Sportsfrog.com

Given that in our readership, we have sizable contingencies from Baltimore, Memphis, and Tampa, and an unholy representation from Red Sox Nation, this Boston Herald story seems newsworthy:

“According to sources, the Sox recently received a mailed threat, believed to be postmarked in Memphis, Tenn., which targeted black and Latin players, citing at least two by name. The named players have been informed about the threats and will likely have security accompaniment away from Tropicana Field, including at the team’s hotel in St. Petersburg.”

“According to a source, law-enforcement authorities have been looking for a suspect believed to be from Baltimore but living in the Memphis area. By all indications, he is not in custody yet.”

This is good news for people who are having a down day, and feeling sad and worthless. Look on the bright side. There’s always someone sadder than you out there.

According to Dr. Rick Wilton of Baseball Injury Report, baseball is suffering through an epidemic of injuries over the past two seasons (and I thought it was just on my fantasy team). There was apparently a big jump in 2007, and baseball is on pace for a bigger jump in injuries in 2008:

Major League Baseball is on pace to set a another record for the number of players who spend time on the disabled list.

The previous record was set last year with 404 players. As of April 30, there are 180 players who have spent time on the disabled list this season. That is 6.6% increase over the same time last season. From 2002-2006, an average of 141 players landed on the DL from spring training through April 30 each year. This year’s pace is 21.7% greater than the average during that period. This alarming statistic could increase even further in the coming days with retroactive disabled list moves.

Last year’s record 404 players was a 12.2 % increase over the five-year average between 2002-2006. The current pace is for 416 players to spend time on the disabled list in 2008.

Now this could all be pure and coincidental-like, see? But maybe, just maybe, there’s something going on here. One of the primary benefits of performance-enhancing drugs is to quicken the recovery time from use and/or injury. As we’ve learned more and more about the actual use of these drugs in baseball, it seems that a significant number of ballplayers were juicing not to become huge Neanderthals, but rather to quicken recovery time (witness the high number of pitchers caught).

As the spotlight on steroids shined more brightly than ever last season, ultimately culminating with the Mitchell Report and a more rigorous testing program, maybe players are actually getting off the stuff and allowing their bodies to heal naturally. That could explain – at least partially – an increased number of injuries and time spent on the disabled list. Of course, this is all speculative without looking beyond a five-year sample size. And given that performance enhancers have been in baseball for so many years, to the extent that the last time players might not have been juicing medical technology and player usage patterns were probably incomparable to today’s realities, there may be too many outside factors to really compare with any accuracy.

However, if the testing program is even a part of the cause of increased injuries (as perverse as that sounds), Major League Baseball should be commended for coming up with a program that is actually effective in reducing drug use in baseball.

Funniest story of the day comes from rotoworld:

“Arkansas RB Darren McFadden was handcuffed by police at a piano bar Thursday after being involved in a ‘pretty rowdy scene.’ Uh…a piano bar? A disturbance broke out shortly after midnight at the bar and had spilled into the street. The Heisman runner-up and All American was not charged with a crime and released after merely being cuffed for a few minutes because police felt he was getting ‘rowdy.’ If McFadden declares for the NFL Draft, this shouldn’t adversely affect him.”

What happened? Did Bugs Bunny slam his fingers in the keys?

I guarantee you it will surprise you. If you enjoy baseball, John Walsh’s piece on outfield arms at Hardball Times is required reading. It is, without a doubt, the most interesting and informative baseball article I’ve read throughout what has been the most interesting offseason in baseball history.

Walsh’s piece is SABR-writing at its best: he doesn’t overwhelm you with the genius of formulae, but he makes you feel much more informed about the game. Some of the more interesting names to look up when you get there, for better or for worse:

B.J. Upton
Torii Hunter
Shane Victorino
Willy Taveras (really?)
Nick Swisher

Some very interesting news from the Associated Press:

“Jose Canseco, Lenny Dykstra, Glenallen Hill and Geronimo Berroa were accused of using steroids by former major league pitcher Jason Grimsley in a federal agent’s affidavit unsealed Thursday.

Grimsley also accused Chuck Knoblauch of using human growth hormone; David Segui and Allen Watson of using performance-enhancing drugs; and Rafael Palmeiro and Pete Incaviglia of taking amphetamines, according to IRS Special Agent Jeff Novitzky’s sworn statement.

Four names, including that of Roger Clemens and Andy Pettitte, were not mentioned in the affidavit, despite a newspaper report last year that singled them out.”

That newspaper they refer to is the Los Angeles Times, who refused to retract the story after Clemens denied it. These inaccuracies are interesting and point to the short-sightedness of acquitting or convicting any players based on speculative evidence. Clemens’ lawyer is threatening legal action. Normally, I’d say that this is nothing more than blowing smoke (see Bonds, Barry), but a judge is practically encouraging a lawsuit by Clemens:

“In a separate two-page order, U.S. Magistrate Judge Edward C. Voss in Phoenix cited the newspaper for ‘abusive reporting’ in its article that linked Clemens to the affidavit … At best, the article is an example of irresponsible reporting,’ Voss wrote. ‘At worst, the ‘facts’ reported were simply manufactured. … Hopefully, any reference to the Times article as authoritative will now cease.’”

Also of note, even without Pettitte, a lot of members of the World Series Champion New York Yankees in 2000 are named (Grimsley, Canseco, Knoblauch, Watson, Hill). And there are more unsealed documents that will be unsealed as a part of the gradual unraveling of names that promises to take place in coming months.

Man, the Red Sox need to learn to hold onto their balls. Especially World Series balls. First, Doug Mientkiwicz didn’t want to give the ball to the Sox, and now this happens to the ball from the final out of the 2007 World Series:

“My dog ate it,” Papelbon told the newspaper. “He plays with baseballs like they are his toys. His name is Boss. He jumped up one day on the counter and snatched it. He likes rawhide. He tore that thing to pieces.

“I’ll keep what’s left of it.”

Of course, this makes his legend grow.

It’s tough to say what the White family should be more embarassed about. The fact that Roddy wore a “Free Mike Vick” t-shirt, or the pride he took in his t-shirt making ability.

“That was homemade. I did that myself.”

Very good, Roddy! Now class, everyone look at how nicely Roddy wrote on his t-shirt. Isn’t that nice?

Jason Kidd, Derek Bell salutes you.

Consider the source here, but according to the New York Post several Nets sources claimed Kidd – who didn’t even show up for the Nets loss to the Knicks last night (read that last part again) after complaining of a migraine – is in reality “on strike” in the hopes of a contract extension or a trade.

Someone get Jigga on the phone. He needs to take care of business … man.

If I were a rich man ….

… I would take a part-time seasonal job working for a big-league ballclub. Seriously, for those of you who inherited a lot of money, invented the Pet Rock, or won a big lawsuit and don’t really have to work full-time, there are a lot of pretty cool jobs for baseball geeks in Major League Baseball.

There is the the Stats Stringer who is “responsible for digitally scoring games from one of the 30 MLB ballparks.” You could also apply to become a Pitch f/x operator, and track “every pitched baseball, calculating its trajectory and break, for television broadcast, Internet and stadium video production.”

And the coolest sounding job to me: become a beat reporter for mlb.com. This would include travelling with the team. There are seriously a lot of jobs out there for smart rich people with a four-year degree and an obsession with baseball.

Swamp legend zumba has launched a new website called mysportsgods.com where he is trying to create a sort of ultra Hall of Fame.

It’s an idea conceived in The Swamp, and zumba has given birth to a new website where he is welcoming submissions for the players you think are the best athletes in the history of the world.

Yep, you can even nominate Buddy Biancalana.