Bonds gets death threats? How can that be...

So Mr. Bonds claims that he receives death threats. The only motivation for him revealing this information right now is a sympathy ploy. I have no doubt in my mind that he has been receiving death threats for more than just this season or this past season. The interesting point to observe here is the fact that these death threats are most likely connected to Bonds' creep toward Henry Aaron's 755. This connection is of note because both of these athletes are African-American, which pretty much eliminates the factor of racism. If a black athlete is breaking the record of another black athlete, racism is pretty much void, making these threats a different color of hate. This is steroid hate, attitudinal hate. This is payback for years and years of sneers and indifference toward MLB fans who put money in Bonds' pocket. While no one deserves to receive death threats, I have a very hard time feeling bad for Mr. Bonds, who had every chance in the world to embrace the fans as McGwire and Sosa did during their run to home run records.

MLB Notes
-"Manny being Manny" has struck again! His agent has come out and said Manny is "at peace" with his current team and location. Aw, thats swell Manny! You're at peace with being paid $18 million this season to play in a town that has inexplicably given you a free pass to do and say anything you want! I love Manny, but I would love him more if I could hear some quotes from his mouth rather than his agent or his spokesperson Loose-Cannon Tavarez.

-I am completely convinced at this point that Eric Gagne was a heavy steroid user. Sure, this may be old news, but looking at his stats he goes from the year 2000 where he had a 5.15 ERA and 4-6 record to 3 consecutive years with an ERA that hovered under and over 2.00. He also developed an unhittable 99 MPH fastball 3 years into his MLB career! Not to mention the fact that since the steroid rules were strengthened Gagne has made 16 appearances in the past 2 years. He may never be the same again.

-While I may rip on the Braves, I firmly believe that the Jones' will have a huge year. Andruw is in the last year of his contract and has made it clear that he will not be providing the hometown discount again to Atlanta. He will put up big numbers and take off running to the highest bidder. I wouldn't be surprised to see him in Texas or Boston next year. Chipper had a decent year in 2006 even though he was on and off with injuries. A full season of health will remind everyone why he was the MVP in 1999.

-Kansas City cannot seem to win. If they don't spend money, they get beat. If they spend money, they are STILL going to get beat. Gil Meche is the worst signing of the entire offseason. At first I thought it was Ted Lilly, then Sammy Sosa, then Barry Bonds, but Meche trumped them all. Investing $55 million on a guy who has 55 career wins and 44 career losses. He has won 15 games once and has a career 4.65 ERA. Worst of all, he's a righty. One day I will buy the Royals and move them to Brooklyn, where I will end these senseless signings and build an empire.

-I have a feeling that A-Rods time in New York is coming to a close. If this past offseason is any sign of things to come, the 2007 offseason is going to have astronomical contracts. This potentially provides A-Rod with an opt out of New York. If in 2008 or 2009 any position player is making $1 million more than him, A-Rod has the option to VOID his contract. New York and A-Rod have yet to prove to be good bed partners and I think A-Rod would happily go back to Texas or anywhere that isn't Boston or New York. While I have razzed A-Rod plenty of times, I can't help but feel he has been treated unfairly by the New York media, which gave Jason Giambi and Gary Sheffield what seemed to be a free pass when they came under steroid scrutiny. A-Rod has never been suspected of foul play or steroid use, yet he gets worse treatment in the tabloids than any other player. Although, I suppose the $27 million he will make this year is enough to attract the guile of any beat writer.

Thats all folks, more to come tommorow.

The Fall of the Braves Divisional Dynasty

Thats correct, if you would like to play for the Braves, come on out! They can only offer you at most $50 grand per year (void if injured) and unfortunately, Liberty Media cannot offer you health benefits, pension, 401Ks, retirement funds...but I'm getting ahead of myself.

14 consecutive division titles will never happen again. Ever. Especially not from the Braves. Lets take a look at the downfall of a dynasty that could have truly kept it going, well, forever if they wanted.

The Mets overspend on horribly evaluated talent (Cliff Floyd) and make moves that are unexplainable (Kazmir for VICTOR ZAMBRANO?!). The Marlins apparently find it impossible to spend over 20 million on a major league baseball team, making them an uphill struggle every year. The Phillies get the right pieces but fall apart down the stretch. The Nationals are still the mess from Montreal, but they are wearing fun disguises in our nation’s capital.

Lets go back 6 years to 2001. Here’s the pitching staff:

Greg Maddux; Tom Glavine; John Smoltz; Kevin Millwood; Jason Marquis; Odalis Perez

That was only 6 years ago. Every one but Smoltz is now pitching on a different team. Every decision not to resign these players had to do with MONEY. The AOL/Time Warner merger destroyed this team. When Turner was running the Braves himself, he went out and got the big guys. More importantly, he KEPT the guys who mattered. Lets fast forward to 2006.

Had the Braves kept just Maddux, Millwood, Glavine, Smoltz, Marquis and let Perez and Burkett go, the results would have been unsightly.

Maddux: 15 wins

Marquis: 14 wins

Glavine: 15 wins

Millwood: 16 wins

Smoltz: 16 wins

That staff would be one for the ages! In comparison to the current pitching staff the Braves are wielding: Smoltz is the ONLY pitcher on the team to have won over 13 games. Hopes cannot be particularly high so far…but wait lets look at hitting.

The Braves have some promising young hitters, but they are almost all still developing, especially the strikeout friendly Jeff Francouer. Simply looking at the years since 2000, Atlanta has let an all-star team pass through the city, making short stops only to move on because, why? Time/Warner wouldn’t put up the money. Lets name drop:

JD Drew

Marcus Giles

Rafael Furcal

Javy Lopez (this ones a stretch, but injuries have riddled him in Baltimore, look for a big year in Colorado)

Gary Sheffield

Mark DeRosa (has developed into a very good everyday hitter)

Adam LaRoche (entering a PRIME and they sell high, typical)

Looking at who is occupying those positions now, with the exception of Brian McCann, there isn’t too much to impress. Craig Wilson? Ryan Langerhans? Jeff Francouer (yea, yea), Kelly Johnson (2B apparently…).

14 consecutive division titles, 1 championship. I attribute this completely to the corporations unwillingness to spend the money to field a championship team. In 1995, the Braves payroll was $45 million. The Yankees was $46 million. The one year that the Braves went all the way, they were being paid equal to what the Boss was paying his players. Since then:

Braves Yankees

1996: $47 mil $52

1997: $50 mil $59

1998: $59 mil $63

1999: $75 mil $88

2000: $82 mil $93

2001: $92 mil $112

2002: $93 mil $126

2003: $106 mil $152

2004: $90 mil $184

2005: $86 mil $208

2006: $90 mil $194

Sure, it isn’t fair to compare the Braves salary to crazy George and his Yanks, but keep in mind, with Ted in charge, the Braves kept up with the Yankees up until the AOL/Time Warner merger in 2000. Though they have been sold to Liberty Media, team president Terry McGuirk came out immediately to tell Braves fans, NOT SO FAST, “there will be no change in the current front office structure, personnel, or day-to-day operations of the Braves.” An apparent transparent transaction. In other words, want a payroll increase? FAT CHANCE.

Transparent is exactly how I see the Braves, who are gearing up for more years like the struggle-filled 2006, devoid of any big transactions or moves for fear of money burdens. The off-season said it all…so long LaRoche, hello Craig Wilson and Mike Williams. A bullpen can only save games that the hitters put the runs up for.

At least you'll always have this...

17 seasons...2 home runs. The man, the myth, the legend. Senor Belliard.