Poor Jose Bautista. The guy hits 54 home runs, more than triple his previous season high and no one believes him. Ok, there are a few naive saps who point to his swing, and his unimpressive body (which hasn't undergone major changes) and herald him as the next great clean home run king. This is what the steroid era has done. We have no proof not even circumstantial evidence linking him to steroids other than a sudden drastic improvement in performance. Throughout the history of baseball, long before steroids were involved players drastically outperformed their previous career highs, but because Bautista is doing it now, he's viewed with a jaundiced eye. No one can say he's juiced, but no one can say he isn't, and no one wants to get fooled again.
A Fitting Tribute
The Toronto Blue Jays said goodbye (again) to the greatest manager in their history. Cito Gaston led the team to back-to-back World Series titles in 1992 and 1993 and returned for a swan song in 2008 to save the franchise from the disastrous John Gibbons era. At the last home game of the season Gaston was honored before the game and with signs throughout the ballpark. He was even treated to a post-victory Gatorade bath.
But the best tribute of all came from Travis Snider. Snider used eye black to create a faux Cito mustache. And homered while wearing it.
Where was Ramon Castro When the Lights Went Out?
In the dark silly. Former Mets catcher Ramon Castro was at bat for his new team, the Chicago White Sox, in new Comiskey Park (that's Kaminsky to you Mr. Obama) when all of the sudden most of the stadium lights when out.
Sometimes the Worst Trades Are the Ones You Never Make
If you believe the rumors, and you might as well, the Mets could have traded Oliver Perez to the Cubs at the trading deadline for Carlos Zambrano. But the Mets insisted the Cubs take Luis Castillo too. The Mets didn't want to take on any extra money (between $6 and $8 million, I think). Since then Zambrano is 7-0 with a 1.48 ERA.
great post...
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