599 + 219 - 30 - 20 = A New Home Run Record

Alex Rodriguez is nearing 600 home runs for his career. If he finishes this season with 30 home runs, he will have 613 career homers. If his home run totals for the remaining seven years of his contract are 40, 40, 35, 30, 20, 20, and 20 (his age will be 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, and 42), he will end his career with the grand total of 818 homers.

Now, since Barry Bonds's record of 762 doesn't count because of the number of years he was on steroids, the true MLB home run record is Hank Aaron's: 755. The question is, should A-Rod's record be taken seriously, or should it be thrown on the scrap pile like Bonds's?

A-Rod admitted to using steroids from 2001-03. Assuming he's telling the truth, and assuming the steroids added ten homers a year to his totals, we estimate he should end his career with 788 home runs, a number which exceeds Aaron's record by 33, and even Bonds's "record" by 26. It's our opinion that A-Rod was on steroids his first two years with the Yankees, too. But even subtracting 20 more home runs (for those two years) from his total gives him the all-time home run record at 768.

At the end of his career, Alex Rodriguez will have so many home runs that his record will have to be taken seriously. Yes, he cheated. But the vast majority of those home runs were not or will not be helped by steroids.

Then again, when Brett Gardner ends his career with 839 home runs, no one will care what A-Rod's numbers were.

Hydra
6-4-3 double play... Ballgame over! Yankees win! Theeeeeee Yankees win!

The End of an Era

The Boss has gone to meet The Big Boss. George Steinbrenner made the Yankees what they are through his willingness to spend astronomical amounts of money to ensure his team was the best in baseball. His notorious personality, though he wasn't as outspoken during the last few years of his life, will be sorely missed by the Yankee faithful.

Bob Sheppard, commonly known as "The Voice of God," also passed away a few days ago. His iconic voice had been heard in Yankee Stadium by generations of Yankee fans, from the days of Mickey Mantle until 2007. Known universally as a gentleman, Sheppard added true Yankee class to every game with his refined pronunciations and slow, dignified delivery.

The passing of Steinbrenner and Sheppard, along with the destruction of Old Yankee Stadium, marks the end of an era of Yankees baseball. George Steinbrenner and Bob Sheppard, rest in peace.

Look Out, Phil, You Might Be Driven Off For Cliff

The New York Post has reported that the Yankees are on the verge of acquiring left-handed pitcher Cliff Lee from the Mariners. Lee would be an awesome addition to the Yankees's rotation. Imagine, for a moment, a playoff rotation with CC Sabathia, Cliff Lee, Andy Pettitte, and A.J. Burnett. The Yankees would be unbeatable. Additionally, they wouldn't have to worry about Lee going to another playoff-bound team. Since every game against Lee seems to end in a big, ugly, L for the Yankees, facing him twice in a five-game series would be bad.

However, the main positive in acquiring Cliff Lee would be sending Phil Hughes to the bullpen. Hughes has an innings limit this year and likely won't last the rest of the year in the starting rotation. Plus, no team can win in the playoffs with a stinky bullpen and, frankly, the Yankee bullpen has stunk this year. With the exception of Mariano Rivera, of course. Joba Chamberlain hasn't been able to get the job done as the setup man this year, and he's one of the better ones. Hughes would add stability to the bullpen and a sense of security for the starters - they won't need to pitch eight innings to ensure a win.

Sending Hughes to the bullpen has its downside, though. Hughes is among the league leaders in wins this year, and has clearly won a spot in the starting rotation. The Yankees have tried using pitchers as yo-yos before and it hasn't worked out well. See Joba, who was all built up to be a starter before the Yankees shoved him in the bullpen during spring training. While we believe Joba belongs in the bullpen, the Yankees treated him unfairly by pushing the starter idea until the last minute and then suddenly changing their minds. He has struggled since then. Hughes seems to be more mature than Joba and will probably be better able to handle being placed in the bullpen, but we don't know him personally, so we can't say for sure. All we can say is Hughes had better have a guaranteed spot in the rotation come spring training. We don't want to see him messed up like Joba.

Then again, the Yankees don't have to trade for Cliff Lee because they have a nugget of a left-handed starter already in their minor leagues. Oh wait, Brian Cashman's stress ball probably wouldn't be able to handle another Kei Igawa call-up.

Hydra
6-4-3 double play... Ballgame over! Yankees win! Theeeeeee Yankees win!

Breathe, Everybody

The sports world is holding its collective breath. LeBron James, the NBA's biggest free agent this offseason, will announce which team he intends to sign with on ESPN tomorrow night. We at Hydra don't understand the frenzy that surrounds LeBron's decision, nor why everyone seems to think the team he signs with will automatically be the favorite to win the Championship next season. LeBron, though he is very talented, is a wimp. A 6' 8" wimp, but a wimp all the same. He essentially quit at the end of his final game with the Cleveland Cavaliers - Game 6 of a playoff series against the Celtics. The final score of that game was only 94-85, by no means a blow-out. This clearly shows that LeBron hasn't got the maturity to go to a team, take control, and lead that team to a title. So everyone should take a deep breath and move on with their lives.

Of course, we don't really know what we're talking about. We're very casual "fans" of the Spurs, but we don't really care about the NBA as long as the Lakers and the Celtics don't win. Which made the NBA finals a time of misery for us.

Hydra
6-4-3 double play... Ballgame over! Yankees win! Theeeeeee Yankees win!

No, Strasburg's Not An All-Star

I must say I disagree with Cadeza's post about Stephen Strasburg and the All-Star game. I don't think he should play in the All-Star game period because I don't think he deserves to play. Theoretically speaking, the All-Star game is about bringing together the best players in each league from that year to find which league is better and, therefore, which league gets home field advantage for the World Series. It's not about the hottest players, but the best players. I realize not all the players who make the All-Star team deserve to go. However, whether the fans treat it as such or not, the All-Star game is reserved for the best of the best of that specific season. As of the All-Star break, Strasburg will have made only about one third the number of starts made by, say, Giants starters Matt Cain. I don't think that length of time, however well he pitched, merits an appearance in the All-Star game.

On the other hand, what do I know about All-Star games? I voted for Mark Teixeira and David Eckstein.

Hlava
6-4-3 dvojity hrat. Micova hra pres! Yankees vyhrat! Tyyyyyyy Yankees vyhrat!

Si, Strasburg's An All-Star

The hot-button topic in baseball is whether or not Nationals phenom Stephen Strasburg should make the All-Star game. I think the question isn't so much whether he deserves to play as it is whether he should play. If the All-Star game is just for the best pitchers in each league for that particular season, he shouldn't play because of his limited number of appearances. However, if the All-Star game is about winning home field advantage for the World Series, then si, he should play. With his strikeout numbers, he's the guy I want on the mound if a pitcher gets into a jam.

On the other hand, I'm a Yankees fan, so I don't really care whether Strasburg deserves or should make the All-Star game - I just don't want him on the mound facing AL hitters with the game on the line!

Cabeza
6-4-3 doble jugar... Juego de pelota terminado! Yankees a ganar! Looooooos Yankees a ganar!