JC Romero To Rejoin Phillies June 3rd

Phillies pitcher JC Romero, who was suspended 50 games for violating Major League Baseball’s drug poilicy is scheduled to rejoin the team on June 3rd.

Romero took an over the counter supplement called 6-OXO that contained a substance called androstenedione, which is on MLB’s blacklist of banned PEDs.

The supplement did not specify androstenedione on the label nor in the ingredients and Romero continues to plead his case about not knowing about the substance.

Despite all of the trouble, the Phillies need Romero back in the line-up as pitching has become a trouble area for the 2008 World Champions. The Phillies will need to make a roster move to add Romero back into the dugout.

Todd Zolecki of MLB.com quoted Romero on his return.

“Overall right now, I’d give myself a ‘B,’” Romero said, asked about how he is throwing in the Minors. “When I start getting guys out in the big leagues, then I will tell you what grade I give myself. I’m good. I’m healthy. I’m ready to go.”

Tim Wakefield For The Hall Of Fame!

God I love shocking discussion to life.

Wait, Wait, Wait…before you scroll to the comments section and blast me. Hear me out.

I am not saying that today, May 26, 2009 that Tim Wakefield is a lock for the hall. I am not even saying that Tim-ah as the locals call him is worthy.

My thoughts began to wander last Tuesday as Wakefield worked his way through eight innings of five hit, one run baseball. My first thought was, how does a guy 42 years old pulls this off?

Then my next thought was, who had done it better?

Well the truth is Phil Niekro holds the record for most wins after the age of 40 with 121.

Phil is a hall of famer on the strength of a 318-274 and 3342 strikeouts over the course of his 24 season career. I am not here to debate the Hall of Fame standing of Phil Niekro after all.

There are 72 pitchers in the Hall of Fame, from Don Drysdale and Nolan Ryan, to Cy young and Hilton Smith. Nobody has more wins than Cy Young, or losses for that matter, nobody has the more Strikeouts than Nolan Ryan, and Nobody has a lower ERA than Ed Walsh, and I am not suggesting that Tim Wakefield will pass any of them.

So as I sat in my seat at Fenway behind home plate. Section 21, Row 07, Seat 15, entered through Gate A in case anyone wanted to know, I couldn’t help that Wakefield looked better than ever. Then I looked at what Wakefield has done in 2009 when I got home and here was what I learned.

In eight starts, Timmy is 6-2 and has fashioned an ERA of 3.59. Now as is the mystery that is the knuckler he has given up 21 earned runs in eight starts, 12 of them coming in just two outings that accounted for 9.2 of 52.2 innings this year.

Why do I bring this up?

Well because I think you can compare Phil Niekro and Tim Wakefield.

Sure the era’s were different, but are they all that different when they are dealing?

Through the 1978 season Knucksie had won 197 and lost 171.

Wake on the other hand had fashioned record of 151 – 134.

So Niekro going into was would seem to be the twilight of any career was 26 games over .500. From age 40 through 48 he was an additional 18 games over .500

Now I mention this before Wakefield since hitting the big four zero has gone 32 – 25.

Now the first thing people will notice that Phil is plus 46 in the win column and he is also plus 37 in the loss column. Under the age of 40 Phil Niekro made 86 additional appearances, and 83 of those were starts.

He had an additional 83 decisions, which is not surprising when you see that as a product of his era that Niekro had 245 career complete games to Wakefield’s 62.

I would submit to you that part of the strength of Phil Niekro’s case is that he is one of only 16 players with 3000 plus strike outs. But when you look at Phil vs. Wakefield in a head to head comparison, Wake strikes out 6.1/nine for his career, Niekro only 5.6/nine innings of work.

For the record Wakefield who is not known for the K would be 16th among hall of famer’s in strikeouts per nine. That stat places him in front of Don Sutton, Bob Feller, Warren Spahn, Phil Niekro, Walter Johnson and Gaylord Perry.

Remember that stat of 72 pitchers in the hall? Well if Wakefield is able to duplicate Niekro’s 121 win after the age of 40, he will have more wins than 36 of them. Since turning 40, Wakefield has won .561 percent of his decisions, which is actually 26 points higher than his career average.

Over the 17 years so far Wakefield has mustered an average of 13 wins per year and a percentage of .535. To put that in perspective, Niekro’s winning percentage of .537 and 14 wins preseason.

Wakefield has never led the league in wins which Niekro did on two occasions in 1974 and 1979 (age 40). On the other hand Timmy has only led the league in losses once, compared to Knucksie’s four time, each season from 1977 through 1980 in fact.

What about walks? Great question, 1809 for PK, and 1095 for WK, so both turn in an average of 78 free passes per season.

Now that only puts him ahead of  Rich “Goose”Gossage and Hal Newhouser in the walks per nine category, but again throwing the knuckleball does exactly up your stats that indicate control.

We’ve seen the signs around the ball park, Wake for President, Wakefield for Mayor.

Considering we are in the era of the reliever, and closer, an era of less starts and less decisions.

121 wins after the age of 40 may seem more difficult to catch than the knuckleball itself. Considering his strikeout per nine ratio it’s not unreasonable that Wakefield could get to 2600 to 2800 strikeouts, or between 25th and 17th, I’d ask is it that unreasonable.

I can hear it now, he’s a compiler.

Only in baseball is longevity a curse.

He started, he relieved, he closed, he was on the mound to give up the Aaron Boone home run, you know when it mattered most. He also has two world series trophy’s in his pocket.

As he was putting the finishing touches on an eight innings gem at age 42 and Fenway was starting to sway to Sweet Caroline, I couldn’t help but wonder, Wakefield for Hall of Fame?

Rays Blow Largest Lead In Team History

After being down 10-2 up until the eight inning, the Cleveland Indians never put away the rally caps. Scoring 2 runs in the eight and 7 runs in the bottom of the ninth, the Indians rallied to beat the Tampa Bay Rays handing the team their largest blown lead in their 11 year club history.

The worst of the embarrassment for the Rays wasn’t in losing the game after leading by eight runs, but losing the game with the score 10-5 with two outs in the bottom of the ninth was just pitiful.

The Rays have no dropped 14 games in a row at Cleveland.

Blogs weigh in the Rays Blown Lead:

Rays Index: Rays Index calls the loss “Vomit Inducing”. This is just not a good team. Good teams do not blow 10-run leads. They don’t blow 6-runs leads in the 9th innings. And they do not blow ANY leads to bad teams.

DRAYSBAY : It’s unacceptable, and frankly disgusting.  This team is in serious trouble…..

The Heater: Tampa Bay, up 10-0 at one point, gives up seven runs in the ninth inning in an embarrassing collapse.

Baseball Reflections : Kazmir isn’t the only Rays pitcher struggling – Andy Sonnanstine has been even worse with his 7.36 ERA and 1.71 K/BB ratio. Most troubling for Sonnanstine is his hits allowed….

Manny Staying Away From Dodgers

According to multiple sources this morning, one being SI.com, Dodgers owner Frank McCourt is extremely upset with Manny Ramirez for not showing his face around the team since his apology to teammates almost two weeks ago.

SI.com reports, that the Dodgers expected Ramirez to come to Los Angeles after he briefly addressed the team in Miami last week. But Ramirez didn’t. It’s another act of defiance – a slap in the face to McCourt, who has been more than generous to Ramirez.

Ramirez is not currently getting paid by the ball club because of the suspension, so why would the Dodgers expect Manny to hang around? Is Manny staying away from the Dodgers the best scenario for both parties? Or is Manny staying away because Manny is just being Manny?

Big League Wiffle Ball Hits It Out of the Park

When Nick Benas and Jared Verrillo of Big League Wiffle Ball were kids, they had no idea that the game they played on the cul de sac at the end of Bunker Hill Road could wind up being a career. Or maybe they did.

“I remember thinking,” Benas says, “Someday I’ll do this for living.”

Not an hour’s drive from where wiffle balls and wiffle ball bats are made in Shelton, Connecticut, Benas and Verrillo played wiffle ball until the sky went black. Their parents almost had to handcuff them to get them back in the house. “The best part was, you always knew where to find them,” Benas’ mother, Dian says. “They were always out on the cul de sac playing wiffle ball.”

Twenty years later, they saw the game that they loved transitioning into a sport. Benas knew that it was more than just a child’s game. It was baseball for the 21rst century. Where neighborhood-wide baseball games were nearly impossible to amass due to fast paced schedules, a highly competitive wiffle ball game only took three or four players, two if necessary. The white plastic ball with eight holes in one side caused pitches to defy the laws of physics.

Fields could be creatively adapted to backyard nuances. Even a young person’s limited finances could be accommodated as a bat and ball cost less than ten dollars. Above all, it was a form of baseball that still enabled your average American kid to be a champion. It didn’t take steroids and scholarships and big money contracts. All it took was friends, a love of the game, and a few bucks for a ball and bat.

Benas explains: “Nothing is more American. This is the evolution of baseball. People don’t realize what a pitcher can do with a wiffle ball scuffed to his or her liking until they see the videos on the internet. People don’t realize until they see it. Then they become intrigued. Then they invest in a ball and bat. Then they spend some time in front of a strike zone, pitching and swinging a bat. Then their friends get interested. Then they sign up for their first tournament. Then they’re officially hooked.”

Benas and Verrillo have been running some of the most premier wiffle ball tournaments in the country. All the strongest contingent of professional wiffle ball players reside in New England, they’ve run tournaments on both coasts and even have a branch in the Midwest. They had a wiffle ball homerun tournament at Fenway.

They’ve made wiffle ball an official game at Connecticut’s Nutmeg State Games. Other states are falling in line to make wiffle one of their state games. A reality show is being filmed about their exploits, and they are gunning for the Guinness Book of World Records for the largest wiffle ball tournament in history.

They have a weekly show on their website www.bigleaguewiffleball.com where interviews are posted with premier professional wiffle ball players and business people. Benas says: “Once people get passed the idea that this is a kid’s game and see that it is coming into its own as a sport, it begins to make sense to them. All it takes is for them to see what a professional wiffle pitcher can do with the ball and the feeling of cracking a line-drive homerun passed their opponent.”

America is catching on. With serious money being handed out for tournament prizes and professional wifflers transforming what was once just a backyard game into a highly competitive, organized movement, there appears to be no height that Benas’ and Verrillo’s dream can’t scale.

When America’s pastime collides with the innovative and ever-evolving American dream, why shouldn’t it?

An Interview With HOF Player Ferguson Jenkins

It’s rare that a Major League Baseball player (past or present) will say “sure, I’ll talk with you” via email or any other medium.

But when a Hall of Famer will actually devote some time to do a one on one sit down interview with you four days after having his number retired…you do what you can to make it happen.

Such was the case last Thursday, when The Hall had the unique opportunity to talk baseball, steroids, mustaches and hockey with 284 game winner Ferguson Jenkins.

Here’s how it went down.

JM: Let’s talk about your career on the North side since that is how you are most commonly remembered. On your plaque in Cooperstown, you’re immortalized as a Cub. Chicago is a town where if the fans love you, they LOVE you. What’s it like playing for the Wrigley crowd?

FERGIE: The first time I came here (as a Phillie) I didn’t think it was all that great. It became interesting because Cub fans are different from others…knowledgeable, smart and loyal. They come out regardless…win or lose. There have been a lot of nicknames for the Cub fans that I think are not good. But Cub fans take it. They’d like to see their team win, so when they do win…I think the city will go crazy.

JM: After your first stint in Texas, you went to a similar atmosphere in Boston. You know, that’s quite the debate on a number of message boards, chatrooms, etc…Wrigley vs. Fenway. How do the Fenway fans stack up to those at Wrigley?

FERGIE: The Fenway crowds are very good. If you’re playing against the Yankees, there is always that love-hate relationship in the stands. They always want you to perform well because you’re the home team…they want you to beat the nemesis. Fundamentally, when you go out there, you already know in the back of your mind that you’ve got to perform well. You’ve got to put your A game together and win and the fans respect you for that. If you don’t win on that particular night, (the fans) are honest enough to know that you gave what you could to win. Giving up is not in my vocabulary…I love to win.

JM: You came to the mound to “Canadian Sunset” in Chicago…did that follow you to Texas and Boston?

FERGIE: No. The only place that they ever played it was Chicago. It was nice to hear that. They recognized you as a certain individual and I was a Canadian.

JM: Alright, so let’s get back to that…you’re from Ontario. And, subsequently, you’re the only Canadian Hall of Famer. What I want to know is…who was a better hockey player, you or Tom Glavine? Glavine, of course, having been drafted by the LA Kings in 1984.

FERGIE: Structure wise I am a little bigger than Glavine and that’s the way the game is now. In his era, maybe he was a decent player…but I didn’t get to see him skate. I was a decent hockey player.

JM: Outside of hockey, you also played basketball. In 1967 and 1968, you actually played with the Harlem Globetrotters. How did that come about?

FERGIE: (The marketing guru for the Globetrotters) came to see me one afternoon at Wrigley Field and he wanted to know if I was going to go (back to Canada) in the off season. He said that they were going to start their tour in Sherbrooke, Quebec and asked if I would like to join their team and be part of their skit as the pitcher. I went over and worked out with them a couple of times…we got our routine together and after a while, they found out I was a decent player. I used to play every third quarter. But my fundamental opportunity for playing was to give up a home run every night to Meadowlark Lemon.

JM: Was it your two years on the hardwood, traveling the globe that encouraged you to grow out the mustache and afro?

FERGIE: (Laughs) A lot of times guys would come to spring training with a mustache or beard but would take it off. I just think that when you got to a team…some guys had a little bit that they wanted to do. When the afro started to become a trend, I started growing mine a little bigger.

JM: Some people, myself included, believe the mustache to be the ultimate performance enhancer. Do you believe that your mustache was the catalyst to seven 20 win seasons in eight years?

FERGIE: No, not really. (Laughs) The way you get driven to win games, is to try and be consistent. You try to prove to yourself and your teammates that you’re as good a player as anybody else in the league. Gibson, Drysdale, Koufax, Bunning…or any of the other pitchers in the league. They’re the number one pitchers on their staff and you’re the same on yours. That makes you drive yourself a little harder to try and win more games.

JM: In all seriousness, with the talk of steroids all over the sports channels and what not…what are your feelings going to be when a player who has admitted use, and it’s bound to happen, gets elected to join you in Cooperstown?

FERGIE: I don’t think (it’s bound to happen). Whoever has the vote, the Hall of Fame committee…the 500 plus reporters, they’re not going to vote for them. Guys like Sosa might not make it. Neither will Bonds or McGwire. A-Rod might not make it. Once you get that particular black mark on your record, they are not going to give you the required amount of votes. You have to get 75 percent. McGwire only got 22 percent. He’s not even close.
JM: If someone that is suspected of steroids makes it in, like Clemens, are you on that stage when they’re inducted?
FERGIE: I don’t know, I’d have to wait and see. I know Bob Feller voiced his opinion already. There’s a few guys who voiced their opinion and said they wouldn’t go. (Al) Kaline probably wouldn’t go. Some of the guys who are staunch advocates of playing the game clean…they probably wouldn’t show.

JM: Tell me about that sweltering day in 1991, when you Rod Carew and Gaylord Perry were welcomed into the Hall.

FERGIE: Gaylord Perry won 314 games. Rod Carew had eight batting titles. I had some consistency in my career too. Three pretty good athletes went in in 1991, so I was pretty happy with the circumstances. My mother always said I had a gift for gab, and, you know, I very seldom get nervous.

JM: What’s hotter…the heat on that podium, or getting called into Billy Martin’s office, who incidentally, managed you, Carew and Perry at different times in your careers.

FERGIE: Getting called into Billy Martin’s office. Two managers of mine, Leo Durocher and Billy Martin had an open door policy. You could go in and talk if you had a beef with something. But I watched too many reporters get thrown out that I wasn’t going in. If I had to talk to Billy, it was probably on the bench.

JM: I’ve got a friend in Toronto, David Allan, who is obsessed with Canadian baseball. He’s been over at my site, The Hall of Very Good, touting the efforts of Larry Walker. Who in your estimation has the best chance of being the NEXT Canadian in the Hall?

FERGIE: I think as a hitter (Walker) has the numbers. An MVP, some batting titles, a lot of home runs…he supported his team very well. I think he’s got a great opportunity. I’d like to have some company.

Ferguson “Fergie” Jenkins is a native of Chatham, Ontario, Canada. He was a three time All-Star and the winner of the 1971 National League Cy Young Award. While most of his career was spent playing for the Chicago Cubs, he also had stints with the Philadelphia Phillies, Texas Rangers and Boston Red Sox.

You can read more from Jesus over at The Hall of Very Good.

Can Position Players Really Pitch? Part Two

It is an ugly last resort, but sometimes even the bullpen needs to be saved other than providing the save. Throughout baseball history position players have been brought to the mound to pitch. It doesn’t happen too often, but it does indeed happen. Sometimes they are successful and sometimes it is just down right ugly.

Most recently, the New York Yankees  used the first position player to pitch since Wade Boggs in 1997.  On April 13, 2009, in a game against the Tampa Bay Rays, Nick Swisher pitched one inning in relief, allowing one hit and one walk before retiring the next three batters in a row in a 15–5 losing cause.

Gabe Kapler was Swisher’s only strikeout victim, but proved he could be utilized in a bullpen bind.

Since Swisher’s debut at the mound 4 other position players have already climbed the hill in 2009. Cody Ross, Jonathan Van Every, Paul Janish and Josh Wilson have added themselves to the list of position players that have pitched.

According to Major League Baseball, Janish, who was recruited to attend Rice as a pitcher, became the first Reds position player to pitch since Lenny Harris did it on June 1, 1998, at San Francisco. Janish struck out the first batter he faced, firing pitches in the 88-91 MPH range. Then unfortunately the Brewers began to unload the ball in every corner of the ball park. He left the game only after racking up a shocking 45.00 ERA, a number that he may never be able to redeem.

You have to give these players credit. Moving from a position on the field to the mound takes guts, and a great athletic ability. Some players invite the challenge while other are not too fond of the idea. Even coaches have mixed feelings about bringing in a postion player.

Dusty Baker told ESPN, that he has a huge concern for injuries when making such a drastic move. Some situations however, leave no other choice.

In baseball’s early years, baseball teams were smaller, and relief pitchers were relatively uncommon, with the starter normally remaining for the entire game unless he was either thoroughly ineffective or became injured. Today, with a much greater emphasis on pitch count (100 being the “magic number” in general), over the course of a single game a team will frequently use from two to five pitchers creating a higher demmand and strain on a team’s bullpen.

A total of 107 position players have taken the mound since 1979, and with a number larger than most position players pitching in an entire season-5 lucky players have already made their debut six weeks into the 2009 season.

2007
Jeff Cirillo – Arizona Diamondbacks
Aaron Miles – St. Louis Cardinals
Augie Ojeda – Arizona Diamondbacks
Scott Spiezio – St. Louis Cardinals
Josh Wilson – Tampa Bay Devil Rays
Jason Wood – Florida Marlins

2008
Tony Pena – Kansas City Royals
Jamie Burke – Seattle Mariners
Aaron Miles – St. Louis Cardinals

2009
Jonathan Van Every – Boston Red Sox
Paul Janish – Cincinatti Reds
Cody Ross – Florida Marlins
Nick Swisher – New York Yankees
Josh Wilson – Arizona Diamondbacks

With already 5 (count ‘em 5) players already; will MLB  see over 20 position players taking the mound in 2009? It sure doesn’t look impossible.

We said it before and now we are saying it again! POSITION PLAYERS CAN REALLY PITCH!

Phillies Fans It Is Not Time To Panic

If you have been watching the Phillies lately you may be wondering just where exactly DID the offense go? Or you may be wondering how it is possible that Chase Utley and Ryan Howard were a combined 0-22 with 12 strikeouts in their series with the Dodgers this past week. This is a very tough concept to grasp after what the team showed  last season.

Scoring only 24 runs their most recent home stands against the Braves and Dodgers, the Phillies just cannot seem to get the ball moving.

Leadoff hitter Jimmy Rollins has struggled almost the entire season, and was dropped to fifth in the lineup this past week for back-to-back games. Last night after resuming his role at the top of the lineup against the Dodgers, Rollins was still unable produce runs.

Shane Victorino was 0-4, Ryan Howard struck out to end the game as usual and was 0-4, and Chase Utley fell below .300 for the first time this season.

The offense has been a huge problem for Philadelphia but the defense is also on its way down the elevator as well.

In 5 straight appearances Brad Lidge has surrendered at least one run, Jamie Moyer got “waxed” on Wednesday night after throwing three solid innings, and after the best start of the season for Cole Hamels (who struck out 9 through 7 innings) Chad Durbin surrendered two critical runs that lead to another Phillies loss at the “Bank”.

There is no doubt that the Phillies are just “a mess”, but IS IT officially time to hit the panic button in Philly?

During the first 30 games of the season, the ‘Phightin Phils have shown promise, and at other times the remains of what could be called a World Series hangover tend to lurk on in through the clubhouse doors.

The 2009 season started slow for the Phillies as they dropped their first two games at home to the Braves. Brett Myers and Jamie Moyer immediately picked up their first losses of the season while Cole Hamels also picked up his first loss on the road against the Rockies the following week.

The Phils hovered around the .500 mark for most of April until it came time to play the ever-so-hot Florida Marlins.  Condrey, Moyer, and Madson all tallied wins as the Phillies blew the Marlins out of the water taking the sweep. The series proved to be nothing short of impressive.

In game 1 Shane Victorino hit his first career regular season grand slam highlighting a seven-run rally in the ninth to take the victory 7-3.

In game two, Chase Utley’s RBI in the top of the 10th proved to be the winning run sticking it out for another victory winning 6-4.
Shane Victorino dominated game three knocking in 4 “ribbies” and stealing two as the Phillies crushed the Marlins 13-2.

The next series was against the Nationals where the team capped off a season high 5 game winning streak picking up two victories.

As the Phils continued working through the beginning of May the defending champs dropped 2 of 4 to the Mets and were headed back home to take on the Braves and Dodgers.

Jayson Werth had no trouble proving he is “Werth It” stealing four bases including home in a single game, while Carlos Ruiz stayed solid at the plate after making a few stance adjustments.

However, the rest of the team just could not seem to get the wheels turning. Key RBI opportunities and poor decisions on the bases seemed to be the difference between the Braves and Phils. While the Dodgers just ripped at the Phillies pitching spanking 38 hits in just three games compared to the Phillies 10.

Charlie Manual has expressed concern about his club stating, “We don’t look good.”

So is it really time to hit that panic button if you are a Phillies fan?

Not Yet.

We all know the defending World Champs have one of the best teams in baseball, possibly even a better team than last year with the addition of Raul Ibanez.

Trust me when I say this. Victorino WILL drive in runs, Ryan Howard WILL make contact, and Jimmy Rollins WILL return to his old self at the top of the order. The question is WHEN will it start, and WILL it happen soon enough to compete with the Mets, Marlins, and Braves in the NL East.

As long as the proper adjustments are timely made and players start stepping up like the play of Jayson Werth during the last few games, hits will come, runs will be scored, and games will be won.

This is not the time to panic just yet. The Phillies will rise out of their slump and you will see the them at the top of the NL East come October, I guarantee it!

*Inserts 2008 WS Game 5 DVD*

Why Jayson Werth Is “Werth It”

Jayson Werth has proven himself as being “Werth It” in Philadelphia time and time again, and last night he made sure no one would forget it!

While Pedro Feliz stood in the batter’s box, Werth stole second, then stole third, and when catcher Russell Martin flipped the ball back to pitcher Ronald Belisario after a routine pitch, Werth was sliding into home.

The “Puma-like creature” was safe at the plate on the rare steal, tying the Philadelphia Phillies team record of four stolen bases in a single game as the Phillies rolled over the Dodgers 5-3.

In a game that opened with tension in the Phillies dugout after Jimmy Rollins was dropped from the leadoff spot, Werth stole more bases than he did all season.

“I guess he was feeling frisky or had a lot of energy,” manager Charlie Manuel said. “He wanted to run.”

According to ESPN, No Phillie had stolen home since 2007, and Pete Rose was the last one to steal three bases in an inning (1980).

Werth has tallied 21 total RBIs so far this season for the Phils, currently one short of Ryan Howard (22), and sits with a hearty .395 OBP so far on the year.

Stolen bases haven’t been the only record Werth has tied while wearing a Phillies “uni”.  On May 16, 2008, Werth had a career night against the Blue Jays, hitting three home runs , including a grand slam, a three-run home run, and a solo shot which put him one “round-tripper” short of hitting for the “homer cycle”. In doing so, he tied the Phillies team record that night with 8 RBIs in a single game.

Watching Werth from the seats during that misty night was nothing short of remarkable. Looking back, it felt as if the WS Championship was already “on ice”.

Whether it be running into walls to make a potential game saving play, stealing three bases (including home) in one inning, or Jayson Werth just being Jayson Werth, “the Puma” has been getting it done for the Phils in dramatic fashion.

As the rest of May unfolds look for Werth to charge both the defense and offense for the Phillies. If you ever had the chance to see Jayson play you will understand exactly why he is “Werth It”.

Manny Faces McCourt, Teammates

After being suspended by Major League Baseball for 50 games, Manny Ramirez apologized to Dodgers owner Frank McCourt during a meeting on Saturday in which was held to discuss his 50-game suspension.

The meeting was requested by McCourt who told reporters he is “furious” with the events that unfolded leading up to the positive test. McCourt is also expecting Ramirez make a formal apology to his teammates in the near future.

The drug is question is called human chorionic gonadotropin. In the world of performance enhancing drugs, hCG is increasingly used in combination with various anabolic androgenic steroid (AAS) cycles.

Ramirez has denied all claims that he used the drug to enhance his performance, but instead has said he was given the drug by his doctor for medical reasons.

The Dodgers now head east for a six game road trip begining with a 3 game series against the Phillies who eliminated them from the post season last year. It will be the first meeting between the clubs since last season.

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