There's No Going Back Now

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by Fernando Gallo

After years of waiting and wishing that third baseman Eric Chavez would return, it appears that we’ve come to the end of the road. The San Francisco Chronicle has reported that Chavez is down to his last chance – literally. His back has become such a profound mess that if it goes out one more time, his career is almost certainly over. The linked story mentions a spinal fusion as the surgery Chavez would likely have to endure, but that was later corrected. It is actually a microdiscectomy. From the Chronicle's A's blog:

A microdiscectomy would still leave his spine too unstable to play baseball (he had the same procedure done on an adjacent hernited disk), so he would have to stop playing at that point... he plans to rehab and do therapy to strengthen his back with the aim of playing as long as he can, but the doctors told him the herniation can go at any time.

So there you have it. Chavez’ back has been so fragile that lately it seemed like the slightest movement would put him back on the disabled list: that has now become a reality. Chavez plans to come back as a third baseman, and his back will be a ticking time bomb. If it goes, there will be no more surgeries and no more rehab; just a spinal fusion and one very promising career left unfulfilled.

For baseball fans, this won’t register as much more than a small bleep on the radar. But for A’s fans (like me) this is a very sad day, although I can’t say it’s a major surprise. There was talk last year that Chavez might have to switch to first base to prolong his career, and we’ve come to expect that No. 3 wouldn’t be in the lineup – he’s been on the DL six times in the last three years. But Chavvy was supposed to be the player that was different than all the rest. Not only was he off to a stellar start as a young player, but he also was the one guy the A’s got to keep.

Not so long ago, the A’s were simply the farm team for larger-market clubs. They let Johnny Damon go, got outbid on Jason Giambi, and didn’t even make Miguel Tejada an offer. But when it came time for Chavvy to become a free agent, the A’s finally kept a budding superstar. He got the biggest deal in franchise history at $66 million for 6 years, and a cornerstone of the franchise had been established. In the famed book Moneyball, General Manager Billy Beane compared Chavez’ early numbers to those of more established stars, and proclaimed that he was on pace to be better than them all.

But since 2004, Chavez has spent more time on the bench than on the field. He’s averaged only 107 games a year since signing that big contract, and hasn’t hit 30+ home runs since 2002. The man who was supposed to be the face of the franchise is hardly around enough for new fans to recognize him.

A’s analyst F.P. Santangelo (who isn’t exactly what I’d call a role model, or a player with a great track record) said on San Francisco sports talk station KNBR yesterday that he personally told Chavez to just call it a career. His reasoning? If one more setback is going to call for a major back procedure, it’s time to think about life after baseball. Chavez does have two young children, and, at 31, a long life ahead of him. As much as it pains me to say it, I think Santangelo might be right.

Chavvy gave us A’s fans a lot to cheer about over the last several years, including six consecutive Gold Gloves and some very funny TV commercials, and helped lead the team to its first ALCS appearance in 18 years. I’ll never forget walking into the Coliseum for Game 3 of the 2006 ALDS in the second inning, just as Chavvy belted a home run into right field to give the A’s the lead. The feeling of finally advancing to the second round after years of futility must have been just as euphoric for him as it was for all of us in the stands - but it’s probably now offset by the pain of knowing that’s the farthest he’ll ever go as a pro ballplayer.

“Manny being Manny” to cost Dodgers millions, credibility

By Jordan Guinn

To quote Nelson Muntz: “Ha Ha.”

Manny Ramirez has been suspended for using performance-enhancing drugs and will not be able to rejoin the Los Angeles Dodgers until July 3.


Even though the Dodgers have nearly a double-digit lead in the National League West, Ramirez’s sudden departure should make the division race a little closer. No. 99 will return for the Dodgers in plenty of time for them to still win the division, but I’m most excited about watching Dodger fans still salivate over and make excuses for him, and continue their avid and slobbering fellatio of Ramirez.

The Brett Favre Saga: Here we go again

Oh, old man Favre, what has become of you? Remember when you were the good ole’ boy, who would play the game for free out of pure love? Remember when John Madden would slobber all over you like a St. Bernard whenever you completed a pass to Donald Driver despite double coverage? Remember how you cried when you talked about walking away from football to ride off into the Mississippi sunset aboard your John Deere?

Well, those days seem like a lifetime ago. Because now we know that you’re contemplating your third team in as many years, John Madden has retired and I’m sick and tired of seeing you blubber like a baby on national television. No, old man Favre, now we know that you are a vindictive, egomaniacal athlete just like everybody else. You used to be on the opposite end of the spectrum from guys like Terrell Owens and Alex Rodriguez. And now? T.O. should be offering you PR tips.

A-Rod, A-Rod, A-Rod. You aren’t even trying to make my job difficult, are you?

NOTE: This is the first post by my partner in crime, Jordan Guinn. It is published under my name due to current technical difficulties.- F.G.

Once again, Alex Rodriguez has found himself embroiled in another controversy. Sports Illustrated reporter Selena Roberts has written a book on the troubled Yankee third basemen that will drop on May 4. The book contains allegations that Rodriguez has been juicing since high school, tipped pitches while playing in Texas to opposing players during blowouts in the hopes of receiving the same treatment and was affectionately nicknamed “Bitch Tits” by his fellow Yankee teammates.

Roberts even talks about Rodriguez with the self-proclaimed “Godfather of Steroids,” Jose Canseco. Canseco says he believes Rodriguez was probably doing steroids since high school because Rodriguez was nearly able to bench press the same amount as him when he was 18.

Superman just found his kryptonite: Stu Jackson

Dwight Howard was in the middle of another star-making performance last night (24 points and 24 rebounds – love the symmetry), and then he decided to do something really stupid. Perhaps stupid isn’t the right word. Moronic? Dumbfounding? How about championship-threatening? I concede that the Magic aren’t likely to win a title this year, especially with the dominating way the Lakers and Cavaliers are playing, but the single chicken wing Howard threw out there might cost the Magic the series.

Now I’m all for physical play, and if you want to take a cheap shot (cough, Kobe, cough) there are subtle ways of doing it. But if you’re as blatantly obvious as Howard was, don’t expect to get away with it.



So why will this potentially cost the Magic the series? Because now NBA Executive Vice-president of Basketball Operations Stu Jackson has to suspend Howard. It may have just been an elbow, but Howard threw it hard and Samuel Dalembert was probably seeing stars afterwards. Superman will sit for Game 6, and don’t think the Magic won’t miss him badly. Dalembert may get the last laugh here, because Howard’s backup is Marcin Gortat. “Who?” You ask. Gortat is a first-year player who is averaging 1.2 points and 2.6 rebounds per game in the playoffs while playing 9 minutes a game. Shouldn’t be too much of a drop-off, right?

As a side note, Paul Pierce is ridiculous. Nice to see “The Truth” return to his old form, even though I’m tired of hearing about the Celtics. Most people are mad at Brad Miller for failing twice at the free throw line in overtime, but John Salmons was the one who got smoked by Pierce over and over again at the end of the game. There’s my former Kings’ players making me proud!

UPDATE: Dwight Howard has indeed been suspended for Game 6. Game 7 in Orlando should be an interesting one.

Why Al Davis? Why do you hate me?

It is with a heavy heart that I write this first blog post. I want to express my displeasure with the Oakland Raiders and the Cryptkeeper, er, Al Davis, but it is just so hard to find words that are strong enough.

Seriously? Another speedster? Another defensive back? Sigh...

In case you haven't figured it out yet, I'm talking about the NFL draft, and Davis' inexplicable and moronic moves. If there was ever any doubt on who's calling the shots in Oakland, it's been cemented now. Crazy old man Davis is sitting in his office watching tape from the 80s, cackling as he dreams of the days of Willie Brown and Fred Biletnikoff.

First there was the selection of Darrius Heyward-Bey with the seventh overall pick. Sure he's big (6'3") and yeah, he's fast (4.2 40-yard dash). But he would have been just as big and fast at the No. 20 pick! The Raiders could have traded down and gotten some extra draft picks, and still drafted Heyward-Bey. Plus, he would have been a lot cheaper then, too. Based on last year's contracts, the Raiders could have saved about $35 million dollars.

And let's not forget who was available at No. 7: a receiver by the name of Michael Crabtree. Perhaps you've heard of him and his playmaking abilities? I gave myself a concussion with how hard I smacked my forehead on Saturday.

This is a classic Davis pick. It's sad that all those Raider-haters on the networks can snicker and say the pick was because of Davis' obsession with speed - and they're right. And now Crabtree will wear red and gold across the bay, and his numerous Pro Bowl selections will taunt us for years to come. Heyward-Bey might turn out to be a great player, but I am worried about a guy who never caught more than 51 passes or 5 touchdowns in a season.

Then the Raiders pick a guy in the second round who was being projected as a Day 2 pick (hell, maybe even an undrafted free agent). Michael Mitchell might be talented, but why waste a second round choice on him? It came out on Sunday that the Bears were ready to take Mitchell with the No. 49 pick, just two picks after the Raiders selected him. NFL Network draft expert Mike Mayock said Mitchell had seen his stock rise late, but the Raiders have drafted defensive backs in the first two rounds in eight of the last nine years. Mix in an offensive tackle now and then, will you?

NFL experts on ESPN and NFL Network love to ramble on about the ineptitude of the Raiders, and they take pleasure in ripping my beloved Raider Nation to shreds. This has made me angry for years, and the East Coast bias thing on ESPN especially gets old, but I have no defense anymore. It hurts me to type this, but the Raiders deserve to be the laughingstock of the league right now. And the main reason for this? You guessed it - Al Davis.

In his day, Davis was a badass who was a perfect fit for the Raiders. He hated the NFL and it hated him right back, but the term Commitment to Excellence actually meant something and people feared the Silver and Black. Now, the game has passed you by, Mr. Davis. And the Raider faithful have to sit here and watch as you pick speed and flash over substance. Former head coach Jon Gruden said on NFL Network Sunday that Al Davis, "could care less what any of us think." Unfortunately, Chucky, I think you're right.

John Madden, please return home and buy this team before its too late. And if anyone out there can run a 4.3 40-yard dash, please report to Raiders training camp this summer. Al Davis might want to offer you a contract.