Cuban outfielder Yoenis Cespedes will be playing for the Oakland Athletics after signing a four-year, $36 million deal on Monday.

Oakland managed to beat out the Miami Marlins who also big $36 million but over a six year period.

The only hurdle was receiving his unblocking license from the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control which was expected by Monday. US Treasury clearance was needed because Yoenis is a Cuban national who established residency in another country after defecting.

The outfielders agent Adam Katz said of his players signing:

“At the end of the day with all these big free agents, it comes down to the total package. Sure, money and the economic package had something to do with it. But it’s also about all the surrounding circumstances. And basically, this was a player who felt like this club wanted him more than anybody else.”

Once his worker’s visa is received Cespedes can show up at spring training and begin his work with the Oakland Athletics.

Under his contract Cespedes will receive $6.5 million in his first year of play, $8.5 million in his second year and then $10.5 million during each of his last two years.

Under his deal Cespedes will become the highest paid player on the Oakland roster, currently Coco Crisp is the highest paid player at $6 million per season.

Speaking of the teams acquisition Marlins president of baseball operations Larry Beinfest said of losing out on Yoenis:

“You don’t land everybody you want to land. But I think we’ve been aggressive. We’re really happy with the way the club looks. You always have a sense of disappointment when you’re trying to either trade for or sign a player. It’s not the first time and won’t be the last. We would certainly wish him well.”

Do you think Yoenis Cespedes was a smart acquisition by the Oakland Athletics.

Yoenis Cespedes Agrees To 4-Year $36 Million Deal With Oakland Athletics is a post from: The Inquisitr

Dennis ‘Oil Can’ Boyd has revealed he probably pitched under the influence of cocaine “at every ballpark” in his 10-year major league career.

The former Red Sox pitcher, now 52, told Boston’s WBZ radio station that his habit cost him scores of possible wins, and quite a lot of sleep, by the sounds of it:

“Some of the best games I’ve ever pitched in the major leagues I stayed up all night – I’d say two-thirds of them. (But) if I had went to bed, I would have won 150 ballgames in the time span that I played.”

As it is, Oil Can Boyd – so named because of a love for beer in his youth in Missouri, where beer was known as ‘oil,’ – won only 78 matches.

Speaking to WBZ’s Jon Miller, Boyd said he had “learned how to indulge in an abundance of cocaine,” around a year before his most successful season in 1986. He is clean today, and now sees his former habit as a response to a “very cold, scary world I was living in as a young kid.”

If it’s surprising that Boyd got away with his cocaine abuse for so long, that’s because he was barely confronted about it:

“I never had a drug test as long as I played baseball. I was told that, yeah, if you don’t stop doing this we’re going to put you into rehab, and I told them … I’m going to do what I have to do, I have to win ballgames. We’ll talk about that in the offseason. Right now I have to win ballgames.”

And Boyd’s old teammates may have reason to be concerned. While he revealed no names in his interview with Miller, he has an apparently revealing memoir out in June, They Call Me Oil Can: My Life in Baseball. Boyd’s fellow players had varying reactions about his habit at the time, though most knew about it:

“All of them didn’t rally around me. All of them knew (of my habit) and the ones that cared came to me. The Dwight Evanses and Bill Buckners and Don Baylors … it was the veteran ballplayers. Some guys lived it; they knew what you were doing, and the only way they knew was they had to have tried it, too.”

Oil Can Boyd Pitched While High On Cocaine is a post from: The Inquisitr

Clayton Kershaw has signed the dotted line on a $19 million two-year deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers

The Dodgers signing Kershaw has helped both club and player avoid a potentially awkward salary arbitration hearing – a scheduled arbitration hearing to determine Kershaw’s salary for the upcoming season was just a week away. Kershaw had asked for $10 million, while the Dodgers would only go to $6.5 million. The left-hander was paid $500,000 in his Cy Young Award season last year.

With this new deal signed and sealed, the young pitcher won’t become a free agent until after the 2014 season is completed. Kershaw revealed he was happy with the outcome, as you would be if someone said they’d be stuffing $163,000 in your pocket every week:

“I think everybody feels good about it.”

Well, quite. Kershaw will now be paid $7.5 million next season, as well as a $500,000 signing bonus. In 2013, he’ll rake in an $11 million salary.

This works both ways, naturally. The Dodgers will be pleased to have secured the considerable talents of a 23-year-old pitcher who would have no shortage of offers from other teams. General Manager Ned Colletti told the LA Times:

“When you think about how he’s 23 years old and how he’s progressed as a pitcher, how he’s taken his great gift and put in the work to refine it, that says a lot about him.”

Kershaw clinched the National League’s triple crown of pitching last season. He led the league with 21 wins, a fine 2.28 earned-run average and 248 strikeouts.

Clayton Kershaw Signs $19 Million Deal With Dodgers is a post from: The Inquisitr

L.A. Dodgers first baseman James Loney smashed into several cars on an L.A. freeway last November and now the recently released 911 tape reveals that he was passed out behind the wheel and then tried to flee after hitting the first vehicle.

Loney was driving his Maserati down the highway when a driver called 911 and described the scene that was unfolding, the caller said of the incident that Loney was  ”‘completely passed out in the front seat.” She goes on to say that after smashing into several cars he woke up and then tried to take off:

 ”Oh my god! Oh my god! He tried to leave the scene … He woke up, and he slammed on the gas and took off across all the lanes on the freeway.”

The caller then reveals that he quickly smashed into another car and ended up on the other side of the highway where he broke an anxle on his Maserati.

Police arrived on the scene where they handcuffed Loney and took him to a nearby hospital for evaluation. Loney was arrested on suspicion and a blood sample revealed no drugs in his system.

The L.A. City Attorney eventually rejected the case for prosecution because of a lack of evidence.

Do you think Loney should have been tried given his attempt to flee the scene and then damaging more vehicles in the process?

L.A. Dodgers First Baseman James Loney Fell Asleep At Wheel Before Freeway Accident [911 Call] is a post from: The Inquisitr

Skip Schumaker is barely shown in his 2012 Topps Series 1 baseball card set, in fact only his pant leg is visible while the rest of the card is taken up by the now famous rally squirrel.

The rally squirrel became an internet sensation last year after it crossed Schumaker’s path during a Roy Oswalt pitch in the fifth inning of Game 4 of the NLDS last October. Following that play the St. Louis Cardinals surged ahead and eventually ended up winning the World Series title.

Apparently the rally squirrel is a bigger name then Schumaker as it became the main focus on the players baseball card. According to Topps this is the first time that a players face has not been featured on the baseball card that hosts their name and stats.

Topps didn’t even bother to give Schumaker a sneak peek at his card, although they will also offer an alternate card with a more full shot of Schumaker. Because the rally squirrel will only appear on the “short-print” variation of the card it will likely become a quick collectors edition find.

Would you like to own your very own rally squirrel Topps baseball card or is this a silly attempt at making some extra cash from collectors?

Chip Schumaker’s Topps Baseball Card Features Rally Squirrel, Almost None Of Chip’s Body is a post from: The Inquisitr

According to the reports, Lincecum will earn $18 million in 2012 and $22 million next year, in addition to receiving a $500,000 signing bonus.

As usual, the deal – which was completed on Tuesday (Jan. 24) – is contingent upon Lincecum passing a physical examination next week.

Though sources say the Giants organization and Lincecum had discussed deals beyond 2 years (including a 5-year offer worth $100 million), the two-time Cy Young winner ultimately rejected them, only feeding fans’ fears that Lincecum wants out after 2013 due to the club’s perennially weak offense.

Tim’s agent, Rick Thurman, however, told Mercury News that those fears – of Lincecum bolting as soon as he is a free agent – are unwarranted.

“Although we were not able to work out a longer-term deal, we found common ground in a two-year deal,” Thurman stated. “This doesn’t preclude continued negotiations for Tim to remain a Giant for the rest of his career.”

Once his new contract is official, Lincecum will become the highest-paid Giant ever by average annual contract value.

His average of $20.25 million a year bests the $18 million that Barry Bonds and Barry Zito averaged with their big contracts.

Lincecum — the 10th overall draft pick out of Washington in 2006 — is 69-41 with a 2.98 earned run average and 1,127 strikeouts in five seasons as a MLB pitcher.

Although he went 13-14 with a 2.74 ERA last year for his first losing record, those numbers are more of a reflection of the Giants offense as the team scored no runs while he was in the game in seven of 33 starts, had one run six times and two runs five times, according to STATS LLC.

In the clip below, MLB.com analysts Jeremy Brisiel and Jim Duquette talk about Tim Lincecum‘s new two-year deal with the Giants:

Tim Lincecum, San Francisco Giants Agree on 2-Year, $40.5M Deal is a post from: The Inquisitr

Carmona, whose real name is actually Roberto Hernadez Heredia, was arrested Thursday in the Dominican Republic, charged with using a fake identity.

In addition to falsifying his name, Carmona (or Hernandez) also apparently lied about his age as well. In the Indians media guides, Carmona is listed as 28 years old. However, it was recently found out that he is actually 31 years old, according to Yahoo Sports.

“I ask for the forgiveness of my fans, the government of the United States and the Cleveland Indians for this situation,” Carmona was quoted as saying as he exited a courthouse Friday.

Carmona’s lawyer, Joaquin Perez, indicated to the AP that the pitcher would speak more at a later date.

The Carmona/Hernandez arrest comes on the heels of the arrest last summer of Juan Carlos Oviedo, who was pitching for the Marlins under the name Leo Nunez.

Oviedo returned to the Dominican to face charges, and while he has signed a $6 million contract for 2012, he is still working through legal issues that would allow him to return to the United States.

Since his debut with the Indians club in 2007, Fausto has accumulated a win-loss card of 53-66 with a 4.59 ERA and 565 strikeouts over four seasons with the Tribe.

His breakout season came in 2007, where he went 19-8 with a 3.06 ERA and 137 strikeouts.

In 2010, Carmona made it to the All-Star squad for the first time and finished the season on 13-14 slate with a 3.77 ERA and 124 strikeouts.

As of this writing there was no word on what charges Carmona (or Hernandez) will face, or what effect the ID fraud incident will have on his contract with the Indians.

Here’s a clip by ESPN’s Enrique Rojas on the Fausto Carmona arrest:

via USA TODAY

Fausto Carmona Arrest: Indians Pitcher Released on Bail Following ID Fraud is a post from: The Inquisitr

Japanese pitcher Yu Darvish has signed a $60 million, six-year deal with the Texas Rangers. Under a rumor part of the deal Darvish has the right to opt out of the final year of his contract should certain parameters not be met.

Under terms of his agreement $56 million will be paid in guaranteed salary.

Darvish signed his contract just before the 5 p.m. ET deadline on Wednesday after 30 days of negotiations which began after the Texas Rangers submitted a record $51.7 million bid to talk with the player.

The agreed upon payment will be sent to the Nippon-Ham Fighters and Darvish will become a primetime pitcher in the United States.

On his website Darvish posted a note about his new MLB home:

“I will have a press conference first in America and then come back to Japan at which point I will express my gratitude to my fans here in Japan,” he wrote.

When all is said and done and the players contract and posting fees are combined the Texas Rangers paid more than $111 million to sign Yu Darvish, making it the most expensive deal of it’s kind, eclipsing the $103 million the Boston Red Sox negotiated when signing Daisuke Matsuzaka.

Last season with his Japanese team Darvish went 18-6 with a league-best 1.44 ERA, he also amassed 276 strikeouts and walked just 36 batters in 232 innings of play.

Speaking of the teams decision to sign Darvish Texas Rangers general manager Jon Daniels said.:

“We saw a guy that we felt was built to pitch innings and has a classic pitcher’s build,” and  ”He has a real commitment to his conditioning and work ethic. We think he can pitch innings at a high caliber for a large amount of time.”

Do you believe the Texas Rangers made the right decision in shelling out $111 million to secure Yu Darvish for their pitching roster?

Yu Darvish Agrees To Six-Year Texas Rangers Deal Worth $60 Million is a post from: The Inquisitr

A person familiar with Kuroda’s signing told The Associated Press the deal, contingent on the 36-year-old passing a physical,  also includes performance bonuses. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because there has not yet been an announcement.

Kuroda, who turns 37 in February, earned $12 million last season while posting a 3.07 ERA and 161/49 K/BB ratio over 202 innings. He has a 3.45 ERA since coming over to the United States four years ago.

The Yankees tried to acquire Kuroda at the deadline last year, but he wasn’t willing to waive his no-trade clause.

The common line of thinking after the season was that the veteran right-hander would either pitch in Los Angeles or return to his native Japan to pitch for the Hiroshima Carp, but he changed his stance after the Dodgers added Chris Capuano and Aaron Harang earlier this winter.

The Kuroda deal comes just on the heels of the Yankees’ blockbuster trade with the Seattle Mariners in order to acquire pitcher Michael Pineda.

In that trade, New York sent power-hitting catcher Jesus Montero, the organization’s top prospect, to Seattle for the hard-throwing Pineda, according to a person familiar with the deal. The source added that the swap also includes Yankee pitcher Hector Noesi and Seattle pitcher Jose Campos and is pending a physical.

Pineda, a 22-year-old righthander, was 9-10 with a 3.74 ERA and 173 strikeouts in 171 innings in his rookie season with Seattle.

With the addition of Hiroki Kuroda and Michael Pineda, the New York Yankees have completely reconstructed their now suddenly deep rotation. Ace CC Sabathia will likely be followed by Pineda, Ivan Nova, Kuroda and then either Phil Hughes, A.J. Burnett or Freddy Garcia.

Source/Image: ESPN

Hiroki Kuroda, Yankees Agree on One-Year, $10M Deal is a post from: The Inquisitr

Sue Selig has said all along that there was no way husband Bug Selig would walk away from Major League Baseball (MLB) and now the man who will turn 80-years-old in July has agreed to extend his contract for two additional years, allowing Bud to lead the league through the 2014 season.

On Tuesday I reported that the offer was ready to be made and while Bud has said in recent years that he was ready to walk away from the sport he has run since 1992 pretty much everyone around him said he couldn’t give it up.

Selig became the interim commissioner of Major League Baseball in 1992 and the interim part of his title was then removed in 1998.

Speaking about his decision to remain at the top of baseballs control he said on Thursday:

“I’ve often said, and I believe this, for me personally in my life there’s no higher honor than being the commissioner of baseball.”

If he hadn’t agreed to the extension his rein as baseball commissioner would have ended on Dec. 31, 2012.

According to Bud Selig he would have loved to teach after leaving the position however team owners pleaded with him to stay.

“I started hearing a couple of weeks ago that there was a groundswell movement to do this,” he said. “‘You can’t leave now.’ I’d hear from various owners.”

“In the end, doing what’s in the best interest of baseball — if this many people believe that and feel that — is something that I felt I should do,” he said.

Should Bud Selig extend his contract two more years and continue to perform his duties through September 2016 he will become the longest serving baseball commissioner in league history, passing Kenesaw Mountain Landis who managed Major League Baseball from 1920-1944.

If he stays until September 2016, he would surpass Kenesaw Mountain Landis (1920-44) as the longest-serving baseball commissioner.

Do you think MLB owners made the right decision in extending Bud Selig’s contract through the 2014 season?

Bug Selig Accepts Two Year Contract Extension, Will Remain League Commissioner Through 2014 Season is a post from: The Inquisitr

Manny Ramirez failed the MLB’s drug testing policy not one but two times and then walked away from the game after being handed a 100-game suspension and now he seems almost desperate to come back after promising to be a “role model” if any team in the MLB will give him another chance during Spring training.

With his ban now cut down to just 50 games Ramirez has filed for reinstatement and tells ESPN’s Pedro Gomez:

“I want to show people that Manny can change, that he can do the right thing. And to show people that I still can play. I don’t want to leave the game like I did. I also want to show my kids that if you make a mistake, don’t quit. Just go back and fix it. And if you’re going to leave, leave the right way.”

To prepare for a potential comeback Ramirez has been working out in Florida where he takes practice swings in a batting cage and then works on his stamina at a local pool.

Speaking of his want to become a role model Ramirez notes:

“A bunch of guys are going to look at me and say hey, this guy made a mistake but he didn’t quit. Look how he finished. He did the right thing and came back.”

An 18-year-veteran of Major League Baseball Manny has spent time with the Cleveland Indians, Boston Red Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago White Sox and Tampa Bay Rays. During his career Manny Ramirez has hit for 555 home runs and 1,831 RBIs with a career hitting average of .312.

Do you think Manny Ramirez can still be an effective player after taking time away from the game and weening himself off performance enhancing drugs?

Manny Ramirez Gets Desperate, Promises To Be A ‘Role Model’ If Given The Chance To Play is a post from: The Inquisitr

77-year-old MLB commissioner Bud Selig will be offered a contract extension and a source inside the league says he’s likely to accept it.

Selig currently has just one year remaining on his contract and had previously said he would retire when that contract agreement expired.

If the rumor is correct Selig is expected to stick around for at least two additional years, placing his position squarely through the 2014 baseball season.

According to ESPN:

It’s expected that at some point during the upcoming owners’ meetings, which start Wednesday in Scottsdale, Ariz., Selig will be asked to depart the room, and then, as a matter of formality, a motion will be made to extend Selig’s contract — a motion that will be widely supported, according to sources.

Along with his use of a private jet Selig is believed to make more than $22 million annually.

While Bud Selig has talked about leaving his position on several occasions,  including after his three-year contract extension ran up in 2009 he has backed down each time.

Selig became the MBL’s acting commissioner in 1992 when owners forced out Fay Vincent, at the time of his appointment he said he didn’t want the job but then in 1998 accepted a five-year contract which forced him to give up the running of the Milwaukee Brewers, the franchise his family purchased in 1970 and then ran until they sold their interest in 2005.

Do you think Bud Selig has done a good enough job with Major League Baseball to keep his job for two additional years past his current contract?

MLB Commissioner Bud Selig Will Be Offered Job Extension [Insider Report] is a post from: The Inquisitr

After one year working under Bud Selig as the MLB’s executive vice president of baseball operations, Torre has resigned in order to join a group bidding to buy the Los Angeles Dodgers.

“I am so appreciative of the chance the commissioner gave me to see the game from a different perspective by working for Major League Baseball, especially during such a great time for our sport,” Torre, who spent numerous seasons managing the New York Yankees before becoming the skipper for the Dodgers in 2008, said in a statement released by the MLB.

In Torre’s absence, senior vice presidents Joe Garagiola Jr., Kim Ng and Peter Woodfork will oversee the baseball operations functions of the commissioner’s office, MLB.com reports. A permanent replacement will be named at a later date.

According to CBSSports.com, Torre, 71, will join an investment group headed by Rick Caruso, real estate developer perhaps best known for The Grove, the highly successful shopping and entertainment complex located in Los Angeles.

Speaking on Caruso, Torre said:

“I have great confidence in [his] unique qualifications and his ability to lead a successful bid for the Los Angeles Dodgers. In Rick I found a partner who understands consumers and fully appreciates that the Dodgers are a treasured LA institution. Since moving to Los Angeles, I have seen firsthand Rick’s dedication to business and people in Los Angeles. I am very excited about this new opportunity.”

Other potential bidders include Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, a group featuring former Lakers star Magic Johnson and a group that includes former agent Dennis Gilbert and talk show host Larry King.

Initial bids for the Dodgers, put up for sale after former owner Frank McCourt took it into bankruptcy following a messy divorce with his ex-wife Jamie, are due by Jan. 23.

Is Joe Torre the right person to take over the Dodgers franchise? Chime in with your thoughts on the matter in the comment section below.

Joe Torre Quits MLB, Joins Group Seeking Dodgers Ownership is a post from: The Inquisitr

Earlier this year, Shannon Stone, a 39-year-old firefighter, leaned over the rail to catch a foul ball that was thrown to him by Texas Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton. Stone slipped and fell to his death. After the incident several people called on the the MLB to ban players from throwing balls into the stands, but Stone’s mother, SuZann Stone, wasn’t one of them.

SuZan recently told New York Times Magazine that it is very important for MLB players like Josh Hamilton to keep throwing up balls into the stands. Stone, who expressed her sentiments in a letter to Hamilton, told the Magazine:

 ”I wrote to Josh Hamilton, and I said: ‘Please, don’t stop throwing those balls. Because that’s so important. That’s why daddies bring their little boys to the ballgame is for memories like that. Please don’t stop.’”

SuZan also related a story about how Shannon’s father had once caught a foul ball from Shannon’s childhood hero, Buddy Bell. SuZan said that it was her son’s prized possession and that Shannon eventually passed the ball down to his own son, Cooper.

Shannon’s father Al, said:

“Getting a ball is kind of like the holy grail of baseball. It’s one of the reasons you go, is hoping to get a souvenir of the game, a ball.”

SuZan added:

“That’s why they sat there, hoping to catch a foul ball.”

SuZan Stone lost her son because he tried to catch a ball at a baseball game, but Stone recognizes the fact that Shannon’s death was a freak occurrence.

Do you agree with SuZan Stone? Should Josh Hamilton and the rest of the MLB continue to throw baseballs into the stands?

Josh Hamilton Urged to Keep Tossing Foul Balls By Shannon Stone’s Mother is a post from: The Inquisitr

Citing “multiple sources,” the newspaper said Dickey won’t nix his ascension of Mount Kilimanjaro for charity, scheduled for next week, even though the Mets have sent him a letter late last season advising him that if he was hurt during the climb, his contract could be voided.

Dickey, a knuckleball pitcher who went 8-13 with a 3.28 ERA in 33 games (32 starts) in 2011 for the Mets, is scheduled to receive $4.5 million in 2012 — the second year of his two-year $7.8 million deal with the club.

Mets General Manager Sandy Alderson told The Wall Street Journal the Mets have tried to talk the 37-year-old Dickey out of the climb, which he is undertaking to benefit the Bombay Teen Challenge – a charity that aids victims of sex trafficking in Mumbai, India.

“If we thought it was a good idea, we wouldn’t have sent the letter,” Alderson told the WSJ. “Beyond that, have we tried to dissuade him from going? It seems to me that the letter is enough of an effort to dissuade him, and he intends to go on nonetheless.”

Tanzania’s Mount Kilimanjaro is the highest mountain in Africa at 19,341 feet above sea level.

The Daily reports that Mets bullpen catcher Dave Racaniello and Colorado Rockies pitcher Kevin Slowey will also be joining R.A. Dickey on the Kilimanjaro climb.

Image: Floppingout

New York Mets Pitcher RA Dickey to Climb Kilimanjaro Despite Team’s Threats is a post from: The Inquisitr

Earlier today I reported on Texas Rangers backup catcher Yorvit Torrealba and a blow he dealt to the face of an umpire in the Venezuelan league and now officials for that league has announced a 66 game suspension for the Ranger’ backup catcher. The suspension was announced on Twitter by Venezuelan league president Jose Grasso Vecchio.

The blow was dealt after Torrealba struck out during a game on Friday, shortly after the call the men could be seen arguing for upwards of 15 seconds before the catch struck the umpire with an open hand hard enough in the face mask to send him tumbling backwards.

The suspension means Torrealba will sit out the rest of this season and all of the next season. Lucky for the backup catcher penalties in the winter league don’t carry over to Major League Baseball.

After the incident Yorvit apologized to the league and his fans on Monday in a statement that read:

“I wanted to express my sincere apologies to all parties for my actions during the Venezuelan Winter League game on Friday.” while adding,  ”I have extended an apology to the Rangers organization as well. I am embarrassed for my conduct, and personally relayed that feeling to the umpire after that night’s game. On the field, I strive to be an example for children, especially those in my native Venezuela, and I regret my actions. I understand the reactions to the incident and will make every effort to set a positive example in the future.”

Vecchio said of the ruling:

“There was a clear act of aggression that violates the statutes of the league,” and “One that, like any such act, is unacceptable.”

“The punishment is meant to serve as an example. The league acted after analyzing all the known details, that’s why the suspension is for close to a year,” Vecchio said of the suspension. “We couldn’t make it for less, since for a while we have been mounting a campaign against violence in stadiums and during games.”

The Caracas Lions player received another acknowledgement of his wrongdoing when his agent Melvin Roman said:

“(Torrealba) is aware that what he did is wrong. He knows he got caught up in the heat of the moment,” Roman said.

Roman and Vecchio both acknowledged that Torrealba had personally apologized to the umpire involved in the incident.

It’s still not clear if the Texas Rangers will take action of their own, general manager Jon Daniels said over the weekend that the incident was being reviewed.

Yorvit Torrealba has one year remaining on his contract with the Texas Rangers.

In case you missed the earlier posted video here it is again:

Do you think the Texas Rangers should punish Torrealba for his actions during Venezuelan league play?

Yorvit Torrealba Suspended From Venezuelan League For 66 Games After Striking Umpire is a post from: The Inquisitr

Texas Rangers catcher Yorvit Torrealba was playing in the Venezuelan League this Friday when he struck out at bat and then proceeded to argue with the home plate umpire. It’s still not clear what was said however Torrealba proceeded to hit the umpire in the face before storming off the field.

The argument goes on for a good 15-20 seconds before the smack to the umps mask is observed and it was hard enough to send him hurtling backwards before removing his mask.

In response to the incident the Rangers manager Jon Daniels says the organization is “looking into it” but “we haven’t got much info yet.”

According to the team possible disciplinary practices will depend on the “circumstances” that led to the shove.

Torrealba is currently in the second year of a $6.25 million contract with the Rangers but has watched his play time cut down drastically thanks to the red-hot Mike Napoli.

Here’s a video of the strike-out, argument and eventual shove to the face mask:

I’m completely flabbergasted that an apology wasn’t forthcoming from the catcher given the severity of the hit to the umpires face mast.

Do you think major league baseball should take action gainst Yorvit Torrealba for his shove in the Venezuelan league?

Texas Rangers Catcher Yorvit Torrealba Hits Umpire In Face [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

The deal is expected to become official next week after Danks passes a physical, Jon Heyman of CBS Sports reported.

According to the report, the White Sox made the deal after losing star left-hander Mark Buehrle, who signed a four-year, $58 million contract with the Miami Marlins, earlier in the month of December.

Espn also pointed out that by agreeing to terms with Danks, the White Sox avoid an arbitration hearing that would’ve likely cost the team between $9 million and $10 million in 2012.

Danks, 26, is coming off an underwhelming 2011 season in which he went 8-12 with a 4.33 ERA. In addition to a 54-56 lifetime record and a 4.03 ERA, the hard-throwing southpaw’s career strikeout-to-walk ratio is 3:1, considered an outstanding number.

Originally drafted by the Texas Rangers as a first-round pick in 2003 and obtained by Chicago in a trade on Dec. 23, 2006, John Danks would have been eligible for free agency after next season.

In the following clip, watch as Danks takes a line drive off the back off his head, in what was a scary moment for MLB fans and players alike.

Chicago White Sox, John Danks Agree on 5-Year, $65 Million Deal is a post from: The Inquisitr

Ryan Braun, the 2011 National League MVP, tested positive earlier this month for performance enhancing drugs. But a recent report says that Braun’s positive test may have been triggered by medication and not PEDs.

TMZ, citing a source  ”directly connected with Major League Baseball,” said that medication that Braun is taking for a private medical issue caused the positive test. What medicine Braun is taking and for what reason was not made clear.

The source told TMZ:

“The medication contained banned substances resulting in the positive test.”

Braun was suspended for 50-games following his positive drug test. The Milwaukee Brewers star says that he has never taken performance enhancing drugs and he is fighting his suspension.

Attorney David Cornwell, who is representing Braun, said:

“I fully expect to be able to demonstrate that Ryan did not violate the substance policy of Major League Baseball. And consequently, we shouldn’t be dealing with this discussion at all, but at a minimum, I urge everybody to keep an open mind and give us the chance to make our case in private.”

Yahoo! reports that even if Braun’s test was triggered by medication and not PEDs he’ll still have to endure his 50-game suspension. Victor Conte, the founder of BALCO, said that only a “chain of custody” issue could clear Braun’s name. Conte said:

“Unless there’s some chain-of-custody issue, other technical problem during the collection and transport process, he’s basically dead in the water. … I believe he’s going to serve the 50-game suspension.”

Do you think Ryan Braun took performance enhancing drugs?

Ryan Braun Tested Positive for Medicine, Not PEDs [Report] is a post from: The Inquisitr

Federal prosecutors on Friday scored a very tiny victory as Barry Bonds sat in a San Francisco federal courtroom where he was ordered to spend 30 days under house arrest.

U.S. District Judge Susan Illston who has a history of short sentences for world class athletes said the ”jury got it right. Mr. Bonds managed to obstruct justice.”

The sentence was quickly stayed pending an appeal, in any case the outcome is better than the 15 month prison sentence Bonds could have received under federal guidelines.

If the appeal loses Bonds will be forced to remaining in his 6-bedroom, 10-bathroom mansion for 30 days while wearing an ankle monitor, hardly an “upper class” sentencing job by the court.

The sentencing came less than a month after Bonds’ defense lawyers argued in a courtroom memo that the judge should give bond two years probation, fine him $4,000 and make him perform 250 hours of community service.

For their part federal prosecutors tried to paint a negative image of Bonds who they noted had mistresses throughout his marriage while calling the $4,000 fine laughable.

In a memo to Judge Illston the prosecutors wrote:

“Because Bonds’s efforts were a corrupt, intentional effort to interfere with that mission [BALCO], a sentence of 15 months imprisonment is appropriate.”

Bond’s was found to be lying in the BALCO case when he was asked if he ever had ”anything that required a syringe to inject yourself with.” Bonds said he thought the creams and ointments being given to him contained flaxseed oil.

No other sentencing from the BALCO case has included jail time.

Do you think the Barry Bonds sentence was too harsh or not harsh enough?

Barry Bonds Sentenced, Must Suffer 30 Days In His Massive Mansion is a post from: The Inquisitr