Tiger Woods heads the class of sports cheaters

Tiger Woods … or should we call him Cheetah Woods … is certainly the leader of the pack when it comes to sports lowlifes.

He did nothing to change that impression with his somewhat emotional statement-reading Friday morning when he refused to answer questions.

Woods can’t take away the facts that he committed adultery with more than a dozen women; or paid millions of dollars to cover it up.

He did make a point when he told the media to leave his family alone. But sadly, when you’re a person of his stature, you bring it on yourself when you have multiple affairs on top of the fact you treated people poorly for years while you were on top of the world.

“I know I have bitterly disappointed all of you," Woods read from his statement. “I am embarrassed that I have put you in this position. I have a lot to atone for. I was unfaithful. I had affairs. I cheated. What I did was unacceptable and I am the only person to blame.”

Give his wife, Elin, credit for not appearing in the room.

Woods is hardly alone when it comes to athletes and cheating.

How about former Denver Broncos running back Travis Henry with nine different kids by nine different women?

Or San Diego Chargers cornerback Antonio Cromartie with seven kids by six different women? And now he’s reportedly being sued for lack of child support by a woman who was his fiancée until Cromartie got somebody else pregnant while they were engaged.

Baseball?

You’ve seen and heard about the likes of Roger Clemens, Rafael Palmeiro, Manny Ramirez and Mark McGwire when it comes to another type of cheating … performance-enhancing substances.
McGwire (presumably) only came clean so that he could return to baseball as hitting coach of the St. Louis Cardinals.

The sporting world is full of cheaters. Cheetah Woods is at the head of the class.

Angels-Dodgers Would Series would be just fine

Turn on ESPN during the baseball season. If they’re not talking about the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox; they’re talking about the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees.

Here’s one voice for hoping that the Los Angeles Dodgers and Anaheim Angels play in the World Series.

Wouldn’t it be nice for a change for the media … with its East Coast bias … to see that there actually are teams worth talking about in Southern California?

Oh, sure, ESPN loves talking about Manny Ramirez of the Dodgers. Of course, that’s only because all of his years with the Red Sox.

You don’t exactly hear about Matt Kemp, Andre Ethier, Clayton Kershaw or James Loney of the Dodgers every day on ESPN.

Ditto for Torii Hunter, John Lackey, Kendry Morales and Howie Kendrick of the Angels.

The only way for these guys to make a national dent is to beat the St. Louis Cardinals and Red Sox, respectively, then go on to win their respective league championship series.

Sure, an all-Southern California World Series would not exactly make for the greatest TV ratings ever. But neither did the Yankees-Mets World Series outside of New York in 2000.

It’s about time the West Coast received its due in MLB.

Colorado Rockies enjoying Rocky Mountain High

Don’t look now, but the Colorado Rockies are making it appear as if it’s 2007 all over again.

You remember those Rockies? The team that won 21 of 22 games to make it to the World Series, only to be swept by the Boston Red Sox?

Well, these Rockies of 2009 are looking like another miracle team.

How many people thought Colorado had a chance when it trailed the Los Angeles Dodgers by 15 ½ games on June 3?

But how many of those people now think the Rockies don’t have a chance as they are only two games behind the Dodgers in the NL West?

The Rockies have certainly made their impression with a three-game sweep of the San Francisco Giants and last night’s win vs. the Dodgers.

Suddenly, it appears as though they are the best team in a very competitive three-team race in the NL West.

And to think the Dodgers were supposed to be unbeatable after Manny Ramirez returned from his 50-game drug suspension July 3.

Problem is, somebody forgot to tell the suddenly resurgent Rockies!

Cheating is fine; if you're on the home team

So here we go again.

Now we discover that the Boston Red Sox first World Series title in 86 years was tainted when they won in 2004.

Surprise, surprise … David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez were among the 104 major league players listed as having tested positive for performance-enhancing substances in 2003.

Does that diminish Boston’s championships in 2004 and 2007 with these guys on the team?

If you’re a Red Sox fan, absolutely not. If you’re a fan of someone else, of course it tarnishes the accomplishment.

Funny, but it wasn’t so long ago that Red Sox fans were on the New York Yankees for having known cheaters such as Alex Rodriguez and Jason Giambi.

But failing a drug test is only a crime if you are not on the home team, according to the fans.

After all, Los Angeles Dodgers fans couldn’t figure out why San Francisco Giants followers cheered cheater Barry Bonds. Now those same Dodgers fans support Ramirez … because it’s OK to cheat if you’re on the home team.

Mark McGwire will always be a hero in St. Louis; same with Sammy Sosa in Chicago.

And the list goes on.

Lesson learned? Society has taught us to cheer for cheaters … as long as they wear the uniform of our home team.

Cheating doesn't matter ... if player is on your team

First of all, Steve McNair did not deserve to be murdered.

Nobody deserves such a fate from his girlfriend while lying on the couch.

The sad reality of McNair’s death concerns the circumstances surrounding it.

Now we find out that McNair had perhaps as many as three girlfriends; the one who killed him thought he was breaking off their relationship because of another one.

And as we all know, McNair was married with four kids.

It appears a majority of people in Tennessee could care less about McNair’s lifestyle because he was a great football player.

If you succeed on the field, local fans turn a blind eye to what you do off the field.

No wonder San Francisco Giants fans supported (suspected) steroids user Barry Bonds. No wonder Los Angeles Dodgers fans are backing Manny Ramirez after a 50-game, drug-related suspension.

Cheating – whether it’s with drugs or infidelity with women – doesn’t seem to matter if you are a sports hero.

Take former NFL running back Travis Henry. He has nine kids with nine different women (married to none) and has now been sentenced to three years in prison for financing a drug trafficking operation that moved cocaine between Colorado and Montana.

Recently, we learned from former North County Times sportswriter Mike Sullivan that Antonio Cromartie of the San Diego Chargers has seven kids (all under age 5) by five different women. He’s not married or engaged to any.

Cromartie was a hero in 2007; a bust in 2008 because of a hip injury. With his off the field activities, he’s obviously distracted in more ways than one.

Like all others, Cromartie puts on his pants one leg at a time. From now on, hopefully he’ll keep his pants on … both on the field and off!

Los Angeles Dodgers are MLB's best team

How about those Dodgers?

Not only do the Los Angeles Dodgers have MLB’s best record (56-32) at the All-Star break; second-place San Francisco in the NL West leads the wild card chase by two games.

Translated: The Dodgers are nine games in front of the competition for a berth in the 2009 playoffs.

This is a team that can be truly characterized as a “team,” since more than one individual is leading the way.

After all, the Dodgers went 29-21 when Manny Ramirez was on his 50-game drug suspension.

Can you imagine the St. Louis Cardinals going 29-21 without Albert Pujols?

Perhaps the best indication of the Dodgers’ depth is that Juan Pierre – Ramirez’s replacement during his suspension – is the team’s No. 4 outfielder. On any other team in the NL West, Pierre would probably be playing everyday and batting leadoff.

If the Dodgers have a weakness, it is their starting rotation’s inability to go deep into the game (they are second in the league in bullpen innings pitched.)

Chad Billingsley has emerged as the ace and proven to be capable of going 7-8 innings. After him, you rarely get more than 5-6 innings out of Hiroki Kuroda, Randy Wolf or Clayton Kershaw.

The Dodgers would love to get American League All-Star starter Roy Halladay as their ace, but the asking price of Billingsley or Kershaw is too high.

So, General Manager Ned Colletti will likely fill the void by adding a relief pitcher.

How does Manager Joe Torre grade his team at this point?

“Incomplete,” he told the Associated Press after Sunday’s 7-4 win vs. the Milwaukee Brewers. “That's the only thing I can give it at this point because the back half, just like in golf the back nine, is the toughest one to play. We're going to have to go out there and continue to live up to ourselves.”

Don’t be surprised if the Dodgers have a Tiger Woods-like back nine.

Los Angeles Dodgers: Best team in MLB -- without Manny!

Albuquerque, New Mexico, get ready!

The Manny Ramirez soap opera/show is coming to town starting Tuesday, June 23.

Yes, Ramirez will officially begin his “rehab” (for baseball, not drugs) when he joins the Albuquerque Isotopes for a four-game series against the Nashville Sounds, leaders of the Pacific Coast League American North division.

Sorry, Albuquerque, but it’s a circus when Manny comes to town. There’s going to be plenty of out-of-town media for the show, but at least it’ll bring a few extra bucks to the local economy.

Interestingly, Manny’s drug-related suspension does not end until the Los Angeles Dodgers play July 3 at the San Diego Padres. But according to the MLB collective bargaining agreement, he can begin a minor-league rehab 10 days earlier.

His projected schedule?

Ramirez will go to Class A Inland Empire for a three-game series starting Saturday, June 27. Following that stint, he'll work out in Los Angeles on July 1, travel with the Dodgers to San Diego on July 2 and rejoin the lineup on July 3, according to the Los Angeles Times.

So, how have the Dodgers fared without Ramirez?

Seems like they’ve hardly missed him at all. They are 25-16 in Ramirez's 50-game absence – the best record in baseball during that time

So much for the theory that as Manny goes, so go the Dodgers!

Is the Manny Ramirez suspension really 50 games?

Interesting how these 50-game drug suspensions work in MLB.

Manny Ramirez won’t have his “50 games” end until July 3, but he’ll be playing before then.

How?

Under the current MLB contract, the Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder can begin a minor-league rehab some 10 games before his 50-game suspension is over.

Philadelphia Phillies pitcher J.C. Romero also was able to participate in a rehab before his 50-game suspension ended.

But Romero, who returns this week, had his return date pushed back a bit. Since the Phillies suffered three rainouts, he had to wait an extra three originally schedule games before returning.

The ultimate question is whether these players should be able to begin playing (even in the minors) before their 50-game suspension is up.

Is it really 50 games if they can begin playing after 40 games on the shelf?

You decide.

Why are A Rod, Manny potential 2009 All Stars?

Alex Rodriguez is third in the American League All-Star voting at third base.

Manny Ramirez is fourth among National League outfielders in the voting.

So much for whether a person’s drug usage has an impact on how the fans feel ... at least when they vote.

There’s more reason than drug history not to vote for either player.

A Rod did not even begin his season with the New York Yankees until May 10 due to hip surgery in March.

Ramirez has not played for the Los Angeles Dodgers since May 6 because he is serving his 50-game suspension for taking performance-enhancing drugs.

Apparently, a guy (A Rod) can play 2 ½ weeks after an offseason plagued by questions about past drug involvement, yet still be considered an “All-Star.”

Or a guy (Manny) – who won’t even be eligible to come back till 11 days before the All-Star game – is still considered a “star” by many. (And considering Manager Joe Torre will send him to the minors for at least a week upon his return, Manny may not even be in the majors at the All-Star break.)

What keeps fans voting for these two guys?

Either they don’t know any better … or that’s the way it goes in New York and Los Angeles.

Why would those who booed Barry Bonds cheer Manny Ramirez?

Los Angeles Dodgers fans were among the most vocal in booing Barry Bonds for his suspected drug usage later in his baseball career.

Now those same fans are going to cheer Manny Ramirez when he returns from his 50-game drug suspension in July.

More than a little contradictory?

You bet.

As much as we all hated Bonds for good reason, there’s reason to wonder why Dodger fans will cheer Manny upon his return.

After all, these are the same fans who couldn’t understand why San Francisco Giants faithful always cheered Bonds despite his reported drug usage, being a jerk, etc.

Bill Plaschke of the Los Angeles Times wrote a great column on this topic recently.

Check it out:

http://tinyurl.com/o7rdh8

Manny Being Manny? Dodgers schedule favorable without him

Manny Ramirez’s 50-game suspension brings up an interesting point for teams attempting to catch the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West.

After the San Francisco Giants play a three-game series this weekend in LA, remaining NL Worst teams won’t be able to beat (or lose) to the Dodgers for quite awhile head-to-head.

The Dodgers have 12 straight games out of the division before a three-game series at Colorado, then it’s four games at the Chicago Cubs before LA comes back home to host the Arizona Diamondbacks in a three-game series.

In all, the Dodgers will play only 14 of their 50 games sans Manny vs. the NL West.

So, how’s that for scheduling? (Could be tough on the Dodgers, since they seem to play much better vs. the NL West.)

Even before the Manny situation, the MLB schedule was once again quite bizarre.

After all, the Giants play six games in LA the first five weeks of the season vs. their fierce rivals. In the final 21 weeks, the Giants only come to Dodgers Stadium once again on Sept. 11-13.

In fact, after the teams play Sept. 18-20 in San Francisco, they don’t even meet again during the final two weeks of the season. How’s that for head-to-head competition between arguably the two best teams in the NL West?

Last season, the Dodgers played nine September games against the weak San Diego Padres … winning seven.

Any wonder why the Dodgers won the NL West?

This time, western division teams will still be seeing Manny a vast majority of the time that they play the Dodgers.

And that may not be good for anybody trying to catch the runaway Dodgers without Manny until he returns July 3 in … of all places … San Diego.

Los Angeles Dodgers may be MLB's best team

One month does not a season make; but it sure makes the Los Angeles Dodgers look awfully good.

In fact, could the Dodgers be the best team in MLB right now?

They have already set a team record with a 10-0 start at home ... which is quite impressive considering how impressive the Dodgers have been over the past several decades.

Is there any stopping them?

Certainly not in the weak NL West. By August, the Dodgers should be setting up their playoff pitching rotation.

And that's where things could get interesting.

The Dodgers are off to their great start despite Opening Day starter Hiroki Kuroda being injured since Game 1.

Chad Billingsley, the only five-game winner in the NL, looks like a world beater. And the Dodgers will definitely go get an ace before the trading deadline.

It may not seem like much that the Dodgers just swept four games vs. the lowly San Diego Padres. But consider it was the first time LA ever swept a four-game home game series vs. the Padres, who have given the Dodgers fits over the years.

The Dodgers won easily Sunday while resting regulars Manny Ramirez, Rafael Furcal, Casey Blake and Russell Martin.

Put it this way: Any team with Blake batting No. 8 must be pretty darn good. He'd be batting No. 5 on numerous teams.

Watch out for those Dodgers!

MLB Season: Way too early for predictions

One week into a six-month MLB season is no time to be drawing definitive conclusions.

But based on what has happened so far:

The Washington Nationals will not go winless (well, at least, let’s hope not.)

However, Manny Acta of the Nationals will be the first manager fired.

The San Diego Padres will not win the NL West.

Manny Ramirez will not average one RBI per game for the Los Angeles Dodgers; unlike last season.

The Houston Astros will have their traditional slow start with a fast finish that is too late.

The Seattle Mariners will not win the AL West.

Neither will the Toronto Blue Jays win the AL East.

The Detroit Tigers will not go undefeated at home; but they may bounce back in the AL Central.

The Boston Red Sox will not finish last in the AL East.

Give it six months … and don’t be surprised if the standings are turned upside-down from where they are in some divisions today.

Joe Torre: Best manager of this era?

Is Joe Torre the best manager of this era?

From this corner, the answer appears to be “yes.”

If/when Torre leads the Los Angeles Dodgers into the playoffs this season; it will be the 14th consecutive time his team has reached the postseason.

That would tie Bobby Cox of the Atlanta Braves for the all-time record of 14 straight times in the playoffs.

What’s more, Torre’s 80 postseason victories are more than any other manager in MLB history.

Oh, sure, you could point out that 12 of the postseason appearances were with the high-payroll of the New York Yankees … and the 13th was with the Dodgers and late-season addition Manny Ramirez.

Speaking of the Yankees, did you notice what happened without Torre in 2008? For the first time since 1995, the year before Torre became their manager, they did not make the playoffs.

Certainly, Torre has taken advantage of leading some extremely talented teams.

But having the highest payroll/most talent doesn’t always equal the postseason.

Just ask Joe Girardi and the 2008 New York Yankees.

Manny Ramirez paying price for quitting on Red Sox

Manny Ramirez may very well find himself as a man without a team when the 2009 Major League Baseball season starts.

No doubt, Ramirez thought he was in the driver’s seat when he turned down proposals of two years, $45 million; then one year, $25 million from the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Surely, he and his egotistical agent Scott Boras thought someone would come along with a four-year contract worth in excess of $100 million.

Hold on.

People certainly haven’t forgotten how Ramirez quit on the Boston Red Sox last season; even though he was at the end of an eight-year, $160 million contract.

Sure, he was the sparkplug that sent the Dodgers from the middle-of-the-pack to the NL Championship Series.

It all comes down to one question: Would you sign Ramirez to a long-term contract, considering how he quit on the Red Sox last year?

I didn’t think so … nor do general managers think so throughout MLB.

Padres trying to get better/cheaper?

Evidently, the Los Angeles Dodgers’ double play duo of Bill Russell and Davey Lopes from the 1980s isn’t available.

Maybe that’s why the Padres have signed David Eckstein to play second base … and perhaps shortstop Omar Vizquel could be the next to come.

The Padres got away with signing veteran players on the cheap for a couple years, but it didn’t work in 2008. (Remember Tadahito Iguchi and Jim Edmonds?)

So now, with a projected $40 million payroll, the Padres apparently have no choice but to go with rookies or veterans on the cheap.

More than 60% of that payroll is already committed to pitchers Jake Peavy and Chris Young, first baseman Adrian Gonzalez and outfielder Brian Giles. (A Peavy trade could still open up some room for cash – but not miracles.)

So don’t expect the Padres to jump in on the Manny Ramirez bidding on the last minute.

We all know you get what you pay for: which likely means another last-place finish in 2009 for the Padres.

San Diego Fox5 News Can't Catch a Break

This could have been an opportunity for endless promotions for the struggling San Diego Fox5 News.

Just think: A World Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Boston Red Sox would mean tons of viewers for Fox5 watching Manny Ramirez face his old team.

Then, Fox5 could promote the heck out of its glamour girls such as Kathleen Bade, Arthel Neville and Chrissy Russo from its bumbling news shows.

Well, bad news for the Dodgers and Red Sox could mean worse news for Fox5 … if the Dodgers and Red Sox don’t make the World Series; forget about high rankings for Tampa Bay vs. Philadelphia.

And even more so in San Diego, forget about the multitude of viewers who could be inundated with Fox5 News promos during the World Series.

Low ratings would certainly be the order of the day for Rays-Phillies; just as low rankings now follow Fox5 news because it still isn’t up to par despite the babes.

The Dodgers and Red Sox could each come back from current 3-1 deficits, but it’s doubtful. After all, each team would have to win the final two games of its current series on the road even if either were to win a Game 5 at home.

The bad news for Fox nationally is that it probably isn’t going to get the Dodgers-Red Sox World Series that is so desires.

The worse news for Fox5 locally is that there won’t be nearly as many people viewing the countless teases of its female personalities.

Dodgers should be hooting, howling in NLCS

During Game 3 of the 1977 National League Championship Series (NLCS) in Philadelphia, the crowd noise caused Los Angeles Dodgers’ pitcher Burt “Hoot Owl” Hooton to lose control.

He walked three consecutive batters, and couldn’t even make it out of the second inning.

Will the Phillies’ fans again get to the Dodgers when the 2008 NLCS begins Thursday?

Probably not.

There are three main reasons the Dodgers should win:

Joe Torre: He was criticized annually for not getting out of the first round with the New York Yankees. The Yankees didn’t even make the playoffs this year; Torre advanced to Round 2. Advantage: Torre.

Manny Ramirez: He stopped playing for the Boston Red Sox but can’t stop playing for the Dodgers. Don’t expect him to stop now. Advantage: Manny.

Greg Maddux. OK, he’s only 2-5 with the Dodgers. But do you see how the LA pitchers – especially the younger ones – immediately go to Maddux when they come out of a game?

The Dodgers’ fourth advantage is a somewhat healthy Rafael Furcal at shortstop. He may not be the .357 hitter he was before being injured in May, but his mere presence at the top of the batting order makes the Dodgers better.

NLCS: Advantage, Dodgers.

Manny Ramirez sure energizes the Dodgers!

Does Manny Ramirez energize the Los Angeles Dodgers, or what?

His 12 home runs and 36 RBIs in 37 games as a Dodger speak volumes.

But what he’s injected into younger players … specifically Andre Ethier … may be even more impressive than Manny’s personal numbers.

What has Ethier accomplished in the 12 games he’s been batting in front of Manny?

How about hitting .500 with eight doubles, two triples, 14 RBIs, nine walks and 15 runs scored …

Hall of Fame announcer Vin Scully put it quite succinctly on the most recent Dodgers telecast. He noted than when Ethier was asked why he was so hot, the answer was one word/name: “Manny.”

(Sorry, our apologies go out to Jeff Kent for such a statement!)

Manny is rubbing off on Ethier in other ways. For instance, Ethier was spotted in the Dodger dugout during their most recent victory wearing a Manny wig.

The Dodgers are having fun … Manny is leading the way.

It could be a tough combination to beat in October from a team that may win its division with barely a .500 record.

Joe Torre, not Manny Ramirez, holds Dodgers together

If the Los Angeles Dodgers now make the playoffs with Manny Ramirez, many will say Joe Torre managed to reach the postseason again due to superior talent.

Not so fast. Maybe Torre reached the postseason every year with the Yankees due to great talent, but not this time in L.A.

If anything, Torre may have accomplished one of his best managing jobs ever just to keep the Dodgers in the NL West race and be in position to trade for Ramirez.

Consider the odds Torre has faced in his first year with the Dodgers:

The team’s best player, shortstop Rafael Furcal, has been injured since May 5.
Staff pitching ace Brad Penny has been sidelined since June 14.
Closer Takashi Saito has been out since July 12.
L.A.’s top three third basemen were injured when the season began.
Center fielder Andruw Jones is a $36 million bust.
Jason Schmidt may "earn" his $47 million with the Dodgers by recording one win.

Despite it all, Torre has kept the Dodgers in contention in the Weak Weak NL West.

All things considered, that may be nearly as much of an accomplishment as winning four World Series in five years with the greatest talent on earth in New York.