I want to believe Roger Clemens because I’m a huge baseball fan at heart and he’s been respected as one of the game’s best. But how could you. If someone said ANYTHING and I mean ANYTHING about me that wasn’t true, accused me of something I didn’t do – the VERY FIRST second I heard the comments or the accusation, I would be on every network, paper, media outlet denying it and doing so with conviction. Here is the Rocket who hangs around for a week and then makes these comments about a rush to judgement? Maybe YOU should have rushed to DO something because if it weren’t true you would be SICK thinking of someone who would believe it was. I can understand SAVING the legacy and not wanting to tell the truth – but to me – my opinion when it comes to THESE comments – THIS nonsense – SAVE – IT – That’s the bottom line.

...baseball still goes on.

What's up people...who said this was the off-season?After 48 hours of Mitchell Report breakdown to close the week, this weekend has been just as busy in the news and a pair of things have really caught my attention. First of all, we ALL know that in the NL West, the only way to win is to pitch, pitch and pitch some more. If anyone in that group could actually hit maybe we'd actually see some seperation one of these seasons! The D-Backs pulled off a HUGE move in my opinion picking up Danny Haren and by doing so, they have put together one of the nastiest if not THE nastiest one-two punches in the National League with Webb and Haren at the front end. So, kudos to them! But, don't you have to question what in the WORLD the A's are doing? Do they EVER want to win a ring? And then just when you thought a couple of huge hot stove moves would make you forget about the "Steroid era" here comes Andy Pettitte in a move that completely suprised me. I thought that for sure, we would see all of the big names on that Mitchell list deny any involvement especially in the cases like Andy's where everything was related to hearsay. But his admission, which I have a lot of respect for as a baseball fan, all but cements the legacy of his boy the Rocket, because they both were in this report and under suspicion for their relationship with Brian McNamee. If Andy is guilty then most will believe - AND it is probably the case - that Clemens is as well. Now all the Hall of Fame conversation can continue. What do I say at a moment like this? Serenity now...that's the Bottom Line!

What’s in a name? We think about that all the time when we’re having kids because we want to make sure that we’re respecting those in our family AND for the kids sake not giving them a rhyming name that gets them teased throughout their entire childhood. But how about the names we will hear tomorrow? What about that Mitchell Report? What happens to those names? What are the consequences? As the clock continues to tick down to the big unveiling I wonder this. Does anyone really, truly care – and if they do – is it for any reason other than to have something controversial to talk about regarding this great game of baseball? I for one will be spending MY time getting the latest on where Johan lands, and the up to the minute trade talks – because to me – Santana, Rowand, Bedard, Haren – THOSE are the “names” I care about!

While everyone’s going to spend the next few days talking about the “Mitchell Report” and speculating as to the outcome of baseball’s version of Watergate…I myself will be spending hours upon hours trying to figure out what in the WORLD they’re smoking out there in Milwaukee! Ten Million dollars for Eric Gagne, are you kidding me? I mean – this IS the same Gagne who the Red Sox were putting behind skipper Terry Francona on the pitching depth chart down the stretch, isn’t it? This IS the same Gagne who proved after leaving Texas last year that he is still as inconsistent and a risk as ever, is it not? To me, the Brewers had a chance to show they were in this thing, to WIN this thing…would you have had to overpay Francisco Cordero to keep him? The answer is yes. But when a guy is as comfortable as he was in that organization and as successful, leading the league in saves, you simply get it done. End of story. Now a nightmare with Gagne awaits….Game Over! That’s the Bottom Line!

I can’t remember an off-season like this one to be honest with you because normally there’s a ton of talk – and very little action…this past couple of months has been FULL of action around the league, with big names moving, and others on the way. The age of free-agency has had it’s negative aspects and affects on the game of baseball and on sports as a whole – you lose some of that loyalty – the business becomes at times just that – business…but right about now is when you reap the benefits because this is about as exciting as gets right? Oh, you mean only for the teams with the cash. A short list. If you’re a Pirates fan – you’re not arguing with your friend the Royals fan about who to go after Santana or Haren – you’re rather asking what prospects might make the big club this coming season. As in life – in baseball – right or wrong – happy or sad – money can’t buy you love but it sure can buy you everything else – THAT’S the bottom line!