BASEBALL

[Destiny]

Rest In Peace Joe Kennedy Prayers and thoughts to his family.
Free agent left-hander Joe Kennedy arrived at Spring Training with the A's in February having shed 20-plus pounds in anticipation of what he called the biggest year of his seven-year career, and he spoke at length about what the birth of his first child had done to change his perspective on life.

Kennedy's life came to a tragic end early Friday morning when he died after passing out at home in Florida. He was 28. -- After passing out, Kennedy was taken to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead, said Hillsborough County (Fla.) sheriff's spokeswoman Debbie Carter, who had no further details.

For more Click the link.

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[Jacquie]

Wow that's sad about Joe Kennedy All the best to his family and friends.

 

[Exit 8A]

Wow, really sad, way to young as well. RIP Joe Kennedy.

 

[ThumpyG42]

How very sad.

My condolences and sympathies to his family.

 

[Destiny]

Indians Pitcher Hurt In Accident - basically it says (without copy/paste)...

Juan Lara age 26 was critically injured in a car accident saturday night, when a motorcycle traveling at a high rate of speed slammed into the drivers side of his suv and pinned him in, and killing the rider and passenger on the cycle instantly. Lara's girlfriend was with him, though she is hospitalized her injuries are not as serious as his.

As of Monday night he was breathing with the help of a ventilator and has two fractured ribs, as well as perforated lung and a blood clot from the head injury. "The prognosis for Juan is day to day for the moment," team president Jose Mallen said. "The doctors say they have to see what develops with the blood clot. Otherwise they would have to operate on it." If necessary Lara may need to be transferred to the U.S for surgery.

My prayers and thoughts to his family and friends and to those who died that night.

ETA: Update on injuries, Lara is suffering from a blood clot on the brain, a cervical fracture of the spine, a collapsed lung and multiple broken ribs. He's comatose and breathing with the help of a ventilator at General Hospital Plaza de la Salud in Santo Domingo, D.R. -- "His injuries are life-threatening," said Dr. Jean Carlos Hernandez Leon, the neurosurgeon treating Lara. "He's in a delicate state."

Leon said the blood clot in Lara's brain has stabilized and surgery is not required at the moment. He did say Lara might need surgery for the cervical fracture.

Lara's girlfriend was in the SUV. She also was hospitalized, but her injuries were not as serious. "She's bruised," said Winston Llenas, a scout and adviser for the Indians in the Dominican. "She doesn't remember anything about the accident." Llenas said Lara's SUV was knocked over by the force of the motorcycle.

 

[Jacquie]

Details are not all available yet but Bud Selig has announced some suspensions for Major Leaguers who have violated MLB Drug program. This is all I have found at the moment.

 

[Destiny]

The "Mitchell" Report will be released today 12/13/07 between 1:45 to 2:00 pm est. its reported that 80 plus names will be released, of current and former players.

Bud Selig will hold a 4:30 p.m. ET news conference

MLB Official site. - The report itself will be posted at MLB.com shortly after it is released.

 

[Exit 8A]

Wow, I am pretty embarrased and ashamed to be a Yankee fan right now. I feel like I have been following one big sham. The Mitchell report implicated a lot of former and current Yankees, although I am not too shocked to see Clemens on there. The one I am shocked to see is Pettitte.

Will I still be a Yankee fan when the season rolls around? Absolutely. However, this will take a while to digest.

 

[Destiny]

Thing is there is not a whole lot of direct evidence other then heresay or what a player might have told them (those that did speak to the committee), which is what gets me, if your innocent in all this, why wouldn't you talk to the committee? honestly if your not I can see why you might or might not.

But I think that is why Mitchell in a surprise move basically asked the fans to not let this directly affect how they view the players, if it was a past deed or one in which they are getting off of then allow them a fresh start. I could get upset about Paul Byrd (Pitcher for the indians) but I am not. Obiviously he wasn't taking anything to bulk up, considering he is about right for his height and weight. His reason for his shoulder, did he possibly get to much, he admitted to thinking about trying to use it for more then medical but then said no.

Heck back in 2005 Raffy Bentancourt (reliever for indians) was accused and served a ten day suspension for testing positive for steroids, the only problem was and this is according to him, he didn't take any, but he did say that in his home country he was given medication the equilvent of Tylenol here for pain, which apparently set off the test when he took it. But he served the 10 days anyway, and as far as I know it was removed from his record (other then media kind) because of an appeal I believe that was done.

As to the HGH (Human Growth Hormone) all these folks who didn't admit to taking it that are being accused based on heresay can not be proven since there is no urine test for it. Therefore, if someone is looking to get out of a problem then what do they do, and they know it can't be proven either way so what the heck. I mean really the players who took any of it for reasons other then legit medical should take responsiblity by admitting it and staying away from it except for those reasons. But goodness, trainers were giving it to them, these are the people who condition our players to make sure they are healthy enough to play.

This report I am sorry was a witch hunt, they spent alot of time and money on this and in the end it turns out that this big report was well not bogus but close to it. If they were on A. Steroids and tested positive, thats science saying okay its true, mixed with what is being told. But HGH thats all heresay. Heck alot of the players named were retired and I think one or so is dead. I was shocked to see that Mitchell did include Boston on there, there was rumors that with him being apart of the board for RSN (Red Sox Nation) that mysteriously they would be clean. But I Still think the whole thing was a costly witch hunt. Don't get me wrong I don't think its right using Steroids or HGH unless under the supervision of a doctor and only for the alotted time needed.

But when spring training starts, or the regular season starts I am not going to look at a player and see "The HGH Guy" or the guy who "Took steroids". I am going to look at them as either a guy who is on the team I like (In my case the Indians) or the guy who I want my team to beat. I agree that younger players see this is as a way to go, but listening to Mitchell and Bud you honestly have to believe they think kids these days are stupid. If their going to do it, it won't always be because so and so on major league did it, some might say it, and others might say I did it because I wanted to, I thought I needed to. It will be those same kids who will need to say I was wrong in doing so.

Course this is just my long and probably mispelled opinion.

 

[DJRideout]

I haven't read a whole lot on this drug usage yet, never had the time, but from what I have heard from the news on the radio, that there is quite a larger list of players involved, which surprised me yet at the same time didn't.

 

[Jacquie]

I was surprised but not really surprised by some of the names on the list. The one name that got my attention was Greg Zaun of the Toronto Blue Jays. When you look at the careers some of these named have had then I say I'm not surprised. It would be truly interesting if we could go back in time to see how these players would do without any of the drugs. It will be interesting to see what Bud Selig does with the report because I understand Mitchell says none of the players currently playing should be suspended. But time will tell.

 

[Destiny]

The report is about 409 pages long, you can read it online if you are bored or interested with time. From what I understand the 89 names are not in a regular list, they are given then info about them, one player I understand runs something like several pages long. Here is the report I will warn you it is in a PDF. But a run down list (and the pages in the report where you can find them) can be found Here.

 

[saraneth]

awesomeredhead said:
GO CUBBIES!

I second that! My life revolves around the Cubs from Feb when pitchers and catchers report to October with the world series.

Cubs are ganna win it next year baby!

 

[Destiny]

Lara moved to Cleveland Clinic - <Snip>
Indians reliever Juan Lara was moved to the Cleveland Clinic on Friday almost one month after he was injured in a car accident in the Dominican Republic.

Tribe's Lara undergoes surgery - <Snip>
Indians pitcher Juan Lara, who was nearly killed in a car accident last month while coming home from a game in the Dominican Republic, underwent two surgeries Sunday. - The Indians said the 26-year-old's spine was stabilized and he also had an arm fracture repaired. The operations were performed by Dr. Jeff Lawton and Dr. Doug Orr at the Cleveland Clinic.

Lara had severe brain trauma, a fractured spine, two broken ribs and a punctured lung in the crash. Doctors kept Lara in a medically induced coma for weeks before fitting him with a halo vest to support his neck. - He was flown from Santo Domingo, where he had been hospitalized since the accident, to the U.S. on Friday. The club said after he's released from the Clinic he will return to the Dominican Republic for treatment.

 

[DJRideout]

Hope for a speedy recovery for Juan Lara and complete recovery allowing him to get back to what he loves to do. But time will only tell.

I didn't know that the Blue Jays were tossing around the idea of getting rid of RIOS. To me, he seems to be an all around decent player with youth on his side. But be that as it may, if it means, in return, getting another big name player to help in the drive for a playoff birth in the 2008 season, do what needs to be done, even if its trading someone like Alex.

I just read though, that the JAYS signed shortstop David Eckstein to a one-year deal worth $4.5 million. Eckstein hit .309 for the Cardinals in 2007. Interesting sign!