The bit about the team doctors is very strange, if true - that’s surely a grave violation of medical ethics and probably plain illegal.

Actually, I don’t find this at all objectionable or surprising.  I would imagine that part of receiving the free healthcare from team doctors is that the information is disclosed to the team as well as to the individual.  You can contract around these rules as the teams do with all their players, the fact that a manager does the same thing in return for a medical perk is unsurprising.

Yes, it’s very clear by now- nobody likes ARod. OK, lets move on.  There are probably plenty of positive things in that book that are ignored in favor of the couple of negatives that will generate a controversial headline.  Torre is a clown and the media love-affair w/him is a joke.  I hope LA signs Manny then finishes last.

ARod could be a cross dresser for all I care. If he puts up an OPS over 1.000 and mashes in the playoffs he can be whatever the hell he wants to be.

I am reminded of the recent suggestion (Clay’s?) that ARod should start dating Varitek.  Only seems like the logical thing for the dude to do at this point.

I am reminded of the recent suggestion (Clay’s?) that ARod should start dating Varitek.  Only seems like the logical thing for the dude to do at this point.

Sure, it seemed crazy at first, but now people are coming around!

I don’t understand why people care about what A-Rod does outside the ball park as long as he continues to be A-Rod in the park.

I wonder if Eckstein would be a better choice… maybe Pedroia, (Varitek only brings leadership to the table). In fact the two could start an escort service: “get some grit in you!” I should stop now.

That’s pretty impressive the way you guys seamlessly transitioned the Torre-bashing to the newest thread.  Very smooth.

Me, I can’t wait for A-Rod to write his tell all book.  Payback’s a bitch, baby.

So what’s the over-under on Cano’s April slash line, anyway?

Man, Eddy Curry sure is having a tough month.

Wasn’t it yesterday he was whipping out his gran torino and wagging it at his chauffeur?

Yeah but it got a lot worse according to Yahoo.

The Dugout has the best take on the Torre book thing.

Umm:

Swirling trade rumors are a sobering reminder.

“I hear a lot of rumors, but I never pay much attention,” Cano said.

That’s some goooood writin’!

Oh, man.  I just read about Eddie Curry’s month getting worse, and it’s awful! 

That is genuinely sobering.

Link.

You know, I don’t think I’ve ever laughed while reading one of those “Dugout” things. They’re way too wordy/joke-extending to be funny, IMO.

That is genuinely sobering.

Certainly an awful thing for anyone to experience.

Side note: am I missing something or is there a reason they kept use derivatives of slay (slaying, slain, etc..)?

Before they moved to AOL Fanhouse, I routinely found the Dugout cartoons very amusing.

Yikes, just read the Eddie Curry thing.  That is absolutely terrible.

“Me, I can’t wait for A-Rod to write his tell all book.  Payback’s a bitch, baby.”

I’ll buy that, though I think that (as is often the case) the dish should be served cold.  But I’ll be happy enough if his first interview op of the year starts, “A few things I said in strict confidence to Joe Torre have appeared in the press.  I think it should be obvious what I think about the character of a rich man who sells others’ secrets for a few dollars.  As to his allegations about what’s been said about me by my teammates, I’ve talked to the guys in the clubhouse and we’re all good.  And that’s the last thing I have to say about that subject.”

How awesome is this:

An Insider’s View of What Went Wrong in the Bronx

The hallmark of the Yankees who won World Series championships in 1996, 1998, 1999 and 2000 was gritty team play: they weren’t famous for a roster of flashy superstars or power hitters; rather, they were a resolute band of brothers, who put collective play above individual stats — an ensemble distinguished by its chemistry on the field and in the clubhouse, a team renowned for its resourcefulness, its determination and its ability to grind out win after win after win.

They were a team made up of Pedroias and Ecksteins.

O.M.G.

How about:

This book often fails to detail Torre’s role in the decisions made over these years. His reactions to the signing of Giambi and management’s refusal to grant Williams a guaranteed contract in 2007 are duly noted, but in other instances, it’s unclear to what degree he protested specific choices made by the front office or its lack of a long-term rebuilding strategy.

So, I guess it omits stories like . . .  how in 1998 Torre went golfing with Albert Belle in an attempt to recruit him, when the team wanted to sign Belle and not Bernie.

From another Times article:

“For instance, who knew Bernie Williams once forgot his son at Yankee Stadium after a night game and had to call Andy Pettitte to drive him home? “

WTF! Why reveal that?

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/26/sports/baseball/26torre.html?_r=1

I suppose we should just wait for Torre’s book to come out.  Verducci and Torre are both saying a lot of stuff in it is taken out of context, or being exagerrated.  Perhaps they’re just trying to drive up more interest in the book.  But for now, I think it is best to just wait.

So what’s the over-under on Cano’s April slash line, anyway?

I’ll just say his OPS over/under will be .750.  Slash line could be difficult to predict; he may try really hard to prove he’s more patient and take a lot of walks, or he may come out aggressive and have a good batting-average, but I think he’ll have a solid April.

I think that (as is often the case) the dish should be served cold.

Yeah, I agree.  While I really would enjoy seeing A-Rod turn the tables on all the jealous jerks who take cheap shots at him, it would probably be best for him to publish his book some time after his HOF induction.

Please note that the above should not be read as a defense of Mr. Rodriguez’ behavior over the years, or a denial of his many personality issues.  My point is simply that most of the people who hate on him live in glass houses themselves, and I just happen to enjoy the whole comeuppance thing.

And while I’m at it, it also probably would have been best for Torre to publish this book sometime after his HOF induction.