Bad News and More Bad News

Just when you thought it couldn't get any worse for Major League Baseball, it has. Yesterday a report was released saying that 38 minor league players would be hit with suspensions of varying degrees. To look at the list, a number of things stand out. A great deal of these players all come from the same farm systems. The Mariners had 8 players suspended, The Cubs had 7, The Angels had 5 suspended, the Moneyball A's had 5 suspended also. The A's also have the distinction of having David Castillo suspended for a third violation of the drug policy. One would think that one violation is too many. The remaining teams on the list are the Rangers, Padres, Rockies, White Sox and Cardinals. The other notable suspension is that of one time Barry Bonds teammate Damian Moss. I'm not implying that there were Canseco-like activities in the Giants locker room with Barry and Damian, but it sure doesn't look good. So that's the bad news, and here's one more item: Reds utility player Ryan Freel was arrested for DWI while driving home from the game. Now here is something that has been under-examined in the midst of all this steroid hoopla. Baseball players and booze are no strangers, and who doesn't like to go out and celebrate after a big win? The problem here is that the last thing baseball needs is another substance abuse problem. At some point Major League Baseball is going to have to start acting like a responsible parent, rather than everybody's favorite uncle, and clean up this mess. Maybe the threat of losing his job would motivate Mr. Selig.

Cincinnati Enquirer report on Freel's DWI

Hark the sound of Tar Heel voices

Sean May works the inside game...

Last night was one of the best NCAA championship games I've ever seen. Well to be honest I've always been partial to the UCLA-Arkansas final, but I digress. Sean May showed the world that he is one of the finest big men in the country. He's not exactly your prototypical center, but he's certainly a fine power forward. I would've liked to see him match up against Andrew Bogut, but I'll take what I can get. Perhaps the most surprising part of the game was that James Augustine didn't score one point. After all the talking heads made such a big deal about Augustine being the sleeper to watch, he was indeed asleep. He fouled out with plenty of time left and Illinois needed him. That's a shame. Now the big question is how many players jump ship from Chapel Hill. It's assumed that Rashad McCants is on his way out, personally I think it's a bad choice, he could end up as player of the year next year. People think that Raymond Felton and Sean May might also opt out, with a possibility of Marvin Williams leaving too. Personally I think only 2 out of those 4 will leave, I'm just not sure which combination. Then again I've been wrong before.