SPRING TRAINING ROUNDUP : Tendinitis slowing Cardinals' infielder

JUPITER, Fla. - Brendan Ryan's pursuit of a starting job with the St. Louis Cardinals is being slowed by tendinitis in his right wrist.

The 26-yearold infielder is among several players seeking the regular role at second base, but he could also see playing time this season at shortstop and third base. He fielded grounders Monday but doesn't expect to swing a bat until Friday at the earliest.

Ryan said the soreness he is experiencing is similar to what he felt at the end of last season, when he hit .244 in 80 major league games. He batted .289 in 2007.

"It's not like I'm worried about a tear or something," Ryan said. "I think it's just swollen, so I'm going to take it easy for a few days."

Ryan has been a utility player in parts of the last two seasons, shuffling between Class AAA Memphis and St. Louis.

The second base job is open after Aaron Miles left as a free agent and Adam Kennedy was waived earlier this month. Among the other candidates is Skip Schumaker, who has spent his entire professional career as an outfielder.

CUBS

Zambrano says shoulder OK

MESA, Ariz. - Chicago Cubs pitcher Carlos Zambrano says his shoulder is just fine and he'd like to look ahead, rather than back to last season.

He is showing no signs of the problems that hampered him last season, although the team is taking a conservative approach with its ace this spring.

"Physically, I feel the best I've ever felt in spring training," Zambrano said Monday after a free-and-easy throwing session against hitters. "I'm not a rookie. I know what to do and I know my job here is to get ready."

Last season he had a stint on the disabled list in June - his first trip to the DL in six years - and needed an injection in early September for a sore shoulder. But later that month, he pitched a no-hitter against the Houston Astros in Milwaukee.

Zambrano spent the off-season strengthening his shoulder, and the Cubs sent a trainer to his native Venezuela to work with him.

"It's important," he said. "I won't want that to happen to me again this year."

Zambrano went 14-6 with a 3.91 ERA last season. He was 10-3 with a 2.84 ERA in 18 starts before the All-Star Game - in which he pitched two innings. But after the break, he was 4-3 in 12 starts with a 5.80 ERA. He also was the loser in Game 2 of the playoffs against the Los Angeles Dodgers when shaky Chicago fielding led to four unearned runs.

BLUE JAYS

Outfielder hurts hamstring

DUNEDIN, Fla. - Toronto Blue Jays center fielder Vernon Wells injured his left hamstring during drills and could be sidelined for most of spring training.

It's the same hamstring that kept Wells out for a month last season. The two-time All-Star was scheduled for a magnetic resonance imaging.

Wells missed 52 games because of injuries in 2008. He broke his left wrist making a sliding catch early in the season, then returned to the disabled list July 10 with a strained left hamstring.

A three-time Gold Glove winner, Wells hit .300 with 20 home runs and 78 RBI in 108 games last year. He spent the off-season working with a personal trainer, hoping to strengthen hamstrings that have bothered him for years.

RED SOX

Penny feels fine

FORT MYERS, Fla. - Boston Red Sox right-hander Brad Penny felt fine after throwing batting practice for the first time in spring training.

Penny threw 30 pitches Monday and said the session answered a lot of questions for him, both mentally and physically. His 2008 season with the Los Angeles Dodgers was cut short by shoulder problems, and Boston signed him as a free agent.

"I felt great," Penny said. "Today, for me, answered a lot of questions, mentally and physically. I didn't even know what to expect going out there the first time facing hitters, but everything felt great."

Red Sox pitching coach John Farrell said Penny would have two days off between batting practice sessions instead of the one day off for most pitchers. But Farrell said that barring a setback, Penny will be ready for the start of the regular season. He's scheduled for his first spring training start March 5. After consecutive 16-victory seasons with the Dodgers, Penny finished at 6-9 with a 6.27 ERA. He went 1-7 after May 2.

NATIONALS

Pitcher released

VIERA, Fla. - The Washington Nationals released disgruntled pitcher Odalis Perez on Monday, a day after he failed to show up at spring training by the mandatory reporting deadline.

Perez, 31, signed a minor league contract with Washington on Feb. 5 that would have paid him $850,000 if he made the team. In recent days, however, the left-hander said he wanted a better deal.

Perez was 7-12 with a 4.34 ERA in 30 starts for the Nationals last season.

WEDNESDAY'S GAMES - All times Central

NY Mets vs. Baltimore at Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., 12:05 p.m. Florida vs. St. Louis at Jupiter, Fla., 12:05 p.m. Washington vs. Houston at Kissimmee, Fla., 12:05 p.m. Atlanta vs. Detroit at Lakeland, Fla., 12:05 p.m. NY Yankees vs. Toronto at Dunedin, Fla., 12:05 p.m. Philadelphia vs. Pittsburgh at Bradenton, Fla., 12:05 p.m. Cincinnati vs. Tampa Bay at Port Charlotte, Fla., 12:05 p.m. Chicago White Sox vs. Los Angeles Angels at Tempe, Ariz., 2:05 p.m. Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Chicago Cubs at Mesa, Ariz., 2:05 p.m. Oakland vs. Milwaukee at Phoenix, 2:05 p.m. San Francisco vs. Cleveland at Goodyear, Ariz., 2:05 p.m. Seattle vs. San Diego at Peoria, Ariz., 2:05 p.m. Kansas City vs. Texas at Surprise, Ariz., 2:05 p.m. Arizona vs. Colorado at Tucson, Ariz., 2:10 p.m. Boston vs. Minnesota at Fort Myers, Fla., 6:05 p.m.

Originally Published at: http://www.nwanews.com/adg/Sports/253340/

Baseball: Five bold predictions for 2009

1. The Cubs will win the pennant

Carlos Zambrano was wrong in 2007. Ryan Dempster was wrong in 2008. And after consecutive seasons of hearing players predict the Cubs, the team that hasn't won a World Series in more than a century, would end that drought, manager Lou Piniella instructed his team to not make any predictions for 2009. That will let the rest of us make the predictions for him: For the first time since 1945, the Chicago Cubs will be playing in the World Series. Last year's squad rolled to 97 wins and the NL Central title but was swept out of the NLDS by an inferior Dodgers team. This year's team features the best offense in the National League and a pitching staff that specializes in missing bats. The Cubs return virtually every key part of an offense that led the league in runs, walks, on-base percentage and slugging percentage and finished second in batting average and hits. Their pitching staff not only topped the league in wins, but also in strikeouts and fewest hits allowed, while finishing second in runs allowed and ERA. They lost All-Star closer Kerry Wood to free agency, but replaced him with promising Carlos Marmol and, for insurance, imported veteran closer Kevin Gregg from the Marlins. There should be little competition from the NL Central this year, which will allow the Cubs to cruise to their third-straight division crown, gain home-field advantage in the playoffs and rest their regulars and their rotation for the only month that will truly challenge them: October.

2. Another big steroids name will be revealed

As much as everyone associated with the game -- from the players to the press and certainly the fans -- wishes the talk of steroids would take a backseat once the season begins, that hardly seems possible. Now that Alex Rodriguez's positive survey test has been revealed to the public, it seems increasingly likely that other players on the 104-name list will be outed. Throw in the ongoing legal proceedings involving Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens, the distinct possibility Jose Canseco isn't done talking and the recent revelations about trainer-to-the-stars Angel Presinal, and baseball is likely to be helpless as other bombshells explode during the season. The best hope is the damage is minimized by an on-field product entertaining enough to divert attention from the game's off-field ills.

3. Manny Ramirez will win the MVP award

Ramirez does not yet have a team, but rather than hindering him, his absence from a major league roster could actually enhance his candidacy. Once he signs, few players in baseball will be able to provide the instant impact Ramirez can, as witnessed by the way he jump-started the Dodgers after his arrival from Boston last July. In 53 games after relocating to Hollywood, Ramirez led the National League in batting average (.396), on-base percentage (.489) and slugging percentage (.743), while finishing second with 17 home runs, all the while spearheading the Dodgers' transformation from underachievers to NL West champions. For his efforts, he finished fourth in last year's NL MVP voting. If he plays with the same level of dedication he showed in two months in L.A., Ramirez, wherever he plays, will undoubtedly produce award-worthy numbers. Now all he needs is a team to do it for.

4. Jake Peavy will not be traded

Even the stock market didn't fluctuate as wildly this winter as the trade market for the Padres' Cy Young-winning right-hander. First, he was definitely going to be traded (the Cubs and Braves were the most likely destinations). Then he wasn't. Then he was, but it would be a three-team deal. Then a four-team deal. Then all the trades were dead. Until they weren't, when they were revived again. Then they finally died for good when Padres GM Kevin Towers announced Peavy would begin the 2009 season with the only organization he's ever pitched for. Of course there were no guarantees trade talks won't spark again, leading to further speculation that a deal will get done at some point, perhaps around the midseason trade deadline, when Peavy himself fully expects to be traded, despite his full no-trade clause. Peavy is guaranteed $59 million through 2012 on the five-year extension he signed after winning the Cy in 2007, and the Padres are still hoping to slash their payroll. But the most likely reason he won't be dealt is this: The Padres can win now. Despite modest offseason improvements by the Diamondbacks, Giants and Dodgers, the NL West remains winnable with a victory total in the mid-80s. Last year San Diego won 63 games, but mediocre competition means a quick turnaround isn't completely out of the question. Factor in the wild card, the small number of teams who will be willing to take on a payroll like Peavy's (especially at the cost of the premium prospects it would take to land him) and the tender elbow that landed him on the disabled list last season, and it seems increasingly possible Peavy will finish this season exactly where he began it: in San Diego.

5. The AL East will be the best division race ever

No division has ever had three teams win 95 games, but that very real possibility exists in the AL East this season. The Rays (97 wins in 2008), Red Sox (95) and Yankees (89) each made significant upgrades to their rosters. The Rays added Pat Burrell to bring some right-handed punch to their lineup at designated hitter, and wunderkind David Price provides yet another young arm to an already impressive pitching staff. There is still plenty of room for improvement for young stars Evan Longoria, B.J. Upton and Dioner Navarro. The Red Sox have gambled on aging or injured talent this winter, signing Brad Penny, John Smoltz and Rocco Baldelli, among others. But they still have a top-heavy rotation that features Josh Beckett, Daisuke Matsuzaka and Jon Lester, as well as the best offense in the league, led by AL MVP Dustin Pedroia.

All of this means that the Yankees figure to have the most difficulty surviving this gauntlet and reaching the postseason. Despite spending a half a billion dollars on three star players (pitchers CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett and first baseman Mark Teixeira), the Yankees have significant questions to address, such as:

• Are they too old? Johnny Damon had a solid 2008 (.303/.375/.461), but he is now 35. Derek Jeter still managed to hit .300 last season, but his numbers have been declining for two-straight years after a near-MVP campaign in 2006. He will turn 35 in June and his defense remains suspect at best. Jorge Posada is 37 and played just 51 games last year due to injuries.

• How will the steroid controversy affect Alex Rodriguez? A-Rod is simply too good a player to not put up impressive numbers, but the circus that is likely to follow him this year, especially if any further controversy arises, may make it difficult for him to thrive. The Yankees need A-Rod to be A-Rod to help carry their aging offense.

• Can they count on their youngsters? Robinson Cano regressed notably last season, from .306/.353/.488 in 2007 to .271/.305/.410 in 2008. A pair of underwhelming offensive players, Brett Gardner and Melky Cabrera, will handle center field, while Xavier Nady is unlikely to duplicate the lost production of Bobby Abreu in right field.

• Who can they rely upon in their bullpen? With Joba Chamberlain likely ticketed for the starting rotation, the Yankees are once again forced to hope they will be able to find a suitable bridge to closer Mariano Rivera. Midseason acquisition Damaso Marte was retained to be a lefty specialist, but he was far more effective against righties (.233 average on balls in play for righties vs. .392 for lefties). The Red Sox and Rays both boast better 'pens than the Yankees, and in a division with such a small margin for error, that alone could make the difference between playing in the postseason and spending October on the golf course.

Originally Published at: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/ted_keith/02/23/bold.predictions/?eref=sircrc

NL East: Philadelphia Phillies Look To Repeat

The past two years, the National East has been the most exciting divisions in all of baseball. Just like the past two years, the outcome of this division won't be decided until the final week of the regular season.

The Philadelphia Phillies believe they are the team to beat, while the New York Mets believe that they're the team to beat. I agree with the New York Mets. Here are my NL East predictions.

1) New York Mets 92-70

I'm going to be honest with you, this is the third straight year that I have picked the Mets to win the NL East. I've obviously been wrong the past two years, but I think that will change in 2009.

The Mets starting rotation is led by the best starting pitcher in the NL East, and arguably the best starting pitcher in the National League.

Johan Santana finished the 2008 season with a 16-7 record and a 2.53 ERA. If not for a horrible bullpen, Santana would've won 20 games.

Mike Pelfrey will be the Mets number two starter. The 25-year old Pelfrey is coming off his best year. Pelfrey racked up 200 innings going 13-11 with a 3.72 ERA.

The number three and four spots will go to Oliver Perez and John Maine, Perez and Maine combined for 20 wins in 2008. Freddy Garcia, Tim Redding, and Livan Hernandez will battle it out for the No. 5 spot.

The Mets bullpen appears to be much improved. New York welcomes Francisco Rodriguez and his 62 saves. The Mets also acquired JJ Putz from Mariners. Putz recorded 28 saves in 2008, but he will be the Mets setup man.

The Mets offense is expected to score a lot of runs. Jose Reyes will be at the top of the order. Reyes batted .297 with 56 stolen bases and 16 home runs in 2008.

Carlos Beltran is back patrolling center, but left field and right field appear to be questions marks for the Mets.

Despite the Mets having another question mark at second, The corner infielders are anything but a question mark. Thee corners belong to David Wright and Carlos Delgado. They combined for 71 home runs and 239 RBI in 2008.

2) Philadelphia Phillies 90-72

The Phillies are trying to become the first team since the New York Yankees to win back to World Championships. I just don't see it happening.

It's hard to not like Cole Hammels, but after Hammels the Phillies lack starting pitching depth. Jamie Moyer is coming off his best year since 2003. The 46-year old went 16-7 with a 3.71 ERA. I think this is the year where age catches up to Moyer.

Brett Myers, Joe Blanton, and Kyle Kendrick make up the rest of the Phillies rotation. All three have an ERA well over four.

The Phillies pen will miss their left-handed specialist JC Romero. Romero will miss the first 50-games for failing a drug test. Ryan Madson and Brad Lidge return to make up a very strong back end of the pen.

The Phillies offense is once again arguably the strongest in the league. The World Champions made just one move. Gone is long time Phillie Pat Burrell and his 33 home runs. In is Raul Ibanez and his 23 home runs.

3) Atlanta Braves 85-77

The Braves are much improved this year, but they still find themselves behind the Phillies and Mets.

The Atlanta Braves added 26 wins to their rotations. The biggest addition for the Braves was the signing of Derek Lowe. The 35-year old Lowe is coming off another solid solid season where he had and ERA of 3.24 while pitching 211 innings.

The Braves also added 12 game winner Javier Vazquez.

The Braves also added Japanese import Kenshin Kawakami. Kawakami was the 2004 Central League MVP. Future Hall of Famer Tom Glavin will also return to the Braves.

The most important thing for the Braves bullpen is the health of Mike Gonzalez. Gonzalez will be asked to close for the Braves. If Gonzo can't stay healthy, the Braves will find themselves in a similar situation as they were last year.

The Braves offense received a boost with the signing of Garret Anderson. The three-time all start hit .293 with 15 home runs in 2008. Anderson will play left, with Jeff Francoeur in right. Josh Anderson appears to be the front runner in center.

The Braves have a very strong infield. Chipper Jones hit .364 in 2008 but he once again battled injuries. Yunel Escobar is back at short, and Kelly Johsnon is at second. Case Kotchman who was acquired in the Teixeira trade is back at first and Brian Mccann is back behind the plate.

4) Florida Marlins 84-78

The Florida Marlins surprised a lot of people in 2008 with a 84-77 record. I don't see them catching to many people off guard in 2009.

The Florida Marlins have one of the most underrated starting rotations. Rick Nolasco led the Marlins rotation in 2008 with a 15-8 record. Nolasco struck out 186 in 212 innings.

Josh Johnson returned from injury in 2008 and was outstanding going 7-1. Rookie Chris Volstad had a solid rookie season going 6-4 in 2008. The No. 4 and 5 spot is up in the air for the Marlins. Andrew Miller and Anibal Sanchez appear to be front runners.

The lack of bullpen depth could cause issues for the Marlins. Matt Lindstrom appears to be the front runner to replace Kevin Gregg as closer.

The Marlins offense is led by Hanley Ramirez. The 25-year old Ramirez is one of the best young players in the game. Ramirez is a 30-30 guy. He hit 33 home runs with 35 stolen bases and a .301 average in 2008.

Due to the Marlins lack of run producers, Ramirez will be asked to move out of the lead off spot, and will likely bat third for the Marlins.

5) Washington Nationals 70-92

I am going to be blunt, I don't see much changing with the Washington Nationals in 2009.

While Odalis Perez holds out, John Lannan appears to be a pretty solid prospect. The 24-year old Lannan had a very solid rookie season going 9-15 with a very respectable 3.91 ERA.

The Nationals big free agent pickup was Adam Dunn. If nothing else, Nationals fans will get a chance to watch one of the most powerful hitters in the game. Dunn is coming off another 40 home run season, and will likely have another big year. The same can't be said for the Nats, they will once again struggle in 2009.

Originally published at: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/128233-nl-east-phillies-look-to-repeat

Philadelphia Phillies Bullpen Analysis

Spring is in the air, and all Major League Baseball personnel have reported to spring training. Every team has their sights on the "Holy Grail" (World Series Trophy), but only one will prevail.


The Phillies were that team last year, and they are the only ones that will be referred to as the World Champs this year. Nobody can take that from them until the last out of the 2009 World Series. Even then, the Phillies may be the first team to repeat this decade.

I am going to continue my series on the Philadelphia Phillies; this week I will be focusing on the bullpen. Last year the Phillies bullpen was one of the best in baseball. Led by Brad Lidge, they were perhaps the main reason the Phillies won the Championship.

Let's start off with Brad Lidge. Lidge was acquired by Philadelphia last offseason from the Houston Astros for Michael Bourn, Geoff Geary, and a minor leaguer.

Lidge injured his knee after throwing his first pitch in a Phillies uniform. His knee required surgery, and he missed the rest of spring training and the first week of the 2008 season.

Once Lidge returned he was perfect, saving 41 games in 41 chances. Lidge finished the year 2-0 with a 1.95 ERA to go with those 41 saves. He has a 98 mph fastball and a nasty splitter that seldom makes it into the catcher's mitt without bouncing; hitters can't pick up the pitch and flail away while striking out. Lidge had 92 strikeouts in only 69.1 innings pitched.

He has returned to form as one of the top five closers in the league.

Homegrown Ryan Madson is the eighth inning setup guy. He took his game to another level after the All-Star game, adding five mph to his fastball. Madson was finally healthy and became a dominant setup guy the last few months of the season and through the playoffs.

Lefty J.C. Romero was the seventh inning guy in manager Charlie Manuel's bullpen rotation. Romero signed with the Phillies in June 2007 after the Boston Red Sox released him. He has come to Philadelphia and has been a cornerstone of their bullpen ever since.

Romero was suspended for the first 50 games of 2009 for testing positive for a banned substance that he took in an over the counter supplement from GNC. The banned ingredient was not listed, nor was the supplement listed on the banned supplement list supplied by Major League Baseball. Romero will be missed as he serves out his suspension.

The second lefty in the pen is Scott Eyre, who was acquired in an August 2008 trade with the Cubs. Eyre is a situational lefty who was 3-0 with a 1.88 ERA with 18 strikeouts in 14.1 innings after joining the Phillies last year. He will be counted on to replace some of the innings that J.C. Romero would normally pitch.

Chad Durbin was an integral part of the pen last year. He was counted on to bridge the gap between the starters and Romero in the seventh inning. He had the most productive year of his career, going 5-4 with a 2.87 ERA. He will continue that job in the 2009 season and may also pick up some seventh inning work in the absence of Romero.

Clay Condrey was the other pitcher in last year's bullpen. His job was to also bridge the gap until the seventh inning. He pitched well, but will be tested in 2009. The Phillies brought in some veteran pitchers to compete for the bullpen spots. Condrey may be traded or sent to the minors once Romero returns from his suspension.

Chan Ho Park wants to start, but he was a very effective reliever with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2008. Park went 4-4 with a 3.40 ERA. If Park does not win the No. 5 spot in the rotation, he will be a valuable piece in the bullpen. He may still give the Phillies some spot starts if injuries occur.

The other veteran pitchers that the Phillies brought into camp that could make the team are Gary Majewski, Dave Borkowski, and Mike Koplove. They will all challenge for a spot in the pen.

In conclusion, the bullpen was a key component to last years World Series run. The bullpen will be a strong point again this season. It is unlikely that Lidge will be perfect like he was in 2008. Romero will be sorely missed for the first two months and while age will start to come into play, there is some depth that they did not have last year.

Bottom line is that the bullpen will be more than good enough for the Phillies to win their third NL East pennant in a row.

Despite Economy, Fans Line Up For Phillies Tickets

PHILADELPHIA (CBS 3) ―

Despite tough economic times, die hard Phillies fans lined up early Thursday morning to get their hands on single game tickets for the World Champion Philadelphia Phillies 2009 season.

The spending spree began at 7 a.m. when the gift shops opened their doors to offer a 15% discount to the fans that came early.

For those not interested in the merchandise, the Philly Phanatic entertained early risers who stood patiently for the ticket vendors to open at 9 a.m.

"I left my house at 4:30 a.m. and got down here at about 5:15a.m.," said Don Pizzo, who was first in line. "It's exciting, getting ready to watch the Phillies repeat."

With most people feeling a financial crunch, single game tickets were the hot item on sale.

"One of the nice things about October when the economy was tanking, the Phillies were winning. So we could open up the newspaper and see something good," said Cynthia Leonardi.

Like Leonardi, most of the fans weren't upset about missing out on Opening Day tickets, they were just excited for the Phils to take the field again and bring home another World Series trophy.

Can The Phillies Repeat In 2009?

The Philadelphia Phillies are indeed the World Champions of baseball. The question now are can they do it again and are they good enough to repeat? If you ask each of the players to a man they will crack a smile turn to their right or left and tell you it's only February and spring training has just begun. I, for one, believe they will win a consecutive World Series Championship.

The Phillies have all their bullets in the holster again for 2009 aside from Pat Burrell's walk on the wild side to Tampa Bay. The only true change to their lineup will come in the name of Raul Ibanez, the former Mariner who has been as consistent a player over the last seven years as any.

The Phillies are the most complete and balanced team in baseball serving up two National League MVP's, a World Series MVP, and host of team-oriented chemistry guys who fill their roles like puzzle pieces within the larger framework of the roster.

In order to win consecutive world championships in any professional team sport there are three ingredients that come to my mind - having your core players staying relatively healthy over the duration of a season and future seasons, a strong team orientation built on selfless chemistry guys, and a stable talent base that can stay together and want to be together for the long haul. The Phillies have all of the above ingredients in place to win for several more years.

Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins, Cole Hamels, and Brade Lidge form one the strongest foundations in baseball and with role players Jayson Werth, Gregg Dobbs, Shane Victorino, Ryan Madson, J.D. Durbin and others, the old saying applies, the whole is greater than the sum of the individual parts.

What has been most impressive are the intangibles: the clutch hitting, the mental toughness, the locker room stability, the team chemistry, and strong leadership. There are talented teams in both leagues that have the tangibles, but few have the collective intangibles that have enabled the Phillies to rise to the pinnacle of their sport.

We look ahead to 2009 and every team holds out hope that this is their year, but if I am a betting man, and I am not, I may want to hold steadfast to the team that just celebrated a world championship in October 2008.

Phillies' Romero out until June 1

Originally published at: http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/spring2009/news/story?id=3907318

CLEARWATER, Fla. -- Suspended Philadelphia Phillies pitcher J.C. Romero said Saturday that he wasn't aware of baseball's toll-free drug hotline until after he had already tested positive for a banned substance contained in an over-the-counter supplement.

Romero, who was suspended for the first 50 games of this season for "negligence" in not checking out the supplement, told reporters Saturday before the Phillies' first full day of spring-training workouts: "I was aware [of the hotline] afterwards."

But the 32-year-old lefthander continued to maintain he made every effort to determine the ingredients in the supplement known as 6-OXO, which he says he purchased from a GNC store in Cherry Hill, N.J.

"It's for you guys to decide what negligence means," Romero said. "But I [asked] my nutritionist and my strength coach I've been working with. I took my supplements to another person to make sure the label didn't have anything that ... had any kind of banned substance."

However, an arbitration panel rejected that argument before Romero was suspended in January, in part because he failed to go through proper channels to check the supplement in question.

When pressed by ESPN.com on whether he recalled MLB's making all players aware of the hotline last year in spring training, Romero replied: "They probably did. But we have meetings at 7:30 in the morning, sometimes 8:30 in the morning in spring training. You can take most of the people here, and 8:30 in the morning, their bosses start talking, and they're not going to pay attention to everything they say. ...

"So I'm not trying to say that they didn't say that to me. But I would say I didn't know about the 1-800 number. I didn't have any reason to believe I was doing anything wrong because I was very careful from the get-go. Since the system was in place, I was very careful about it. I was trying to really do things the right way because really, I didn't want none of this to happen."

Romero also said he isn't the only player in the game who is unfamiliar with the hotline, which is run by the National Center for Drug-Free Sport. And he said there needs to be better communication about the system -- "especially with the Spanish-speaking players."

"I have players who are superstars in the game, and they're good friends of mine," he said. "And they ask me, 'WHAT 1-800 number?' So there's definitely a communication thing going on here."

MLB spokesman Pat Courtney declined to comment. But according to one source familiar with the case, Romero almost certainly would not have been suspended if he had consulted the hotline, instead of his nutritionist and his strength coach, about the legality of the supplement.

The source said players are informed about the toll-free number in spring training, given a wallet card with the number and have posters in every clubhouse, reminding them of the existence of the hotline.

In addition, a DVD on supplements and related information is shown in each clubhouse every spring.

However, Romero complained that since he learned about the toll-free number, he had been told that it doesn't respond to players' questions quickly enough.

"After we went through this whole deal, I find out that 1-800 was a very slow process," Romero said. "In order for that to work, we have to send all our supplements before the season. And if you do that, you're going to run out of supplements."

It was because he ran out of a supplement he had used for several years, he said, that he wound up buying 6-OXO. Because the other supplement was "kind of expensive," he decided to try something new.

"So $52 cost me $1.3 million," he said.

Since Romero's positive test, the union has sent a memo to all players informing them that 6-OXO would cause them to test positive for androstenedione, an anabolic steroid that has been banned by Major League Baseball. The supplement was developed by Patrick Arnold, a chemist who served three months in prison in connection with the BALCO scandal.

Romero says the union previously had led all players to believe there was no reason to worry that any over-the-counter supplement would result in a positive test. For that reason, he called his 50-game suspension "ridiculous" and "unfair."

He is permitted to participate in all spring-training drills and exhibition games. But he won't be allowed to pitch during the regular season until June 1.

Still uncertain is whether Romero will pitch for Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic. He's on the provisional roster and said he "probably will" participate. But he said he first wants to see how his arm feels during spring training.

"They've got me on the roster," he said. "But I've got to make sure I'm smart about it."

Written by: Ayson Stark is a senior baseball writer for ESPN.com.

Phillies' World Series trophy comes to Concord Mall

The 2008 World Series trophy won by the Philadelphia Phillies went on display Thursday night at the Concord Mall in Brandywine Hundred, as part of a tour of the area to give fans an up-close view and a chance to photograph and be photographed with Major League Baseball's ultimate prize.

NY Yankees Memorabilia

NY Yankees Memorabilia
At Die Hard Fans we leave sports fanatics spoilt for choice in terms of the memorabilia on offer. These include the following:

• NY Yankees 14 inch art glass table lamp - The perfect sporting addition to any home. Shedding some light on your NY Yankees passions, the 14 inch lamp features authentic art glass, appropriately developed with the team in mind. The product incorporates the official team logo and name, with beauteous clarity. It will also serve to extenuate and add a cozy feel to any room.

• NY Yankees (1973-91) Replica Mini Throwback Helmet – Relive the glory days gone by and prepare for more to come, with one of our ornate team helmet designs. The VSR4 cardinal shell with interior padding, is the ideal gift for the diehard fan in your life, and available in a 2 bar version, and even Z2B facemasks with a curvaceous P logo. Furthermore, measuring at 6.75" L x 4.5" W x 5.25" H, this mine helmet retails at $25.95, and a snip at the price.

• NY Yankees Home White/Scarlet Replica Jersey- Complete with White mesh and made of 100% polyester.

NY Yankees Bags
Pack your bags and go this season, with our NY Yankees velvet sacks, a favorite amongst many Die Hard Fans. Extremely versatile the insatiably convenient draw string design is secured by beads at each end. In addition, the velvet sack comes complete with the official NY Yankees logo, making it a highly effective way in which to display your allegiance to the Philadelphia NY Yankees. Doubling as a great gift for any sports fan and the perfect storage device, this bag is without doubt, value for money.

NY Yankees Tags

Ok it can be tacky to dress your pets up, but our subtle and stylish pet tags are extremely desirable.

You won’t be in the dog house with this product, and what better way is there to pay homage to your favorite team, than through your pets? Dressed in officially licensed gear; people will be left assured as to which team ha has a place in your sporting heart. The mini pet-set includes small adjustable 5/8 inch wide collar (10-14 inches long) and is entirely adjustable.

Sports Jewelry

NFL Jewelry

Any sports fan in search on the perfect NFL Gifts online, such as our NFL Sports jewelry, will need to look no further. With a host of products displaying the NFL Football team logo, and a number of sporting accessories. Die hard fans will be spoilt for choice.

Amongst our cool range of NFL Sports Jewellery are some tasteful Valentines Day gifts in the form of our Lions Logo necklace, also available displaying the Seahawks, Panthers and Cardinal logos. In addition, we have an extensive range of NFL Gifts, readily available for purchase online. Our Huge numbers of NFL accessories include:

• The Patriots- Matt Cassel ‘1st NFL Start’ 24K Gold Coin Photo Mint. Perhaps a popular choice of Valentines Day Gifts, permeating amongst the most stylish of NFL Football team Logo accessories, this Highland Mint was made in commemoration of the NFL debut of Matt Cassell, against the New York Jets. Encased in 13x16 inch frame, and double matted with two 24Kt Gold Coins and an 8x10 photo of Matt Cassell. This limited edition also comes complete with certificate of authentication

• The ever popular Oakland Raiders or Eagles Deluxe Replica helmets are ideal Valentines Day gifts for 2009 and one of our many NFL gifts available online. The medium sized helmet comes in official team colours, and is perhaps one of the more versatile of the NFL Football team logo accessories. Utilising the same textured steel and polyvinyl-coated Z2B facemask as the authentic range of VSR4 helmets, this product is for decoration only. Measuring at 12.75 Lx 9.25 H, these products are surely the perfect Valentines Day gifts for next year and fine examples of our NFL Football Team Logo Accessories.

• Miami Dolphins enameled Pewter NFL team design pin.-Made from jewelry grade pewter; this ideal Valentines Day gift is a tasteful addition to our range of NFL Football Team Logo accessories. A beauteous piece of NFL Sports jewelry and a collector’s piece, this subtle homage to your favourite team is certainly valuable for money.

• NFL Gifts online need not be weird and wonderful or even decorative. At Diehardfans we cater for even the most practical of sports fans with NFL Football Team Logo Accessories, like the official clothes hangers with a range of team logos, including the Arizona Cardinals. Perhaps comical Valentines Day gifts, the metal hook is set neatly within a sturdy wooden hanger, ensuring that your clothes are hung adequately whilst allowing you to display the logo of your favourite team!

Yankees Gifts

There are a host of Diehardfans Yankees Gifts are available at the click of a button. Whether you are looking for Yankees MLB Gifts, Yankees Jewelry, Yankees accessories, sports memorabilia’s or sports theme Decorative Ornaments, it’s all available on our Diehardfans.com.

For all Diehardfans who live for keeping up with age old traditions they can find perfect official Yankees logo and colors, and providing ultimate relaxation to any Diehard Yankess fans.

In addition, any wives looking for Diehardfans Sports memorabilia’s for their hubbies are spoilt for choice. Whilst he keeps up with any of the Diehardfans Valentines Day (in front of the telly or at the game), you can be splurging out on your man with our Oakland Raiders Player series watch. The genuine leather band provides complete comfort and durability. Complete with a top quality chrome finish, and an official Oakland Raiders logo toward the center of the watch face, this stylish watch is the perfect gift.


We cater for every need, and if it is a Diehardfans MLB Accessories that you are after, then you will certainly score! In relation, our 3 piece combo of the Yankees Home Sweet Home ornament, Yankees Baseball cap ornament and Yankees 3D Logo ornament is certainly no exception. Certainly a fine example of our yankees Ornaments; this three way homage to the NY Yankees could be the ideal gift for the sports enthusiasts in your life. Why not keep up with Diehardfans traditions.