Author Topic: Batter up! The 2003 JD Baseball Thread...  (Read 56567 times)

Offline JoshEEE

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Re: Sammy Sosa busted with a CORKED bat!
« Reply #30 on: June 4, 2003, 06:21 PM »
I was at the gym at lunch, and although there was no sound, it appeared that on ESPN, they were sawing through some of his bats "Live". I wonder what they found.

I don't think they should ban him from anything until there is more research done. Guilty until proven innocent seems to be the way things are going though.

I'm not a Cub's fan, but I believe the guy should get the benefit of the doubt. If they find out this is a regular thing for him, then by all means...throw the book at him, make an example of him, but not before they have proof.

I know it's probably unlikely...but it COULD just be an honest mistake. I doubt it...but maybe.
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Offline JediMAC

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Re: Sammy Sosa busted with a CORKED bat!
« Reply #31 on: June 5, 2003, 02:38 AM »
Well, maybe Sammy was telling the truth after all.  All 76 of his other bats tested came back negative.  Totally clean.  No cork.  That's good to hear at least.

But I still wonder why he was using his BP bat in that game - if it was really an honest mistake, or perhaps he thought it might help him to get out of his horrendous slump since coming off the DL.

It'll be interesting to see how the court of public opinion views him after this.  I'm sure there's always going to be some doubters about him and all of his stats now.  Oh well.  Still a fun guy to watch!  Just probably not for the next 7-10 games or so while he serves his suspension...

Offline jadesfire

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Re: Sammy Sosa busted with a CORKED bat!
« Reply #32 on: June 5, 2003, 08:56 AM »
He gave an explanation as to what the bat was used for and will serve his suspension.  All the other bats came back with no cork found.  All that can be gossiped about now is whether he used a cork bat and never got caught in the past.  It's too bad that most commentators I've watched on TV the last two days just couldn't wait to rip him to shreads and actually think that I give a crap about their opinion.  
He broke a MLB rule and is being punished for it. That really should be the end of it, but with the society we live in - riding this negative hype is what the media does best and we'll all read or watch the "slamming of Sammy".
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Offline TopJedi

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Re: Sammy Sosa busted with a CORKED bat!
« Reply #33 on: June 5, 2003, 09:06 AM »
You know, this is a sad deal really for Sammy if you think about it.......Hell, it's probably not even his fault that he was handed the wrong bat to hit with....or some clubhouse guy stuffed it in the bag.

Sammy is a great hitter.......I just hope they don't turn him into a Pete Rose.

I still feel strongly that Pete Rose should be in the HOF........he was the only member on the "All Century Team" that isn't in the hall.........and the crowd's cheers for Pete seemed to echo forever when his named was announced.
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Offline JoshEEE

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Re: Sammy Sosa busted with a CORKED bat!
« Reply #34 on: June 5, 2003, 03:19 PM »
Quote
I still feel strongly that Pete Rose should be in the HOF........he was the only member on the "All Century Team" that isn't in the hall.........and the crowd's cheers for Pete seemed to echo forever when his named was announced.

Yeah, me too. Especially in an era where you have streoids running rampant in the game, and all this incredible salaries ruining the purity of the sport......(home run hitters taking half the season off due to piddily injuries).

It's a shame that Pete Rose is being held out for gambling....and it wasn't even on baseball.

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Offline Darth Broem

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Re: Sammy Sosa busted with a CORKED bat!
« Reply #35 on: June 5, 2003, 05:32 PM »
Well, I admit that I thought his excuse was BS at first.  Now that all 70 plus bats have come back ok I will give him the benefit of the doubt.  I do think that he should be suspended and fined though.  As far as labeling him a corker for all eternity goes I think it's too harsh to say that now.  The media hype will die down once another negative sports-related story comes along.

Offline chuckles

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Re: Sammy Sosa busted with a CORKED bat!
« Reply #36 on: June 5, 2003, 06:14 PM »
While I'll give him the benefit of the doubt as well, it really does make you wonder what the odds are that in his one and only supposed game he accidently uses a corked bat, it just happens to shatter on him during an at bat. He either got hit with a very unfortunate stroke of bad luck, or this isn't his first game using it.

Offline TopJedi

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Re: Sammy Sosa busted with a CORKED bat!
« Reply #37 on: June 5, 2003, 06:24 PM »
Thanks God I'm not alone in my Pete Rose feelings.....

There are many other things that happen that should keep people out of the HOF.....like Darryl Strawberry's drug habit.....Jesus, how many times was he busted again?
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Offline JoshEEE

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Re: Sammy Sosa busted with a CORKED bat!
« Reply #38 on: June 5, 2003, 07:17 PM »
Here in Seattle, that's already yesterday's news....as our own UW Husky Coach Rick Neuheisel has been caught betting on a basketball pool. I guess he won 20 grand or something.  And the shady dealings of sports players/coaches rumbles on.

I'm glad to hear Sosa was cleared though.
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Offline Scott

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Re: Sammy Sosa busted with a CORKED bat!
« Reply #39 on: June 6, 2003, 09:11 AM »
Why would he have a bunch of corked bats though along with his other ones.  I've thought he's been on the juice ever since he went from scrawny singles hitter to mega bulked 500 ft home run hitter.  He's never been right in my eye so this whole thing is another notch on that belt I guess.

I was just in Hotlanta for the week and got a chance to see a Braves-Rangers game.  Storied rivalry I know.  Going to a real ballpark, smelling the grass, sitting in the stands with the sun beating down sure was nice.  But paying almost $7 for a hot dog and $7 for a beer was very rediculous so was the pathetic Tomahawk Chop.  So while I would love to see a new Stadium built here in Minnesota, I am not so sure I would welcome the increased parking, ticket prices and concessions that will accompany it.  

Sort of like how most NFL, NBA and NHL games have become too expensive for average Joe Blow, MLB is heading down a road they shouldn't be especially with 162 games a year

Offline Nicklab

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Re: Sammy Sosa busted with a CORKED bat!
« Reply #40 on: June 6, 2003, 12:54 PM »
Here in Seattle, that's already yesterday's news....as our own UW Husky Coach Rick Neuheisel has been caught betting on a basketball pool. I guess he won 20 grand or something.  And the shady dealings of sports players/coaches rumbles on.

I'm glad to hear Sosa was cleared though.

Wanna talk about shady college money scams?  How about how much colleges are making off of their student athletes?  Not just in ticket sales, but merchandising, sponsorships, and television contracts.  They're paying for more than just scholarships and coach's contracts with that cash.
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Offline Mikey D

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Re: Sammy Sosa busted with a CORKED bat!
« Reply #41 on: June 6, 2003, 01:10 PM »
Just heard Sammy got suspended for 8 games.  Mistake or intentional, you knew that was coming.

And I also agree that Rose should be in the HOF.  Hopefully his lifetime ban will be lifted soon (all I hear he has to do is apologize).  I wonder, if and when the ban is lifted, would it tarnish him so much that he wouldn't be a first ballot inductee?
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Offline DSJ™

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Re: Sammy Sosa busted with a CORKED bat!
« Reply #42 on: June 6, 2003, 01:18 PM »
Yep, 8 game suspension but he said he will immediately appeal.
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Offline Nicklab

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Re: Sammy Sosa busted with a CORKED bat!
« Reply #43 on: June 6, 2003, 01:35 PM »
I don't think Pete Rose should get re-instated.  He won't come clean, and he bet on games he was involved in.  In fact, in his role as manager, he was in a position to save the good pitchers in his bullpen for the game he was betting on.  And people in the know could discern which game that might be, because he would play scrubs the day before, and save his bullpen.  He tossed aside the integrity of the game.  And I sincerely hope that if he does get re-instated, that the election committee won't vote Rose into the hall.  Accomplishments on the field or not, Pete Rose was a big boy when he made his mistakes.  He know what he was doing.  He should be forced to live with the consequences.
« Last Edit: June 6, 2003, 01:36 PM by Nicklab »
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Offline JediMAC

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Re: Sammy Sosa busted with a CORKED bat!
« Reply #44 on: June 6, 2003, 05:15 PM »
8 games it pretty much what I expected as far as a suspension goes.  Pretty similar to Albert Belle's suspension several years ago for the same offense.  Sounds like the Hall of Fame x-rayed the 5 Sosa bats that they have in their posession as well (including the famed #500 one).  They all came back clean as well, so at least this isn't something that's been going on consistently.

The steroids topic is a whole different story, as far as I'm concerned.  Yeah, it sounds (and looks like) most of the power hitters of the last 15 years or so have been hitting the juice.  But if baseball isn't going to address the issue, or make rules against steroid use (until now), then there's not much you can do about it except keep those mental asterisks in your head when comparing today's sluggers with those of years past...  Wonder what Hank, Willie and the Mick would've done number wise with steroids and a corked bat?!   :P

As for Pete Rose...  I think he's served his time and should have his butt in the HOF by now too.  He was such a HUGE part of the baseball landscape for more than 2 decades - the records, the hustle, the highlights, the style...  He's too important a player in the history of baseball to continue to leave out.  Gambling?  Big deal.  So many of these guys do equally or moreso stupid or illegal things that Pete here - drugs, weapons, domestic violence, fraud, tax evasion, etc., etc.

If Pete bet on baseball games, fine.  If Pete bet on the Reds to win their games when he was managing them, fine.  BUT, if Pete bet on the Reds to LOSE games, or on the point spread of the Reds games, well then YES, we have a really big problem, and I might be inclined to say leave the lifetime ban on him...  But those are the only 2 gambling scenarios that I would consider to be serious enough to keep him out of the Hall.

And on a brighter note - how 'bout them Dodgers!?!   8)