Red Sox spring training tickets went on sale yesterday in Fort Myers and also on redsox.com and from all accounts things went without a hitch. People started lining up on Thursday for the tickets and the fans down in the Fort didn’t go home disappointed. This shows you how hot Red Sox tickets are even for spring training games. With the abbreviated spring training schedule this year, you can definitely expect the Red Sox to expand on their 62-game consecutive sell-out streak during Grapefruit League games.

Brendan Donnelly spoke out about his name being in the Mitchell Report and denied using steroids.

“In 2004, I was having multiple health issues and was concerned about not getting on the field fast enough. I made a phone call to (Kirk) Radomski about a substance called Anavar. Once I learned Anavar was classified as a steroid I realized that was not an option. That was the end of it. Yes, I called him. But I did not purchase or receive anything from him and have never taken Deca or Anavar. I fully support the current drug testing program put in place by Major League Baseball and agree with their efforts to widen the testing.”

For those who don’t know, Donnelly is not a member of the MLBPA. He is barred from joining because he was a replacement player in 1995.

“The replacement players are represented by the Players Association on matters of arbitration and other grievances, and they receive pension benefits, but they are not part of the union, they are not allowed to vote on union matters and they do not get licensing money.”

So while we here in the Northeast enjoy the typical winter N’oreaster and await the Patriots-Jets game at 1 PM, let’s look at the headlines.

Red Sox fans wait, ignore rain in Fort Myers [The News-Press]

Donnelly surfaces [Boston Herald]

Replacement players [Baseball Almanac]

New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick said on Friday during an interview with NBCSports.com that the New York Jets did not have permission nor approval to have a second end zone camera during the team’s AFC Playoff game last January.

He was responding to the article that appeared in New York Newsday on Wednesday that a Jets camera man who was taping from the endzone and decorative light house was asked to stop taping and was removed from the mezzanine area. The camera and tape were not confiscated and no complaint was filed with the league.

The Jets claim they had permission to be there, Belichick says that wasn’t the case:

“I was never asked for permission, nor was anyone in our video department asked for permission for a second end-zone camera.”

On Wednesday afternoon Jets head coach Eric Mangini told the New York media:

“We had asked for permission, it was granted, then that changed and we respect their decision. It’s their stadium.”

Taping from the end zone is allowed by the NFL but the visiting team has to request permission for a second end zone camera from the home team. The Jets do not plan on using a second end zone camera during today’s game and never asked for permission to do so.

Miami Dolphins owner H. Wayne Huizenga says he is not actively seeking a buyer for the floundering Miami Dolphins franchise but he has recently listened to offers put forth by potential buyers since April.

Huizenga recently discussed a sale with Miami real estate developers, Jorge Perez and his partner Stephen Ross. Perez is chairman and CEO of The Related Group, one of the biggest condominium builders in the country. Ross was part of a group interested in bringing baseball to Miami before Huizenga became founding owner of the Florida Marlins.

Huizenga who also at times owned the MLB’s Florida Marlins and the NHL’s Florida Panthers before selling those franchises in years past says he has been disappointed as an owner and as a fan in the how the team has performed and he is frustrated that they haven’t made the playoffs in several years.

The Dolphins, who won Super Bowls VII and VIII, are currently 0-13 this season and on the verge of becoming the first NFL franchise to lose all 16 games in one season. Only the 1976 Tampa Bay Buccaneers were winless over an entire season when they finished 0-14 in the inaugural season.

Huizenga in his statement said:

“Over the years I have fielded a number of inquiries from individuals interested in investing in the team,” said Huizenga, who become sole owner of the Dolphins in 1994. “Most recently, we have had conversations dating back to April, with several similarly interested parties.

“My viewpoint, however, has always been the same. I am not actively looking to sell the Miami Dolphins, but I know there will always be individuals who are interested in becoming involved in some capacity in the team’s ownership.”

“Like every other fan, I am disappointed in the way the season has unfolded,” Huizenga said. “But I am confident we will turn things around.”

A sale of the Dolphins could potentially be for around $1 Billion, Huizenga bought the team for $138 Million. Huizenga also owns Blockbuster Video.

New York Yankees pitcher Andy Pettitte who was named in just about one and half pages of the Mitchell Report on Thursday admitted Saturday afternoon to using HGH, Human Growth Hormone, on two occasions in 2002.

Pettitte who issued a statement through his agent Randy Hendricks said he took HGH twice when he was on the disabled list in 2002 with an elbow injury. Pettitte said it was his understanding that HGH would allow him to heal faster. He also said that after two days of taking he stopped because it didn’t feel right to him.

He also emphasized he did not and never has used steroids.

“In 2002 I was injured. I had heard that human growth hormone could promote faster healing for my elbow,” Pettitte said in the statement.

“I felt an obligation to get back to my team as soon as possible. For this reason, and only this reason, for two days I tried human growth hormone. Though it was not against baseball rules, I was not comfortable with what I was doing, so I stopped.

“This is it — two days out of my life; two days out of my entire career, when I was injured and on the disabled list,” he said. “I wasn’t looking for an edge. I was looking to heal.”

The Yankees were advised he was making a public statement and have backed him and “support him in coming forward”.

Pettitte, 35, who has pitched for the New York Yankees (1995-2003, 2007) and the Houston Astros (2004-06) just signed a one year $16 million contract extension with the Yankees for 2008. He had been contemplating retirement.

With this apparently proving that what Brian McNamee said, at least regarding Pettitte, is true you have to wonder about the allegations concerning Pettitte’s close friend and former Yankees and Astros teammate Roger Clemens. Clemens, a seven time Cy Young Award winner and 354-game winner, also showed up on the Mitchell Report. McNamee claims to have injected Clemens with steroids in 1998 while he was pitching for the Toronto Blue Jays and McNamee was the team’s strength and conditioning coach. McNamee followed Clemens to New York when the pitcher was traded there in 1999 and that’s where McNamee met Pettitte.

Clemens through his attorney has vehmently denied the allegtions in the Mitchell Report.

Continue reading →

Top Ten Tuesdays: Olde Tyme Baseballe [Yankees Chick]

‘Twas a Night in December [Babes Love Baseball]

Random Sox Theatre: Moose Hunting [Center Field]

Pedroia and Youkilis get Dance Fever [Red Sox Monster]

“Oh, god, I made eye contact.” [Ladies…]

Sorting Through the Pre-Conference Play of NCAA Mens’ Hoops [Casey’s Clipboard & Wally’s World]

Knicks Lose On and In Court! [Sports Fan]

More Statements: Villone and Stanton [My Baseball Bias]

Glenallen Hill? HGH? Well, No Kidding. [Home Run Derby]

Orioles Quick Hits; The Long & Dirty; Opinions From the Orioles’ Media, Fans & Bloggers [Oriole Post]

What We Learned This Week [SporTech Matter]

Cool: Best Florida High School Football Players, Ever [The Big Lead]

Roger Clemens Minus at Least Two Fans [Beckett Behind The Scenes]

Halle-freakin-lujah! [Townie News]

Well with the Mitchell Report coming out on Thursday, you would have expected the players from the Red Sox to be quiet about the situation given that no current player on the roster was involved. Yes, Brendan Donnelly and Eric Gagné were on the report but they weren’t accused of doing performance-enhancing drugs while members of the Red Sox.

One person from the Red Sox who was on the rumored list that was published on various media outlets and blogs included this one, had Red Sox catcher Jason Varitek’s name on it. Tek wasn’t on the subsequent report but was upset that he was even on the rumored list.

“I’d like to know where it came from, no question,” Varitek said yesterday by phone when asked if he was aware of the false report. “From what I know now, I guess (bad information) had been passed around all morning. More than anything, you’re just concerned about how something like that could happen.”

“Passing judgment on anyone before (confirmation) is a very dangerous thing to do,” Varitek said. “I mean, how many times have we had to deal with questions about this topic? How many times have you had to answer questions about other people without really knowing, and then you’re the one thrown on a list? That’s why, when addressing questions about other people, I try to give them the benefit of the doubt.”

Curt Schilling also spoke out on the Mitchell Report and added that he turned down a request to be interviewed by Mitchell and his henchman. He also said that it was hard to fathom that one of his idols, Roger Clemens, was included in the report.

“It’s just when you spend, for me, 20 years of my career [were] spent idolizing somebody and seeing that person thrown on to the carpet here, like I said, I’m hoping to hear a very large legal team has been assembled and that Roger is suing everybody,” said Schilling. “Short of that, I guess I’m bummed a little bit about the fact that it is what it is.”

Personally, I would like to see the ones named on the list either admit they did it, as some have already, or deny the accusations and take some sort of legal action to protect their name. For a guy like Brian Roberts who was included in the report due to hearsay evidence, it’s going to kill his name and reputation in this game. For a guy like Varitek, just being in the rumored list caused him problems and he didn’t deserve that. The fallout of this is just getting started and my best guess is that it will be worse.

If you think about it for a second, Michael Vick and Barry Bonds both denied ever doing anything wrong as well as Marion Jones. Vick is in jail for the next 23 months while Bonds is facing a perjury charges in a federal court. Jones has been banned from track and field for life and have to give up her Olympic medals that she earned while using performance-enhancing drugs. So if you did them admit it. If you didn’t protect your reputation and do some thing about it.

Speculation baffles ’Tek [Boston Herald]

Talking to Mitchell Not Worth It for Schilling [NY Times]

Sox’ Pedroia claims younger players are not steroid users [Pro Jo]

Mo’s mom stands by son [Boston Herald]

Schilling reacts to Mitchell Report [redsox.com]

End of innocence [Boston Herald]

The Mitchell Report Has A Catch; Call It An Oliver Twist [Clubhouse Insider]

Santana seeking extension worth upwards of $140 million [rotoworld.com]

The Boston Celtics continue to roll as they whipped the Milwaukee Bucks 104-82 at the TD BankNorth Garden on Friday night. The Green are now 19-2, 12-0 at home, both records matching the 1984-85 Celtics who won a NBA title and went 40-1 at the old Boston Garden.

Celtics guard Ray Allen sat out the game with an ankle injury. It was the first missed game of the season for any of the “Three Amigo’s” but it surely didn’t matter. So with Ray out Paul Pierce was a beast he had a season high 32 points in 39 minutes of play including 9 for 9 from the charity stripe. Second year point guard Rajon Rondo had 17 points (5 for 5 from the line) and 8 assists. Kevin Garnett chipped in with 15 points and 7 boards. Tony Allen who started in place of the other Allen had 11 points in 33 minutes.

The Bucks were led by Mo Williams who had 14 points, Bobby Simmons had 11 and rookie Yi Jianlian added 10 points.

In addition to Ray Allen, Scott Pollard missed the game with a sore back. Kendrick Perkins returned to starting line up tonight after missing the last game with a toe injury.

Garnett was the only starter who was not perfect at the foul line he was 1 of 2. The other four starters combined to go 20 for 20 as the team overall was 26 of 30 from the stripe.

The Celtics play Sunday afternoon in Toronto.

The Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees will have to cross Dan Haren off their wish lists as the Oakland A’s have moved him to the Arizona Diamondbacks in an eight-player deal.

The A’s sent Haren and RHP Connor Robertson to the D’backs for LHP’s Brett Anderson, Dana Eveland and Greg Smith; INF Chris Carter; and OF’s Aaron Cunningham and Carlos Gonzalez.

Haren joins former NL Cy Young Winner Brandon Webb at the top of the D’Backs rotation that also includes Doug Davis and Micah Owings and Randy Johnson if he’s healthy. That is a very formidable rotation that should compete for the NL West crown.

The D’backs also made another trade as they sent their closer to Jose Valverde to the Houston Astros for three players. The D’backs received reliever Chad Qualls, RHP Juan Gutierrez and INF Chris Burke.

This is another big trade that doesn’t involve Johan Santana, who was expected to be the first pitcher moved during the off-season. It will be interesting to see whether or not the talks with Santana heat up again for the Red Sox or even the *gulp* Yankees.

Earlier this year the New England Patriots were caught using a camera that videotaped the New York Jets sideline.  Many sports fans, most of them not Patriots fans and not fans in general of Bill Belichick, as well as the media labeled them as “cheaters”.  They have been taken to task now for nearly four months, their past records and accomplishments have been questioned by fans, media, players and coaches.  They say the actions of ONE man, the head coach, in this incident taints the three Super Bowl titles they won in four years. 

Now on Thursday the Mitchell Report was released and there are NINE members (out of 25 or 36%) of the 2000 World Series champion New York Yankees on the list.  Chuck Knoblauch, Andy Pettitte, Roger Clemens, David Justice, Jose Canseco, Glenallen Hill, Mike Stanton, Denny Neagle and Jason Grimsley.  So sports fans, media members, players and coaches are the New York Yankees “cheaters” as well?  And should this indiscretion taint the teams records and accomplishments they achieved between 1996 and 2000 when they won four World Series titles in five years?

So there are several names in the Mitchell Report who could be potential Hall of Fame candidates, some like Roger Clemens, were considered a sure fire lock for a trip to Cooperstown. Now with these nearly 90 players being named does this change their chances for induction?

So in a new Sox and Dawgs poll we ask:

If you had a Hall of Fame vote would you vote for players who have been implicated in the Mitchell Report?

Vote in the poll on the left hand border and as always feel free to leave comments here.