Rock 'Em, Sock 'Em

But hey let's be honest here, you can't blame Roger Clemens here. You can blame the team who has helped contribute to our salary problems in baseball. The evil empire themselves, the New York Yankees.

Sure the Yankees want to win their 23rd or 24th or whatever number they are on championship. They don't want to live in the sewer of the 2007 season, but is it really worth it as the price of destroying team chemistry. Clemens contract has many different stipulations. Forget about the $4 million per month he will make on this deal, he also has a clause where he doesn't have to travel with the team. What kind of a stoner doesn't want to travel with the team? Isn't that part of the fun of going into baseball? The constant travel? He wants to spend more time with the family. Well Rogey Rog, maybe you should retire then.

Can one blame Clemens for this travesty? Not really. Once again the blame should shift to the Yankees. In the last paragraph, I talked about team chemistry. One player has already spoken out against Clemens. Kyle Farnsworth, who yes is what some may call a nobody, is nevertheless still a member of the Yankees. He disagrees with the contract and is bold enough to speak out about it. Could the players be keeping quiet under orders from Lord Steinbrenner?

The moral of the story here is that the Yankees are willing to do whatever it takes, well at least what they think, to win. They have spent God knows how much to keep Jeter, A-Rod, Damon, and Giambi on the team, but Giambi may not be an issue much longer. They have brought Andy Pettit back to the mound for another run, and in doing so, have enticed Roger Clemens to come back to the Bronx for one last run at another title. Will they come up short? Unless those pesky Red Sox who are starting to follow the philosophy of their enemy fall off the path, all this hoopla and hype over an over aged pitcher will be meaningless.

Can we say go fake Sox go? All together now.

By the way, on a couple side notes, sports related…

Back to Giambi. I can say I have some pseudo respect for this guy for speaking out against steroids. But for MLB and New York to come out and try to bury him whether it's announcing the he failed an amphetamine test, or that Bud Selig wants him to talk to Senator George Mitchell, the leader of the performance enhancing witch hunt, you know this boy is under the wire now. Yes. I am well aware that he was going in front of a grand jury and all that stuff, but for him to say it in an interview a year after the session is pretty ballsy and yet admirable.

My White Sox have fallen and look like they can't get up. Is it time to blow up the team? No not yet. I think we are playing a few clubs that are under 500 and could help open the window, while the Indians and Tigers get the Red Sox and the Braves. This could narrow the gap for when the Sox go against their Central division counterparts and we hope by then the sleeping giants wake up. Everyone says fire Ozzie. Ozzie is crazy and I don't believe he has lost the team just yet. It may be coming soon, but Ozzie still has some fight left in him.

And on two final notes, I saw the Gwen Stefani concert last night. No not by choice, I took my girlfriend as a late Christmas present because we knew she would be going on tour this summer. She isn't bad at all for a live act and I get the feeling she really loves her fans. She ran into the grass and did a song for them, which I have never seen anyone do before, and she signed autographs right on stage during the curtain call. Once I get a little better known and successful, I will know it will be because of all you who follow this column as well as all my other activities and I will do anything to show my appreciation for that. It seems Ms. Stefani hasn't let the success get to her and is still human and for that I can say respect is due.

And the other, I am going to be a father in November. We are expecting!!! Look out world!!!! The Jae legacy will live on when I am gone!

JAE