Yankees Lack of Class Causes Bench Clear

I've had a few days now to think about this whole Yankee vs. Rays bench clear incident and have come to a few conclusions.

First, Joe Girardi was quoted after the game in which the Rays Elliot Johnson ran over Yankees catcher Francisco Cervelli at the plate and breaking Cervelli’s wrist as saying:

"I'm all for playing hard, but spring training is not the time to do it"

Well I guess Joe Girardi doesn't think it's the time to play hard (which to me says a lot about Joe), but for young guys like Cervelli and Johnson it is exactly that time. What other opportunity do these guys have to showcase their hustle and performance at a major league level? These guys are fighting for an opportunity to not only make the pros, but to make a Big League income. Francisco Cervelli blocked the plate for the same reason that Elliot Johnson knocked him on his ass. To show the guys in charge that they are the type of players who play hard all the time. Can you imagine what the talk would have been if Johnson had just slowed up at the plate and allowed himself to be tagged out? Everyone would have said he had no heart and that he was afraid of being physical. What do you think his odds of making the major league roster would have been then? The fact is the play at the plate was a clean play.

This brings me to my second point. The Yankees showed once again why they have continued to fall from grace. They are no longer a class organization. You throw at a guy during spring training in retaliation for a clean play? I expect that from a perennial loser, not a team like the Yankees. You then follow that up with Shelley Duncan trying to drive his spikes into the thighs (or groin) of Iwamura. Duncan explained the slide like this:

"I made a hard slide into Iwamura's glove. When I'm out there playing, I like to play hard. In my head, I wasn't thinking about a message. They see me playing hard every day."

"To me, there's no malicious intent at all. I just felt I'm doing what I'm supposed to do. I play the game one way. I'll never stop playing the game that way."

Well, that's the same way Elliot Johnson was playing when he smashed into Francisco Cervelli and Girardi took offense to it. Girardi has to make up his mind. Either playing hard in spring training is good or bad. If it's not the way he wants to see teams play in the spring then he should be coming out and saying that Duncan's slide was inappropriate. If it is the way he wants to see teams play then he started this whole mess for nothing because he would understand that Johnson was just playing the game hard like Shelley Duncan said of himself.

The Yankees wanted new leadership and they got it in Girardi. So far I don't think even Yankee fans are impressed. The manager sets the tone for the team and so far the tone set by Girardi does not seem to be a good one. Just more whining and complaining which seems to be the new Yankee tradition.

With all the talk of this brawl it now has me thinking. What would you consider the top 5 greatest fights in Red Sox history? Over the next five days I will share my picks. I look forward to your feedback and opinions.

Beckett Not Headed to Tokyo (and probably happy about it)

Looks like all the big news in Red Sox Nation the last few days is about Josh Beckett and his back problems. With all the speculation from the media about whether or not he will make the trip to Japan for his scheduled start on March 24th I think that they have missed the bigger picture. What is that bigger picture you ask? I'll tell you: Who cares? It's game number 1. It's a trip he probably doesn't want to make anyway, and I would rather have him sitting at home watching the game if there is any doubt about his physical condition. It must be a real slow week in Boston sports for this to be getting so much press.

In other news, it looks like Johnny Damon is continuing to fall apart. After fouling a pitch off of his right foot he was taken to a local hospital for x-rays. The x-rays were negative but it's nice to see him hobbling around already. I personally look forward to his continued deterioration throughout the season.

Should the Feds Stop Investigating Roger Clemens?

I am so smart. Look at them, they believe every word I say.

Last week a Democratic Congressman from New York by the name of Anthony Weiner asked the FBI to stop the investigation into whether or not Roger Clemens committed perjury. Weiner was quoted as saying:

"Roger Clemens has been shamed. I think the public record is replete with examples of how he did not likely tell the truth. What is the public benefit of continuing with an FBI investigation?"

In a letter to the U.S. Attorney General Weiner went on to say this:

"Whether or not Roger Clemens may have committed perjury should not compete with real national security threats for the FBI's time, attention and resources."

This has me completely torn. Ever since the government starting messing with Barry Bonds I have been one of those people who thought it was a major waste of time and money to carry out an investigation into steroid use in baseball. Would you want the government coming in and drug testing at your job?

But here's the thing. They already wasted time, money, and resources. They have already opened up Pandora's box. What kind of message will it send to the American people if they just decide to drop the investigation? Weiner has pretty much shared his opinion on Roger Clemens' testimony already and that seems to be that Clemens is guilty. Has he been shamed? Sure he has, but Marion Jones was shamed and where is she now? Has Barry Bonds been adequately shamed? If so, I guess they have to drop that investigation too. Where does it end? Is shame the new prison sentence for perjury?

The fact is this; the government has already got involved with something that they shouldn't have. Maybe dropping the investigation is even the right thing to do. Here's the thing though, to people like you and I all this looks like is another example of a rich guy being given a get out of jail free card just because he can afford it.

To you, the reader, I ask this: If they decide not to go forward with the investigation will you see it as a compassionate decision or will you see it as a slap in the face to the rest of us who are held accountable by law for our actions? Lastly, if they do choose to drop the investigation, what do they do about Barry Bonds? Seems that this would have to be a package deal wouldn't it? Let me know your thoughts on this one.