Nelson Cruz isn't a popular figure in some circles for his PED history, but Nick Markakis won't hold it against him. "It doesn't change my opinion toward anything,'' the Orioles outfielder said, according to Peter Schmuck of the Baltimore Sun. "I got to be a teammate, and no matter if you disagree or agree with your teammates, they are still your teammates. He’s going to be welcome here and we are going to play as one. That’s for sure." More out of the AL East..
- Chris Capuano was nearly traded to the Red Sox three years ago when they were desperate for someone to win a game in the final week of the regular season, writes John Tomase of the Boston Herald. Ultimately, however, Boston couldn't reach a deal with the Mets. “(The Mets) actually knew about it earlier, but kind of waited until the last minute to tell me so it wouldn’t be a distraction. I didn’t have a whole lot of time to think about it. It was just a couple-day conversation that didn’t end up happening, but I was excited at the prospect of pitching for the Red Sox," said the veteran.
- David Ortiz has few precedents when looking at what an extension might look like, writes Alex Speier of WEEI.com. Speier looked at players who had ten or more seasons in an organization who signed deals that covered at least their age 39 seasons within a year of their free agency. That short list includes Derek Jeter, Chipper Jones, and Mariano Rivera.
- The Yankees have questions but no major concerns heading into spring training, writes Barry Federovitch of the Star-Ledger. Among the question marks, however, will be whether Masahiro Tanaka can make the transition to four or five days’ rest.
- Jorge Castillo of the Star-Ledger spoke with Yankees reliever Matt Thornton, who inked a two-year, $7MM deal this offseason, about what he expects his role to be with his new team.
out of context much? Nick Markakis was referring to holding the opinion that he feels steroid users are stealing money from other players, and despises them, with the “it doesnt my opinion of anything”….pretty much stating he certainly does not approve of users, however if Nelly is a teammate, he will treat him like one. Good teammate and man that sands for what he believes in right there.
And many fans and players can’t believe Markakis makes $15 million when he performs like a $2 million player.
Yeah, one of those questions that didn’t need to be asked. What was Nick going to say “Yeah, dude’s a cheater and we all hate him, but it’s their money and reputation. I’m leaving after the season, anyways”?
It’s nice that Markakis – a player that’s making $15MM/year and has had a combined WAR of 1.6 over the last two years – is not holding any ill-will towards Cruz for trying any way, immoral or not, to boost his performance.
So you prefer Markakis to cheat to get better?
It seems like a bit of a double standard – that someone is trying to subvert the system to get better, though Markakis has gotten what Cruz has presumably wanted (to get paid) and yet has not delivered on the investment. Brings up the question: do big contracts pay for past stats or future investments in a player?
Its a poor quote. Even in the same piece it explains how anti-doping Markakis is, and quite outspoken about it, despite how subdued a personality he usually has.
Cruz is stuck in no-man’s land. The PED issue was obviously a dumb mistake, but he compounded it in some people’s eyes by taking the suspension during last season to protect himself for this season while bailing on his Ranger teammates during an attempted run to the postseason. Of course, had Cruz appealed his suspension and kept playing there was no guarantee of getting to the World Series or of the Rangers giving him a new contract this winter. I feel for Cruz, but it just makes no sense that he would do PEDs in the first place. Dumbest move ever.
Yankees infield isn’t a major concern? All four of them have either major health or productivity concerns. Johnson played in more games last year than Jeter, Tex, and Roberts combined and he wasn’t even a starter. For all the money the Yanks spent of that team, it could all be for naught fairly quickly unless a lot of things go right in that infield.
Bet Cruz is kicking himself for not taking that QO! $6.1mil, OUCH!