Eyechart Weighs in on the A-Rod Rumors
High School teammate and major leaguer Doug Mientkiewicz says there's "no way" A-Rod used steroids in high school:
Dodgers utilityman Doug Mientkiewicz said that he, Alex Rodriguez and their teammates on the Westminster Christian High spent as much time together as possible.
They were always together in school, Mientkiewicz said. They often ate dinner together. Many players, including Rodriguez, frequently slept over at Mientkiewicz's house, which was only 10 minutes from the private school in suburban Miami.
Mientkiewicz said he never saw any signs that Rodriguez was on steroids, as is being alleged in an upcoming book by Sports Illustrated's Selena Roberts, according to a report in the New York Daily News.
"From my perspective, it would be 99.9% impossible for us not to know," said Mientkiewicz, who was a year ahead of Rodriguez in school.
Mientkiewicz lashed out at Roberts, who broke the story that Rodriguez flunked a drug test in 2003 while playing for the Texas Rangers. The report forced Rodriguez to admit in February that he took banned substances from 2001 to '03.
Rodriguez put on 25 pounds of muscle between his sophomore and junior years in high school, according to the book.
"You're basically accusing every kid that's gone through puberty that they're on steroids too, huh?" Mientkiewicz said. "He gained a couple of inches height-wise too, if I remember right. . . . I knew what he looked like in ninth grade. He was skinny. Who isn't in ninth grade? He was very dedicated back then, he worked harder than anyone else."
One of Roberts' sources was a high school teammate of Rodriguez's, according to the Daily News.
"If you're going to have the [guts] to come out and say something like that, of that magnitude, whether it's a high school teammate or some of the Yankee teammates that have said something, be a man and put your name on it," Mientkiewicz said. "Don't give me the anonymous source [stuff]. Be a man. Be a man and say who you are. That way there's no questioning whether it's real or not."Labels: a-rod, eyechart, steroids
posted by Mr. Faded Glory @ 4:39 PM
5
comments
 
|
|
|
Wednesday, December 24, 2008 |
A Mark Teixeira Christmas.
"E" before "I." "E" before "I." Gotta remember that. It shouldn't be a problem since I actually learned to spell Mientkiewicz.
Getting Teixeira was a total shock to me. It's like asking Santa for a new bike for Christmas and he shows up on Christmas Eve with an Ecosse Titanium Series motorcycle with the 200-horsepower, 2150cc polished billet intercooled and supercharged aluminum v-twin engine, and MotoGP-spec Ohlins suspension.
If California ever legalizes same sex marriage, I may just have to propose to Brian Cashman.
 Labels: brian cashman, eyechart, free agents, mark teixeira, motorcycles
posted by Mr. Faded Glory @ 10:34 AM
2
comments
Eyechart My Heart
Two former Yankees faced off yesterday, and the war of words continues today. Failed Yankee Randy Johnson and former Yankee Doug Mientkiewicz don't seem to like each other very much:
The two got into a verbal spat in the Pirates' 5-3 win over Arizona on Monday after Mientkiewicz stepped out of the batter's box, and then after stepping back in, called time again as Johnson was beginning his windup. Johnson took exception to Mientkiewicz's actions and immediately began barking at the Pirates' infielder.
After the game, Johnson played off the incident, saying: "It didn't bother me at all. If it would've, [Mientkiewicz] would probably be on a stretcher, and I'd be out of the game."
"I've been on a stretcher before and, technically, he's been out of the game for three years in my mind," Mientkiewicz said, alluding to Johnson's seasons with the Yankees and his injury-plagued 2007 campaign. "That just shows me how mentally weak he is. That's why he got out of [New York]."
New York beat him down, let's put it that way," said Mientkiewicz, in no mood to apologize for his outspokenness. "He doesn't have intimidating stuff anymore, so I'm not going to stand for it."
"It affected him completely," Mientkiewicz said. "I know how mentally weak he is. I tried to take the high road, [but] not anymore."
In fairness to Dougie, he did have one of his best seasons in New York (and wasn't awful with the Mets, either). Randall, however, did have two of his worst seasons in New York. Was it the pressure? Not from the games, because Johnson's shown he's able to handle the postseason. His performance in the 2001 World Series, with three wins (one in relief of a fat bloated idiot) were made a mockery when said fat idiot shared the MVP with him. So what gives?
Oh. The media pressure. Well at least he doesn't have to worry about that anymore back in the sunshine of the desert... they're now totally focused on A-Rod and Joba.
Good on you though, Eyechart, for telling it like it is. Johnson did fail in New York. And now his stuff isn't good enough to scare you from saying it.Labels: eyechart, medium sized league average unit
posted by Mr. Faded Glory @ 5:13 PM
1
comments
Why in the World is Doug Mientkiewicz Batting Second?
.163 / .250 / .256
No, your eyes do not deceive you, that really is his 2007 batting line. Torre is putting an automatic out before Abreu and A-Rod. I would love to see the Torre Zombies defend this one.Labels: batting order, eyechart, joe torre
posted by Mr. Faded Glory @ 6:03 PM
2
comments
Pearls of Wisdom from ESPN
For some reason, ESPN thought it would be a good idea to place three guys with little to know play-by-play experience in the booth together for tonight's Red Sox-Yankees game. The nuggets of goodness from John Kruk, Karl Ravetch and Dusty Baker were plentiful. A sample:
Baker: People say that if [Jeter] was on another team, he wouldn't be considered a good player. Exactly what people are saying this? Are people saying that Michael Young is not a good player?
Ravitch: You would never really associate "delivering" with A-Rod.
(while DHL delivery graphic is on screen) Red Sox homer Ravetch's best attempt at ripping into Rodriguez for not being clutch. Amazingly Kruk called him on it.
Ravetch: How about the career of Doug Mientkiewicz? You can kind of put it in perscpective based on the kind of month Alex Rodriguez is having. 59 career home runs. As anti the eyechart signing as I was, this is a great example of apples and oranges. Or maybe Karl is just mad that eyechart wouldn't give back the ball.Labels: a-rod, douchebag, espn, eyechart, redsox
posted by Mr. Faded Glory @ 7:45 PM
2
comments
|
|
|
Wednesday, March 28, 2007 |
George King Embodies Everything That Is Wrong With Sports Journalism
When he's not making up fake trade rumors, he's making insane theories about which player is better than another, but only if you completely ignore any and all numbers you geeks.
Phelps has numbers; Phillips should get job
By GEORGE KING I can already taste the bile forming...
Josh Phelps has won the numbers battle with a better spring than Andy Phillips. But Phillips deserves to be Doug Mientkiewicz's backup at first. Battles are not about numbers, people! Battles are about guts and intangibles and things that cannot be proven with any type of statistic! That's a battle!
For all the geeks who live in the black and white world of baseball, Josh Phillips has to be the Yankees’ backup first baseman over Andy Phillips. Yet, the choice here to play first when Joe Torre sits Doug Mientkiewicz is Phillips. I'll translate that for you: for anyone who can look objectively at baseball, understands the game, and wishes to have their team comprised of the best possible players, Josh Phelps (yes, I see that George King doesn't even know one player from the other) has to be the Yankees' backup first baseman over Andy Phillips. Yet, for some soon to be described insane reason, I, George King, declare the better choice to be Andy Phillips. Do not look at numbers! If you do you are a geek! And you have poor eyesight ... and ... acne! I wonder if King knows one can use a "com-pew-ter" to read his articles.
Why? Doesn’t Phelps’ .438 average (14-for-32) with three homers and 10 RBIs this spring count for something? Yes and no. Fall in love with spring training numbers at your own risk. Nothing can be more hollow than March digits. No, not "yes or no." Yes. Statistics do count for something. That was kind of the reason to have a roster competition. Otherwise the Yankees should have just said "fuck Spring Training!" and headed right for the Bronx with 25 guys and played exhibition games against the Newark Bears for as few weeks.
However, here is the real reason it should be Phillips over Phelps despite Phillips’ 190 (4-for-21) average after fanning four times Tuesday against the Twins: his swing is shorter than Phelps’ and that fits into a bench player better than Phelps’ long hack. George King, complaining about hacks. Will irony never cease? King describes some very valid reasons for Phelps to make the team here, as Phillips has been downright awful this spring. But at least it's only spring, and those statistics don't matter, so we should instead look at Phillips' regular season results, right? Oh yes and also because his swing is shorter.
And there is more. No doubt Phillips’ 2005 season in which he batted .240 in 246 at-bats was a disappointment. Yet, his wife battled cancer all summer so that had to be on his mind. Phillips is a better fielding first baseman and has minor league experience at all infield positions.
Alright. George King already proved that he doesn't know which player is which. Now he compounds it by showing that he doesn't even know what year it is. Phillips only had 27 ABs in 2005. Those are 2006 stats, George. Also Friends is off the air, that's not the first Bush in the White House, you cannot buy a brand new Datsun, and man has developed the internal combustion engine. Hope that catches you up. Yes, Phillips is better defensively. However the Yankees already have a defensive first baseman who is not a good hitter. First base is the easiest position to defend and it's where you can stash the fielder who is just not good enough to play elsewhere in the infield. In addition the Yankees have Miguel Cairo (who also cannot hit) but can play all four infield positions.
Phelps has done everything asked of him and he can catch in an emergency. But that swing isn’t going to cut it against the Johan Santanas, Tom Glavines and Scott Kazmirs he is going to face after extended pine time. Tom Glavine? This is still 2007, right? Phelps should be fearful of Tom Glavine? If Phelps looks silly against Santana, so be it. Everyone looks silly against Santana. But is he really worried about Scott Kazmir (who hasn't put it all together yet) or Tom Glavine? Wouldn't a "long" swing be better suited to a guy who throws a 35 mph heater?
The Yankees’ bench is better with Phillips than Phelps because spring training numbers have never been a true indicator of the real deal. I'm George King and I just reiterated my premise without giving you any reason why it should be so! I don't have to because I write for the New York Post! Go screw yourselves, stat nerds!Labels: andy phillips, douchebag, eyechart, george king, josh phelps
posted by Mr. Faded Glory @ 8:40 PM
5
comments
Say Goodbye to Andy Phillips
The handwriting is on the wall for homegrown-player Andy Phillips. Although considered a Torre "favorite," it's hard to imagine any scenerio in which he wears a Yankee uniform this year. He entered Spring Training in a positional battle with Josh Phelps for the "platoon" first base position with Doug Mientkiewicz. Well, by all accounts, he's lost that battle:
| G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | TB | BB | OBP | SLG | BA | | Mientkiewicz | 18 | 38 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 8 | 7 | .277 | .211 | .132 | | Phelps | 18 | 32 | 5 | 14 | 3 | 10 | 24 | 3 | .472 | .750 | .438 | | Phillips | 13 | 21 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | .190 | .190 | .190 |
The Yankees are definitely going to keep Eyechart on the roster (even if I was against his signing to begin with.. and still am). This means that they lose either Phelps or Phillips. Phelps was a Rule V pick from Baltimore, which means if he doesn't make the roster he must be offered back to the Orioles. Phillips is out of options - if he is sent down to Scranton, he must pass through waivers (which he may or may not do). If no team claims him, he could be outrighted to Scranton, but where does he play? Eric Duncan is going to be the first baseman at AAA. Phillips has shown that he's not a great defender at third or second, and I'm sure the Yankees would rather groom or showcase higher profile prospects there anyway. Unless he decides to become a AAA utility man, I don't forsee any scenerio in which George Andrew Phillips remains with the organization, and may just be granted his outright release.
While I'm sure that there are some who would miss his mop-haired good looks, there's simply no room for him on the team or with the organization.Labels: andy phillips, eric duncan, eyechart, josh phelps, spring training
posted by Mr. Faded Glory @ 1:51 PM
5
comments
| 
L
I N K S
P
R E V I O U
S
P O S T S
A
R C H I V E
S
|
