Selig Knew Bonds Was Doing Roids

Court documents released today show that Barry Bonds tested positive for steroids up to 5 times during his home run tear between 2000 and 2006.

No real shock there. Seriously, anyone who didn’t believe Bonds was juiced probably also believes the world is flat.

The real news to come out of the unsealed documents is this:

June 4, 2003: MLB urine test originally negative; retested later by government it was positive for THG, clomiphene, exogenous testosterone

July 7, 2006: MLB urine test positive for D-amphetamine

So the first test by MLB they screwed up – fine, it happens. Although it is interesting that it happened to the person taht everyone knew was juicing.

The second test is big though. Bonds tested positive for steroids AFTER Bud Selig and MLB had instituted what it called a strong anti-steroid policy. Prior to the 2005 season, MLB stated that a first positive test would result in a MANDATORY 10 game suspension.

So why wasn’t Bonds suspended?

More importantly – at the time of the positive test Bonds had not yet passed Hank Aaron (I’m too lazy to look up the exact number he was behind, but it was about 25 or so).

Selig knowingly let a juiced player surpass Hank Aaron.

Bonds is guilty – and so is Selig.

Time for the commissioner to step down

www.metspolice.com

Million Manny March 2 Tonight / Torre on Costas


Mets fans who still hold out hope for Manny Ramirez may want to attend tonight’s second “Million Manny March” which will be held at 7pm outside SNY headquarters.  SNY is located on the corner of 51st Street and 6th Avenue in Manhattan.
I’m still holding out hope and overanalyzing what Omar Minaya said the other day.   My transcription of this video of Minaya quotes the Mets GM as sayng, “There’s not gonna be no more big move after this.”  Could this be a Clinton-esque deliberate double negative?  Maybe there is gonna be a big move?  Sorry Mets fans, semantics are all I have left for you.

Bob Costas has joined the new MLB cable network to host specials and do some play by play.   That’s a good hire.   I like the idea of the channel, but they need to do something other than show the 2008 playoffs over and over.  125+ years of baseball and that’s all they have?  How about making some “Yankeeography” type programs or dusting off some other games?  I’d rather see a random 1974 Pirates-Cubs game than something recent.

Joe Torre will be Bob’s guest tonight at 8pm ET followed by Mexico vs. Puerto Rico in the Caribbean World Series.   That’s a tournament that makes sense. Anyone excited for the World Baseball Classic?

www.metspolice.com

Springsteen Talks About Springsteen-Gate and Ticketmaster

Nothing to do with sports other than many Mets fans being Bruce fans, and my general love for a controversy.  (My blog, my rules).

So on Monday when Springsteen tickets went on sale there were lots of technical problems with Ticketmaster.  The curious part was that many fans were unable to buy tickets yet were referred to Tickets Now, the TM version of Stubhub.  Bruce will tell you more:


A Letter to Our Fans:


We know there was much confusion regarding Ticketmaster and TicketsNow during last Monday’s on-sale dates. We were as confused as you were, as we were given no advance notice of the major changes in the Ticketmaster-TicketsNow world. (Bear in mind that we are not clients of any ticketing company, and that all those arrangements are between venues and ticketing companies.)
Last Monday, we were informed that Ticketmaster was redirecting your log-in requests for tickets at face value, to their secondary site TicketsNow, which specializes in up-selling tickets at above face value. They did this even when other seats remained available at face value. We condemn this practice.


We perceive this as a pure conflict of interest. Ticketmaster is there to ensure that we have a good, fair sale of our tickets at their face value plus normal ticketing charges. TicketsNow is supposed to be a secondary site where people who already have tickets may exchange, trade, and, unfortunately, speculate with them. We have asked this redirection from Ticketmaster to TicketsNow cease and desist immediately and Ticketmaster has agreed to do so in the future and has removed its unwanted material from their and our site.


We know the many cynical arguments some make in favor of the Ticketmaster system: There are rumors that some artists or managers participate in Ticketmaster charges–we do not. There are rumors that some artists or managers are receiving a percentage of the amount above face value at secondary outlets like TicketsNow–we do not. Some artists or managers may not perceive there to be a conflict between having the distributor of their tickets in effect “scalping” those same tickets through a secondary company like TicketsNow–we do.


While many of you have sent notes to us and your local promoters, you may also send accurate informational letters to Albert Lopez of Ticketmaster [[email protected]] and he will try to address your questions.


A final point for now: the one thing that would make the current ticket situation even worse for the fan than it is now would be Ticketmaster and Live Nation coming up with a single system, thereby returning us to a near monopoly situation in music ticketing. Several newspapers are reporting on this story right now. If you, like us, oppose that idea, you should make it known to your representatives.


The abuse of our fans and our trust by Ticketmaster has made us as furious as it has made many of you. We will continue to do our utmost now and in the future to make sure that these practices are permanently curtailed on our tours.


Bruce Springsteen, Jon Landau and the entire Springsteen Tour Team

But wait, there’s more!

New Jersey Attorney General Anne Milgram said today her office would investigate Monday’s sale of tickets to Bruce Springsteen concerts at the Izod Center in May after consumers complained about problems they encountered with the Ticketmaster website.

“Consumers are questioning what transpired and if they had an equal opportunity to purchase these concert tickets. We share these concerns and are investigating this matter,” Milgram said today.



The state Division of Consumer Affairs has placed an icon labeled “Bruce Springsteen/Ticketmaster Complaints” on its main web page for consumers to reach an online complaint form. More than 250 complaints have been received.

Tuesday, Congressman Bill Pascrell (D-8th dist.) requested the federal government investigate allegations that Ticketmaster diverted tickets for the Springsteen concerts to its subsidiary, TicketsNow, an online secondary ticket marketplace. Pascrell asked the Federal Trade Commission and the Justice Department to investigate whether TicketsNow was given special treatment.

New Jersey fans hoping to buy tickets to the May 21 and 23 concerts reported they were not able to secure tickets through the Ticketmaster website but instead were directed to the TicketsNow site, where seats were being re-sold for three and four times their cover price.

www.metspolice.com

Yankee Stuff (Relocation story, stadium comparison, Bank of America)

Quick hits from the Bronx:
 
A friend who had a 40 game plan at Yankee II, Tier right behind the plate, has been relocated to the left field uppers.  I will be curious to see how all the folks with the 15 game plans do.  I don’t think anyone is doing anything wrong here and the Yankees are going to have a huge attendance number again.
 
River Ave News (which is not River Ave Blues) compares the old new stadium to the new new here:
 
Newsday says the Yankees had/have been talking to the Bank of America for some sort of signage deal.  No it won’t be Bank of America Stadium.   Story here:  http://www.newsday.com/sports/baseball/yankees/ny-spamer046023343feb04,0,5959253.story
 
I still expect the Yankees to sign manny any second now.
 
 

NY Times uses Congress & Mets in same headline

“Treasury has the power under TARP to make broad changes,” Kucinich, Democrat of Ohio, said in a telephone interview. “They have to. It’s not whether they can or should; they have to. The legal issues are very easy to maneuver.”


Should Citi Be Allowed To Name The Stadium?
Yes, $400 million is a good price for a stadium name. 5% (224 votes)
No *#$@ing Way 95% (4037 votes)
Total Votes: 4261

If I were a politician and there was an issue with 95% support…..

Remember that’s a Joe Consumer website, not a baseball blog.


Published: February 4, 2009
It’s one thing for Citi to explore ways to back out of the naming rights deal for the Mets’ new stadium, and another to find the escape hatch.

www.metspolice.com