Bleacher Report - Articles by Jimmy Beasley Sr

Big Mac's Back Flying with the Cardinals, and It's About Time

Jimmy Beasley Sr — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 18:37:29 -0500

As the World Series winds down and baseball gets ready for its winter break, all eyes will soon turn to 2010. Mine will too, as I'll be watching to see how Mark McGwire will be welcomed back into baseball.

Let me state for the record right now, I am NOT a Cardinals fan, never have and never will. I just had my half-century birthday and as for long as I can remember I have, and will always be a Chicago Cubs fan.

When St. Louis announced that Tony La Russa will return for one more year as their manager, I wasn't surprised, not did I really care. But when they announced that they had fired McRae as their batting coach and hired Big Mac, I cheered.

The baseball strike hurt me as much as it did the MLB. All my life I was a serious baseball card collector. In fact I had one room in my house that was stacked to the ceiling with nothing but baseball, basketball, and football cards.

I had millions of them, and that's a conservative estimate. I also had collectibles like jerseys, bats, helmets, starting lineup figures, tons of autographed items, and much more.

I had planned to open the store after I retired to have something to do and to get me out of the house. But wife No. two wanted the extra room for a bedroom. So, instead of waiting in January 1996 I opened.

Since I had enough items to begin selling that all I have to add was a cash register, some lighted display cases and some new wax so my customers would come in and have something to buy. I had worked it into one our state's best. Then they striked.

Like many of the millions of baseball fans in the United Sates I figured that it wouldn't last long. Like the others I was wrong too.

After the season was washed along with the playoffs and World Series, I too was washed out. Many of my best customers were mad at MLB and wouldn't not support it in any way

Sadly it hit my little business hard. Add to that a new Wal-Mart opened in our town and they began selling the same wax and supplied I was , and they did at a cheaper price than I could.

Long story short, I watched as a bad auctioneer sold the items in my store at prices so low to this day it breaks my heart to even think about it.

Because of that I gave up baseball too. No more collecting, no buying. And no baseball games, I didn't watch and I didn't go.

But along came The Big Mark McGwire and Slamming Sammy Sosa. Their battle for the home run record not only brought me back to baseball, but it also brought new fans.

It was exciting to watch, so much that even the major news outlets were following the chase in their daily reports as well. It didn't matter who you were for, the Big Mac or Slamming Sammy, you were drawn back by their power displays.

It must have been like watching Babe Ruth bring baseball back after the great Black Sox scandal. I've wondered often if he and Ty Cobb would have made the Hall-of-Fame today with their off the field antics.

I've been a sportswriter and sports broadcaster for nearly twenty years now. This past August my first book, "Sometimes You Can't Hide," was just published.

What ticks me off the most is when a sportswriter announces that he is using his vote for the Hall-of-Fame as a political statement. We all knew when the records were being broken that something wasn' right.

In fact, they never even tried to hide it. Why should they, what they were taking wasn't illegal in the MLB. To go back and punish someone for something they did when they were younger just isn't right.

If it was then there are many from my generation that would be arrested for underage drinking and smoking something that was illegal back then. We just didn't get caught, right?

And as one of my firends comented, it wasn't like McGwire went from hitting 10 to 15 home runs, as a skinny rookie with Oakland he belted 40 home runs. The guy could hit, and with power.

So even though it hurts me I applaud the Cardinals from having the guts to bring McGwire back. I'm sure they knew that once they did, they and he, would be hounded day and night about what he did when he was a player.

Thanks to Big Mac and Slamming Sammy I am now a collector of baseball cards. I've been to many MLB games, both in St. Louis and in Chicago.

I've watched the career of Clint Barmes, who was a player at Indiana State when I did their play-by-play, and who sent me his first bat from his first MLB home run. I've also watched as my beloved Cubbies took us to the tip of the mountain, and then dropped us back off the cliff.

I can honestly say, if it hadn't been for the battle between McGwire and Sosa I would not have come back to baseball as I did. I've discussed this topic with many of my friends and listeners. Over 90 percent of them agree with me and say they too wouldn't have been back without their epic battle.

I'm sick and tired of the enitre incident and feel it's time to plut that behind us. We now have rules that we didn't have back then, you break them you get punished, plain, and simple. Just ask Manny.

They don't owe me anything. No apology nothing. What they gave to me was payment enough.

I'm more of a baseball fan now than ever. And I owe that to McGwire and Sosa, to them I say thank you.

To the writers who feel they have to beat this drum until it breaks, I say shame on you. It's time to recognize the players for what they did, they saved baseball.

To the owners, who milked the battles for all they could get, I say shame on you.

When you needed the players to bring your fallen game back you were all for them. But when they fell, and you had already made your money, you backed away as if they had some kind of disease.

So for the first time in my life I applaud the St. Louis Cardinals. I just hope my best friend Murry doesn't see this, he's a die-hard Cardinals fan and would never let me live it down.

Stephen Strasburg Getting The Right Directions?

Jimmy Beasley Sr — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 01:30:54 -0400

After receiving what is reported to be a new record deal for the number one pick in the MLB's annual amateur draft and not signing, we have to ask is Stephen Strasburg getting the right directions? Is the super agent killing a super player?

If the Washington Nationals don't come to terms by midnight Monday they lose the rights to their number one pick. Two years of 100 loss season and nothing to show.

Personally, I don't like the idea that if a team can't sign their top pick by a certain date then they lose the rights, and the player goes back into next year's draft. Give the teams more time to sign their players.

If they don't sign their first round draft picks say in 5 months, then give them an additional 2 months to trade the player. This way they get something to show for their play in the MLB.

I agree with most that Strasburg COULD be a great pitcher, but there's a HUGE difference between D-1 baseball and MLB. Don't agree? Then look and see how many from this year's draft make it to the show.

I mean the big show. How many of them will become a starter, one who can be relied on for more than one to three years of standout play?

The list is long for the so called "can't miss" players who missed, and missed big. How about Mark Prior, the last number one (Cubs first pick, No. 2 overall) and the player who's record contract will be broken when and if Stephen Strasburg would sign with the Washington.

I won't blame Strasburg's agent. I dislike him so, I won't even waste the space to mention his name. He's not good for baseball.

Meanwhile, in these tough economic times, when a family of five can't even come close to the game. Except for family night at home in front of the TV.

Please don't get me wrong. I like what I see in Strasburg and I'd taken him in my keeper fantasy league if my son didn't beat me to the punch. He just might be the next best thing.

But, until he signs and begins his road to the show, he's nothing but another first pick who didn't sign. Some who has huge upside as a prospect.

No matter how high the upside is, he's still gotta play. He still has to prove himself.
He has to do it against some of the best baseball players in the world. He has to not only face the best, he has to stay injury free. Its something many prospects failed to do.

Will he be that next best bet for the Hall Of Fame, or will he be a bust? Only time can tell. Time that goes by so fast that anytime you miss while sitting out, can never be made up. The time he needs to fulfill the lofty status of his projections. Time that he needs to master the game. Time he may not have.

My advice to the young phenom? Sign.

Sign now and start the long and sometimes winding road to the show. A road many have started, with his lofty expectations in the past, only to fall by the wayside.
Get better directions and begin your journey. For the road just may close, and close fast.
Get started while you can. You never know what's heading for you on your road.

MLB Players Using PEDs in Place of Hard Work

Jimmy Beasley Sr — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 01:37:49 -0400

So with another day, another giant falls. The giant this time, David "Big Papi" Ortiz, designated hitter for the Boston Red Sox.

How has he fallen? Like many other MLB stars, he was named as one of the many who took steroids.

Yes, say it ain't so, but it’s true. The big monster with the bat needed help.

Remember A-Rod? He never needed them; he was too good for that. And so, we thought, was Ortiz.

He's now to be forever linked to those who cheated. Those who needed help to become a star in their sport.

After watching all of our heroes fall—Big Mac, Slammin Sammy, A-Rod—they weren't the superstars we thought. They were at their great level by drugs.

That's it, plain and simple. They took drugs to make themselves better. Some say that at the time they weren't illegal, so its OK. But was it?

As a stellar athlete in three sports, I got that way because I worked at it. I had to work hard, and if I didn't, I didn't play.

If I missed a practice due to an injury, I would lose my spot, so I played with pain. I wasn't alone. I know hundreds of athletes like myself who worked hard to get what they got.

So when I see another star fall, not because of injury, but because they took drugs, it tears at my heart. It makes me sad.

I've never been a pro, so I don't know what they have to go through to get where they’re at. I have a friend who is a pro. I know what he did to get there.

My friend? Clint Barmes. He plays for the Colorado Rockies. He was a star at Indiana State under the great Hall of Fame coach Bob Warn.

I love to follow my friend. Every time I hear his name mentioned on ESPN's Baseball Tonight I perk up and smile.

I smile because I know that Clint got where he is today with hard work. I've watched as he's taken extra ground balls. I've watched as he's hit for what seemed like hours in the batting cage.

Clint probably won't make it to the MLB Hall of Fame. He's never made the All-Star team, yet. But he's made mine. To get in my HOF, you have to work.

You have to take decent talent and work it into very good talent. Clint's done that and more.

I've been lucky and have gotten to go to watch Clint play in “The Show.” I got to go to Chicago and go down on the field and see my friend.

I watched as he took grounder after grounder. Then I watched as he hit in the cage. Trying to make the very best out of every swing.

I watch and stood amazed. He worked just as hard for the Rockies as he did for the Sycamores. I was proud as he took the timeout to come over and spend a few minutes with me.

We talked about the old days at ISU. We talked about the long bus rides. The many dinners on the run.

The MVC championship, where the Sycamores made it all the way to the championship game. We lost, but what a great time we had.

As I look back now and hear of all the "superstar" players, the ones who took drugs to get better, I see how hard Clint works, and I'm proud to say he's my friend. I'm also proud to say he got there the old fashioned way, with hard work.

After hearing of the fall by Big Papi, I can't say I'm really surprised he was one of the cheaters. I will be honest and say I was shocked when I heard that A-Rod cheated.

I was shocked because I saw the 60 Minutes story where he said he never cheated; he said he never had too. I guess time has hardened us all. When we hear new names now, most just shrug their shoulders and move on.

I guess that I too am getting that way. To be honest, I'm sick and tired of it all. Would I have done it if I were in their shoes? I'd like to say no, but I'm not a pro ball player and coming on 50 years, I won't ever be.

But I am a fan of MLB. It’s the one sport I follow 365 days a year. I own a 10-team keeper fantasy baseball league, and I play in over 30 Yahoo leagues. I love the game.

I'm a Cub fan, but I love them all. I just love baseball. That said, I think it’s time to move on.

Make the entire list public. If one of today's players are on the list, let him apologize and be on with it.

MLB needed the home run race between Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire. That one race brought many back to the sport they loved. I was one of them.

I swore I'd never come back after their strike killed my baseball card shop business. But the race between the two sluggers forced me back.

MLB knew something was going on, but it chose to overlook it. Maybe it would just go away on its own.

So here we are some six years later, and it hasn't gone away yet. It’s not going to go away until MLB and the Players Union decide to fess up.

Throw it all out on the table. Let's clear the air and move on. If you’re caught again, take your punishment like a man, Manny.

Like Gomer Pyle said to Andy Griffin, “Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, and shame on me.”

I will be honest, with the addition of Big Papi, Roger Clemens, and A-Rod to the list, I can't help but wonder who's next?

14 Days Until First Pitch; Who Are This Year's Tampa Bay Rays?

Jimmy Beasley Sr — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 20:47:39 -0400

Officially there are now just 14 days left until the 2009 MLB season opens. Who will be this year's Tampa Bay Rays?

Last year's Rays went from celler dweller to World Series runners-up. So who will be this year's Rays?

Being a 44-year Cubs fan, can't remember anything before age 5, of course we all hope this will be the year.

And why not? Lilly, Dempster, Harden and Zambrano all return. Gone is oft-injured closer Kerry Wood. Hopefully Kevin Gregg will suffice.

After 100 years, we've gotta be close. But enough about my hopes and dreams.

To be honest with this question you have to look at the entire MLB picture. First look has to be at the Yankees.

Even without A-Rod for what could end up the entire season, which would probably be better on him and his team. They went out and landed not one, nor two, but three of the prized free agents this past winter.

Mark Teixeria 1B, A.J. Burnett and C.C. Sabathia at SP the Yankees look to be the American League champions. On paper.

In the National League, the Cubs still have a shot. Forget the one series and out last year, I'm trying to. With the age of its stars, time is running out, and this could be that year.

Being honest, you also have to throw in St. Louis. It kills me to say it but a healthy Cardinals lineup is a solid lineup and they could win it all.

But my first question asks, who will be this year's Rays? Who will surprise us all and make it to the World Series?

Who's the team that you go to Vegas right now and lay $100 on them at 200-1 odds? I guess if your totally honest you'd have to say the Reds in the National league and Detroit in the American league.

In defense of Detroit, you just cannot have as many studs as they do and still lose 75-plus games. They spent last year like this off-season's Yankees. Except it did not pay off.

Many of us, me included, thought when they added both Cabrera and Willis they were set. No one thought in their wildest dreams figured Willis would be struggling to stay in the majors.

With Willis and Bonderman holding down the top two spots in their rotation, they would fly. What a 1-2 combo, and good as any other in the MLB.

And the meat of their order? Ordonez, Cabrera, Guillen and Sheffield, they were supposed to kill their opponents.

Instead, Willis has had an awful spring. And with the money they owe him and Nate Robinson, $39 million, it looks like there will be no return this year.

That's why I like the Tigers. Because no one else will pick them to be in the World Series either.

That's still a bunch of talent. Isn't is safe to say they'll rebound this year? Detroit management sure hopes so.

As for the Reds. They have breakout year written all over the place. Even if they are playing in the NL Central.

Can they sneak by both the Cardinals and the Cubs? Looking at them on paper, they has as much talent as either of the two mentioned, so why not?

This past off season they got a speedy lead-off man in Willy Taveras. If he gets half as many steals as he did last year, 68, the Reds will have made out fine.

They needed a catcher and landed Ramon Hernandez in a December trade. Ramon, a .257 hitter last year with 15 home runs and 65 runs batted in.

Decent for any catcher. Not out standing, but it will get them by. Plus, he handles a rotation well.

The meat of their lineup doesn't holler at ya, with Hairston, Votto, Phillips and Bruce, but they could be, and that's what were talking about here. What could be.

Before you start hollering at me, remember this, I've asked who could be this year's Rays of last year? Which MLB team will be in the World Series this year that no one expects?

If I had my way it would be the Cubs and the Angels. Or at the very worst, the Cardinals and the Angels.

Going with the "smart money," I'd have to say the Yankees and the Cardinals. But I don't have the "smart money", and I'd never pick either.

Being the die-hard Cubs fan that I am, when my pals read this I'll never hear the end of it. Just mentioning anyone else except the Cubs, will spell disaster for me.

World Baseball Classic Should Be Dropped By MLB

Jimmy Beasley Sr — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 20:43:52 -0400

When will the MLB finally realize that the WBC is a joke and they should no longer use MLB players? Many superstars pass on playing in the tourney, and don't want to risk getting hurt.

It comes right smack dab in the middle of spring training. The time most MLB players are worried about making their team's 25 man roster.

The only ones who take it seriously are the country's who don't have MLB. Teams like Cuba, Korea and others. Japan also takes it to heart even with their 130 game pro season.

With a 162 game regular season, and the World Series going into late October and longer, it makes the game longer. Its like working overtime without the extra pay.

The big stars cannot afford to play in the tourney. The risk to injury is too great.

How do you explain to your fans that the team's top star is out due to an injury? One that happened in a game no one cares about.

Look at the game's crowd. No one's there, except the few really die hard fans.

When it comes to baseball its not even the minor leagues. No this tourney does not fly.

The time to pull the plug has come. When America's own stars refuse to play, its time to move on.

The days of playing it for the love of the game is over. With multi-million dollar contracts there's just no room for this type of play.

What always amazes me is all the MLB players going to play for their home country. When did they stop living, working and playing in the USA?

I always thought they were Americans. They speak the language like me. They live here, since when were they born out of the US?

Until the star players of MLB decide to take the tourney more seriously it will never amount to much here in the US. I love Major League Baseball.

I wait every year for the first pitch on opening day. I love the World Series and some day my beloved Cubbies will be there.

As for the WBC, who care? Not me, lets move on to opening day.

David Beats Goliath Again! Rockville Drops South!

Jimmy Beasley Sr — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 01:35:16 -0500

While most Indiana high school boys basketball teams are looking forward to the state tournament next week, one last game saw "David slay Goliath" once more.

Rockville, ranked fourth in Class A, beat state ranked and Class 4A power, Terre Haute South 45-38 tonight at Terre Haute's Hulman Center.

The game sold so many tickets it had to be moved from Rockville's own "Rock-O-Dome" to Indiana State's home floor in the Hulman Center.

To break even, Rockville needed to sell 800 tickets to their regular season finale. With both teams state ranked, it looked like the 3,000 plus crowd surpassed all expected goals.

Terre Haute South, which began the year state-ranked and knocked off national power Indianapolis Lawrence North by one at home, entered the regular season finale with an 18-3 mark and was ranked eighth in the class 4A polls.

Both teams feature future Division-1 college players, including Rockville's own 6'8 star forward RJ Mahurin. Mahurin takes his skills to Indiana State next year, and actually gained some experience playing on ISU's home floor as his future coach watched from the stands.

Unfortunately, Terre Haute South's chances of moving past the first round of the state tourney were dealt a serious blow when the Braves' own D1 senior standout guard, Jake Odum, injured his ankle earlier this week and may miss the rest of the season.

The opening quarter went back-and-forth, and when the dust settled South led 12-11. Mahurin hit a trey early, but he was shut down by the defensive skills of South's 6'1 junior guard Chris Rose.

Rose continued to be a thorn in Mahurin's side all night. He chased Mahurin from one end of the floor to the other. Rose's defense alone kept the bigger Mahurin from getting the ball.

With Mahurin all tied up, Rockville's senior guard Josh Reed stepped up and helped keep the Rox in the game as his 10-foot jumper with 1:58 to go in the first half put the Rox up 19-17.

South got a jumper of their own from senior Ian Mcintyre to send the game into the half time knotted at 21. The defense on the bigger Mahurin seemed to be the difference in the opening half.

Watching the game from the crowd it looked like Rose was all over Mahurin as he only got the ball a handful of times in the first half. Most fans watching in attendance agreed the defensive pressure was a huge key in the low first-half score.

The third quarter was much like the opener: Neither team could make a big run. The Rox got two baskets from Reed, one with just 35 seconds left in the third, which sent the Rox into the final quarter up 30-25.

The final quarter saw the Brave come out still in their Box-1 defense on Mahurin. This time he was able to break lose and the all-star hit a three-pointer with 4:58 to play, lifting the Rox to a 36-29 lead. It was the biggest lead of the ball game.

South's Braves tried full court pressure, but that move allowed Mahurin to take over and helped seal the win. In the last 38 seconds he went 5-6 from the chairty stripe.

Tonight's match up was one of the best games ever played by the Rox. Playing the larger school this close to sectional play could have hurt the Rox.

A loss, and they go in on the wrong foot. But win, and that sends them in riding high. Beating the bigger school on a neutral floor makes it even better.

This Rockville team is special. Its athletes have been to the state finals in football, and won sectionals in baseball too.

They can go down as one of the school's best teams ever. All that stands in their way is the 99th Indiana High School Athletic Association's boy's basketball sectionals first round.

Should they get by that opening round, anything can happen. From the looks of this Rockville's team I think they can do just that and even more!

The Rox finish the season at 18-3 and Wabash River Conference Champions. It's their second title of the year, having won the Banks of the Wabash tourney earlier in the year.

The Rox will open play in next week's North Vermillion Class 1A sectional. They will play in Tuesday's opener.

The Rox have wins over every team in the sectional and the best record. Turkey Run comes next with a 14-8 mark.

Terre Haute South finished at 18-4 and will open sectional play at crosstown rival Terre Haute North.

The loss to the smaller school, coupled with the loss of star senior guard Jake Odum, and it could be a short ride for the Braves.

When Will MLB Step-Up?

Jimmy Beasley Sr — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 01:33:04 -0500

So, just when will Major League Baseball step-up and put an end to all the steroids issues? To be honest I'm sick and tried of it.

I've been waiting months for the 2009 MLB season to start. Its my favorite sport and I love it dearly.

But, I do not like the problem that MLb is having with the drug issue. And I do not like the way their handling it.

Mr. Billion dollar man A-Rod put on one wild horse and pony show. He had them lined up for miles.

There was his GM, his teammates and all the press. He was going to address us all and put his shame to bed.

To me, the real shame was one, what he did, and two, how he handled it. He looked us right in the eyes and said in so many words, " I did not use any illegal drugs, I was too good to need them".

What was his excuses? He was under peer pressure. His $250 million dollar contract was too much pressure on him. All the other players were using it, his cousin made him do it?

Whatever! I'm sick and tried of it all. It was just another way for the Yankees to show just how much money they have, and how you get to behave if you have money.

Instead of walking into a court room alone, aka Barry Bonds and Miguel Tejada, A-Rod put on one heck of a show. So did the Yankees and so did MLB.

Instead of standing put, MLB allowed the horse and pony show. I'm sure by the time it was all over A-Fraud had all of New York crying their eyes out, saying he was framed.

Tomorrow they will throw out the "magic bullet theory", and point out the spot on the grassy knoll. It will all be turn so, we'll actually feel sorry for ARod.

I can see the headlines now "ARod Set-up", "They made Him do it". Watch the sports news for the next few days, AFraud's cousin will be buried alive.

By the time its all over A-Fraud will be voted into the Hall of Fame. In fact, after this show, why not put him there now and forget all this mess about playing the game?

I'm sorry, I have an eleven year old son who I'm trying to teach the right way to live. When I get to the part of saying no to drugs what do I do when he say's "but dad it was OK for ARod, why can't I do it?"

What do I tell him when he say's, "but dad all the kids are doing it?" What's my answer?

I don't have money to throw away like the Yankees. I have to face my son alone and stand put. Its the way my dad did it to me.

I remember it like it was yesterday. My dad was one of my hero's. He never made more than five dollars an hour, unless it was overtime. He worked in a union factory for thirty-five years.

He worked hard and I never wanted for anything. Dad made sure I ate, had a roof over my head, clothes for school and he never missed one of my games.

He told me, "Son, you never gain anything from drugs or achol except trouble the next day. I've never used either of them and I expect you to be the same way."

To this day I can say, whenever I came across it I knew I'd be letting him down if I use them. No way was I going to let him down.

A-Fraud has just put another stumbling block in the way. MLB has done the same by allowing the horse and pony show to go on.

Think about it. His team, his coaches, his GM, they were all there, to support him. Not one of them stood up and said, "hey wait a minute this is wrong!" What he did was wrong and its not the message we want to send out to all our young fans.

I'm still looking forwards to opening day. I still love MLB. But there is a foul smell in the air and its the New York Yankees and A-Fraud.

I'm not naive enough to say that MLB didn't need what happened in the "roids period". If were all honest we watched because of the numbers that were being put up.

I remember hearing rumblings about what was or wasn't being used at the time. We all heard it but did nothing.

No one pressed the issue. No one, not the press, not the teams, not the players and not the MLB.

Big Mac broke Maris's record. Bonds broke his. Bonds went on to break Aaron's and Ruth's records. And now they say A-Rod will break Bonds.

To be honest, no one was or will be better than the "Babe". He was an all-star pitcher, then hitter. He had 2,500 less at bats than both Aaron and Bonds.

I'll still be a huge fan of MLB. But, from now on I'll never see the game the same.

Its become a game for corporations and millionaires. The days of me and my son setting behind home plate are long gone.

At today's prices I just can't afford it. I'm not alone, there are many who can't afford "Americia's Game" anymore. With team's needing money and pushing for pay TV, soon we won't even be able to watch it on free TV.

To make all this right, if A-Rod had made his confession, stood up like and man and said "I was responsible", then I'd been happy. To follow up with the horse and pony show, to me, he was just shoveling on more manure.

He put on such a show even some of the old pureists were left scratching their heads. If he was so sorry for what he did and it was so worng, why such a show?

It was almost funny, he had the sportswriters tripping over themselves to get back on his side. Didn't he already admit to all this?

I'm sure many will still look up to A-Rod and want to be him. Only now they can be him, all it takes is a few shots in the butt!

Say It Ain't So, A-Rod

Jimmy Beasley Sr — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 22:18:39 -0500

I love baseball. I'd watch baseball 365 days at a stretch if I could. I love MLB so much its the only sport I follow at home.

I'm a sportswriter/broadcaster, and I've done every sport there is, except gymnastics. I've worked and covered sports all the way up the line from junior high, high school, college D3 & D1, and have even covered some of the pro sports.

I have a friend who plays for the Rockies, Clint Barmes. I follow him and his team. I've followed Clint ever since he was a starting shortstop for my beloved Indiana State Sycamores, a team I've done play-by-play for.

Because I see so much sports, I'm not a huge fan at home. After covering my team all week long, when I finally do get home, I don't want to sit in front of the TV and watch more sports.

Except MLB. I've been a Cubs fan for so long, if ya cut me I'd bleed Cubbie Blue. I'm more than just a Cubbie fan, I'm an MLB fan.

You'll catch me up and watching TV every night, as I live for ESPN's Baseball Tonight. I play fantasy baseball too.

My team has won our league's World Series Title the past two years. Before that, I was in another league and won that title four years in a row.

What makes me such a good player, I'm a huge fan of MLB. I follow the game, from the minors all the way up through the majors.

For the past eight years, we've been seeing athlete after athlete fall from our graces due to the steroids scandal. It's giving MLB such a black eye, I can feel the pain in my eyes.

You cannot talk about baseball these days and not talk about who's clean and who's using the stuff. The list grows every day and it's beginning to hurt the game that I love so.

Please don't get me wrong. These guys make millions of dollars and they want an edge. We, if were honest, want our favorite players to have an edge.

Build a race car and you want it to go as fast as you can make it. Pilots want a plane that goes its fastest. We're all guilty of wanting to be better and doing what we have to in order to get there.

Now we find out that squeaky clean Alex Rodriguez was one of the hundred or so players that were mentioned in the Mitchell report who was tested positive for steroid use. Say it ain't so, A-Rod.

Well, come to think of it he did say it wasn't so. In fact he said it on my favorite show, 60 Minutes. I saw him say he didn't.

We all saw him sitting there across from Miss Couric, telling the world "No, I didn't not use them."

In fact, he said he never felt he had the need to use them, he was just too good to have to use them. He said it, and we all saw it.

"I've never felt overmatched on the baseball field," he told Couric. "I've always been in a very strong, dominant position.

"And I felt that if I did my work as I've done since I was, you know, a rookie back in Seattle, I didn't have a problem competing at any level. So, no."

Now he's apologized and said that he did take them. He had to. His $250 million contract put too much pressure on him. He had to do it; peer pressure forced him.

Sad, isn't it? Babe Ruth never needed them. Neither did Ty Cobb. Charlie Hustle, Pete Rose didn't need them.

Baseball has to shoulder some of the blame here. They could have stopped this years ago, but chose to look the other way. If they didn't talk about it then it wasn't happening. Not in their sport.

Now we're all paying for it. The game we love so much takes another hit when yet another of our stars is accused of taking performance enhancing drugs.

Who can we look up to? Say your sorry and go on? At what price is the game paying?

Get caught doing drugs on the job and you're fired. If caught with drugs you're arrested and must pay the price. Does I'm sorry get you out of jail? Will it keep you your job?

I have no remorse for these movie, TV, and rock stars who are in rehab because they used too many drugs. I don't feel for them because we'd change places with them in a flash if it made us stars.

And now, yet another of our stars has fallen. One more bites the dust, and he did so saying that pressure to play the game better made him do it.

So another apology is given, and were expected to move on as if nothing has happened. Forgive A-Rod because he say's he's sorry. Give him credit because he was man enough to stand up and say I did it!

I'm sorry but it just doesn't seem like enough for me. Never again will I look at A-Rod in awe. From now on he's just another gamer, playing to make all he can.

And with his apology goes a little more from my heart. The game I've loved so these many years, "Say it ain't so A-Rod", say it ain't so.

MLB Tryout Camp for Free Agents?

Jimmy Beasley Sr — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 00:51:45 -0500

With the economy as the bad guy, as of this evening, there were still nearly 100 free agents that have yet to sign with a team. Always looking for someone or something to blame, both owners and agents alike say free agent signings are way down this year.

With 100 remaining unsigned, its time to show case the talent. One way, hold a special tryout type of camp.

This was used after the strike to help sign free agents. With so many still unsigned, agents are looking at the tryout camp again.

As the offseason nears and camps begin to open, some free agents are beginning to feel the heat. Heat and pressure to make sure they are playing when camp opens in less than five days now.

The two biggest teams in the offseason were the New York Mets and the New York Yankees. Both stated early what they needed and both spent freely to get it.

The Yankees have added tons, and right now it looks like they got what they needed and a little more. They went after CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett, then for a bonus they signed Mark Teixeira.

The Mets, needing a closer got the best in baseball last year, K-Rod and added backup help in JJ Putzs. If K-Rod faulters, then Putz steppes in.

After watching the Met's swoon last September, it looks like they too got what they needed. Putz can easily step in if anything happens to the F-man.

Looking at both teams on paper they should meet in next year's fall classic. Sadly, the games must be played on the field and not on paper, so if neither don't make it we won't be too surprised.

But, as time runs out on the offseason, 100 players who haven't signed begin to rattle with each passing moment. Even with the agents watching the owners closely, most are scrambling to make sure their players sign.

The bottom has dropped out and it went fast. When guys like Manny Ramirez haven't signed as of this late date, most have to wonder if collusion is the bye word here.

Don't think that in their private talks the players and agents feel this way. In any other year Manny would have signed not long after the free agent period opened last fall. Here we are just days away from pitchers and catchers reporting and a huge number of free agents are still looking for work. Some big names too.

Ramirez, Bobby Abreu and Adam Dunn head the list, and many of us wonder why our team isn't going after any of the three. Think about it, put these three in the same outfield and we'd consider it a stud lineup.

As I sit and ponder I wonder how far my Cubbies would go with any of them in our outfield. Gotta be better than Gathright and Fukudome right?

I'd like to be in the stands with the team's scouts if they do use the tryout camp like they did after the strike of 1994-95. The player's union would conduct a spring camp, possibly in Vero Beach, FL.

With the low yearly salary that I make, its hard for me to feel for any of the MLB players. I don't blame them for getting what they can get, I would, too. Baseball's owners held the upper hand for so long in paying their athletes, its fair game now that the players can get what they feel their worth.

Now the by-word is "cut-rate", meaning the players left have no chance to get what they and their agents thought they were worth. Many missed the boat by not taking arbitration.

With each hour that passes and each free agent that doesn't sign, their stock drops. The more a stock drops, the less its worth right? Instead of a tryout camp maybe the players union should go to congress and ask for help. It worked for the stock market and the car makers.

Come to think of it, maybe the big four will let me borrow their company's Lear jet so I can fly to Washington and ask for help myself. I need it more than they do!

Senior Night,Time To Say Goodbye

Jimmy Beasley Sr — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 19:53:54 -0500

One of the hardest nights for me as a parent was Senior Night. The night they play their final varsity game at home. It's the one game we all dread.

As a coach, I always liked to play all musings one final time. I also liked to have their parents introduced and have them walk onto the floor and acknowledged, too.

It's the one night when I always made sure to play all my seniors. I feel it's something they earned. Because they've practiced and been a part of the team for four years, I feel it's the least I could do.

This time of year, we're seeing the basketball season hit the end of its schedule and senior nights are everywhere. It makes the games go longer, but I actually enjoy them.

The only one I didn't like was a couple of years ago. We had a girl who played hard for four years. She never missed a game or practice, but she only played so we had enough players on the team. So more or less, she was a body for practice.

What I didn't like was that even though she was announced along with her parents, she never got into the game. It was a game we lost by 30 points. In my mind she earned the chance to play. She worked hard, even though she never played in more than one or two games all season long.

Kids today have so many other things they can do. For them to choose to stay and practice when they could do other things says a lot to me.

At my high school, we had a player sign to play football with UCLA. He was big (6-foot-4, 245 pounds), strong, fast and mean. He actually scared teams when he ran the ball. He was a tough cookie to crumble.

But, he wasn't a practice player. He'd get hurt early in practice. Come game time on Friday night, he was healed and never missed a minute. My best friend would run his spot all week in practice and he worked hard. Come game time on Friday, he never got in unless it was mop-up time at the end of the game.

To this day, I feel the way I do just because of that reason. I have two rules when I coach. One, if you practice, you play. Two, you're going to be friends with everyone on the team.

My first year as a varsity coach, my team went undefeated. We won a conference title for the first time in our school's history.

One of my first confrontations was when one of my sprinters, an all-conference sprinter the year before, missed two practices. I stuck by my rules and didn't use him in the next game. I was a student then and was only at the school for practice. This was usually before school or right after school.

The day following our contest, which we won, and found us a new sprinter, I went to school after my day of classes. That night when I went to wash uniforms and get things ready for the next day's contest, I was paged and ask to go to the office.

I walked in and there was my principal and the young man, along with his parents. For the next two hours, I was in his office fighting to keep my rules. The principal wanted me to apologize to the young man and his parents. To make a long story short, I finally left. As I walked out, I said, "I have practice at 6 a.m. You are welcome to come and if you work your way back, you'll be our sprinter in the upcoming contest."

Needless to say, he did, and I never had another problem the entire year. To this day, I'm still the same way.

In a time when its easier for kids to stay home and play video games, we have to do everything to keep them active. Once they do, we must take care of them and reward them for their hard work.

One of my first parents asked me out to dinner one day. He told me that there's someone out there who's better than Larry Bird. There's someone out there who can throw a baseball 110 miles per hour.

But somewhere along the line, he didn't get to play and he never went and played again. Don't you be the reason he never plays again.

So, as we go through our senior nights, take another look at what's happening. Stand and honor the young athletes and their parents. They've sure earned it.

How Do You Behave at a Game?

Jimmy Beasley Sr — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 01:03:26 -0500

I've been covering sports now for nearly 20 years. I've done everything from junior high to college Division I. I've worked the high school playoffs, college tourneys, both playoff and conference games. I've done and the NCAAs, I've written hundreds of articles for our local newspapers.

Last year I broadcast my 1,000th game. I''ve seen blowouts, barn burners, and even saw a game go five overtimes. I remember one game where there were no foul shots the entire game on either side. One thing I've always said was "I could write a book on the things I hear in the bleachers around me."

Sometimes it makes me smile, and yes sometimes it makes me laugh. There have been many times when I've been embarrassed and even ashamed to be in the same crowd. I'm not just pointing a finger outwards, I have to include myself. When I'm at a game in the stands as a fan I can be just as brutal. Just ask my children.

Even so, it's always made me wonder why do we put so much into a game? What is it that makes us react as we do?

It seems recently I've noticed the fans in the stands more and some of the language that's been coming out of the crowd isn't polite. I mean, its words I'd would have been afraid to even write as a youngster, let alone say in the middle of a packed game.

With the economy as bad as it is, and with the skyrocketing prices, what it cost to see any pro games now days. It has more and more families who are turning to the local games for their entertainment dollars.

Why not? You can take a family of four to a high school game for less than 20 bucks. Then you add a coke and a hot dog for a buck and a buck and a half and you've got something we can all afford.

We get to see our kids play, or maybe our grandkids. There's the players, the cheerleaders, the band members and all the others who attend the games. Fan support is something every team needs no matter what level your watching.

It's what hires and fires coaches. Its what makes us holler like we do at the officials when things don't go our way. Its what we all do, no matter the level.

We go to a game we react. How do we react and how does it effect our teams? I don't mind anyone getting into the spirit of the game. Seeing the old rivalries, you can get excited just walking through the doors.

How do you react? Are you helping your team or are you hurting them? Do you yell at the coach when someone your watching doesn't play? Do you yell at the referees when they make a call against you?

Like I said, I'm just as big a fan as the next guy. But some of the things I hear today can make even me blush. I hear cuss words and look around and see kids that are in junior high and younger who look at each other and giggle. They've heard the words before but the know their not supposed to use them.

Anymore were seeing signs and announcements before and during the game about sportsmanship and what it means to the game. But that all seems to go out the door once the game begins.

Are we forgetting that one, its just a game, and two their just kids playing? I'm talking about kids in the age range of 13 to 18 years old.

Also, why is it no matter where you go there's one loudmouth that not only can be heard on one side of the packed gym, but clear across the floor on the other side? Like I said earlier I'm not pointing a finger at someone else, I to am guilty, but why is it we do it?

We do we put so much into a game? What's so important that we react as we do? Forget playing for some kind of title, I'm talking about a regular season, non-conference, game. Why is it we've become so into the game that we forget how we behave?

Who are the leaders here and who sets the tone? Is it the coach, the athletic director, the cheerleaders, the band, who? Are we helping set a good example for our kids?

I played football, basketball and ran track in high school. For the life of me I don't remember it being as bad as it seems today. Do we not realize when we yell we are showing ourselves to our guests? What kind of example do they take home with them?

I was a state licenced official for 25 years. I worked every sport in our state except gymnastics and football. I've worked the state tournaments in just about all.

I've been on the receiving end of some pretty stiff yells after calls, some warranted and some not. Looking back I can honestly say I never went into a game to cheat one school or another. I used to tell other officials I don't care where you're working at this year, are you coming back the next?

I remember shaking my head several times after I blew a call. It wasn't something I did intentionally. I worked hard when I was an official. My mentor was Dave Perry.

Dave was the athletic director at Michigan City Rodgers high school, in northern Indiana. Dave's part time job was as a college official, he was also an official in the NFL. He was good and he worked the Super Bowl.

Dave told me "to be a good official you need to be in shape. You need to hustle, and when you leave most didn't even know you were there.

These days I find myself upset the most when I see officials out of shape and loafing up and down the floor. Dave once said "the players work hard all week so they can come out and play a good game, why shouldnt we?

We all make mistakes. Think of this, what if the referees from tonight's game, or the coaches, players or visiting teams came to your work place the following day and yelled and screamed every time you made a mistake?

Think about it. How would you react if they yelled, cussed and said the same things to you as you did them? What would your bosses say? How long would you have your job?

As we ponder these things, at our next game, be conscious of what you say and do. Make it a point to think just a little bit before you speak. Think hard about how you react. If you were playing is it the way you'd want to be hollered at?

A man who was much wiser than me one time said, "a temper is the one thing you lose that no one wants to help you find." Be a fan, and not the loudmouth. In closing all I can say is I wish I had written this 30 years ago, my son Larry is looking over my shoulder, and he wishes that too.

Time Running Out on MLB Free Agency

Jimmy Beasley Sr — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 13:33:06 -0500

With Jeff Kent saying good-bye to the baseball world as the all-star announced his retirement, and with just days left until the reporting of pitchers and catchers to spring training sites all over the south and southwest, there are still many free agents waiting to sign with old or new teams, time seems to be running out on some big names as well as some of the middle to upper tier free agents.

Never has baseball seen these types of economic times, except since the "Great Depression," most MLB owners have taken the financial downturn and as always used it for their own good. With the big drop in their right pockets they offer or are waiting to offer much lower prices to get players.

From all reports, most owners don't mind waiting the extra time because they know that the longer they wait, the more anxious the players get.

Think about it, if you're a free agent who hasn't signed as of today, and everywhere you look most see or hear that MLB's offers keep dropping with every minute that passes.

Most owners are now shopping at the Dollar Tree instead of Tiffany's. You know the place, where everything is just a buck? Great stores, both. But unlike those two great establishments, players offer's are dropping faster than the DOW. The key words right now for owners is "Take less to sign"

As we all know this does not include the powerful New York Yankees. Love them, like them or hate them, you have to admire their drive. If we're honest and a true baseball fan, deep down we wish our owners had the same gusto and stocked our favorite teams like the Yankees do.

They want a winner and they spent the money to get a winner. And as we all know itdoesn't always payoff, but if you a Yankee fan you gotta love it.

As for me, I wallow in my hope that maybe this year will be the one year that my Cubbies finally make it a World Series. Notice I didn't say win a WS title I said play in one. If they make it that far I'd be tickled as pink. Plus, give Sweet Lou a best-of-seven series and I'll take my chances.

As you all know I'm a HUGE fantasy baseball player and this is something we talk about just about everyday. In fact, I told my favorite rival, The Joker, owner of our Barking Spiders, just one week from the winter meetings that in two weeks we'd be crying because the Cubs didn't have an owner yet and that it will hurt us in making a great trade or FA pickup.

For once I was right on the head with my prediction. I mean, Joey Gathright? That was our big signing? Very fast kid, and nice upside, maybe, but both Joker and I expected something much bigger, like Jake Peavy. And now we trade two very nice young players for Hiellman? Seattle fans are still laughing about this one.

For us Cubs fans, we have to bite our lip and hope that our newly gained player turns the baseball world on its heals and has a monster breakout, doubtful.

What bothers my good friend Joker and I is this, were reading everyday the the new Cub owner, who I wouldn't know if he passed my broadcast booth tonight, is buying the Cubs but is taking on debt. How does that work?

Is he using the "No Money Down" deal we see on TV every late night when were switching through channels looking for another late night sports show we haven't seen ten times yet? Is he buying the Cubs on a signature then hoping to live on its equity until he makes money?

Then the kicker, Pujols comes out yesterday and announces to the baseball world " I'm asking the Cardinals to sign Manny"? He said he talks with him every three days or so and Manny just can't understand why no ones signed him yet, so do we.

When someone like Pujols says something like that, it usually means he'll rework his contract to allow his team to sign, sound familiar? We've seen it many times before.

After his monster second half, he alone carried the Dodgers to the playoffs, knocking my Cubbies out so fast I still haven't recovered. His second half stats with the Dodgers was just awesome. I'm sure like me, he lead many fantasy owners to league titles.

If you read my article yesterday my parting shot was, "I just hope Manny doesn't sign with the Cardinals, our team owner, Murry "the Milkman", would be turning flips all across Terre Haute, again gloating how great his team is and how their heading to yet another World Series title. The thing is, he might just be right if the Cards did sign Manny.

With a signing like that, it will send most Cubs fans running looking for an answer. Yes there are still a couple of nice players who haven't signed yet, Abreu, Dunn,and a few others, that could help the Cubbies. Problem is, with ownership not willing to expand, we have to hope with all hope that this just might be the season for Gathright and Hiellman.

Just What Is a Player Worth?

Jimmy Beasley Sr — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 14:57:23 -0500

Being a 13-year fan of the greatest game ever played, one question I've always wondered about is how much a baseball player is worth.

I've been a sports writer and broadcaster and also have been part of many fantasy baseball leagues. My friend Mark "The Joker" Kohlbecker, like me, is a bit of an expert on baseball, so fantasy leagues give us something to talk about when there are no games on. But is there ever really a time that you can't talk about baseball?

Anyway, the Joker and discussed this morning the merits for determining what a player is worth. I don't mean from a fantasy standpoint, since we play in a head-to-head 10-team 40 man keeper league, which we'll discuss a little later on. We were talking about what makes a baseball player worth his paycheck each year?

The Joker and I have always batted this back and forth over the years, and we've both come to the conclusion that, no matter how good a player is, it's unreal that he can make millions of dollars. How can anyone justify paying, say, $20 million per year for five years?

My dad passed away in 2002. He was a retired factory worker and a member of one of the nation's strongest unions at the time. He never made more than $5 an hour unless he was working overtime at time and a half. Now, the good paying jobs run anywhere from $10 to $20 an hour for average Joes like me.

But with each passing year, we have to endure players asking for millions each year and agents like Scott Boras asking for the same for their clients. The only reason we can think of is trade value.

Let's break down how our fantasy league works. Say another owner comes to you with a trade. He wants two of your top prospects and an aging third baseman who usually hits for 30+ home runs and 100+ plus RBI. It's then that the fun begins, almost like MLB's arbitration.

The owner will tell you why the player worth the asking price and, even though you want the player and need him for the championship run, you have to cut the owner down to get his player as cheaply as you can.

Look at this year's free agent class. It's less than two weeks away from pitchers and catchers reporting and Manny Ramirez still hasn't been signed. Manny, Cliff Lee, and Josh Hamilton led me to my second straight World Series title last year in fantasy value, by the way, so I'm still amazed Manny hasn't signed.

Why has he not signed? What is he worth? How do they come up with the asking price?

Here's how. We both believe (well, hope) that Ramirez hasn't signed because, deep down, he wants to be a Chicago Cub, and is awaiting Cubs GM Hendry to awaken from his slumber and sign ManRam.

With him, our Cubbies can win their first World Series title in a hundred years. What should we pay for Ramirez? We'd give him the sun, the moon, and any other planet he wants if he chooses to play in the Cubs outfield.

Boras is asking more than $10 million per year for his client. This seems outrageous to normal people like us, but it makes sense from a baseball standpoint. Ramirez was the key for the Dodgers last year. Ask any true Dodgers fan and they'll say Ramirez is worth the money. The man sells tickets, he delivers numbers and he brings his team tons and tons of free publicity, both good and bad.

Teams like the Cubs would gladly take that. It's more about paying for personality and getting a trade value than anything, it seems, when a player commands these millions and gets them.

It's possible Ramirez will sign this weekend just to upstage the Super Bowl, and it's a sure bet he will get his millions.

But is he worth it? Baseball started to get out of hand when A-Rod signed with Texas for $250 million. That's a lot of money for someone who's never won a World Series title. It just seemed too extravagant. Compared to that, Ramirez isn't asking for too much, but it's still a very large amount.

As long as he doesn't sign with the St. Louis Cardinals, we'll be OK.

The point is that measuring a player's worth financially is not easy. Fans and the public will remain divided as to whether a player is worth $14 million for two years, or $50 million for six years, or whatever. The more important question for owners, agents and players is this:

When is enough enough?

Spring Traing Now Just Days Away!

Jimmy Beasley Sr — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 23:56:13 -0500

With January going out like a Monster, and February arriving over the weekend, Spring Training will begin around the 13th, depending on when players decide to show up. I play fantasy baseball and our Fantasy season has picked up over the last two weeks with a record 34 trades and I'm still looking for a new owner as we lost on one of our regulars. Most are still waiting for some of their regular stars to sign.

Last year, Manny and Hamilton carried my offense while Cliff Lee and Carlos Zambrano lead my pitchers to my second straight title. This is my third season for this league, I've started three and like building then turning over to make new ones.

Most of my owners are buying their copies of the fantasy mags that are coming out. I only like two: Lindy's and the Fantsay Baseball Guide. As we prepare for our third spring draft.

Each year we hold a five round spring draft. The order is the opposite of our regular season finish. Picks can be traded throughout the year and change hands many times. Our rosters are 40 man, you keep all 40. You can't be over 40 with one exception, the draft.

We try to hold our draft with two weeks left in spring training but all rosters must be Down to 40, 24 hours before we have to set our first weekly lineup. We set our lineups on Monday of each week, you can make changes in your lineup up until one half hour before the first MLB pitch on Monday's.

If a owner trades away all his draft picks, and it always happens, a owner may drop any player from his roster beginning Jan first. After our five-round draft, we have a supplemental draft.

We allow the owners without draft picks to draft for as many rounds as they need to get their roster back to the league min of 40. We may have as many as 10 owners and as few as one.

During the regular season, we have a weekly waiver where you may add or drop up to 2 players per week. We have an order, which is the opposite order of our spring draft. If an owner above you in the order he gets your player.

We do it in order and if you add a player you fall to the bottom of the line for the following weeks. After our waivers are done, which have to be sent to the comish, me, by noon each Friday. After waivers close, we open our DL. You may put up to five players on the DL during the season, and you can use it until the next to last week of playoffs.

We use the MLB trade deadline. Once a trade is made, the owners email it to the comish, it's announced once all owners involved confirm. After the announcement, owners have two days to protest all trades. Which is rare in our league. But when it happen, the comish assigns two owners not involved in the trade. The tie is broke by the comish. If the comish is involved then he assigns an owner to rule in his place.

It's worked well. I like it because we set lineups once a week, we use CBS sportsline for our Web hosts and have for all our leagues. They feature live, up-to-the-minute scoring and you can use the site all year round.

But I also love playing Yahoo fantasy baseball as well. I've won many titles but don't like it as good as the weekly over daily owners. As they say to each their own right?

I've talked to all my owners and as always were discussing who will be this year's breakout players but the biggest talk has been the offseason and the free-agent market. Many don't like all the Yankee moves, and most some believe a salary cap is needed; as for me, I'm not sure.

Sometimes it seems like the way to go, but then I think why should one team be hurt because they work harder in pleasing their fans and they use their returns to keep their teams on the top? You can argue either way.

So, with the MLB season just weeks away from their start, all I can say here from my crib with 11" of snow outside? Let's play ball!