Dick Allen

QUOTE (Kalapse @ May 7, 2009 -> 09:09 AM) Well he tested positive for a "banned substance" that's been referred to as "non-performance enhancing". So the drug simply contains a substance that is banned by baseball, not a stimulant and not believed to be a baseball performance enhancer. I'm also curious as to who the "source close to Ramirez" is. There's this guy who's name rhymes with "chorus" that's pretty close to Manny. And if he is taking this product, and it did cost him $8.3 million without even a small fight, even being represented by Scott Boras (Gee I wonder if they see what ARods going through and realize some skeletons in Manny's closet would definitely come out) don't some PEDs cause loss of sex drive? Wouldn't it be even funnier than Plaxico Burress having to do time for shooting himself that Manny masks the PED just fine, but takes something else to lessen that particular effect and gets busted for that?

QUOTE (fathom @ May 7, 2009 -> 08:49 AM) When Magglio first started with the Tigers, Boers and Bernstein had KW on the radio, and said "I didn't know that knee surgery would make your foreams so much bigger?" KW gave his creepy little laugh, and said no comment. It was pretty obvious that KW completely agreed with this. Considering KW offered Magglio a contract extension, if he agreed and knew, then he's just as guilty. Maggs was about 25 lbs. lighter his first year with the Tigers vs. his last with the White Sox.

QUOTE (ChiSox_Sonix @ May 7, 2009 -> 08:43 AM) Yea i'm far from Manny's biggest fan but nice try. There havent even been many who have tested positive. Two I can think of are JC Romero and Mike Cameron. Cameron didn't seem to catch any s*** and Romero actually had some supporters here in that thread that was started about him. So yea, that argument just about went out the window. I do apologize that I am not as cynical about everything as you are though. Those 2 told everyone what it was they were busted for and tried to fight the suspension. Manny, who will probably say what it was once they can spin it enough to make it look like it really was nothing, won't even fight it. He's accepting the suspension and $8.3 million loss. Doesn't sound too innocent to me. But then again, he's been known to want a vacation in the middle of the season before, but usually wants them paid.

I wouldn't doubt if more than half the pitchers in the 90s at least tried PEDs

QUOTE (Flash Tizzle @ May 7, 2009 -> 08:37 AM) MWAHAHAHAHA. Ramirez comes off as an idiot, so I wouldn't put it past him to take medication from a doctor without first having his agent (or himself) check the banned substances list. His only hope of coming clean is to actually name the medication he took. Has he done that yet? Even if it's potentially embarrassing (such as for some new herpes medication), he has to put things in perspective -- either receive embarrassment from the medication, and it's accompanying condition, or have your entire career questioned. He will come out with it just as soon as Boras and the rest of his team can find enough info on the substance that can make Manny look as innocent as possible.

QUOTE (Thunderbolt @ May 7, 2009 -> 08:34 AM) I know Frank Thomas passes the eye test, and always has an out due to the football, but i'm very concerned that inevitably someone's going to go after him, or Griffey, or Thome. And we're all going to have to deal with the s***storm that this creates. Too often, we as White Sox fans, are able to remove ourselves from this as fans, i hope it stays this way. He did put on about 45 pounds his first 2 years in MLB. If my wife wouldn't make healthy dinner, I could easily do that.

QUOTE (Chisoxfn @ May 7, 2009 -> 08:32 AM) Was Albert Belle's name ever tied into steroids? I think if he was able to continue playing there would have been questions and he wouldn't have answered them because he doesn't answer any questions. He was Corky before Sosa, but his twin brother was bigger than him.

From the si.com article: Ramirez ranks 17th on the all-time home-run list with 533. Eight of those top 17 home run hitters played in what is commonly referred to as the Steroid Era. And six of those eight modern-day sluggers have been associated with performance-enhancing drugs: Barry Bonds, Sammy Sosa, Mark McGwire, Rafael Palmeiro, Rodriguez and Ramirez. The only modern sluggers to have escaped such a connection are Ken Griffey Jr., Frank Thomas and Jim Thome. Nothing we don't know but does go out of its way to mention the 3 White Sox related guys as being considered clean. I would love to have a webcam on Boras' office right now. All his lackeys must be working their asses off for angles to spin this.

QUOTE (Hatchetman @ May 7, 2009 -> 08:14 AM) here's an old pic of thome http://badwax.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/...l-jim-thome.jpg I think you can look at the parents as well. Thome's dad is huge. Griffey's body has spread just like his father's. Frank Thomas is supposed to have a couple of 300 lbs. sisters.

Kirstie Alley put on 83 lbs. the last year. She wasn't juicing, he was grazing.

What will be interesting is how the Dodgers handle the option for next year. I believe its a player option. What if Manny comes back and hits .280? I wonder if they will try to fight it.

QUOTE (G&T @ May 7, 2009 -> 08:03 AM) So are you saying that Frank Thomas has paid off Canseco not to talk? Not at all, but Jose has "forgotten" a few things about steroid users who have backed some of his projects. Roger Clemens is one.

QUOTE (ChiSox_Sonix @ May 7, 2009 -> 08:00 AM) Nice to see you speak for all of us. But i'm going to wait to hear a bit more about it. I'm sorry your hero has been exposed, I'm sure its tough for you, but name one person who has been suspended for 50 games that hasn't lost in the court of public opinion. There have been several who never had a positive test that have lost. Manny is cooked.

QUOTE (G&T @ May 7, 2009 -> 07:58 AM) He seems to know the cleanliness of a lot of players he didn't play with. Canseco can forget a lot of things if you give him some money.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ May 7, 2009 -> 07:58 AM) I'm not sure that MLB Players still have the right to an appeal for a PED suspension, I think that was a key part of getting Congress off their backs, anyone know more? The espn.com article said he waived his right to appeal. The less info that gets out the better. Boras is orchestrating.

QUOTE (ChiSox_Sonix @ May 7, 2009 -> 07:55 AM) Statements like this at this point are just laughable to me. Could Manny be lying? Absolutely. But it is an entirely different situation than an A-Rod who admitted to steroid use. All we have on Manny, is that after all this time he finally failed a test. We don't know what the drug is yet, so it is very possible it could have been in a medication that was presecribed to him. I understand the culture of baseball and what the stigma surrounding this past generation of players is, but accusatory statements like this tainting his entire career accomplishments up until this point are way out of whack, IMO. What Manny should do, is release the name of the medication he was prescribed. That way, when the drug that caused the failed test is released, people can cross check it with what Manny said he took. Wouldn't prove anything, but it could certainly help him out in the court of public opinion. Cry for Manny all you want. He's busted. Sorry, he's already lost in the court of public opinion.

QUOTE (ChiSox_Sonix @ May 7, 2009 -> 07:46 AM) As strange as this may sound, I actually might buy into the doctor excuse. The reason is because Manny has no reason to cheat at this point. He has a $45M contract, he is almost done, he is a sure fire HoF'er, he has a ring, he is already regarded as one of the best right handed hitters of the generation...so whats the point? I can't believe Manny actually cares enough about his performance and how he's perceived to try and get an edge. Especially since up until now he has been "clean". I just feel if he was juicing, he would have been caught before, or at the very least would have stopped. Why wasnt he caught 2 years ago? Or last year? Why all of a sudden just right now? It just doesnt make sense to me, which is why I will wait to hear his official excuse in detail. The docor excuse was authored by Scott Boras. Read Manny's apology and then listen to Manny speak and tell me they are from the same person. Its spin city. Why wouldn't Manny appeal which is his right? He has every reason to cheat. A big year can make him a ton of money as he is on a 1 year contract with an option. He also has been known not to have the greatest work ethic in the world. PED's provide a shortcut.

LMAO. The thing is there are a ton of guys who have never tested positive who cheated. Most likely several names that would shock us. Manny is a fraud of the highest proportions, it shouldn't shock anyone he took shortcuts.

I'll take Mike. LeBron is awesome, bigger and stronger than MJ, but there is only one MJ.

QUOTE (WhiteSoxfan1986 @ May 6, 2009 -> 08:49 PM) This sucks. Yea, let's give up my number to a s***ty player who should be our 4th outfielder soon. I would be extremely pissed if I bought a Fields jersey. They had to do something to help KW's prediction that Josh Fields would have the most jerseys sold this year. Changing his number helps. The Fields family has to go back to the store.

Fields is changing to 7 giving Pods 22.

QUOTE (Kalapse @ May 6, 2009 -> 01:11 PM) If there's one thing Ozzie preaches it's good ABs and Alexei hasn't had more than a handful to start the year. He can get away with it when he's on fire and raking but he's gonna have to learn how to work a count, lay off breaking pitches out of the zone and wait for his pitch when he's slumping otherwise he's gonna start losing ABs. While I agree with Ozzie, its ironic because Ozzie never worked a count when he played. There has to be something more to this than just results and Ramirez making a lot of outs. The roster is full of guys who have been almost rewarded for not playing well. Maybe last year's success went to his head, maybe the league caught up and he has no answers, maybe he's just on a bad streak.

QUOTE (WinningUgly85 @ May 6, 2009 -> 12:45 PM) Yeah well Guillen should cover his while hes at it. Depending on the barometric pressure we will hear how Ozzie will be managing far longer than an new rival will be playing or how close he came to walking away after some loss. He covers it himself very nicely.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ May 6, 2009 -> 12:38 PM) Great idea to put Nix at SS. It's always well-informed to put career 2B who have played 40 games their entire career at the position (and of course, when they were 18, eight years ago) at the most difficult position on the diamond. Wait, he played a few games then on his rehab assignment. That makes it a sure bit to work out, since he didn't make an error in RF the other night, and he ONLY made two questionable plays at 3B the other night (one was saved by a miraculous Konerko snag of a throw that wasn't even close to the bag, the the other a muffed ball that led to the missing on an easy DP). It will be interesting. He certainly was a little shaky with his throws at 3rd. If he can make the throws, and he does have a pretty strong arm, he should be OK.

QUOTE (scenario @ May 6, 2009 -> 12:15 PM) I know the Broadway-Ellsbury thing will keep coming up... as well as another other prospects we missed on. But come on... hindsight... In Broadway's last year of college, he was one of 3 finalists for the Roger Clemens Award. Threw 5 complete games in 16 starts, including 2 of his last 3 games... one over the #1 team in the country at the time. Had a 1.69 ERA on the season. Gave up only 2 homeruns in 117 innings. Yada yada... And regarding the Clemens Award... here's how the voting works... the three finalists were selected in a second round of voting by all Division I head baseball coaches, a selection of national college baseball media, the 16 winners of the R. E. Bob Smith Award (college player of the year) and the three finalists from the first Clemens Award. In other words, it wasn't like he some bum off the street. There was a fairly large group of knowledgeable people who thought he was one of the top 3 pitchers in the country. One of the top 3 pitchers in college doesn't make you one of the top 3 or 10 or 100 pitching prospects for the pros. There have been Heisman trophy winners that don't get drafted. It was a bad pick and it was supposed to be a "safe" pick. He didn't have a big upside. It was safe because it was assumed he would most likely and fairly quickly become a mediocre 4th or 5th starter.