CALIFORNIA YANKEE

MLB Hall Of Shame

Former senator George Mitchell's 409-page report on his MLB steroid investigation found a collective failure in which performance-enhancing drug abuse was ignored by people throughout baseball.

Mitchell cites a "code of silence" among players that protected steroid users, and he blames the overall problem on everyone from Commissioner Bud Selig and players' union chief Don Fehr to team trainers and clubhouse attendants.

"This has not been an isolated problem involving just a few players or a few clubs," Mitchell said during a news conference. "Everyone involved in baseball over the past two decades — commissioners, club officials, the players association and players — share to some extent the responsibility for the steroids era. There was a collective failure to recognize the problem as it emerged and to deal with it early on."

George Mitchell shares his findings and thoughts on baseball's future in the following video:

The Mitchell Report named nearly 80 current or former major league players, including 29 former All-Stars, linked to possession, use or reception of performance-enhancing drugs.

Key Mitchell Recommendations:

It called on the commissioner to "create a Department of Investigations, led by a senior executive who reports directly to the president of Major League Baseball, to respond promptly and aggressively to allegations of the illegal use or possession of performance-enhancing substances."

It urged the commissioner to "strengthen existing efforts to keep illegal substances out of major league clubhouses." The report cited evidence that "many players have had steroids and human growth hormone shipped to them at major league ballparks."

Education "about the dangers of performance-enhancing substances be combined with education on how to achieve the same results through proper training, nutrition and supplements that are legal and safe."

A drug-testing program "should be administered by a truly independent authority," the report said. It added the program should be "transparent to the public" and should include "year-round, unannounced testing" while respecting "the legitimate privacy and due process rights of the players."

The complete report is available here (.pdf file).

The Nutty Buddy

Mark Littell believes he has a better way to protect himself, and bets his manhood to prove it:

"Yes sir folks," he says into the camera. "The Nutty Buddy: It's mean, it's tough, and it's right there for ya, every time."

Watch the video.

You can't make this stuff up.

Giving Him The Business

The "best" call ever.

You can't make this stuff up.

Barry Bonds Indicted

the Associated Press reports Barry Bonds was indicted Thursday on perjury and obstruction of justice charges.

Woody Austin Makes A Splash

At the Presidents Cup, Woody Austin was under pressure to drive the green at the par-four 14th. Austin pulled his tee shot into the water.

Austin donned his rain gear, took off his socks and shoes, rolled up his pant legs and gave it a shot:

"The odds were not good, but my caddie kept saying, 'You gotta try, you gotta try, you gotta try,'" Austin said.

After getting a stance and taking a few waggles, Austin swung with all his might. The ball never did come out, but Austin, having lost his balance, staggered and fell face-first into the water.

You can watch Austin's dive in the video below.

Mets Complete Collapse

The Philadelphia Phillies won the National League East Division as the New York Mets completed the biggest late-season collapses in Major League Baseball history.

Philadelphia beat Washington 6-1 on the final day of the season to finish at 89-73, while the Mets (88-74) lost 8-1 to Florida and were eliminated from postseason contention.

The Mets, who led the Phillies by seven games on Sept. 12, became the first team in league history to blow a seven-game advantage with 17 or fewer games remaining in the season.

Their unraveling rivals that of the 1964 Phillies, who gave up a 6 1/2-game lead with 12 to play in 1964.

Tom Glavine gave up seven runs on five hits while retiring just one batter in the first inning. Eight Mets relievers allowed only one run while striking out 13, but the Mets were only able to muster five hits.

Losers, I don't know what else to say.

Bonds Hits 756!

Barry Bonds has just hit home run No. 756 to pass Hank Aaron to hold the all-time home run record.

Bonds hit a 3-2 pitch from Washington Nationals left-hander Mike Bacsik, 435 feet to the deepest part of AT&T Park.

Aaron provided a taped video message that was played on the scoreboard:

"It is a great accomplishment which required skill, longevity and determination," Aaron said. "Throughout the past century, the home run has held a special place in baseball and I have been privileged to hold this record for 33 of those years. I move over now and offer my best wishes to Barry and his family on this historic achievement. My hope today, as it was on that April evening in 1974, is that the achievement of this record will inspire others to chase their own dreams."

No matter what you think of Bonds, like him or not, he is baseball's new home run king.

I have always admired his performance. Perhaps because I grew up with the Giants as my "home" team. Mays has always been my favorite player and I was a big fan of Bobby Bonds.

Bonds hits 755, Ties Record

Barry Bonds hit his 755th home run on Saturday, tying the all-time record held by Hank Aaron.

Bonds slammed the historic homer off San Diego Padres pitcher Clay Hensley 382 feet into the leftfield stands of Petco Park.

Image Credit: Reuters/Fred Greaves

Bonds Within Two

Barry Bonds hit two homers Thursday, number 752 and 753, at Wrigley Field. Bonds is now just two behind Hank Aaron.

Writing about Bond's feat in the Chicago Sun-Times, Jay Mariotti was a little short on magnanimousness:

As the ball ripped through the summer sky, much like a syringe injected into soft tissue, a spooky sense of finality settled over Wrigley Field. The villain is going to win, isn't he? A grand jury can't stop him, the commissioner can't stop him, old age can't stop him, and the weight of overwhelming public disapproval can't stop him.

Barry Bonds, creep of creeps, is about to own the mother of all baseball records.

And there's nothing we can do about it except watch and grow physically ill.

San Francisco still appreciates Bonds. City Hall is illuminated with orange lights and a flag hangs from the mayor's balcony that tracks each home run that Bonds hits.

According to Mayor Newsom:

Barry Bonds is one of the greatest baseball players of all-time. For the last 14 years, he has entertained us at the plate and in left field, and more recently, his splash hits into McCovey Cove have become synonymous with San Francisco and Giants baseball. I think I speak for all San Franciscans when I say, "GO BARRY."

Go Barry.
Photo Credit: AP/Eric Risberg)

Colts Win Super Bowl XLI

The Philadelphia Inquirer summed the game up succinctly:

The Chicago Bears' game plan was carried out perfectly, by the Indianapolis Colts.

The score was 29-17.