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We will remember all around Major League Baseball on Monday, as surely as U.S. flags perched on the fronts of homes and poles from sea to shining sea. There will be tributes to the men and women who gave their lives to defend a nation's freedom. There will be a symbolic show of support for the military members who returned, to those who serve now, and to military families.

We will remember at Dodger Stadium in the form of 50 Wounded Warriors entering from center field, after Gen. Martin Dempsey, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, greets that crowd on the scoreboard with a message from Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan. We will remember in the form of a "mass first pitch" at Miller Park in Milwaukee, where more than 40 active members of the military, veterans and military dependants get a Twins-Brewers game started.

MLB will commemorate the occasion in grand style, at all 15 home ballparks. Teams and fans will pause to participate in a national moment of remembrance at exactly 3 p.m. ET, punctuating about half of the day's full docket of games, or in moments of silence at later games. Giant flags will unfurl. Players will wear special digital-camouflage jerseys and caps licensed by the U.S. Marine Corps, raising awareness and funds for Welcome Back Veterans.

The Memorial Day effort is part of MLB's ongoing recognition of veterans, active military and military families. MLB has committed $23 million to Welcome Back Veterans since 2008. And on a typical club level, the attention placed on military veterans is merely a continuation of an ongoing theme, with recognition happening year-round.

"Major League Baseball considers it both a privilege and a responsibility to honor and assist our troops in any way we can," Commissioner Bud Selig said. "We are proud to support this initiative, and we ask our fans to join us on Memorial Day and beyond in this effort to raise awareness and funds for this important cause."

At the Pirates-Tigers game in Detroit, members of the Armed Forces will be honored on the field for their service prior to the National Anthem. David Van Allen of the Disabled American Veterans will throw out a ceremonial first pitch to represent veterans, and Col. David Brooks from Selfridge Air National Guard Base will do the same in honor of active service members. All service members and veterans in the on-field ceremony will receive a patriotic Tigers T-shirt. The Tigers are donating 1,500 tickets to local members and veterans of the Armed Forces to attend the game with their families.

In Cincinnati, where the Reds play Cleveland in an in-state rivalry, the hosts will honor members of the Tuskegee Airmen and welcome Lincoln Ware as an Honorary Captain. Ware is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and currently works as a local radio host. U.S. Navy Second Class Petty Officer Nicholas Gagner is set to sing the anthem, and the ceremonial first pitch will be thrown out by U.S. Marine Gunnery Sgt. Samuel Deeds, who was injured by an improvised explosive device while serving in Iraq in 2005. The pregame festivities will be capped off by retired Lt. Col. Robert R. Adams, who will deliver the official game ball to the mound.

In Washington, the Nationals host the Orioles in the second game of what they call the "Patriotic Series." Military dignitaries will be in attendance, and the first 20,000 fans to enter Nationals Park through the center-field gate will receive mini American flags, presented by SAIC. In addition, SAIC will donate more than 500 tickets to members of the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS) and their loved ones. TAPS personnel will be involved in pregame ceremonies, as well.

The White Sox celebration and honoring of Memorial Day actually started Sunday with a pregame parade featuring military members and their friends and family. The ceremonial first pitch was thrown by Army paratrooper Staff Sgt. Al Mampre to Chris Sale. Mampre was one of the original members of the Heroic 101st Airborne Company that later became the subject of the book and television series, Band of Brothers, and received two Purple Hearts and a Bronze Star during his service in World War II. Eight servicemen were honored on the field, with the White Sox starters signing autographs for each individual at their respective positions. Before Monday's game, Challenger the bald eagle will fly across the pitcher's mound during the National Anthem, and there will be ceremonial first pitches by five members of the U.S. armed forces.

The I-70 Series between the Cardinals and Royals in Kansas City will be preceded by the annual Armed Forces Day presented by Budweiser, featuring a special pregame ceremony honoring the men and women who serve our country. Members of the military will also be honored throughout the game through the Buck O'Neil Legacy Seat and Our Heroes program, as well as other special in-game features. The first 20,000 fans will receive miniature American flags, courtesy of the National World War I Museum at Liberty Memorial.

At the Twins-Brewers matchup at Miller Park, a "mass first pitch" will bring a mix of more than 40 active members of the military, veterans and military dependants to the field to toss out ceremonial first pitches to Minnesota and Milwaukee players prior to the game. Color Guards from the Army Navy, Marines and Air Force will also participate in the pregame ceremonies on the field, and the National Anthem will be performed by Staff Sgt. Korin Saal. Several thousand tickets have been provided by the Brewers to USO-Wisconsin and Veterans Administration groups so active and retired members of the military can enjoy the game with their families. In addition, proceeds from Monday's Brewers Community Foundation 50/50 Raffle will be donated to the USO-Wisconsin.

In Boston, where a four-game series opens against the Phillies, the Red Sox will recognize several Gold Star wives. The Color Guard will be performed by the West Roxbury VFW Post 2902. Th

Jon Niese's last start began dreadfully, but he battled through early trouble and gave the Mets a chance to win. On Monday, his night started out brilliantly but morphed into another battle, and he ended up keeping New York in perfect position once again.

At this point, that's all the Mets can ask for.

"He got us to where we needed to get," manager Terry Collins said. "He didn't let the game get out of control, and allowed us to at least have a chance to tie it."

In a 2-1 win over the Yankees at Citi Field, Niese went seven innings, giving up only one run on eight hits. He struck out four batters and walked one. Three of his strikeouts, though, came in the first inning. Niese's night didn't remain quite as easy.

Still, he managed to make the right pitches at the right time and continuously worked out of trouble.

In the second inning, Niese gave up back-to-back singles to David Adams and Ichiro Suzuki, then walked Lyle Overbay to load the bases with one out. But Niese promptly got Chris Stewart to ground into a 5-4-3 double play to end the inning.

Then in the sixth, he gave up a leadoff triple to Brett Gardner and allowed an RBI single to Jayson Nix. Limiting further damage, he got Robinson Cano to ground into a 4-6-3 double play, and after giving up a single to Vernon Wells, Niese got Adams to fly out to right field to end the inning.

"We just stayed aggressive," Niese said. "I think we worked fastballs in and off the plate, and just getting ground balls and having the defense make the plays."

Mets catcher John Buck said he really only needed to call for three of Niese's pitches all night long. Buck said Niese's command of his four-seam fastball, two-seam fastball and cutter was so good that he rarely had to call for a curveball or changeup.

"I didn't really need to even go into his other stuff because he was so efficient with those pitches," Buck said.

For Collins, Niese's last start was especially significant. After a three-run first inning against the Reds last Tuesday, Niese settled down and pitched five more innings without giving up another run.

After giving up a combined 15 runs in two straight starts in early May, Niese hasn't given up more than three runs in any of his last three starts. He has a 1.33 ERA in that span.

"After the other day when he fought back from that bad inning, and kept us in the game for [six] innings, that's the Jon Niese we know," Collins said. "And today, he gave up some hits, but he hung in there and got outs when he had to."

Niese said he made a mechanical adjustment where he's focused on keeping his arm angle up, subsequently staying behind the baseball. As a result, each bullpen session and start have been better and better.

It hasn't necessarily been easy for Niese, but as long he continues to win the battles, the Mets should be in good position on days when he's on the mound.

"Obviously, there's a lot more confidence," Niese said. "It feels pretty good right now."



Jon Niese's solid start keeps Mets within striking distance | MLB-com: News

The baserunning blunder doesn't hurt as badly for the Mets after their emotional 2-1 win over the Yankees on Tuesday, but it certainly stung at the time.

With two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning and the Mets down, 1-0, Yankees pitcher Hiroki Kuroda picked off Mets shortstop Ruben Tejada at second base. Second-base umpire Adrian Johnson first signaled that Tejada was safe, but then quickly changed his call to out.

Manager Terry Collins immediately came out of the dugout to contest the call and was extremely animated during the argument. Johnson ejected Collins from the game.

Collins said his problem with the call was that Johnson changed his mind so quickly without asking for help from another umpire.

"That was my complaint," Collins said. "What I saw and what I had to say was, 'I don't know if I've seen a call changed without help.'"

After continuing to argue with Johnson, Collins walked off the field and kicked the first-base bag on his way back to the dugout. It was the second time Collins has been ejected this season, with the first coming just over a week ago during the Mets' game against the Reds on May 20.

Even though the Mets ended up rallying in the bottom of the ninth inning against Mariano Rivera, Tejada getting picked off allowed an opportunity to get away for an offense that's struggling to score. Tejada was only the second Mets baserunner to reach second base since the first inning.

"It's tough, I have to make sure I stay safe there," Tejada said. "That's past, that's history, I have to learn about that and keep going."

Collins said he didn't go out to argue looking to get tossed out of the game. But in a big game in a big series, watching an umpire change a call so quickly infuriated him.

"To change a call in a game like this is huge. It's a huge play," Collins said. "This is a big game for us. This is a big series for us to try and get going in the right direction. I got a little frustrated with the whole thing."

Especially with Tejada.

Collins was adamant that he can't get picked off in that situation. If Johnson hadn't changed the call like he did, Collins' frustration wouldn't have been aimed at the umpire.

"Had they called him out right away," Collins said, "I would've been just as unhappy, just with someone different."



Terry Collins ejected for arguing Ruben Tejada pickoff call | MLB-com: News

Hanley Ramirez will begin a Minor League rehab assignment with Class A Rancho Cucamonga on Friday, the Dodgers' injured shortstop announced on Twitter.

Ramirez, on the disabled list due to a strained left hamstring, will join the Quakes on Friday for the second game of a four-game series at Bakersfield.

Ramirez hoped to begin his rehab on Thursday, but the Dodgers pushed it back to Friday following his workout at Angel Stadium on Wednesday, though the club said he did not suffer a setback.

Ramirez tweeted: "All is well, but I'll be in Bakersfield on Friday. We decided to push it back one more day #dodgerblue #cantwait."

Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said Ramirez needs to play around four rehab games, which would put him on track to be activated during a three-game series against the Padres at Dodger Stadium that begins on Monday.

"I've got to test [the hamstring] out and see how it feels," Ramirez said Wednesday before the Dodgers' game against the Angels.

Ramirez has played just four games with the Dodgers this season. He began the season on the disabled list, recovering from surgery on his right thumb he underwent to treat a torn ligament sustained while playing for the Dominican Republic during the World Baseball Classic in March. Ramirez returned earlier than projected on April 29, only to strain his hamstring running from first to third base on May 3 in San Francisco.

"I'm just really happy to be in L.A.," said Ramirez, acquired in a trade with the Marlins last July. "I've just got to stay healthy and I think I can do a lot of things for this team."



Dodgers' Hanley Ramirez to begin rehab assignment Friday | MLB-com: News

Alex Colome became the latest homegrown Tampa Bay Rays pitcher to make an impression.

Matt Joyce and James Loney homered to support Colome in his major league debut Thursday night and helped send the Tampa Bay Rays to a 5-2 victory over the Miami Marlins, who lost their ninth straight.

Colome (1-0) allowed an unearned run and five hits in 5 2-3 innings. He walked two and struck out seven as the Rays won their fifth straight.

Tampa Bay has used a homegrown starting pitcher -- a pitcher it drafted or signed internationally by the Rays -- for 363 of the last 380 games dating back to Oct. 1, 2010.

Colome, 24, is the nephew of former Rays reliever Jesus Colome. He was signed out of the Dominican Republic in 2007 and Wednesday became the first product of the Rays' Dominican academy to reach the majors.

"I've waited a long time for this, and I feel very happy," Colome said.

Fernando Rodney pitched a scoreless ninth for his 11th save in 16 opportunities.

Ricky Nolasco (3-6) gave up three runs and four hits in 6 2-3 innings. He walked four and struck out five. The Marlins have dropped 16 of 18.

Ben Zobrist had a two-run double off Mike Dunn in the ninth to build a 5-2 Tampa Bay lead.

The Rays went ahead 3-1 in the seventh when Loney led off with his fifth homer.

Joyce 's two-run homer in the sixth gave Tampa Bay a 2-1 lead. It was Joyce's ninth homer and followed a one-out walk to Zobrist.

The Marlins scored a run in the first on Jose Molina's passed ball with the bases loaded. Colome escaped further damage by retiring Greg Dobbs on a groundout for the final out with runners on second and third.

"I was most impressed with his ability to stay calm throughout the whole thing, but his stuff is a little bit overwhelming. It's really good," Rays manager Joe Maddon said.

Ahead 1-0 in the fifth, Miami put runners in first and third with one out. Colome then got Placido Polanco to hit into an inning-ending double play.

"It saved my life," he said of the double play.

Miami scored an unearned run in the eighth, after Loney's error on Dobbs' grounder loaded the bases with two outs. Josh Lueke walked pinch-hitter Miguel Olivo to force home Polanco, then struck out Rob Brantly to end the inning.

Miami's 31-year-old infielder Ed Lucas made his major league debut when he entered to play shortstop to begin the ninth. Lucas spent nearly 10 years in the minors.

"It was pretty amazing," Lucas said. "It was especially exciting because it was a critical part of the game for a while. But it was a dream come true."

Tampa Bay improved to 9-1 in interleague play, while the Marlins fell to 1-8.

Miami rookie Marcell Ozuna singled in the first inning to extend his hitting streak to 15 games.

NOTES: Miami was expected to announce after the game RHP Jacob Turner would be called up from Triple-A New Orleans to start Friday night's game against RHP Shaun Marcum (0-5, 5.77) and the New York Mets. ... Rays LHP Matt Moore (8-0, 2.21) will oppose Cleveland Indians RHP Corey Kluber (3-3, 4.57) on Friday night. ... Marlins OF Giancarlo Stanton (strained hamstring) will back off his rehab due to sore knees, manager Mike Redmond said. ... Rays manager Joe Maddon said RHP Alex Cobb (cut on middle finger) would start Tuesday if, "he says he he's well." The Rays were expected to make a postgame roster move before announcing a starter for Saturday. RHP Jeremy Hellickson will start Sunday. ... Maddon was asked how important next week's draft was for the team. "Our version of free agency," he said.




Rays support Colome to beat Marlins in MLB debut

Stephen Strasburg felt pain from his first pitch through his 37th as he faced the Braves on Friday night at Turner Field, but he didn't think it was anything out of the ordinary.

As it turns out, it's quite out of the ordinary. Strasburg has a strained right oblique and will fly back to Washington to have it examined by the team's medical director, Dr. Wiemi Douoguih.

"It's something that's been nagging a little bit the last few starts, and I've been pitching really well, so I didn't really think about it too much," said Strasburg, who went just two innings -- the shortest start of his career -- before being removed. "There's a lot of times you go out there and you don't feel 100 percent. You've got to go out there and gut through it."

Strasburg gutted through it over those two innings, allowing only one run, on a Freddie Freeman homer, and two hits while striking out two, and throwing 23 of his 37 pitches for strikes. He had convinced himself he was ready to go out for the third inning.

"It was more so after I threw. I think that was kind of affecting the way I was finishing everything," he said in explaining when he felt the pain. "It's kind of hard when you know what you're going to feel after you throw the pitch. You just kind of go out there and try and trick your mind into thinking that it's not going to happen."

Tricking his open mind was easier than tricking the made-up mind of his manager, Davey Johnson, who had already talked with trainer Lee Kuntz.

"Any time you have something, you worry about putting more stress on your arm," said Johnson. "He's a gamer. He wanted to continue, but I saw him wincing every throw he made. Even [catcher Kurt] Suzuki gave the sign, 'It's not real good.' I'm not going to take a chance with his arm. That's the main concern. His side will heal, but when you try to do too much with your hose out there, it's dangerous. So he was not going to continue."

Strasburg had pitched into the sixth inning in all but one of his 11 starts this season -- he went five in the other -- and had been on a roll heading into this one, going 2-1 with a 0.96 ERA over his last four appearances.

He'll now anxiously await the results of the tests and see how much time, if any, he'll miss.

"The biggest thing is figuring out what's going on and getting to the root of the problem -- fix it and get back out there," Strasburg said. "It seemed like it starts to nag me just a little bit more and more as time goes on, so I don't want it to get too worse where I'll be on the shelf for an extended period of time."



Strained right oblique ends Stephen Strasburg's night early | MLB-com: News

Teams began staking claim to the hot seat in each regional in the NCAA Baseball Tournament on Saturday, winning their first two games to put themselves in position to advance to the Super Regionals with a victory on Sunday.

No. 1 North Carolina won again, Florida State registered its second big victory in its home Tallahassee Regional, and Indiana, Louisville, LSU, Kansas State, Mississippi State, North Carolina State, Oregon State, UCLA, Vanderbilt and Virginia did the same in their home regionals. The only non-top seeds to step into the driver's seat at their respective sites were Oklahoma and Rice.

Each will await the winner of the other two teams remaining after Saturday's action for the right to advance through the double-elimination regional to the next round, which will consist of a best-of-three series.

In early games Saturday, teams that lost their openers either advanced to Sunday's play or were eliminated.

In the Los Angeles Regional, one of the teams with several players projected to be selected in the First-Year Player Draft next week lived to fight another day. Third baseman Kris Bryant, No. 3 on MLB-com's Top 100 Prospects list, went 1-for-3 as San Diego stayed alive with a 6-3 victory over crosstown rival San Diego State. Right-hander Dylan Covey (No. 68) earned the victory for the Toreros, who will face Cal Poly in an elimination game Sunday, with the winner taking on UCLA that evening.

Virginia Tech, the top seed in the Blacksburg Regional, bounced back with a 9-1 victory over Coastal Carolina. Shortstop Chad Pinder (No. 49) contributed to the barrage by going 2-for-5 with a home run and two RBIs. The Hokies now must get through Connecticut before dealing with the Sooners, who beat the Huskies 5-3 on Saturday behind 5 2/3 solid innings from lefty Dillon Overton (No. 71).

Pinder wasn't the only prospect to help his team live to fight another day. Arkansas' Ryne Stanek (No. 12), Mississippi's Bobby Wahl (No. 30) and Georgia Tech's Buck Farmer (No. 100) all pitched their teams to season-preserving victories to stay afloat in the losers bracket.

In perhaps the wildest game of the day, No. 4 seed Columbia did the Ivy League proud, scoring five runs in the eighth inning to tie No. 3 New Mexico and eventually winning 6-5 on Nick Crucet's 13th-inning RBI single. Lobos first baseman D.J. Peterson (No. 11) went 2-for-6 with a double and an RBI, but it wasn't enough to prevent elimination at the Fullerton Regional.

Rice also pulled off the upset over host Oregon at the Eugene Regional, scoring a run in the first inning, then holding on for a 1-0 win behind Jordan Stephens' 11-strikeout shutout. The Ducks will face San Francisco on Sunday afternoon, looking to advance to a rematch with the Owls.

For North Carolina, left-hander Kent Emanuel (No. 69) pitched 7 2/3 innings to get the victory in an 8-5 win over Towson, allowing five earned runs on nine hits while striking out eight. Third baseman Colin Moran (No. 6) went 1-for-4, and senior first baseman Cody Stubbs hit his ninth homer of the year.

In other action involving top Draft prospects, right fielder Hunter Renfroe (No. 28) drove in a run in Mississippi State's 6-2 win over South Alabama, second baseman JaCoby Jones (No. 63) walked twice and score a run as LSU earned an 8-5 win over Sam Houston State, and center fielder Jared King (No. 74) doubled and knocked in two for Kansas State in a 7-1 win over Bryant.



No. 1 North Carolina wins again in regionals | MLB-com: News

The Phillies received a quality start from Tyler Cloyd, but did not back him with enough runs in a 4-3 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers on Saturday afternoon. The Phils will try to avoid a series sweep when Cliff Lee takes the mound on Sunday. He will be opposed by Brewers right-hander Mike Fiers.

Here are a few other games to keep an eye on:

Red Sox at Yankees, 8:05 p.m.
The Boston Red Sox are trying to create some breathing room atop the AL East, and getting Clay Buchholz back could help them do that.

Buchholz returns from a brief injury absence looking to become the first Red Sox starter to go 8-0 in five years Sunday night in the conclusion of this three-game set with the slumping New York Yankees.

Boston (34-23) regained a two-game lead in the East with an 11-1 victory Saturday after falling 4-1 in the series opener a day earlier.

Sending Buchholz (7-0, 1.73 ERA), owner of the AL's lowest ERA, to the mound should improve the team's chances of winning its second consecutive series at Yankee Stadium.

The right-hander is also trying to become the first Red Sox starter to win his first eight decisions in a season since Daisuke Matsuzaka in 2008.

Buchholz missed his latest attempt at his eighth victory Monday, when he was scratched from his scheduled start with irritation in his collarbone area. The layoff seems to have helped.

Dodgers at Rockies, 4:10 p.m.
Injuries continue to mount for the Los Angeles Dodgers, and that includes Hyun-Jin Ryu.

Carl Crawford's status is also a question mark.

While Crawford likely will be out, Ryu will try to overcome a foot injury and build on his best performance yet for the Dodgers against the Colorado Rockies in the finale of this three-game set Sunday.

Last-place Los Angeles (23-31) has a disabled list that includes most of its top players, including Matt Kemp, Hanley Ramirez, Josh Beckett and Chad Billingsley.

It's unclear if Crawford will join them after suffering a left hamstring cramp while legging out his second double in two at-bats during Saturday's 7-6, 10-inning loss to Colorado (29-27). He has a .340 average in 12 meetings with the Rockies. Nationals at Braves, 1:35 p.m.
If the Washington Nationals are to remain within striking distance of the first-place Atlanta Braves in the NL East, they'll need to do so without one or maybe two of their talented young stars for the time being.

With the reality of injuries to Bryce Harper and Stephen Strasburg casting a shadow over the club, the visiting Nationals hope to bounce back from a rough loss to the Braves on Sunday.

Washington (28-28) dropped four of six this week while Harper sat with bursitis in his left knee. The Nationals placed the outfielder on the disabled list Saturday, hours before they fell 2-1 in 10 innings at Atlanta (33-22).

Harper is batting .287 with 12 homers and 23 RBIs in 44 games.




Tonight in MLB: Buchholz returns vs. Yankees | Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia

Reports that University of Oklahoma's Jonathan Gray, the potential No. 1 overall pick in Thursday's First-Year Player Draft, tested positive for the drug Adderall were confirmed to MLB-com by a Major League team source.

MLB-com also learned fellow college right-hander Aaron Blair, a junior from Marshall University, and No. 38 on MLB-com's Top 100 Draft Prospects list, tested positive for the same drug. Adderall is generally prescribed for those with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). It is a banned substance according to Major League Baseball and a player needs a prescription for it or face suspension for a positive test. While neither Gray nor Blair have a prescription for the drug, they cannot be suspended by Major League Baseball, but they will have to take follow-up tests as professionals. Major League Baseball tests all Top 200 Draft prospects prior to the Draft.

"I've heard different things over the years," said one scouting director. "I've heard kids take it for exam week. This is not the first time it's occurred."

It's become a growing trend on college campuses for students to take prescription medications like Adderall to get through final exams. Whether that's the case with Gray and Blair is unknown. Gray did not respond to messages, and Blair was not immediately available for comment.

The news didn't seem to disturb scouts reached by MLB-com, with the general consensus being that neither player's Draft status will be hurt. The general sentiment was that there would be more of a problem if a player had tested positive for a steroid or a drug of abuse.

"I don't think that will affect much of anything," the scouting director said. "There are a whole lot of guys in the big leagues who have a prescription for that."




Draft prospect Gray tests positive for Adderall | MLB-com: News

For months, Major League Baseball has been seeking evidence that would allow suspensions for players linked to the Biogenesis clinic in South Florida. For months, MLB has been somewhat optimistic that it would uncover enough evidence.

And for months, it has been widely reported that Ryan Braun and Alex Rodriguez were MLB's top two targets. So what changed Tuesday night with the news -- first reported by ESPN, later confirmed by Jon Heyman of CBSSports-com -- that Tony Bosch has agreed to cooperate with the MLB investigation?

Potentially quite a bit, because Bosch could provide names and documents, and presumably could help tie it all together. It could well turn out that this was the big break that the MLB investigators needed, and could help build a case that can hold up in front of an arbitrator.

As of now, though, it's believed that MLB has not yet interviewed or acquired evidence from Bosch, leaving open the possibility that he could change his mind or that his information won't be as useful as expected. And while we know that MLB was "encouraged" by the investigation, even before getting Bosch to agree to cooperate, it will still be up to the investigators to build a case that can hold up in front of an arbitrator. It will be helpful if they can get others who can independently corroborate anything Bosch tells them. As a result, it is not believed that MLB is close to announcing any suspensions.

So what does it all mean, and what could it mean for A-Rod, Braun, their teams, any other players or teams with Biogenesis ties, and to baseball itself?

-- While no suspensions have yet been announced, and while it's not believed that any are yet close to being announced, MLB is proving that it is serious. Some will continue to look at any steroid revelations as a black eye for the sport, but at this point MLB is serious about cracking down. No matter how many suspensions we end up with, MLB clearly intends to crack down on players it believes have cheated.

-- A-Rod will get the most attention, but as Heyman wrote Tuesday afternoon, it's not even clear whether he'll ever be healthy enough to play again. And while a drug suspension would further damage his reputation, that reputation has already taken so many hits that it will be hard to do it much more damage.

-- Braun's reputation seems to have recovered quite a bit since the spring of 2012, when he successfully overturned a suspension for a positive drug test. While some fans have never forgiven him, enough have that he was among the top vote-getters in All-Star balloting announced Tuesday. If MLB is able to make a Biogenesis suspension stick, Braun would take a huge public hit. -- A-Rod has yet to play this season, and there's no guarantee that he will, and less guarantee that he'll play well. Braun has played well, but his Brewers are already far out of the pennant race. But other suspensions, if they were to come soon enough, could impact the races in a major way. Bartolo Colon of the A's, Nelson Cruz of the Rangers, Jhonny Peralta of the Tigers and Gio Gonzalez of the Nationals have all been tied in some way to Biogenesis, although Colon has already served a suspension (for testing positive last year) and there have been multiple reports suggesting that Gonzalez is at somewhat less risk than other players.

-- Whether or not baseball is able to make any suspensions stick, players involved are not thought to be in any danger of having their contracts voided. The drug program, agreed to by MLB and the players union, provides that all punishment for drug offenses can only come through the program, and that individual teams are not permitted to take any further action.




Bosch will cooperate with MLB, but what will it mean? - CBSSports-com

This is what most baseball fans have been waiting for, Major League Baseball to send a message that, quite simply, enough is enough.

Enough with the cheating. Enough with ballplayers finding ways to beat the drug-testing system. Enough with their never-ending search for a chemical advantage.

Indeed, what really gets your attention here isn’t so much that MLB is seeking player suspensions relating to the Biogenesis Clinic, but that Bud Selig is going for the throat on this one, looking to suspend Alex Rodriguez and Ryan Braun 100 games each.

You think that won’t get the attention of players everywhere?

First things first: The Yankees probably will be happy if this means A-Rod is done for the season — although it remains to be seen if a suspension affects the insurance money the ballclub could receive if he simply couldn’t play because of his hip surgery.

But they are surely happier because, according to a Yankee source, there has been no indication from MLB that Robinson Cano is in danger of being suspended.

Weeks ago the name of the spokeswoman for Cano’s foundation reportedly turned up on the Biogenesis lists, and even though the Yankee second baseman said it had nothing to do with him, apparently there is no reason to believe that Anthony Bosch, the director of the clinic, has told MLB otherwise.

In any case, Bosch is the crux of the matter now. Apparently he has agreed to testify that he did supply players with PEDs, as was first alleged in the story by the Miami New Times in February.

At this point, neither the Yankees nor their fans care much if A-Rod ever plays again. The Yankees just wish a suspension would improve their chances of voiding the remaining five years and $114 million on his contract, but an MLB person said weeks ago that wouldn’t be the case.

For the moment, the story is MLB making it clear just how hard it is going after a couple of the game’s superstars.

But maybe MLB won’t be able to make 100 games stick. Technically, it would be a first offense for each of them, which would mean a 50-game suspension, but MLB apparently believes it has cause to add a second offense, based on A-Rod and Braun potentially lying to investigators about their involvement with steroids.

It sounds reasonable enough, but you know the Players’ Association will file a grievance, and each case could well end up being decided by an arbitrator.

Still, it’s exactly the right message to send to everyone - players, ballclubs and the fans - after it has become clear that 50-game suspensions weren’t enough of a deterrent for determined cheaters.

Melky Cabrera, for example, cashed in for $16 million last winter from the Blue Jays after being suspended for a positive drug test, ultimately benefiting from the testosterone-aided numbers he put up with the Giants in 2012.

So the time is right for something bigger, something that feels like the chasers have finally caught up to the cheats, after all the years of watching Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens and others mostly avoid punishment for lying about using steroids.

In A-Rod’s case, it appears he will finally pay a price for seemingly untold years of using performance-enhancing drugs. When he was outed as a steroid users in 2009, A-Rod admitted to using in 2001-03, but there seems to be plenty of evidence now that he may well have been using some form of PEDs throughout his time with the Yankees as well.

And then there is everything else A-Rod has done over the years to make himself look self-absorbed, from soliciting women’s phone numbers from the dugout during the playoffs to kissing himself in a mirror for a magazine photo shoot.

It was only the last few days, in fact, that GM Brian Cashman and then owner Hal Steinbrenner made critical comments of A-Rod that now may make people wonder if they knew this was coming.

As for Braun, it’s quite a different scenario. At age 29, he is the Brewers’ best player, the NL MVP in 2011 and is having another strong season in 2013.

Neither does he have A-Rod’s history of image problems, but he did his image significant damage in the manner in which he escaped punishment for a positive drug test two years ago.

Essentially he got off because a Fed Ex delivery man didn’t deliver a collected urine sample of Braun’s in timely fashion, even though there was no evidence of contamination.

As a result, suspicion of Braun as a user has remained, and so now it appears MLB believes it has the evidence to nail him and, along with A-Rod, nail him hard.

It’s about time.

Read more: Robinson Cano in no danger of being suspended by MLB in Biogenesis probe - NY Daily News

Major League Baseball might have the star witness it covets in its drug probe, but lawyers and baseball officials cautioned Wednesday that the league was far from attaining the punishment and suspensions its officials desired. Tony Bosch, director of the defunct Biogenesis wellness clinic that allegedly provided performance-enhancing drugs to as many as 90 major league and minor league players, is expected to have his credibility attacked by union officials if he accuses players of illegal drug use.

Bosch has informed MLB he will testify about his relationship with performance-enhancing drugs and dozens of baseball players, a move expected to significantly bolster the league's aim to suspend stars who have been tied to the clinic, such as former MVPs Alex Rodriguez and Ryan Braun. MLB, in turn, would drop its lawsuit against Bosch.

The league, however, figures to need far more than Bosch's testimony to move forth with discipline.

"The one thing we do know, the credibility of the witness and the motives of the witness is in severe question," said high-powered agent and attorney Scott Boras, who represented Manny Ramirez when he was suspended for 50 games in 2009 without a positive steroid test.

"We're talking about allegations made about a prescription medication that can only be given to a doctor, when in fact, he practiced medicine without a license.

"So the motives are many, financial and criminal. How is this guy getting around the admission that would send him to jail? Is he really going to admit to a felony for obtaining drugs without a prescription, and now another felony for injecting it without a license, in return for (ML😎 dropping a lawsuit? These players are going to put him in the same box as MLB. They are rich men, worth hundreds of millions of dollars, and they can say, 'If you say this stuff, I'll come and sue you.'" It's unknown what Bosch will say under oath to MLB investigators, but one official briefed on the matter said MLB would seek cellphone records, e-mails, text messages and calendars for proof of corroboration. The official spoke to USA TODAY Sports on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the investigation.

It will be difficult without government subpoenas, former commissioner Fay Vincent said, but MLB proved it can be accomplished with its private investigators when Pete Rose received a lifetime suspension for gambling in 1989 and New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner was suspended for two years in 1990 for conspiring with a known gambler.

However, neither Rose nor Steinbrenner had the backing of the Major League Baseball Players Association, whose executive director, Michael Weiner, released a statement saying, "Every player has been or will be represented by an attorney from the Players Association" in interviews with MLB investigators.

"It's a very difficult proposition, because the defense has its advantages," Vincent told USA TODAY Sports. "People trying to prove the case will have the burden, and that proof is tough to come by. There is doubt. The best investigation is done by law enforcement. They can subpoena you. We don't have the clout.

"We had to do it with people willing to talk to us."

Bosch was never served a subpoena, but MLB filed a suit against him and his associates. In exchange for his testimony, according to ESPN, Bosch asked MLB to drop a suit against him, provide security and assist him if criminal charges are filed. MLB confirmed last month that it purchased records from Bosch's Biogenesis clinic.

"Anytime a witness comes to the table with financial demands, they are vulnerable under cross-examination," said New York criminal attorney Ben Brafman, who represented NFL receiver Plaxico Burress in his 2009 criminal case of carrying a concealed weapon. "And there will be a basis that undermines that credibility. If he has 'sold' the information to Major League Baseball, that by himself makes him very vulnerable to a vigorous cross-examination.

"I don't want to give Bosch legal advice, but some of the allegations he is making may well subject himself to civil and criminal liability. You do not get a complete legal free pass from the federal government just because Major League Baseball is involved."

Investigators also must establish that players used performance-enhancing drugs without testing positive.

"For me, the credibility of the witness has to be involved in this," San Francisco Giants player representative Jeremy Affeldt said. "These are pretty heavy suspensions coming down. If there's no proof, to be able to take our money away off of 'allegedly this' and 'allegedly that,' there's got to be 100% proof.

"Some of these guys that are on the list, these are millions of dollars that you're taking away from these players. It's not like a $5,000 fine."

If any player in the Biogenesis records used performance-enhancing drugs, Tigers starter Max Scherzer said, he deserves to be suspended. Yet, Scherzer would like MLB and the union to reach an agreement to stiffen the penalty for violators who intentionally cheated, even if its costs them the entire season.

"There's a difference between an innocent positive and a blatant cheater,'' Scherzer told USA TODAY Sports. "And the penalty for blatant cheating is not enough. There should be 81 games for the blatant cheater, or if you want to do one year, I'm fine with that, too.

"If you blatantly cheat, you should be blatantly punished.''

Ultimately, MLB officials will have to determine whether their investigation will hold up in front of an independent arbitrator.

"The other thing needed to keep in mind is that MLB is not a courtroom," Brafman said, "where ballplayers have as many rights as someone accused of a crime. The standard of proof (ML😎 may require to suspend a player may be substantially less than might be necessary in a real courtroom proceeding."







[url=www-usatoday-com/story/sports/mlb

This time, the Houston Astros couldn't resist drafting Mark Appel with the No. 1 pick.

Houston selected the hard-throwing Stanford pitcher with the top choice in the Major League Baseball draft Thursday night, a year after passing on the hometown kid and instead choosing 17-year-old shortstop Carlos Correa from Puerto Rico.

"I talked to him and told him: 'Welcome home," Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow said. "It's a kid's dream to go first in the country, first in the draft and to be taken by your hometown team. It just doesn't get any better than that. It's also really a great opportunity for us." Appel, who grew up in Houston before moving to California when he was 12, slid to Pittsburgh at No. 8 last year but turned down a $3.8 million offer and returned to Stanford for his senior season. The move paid off.

After going 10-4 with a 2.12 ERA and 130 strikeouts in 106 1-3 innings this season for the Cardinal, the 6-foot-4, 195-pound Appel is expected to fetch about double the amount he passed up from the Pirates.

"I don't think I necessarily had an end goal in mind when I turned down the Pirates' offer," said Appel, who complements his mid-90s (mph) fastball with a nasty slider and improving changeup. "My goals were to finish my degree and become a better baseball player and better person and better teammate. As far as that goes, I think I accomplished those things.

"No matter what happened in the draft, I knew I had done everything that was in my control to put myself in the best situation possible."

The deadline for teams to sign draft picks is July 12, but that doesn't apply to Appel because he is a college senior.

"I'm very confident that Mark Appel is going to put on an Astros uniform," Luhnow said. "He's from here. He wants to play here. He's been selected first in the draft. All the indicators are pointing in the same direction, so I assume it will be a fairly straightforward discussion and that he'll sign sometime this summer."

The draft, which is held over three days and 40 rounds, started Thursday night with the first two rounds at MLB Network Studios. Nine prospects attended and sat in a makeshift dugout as they waited for their names to be called by Commissioner Bud Selig in an event that has grown dramatically over the last few years.

"It really is terrific," Selig said. "This is what we had in mind. I love this night. ... This is the way you build a baseball team. It was true when Branch Rickey said it many, many years ago ... and it's just as true today."

It was the second straight season that the first pick was uncertain going into the draft, with Oklahoma right-hander Jonathan Gray and a pair of college third basemen -- North Carolina's Colin Moran and San Diego's Kris Bryant -- thought to be in the mix for Houston. It was the fourth time the Astros had the No. 1 pick, and they joined Tampa Bay (2007-08) and Washington (2009-10) as teams to have the top selection in consecutive years.

The draft order is determined by reverse finish -- worst to best -- in the overall standings from last season.

With the No. 2 pick, the Chicago Cubs selected Bryant, who led Division I college players with 31 home runs this season. The 6-foot-5, 210-pound junior is a Golden Spikes finalist and Collegiate Baseball magazine's national player of year.

Gray went third overall to the Colorado Rockies. The 6-foot-4, 245-pound flamethrower helped pitched the Sooners into the super regionals of the NCAA tournament, going 10-2 with a 1.59 ERA and 138 strikeouts in 119 innings.

Colorado apparently was not scared off by published reports that cited unidentified sources who said Gray tested positive for the medication Adderall during baseball's predraft drug testing program.

"I'm not going to talk about that right now," Gray said. "There will be a time for that. Right now, I'm just happy to be selected by the Rockies." The first high school player picked was pitcher Kohl Stewart, who went to the Minnesota Twins at No. 4. A right-hander from Tomball, Texas, Stewart has signed to play baseball and football at Texas A&M -- where he would likely be a backup to Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel at quarterback.

The Cleveland Indians followed by grabbing Clint Frazier, a high school outfielder from Georgia who was in the studio to hear his name called by Selig.

"I've had a lot of people tell me I'm going to be a fan favorite because of my red hair," Frazier said. "People put me on a pedestal, like no one else has red hair."

Of the draft prospects in attendance, Frazier was the first to be selected. The second came when the New York Mets chose sweet-swinging California high school first baseman Dominic Smith at No. 11.

Five picks later, Philadelphia took Smith's close buddy, California high school shortstop J.P. Crawford -- cousin of Dodgers outfielder Carl Crawford -- who was also at MLB Network Studios. The two hugged, with Smith in a Mets jersey and Crawford wearing a rival Phillies jersey in a neat scene that also might have made some New York and Philadelphia fans squirm.

Crawford acknowledged that he could be the future replacement for All-Star shortstop Jimmy Rollins.

"Hopefully I can learn something from him," Crawford said, "and someday take his place."

North Carolina third baseman Colin Moran, the nephew of former big league All-Star B.J. Surhoff -- the No. 1 overall pick in 1985 by Milwaukee -- went sixth overall to the Miami Marlins. Moran was the ACC player of the year and led the offense for the NCAA tournament's No. 1 overall seed.

"It's exciting to take the next step in my career," Moran said, "but obviously there is business to take care of this weekend."

Boston, picking as high as seventh for the first time since drafting Trot Nixon in the same spot in 1993, took Indiana high school lefty Trey Ball.

Stephen F. Austin slugging shortstop Hunter Dozier was the No. 8 overall pick by the Kansas City Royals, who surpri

PGA Tour rookie Shawn Stefani entered Sunday's final round at the FedEx St. Jude Classic with a one-shot lead, but finished the tournament tied for seventh after shooting a 6-over-par 76.

Stefani, who has an MLB-com logo on his golf bag, finished six strokes behind Harris English, who won the Classic in Memphis, Tenn.

The 31-year-old from Houston birdied only one hole, the 16th, while posting five bogeys and a double bogey on the 15th hole. He shot 38 on the front nine and did the same on the back nine, ultimately coming up short of what could have been his first victory.

Stefani and MLB-com agreed in May to a sponsorship deal that puts the MLB-com logo on his bag as he plays the remainder of the year on tour.

He led English by one stroke and three others by three strokes entering play on Sunday. He shot a 3-under 67 in Round 1, 5-under 65 in Round 2 and 4-under 66 in Round 3. Scott Stallings and Phil Mickelson tied for second.

The performance matches Stefani's best finish in his first season on the PGA Tour. He also tied for seventh at the Tampa Bay Championship in March. He entered this week ranked No. 148 in FedEx points.

Much like this weekend's St. Jude Classic, Stefani had a lead at one point in the Tampa Bay Championship, entering Round 3 atop the field.



MLB-com-sponsored golfer Shawn Stefani finishes tied seventh at St. Jude Classic | MLB-com: News

From top to bottom, the 2013 First-Year Player Draft signaled another rousing success for Major League Baseball's Urban Youth Academies. Five players with ties to the academies were drafted in the first two rounds, and several others will have a chance to play professionally.

Darrell Miller, MLB's vice president of youth and facility development, said that his staff at the Compton UYA has worked long and hard to prepare kids for their future. And after seeing such players as Dominic Smith and J.P. Crawford achieve first-round success, all the time and energy seems worth it. "We were hoping that this is the type of thing that would happen after we were open a while and had a chance to influence kids," said Miller. "We thought that the academies might be bearing fruit by the sixth or seventh year. When you start with fourth- and fifth-graders, you know that your influence will start paying off by the time they're in high school. And when you start with the kids that are a little bit older, you know that you can help them into college and maybe even into the Draft."

Smith and Crawford, drafted in the first round by the Mets and Phillies, respectively, are emblematic of the youngsters who have come out to the Compton facility over the last seven years. Smith, in fact, started going to the academy at 12 years old and often stayed there all day.

Miller found himself reminiscing with Smith's parents on Draft night, and they spoke of how much young Dominic had enjoyed going to the academy. It wasn't just baseball instruction but classroom support, too, and Dominic gleefully recalled scarfing down sandwiches and pizza there.

And now, seven years later, he's on the verge of either going to college or signing a lucrative contract to join the Mets. Miller hugged Smith and his parents right after they'd learned the youngster's Draft status last Thursday night, and they all knew how much work had gone into making it happen.

"It was actually quite emotional," said Miller. "Mrs. Smith, she was talking to Dominic's father and she said, 'I'm the one who found the academy. I started taking him there when he was only 12 years old.' And then she said, 'You guys were great baby-sitters.' I laughed and said, 'We were great baby-sitters. You'd drop Dominic off at camp at 9 and come pick him up at 5:30 or 6 that afternoon.'"

The Compton academy also had a trio of players selected before the end of the second round. Austin Wilson went to Stanford and was drafted by Seattle at No. 49 overall. Two younger academy players, Gosuke Katoh and Kevin Franklin, went back-to-back at No. 66 and 67.

These players know one another well, often from playing together at some point. Three years ago, in fact, Smith, Crawford, Katoh and Wilson were on the same team in the USA-Japan Series at the Urban Youth Academy, and Miller can remember hoping for great things for them.

"Austin Wilson, he's come through a lot as well," said Miller. "He has a great family. They lived in the Valley, and he'd come down to play every weekend for three or four years. He's just a monster, and he has real game-changing ability. He's a perfect corner guy with power to all fields, and [he's] a quality human being. They're not on every street corner. He'll be in the game for life after his playing career."

Also among the UYA draftees are a pair of seventh-rounders -- Connor Greene and Chris Rivera -- 10th-rounder Alex Newman and 11th-round pick Adam Plutko. Tyler Alamo was drafted in the 24th round and Ivory Thomas in the 34th, but perhaps the greatest success story came last.

Miller spoke proudly of Juan Avena, a 37th-round selection of the Mets, as one of the academy's greatest achievements. Avena has survived an odyssey of misfortune that includes academic struggles and a near-death experience in the form of a shooting on his way home from the academy.

Avena, after finding the right path in life, was shot four times in a case of mistaken identity and had to fight to resume his normal life. Now a graduate of Downey High School, he went on to star at El Camino College Compton Center and will now have a chance to take his game to the next level.

"I think Juan's the most telling story. For him to come from near death and not being sure if he could ever play again to now is pretty amazing," said Miller. "He had a 1.9 GPA when he started coming to the academy. He was trying to avoid the gangs and do the right thing. He started coming when he was 13 or 14, and he went from that 1.9 GPA all the way to the Dean's List by being accountable and being mentored. He was with a really good friend that got ambushed for a gang, and he was shot and almost killed. They both weren't gang members, they were members of the academy.

"It's just an amazing story that he's been able to recover and get his strength back, and now he was drafted by the Mets. He's just a quality kid, a quality human being. It makes me cry."

The Compton academy, one of four in existence, had the most success on Draft night, but the facility in Puerto Rico also had seven draftees. Victor Caratini, an alumnus of the academy who later played at Southern University and Miami Dade Community College South, went in the second round.

Three graduates of the Puerto Rico Baseball Academy -- Xavier Fernandez, Jacob Cordero and Johneshwy Fargas -- were drafted in the 11th round.

Three more went on the final day, providing another strong showing for the school that produced the top overall selection (Carlos Correa) in the 2012 First-Year Player Draft. Miller said that in time, the Urban Youth Academies in Houston and New Orleans will show the same kind of growth.

"We opened in Houston in 2010. We think it will start bearing fruit in 2014 or 2015," he said. "It was different in California, because we knew we have to develop fast. We had the shotgun approach, and we started with everything. In Houston and New Orleans, we have a more disciplined approach, where we s

A Miami-Dade County Circuit Court judge on Wednesday declined to dismiss a lawsuit Major League Baseball filed against a South Florida clinic operator and his associates alleged to be part of an ongoing performance-enhancing drug scandal.

Judge Ronald Dresnick denied a motion to dismiss the case from Carlos Acevedo, who along with clinic operator Tony Bosch and five others were named in a March civil suit filed by MLB to get information about the PED scandal that involves more than 20 players. The lawsuit has been a powerful leverage tool for MLB as it tries to coerce cooperation from anyone who can aid its investigation into players' drug use. While some legal experts have questioned whether MLB could win in court, the lawsuit has forced defendants into a potentially costly legal battle to find out.

Attorney Martin Beguiristain said last week that MLB has been bullying Acevedo for information on players, and he argued in court Wednesday that the lawsuit should be dismissed primarily because it violated the statute of limitations.

Bosch and Acevedo have known each other for years and worked together at Biokem, located in the same Coral Gables office that eventually housed Bosch's Biogenesis of America clinic, which is at the center of the scandal. The judge denied the dismissal motion after MLB attorney Adriana Riviere-Badell said Acevedo had worked with Bosch and players from 2009 to 2012 -- a time frame well within the statute of limitations.

Riviere-Badell declined to comment after the 15-minute hearing in Miami.

In recent weeks, Bosch's attorneys hammered out a deal with MLB that sought assurance that officials would help mitigate his criminal exposure in return for his cooperation. Officials promised to do what they could although they have no power to stop a federal criminal investigation. In addition, sources said Major League Baseball promised to drop the lawsuit it filed against Bosch, indemnify him for any liability arising from his cooperation and provide personal security for him.

Beguiristain said last week he had spoken with MLB officials, but they never have met with Acevedo, 34. Nor have they presented an offer similar to what Bosch received for his cooperation. After MLB filed its lawsuit against Bosch, it added his brother as a defendant. Sources familiar with the investigation say Bosch has provided MLB with phone records, texts and emails he exchanged with players that are believed to establish extensive relationships. Bosch's character will be an obvious target for attack, but sources have said MLB is building its case on a combination of the Biogenesis documents they acquired more than a month ago, testimony from Bosch and other associates, the materials Bosch has provided, and the cooperation of minor league players trying to reduce their suspensions.

Sources told "Outside the Lines" that several former Bosch associates have indicated a willingness to appear as witnesses if a player challenges a suspension through arbitration.

MLB also won't have to wait for players to exhaust due process before announcing suspensions, according to baseball's drug agreement. In most cases, when a player fails a test for PEDs, the suspension is only announced when a player accepts the punishment or his appeal is denied in arbitration, meaning it can be months between the failed test and any public announcement. But in cases in which the players' alleged involvement has already been made public, MLB is allowed to announce the suspensions immediately, before the player decides whether he will appeal.

The scandal has absorbed some of baseball's biggest names, including the Milwaukee Brewers' Ryan Braun, the New York Yankees' Alex Rodriguez, the Toronto Blue Jays' Melky Cabrera and the Oakland Athletics' Bartolo Colon.

Players in recent weeks have begun aligning themselves with attorneys. The biggest name, Rodriguez, is represented by David Cornwell of Gordon & Rees in Atlanta, who also is representing the Yankees' Francisco Cervelli and San Diego Padres catcher Yasmani Grandal. Cornwell declined comment on Wednesday, but ESPN's Darren Rovell reported last week that Cornwell has been working with Rodriguez for about a month.

"Outside the Lines" in February reported that Biogenesis documents listed the names of Braun, Rodriguez, Cervelli and Cabrera. A source said the list was of players who received PEDs, and that there was "no other reason to be on that paper."

Cervelli told reporters he had consulted with Bosch after a foot injury but received no illegal substances. He said visiting Bosch was "a mistake." Rodriguez and Braun have also denied taking PEDs. Cabrera was suspended last year for a positive test, and Grandal and Colon have also served suspensions.



Judge declines to dismiss MLB drug lawsuit - ESPN

The silver SUV pulled into the parking lot at Greenbrier Christian Academy, and instantly a smiling face waved the vehicle around. People know Manny Upton, whether it's here in southeastern Virginia, or another time zone. Best known as "Bossman," the man has presence. He commands respect, never needing to demand it.

His older son, B.J. ("Bossman Junior"), attended Greenbrier and is the greatest baseball player that a great high school program has produced. Younger son Justin played a few miles away at Great Bridge High School, and he's likewise the No. 1 product of a fine program.

These are the schools that propelled the Upton brothers to their status as top Draft picks (B.J. No. 2 overall in 2002, Justin No. 1 in 2005) and Major League stars. Today, Justin and B.J. are teammates with the National League East-leading Atlanta Braves, centerpieces of that franchise's offseason overhaul. But before the bigs, before high school, they played for Bossman. He knows them better than anyone else. He taught them how to play ball, and they learned how to carry themselves and how to be teammates.

"He coached us at 9 and 10 years old and treated us at 9 and 10 years old like grown men," said B.J. "When we were on the field, it wasn't like we were 9 and 10 years old. If we didn't do something right, he wore us out like it was his college team. That's the way it's always been, from day one."

Manny and his wife, Yvonne, are natives of the Hampton Roads area, where Greenbrier and Great Bridge are located. He played college baseball at Norfolk State, later coached that same team, and has been busy ever since. He's currently a college basketball referee and a loan officer at a mortgage company. Bossman has worked as a baseball scout, and of course he spends plenty of time keeping up with the careers of his sons.

He's nearly always going, and while he's thought about going back into scouting, there's one thing he'd miss. He wouldn't be able to watch his sons play ball.

Atlanta is just over an hour's flight from Norfolk, and the parents can hop a flight to see Justin and B.J. play pretty much whenever they want to. Washington, Philadelphia and New York are likewise easy to visit.

"I kind of like it," Manny said over dinner in Chesapeake recently. "Some days I tell her I'll go back to scouting. She tells me, 'You aren't scouting, because you wouldn't have time with the boys.'"

He would miss it too much. So would they.

The family has reached an impressive balance. Dad and Mom visit often, but not too much. They're missed when they're not around, and welcome when they come. It's balance that the elder Upton has always sought and mostly achieved. He was always available, always happy to help his sons play ball. But he never forced it, or himself, on them.

From the first time B.J. or Justin picked up a ball, Bossman never pushed them to play. They were welcome at NSU practices, and they had every opportunity to get out and throw or hit whenever they could. But there was never pressure.

Until they committed, that is. Once they were in, the expectations changed. There's no such thing as a halfway commitment in the Upton household.

"Not pushing you either way, but when you do something, you try your best at it," said Justin.

It stuck with both brothers. Dad remembers his older son hitting every day at 6 a.m. when he was in high school -- with friend and fellow future big leaguer David Wright in tow.

"You don't teach them to quit," he said. "It's easy to quit. That's the easiest thing to do. B.J. and Dave, they hit every morning. When they were able to drive, at 6 o'clock in the morning. Before school. Not too many kids do that. Nobody made them do it. They did it on their own. That's why they're successful."

Wright is another Major Leaguer who owes some of his success to Manny Upton. The Mets third baseman was a neighbor of the Uptons' and a year ahead of B.J. in school, and he jokes that he served as a "personal taxi" for his younger friend.

Wright attended Hickory High School, but played on youth teams with B.J., coached by Bossman. He remembers a coach who could command a clubhouse without saying a whole lot.

"He's out to beat you," Wright said. "He's an imposing figure, but also without even having to raise his voice or yell and scream, he gives you a certain look and you know what's expected."

B.J. and Justin always had talent, but they had that drive as well. That came from inside, but B.J. also believes that it resulted from the game being a choice when they were kids. They were never pushed to play, so they never got tired of it.

Their father echoes that; it was and is important to him. He didn't lean on them -- but it's clear he takes as much pride in that early work as in anything B.J. produced on the field.

B.J. takes more after his father, with a quiet, reserved on-field demeanor that hides the intensity within. Justin, both parents say, is more like his mother, a more loquacious sort.

Don't mistake quiet for a lack of intensity in the son or the father. As a coach, Manny never had any trouble getting through to his young charges. He just didn't have to scream to accomplish it.

"I didn't believe in yelling, but I got my point across," he said. "And they knew. Even with discipline at home, B.J. and Justin probably could tell you on one hand how much I yelled at them. But they knew it was an expectation. When you didn't meet that expectation, then there was a problem."

B.J. Upton remembers a tournament when he was very young -- perhaps even still in elementary school. His team was feeling some intimidation from a bigger opponent. Coach Upton was having none of it.

He convinced them, B.J. remembers, that the opposing team was in fact the one that ought to be intimidated. He did it quietly -- but firmly.

"None of the parents heard it," B.J. recalled, smiling. "But we heard it."

That intensity, and competitiveness, was never limited

Major League Baseball came down hard on the Los Angeles Dodgers and Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday, handing out eight suspensions and a dozen fines as punishment for a bench-clearing brawl.

Yet even with Arizona pitcher Ian Kennedy getting 10 games and infielder Eric Hinske five for their roles in Tuesday's fight, it might not be enough to quell the lingering hostility between the National League West rivals. "No, it's not over yet, not at all," said Dodgers reliever Ronald Belisario, given a one-game ban. "I don't think anybody thinks it's over."

Kennedy's suspension is the longest handed out by the league for on-field conduct since Chicago Cubs catcher Michael Barrett was handed a 10-game suspension for an incident with White Sox catcher A.J. Pierzynski on May 20, 2006.

Kennedy is appealing the decision, pointing to his track record as proof he's not a troublemaker.

"Ten games, I think they're trying to set an example," he said before Arizona's game in San Diego on Friday night.

Hinske is also appealing and put most of the blame on Dodgers rookie Yasiel Puig, who was right in the middle of things but received only a fine.

"I've been a model citizen in this league for 12 years," Hinske said. "And then there's Puig, who's been in the league for 12 days and he gets no games. So you tell me what's right."

Belisario served a one-game suspension Friday night for "aggressive actions" while Dodgers reliever J.P. Howell and infielder Skip Schumaker appealed the two-game suspensions they received from MLB senior vice president Joe Garagiola Jr.

Los Angeles manager Don Mattingly and Arizona's Kirk Gibson were given one-game bans, while Dodgers hitting coach Mark McGwire must sit two games. Bench coach Trey Hillman filled in for Mattingly on Friday night when Los Angeles played at Pittsburgh, while Arizona bench coach Alan Trammell took over for Gibson in San Diego.

Garagiola cited Kennedy for intentionally throwing a pitch at Zack Greinke's head after a warning had been issued, and Hinske for leaving the dugout and his "aggressive actions." Mattingly was penalized for his conduct and Gibson for Kennedy's actions following a warning. While Kennedy feels singled out, Mattingly disagrees.

"To me [Kennedy] seemed like he was kind of the instigator and started it and piled on, and he got the most," Mattingly said. "It just seems fair."

Mattingly seemed a bit puzzled by Schumaker's penalty, saying he felt that if the veteran infielder "had his hands on anybody, he was pulling people off."

Schumaker declined to talk about the suspension, saying only he has feelings about it but didn't want to share them.

All eight who were handed suspensions were also fined, as were Puig, Greinke, Arizona catcher Miguel Montero and Diamondbacks outfielder Gerardo Parra.

MLB fined the Dodgers for allowing players on the disabled list to leave the dugout and enter the field during the brawl. MLB also banned disabled list players on the Dodgers and Diamondbacks from sitting in their dugouts through Sunday.

The players appealing the ruling will be able to play until after hearings and final decisions.

Kennedy hit Puig with a pitch that deflected off his back to his nose in the sixth Tuesday, and Greinke hit Montero on the back in the seventh, drawing a warning from umpires. Both teams charged onto the field, but the scrum broke up quickly with no punches thrown.

Kennedy then hit Greinke on the upper left shoulder in the bottom half of the inning, and the ball deflected off his helmet. A prolonged and more heated scuffle ensued against a railing on the first-base side.

Montero joked that he kept getting hit at the bottom of the pile but "obviously they are probably my teammates that were punching me because we're the only ones who got suspended," but isn't sure why Greinke was spared a suspension.

"Ian got 10 days and Zack got zero days when he admitted that he hit me on purpose, seriously?" Montero said. "We just give him a fine because he was already seven weeks out. Well, he can miss one more. C'mon, give me a break with that."

Kennedy, Gibson and Diamondbacks coach Turner Ward were ejected after the shoving match. Puig, McGwire and Belisario also were tossed.

Mattingly had to be restrained as he tried to get at Gibson, and they exchanged words briefly. McGwire and third-base coach Matt Williams grabbed each other's shirts in a tense standoff and shouted at each other.

Mattingly said he was only playing "peacekeeper" and understands the fight will likely have some carry-over effect, even if it is only in the media.

"There's no way for us to go to Arizona now without us having to talk about it," he said. "There's going to be an effort to keep it alive, and it won't be by the players or us."



Los Angeles Dodgers-Arizona Diamondbacks brawl fallout -- 8 suspended by MLB - ESPN

Kirk Nieuwenhuis hit a three-run homer that capped a four-run rally in the bottom of the ninth inning and the New York Mets salvaged what had been shaping up as another sorry afternoon, startling the Chicago Cubs 4-3 on Sunday.

Matt Garza pitched seven scoreless innings and the Cubs scored twice on a madcap play that featured three bad throws by Mets infielders, giving Chicago a 3-0 lead.

But New York came back against Carlos Marmol (2-4)in the ninth, starting with Marlon Byrd's leadoff home run. Nieuwenhuis connected with one out.

Bobby Parnell (5-3) pitched the top of the ninth.

Matt Harvey did this, you know.

The crush of expectations, the weight of a franchise -- Harvey endured it all a year ago and succeeded brilliantly in the face of it, breaking records as he raced out to one of the finest starts in franchise history.

Eleven months later, it is top pitching prospect Zack Wheeler's turn to debut for the Mets on Tuesday against the Braves, in the nightcap of a doubleheader in which Harvey will start the matinee. The same Wheeler who dazzled Mets fans before an injury this spring. The same Wheeler whom most scouts once considered a superior prospect to Harvey.

As a result, Mets backers expect Wheeler to debut on Tuesday just as Harvey did, scoffing at the traditional big league learning curve and never looking back. Things don't always work that way, of course, and even Wheeler admitted Monday that, "I'm not the savior at all."

But he is something. And he has a chance to be something.

"This kid is very, very talented," manager Terry Collins said. "We're very lucky to have him. Everybody is looking forward to seeing him pitch."

From the start, this was the plan: let Wheeler work out the kinks at Triple-A Las Vegas as MLB's Super Two arbitration cutoff ticked away, thereby serving two missions at once. And the Mets are glad they did, considering Wheeler stumbled to an 0-1 record and 5.79 ERA over his first five starts in the desert, struggles that he attributed to the thin air, concrete infields and small ballparks of the Pacific Coast League. Once he figured out how to overcome all that, Wheeler reeled off four wins and a 2.98 ERA over his final eight starts.

Heading into the last of them, Wheeler's superiors hinted that a callup was coming. They told him officially shortly thereafter, allowing him to hang around Vegas for a few days before heading east to Georgia over the weekend.

That his first start comes at Turner Field is simply gravy for Wheeler, who grew up 30 minutes northwest of here in Smyrna, Ga. When he was in eighth grade, Wheeler moved another half-hour away to the town of Dallas, where he developed into an elite high school pitching prospect and a first-round Draft pick of the Giants.

The rest of his story rapidly fell into place. Acquiring Wheeler for Carlos Beltran in July 2011, the Mets watched him continue to develop from a very good prospect to an elite one. His 2012 season caused expectations to soar to new heights, particularly in the context of Harvey's successes. So it is fitting that his debut will come on the same day as Harvey's start.

"It's a great thing for this organization and the fan base to look forward to see what the future's going to be like," Collins said. "We've got two young guys that have a chance to be very, very, very good. Pitching is the name of this game, and we're going to run two guys out there tomorrow who can take this organization north pretty fast."

The issue is what happens should Wheeler fall short. Prospects do not always fit neatly into the categories of All-Stars and busts, and there is a chance Wheeler will land somewhere in between: a decent mid-rotation starter, perhaps, a successful big leaguer but something less than an ace.

The Mets' job is to temper expectations while he grows into whatever his future might hold.

"I'm just trying to come up here and help the team anyway I can," Wheeler said.

That starts Tuesday, when Wheeler opposes Paul Maholm in the second half of a day-night doubleheader. He should be well-rested, having spent Sunday night relaxing at the Georgia home he shares with one of his brothers. A few friends drove over, swapping stories and laughs until it was time for sleep.

During a 14-minute introductory news conference Monday, Wheeler came off as similarly convivial, saying all the right things and even cracking a few jokes. He told the story of a former pitching coach, Steve Kline, who advised him not to look at the crowd when he first toes the rubber as a big leaguer.

"I think he actually said he threw up off the back of the mound his first time," Wheeler said, laughing. "He told me not to look up ... all the lights and the fans and everybody will be moving, it will make you sick."

Collins, for his part, did advise Wheeler to take a moment and soak in the crowd, which should include dozens of his family and friends. He may as well focus on his fans for a moment, since for the rest of the night -- the year? the decade? -- all of those eyes will be trained squarely on him.




All eyes on Zack Wheeler as Mets pitching prospect makes debut | MLB-com: News