Is ARod truly at peace with himself?

The Daily News profile of Alex Rodriguez as part of its Modern Yankee Heroes series says that the New York Yankees third baseman has finally found peace and harmony. I wonder if that's really true.

Winning a World Series title after having a monster postseason can do wonders for a baseball player's soul, no question. But that peace didn't last long for ARod, either personally or professionally. First came the end of his high-profile relationship with actress Kate Hudson. Now he has a cloud hanging over his head with the questions about his interactions with Canadian doctor Anthony Galea.

I don't believe this latest incident is as bad as last year, when he was outed as a steroids user by Sports Illustrated. But it does remind us about the permanent black mark on ARod's career and character. While opposing teams' fans can no longer call him a choke artist, they can still call him a cheat.

It also casts a fresh light on ARod's poor judgment. I've never seen a ballplayer make things more difficult for himself, simply by making bad choices. In this case, it was not sticking to a team-approved treatment plan and going to see a doctor from another country when he could have received similar treatment by a doctor actually licensed to practice medicine here in the states.

Whether intentionally or unintentionally, ARod always seems to sabotage himself. If it hadn't been for the Galea questions, this spring would have been all about him overcoming his playoff slump and helping the Yankees finally win another title after a long drought. Instead, we get daily updates about who ARod is meeting with and what he's telling them. It's not something that he can ignore or something that will go away, as much as ARod would like it to. And that makes me question whether he is truly at peace with himself.

Thanks to Keith Allison via Wikipedia for the photo.

Nobody messes with Mo

The Baltimore Orioles went looking for trouble in the wrong place with the wrong person. During yesterday's game, someone on the Orioles bench yelled something after Mariano Rivera hit Felix Pie with a pitch. This latest incident happened a few days after Jeremy Guthrie hit Mark Teixeira and Francisco Cervelli, drawing Joe Girardi's fury.

It's hard to say if they were mocking Girardi or if they were really mad at Mo. But anyone who knows Mo knows that pitch wasn't retaliation. Mo is a deeply religious man who would never deliberately try to hurt someone. It's just not in his nature. That doesn't mean he is a pushover. As soon as heard the yelling, he walked off the mound and toward the dugout, which was terrifying for a moment because I thought he was hurt. But apparently he just wanted to deliver a message in his typical, understated way.

Mo is sacred to the New York Yankees so messing with Mo means messing with the entire team. If you want to start a riot with the Yankees and New York fans, messing with Mo is the way to do it. Fortunately, the Orioles knew better and backed down. It's a message the rest of baseball should take to heart.

Thanks to Anc516 via en.Wikipedia for the photo.

MLB asserts its power with ARod

So Alex Rodriguez talks to Major League Baseball about his interactions with Canadian doctor Anthony Galea before he speaks to the government or his bosses. I guess it's clear who has the real power here.

ARod reportedly told MLB officials that he did not get performance-enhancing drugs from Dr. Galea. What else would he say? If he admitted to using PED, he would be risking a lengthy suspension. But was he telling the truth? With ARod, you never know. He has no credibility on this issue so I can't imagine that baseball officials are truly satisfied with his responses. But perhaps they can live with ARod's answers in the hope that the problem goes away.

I understand why Bud Selig would want to get this meeting out of the way. He doesn't want the ARod saga ruining the start of what should be another big year for MLB. But as frustrated as he must be about the entire situation, it's a poor decision on his part to insist on his people talking to ARod before the feds do. There's no way a private organization like MLB should even be seen as possibly interfering with a federal investigation. And I do not buy the notion that the feds are just going to let MLB do their investigation for them and simply subpoena MLB’s notes without talking to ARod.

So it's one meeting down, two more to go for ARod. Why is ARod so hesitant to meet with federal investigators? If what he told MLB is true, then he has nothing to worry about. He has made it clear that he isn't the target of the investigation, but simply a witness. So why not just get it over with? And why would he agree to officials before talking to the government? That can't make the feds very happy.

This whole situation proves that ARod's diva days will never be truly behind him. Carlos Beltran and Jose Reyes of the Mets both found plenty of time to answer the feds' questions and the investigation is no longer a story in Mets camp. But by stalling with the feds, ARod drags this issue out longer. You would think he wouldn't want to go into the regular season with this hanging over his head, but I guess getting it over with makes too much sense.

Thanks to edogisgod via Wikipedia for the photo.

Hope injury bug doesn't bite Yanks like Mets

Injuries really are the only thing that can stop the New York Yankees in their quest to repeat as World Series Champs. And they got a fresh reminder of that this week with injuries to their starting first baseman and both catchers.

Mark Teixeira returned to the lineup after missing two baseball games when he was plunked on the elbow. He didn't miss a beat, hitting a single and a double and showing no signs that the injury would interfere with his play. He's still sore, but should be ready for opening day, a huge relief for the Yankees.

But that relief was tempered when Jorge Posada was forced to miss a game due to a stiff neck. Like with Tex, this seems to be a minor injury that will cause him to miss a few days, rather than something major that a 38-year-old catcher would likely have to deal with at the end of his career. But it's problematic with opening day being Sunday and backup Francisco Cervelli also out due to a strained hamstring, a slightly more serious injury that could keep Cervelli off the opening day roster.

These injuries seem relatively minor and nothing like last year when Alex Rodriguez had to have major surgery on his hip and was out for five weeks. But I can't help but look at the cross-town rival Mets and worry. They just announced shortstop Jose Reyes is starting the year on the disabled list. The spate of injuries that hit the Mets ruined last year for them and the current campaign doesn't look promising.

Could this happen with the Yankees? Hopefully, these injuries aren't a harbinger of things to come.

Thanks to Googie man via en.Wikipedia for the photo.

Baseball going global with China broadcast

Google (excuse me, Topeka!) may pulling back from China, but Major League Baseball is heading in full steam ahead. MLB announced it would broadcast the opening night game between the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox for the first time in China. The 2010 All-Star game and World Series will also be broadcast so baseball fans in China will have plenty of opportunities to cheer for the Yankees. =)

Of course, MLB does not have to deal with the issues that troubled Google such as censorship and cyberattacks. But I think it's great that baseball is really branching out into China. The sport is hugely popular in other Asian countries, including Japan and Korea, so China was the next logical step. The game will be available to almost 300 million people in China, potentially creating a vast new group of fans.

Bud Selig is doing a great job expanding baseball's popularity abroad, including through the World Baseball Classic, as it fights for attention with other sports at home. As much negative attention as he gets for steroids and other problems in the game, he deserves credit for the good things that happen and this is a smart move for MLB. Baseball is truly going global.

Thanks to Major League Baseball via Wikipedia for the photo.

Yankees outfield picks no surprise

Confirming the direction he was obviously headed in for the last few weeks, Joe Girardi said Curtis Granderson would play center field when the season starts Sunday while Brett Gardner will man left field. It's not in the least bit surprising.

Given that this is Granderson's first season with the New York Yankees and expectations are high, the coaches are doing everything they can to make sure he is as comfortable as possible. That includes keeping him in the same position he's played for years, even though Gardner has more speed and may be a better defensive option.

The Yankees started spring training with three major question marks and have answered them all. Phil Hughes will be the fifth starter. Nick Johnson will bat in that sweet spot between Derek Jeter and Mark Teixeira while Robinson Cano will hit fifth behind Alex Rodriguez. And Granderson will play center. There are no more unanswered questions. Let the games begin!

Thanks to Keith Allison via Wikipedia for the photo.

Hope Hughes rules work better than Joba rules

Now that Phil Hughes has officially been named the fifth starter for the New York Yankees, the team has announced its preliminary plans to limit his innings to prevent overuse and injury. Let's hope the Hughes rules work better than the Joba rules.

In an admirable attempt to protect a young pitcher, the Yankees intensely limited Joba Chamberlain's workload during the last two baseball seasons. But the constant evolution of the rules and limits completely messed up Joba's head, leading to erratic performances. Let's hope the Yankees have learned from the mistakes they made with Joba.

Hughes doesn't have Joba's fiery personality, but he has talent and experience gleaned from being the set-up man for the incomparable Mariano Rivera last year. What he needs now is consistent guidance from Brian Cashman, Joe Girardi and staff. The plan seems to be starting off on the right foot, with him pitching in two extended spring training games before making his first start of the regular season on April 15. I hope the Yankees continue with a plan that limits his innings early in the season rather than in August and September because that clearly ruined what should have been a good second half for Joba last year.

Now that Hughes has earned his new job, it's time for him to shine. Let's hope the rules don't get in the way.

Thanks to Mandalatv via en.Wikipedia for the photo.