Credo Synchro Cutter

Hooray, my synchro cutter arrived today! Look at my sweet collection!

TomC

Greasy Fucker Jason Giambi Finally Admits Apology Was For Taking 'Roids. Cops out and Blames The League

More info via USA Today!

New York Yankees slugger Jason Giambi, saying he's likely tested for illegal performance-enhancing drugs more often than anyone else, believes Major League Baseball should have apologized years ago for its widespread drug problem.

"I was wrong for doing that stuff," Giambi told USA TODAY on Wednesday before playing the Chicago White Sox. "What we should have done a long time ago was stand up — players, ownership, everybody — and said: 'We made a mistake.'

"We should have apologized back then and made sure we had a rule in place and gone forward. … Steroids and all of that was a part of history. But it was a topic that everybody wanted to avoid. Nobody wanted to talk about it."

The San Francisco Chronicle reported in December 2004 that Giambi told the grand jury investigating BALCO in December 2003 he used steroids and human growth hormone. Giambi held a news conference before the 2005 season to apologize but didn't say for what, telling reporters, "I can't get into specifics."

He said Wednesday he's thankful for MLB's steroid and amphetamine testing program that was revised before last season. MLB does not test for HGH, but Giambi said he does not use the drug, either illegally or with a doctor's prescription.

"Unfortunately, (the rumors) are going to be a part of it. But that's OK. I'm probably tested more than anybody else. I'm not hiding anything," said Giambi, hitting .273 with five homers this season. "That stuff didn't help me hit home runs. I don't care what people say, nothing is going to give you that gift of hitting a baseball."

When asked, "So why did you take steroids?" Giambi said: "Maybe one day I'll talk about it, but not now."

I used to LOVE this guy when he played in Oakland, why did he have to become such a tool?

TomC

Trey Anastasio Update.

I thought I would update a story about the Phish lead singer, I first mentioned in this post.

http://www.livedaily.com/news/11922.html

Trey Anastasio (music) pleaded guilty Friday (4/30) to a felony drug charge as part of a deal that will allow the former Phish frontman avoid jail time.

Anastasio, 42, reportedly pleaded guilty to attempted criminal possession of a controlled substance, a charge stemming from his December arrest for alleged drug-related offenses. As a result of the plea deal, Anastasio will make weekly court appearances for 12-15 months, will subjected to drug testing and will have to perform community service, the Associated Press reported.

According to police, Anastasio was pulled over on Dec. 15 at about 3:30 a.m. for failing to keep to the right, and was administered a field-sobriety test, with police determining that the singer was under the influence of narcotics. He was also found to be in possession of two prescription narcotics--hydrocodone and percocet--and the anti-anxiety medication Xanax. All three medications were prescribed to another person, authorities said. Police also allegedly found a substance in the car that was later determined to be heroin.

Since the incident, Anastasio spent 28 days in rehab at the Eric Clapton Treatment Center in Antigua.




TomC

Beckett Heading to DL, Alas Lester will not replace him.

More Info Here!

BOSTON -- The Red Sox mulled it over with Josh Beckett for a few days, then took definitive action. On Friday the Red Sox will place the right-hander on the disabled list -- retroactive to May 13 -- with an avulsion on his right middle finger.

The good news is that the Sox have already slotted Beckett to start on May 29 against the Indians, the first day he's eligible to come off the DL.

Devern Hansack will be recalled from Triple-A Pawtucket and take Beckett's turn in the rotation on Friday night against the Braves. The Sox are still undecided for Sunday, but Pawtucket left-hander Kason Gabbard is looking like a heavy favorite to make that start. Gabbard last pitched on Monday and isn't listed anywhere in Pawtucket's rotation in games through Tuesday.

Hansack was supposed to pitch for Pawtucket on Thursday, and once he was scratched, it was evident that he was coming to Boston and Beckett was headed for the DL. Because Hansack was just sent to Pawtucket on May 11, the only way he could rejoin the Boston roster this quickly is if another player went on the DL.

Beckett will proceed as planned and throw a side session on Friday.

"Nothing went backwards at all," said manager Terry Francona. "In fact, he's doing great."

The decision was not made unilaterally. All parties played a role.

"We included [Beckett] in this decision a lot," said Francona. "Thought he deserved it. We actually appreciated his input, because he was very thoughtful and conscientious in what he was saying to us. We talked to him for a long time about it because we wanted to do the right thing."

This is the seventh time in Beckett's career he's been placed on the disabled list with either a blister or an avulsion. The previous six times came in a four-year span (2002-06) with the Florida Marlins.

But why are the Sox undecided about Sunday, when it would be Tim Wakefield's turn in the rotation? The answer is that the Sox thought it made more sense to hold Wakefield out for Monday's opener of a three-game series in the Bronx against the Yankees. If Wakefield had pitched on Sunday, the Sox would have been searching for a starter for Monday.

And for all the conspiracy theorists out there, Jon Lester will not make a dramatic return and be Sunday's surprise starter. Francona reiterated the plan that Lester will start for Pawtucket at Ottawa on Saturday night, throwing 50 to 55 pitches.

Whats Better Than One Win On Thursday?? TWO!

Thats right! The Red Sox won both halves of a day night doubleheader at home against Detroit on Thursday, gaining them all kinds of momentum going into a weekend Interleague Series against the Atlanta Braves. Read about the pleasant carnage here!

(Lugo Scored in game one.)
(Papelbon got the save.)

The first game was all about the surprising performance of fifth starter Julian Tavarez, as the Red Sox won 2-1. Adding to the string of great pitching performances by Sox starters, Tavarez truned in the following line:

7IP 4H 1ER 4BB 3K

This was good enough to out pitch a decent start by the Tigers Zach Miner. Manny Ramirez and Kevin Youkilis both had RBI singles to account for the scoring. Papelbon pitched the ninth for his eleventh save.

(This is the dive Hinske missed, the other was cooler.)
(Hinske hits a home run too!)(Okajima gets the save.)

Between a game-saving catch and a game-deciding homer, Thursday night was made for Eric Hinske.

Hinske's seventh-inning two-run homer into the Boston bullpen was the difference as the Red Sox completed a day-night doubleheader sweep of the Tigers, 4-2, at Fenway.

Hinske, starting in right field for the injured J.D. Drew, helped Schilling with the catch of the night, diving for and catching a drive down the right-field line off the bat of Mike Rabelo.

"No, I don't even remember it," Hinske said of his up-close-and-personal meeting with the warning track. "I just remember looking up at my glove to make sure the ball was still in there, because usually it bounces out. I would have looked bad if that ball got by me, but I committed and was able to come up with it."

The spectacular catch, coming with runners on second and third and two outs, ended Detroit's fifth-inning rally. Hinske lay on his stomach for several moments after his chin snapped into the warning-track dirt.

"It was all over my mouth, eyes and nose," Hinske said. "The back of my neck is kind of sore right now. They told me I would have kind of whiplash symptoms tomorrow, but the adrenaline's going now, so I'm happy."

"Unbelievable," said a grateful Schilling. "One of the best catches I have ever seen anywhere."

Then came the bottom of the seventh. With the score tied at 2, Hinske drilled a fastball from Tigers reliever Wilfredo Ledezma (3-1) into the Boston bullpen with Jason Varitek aboard. A triumphant Hinske raised his fist as he rounded first base.

Brendan Donnelly pitched an inning and one third for the win, and Hideki Okajima, who pitched in both games, pitched the ninth for the save.

With the sweep the Red Sox ran their Record to 28-12 and their lead in the AL east to 9 and one-half games.


GO SOX!

TomC