad taste in their mouth.

And this is Sully Baseball where strange lists are not just pondered... they are written.

I created a 25 man roster with a starting line up, a rotation, a bullpen, a bench and for good measure a manager, two coaches and a GM all of whom ended their Red Sox tenure with the attitude of "F--- them! I'll prove them wrong!"

And my self imposed rule is they have to have been Red Sox in the era that I remember (1977 on.) I'm not including the Babe and all of the other players the Sox cast off in years past. But I had no problem making a roster with that stipulation.

And it is a roster filled with legends, Hall of Famers, beloved New Englanders, Cy Young Winners, MVPs and some of the biggest heroes of 2004.

Don't believe me... read on.


The Starting Line Up


C- Carlton Fisk

New England’s favorite son clashed with GM Haywood Sullivan over money. The Sox front office mailed his contract a day late, making him a free agent and he wound up being a free agent and spending more years in Chicago instead of Boston.







1B – Doug Mientkiewicz

Only us insane Red Sox fans could turn the guy who caught the final out in the World Series we’ve been waiting our whole lives for into a bad guy! He caught the ball tossed to him by Foulke and decided to keep it… and who could blame Mientkiewicz? Red Sox management could! They unbelievably got into a lawsuit that needed to be mediated. They dealt him to the Mets and believe it or not he became a villain to some Sox fans!



2B – Mark Bellhorn

One of the big post season heroes of 2004 had a slow 2005… and was cut late in the season. He went on to finish the season (and play in the Division Series) as a member of the Yankees… the same team who helped sink with a pair of ALCS homers in ’04.





SS – Nomar Garciaparra

The man who was shaping up to be one of the great legends in Red Sox history was involved in an aborted trade to the White Sox in the 2003 off season. His 2003 was filled with injuries and sulking and was shipped to Chicago, this time the Cubs. The trade of the beloved No-Mah was considered to be the turning point of 2004.






3B – Wade Boggs

After 11 seasons in Boston where he hit .338 over all and won 5 batting titles and collected 2,098, the future Hall of Famer was nontendered after a subpar 1992. He responded by joining the Yankees, rediscovering his stroke and Gold Glove ability and winning his lone World Series title. Despite all of the great moments in Boston, Boggs won his ring (and rode a horse) in the Bronx and got his 3,000 hit in Tampa.





LF – Manny Ramirez

Manny being Manny imploded in 2008. He went from World Series hero and beloved cult figure to pariah in 9 months. Pushing an old guy to the ground will do that to you. Who knows what his response will be like if and when he returns to Fenway? It certainly won’t sound like the fans are responding to the guy who won the MVP for the Curse breaking World Series.





CF – Johnny Damon

The personification of the long haired free spirited idiots who slayed the curse, Johnny spoke in his book about his loyalty to Boston and how he would never play for the Yankees… and then he signed with the Yankees. The Sox wouldn’t give 5 years to him, thinking he wouldn’t be able to keep playing center field. Later he was quoted saying about being a Yankee “Now I’m in a place that actually wants me.” Ouch.


RF – Dwight Evans

One of the great Red Sox of all time, Evans was the only player who played in the post season for the Sox in 1975, 1986, 1988 and 1990. And 8 time Gold Glover, he was the only AL hitter to get 20 or more homers each year of the 1980s. So naturally after 19 seasons he was released to make room for Jack Clark. Evans finished his career as a part time DH for Baltimore.





DH – Mo Vaughn

Another beloved native New Englander, Vaughn clashed with the front office. I guess Dan Duquette and company had a hard time with a popular MVP who did charity and helped heal the racial tensions of the organization. It became so toxic that his free agent defection was expected even before the 1998 playoffs. He went to the Angels and was never the same.





The Rotation

Roger Clemens

Dan Duquette was an undeniably talented GM, but man alive did he love to pick fights with top players. And he clashed with Clemens throughout the very public contract squabble with Roger Clemens. On one hand Clemens was 33, which is right around the time pitchers start to decline. On the other hand he was tied for the all time win total in Red Sox history with Cy Young and won 3 awards named after Young… and oh yeah led the league in strikeouts in 1996. Clemens left for Toronto and Duquette said he was in the twilight of his career. Clemens responded with back to back Cy Young seasons and two more later, becoming more identified with the Yankees. Now how Clemens injected his motivation is under investigation… but the greatest pitcher in Red Sox history was always welcomed back with a chorus of boos.


Pedro Martinez

The most exciting pitcher in Red Sox history helped turn the franchise around after Clemens’ departure. He won 2 Cy Youngs (and could have won 2 more) but his diva act started wearing out its welcome. And by the time he won Game 3 of the 2004 World Series, it was assumed it was his last game in a Red Sox uniform. The Red Sox offered 2 years and the Mets offered 4, so off to New York he went. At first it looked dreadful as Pedro kept up his Cy Young stuff his first year in Queens and the Red Sox missed the Division Title by a single game… but in the end letting Pedro go allowed the Sox to get Josh Beckett. Pedro did receive a nice hand when he returned to Boston years later.


Bruce Hurst

The postseason ace in 1986 gave the Red Sox two #1 starters (along with Clemens) when they won the 1988 “Morgan’s Magic” Division Title. But GM Lou Gorman got cheap all of a sudden after the 1988 ALCS and Hurst left the Sox for the Padres. They could have used that second ace in the 1990 playoffs.





Luis Tiant

As if 1978 couldn’t get more painful for Red Sox fans in the wake of Bucky F---ing Dent. In the off season, the beloved Lou-Eee defected to the Yankees as a free agent and did a series of hot dog commercials where he said “It’s good to be with a Weiner!” Ouch.







Fergie Jenkins

Fergie didn’t have the best seasons in his Hall of Fame career in Boston. But he was in Don Zimmer’s doghouse and was sent back to Texas for John Poloni… he of 2 career big league games. Poloni never played a game in Boston while Jenkins went 18-8 in Texas in 1978. Gee, I wonder if the Sox could have used him when they lost the Division in the Bucky Dent game!





The Bullpen

Keith Foulke

Foulke, the single most underrated hero from the 2004 title, literally risked his career throwing 14 innings (and throwing 257 pitches) that October and letting up 1 earned run in the process. By 2005 his arm was shot as was his effectiveness. Fans started booing him and he called Red Sox fans “Johnny from Burger King.” His time in Boston ended on a sour note as he was an ineffective mop up man with a terrible relationship with the fans and the media… all less than 2 years removed from delivering the highlight we’ve been waiting our whole lives for: A World Series title.

Lee Smith

Smith was still one of the top closers in the game and helped lead the Sox to the 1988 Division Title when the Sox signed Jeff Reardon. Why did they need 2 closers? Smith was dealt for Tom Brunansky, but rumors started whirling that Smith was a troublemaker. Funny. He was never a troublemaker in Chicago. Nor later in his career in St. Louis, Baltimore or California… just in the Yawkey run Red Sox… innnteresting.


Bill Lee

Sure it’s a stretch putting Lee in the bullpen, but he actually did start his Sox career as a reliever. His clashes with management and that moron Don Zimmer were legendary and can be summed up in the brilliant film Spaceman- A Baseball Odyssey featuring your pal Sully. He was benched down the stretch in 1978 and was dumped to Montreal for Stan Papi. Papi never got off of the bench. Lee won 17 for Montreal in 1979.




Alan Embree

Embree pitched well in the 2004 post season and got the pennant clinching out in Yankee Stadium. A year later, he was cut in midseason upsetting his bullpen mates. Embree wound up a member of the 2005 Yankees and seemed to take great glee in clinching the Division in Fenway.








Jim Willoughby

Yet another one of the Buffalo Heads that Don Zimmer wanted off of the team because… um… he didn’t like them. The Red Sox got exactly zero players from the White Sox for Willoughby and then had a worn out bullpen by September.






The Bench

Reserve Infielder – Jose Offerman

It’s hard to remember that Jose Offerman was once an All Star as a member of the Red Sox. Well he was in 1999. And by 2002 he was considered a cancer in the clubhouse and was cut in August. They cut him AFTER they finished a West Coast swing. Offerman lived on the West Coast and the team flew him all the way back East to give him his walking papers, which led to a profanity laced, equipment throwing tirade. Years later as a member of the Bridgeport Bluefish, he went after another player with a bat. Classy guy.

Reserve Infielder – Orlando Cabrera

Cabrera came over in the Nomar trade, gave the Red Sox stellar defense, got clutch post season hits, helped deliver a title to Boston and fit in perfectly with the Boston clubhouse. So naturally the Sox let him go. There were rumors of Cabrera doing inappropriate things and making management mad. Either way Cabrera left and played in the post season with the Angels, White Sox and Twins while the Red Sox have put 19 different guys at shortstop since.




Reserve Outfielder – Steve Lyons

Lyons was hardly a top prospect for the Red Sox, but he was one of the few rookies on the 1986 Red Sox squad. He also was John McNamara’s whipping boy. Whenever Johnny Mac woke up, he’d chew out Lyons and not raise his voice to any of the veterans. Lyons was shipped off for Tom Seaver.






Reserve Outfielder – Bernie Carbo

The most famous pinch hitter in Red Sox history had 15 homers and an OPS of .931 as a part time player in 1977. But he was part of the Buffalo Heads and Don Zimmer is an idiot so he was shipped off to Cleveland for NO PLAYERS. So if you are keeping track, in the end the Sox dealt Fergie Jenkins, Bill Lee, Bernie Carbo and Jim Willoughby in exchange for Stan Papi and Jon Poloni.


Reserve Catcher – Rich Gedman

Yet another native New Englander got the shaft from the front office. He was an All Star in 1986 and got some key post season hits. Yet was a victim of collusion and his career was never the same after the 1986 off season. Was unceremoniously dumped early in the 1990 season.







Reserve Catcher – Doug Mirabelli

It’s tough to put Mirabelli on here seeing how the Red Sox kept him employed for many years longer than any other team would… mainly because he could actually catch a knuckleball. That lone talent had him start Game 1 of the 2004 World Series and get a pair of World Series rings. The Sox decided to go with Kevin Cash instead of Dougie. No argument there, but why couldn’t they make that decision BEFORE spring training 2008 where Doug was cut. He accepted his 2007 World Series ring on opening day but he wouldn’t wear his uniform.

The Coaching Staff



Manager - Kevin Kennedy

Kennedy managed the Sox to a surprising division title in 1995. In 1996, a series of ill conceived deals gave Kennedy about 10 DHs and a decrepit bullpen. Kennedy turned the 1996 season around after a bad start and contended until the last weekend. But he clashed with Dan Duquette (see a pattern here?) Kennedy was dumped and has been a mainstay in the broadcast booth (and my XM Radio listening) ever since.





Coach – Tommy Harper

The Elk’s Club of Winter Haven Florida invited some of the Red Sox team and management to an event. Tommy Harper wasn’t invited. Why? It was a white only establishment. Tommy Harper complained to the media. So what did the Yawkey run Red Sox do? They fired Harper! Of course… because he was uppity. He sued and won an anti discrimination case. This wasn’t in the distant past. This was 1985. Ahhh the Yawkey legacy.




Coach – Joe Kerrigan

Yes I know technically he was the manager of the team… but was he really ever the manager? He was stuck in the manager’s role after Duquette dumped Jimy (sic) Williams. Duquette knew there was no way Kerrigan was going to keep his job when management switched over. But instead of letting him go, Duquette kept him on board into spring training where he went through the charade of being manager until the new ownership took over. When they did, to the surprise of nobody, he was let go.





The Front Office

GM – Dan Duquette

The Richard Nixon of Red Sox history.

So very talented at his job (lest we forget he brought in among others Pedro Martinez, Tim Wakefield, Jason Varitek, Derek Lowe, Manny Ramirez and Johnny Damon. Plus he drafted Nomar Garciaparra and Kevin Youkilis.)

But he was either so controlling or so destructive that he seemed to alienate the entire organization. And despite consistently putting a contender on the field, he was also on the attack against the Boston press, the players and no doubt cussed out Paul Revere’s statue in the process. Whatever good he did for the team, he had to go. Heck, he was partially responsible for most of the players leaving in a huff above!


You aren't going to top that line up! Top to bottom with left and right handed power.
And that rotation where Fergie Jenkins is the #5 starter?

Let's hope the Red Sox, with Varitek and Ortiz at the end of their time in Boston this year get to exit more gracefully.

But then again, that wouldn't be the Red Sox way, would it?

Andre Dawson and Eddie Murray... reunited

Andre Dawson is now in the Hall of Fame and he will be forever linked to heroes and legends of Cooperstown… like Eddie Murray.

Now why of all of the Hall of Famers did I pick Steady Eddie?

It’s simple, really.

Andre Dawson was the Rookie of the Year in 1977 for the National League.
Eddie Murray was the American League Rookie of the Year the same year.

So often the Rookie of the Year is given to a flash in the pan (did someone say Joe Charboneau? Marty Cordova? Pat Listach?) or players who start off looking like superstars but flame out (Fred Lynn, Mark Fidrych, Fernando Valenzuela, Dwight Gooden, Darryl Strawberry, Nomar Garciaparra).

But that got me thinking… several Hall of Famers have won the Rookie of the Year… but how often has the Rookie of the Year in both leagues given to a future Hall of Famer.

Now let me preface this by saying I am talking about people CURRENTLY elected to the Hall of Fame. No doubt Derek Jeter, Mike Piazza and Albert Pujols will all get it… but they aren’t in yet, so I’m not bringing them into the discussion.

Now as I type this, I don’t know the answer… so let’s find out!

For the first few seasons there was only one award… but in the 1950s, both leagues awarded a rookie.

And looking up on Baseball Reference, the greatest website in the world, I see it has happened only two times before.


1956
NL - FRANK ROBINSON, Reds... AL – LUIS APARICIO, White Sox

















1967
NL – TOM SEAVER, Mets... AL – ROD CAREW, Twins

















So we’ve had it happen in the 1950s and the 1960s and 1970s.

It won’t happen with players from the 1980s.

The National League winners are filled with players who started off brilliantly but were derailed by injuries or drugs.

The American League Rookie of the Year winners from the 1980s yielded a single Hall of Famer, Cal Ripken, a few flashes in the pan (like Charboneau and Ron Kittle) and of course Canseco and McGwire.

The 1990s have Derek Jeter in the American League winning in 1996… but it is safe to say Todd Hollandsworth, the NL winner that year, doesn’t have a realistic shot.

So when will there be a fourth set of Hall of Fame Rookie of the Years from the same year?

It’s looking like 2001… Ichiro and Pujols both broke in… and as of this writing, they both seem like locks.

(It’s too early to tell for 2009 winners Andrew Bailey and Chris Coghlan!)