MLB FanHouse

Giants Ace Tim Lincecum Busted for Possession of Marijuana

Pat Lackey — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 20:03:00 EST

Filed under: Giants, NL West, MLB Police Blotter

Tim Lincecum was cited by the state police in Washington for possession of marijuana this week. The pot was found in his car after he was pulled over for speeding near the Oregon border on Oct. 30. It was a small amount, and the police determined that Lincecum was not intoxicated while driving, so he's been cited for misdemeanor possession. After his hearing on Nov. 23, that will likely be the last we hear of this particular incident.

Andrew Baggarly, the San Jose Mercury writer who wrote the blog entry linked above, guesses that this incident won't be much more than an embarrassment for Lincecum and that it's unlikely to affect his potential arbitration hearing early next year. He's probably right that it'd be wrong for the Giants to accuse their superstar pitcher of being a dirty hippie for having a few grams of pot in his car, but that's a funny mental image I'm stuck with and now I hope you are, too.

Lincecum was probably pretty high on most people's list of MLB players that could potentially get caught with a little bit of pot, but there will probably be some Giants fans disappointed by this news (then again, maybe not, they are mostly from San Francisco) nonetheless. Still, Lincecum wasn't high while he was driving, he wasn't excessively speeding, and if he'd just get a haircut this entire incident probably could have been avoided entirely.

Of course, marijuana is illegal and so that disappointment isn't necessarily unjustified, but he owned up to it and there are really much, much worse ways he could be spending his offseason.

Giants Ace Tim Lincecum Busted for Possession of Marijuana originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 20:03:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Marcus Giles Arrested On Domestic Battery Charges

Tom Fornelli — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 11:49:00 EST

Filed under: Braves, Padres, MLB Police Blotter

Former Atlanta Braves and San Diego Padres second baseman Marcus Giles was arrested early Wednesday morning for domestic battery after his wife called the police. The details of the incident are somewhat sketchy, but the El Cajon police were called by the California Highway Patrol to the scene where the incident allegedly took place.

Police arrived on the scene to find the Giles' car parked on the shoulder of the highway, placed Giles under arrest and took him into custody.

El Cajon Police Acting Lt. Fenton Sue said officers were called to eastbound Interstate 8 at Greenfield Drive at 3:20 a.m. by the California Highway Patrol. The CHP officers were with Giles, 31, and his wife Tracy, 30, who were in a vehicle parked on the shoulder of the freeway , Sue said.

Giles' wife told officers she was making a citizen's arrest on her husband for battery, Sue said. The incident happened near the intersection of I-8 and state Route 67, Sue said.

Giles was taken into custody on suspicion of domestic battery on a spouse, Sue said.

Tracy Giles was unhurt and was taken to El Cajon police headquarters to be interviewed, Sue said.

The details on what happened have not been released by the police but the CHP did say that they had a "be on the lookout" call for Giles' vehicle.

While this is the first incident of this type involving Marcus Giles, it's not the first time a story like this has come out about his family. Marcus' brother Brian Giles had a lawsuit filed against him back in December of 2008 by an ex-girlfriend, Cheri Olvera, who claimed that Giles had physically and emotionally abused her throughout their relationship. Brian filed a countersuit claiming it was Olvera who had been abusing him.

Marcus Giles Arrested On Domestic Battery Charges originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Thu, 08 Oct 2009 11:49:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Miguel Cabrera Fought With Wife, Picked Up by Dombrowski at Police Station

Pat Lackey — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 10:07:00 EST

Filed under: Tigers, AL Central, MLB Police Blotter

Miguel Cabrera's facial cuts are a mystery no more. After the Tigers' win Sunday night, police gave a full report on just how the Tigers' slugger got his wounds. He was apparently out late on Friday night/Saturday morning, came home drunk, and got into a fight with his wife, which resulted in a 911 call from his wife at 6 AM Saturday.

It gets worse; police came to Cabrera's house and picked the All-Star up and took him in for questioning, leaving Tigers GM Dave Dombrowski to pick him up from the station at 7:30 AM Saturday morning. Cabrera hasn't talked about the situation publicly, but it's safe to say that the rumors that the Tigers were upset with him are probably true.

The same report also says Cabrera blew at .26 BAC at the police station, which is more than three times the legal limit to drive of .08. So with the Tigers season on the line and their playoff chances shrinking daily, Cabrera was out drinking, got into a fight with his wife, and ending up being picked up by the team's GM at the police station.

On the bright side (if there is one), neither Cabrera nor his wife suffered serious injuries and neither wants to press charges. And the Tigers almost certainly benefit here from their one-game playoff against the Twins being moved to Tuesday, because this would make for one heck of a distraction if the game were Monday night.

Cabrera issued a short statement on the eve of Detroit's one-game playoff against Minnesota.

"There was an incident that took place on Saturday and it is a personal matter," he said. "I am sorry this has become a distraction, and I apologize to the Tigers, my teammates, and all of the fans. I would appreciate it if you would respect my family's privacy as I prepare for our next game."

UPDATE: The Detroit News has posted audio of the 911 call by Cabrera's wife, Roseangel.

The News also has the details of an August altercation at the same Birmingham, Mich.-area bar that the slugger was reportedly at this past weekend. Cabrera was warned to stay away from the establishment then after a confrontation with a man and a teen in which he intimated that he had a gun.

In the August incident, according to the information, a man told Birmingham police that he and an unnamed teen encountered Cabrera at the Rugby Grille on Aug. 31 about 6:30 p.m. Cabrera allegedly asked the teen, who weighs about 300 pounds, "What's up, big boy? You need to work out," according to the information provided to The News.

The teen then asked Cabrera to stop taunting him and said, "Let me be."

But it became confrontational, the man told police: Cabrera allegedly challenged the man and the teen. "Let's go right now. I'll fight both of you right now. Let's go outside." At one point, the man told police he felt that Cabrera intimated that he had a gun, saying he was going to go to his vehicle and get his "click-clack" and making a motion with his hands that he interpreted as the racking of a handgun.

Richard Fenton, the Tigers security representative, told police that he later searched Cabrera's vehicle and did not find a weapon, and he said Cabrera indicated he did not have a gun. The incident prompted the Tigers to hold a meeting with Cabrera, General Manager Dave Dombrowski and a team lawyer, Fenton told police. It was then that Cabrera was told to stay out of the Townsend.

Miguel Cabrera Fought With Wife, Picked Up by Dombrowski at Police Station originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Mon, 05 Oct 2009 10:07:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Shawn Chacon Is Wanted by the Police

Pat Lackey — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 13:38:00 EST

Filed under: MLB Police Blotter

According to a report by the Las Vegas Sun, police in Nevada have issued a warrant for the arrest of former big league pitcher Shawn Chacon for a $150,000 gambling debt owed to Caesar's Palace. He's being accused of taking out three $50,000 gambling markers in March and hasn't repaid them, which in Nevada results in a felony charge that is prosecuted as a bad check.

You may remember Chacon as a promising young pitcher and All-Star for the Rockies, a mildly successful starter for the Yankees, or a decent bullpen guy for the Pirates. It is most likely, however, that you remember Chacon for choke-slamming general manager Ed Wade as a member of the Astros early last summer. That earned him a release and he hasn't returned the majors since.

He wasn't out of baseball entirely, though. He began the year with the independent minor-league Newark Bears and spent the second half of 2009 with the Sacramento River Rats, the Oakland A's Triple-A affiliate. He was presumably hanging out there hoping that someone would be desperate enough for bullpen help that they'd both ignore his poor stat line with the River Rats and forget the time he turned the Astros' cafeteria into a WWE ring. That seems much more unlikely now.

Shawn Chacon Is Wanted by the Police originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Fri, 02 Oct 2009 13:38:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Dugout: Blauch Buster

B. Thompson Stroud — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 23:00:00 EST

Filed under: Yankees, MLB Police Blotter, The Dugout

As reported earlier today, former All-Star, World Series champion, and all-around somewhat competent baseball player Chuck Knoblauch has been charged with hitting his common-law wife in the face and choking her like she was a female police officer. Since his premature retirement at the age of 34, Knoblauch has steadily and consistently descended into a weird kind of personal madness usually reserved for aging soul singers and professional wrestlers.

There aren't a lot of details at this time, so tonight's Dugout heads back to the glory days of the Yankees and revisits the Knob gobbler in his prime. Warning: this Dugout contains frank discussions about domestic abuse. Reader discretion is advised.

The Dugout

	Online Host Welcome to the 1999 New York Yankees Chatroom!
	ChastityBelt: hey man what's up
	PrairieDon: Not much, man, just growing out the old "soup ruiner." How are you?
	ChastityBelt: Pretty good. Thinkin bout beating the sh** out of my wife
	PrairieDon: That's cool. You watch Friends last night?
	ChastityBelt: Aw, I forgot. What happened?
	PrairieDon: Joey got a hernia, and realized he didn't have insurance. Heh, and he's got a hernia, so he's trying to do stuff, but he can't, and ... aw you have to watch it, it was pretty good
	ChastityBelt: sounds like it!
	PrairieDon: Yep. So what makes you want to beat your wife?
	ChastityBelt: I dunno, I was bored, and a Yankee, so it sounded like a good idea. Plus she's been really pissing me off lately.
	PrairieDon: Beating your wife is a great way to pass the time. You see where Chuck Finley married that lady from Whitesnake? I'd like to give beating THAT woman up a go.
	ChastityBelt: there was a lady in Whitesnake?
	PrairieDon: the best is when you beat her up for no reason, like when she cancels the cable TV at your ranch, and you just flip out and shove her to the ground and spit in your face
	PrairieDon: I mean I've never personally done that, but it would be great if one day my kids could grow up and experience that
	ChastityBelt: I'm not sure how to do it, though. Any tips?
	PrairieDon: Have you tried hitting her in the mouth?
	ChastityBelt: yeah, I threw a punch, but it landed twenty feet to her left
	PrairieDon: Why don't you ask some of the other guys? I know a lot of them are senselessly abusive pricks
	ChastityBelt: I was thinking about asking Jeter, he seems like a real piece of-
	PrairieDon: Nah, don't ask him.
	ChastityBelt: Why not?
	PrairieDon: we're going to give him sh** for the next 20 years, but honestly he's like the one decent human being on this ballclub
	PrairieDon: try asking Clemens
	Online Host Later
	OldLOL: /injects liquified tootsie roll into ass cheek
	ChastityBelt: I don't need to know how many licks it takes to get to the Tootsie Roll center of a Tootsie Pop
	OldLOL: then why the f*** are you talking to me
	ChastityBelt: I need some advice about beating my wife. I don't want to hurt my hands!
	OldLOL: did you try wearing a glove
	ChastityBelt: Yeah, but it didn't do anything
	OldLOL: i wish i could help you but i don't really beat my wife, i just introduce foreign substances into her body and then sleep with 15 year olds
	OldLOL: if you want your wife to sprout a monstrous muscle arm and go on a rampage i could probably hook you up with that
	ChastityBelt: This might be too much work for me. I don't want to work hard. Who do I look like, Craig Biggio?
	OldLOL: you aren't craig biggio? who the hell are you, i don't have time for this, i have anal swabbing to attend to
	OldLOL: just find the absolute worst person you can and ask him, chances are he beats his wife
	Online Host Later
	hawaiian_crackers: Have you tried running her over with your car?
	ChastityBelt: Uh, I don't know if I want to take it that far, I just want to smack her around a little.
	hawaiian_crackers: I was gonna offer to do it for you, but I'm too drunk to read what you're saying
	hawaiian_crackers: oh my god try a bite of this chicken marsala, it is f***ing DELICIOUSSSS /holds up chicken wad
	ChastityBelt: no thanks. I think I'm going to leave the chatroom, looking at your face makes me feel like I have Lou Gehrigs Disease
	hawaiian_crackers: your loss, I'm never going to stop eating this stuff
	ChastityBelt: you know anybody I could ask about smacking around a woman I'm supposed to love?
	hawaiian_crackers: the trick is to find someone with experience in that field
	Online Host Later
	StrawberryWhine: and when you hit her, make sure you hit her hard enough to break her nose
	ChastityBelt: I don't know if I can hit that hard, I'm Chuck Knoblauch!
	StrawberryWhine: then when you hit her, turn around and start running as fast as you can
	ChastityBelt: But I can't run fast, either!
	StrawberryWhine: What can you do well? How did you get onto the Yankees?
	ChastityBelt: nothing, really, I showed up to audition for the Little Rascals movie and they put me on the Twins
	StrawberryWhine: well if you can't hit her hard enough to keep her down and you can't run away, be prepared to get hit back
	ChastityBelt: Get hit?? I don't want to get hit! Who do I look like, Craig Biggio?
	StrawberryWhine: honestly you are basically "Craig Biggio if he had Lou Gehrigs Disease"
	ChastityBelt: I'm not sure I'm masculine enough to take a punch, if I had any kind of manhood in me I wouldn't be hitting a woman in the first place
	StrawberryWhine: then maybe you should ask one of the coaches, but stay away from Torre, he HATES domestic violence
	ChastityBelt: yeah seriously, what's the deal with that guy
	StrawberryWhine: he acts like an idiot sometimes, but he's smart, he just doesn't always let you know... he carefully chooses when to be knowledegable
	ChastityBelt: so you're saying that he picks his knows
	StrawberryWhine: before you go, you wanna buy some crack
	ChastityBelt: no thanks, Jason Grimsley already hooked me up. Haha, this really is a team full of awful people, isn't it
	Online Host Later
	NietoMosquito: BEAT Y'R WIFE? Now why would y'wanna go n'do a thing like that? That's 'gainst th' law, Chuck!
	ChastityBelt: I was just going to hit her a little bit
	NietoMosquito: I don't wanna be a tat'ltale or what have 'ya, but I've gotta tell sum'body!
	ChastityBelt: Now hold on a minute, Tom, don't do that, I was just-
	NietoMosquito: wull... wull you was jus' nothin'! Th' Yankees are a team of tr'dition an' fam'ly values! R'spect an' Amurican pride!
	NietoMosquito: Mr. Jeter! Mr. Jeter come quick, Chuck was jus' plannin' t'... /looks into locker room, pauses
	NietoMosquito: /gets dejected look on face /shuffles back into chatroom
	NietoMosquito: Mr. Jeter's kissin' a 'nother young man on his mouth, he'll be with ya in two shakes.
	ChastityBelt: sighhh whatever... /tries to sit down in chair, crashes through nearby window

Photos link to player info. (Photo Credit: Getty Images) WordUpThome.com

The Dugout: Blauch Buster originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Tue, 29 Sep 2009 23:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chuck Knoblauch Charged With Assault

Matt Snyder — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 17:30:00 EST

Filed under: MLB Police Blotter

Former All-Star and World Series champion Chuck Knoblauch has seen better days. Since retiring, Knoblauch was named on the notorious Mitchell Report as a player who partook in the use of illegal performance-enhancing drugs, and he has since admitted as much. Now, he's been charged with assaulting his common-law wife.

Knoblauch faced the court Tuesday and was charged, following a criminal complaint filed by his wife (pictured here with Knoblauch and their son, Jake). In the complaint, she said he hit her in the face and choked her during a dispute in their Houston-area home.

Knoblauch will be released upon posting a $10,000 bond.

Knoblauch was a four-time All-Star in his 12 major league seasons. He won three World Series as a member of the New York Yankees' dynasty, but his best on-field work was done with the Twins. From 1994-1996 he was one of the best players in baseball. It was a span in which he hit .330 with a .422 on-base percentage and 126 stolen bases. He finished in the top 20 in MVP voting in each of those years. Late in Knoblauch's career, he was plagued by several mental issues, most famously his inability to make an accurate throw to first base on routine grounders. He eventually was moved to the outfield and then retired from baseball at the relatively young age of 34.

For now, there are no further details on the assault charges, as Knoblauch's attorney did not return phone calls to the Associated Press.

Chuck Knoblauch Charged With Assault originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Tue, 29 Sep 2009 17:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Prisoner Released From Jail to Watch Red Sox Game

Josh Alper — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 19:15:00 EST

Filed under: Red Sox, AL East, MLB Fans, MLB Police Blotter

There won't be a happier fan in all of Kauffman Stadium on Wednesday night than Randy Aaron Barker. As you can probably guess by the fact that we referred to him by three names, Barker has had some trouble with the law, but unlike most of those thrown behind bars, Barker's pleas for mercy fell on willing ears.

A judge in Iowa allowed Barker, who is serving a 10-day sentence for interference with official acts and violation of a protective order, to be temporarily released so he could join his father and brother at the game. Barker told the judge that the three of them had been planning a trip to the game for three months, that they hadn't been able to attend a game in 25 years and that baseball was one of the "few pleasures" of his life.

KCCI in Des Moines spoke to Lance Morris who said that Barker has repeatedly harassed his family, including making more than 60 phone calls to his mother in one night. Morris learned of the release by reading the local newspaper, presumably because the judge decided that the family weren't Royals or Sox fans and, thus, unlikely to be in the stands with Barker on Wednesday night.

We may not be talking about an arch-criminal here, but isn't the whole point of putting someone in jail to punish them? Part of punishment is that you don't get to partake in pleasurable things, no matter how few of them there are in your life. While the judge's heart may have been in the right place, his robe shouldn't give him the right to remake Field of Dreams with a three-named stalker playing the role of Moonlight Graham.

If there's justice, which this story leads us to believe there isn't, the game will play out one of two ways. Either Josh Beckett will get shelled and the Royals will run away with a shutout victory, or the cops will escort Barker to the game will take him away after the top of the fifth inning with Beckett en route to a perfecto. It's an official game at that point, and we're real sticklers for the rules in these parts.

Prisoner Released From Jail to Watch Red Sox Game originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Wed, 23 Sep 2009 19:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Cubs Fan Who Showered Shane Victorino Turns Self In

Tom Fornelli — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 13:51:00 EST

Filed under: Cubs, Phillies, MLB Fans, MLB Police Blotter

The greatest mystery in the history of Chicago has finally been solved. The Cubs fan who dumped a beer on Philadelphia Phillies centerfielder Shane Victorino's head at Wrigley Field on Wednesday night has turned himself in, and now the people of Chicago can now rest peacefully at night without fear of someone pouring a beer on them.

Johnny Macchione was the kid who wasted his beverage on Wednesday, but after Wrigley Field security grabbed the wrong man, he was able to sneak out of Wrigley undetected. Then on Thursday it seems his conscience -- or the fact that there was videos and pictures of him everywhere -- caused Macchione to turn himself in and face the music.

A Bartlett man has been charged with two misdemeanors after a daylong search for the Cubs fan who threw beer on a Philadelphia Phillies outfielder during Wednesday night's game.

Johnny Macchione, 21, was cited for battery and illegal conduct within a sports facility late Thursday. The college student's face had been splashed across the Internet and television after the team announced it had ejected the wrong man in the incident and was looking for the real culprit.

"Chicago Cubs, I'm sorry I disgraced you," Macchione said as he left Belmont Area police headquarters after being charged.

Considering the Cubs were just swept at home by the Phillies by a combined score of 22-9 and have lost seven of eight, I don't think they need any help disgracing themselves, though I'm sure they appreciate the sentiment. If Macchione is convicted on both misdemeanors he faces a maximum of 544 days in jail.

Which is a very long time for pouring a beer on somebody's head, so I'm guessing he'll get probation and banned from Wrigley.

Cubs Fan Who Showered Shane Victorino Turns Self In originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Fri, 14 Aug 2009 13:51:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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David Sale, 22-Year-Old Man, Beaten to Death Outside Citizens Bank Park

Tom Herrera — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Phillies, MLB Police Blotter

Update 7/28/09: Two men have been charged with murder and a third is in custody.

Philadelphia police are reportedly close to charging at least two suspects in the death of David Sale, a 22-year-old man who was beaten in a parking lot just outside Citizens Bank Park on Saturday night.

According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, Sale was among a group of men attending a bachelor's party at McFadden's pub, which is attached to the Phillies' ballpark. With Philadelphia's game against St. Louis in the late innings, police said the group got into a scuffle with other patrons at the pub. After the two groups were kicked out of the bar, the fight continued in a nearby parking lot, according to police reports.

Police Lt. Frank Vanore said that Sale had been punched and kicked repeatedly in the head, but no signs of any weapons were found.

"Several witnesses and potential suspects were taken into custody immediately," Vanore told the Philadelphia Inquirer. "We're waiting to see if charges are going to be approved."

The Phillies have refused to comment until arrests are made in the case.

David Sale, 22-Year-Old Man, Beaten to Death Outside Citizens Bank Park originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sun, 26 Jul 2009 18:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Scott Boras' Car Attacked Outside California Restaurant

Josh Alper — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 11:05:00 EST

Filed under: MLB Biz, MLB Police Blotter

The Newport Beach Police Department landed themselves a doozy of a case on Monday night. Scott Boras, much-maligned baseball agent, had dinner at Bandera Restaurant and returned to a disturbing scene in the parking lot after his meal. His Land Rover bore signs of a brutal assault, with damage to the windshield and driver's side window.

Someone used an unknown hard, long object (that's what she said) during the assault, but police are short on other leads. If they hope to crack the case, they'll probably need to start working in shifts as there's no shortage of people with an ax to grind -- or window to break -- when it comes to Boras.

You've got the management of every team in Major League Baseball, although there's probably good reason to start with the Washington Nationals. We're not sure how the Stephen Strasburg negotiations have been progressing, but the mob has always found that a few well-timed broken windows have helped them seal deals on their preferred terms.

Given the way the Nationals have performed this season, though, it's a lot more likely they would have pulled a Walter Sobchak and taken out their frustrations on the wrong car altogether. See what happens, Scott, when you find a stranger in the Alps?

You've also got scores of baseball fans who believe Boras is the antichrist, and Manny Ramirez may still be holding a grudge over turning down that four-year, $100 million contract in light of his 50 games of lost wages this season. Boras also mentioned three mystery assailants, although only Jon Heyman of SI.com is reporting that information.

And then there are those meddling teens, because you can never count out the meddling teens when it comes to parking lot mischievousness.

There's a bright side to this whole sordid episode. Boras was able to negotiate a $2,000 claim with his insurance company, even though no one thought there was more than $700 in damage. He also got a no trade-in clause and six free detailings.

(H/T Deadspin)

Scott Boras' Car Attacked Outside California Restaurant originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Thu, 02 Jul 2009 11:05:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Feds Want Collection of Boras Clients to Pay Back Millions in Stanford Scam

Andrew Johnson — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 16:01:00 EST

Filed under: MLB Police Blotter

Federal authorities have asked seven Major League Baseball players -- Greg Maddux, Bernie Williams, Johnny Damon, J.D. Drew, Andruw Jones, Carlos Pena and Jay Bell -- to return millions of dollars that they received from investor R. Allen Stanford as part of a payout in his alleged Ponzi scheme, according to a report in the Washington Times.

The players -- all clients of Scott Boras -- did not commit any wrongdoing, but, as early investors in the Stanford Financial Group, are believed to have received dividends from Stanford financed by investors that came after.

"The fact that the [ballplayers] are innocent investors and committed no wrongdoing does not entitle them to retain proceeds received from the fraudulent" scheme, lawyers for [Ralph S.] Janvey (the "receiver" in this case) wrote in a filing last week with the U.S. District Court in Dallas.

Janvey is looking to get about $9.5 million back from the ballplayers, though the money is not split evenly among them, according to the report. Damon would be on the hook for a little more than $400,000, while Maddux is being asked for almost $3.7 million.

"At the end of the day, these guys will get something back from the collective pot," white-collar defense lawyer Barry J. Pollack said. "While they might be putting in $1.25 now, they may be getting 75 cents down the road."

The receiver argues it is only fair that all of the money recovered goes into one pool and is distributed among all the investors, both those who made money and those who lost money.

Given the state of the economy, and the enormous salaries in baseball -- particularly among this group of seven -- it's probably going to be hard for most people to muster much sympathy for the players involved. But, on a basic level, it hardly seems fair.

The seven ballplayers didn't do anything wrong, other than invest with Stanford at an early stage, and now they might have to pay the price. Of course, that sadly seems to be the nature of these investor fraud cases. No one escapes without getting hurt financially.

David B. Smith, a Virginia lawyer who is co-chairman of the Forfeiture Abuse Task Force of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, said Mr. Janvey's filing is "unusually aggressive."

The players are not accused of wrongdoing, yet are being asked to turn over huge amounts, including the legitimately made money they invested at the start, not simply their profits, Mr. Smith noted.

"You get into these philosophical questions of what is really fair?" said Mr. Smith, who has represented the victims in several Ponzi scheme cases. "None of the cases that I have been involved in follow this scenario."

Feds Want Collection of Boras Clients to Pay Back Millions in Stanford Scam originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Mon, 29 Jun 2009 16:01:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Dugout: Beautiful Robert Eaton

B. Thompson Stroud — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Phillies, Rays, MLB Police Blotter, The Dugout

J.C. Romero can't seem to catch a break. He spends a Manny-esque 50 games banned from baseball for violating the substance abuse policy even though he was following the rules, and nobody really knew what was going on, so they just suspended him anyway. Then he gets accused of physically assaulting a man for making disparaging remarks about said suspension after a Phillies/Rays game on Thursday. The fan, "Robert Eaton," claims that he was tossed around after asking Romero to get him some juice. That's always happening to me, too. My Mom is so mean!

Romero never got the man the juice, and now he's probably going to pay for it by getting suspended again. That's called an assumption, folks, we here at The Internet[TM] are great at those. One thing we're not good at is accurate reporting, so I will stop here and inform you that the transcript from that night's events has been logged and reported here for posterity. Form your own opinions. Personally, I think J.C. Romero should've gotten the Alabama Jam.

Said transcript is after the jump.

The Dugout

	Online Host Welcome to the Tropicana Field Parking Lot!
	RobertEaton: Awright Braden, Tayler, how'd y'all like at ol' baseball game! Rays won! Woooo!!!
	Braden: yayyy baseball is boring i hate it
	Tayler: SHUT UP! I hate baseball! Baseball sucks! The Rays are STUPID. The Phillies are STUPID.
	RobertEaton: Now Tayler, you cool it now... you kids excited to meet some of your favorite players? All we gotta do is wait by the cars!
	Braden: i wanna go homeee
	RobertEaton: man, ain't nothin' like livin' in Tampa... we got beer, we got the Bucs, an we can make our en-tire body bright red, 'cept for the part under our tanktop
	RobertEaton: apex a human culture right here, I tell ya what
	Tayler: /ruthlessly punches Braden in face with no consequence
	RobertEaton: QUIT IT NOW TAYLER, ONE, TWO... don't make me count to three now, ONE, TWO....
	Online Host ColeHamLuke has entered the chatroom on his way to the Cole Hamels's Car Chatroom
	RobertEaton: braden tayler look, it's Cole Hamels, he's the best pitcher on the team he's real good, if he'd pitched they woulda won
	RobertEaton: COLE! COLE HAM LUKE! COLE!
	ColeHamLuke: /smiles, manages a light acknowledgement
	RobertEaton: YOU SUCK! PHILLIES SUCK! GO RAYS WOOOOOO!!!! /flips bird
	ColeHamLuke: /is millionaire, continues on unaffected
	Online Host ColeHamLuke has left the chatroom.
	RobertEaton: Aw man, did you see that? He waved at us! I didn't expect him to be a a**hole though, he didn't even come over an sign autographs!
	RobertEaton: Braden, don't you think he was a a**hole
	Braden: a**hole!!!
	Tayler: SHUT UP BRADEN YOUR AN AHOLE, MAWM IS A AHOLE
	RobertEaton: haha y'all are some funny ass kids
	Online Host MoyerBodyGirl has entered the chatroom on the way to the Jamie Moyer's Car Chatroom.
	RobertEaton: look tayler look braden it's jamie moyer, jamie moyer's been pitching for a long time he's a legend
	RobertEaton: JAMIE! JAMIE! HEY, JAMIE, I'M STANDING BY YOUR CARS
	MoyerBodyGirl: hello baseball fans
	RobertEaton: YOU SUCK! PHILLIES SUCK! CAN I HAVE YOUR AUTOGRAPH? F*** YOU! /flips double bird
	Braden: /jumps up and down while giving the finger
	MoyerBodyGirl: ehhhh /gets into drivers side of Model T
	Online Host MoyerBodyGirl has left the chatroom.
	RobertEaton: aw it's okay Braden don't fret, we're gonna get one of these Phillies to sign your Rays hat if we gotta stand out here all night
	Tayler: I HATE YOU I WANT TO GO HOME AND PLAY CARNIVAL GAMES FOR THE WII
	RobertEaton: SHUT IT, TAYLER. I ain't gonna argue with you, I know Carnival Games for Nintenda Wii is the best game ever made, but you want autographs so we're gettin em
	Tayler: I DON'T WANT STUPID AUTOGRAPHS
	RobertEaton: YES YOU DO NOW SHUT UP /"pops" Tayler
	Online Host RomeroSpecial has entered the chatroom on the way to the J.C. Romero's Car Chatroom.
	RobertEaton: aw look braden that's j.c. romero he's your favorite, i'm gonna do everything i can to get him over here, i swear it to you
	RobertEaton: J.C.! J.C. ROMERO THE PLAYER! OVER HERE! LOOK AT MY FACE
	RomeroSpecial: hey what's up /drags bags through parking lot
	RobertEaton: YOU SUCK! PHILLIES SUCK! THE J.C. STANDS FOR "JESUS CHRIST YOU SUCK"
	RobertEaton: WHERE'S YOUR GIRLFRIEND, IS SHE AT THE CLINIC BECAUSE YOU GAVE HER A J.C. V.D.
	RomeroSpecial: what is wrong with you
	Tayler: YOUR FAMOUS, I HATE YOU
	Braden: BOOOO, BOOOOO
	RobertEaton: HEY YOU HEARD THE BOYS, WHY DON'T YOU GO GET THEM SOME JUICE, THEY LOVE JUICE
	RobertEaton: AND YOU KNOW WHERE TO GET JUICE, DON'T YOU J.C., IS IT THE GROCERY STORE, OR DO YOU GET YOUR JUICE FROM DRUGS
	RomeroSpecial: I get my juice from over the counter! Tums made me fail that test!
	RobertEaton: YOU USE DRUGS
	RomeroSpecial: That's it! /grabs Robert Eaton by collar, takes a swing
	Tayler: YEAH YEAH KILL HIM, KILL MY DAD
	Braden: J.C. Romero is awesommm
	RobertEaton: Help! Police!
	Online Host An authority figure has entered the parking lot.
	Authority: Excuse me, what's going on here?
	RomeroSpecial: This belligerent redneck got drunk and made an ass out of himself in front of children by hatefully heckling me and expecting me not to do anything
	Authority: Are you famous?
	RomeroSpecial: Yes
	Authority: Are you famous?
	RobertEaton: no
	Authority: /hits J.C. Romero with tennis racket

Photos link to player info. (Photo Credit: Getty Images) WordUpThome.com

The Dugout: Beautiful Robert Eaton originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Mon, 29 Jun 2009 08:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Joba's Mom Busted for Dealing Meth

Tom Fornelli — Tue, 05 May 2009 13:36:00 EST

Filed under: Yankees, AL East, MLB Police Blotter

Yankees pitcher Joba Chamberlain didn't have it very easy as a child. His mother, Jackie Standley, had problems with both alcohol and drugs and as a result, Joba was raised by his father. Of course, Joba's father didn't have things much better. Sure, he wasn't addicted to drugs, but he did have polio and a host of other maladies while Joba grew up.

Since Chamberlain reached prominence with the Yankees last season, his mother has made overtures that she'd like to get back into her son's life, and even has a shrine of sorts dedicated to him in her home. Well, I'm not so sure that Joba is going to want to give her another chance once he hears what she's been up to lately. Namely that whole selling meth to an undercover cop thing.

Jacqueline Standley was arrested Saturday at her apartment at 1641 Prospect St. and charged Monday with delivery of an exceptionally hazardous drug, a Class 2 felony.

In court Monday, County Judge James Foster set her percentage bond at $5,000 and appointed the public defender's office to represent her. Standley bonded out of jail Monday night.

The charge carries a possible one- to 50-year prison sentence.

Police tested the bag Standley sold to the officer and confirmed that it contained 0.6 grams of meth.

Ironically, on Monday she appeared in the same Lincoln courtroom in which her son received nine months of probation for a DUI arrest just one month ago.

Joba's Mom Busted for Dealing Meth originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Tue, 05 May 2009 13:36:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MLB Investigating A-Rod's Steroid Use

Tom Fornelli — Sun, 03 May 2009 13:39:00 EST

Filed under: Yankees, MLB Police Blotter, MLB Rumors, MLB PEDs

We've learned quite a bit about Alex Rodriguez over the last few years, haven't we? Probably a lot more than any of us ever wanted to know, quite frankly. His love for muscular blondes and his own reflection aside, the most important revelations about Rodriguez have been the ones that have to do with him on a baseball field -- more specifically, his use of performance-enhancing drugs.

This spring, A-Rod admitted he took steroids while with the Texas Rangers, but only because a new book by Selena Roberts exposed the truth, and he had no choice. Now that same book is closer to being released, and a whole bunch of new allegations about his steroid use outside of Texas, along with the fact he may have tipped pitches to opponents, has put him under the spotlight again. The difference is that this time Alex isn't talking, so MLB has decided to take the matter into it's own incompetent hands.

Major League Baseball is investigating the accuracy of statements by Alex Rodriguez about his use of performance-enhancing drugs, according to people within baseball who were briefed on the matter.

Investigators have contacted several of Rodriguez's associates to determine whether he used performance-enhancing drugs for a longer time than he has admitted, the people said.

The people spoke on the condition of anonymity because they did not want to be identified discussing a continuing investigation.

MLB says that the investigation actually began back on March 1, but has taken a whole new direction based on the latest allegations. Of course, considering that Selena Roberts has done a better job getting to the bottom of all of this than MLB has, they asked her for her help. She declined due to the conflict of interest.

She covers baseball, baseball wants her to work for them.

All of which leaves the work in the hands of Bud Selig. So I'm pretty sure that nothing is going to come of this, though it's possible that Alex Rodriguez could end up building a new stadium.

Selig also faces the problem that no players have to talk to him because he's the law, and as Gabriel Feldman -- the director of Tulane's sports law program -- points out in the New York Times article, a lot of this is just Selig trying to look like he's in control of the situation. The last thing he wants is Congress getting involved again.

MLB Investigating A-Rod's Steroid Use originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sun, 03 May 2009 13:39:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Blago Also Gives Managerial Advice

Tom Fornelli — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 12:03:00 EST

Filed under: Cubs, NL Central, MLB Police Blotter, MLB Rumors

Earlier this week former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich appeared in a Chicago courtroom to plead not guilty to 16 different criminal counts, which for some reason did not include a horrible haircut. As anybody in Illinois is already aware of, besides being a criminal, Blagojevich is also a huge Cubs fan.

After all, one of the crimes he's being charged for includes pressuring the Chicago Tribune to be nicer to him in exchange for state financial help in trying to sell Wrigley Field. As it turns out, Blago was also in the business of trying to help out Cubs manager Lou Piniella fill out his lineup card in handwritten letters that the Tribune has gotten their hands on.

The Cubs were going through a rough stretch in May of 2007 in which they'd lost eight of 10 games, including a 9-0 shellacking from the Florida Marlins. The next day Blago wrote up a letter chock full of managerial advice and sent it to the Cubs skipper.

Blagojevich sent a handwritten note, a copy of which has been obtained by the Chicago Tribune. It began, "Dear Lou." Blagojevich included a Jack Higgins editorial cartoon that had run that morning in the Sun-Times, comparing Piniella's management to Blagojevich's.

Blagojevich then made his suggested line-up changes -- specifically recommending Alfonso Soriano bat third, followed by Derrek Lee and then Aramis Ramirez.

Wow, that advice is f---ing golden! Not to mention original, because no Cubs fan has ever thought of moving Soriano down in the lineup before.

What's most amazing about this whole thing is that Blago didn't even try to shake Piniella down first, he was doing him this favor for free. You'd think Blagojevich would have made Piniella give him a spot on the 25-man roster first.

Blago Also Gives Managerial Advice originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Thu, 16 Apr 2009 12:03:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Man Stabbed Outside Dodger Stadium

Tom Fornelli — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 10:18:00 EST

Filed under: Dodgers, NL West, MLB Fans, MLB Police Blotter

Note to self: Do not attend any baseball games in Los Angeles without a kevlar vest on. It's just too dangerous.

Last week after the Angels opened their season in Anaheim a fan named Brian Powers lost his life after he got into a fight with a couple of other fans as they were leaving the ballpark, and he struck his head on the hard concrete. Then on Monday, with the Dodgers having their home opener at Dodger Stadium against the hated San Francisco Giants, another man finds himself in critical condition after being stabbed repeatedly in the Dodger Stadium parking lot after the game.

The Dodgers home opener against the San Francisco Giants was marred by violence Monday afternoon when a man was stabbed multiple times after getting into an argument with several men in a pickup truck, Los Angeles police said.

The stabbing was reported at 5:43 p.m. in parking lot 6 at Dodger Stadium, said Officer Karen Rayner. The victim, who was not immediately identified, was taken to a hospital, where he was listed in serious condition.

The man who stabbed the fan then fled the scene with two others in a black pickup truck, and the police say they have a pretty good description of the assailant and truck, so they expect to make some arrests in this case.

While that incident is pretty horrible by itself, it turns out it wasn't the only crime taking place in the parking lots of Chavez Ravine on Monday. Police received a call about another man in parking lot 4 who had a gun and was walking around vandalizing cars. The police later determined that the man did not have a gun, but they can't be sure since he fled the scene before he could be caught.

Of course, these aren't the first such incidents at Dodger Stadium. Back in 2003 Pete Marron shot and killed Marc Antenorcruz after they got into an argument leaving the stadium, and there was also that brawl between private security guards and unlicensed vendors outside the park in 2005 that resulted in a few people being stabbed.

No wonder Manny Ramirez is thinking about going back to Cleveland.

Man Stabbed Outside Dodger Stadium originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Tue, 14 Apr 2009 10:18:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dead Goat Found Hanging From Harry Caray Statue Outside Wrigley Field

Tom Fornelli — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 10:01:00 EST

Filed under: Cubs, NL Central, MLB Fans, MLB Police Blotter

The Chicago Cubs will be having their home opener at Wrigley Field on Monday afternoon, or at least they're hoping to. You see, the weather in Chicago right now includes a lot of rain in the area all day, so there's a pretty good chance that the game may be rained out. If this does happen, you can be sure that there will be some Cubs fans making the joke, or being serious, that this is the latest omen of the curse against the team.

Of course, Opening Day rainouts can only happen to the Cubs because they're cursed. (It's not like Opening Day for the White Sox was snowed out or anything.) This sounds incredibly stupid, I know, but there are Cubs fans who would actually believe it to be true. They believe in Billy Goat curses and Steve Bartman, and now these same fans (morons?) also apparently believe that hanging dead goats from Harry Caray statues will bring a World Series to Chicago.

A dead goat was found hanging on a statute of Harry Caray outside Wrigley Field early Monday on the North Side, and it's not the first time.

A similar incident occurred in 2007, police said.

A 911 call at about 2:40 a.m. Monday led police to the goat hanging from a rope on the arm of a statue of Harry Caray at the intersection of Clark and Addison streets, according to Town Hall District police.

Police took the goat down and disposed of the remains. It was not known how the goat died and nothing at the scene was damaged, police said.

I can not confirm nor deny that FanHouse's own Matt Snyder is a suspect, but I do know that he's deathly afraid of farm animals after an unfortunate incident as a small boy, so my gut tells me he's innocent.

As the excerpt above mentioned, this isn't the first time some idiot Cubs fan tried something like this. It happened back in 2007 before the Cubs took on the Arizona Diamondbacks in the NLDS and they ended up getting swept in that series, so obviously it worked.

Heck, now that I think about it, they got swept out of the NLDS last season as well. The Cubs are 0-6 in the postseason since the original goat was hung.

It's a new curse!

Dead Goat Found Hanging From Harry Caray Statue Outside Wrigley Field originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Mon, 13 Apr 2009 10:01:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Someone Created a Fake Curtis Granderson Profile on Match.com

Will Brinson — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 12:30:00 EST

Filed under: Tigers, MLB Media Watch, MLB Police Blotter, MLB Rumors

Curtis Granderson is a very popular guy in Detroit. Tiger fans love him because he's not only a good baseball player but an energetic young man and, by all accounts, a pleasure to be around.

He's so popular, in fact, that someone is impersonating him on the Internet (obviously the one true sign of being totally cool and universally loved). Specifically, someone is posing as Granderson under the Match.com screen name, Curtis4soulmate.

It's already been confirmed that the profile is in fact not Granderson's and Major League Baseball is apparently investigating:

"It has been reported to Major League Baseball and their security team," said Granderson publicist John Fuller. "All of this is out of our hands."

[...]"We want to make sure that those people are fully aware of this," Fuller said. "You do hear about some scary situations, with people meeting off the Internet, and that's a big concern of ours. You never know what's happening out there."

The fake Granderson's go-to move is obviously to post a picture of the real Granderson and lure women in that way, but don't they request new photos? Or do they really think this is Curtis Granderson because, as a professional athlete and multi-millionaire, he somehow can't manage to meet women and has resorted to online dating in order to try and meet his soulmate.

See? It doesn't sound very likely when you think of it "rationally" or "in a somewhat sane manner." Of course, that doesn't make the Internet less scary or dangerous or full of creeps, but thinking that way is at least a start.

Someone Created a Fake Curtis Granderson Profile on Match.com originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Thu, 09 Apr 2009 12:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Joba Chamberlain's DUI, Video Style

Will Brinson — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 12:30:00 EST

Filed under: Yankees, MLB Police Blotter, MLB Video

Joba Chamberlain seems like a pretty cool dude. So surely he's watched Reno 911 on Comedy Central. (Those things are, after all, not even remotely considered mutually exclusive.) Or perhaps he hasn't. After all, as The Smoking Gun found in the video below, he did fall for a classic gag when arrested for DUI recently, discussing a DUI stop on the show with the officer who pulled him over, believing that what appeared on the show was real. At least he's not the first one to think that.

Athletes in Trouble With the Law

Yankees pitcher Joba Chamberlain was arrested near his hometown of Lincoln, Neb., in October for allegedly driving under the influence and having an open container of alcohol in his vehicle. He pleaded guilty to the first charge last week and has been given probation. Click through to see more sports figures' legal woes.

Kathy Willens, AP

March 25, 2008: Former Michigan State and Lions wide receiver Charles Rogers, here in a file photo, is sent to prison after a probation violation.

Carlos Osorio, AP

March 21: Raiders offensive tackle and Super Bowl XXXVII champ Cornell Green is arrested on a domestic violence charge in Florida. Tampa police say Green struck the mother of his two children with an aluminum mop handle.

Getty Images

March 20: Iowa defensive end Adrian Clayborn has been charged with assault causing bodily injury for allegedly punching a cabbie.

Scott Boehm, Getty Images

March 16: Former Lakers star Norm Nixon was arrested for investigation of drunken driving after cops allegedly smelled alcohol coming from his car.

Frederick M. Brown, Getty Images

March 16: Nets forward Sean Williams was arrested for suspicion of disorderly conduct and felony criminal mischief after an incident at a cell phone store.

Ray Amati, NBAE / Getty Images

March 9: Jaguars wide receiver Matt Jones was taken into custody for possession of a controlled substance, a violation of his probation that stemmed from a July 2008 arrest for cocaine possession.

Sam Greenwood, Getty Images

March 12: Former New York Mets pitcher Ambiorix Burgos was convicted of throwing his girlfriend against a wall and punching her in a motel. Burgos was also indicted in September 2008 on charges of hit and run after an accident killed two women.

Jorge Cruz, AP

March 9: Former University of Arizona quarterback Willie Tuitama, just weeks before the NFL Draft, was arrested on suspicion of extreme DUI in Tucson.

Alex Brandon, AP

March 6: Former NFL bust Brian Bosworth was arrested in Hollywood on suspicion of driving under the influence.

Craig Fujii, AP

Joba Chamberlain's DUI, Video Style originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Tue, 07 Apr 2009 12:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pirate Prospect Jose Tabata's Wife Suspected of Kidnapping Infant

Pat Lackey — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 20:26:00 EST

Filed under: Pirates, NL Central, MLB Police Blotter

There's a crazy story coming out of Florida Tuesday. John Perrotto is reporting that the wife of Pirate prospect Jose Tabata is suspected of kidnapping a two-month old child in Florida. Tabata's wife, Amalia Tabata Pereira, was found with the missing child in Bradenton, Fla. (home of the Pirates' spring camp), about 50 miles away from Plant City, where the baby girl's mother lives and first reported her missing.

There's not much else available in the way of details right now, and I don't want to get into the speculation game here, but Tabata-Pereira is a 43-year-old married to a 20-year-old ballplayer and, according to Perrotto's article, she's got four different aliases. And now she's being accused of kidnapping an infant. I'm sticking with what I said about not speculating, but some of those facts really don't add up.

When the Pirates traded for Tabata last summer, everyone in baseball knew they were getting a very talented player with some questions about his injuries and even more questions about his makeup. In his short time with the Pirates both last fall and this spring, the team seems to have been impressed with his performance on and off the field. Team president Frank Coonelly told Perrotto that they have no reason to think that Tabata himself is involved, but that they're going to keep an eye on the situation. We'll all have to do the same.

Pirate Prospect Jose Tabata's Wife Suspected of Kidnapping Infant originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Tue, 24 Mar 2009 20:26:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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