Kudos to Sean Cunningham of Esquire for doing a great job chronicling Roger Clemens behavior over the years. Cunningham demonstrates countless reasons why the Rocket’s image and credibility is taking a shot and why he shouldn’t be surprised that he’s not “getting the benefit of the doubt.” It’s simply because time and time again Clemens has exhibited strange (see: douchebag) behavior and why he’s one of the least loved athletes the sport has ever seen. If you’re not loyal to your fan base, as Clemens wasn’t, particularly in Toronto, New York and Houston, fans are sure to return the favor.

Two of my favorites:

1996

Insisting the only thing that would make him leave Boston is a desire to play closer to his Texas home, Clemens decides to join the Toronto Blue Jays. Despite this, Clemens graciously expresses great fondness for the Red Sox, noting his former teammates are “distraught” and “on their way out the door.”

2000

An irate Clemens throws a piece of a broken bat at Mike Piazza during the World Series. Maintaining total innocence, Roger offers the perfectly plausible explanation that he just wanted to toss the bat “towards our on-deck circle, where our batboys were at.” Then he offers the equally perfectly plausible explanation that he “thought [the bat] was the ball.” Finally, he concludes, “To be honest with you, I didn’t know if it was the bat or the ball,” putting the matter to rest forever.

On his blog for The Star Tibune, Twins beat reporter La Velle A. Neal III now feels the Mets could be a viable option in the Santana sweepstakes. Way to go La Velle, but I feel like I’ve seen your sentiments somewhere before:

“This is pure speculation, but you have to wonder if the Twins would prefer to deal Santana to a National League team. Santana, a career .258 hitter, would get the chance to swing the bat. And, except for interleague play, the Twins wouldn’t have to face him during the regular season.”

Pure speculation?

“Why would the Twins be willing to ensure American League dominance by moving their prize lefty to either the Red Sox or Yankees?…..This brings us to the Mets, the place where Johan seems to fit perfectly. Santana has leverage here, and is an accomplished athlete, who would love to come to the ballpark and swing the lumber. Of course, logic would not dictate Santana’s demand to come to the National League lies on the fact that he wants to hit. No, but what makes the Mets a realistic option is GM Omar Minaya’s aggressiveness to make a deal, and the young prospects to make it happen.”

I’m not looking for any credit here, I’m just damn happy that someone is starting to see this thing for what it is. The Mets have a real shot here people, just be patient.

Our old friend Cliff Floyd has apparently found a home (semi-retirement) in the “Sunshine State,” signing a one-year deal with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. No truth to the rumor that he agreed to move into the same assisted retirement community as Blanche, Dorothy, Rose and the REAL old one.

I know, I know, the “Golden Girls” lived in Miami, not Tampa, but close enough.

I always thought Cliff was the best warm-weather hitter in baseball so we should be seeing Cliff in the lineup sometime mid-June.

As Frank Drebin would say, “Very impressive, yes.”

Oh, and people who saw the other guy throw off a mound said he looked pretty good too.

I’m not going to waste my time with all the names, because yesterday’s proceedings are just the tip of the iceberg. We’ll wait until the names surface from other investigations sure to follow which will highlight activity outside the country in places like Tijuana, where “the juice” is easier to find than street fruit. I mean, if Mark McGwire is not on this list, or dozens of players who fit the profile of big stats/bigger decline, then we should hold our breath for other reports to surface.

I will say this about Roger Clemens. He can deny these allegations all he wants, and he may be right in doing so, and he may be innocent. But let’s just say that Clemens taking steroids and HGH makes a ton of sense.

If you watched his playoff performance in 2000 throwing 93 MPH sinkers at a baffled Mariners line up, or watched him twitch and shake during his effort in the World Series against the Mets, you’d think he’d need some help to get that superhuman. This report gives credence to baseball fans befuddled by Clemens reaction to Mike Piazza’s broken bat when he admitted he, “thought it was the ball” and that he was “really pumped up.”

Decent job by the YES Network yesterday, whose “Hot Stove” edition featured Bob Klapisch urging Clemens to sue former trainer Brian McNamee, or take a lie-detector test, in order to prove his innocence and to keep his legacy in tact. Also, the forum allowed for Dave Justice, a YES employee and former player whose name appeared on the list, the first chance to publicly clear his name, which he attempted to do. Justice cited his “fear of needles” as the reason he never used despite being linked to making purchases.

However, YES missed the opportunity to set the record straight regarding the hiring of McNamee, who was reportedly hired as strength and conditioning coach at Clemens’ urging, in 2000. McNamee was not retained in 2002 after he was questioned by police in connection with an alleged sexual assault on a woman during the 2001 season. It was reported the woman ingested the date-rape drug GHB. Charges were never filed against McNamee.

Clearly, if there was a chance to set the record straight about the team’s relationship with its former employer this was it, however YES executives passed.

What would the hot stove be without a pessimistic view on the Mets performance from ESPN’s own Bob Klapisch?

On ESPN, Bob “Watch out Bonilla’s behind you!” Klapisch attempts to rationalize just what happened to the Mets at the end of 2007, forcing fans to again remember the slow and painful last two weeks of the season.

The Mets collapsed Bob, we get it. But in all honesty, it saved us some serious humiliation against the scorching Rockies.

Offering no further insight into how to fix the Mets, Klap douses the chances the Mets had in getting Dan Haren, by implying they can’t work out a deal with the A’s without Lastings Milledge. Clearly, Bobby has no idea that Billy Beane was never asking for L Millz in any deal. But hey, why waste minutes on your cell phone when the Bergen Record is picking up the bill? I guess Bobby’s part time ESPN work isn’t enough to get him such pesky benefits.

Anyway, Milledge was never going west, that much is obvious, and the Twins may still make a deal that includes both Gomez and Martinez, which this Met fan hopes Omar would do in a heartbeat.

Thanks for the “knowledge” Klap, say hi to Buster Olney for us. We know he’s right next to you at the dinner table. After all, someone has to pick up the bill.

Mr. Unreliable Source? Table for two?…

British intellectual Thomas Paine published Common Sense with the help of Benjamin Rush advocating independence for the American Colonies from the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1776. The reaction from the public was the spark that essentially lit the fire that would be known as the American Revolution. Having had to endure yet another hot stove season of crappy, senseless rumors from major news outlets, it is my aim to urge fans, Met fans in particular, to use their common sense when sifting through the rumor receptacle.

Grab the torches people; it’s time to put this nonsense to an end.

Over the past few days, and thanks to Met blog pioneer Matthew Cerrone, there finally has been some light shed on a developing situation that seemed so destined from the start.

Let’s look at the Johan Santana situation logically.

Logic (as defined by Wikipedia) - is the study of the principles and criteria of valid inference and demonstration.

For a team that is forced to constantly spin high-priced talent, despite being far from a low budget team, the Twins can still be very competitive next year if they do indeed move Santana. When you consider Justin Morneau, Joe Mauer, Michael Cuddyer, the return of Francisco Liriano, the continued dominance of Joe Nathan and the recent acquisition of Delmon Young and Brendan Harris- on top of the major-league ready talent they will get back in exchange for Johan-there is no reason to think that the Twins cannot compete with the Tigers and Indians. If you agree with such logic, then why would the Twins be willing to ensure American League dominance by moving their prize lefty to either the Red Sox or Yankees?

All of the reports circulating around the winter meetings had Santana pegged for the Northeast, (with the Angels a distant 3rd) for two very simple reasons. 1) The Sox and the Yankees have the young talent to give and money to sign Johan to the contract extension he’s looking for and 2) They are the two biggest media outlets right now in the entire league.

I’m sorry, but could someone give me one quote from Twins GM Bill Smith saying he had any interest in trading Johan to the Sox or Yankees?

What suckers we must feel like constantly looking for information from, specifically the worldwide leader in sports, that was actually nothing more than empty babble. Even our favorite Peter Gammons seemed out of touch:

“They’ve [Sox and Twins] met again [today], the Twins should just say look, we’re either going to take the package for Jacoby Ellsbury, which is a 3-for-1, or we’ll take the package of a 4-for-1 involving John Lester, now the stories that they went to a 5-for-1, that’s not so. Now the only way the Angels pitch is better is if Jared Weaver’s in the deal, maybe Nick Adenhart, and Brandon Wood. They’re going to have to go to two big-time guys, I’m not sure they’re going to do that; it will be interesting to see how far it goes. It behooves the Twins to at least explore the Angels as they have so much talent in their organization.”

We don’t doubt there were discussions, but this speculation from a trusted Gammons combined with the “Twins and Sox are getting closer” headline equals a big bucket of monkey poo.

Or how about this “insight”, Rob Bradford on WEEI:

“The Twins have told the Red Sox that they do want to get this done today, one way or the other. Whether that happens or not, I don’t know, but that’s what they’ve told them. I think the Red Sox have put out the offer… they’re very close, the only wild card here guys is the Yankees, everyone’s saying they’re out of it, if they do decide to jump back in, and include Ian Kennedy..”

Again, paging Mr. Hanky. Uh, how can Bradford “think” the Sox have put out an offer, and admit he didn’t know, yet conclude they’re “very close” to making a deal? It just doesn’t make sense.

Nothing screams “headline” like Yanks/Sox, so this rush to get a deal done screams leak out of Boston outlets that the Sox were close and wanted the Yanks to give up another jewel in their system. To their credit Baby Stein wasn’t biting, and what resonates is another Yanks/Sox battle, only through the media.

My point is there was no reason to believe, whatsoever, that Smith had any intention to trade Johan to either team and that each organization played chicken with each other, with the media (most notably ESPN) adding fuel to the fire. Unless, of course, Smith could goat one team into surrendering a bevy of prospects. It appeared as if Smith was just sitting back and watching the two superpowers toggle over who was willing to give up more, and how much they really wanted Johan.

It turns out that the Yanks, were not giving up another young pitcher, and the Sox weren’t parting with Clay Buchholz and Ellsbury.

This brings us to the Mets, the place where Johan seems to fit perfectly. Santana has leverage here, and is an accomplished athlete, who would love to come to the ballpark and swing the lumber. Of course, logic would not dictate Santana’s demand to come to the National League lies on the fact that he wants to hit. No, but what makes the Mets a realistic option is GM Omar Minaya’s aggressiveness to make a deal, and the young prospects to make it happen.

Now, getting Santana won’t be easy for the Mets, they’ll have to give up a ton. But by thinking logically, Santana to the Mets makes plenty of sense, and the crap that’s been reported over the last few weeks appears to be more of a battle of Northeast media outlets than a chess match between organizations. But of course, we’ll wait for word from Smith himself before getting too excited about the idea of getting the front line starter this team desperately needs.

Kudos to Smith for not getting caught up in the circus, and for those fans who know better.