ILLEGAL TESTS OR ILLEGAL DRUGS?

With all of the news on baseball players taking steroids, a new twist has been added. According to CNN, "A federal appeals court ruled Tuesday that federal investigators' seizure of drug-test results of more than 90 major league baseball players five years ago was illegal."

Apparently, at the time the drug tests were taken, only ten players were supposed to be drug tested; instead 104 baseball players took the drug test. Now the drama gets even more intensified. Players that shouldn't have been outed, like A-Rod, Ramirez, Ortiz, etc. weren't even supposed to be tested, and if they were, the MLB will not want to release that information.

"The Major League Baseball Players Association sued for the return of the seized results, while the government argued investigators should be able to use them since they were "in plain sight" along with the other results during the search."

I'm going with the government on this one. Understandably, if I was one of those ball players that was outed about taking steroids, I obviously wouldn't want the world to know, especially if the results of that test were supposed to be kept secret. Yes, now that it is deemed illegal, this steroid use cannot really be held against players like the ones I mentioned above. To make an analogy, it's like a cop retaining evidence against a serial killer, but getting that evidence illegally. So the cop can't exactly come out and say, "Hey, he did it!" even if there is evidence. And that is what is happening here. But at the same time, now that this information has been revealed, the government, or the MLB should take more steps to test ALL of their players, or to make some sort of rules against steroids, and actually stick with an appropriate punishment.

The steroids controversy has long been waging between the different sides: those who think steroids increases the watch-ability of baseball versus those who think all players who use steroids should be stripped of their jobs and never be let into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Personally, I could go either way. But the commissioner of baseball should settle everything as soon as possible and either deem steroid use okay or condemnable. Those in charge of baseball seem like chickens with their heads cut off. They need to make a decision so that all of this drama can go away. But they choose to let the drama continue.

The one thought that comes to my mind though, when reading this article, is now what? So because these tests are deemed illegal, it's okay for players to take steroids? Does all of the hoopla about steroids that affected A-Rod, Ramirez, and Ortiz die away? Do we just say: "Oh, they screwed up and showed us results that they weren't supposed to, so everything is now okay?" Are these players now thinking, "Oh great! Now I'm off the hook?" Will fans think, "Oh my favorite player is okay because the results were illegal so the whole point of the test is invalid." I think that until the MLB gets it's things together on this issue, the steroids debacle will continue to cause drama for all.

Jaclyn Kahn

THERE'S NO "I" IN TEAM, BUT THERE IS ONE IN A-ROID

According to reports this morning from Sports Illustrated, Alex Rodriguez tested positive for steroids in 2003. This was A-Rod's third and final season with the Texas Rangers, in which he won the first of his three MVP awards. Apparently, he was one of 104 players that failed random testing that year.

I'm sure there are many A-Rod fans who are in shock right now and will deny the truthfulness of the story. That's their right, but FOUR independent sources told SI that he tested positive for two different steroids. I don't think a story of this magnitude would be released by a reputable news organizations like CNN and Sports Illustrated if it weren't fully researched. If one of the tabloids had reported this, I would dismiss it, but not from CNNSI.

The question now is what does this mean for A-Rod's career? Since Barry Bonds broke Hank Aaron's homerun record in 2007, baseball purists have been looking at the "clean" A-Rod to ultimately bring the record back to a legit player. Well, that's out the window now. He will still probably hit over 800 home runs, but it won't be the historic ride that many baseball fans were hoping for.

We now await how A-Rod will respond to this. According to WFAN in New York, A-Rod's first news conference is scheduled for Thursday. He's already lied in the past to using steroids. In December 2007, A-Rod told Katie Couric that he had never used steroids. A-Rod also denied Jose Canseco's claims that he used steroids. By the way, Canseco may be a louse, but everything he has said has been true. I don't think A-Rod will go the Roger Clemens route and deny it to the point of possible perjury charges. I also don't think he'll go the Andy Pettitte route and flat out admit it. I would be shocked if you don't hear, "you'll have to talk to the union", three-hundred times. It will be awhile before he find out the extent of this.

I wasn't convinced A-Rod was clean, but I was definitely leaning that way. His look hasn't changed like the looks of Mark McGwire or Barry Bonds did. They were tiny players who became HUGE! I guess with the advancement of technology, someone in a lab has developed steroids that don't grotesquely change your appearance. Therefore, I'm not sure anyone deserves the benefit of the doubt anymore. I guess I'll continue to give players like Derek Jeter and Ken Griffey Jr. a pass, or small and finesse pitchers like Pedro Martinez and Greg Maddux a pass. However, would I be shocked if those players were linked? No, not anymore.

Pat Morgan

Note: Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens are probably dancing right now seeing a bigger name than them being tabbed for using steroids. On the flip side, Joe Torre is probably crying right now, because I'm sure this news will hurt his book sales. Does anyone care about the "A-Fraud" passages now?

A-Rod Close to a Return to the Bronx

Despite opting out of the final three years of his contract two weeks ago, it appears Alex Rodriguez will be returning to the New York Yankees after all (I don't like to take self praise that often, but props to me for calling this). It appears A-Rod will get a 10-year, $275 million contract that should be finalized before Thanksgiving next week.

Early Wednesday morning, reports were leaked that A-Rod has been discussing a new contract for the past few days. Apparently, he deeply regrets opting out before giving the Yankee brass a chance to meet with him face to face. It took numerous phone calls from third parties to get the Steinbrenners to finally take his phone calls. A-Rod has even put his agent, Scott Boras, in the backseat. He is negotiating with the Yankees by himself, which was a Yankees demand before they would return to the table.

I think this is a good move for both parties. A-Rod is the biggest superstar in the game, and there is no better stage for him to attack the all-time homerun record. With the 10-year deal, it would be enormously surprising if he does not get the championship that has eluded him so far. With the Yankees' payroll and resources, you would think they would win it at least once the next ten years. It is a good move for the Yankees, because they would have had a huge hole in their lineup had they not resigned A-Rod. They also did not have to give up one of their big three young pitchers for Miguel Cabrera. And of course, he will also sell out the ballpark for the next ten years. Yankees fans should also forgive him for opting out. He made a mistake if he truly wanted to be a Yankee, but he seemingly made things right without having them jack the price up further.

Pat Morgan

Wright Would Love to Have A-Rod Join Mets

New York Mets third baseman David Wright is expected to meet with general manager Omar Minaya to discuss the possibility of giving up his position for Alex Rodriguez. Wright mentioned earlier in the year that he would welcome A-Rod and wouldn't mind letting him play at the hot corner. Rodriguez, who opted out of his contract Sunday night, is now a free agent and is looking for at least 30 million dollars a year. As a diehard Mets fan, I love this idea. Rodriguez will go down as one of the best players ever to play the game. His numbers are out of this world and he probably will break Barry Bonds' homerun record, barring any horrible injury. I know he has had his postseason struggles, but I'm not worried about that right now. I want the Mets to make the playoffs first, unlike this past season.

As for Wright, it just shows how unselfish this young stud really is. This is the position he has always played and he is willing to learn a new one to help the team. I think Wright should either move to first base or left field, but it will be hard to get anybody to take worthless Carlos Delgado's money. I haven't been impressed with Wright's arm these past couple seasons and I don't expect it to get any better. He has a strong arm, which could help him as an outfielder. The Mets have resigned Moises Alou to play left field, so if Wright were to move, I would have to say it is going to be to first base. On the other hand, Alou is bound to be hurt for a good portion of the season, so don't be suprised to see Wright patrolling left field next season if they can land Rodriguez.

The Mets were Rodriguez's first choice the last time he was a free agent. Maybe it will work out the second time around. As a Mets fan, I can only hope for the best. This past season's collapse was tough to swallow. If the Mets sign A-Rod, it might give Mets fans out there something to be happy about this offseason.

Shawn Marosek

Arod Opts Out; Is He Done in New York?

Incase you were in a cave last night, Alex Rodriguez made his long awaited opt out decision, and thus upstaged Boston's second World Series in four years. To nobody's surprise, Arod has decided to opt out, and try and get every cent he can on the open market. With Scott Boras as his agent, look for him to demand 10-years, $300+ million, and perhaps a share of team ownership after he retires. Way to go Arod! You couldn't wait 24 to 48 hours to announce your plan. You had to do it during the World Series. Could you be anymore of a narcissist?

The New York Yankees have stated that they will not pursue Arod should he opt out. Now that he has, it will be interesting to see if the Yankees stay to their word and let him leave the Bronx. I think they will stay out of things until the final days before a contract is signed. You know that Boras will take the offer Arod likes best with whatever team, and pass it through the Yankees' brass for them to have the final chance to re-sign Arod. Who will they get to replace his 54 homeruns, 156 RBI, and 143 runs scored? They will not let the $21 million they would have gotten from Texas to be the determining factor on whether or not they keep Arod. Unless they have a trade in place to get Miguel Cabrera, Aramis Ramirez, or someone else, I cannot imagine they would not reconsider.

If not New York, where? There will only be a few teams that can take on a massive contact Arod will require. The Los Angeles Angels (of Anaheim, next to Disney World, around the corner from a Mobil in California) would be the top candidate in my opinion. They have money they have been trying to spend on big free agent to back Vladimir Guerrero in the lineup for quite sometime. Arod would give them the bat they need to fix that big offensive hole on their team. Since their 2002 championship, which was a different type team, the Angels have not hit a lick in their three postseason appearances since.

The Chicago Cubs and San Francisco Giants would be the 2nd and 3rd candidates. The Cubs are desperate for a title, and especially more so that the Red Sox and White Sox have broken long droughts recently. Don't be surprised if the Cubs make a big offer, and trade Aramis Ramirez (Yankees?) if they take on an Arod contract. The Giants will be free of a large Barry Bonds contract for the first time in 15 years, and could be suitors for Arod. I think they would love to have a new center piece for the franchise. The Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Mets could be far out candidates since they are the two other teams in MLB with the cash to make things happen.

Finally, what about the Boston Red Sox? A lot of people feel they will make a push for the player they failed to obtain four years ago. If they want to pursue him, they definitely could afford a massive contract. If I were them, I would not go after Rodriguez. They have two championships since the trade to get Arod fell through, and the Yankees have none. They should re-sign Mike Lowell at three, four years if that is what he wants, and use the extra cash to go and get a #2 starter to replace Curt Schilling. I think it would be a mistake for the Red Sox to sign Arod.

When it is all set and done though, I still think Alex Rodriguez will re-sign with the Yankees. They say they won't, and maybe they will be true to their word. Remember it is Hank and Hal Steinbrenner running the show now, and perhaps they will watch every penny a lot more closely than Big Stein did. However, Arod is very valuable to the YES Network, and the future of the Yankees. They will be fine selling tickets the next two seasons (The last at old Yankees Stadium, and the first at new Yankees Stadium), but after that? With Arod, the team has drawn four million every year he has been on the team. And obviously, you cannot ignore the all-time numbers he put up last season. I would be shocked if they let him go.

Pat Morgan