Now Available: DON'T BLAME US

J.C. ROMERO MADE THE UNFORTUNATE MISTAKE of using banned supplements that he purchased from a GNC store that led to a positive drug test and ultimately a 50-day suspension that he's currently serving. But he also made the mistake of filing a lawsuit against the makers of 6-OXO, the supplement he took, and frankly, some of his accusations are quite ridiculous including blaming GNC store personnel for wrongly approving the product for MLB use. That would be like me asking the RiteAid ice cream scooper for professional advice on medication and accepting it as truth. But with that said, it really makes me wonder why GNC and other nutrition stores stock so much stuff that is otherwise illegal in MLB. It means that we have a lot of people walking around who are artificially enhanced, and not just cosmetically. There are some awkardly-shaped people walking in and out of GNCs across the nation.

Jacoby Ellsbury's Bullseye

SO AFTER GETTING SHIN'S COMMENTS about the Ellsbury steal, I thought, what the heck. I mean, it was a clean steal, not a back end of a double steal. It pumped up Fenway and ultimately led to more scoring and a win. It came off pick-off artist extraordinaire Andy Petitte. Plus, Ellsbury is extremely talented and worth watching. In fact, you can bet on all opposing catchers having him as a marked man for the rest of the season. I probably won't be doing a sketch everytime someone steals home, just that this one was a pretty good one all things considered. Shin, this one's for you and thanks for being a faithful reader.

A Little Philadelphia R&R — Ryan & Raul, That Is

SOME TEAMS LIVE AND DIE by the 3-run homer, but yesterday Ryan Howard and Raul Ibanez took the grand slam route as the Phillies outslugged the floundering Nationals, 13-11. Howard's slam tied the score at 6-6, while Ibanez's capped the scoring. Last winter there were a lot of naysayers about the Phils giving 36-year old Ibanez a $31.5 million 3-year contract, but he looks like he's still in great shape, shows excellent bat speed, and keeps delivering the goods.

Mike Lowell's Six New York Cut Steaks

IT'S HARD TO DETERMINE whether the legend of Mike Lowell began as a result of what he brought to the plate in Boston or what the media did to create that image. Either way, playing hard, playing hurt, playing great defense and slugging well at Fenway is what wins over the fans of Beantown, or anywhere for that matter. And then this past saturday in a power-packed 16-11 win over the New York Yankees, Lowell gets six steaks, a 3-run bomb over the Green Monster as well as a 3-run double. Speaking of legends, ESPN reported it to be the most RBIs against the Yanks by a BoSox player since Carlton Fisk in '73.

Touchdown Toronto!

NOBODY LIKES TO GET SHUTOUT let alone getting thumped by a football-like score of 14-0, but that's what the Toronto Blue Jays handed the Chicago White Sox on friday. Granted it's a long season, but the Jays (13-6) have been mighty impressive in what may be the toughest division in baseball.

NOTE: The Jays were thumped by the Sox, 10-2 today, which could theoretically be a football score.

Statues at Nationals Park

IT FEELS LIKE THIS IS TURNING INTO a Washington Nationals blog, just that you really ought to see these recently unveiled statues of Walter Johnson, Frank Howard and Josh Gibson outside of Nationals Park created by sculptor Omri Amrany. Make your own judgments about them. Love, dislike or apathy? Yes, those are multiple limbs, balls and bats.







(Photo credits: flickr/Shelley935)

Little League Lemonade

SOME DAYS BASEBALL IS JUST WEIRD like when Washington Nationals GM Mike Rizzo and manager Manny Acta, seeking to change the team culture, fined Elijah Dukes $500 for being five minutes late to the clubhouse, only to find out later that his tardiness was a result of attending Great Falls Little League's season opening event. So the Little League organizers decided they would pay the fine for what was deemed as community involvement by Dukes. But now I'm reading that Dukes was actually paid $500 to attend the event. Throw sympathy out the window. The real loser here is Great Falls Little League, voluntarily forking over $1001 total (that extra $1 for administrative fees) for this mess. So much for changing the team culture.

Final Payday
Washington Nationals: $501
Elijah Dukes: $500
Great Falls Little League: -$1,001