• If Alex Rodriguez had begun serving his original 211-game suspension immediately when it was imposed by MLB on August 5, 2013 and throughout his appeal process (which ultimately got it reduced to 162 games), he would have been eligible to return on July 28, 2014 – 11 games after the 2014 All-Star Game. You sure showed them, A-Rod.

• According to the FanIQ Facebook page, there will be an interview with Tony Bosch, founder of the now defunct Biogenisis Lab, on 60 Minutes tonight in which he says that A-Rod’s most important goal was to reach 800 home runs. “Alex cared. Alex wanted to know,” Bosch said. “He would study the product. He would study the substances. He would study the dosages, because he wanted to achieve all his human performance or in this case, sports performance objectives. And the most important one was the 800 home run club.”

Biogenisis founder Tony Bosch claims that A-Rods most important goal was to reach 800 home runs – at any cost. (Photo credit – Scott Eisen)

• Don Hooton, founder of the Tyler Hooton Foundation which was formed in memory of his son Taylor E. Hooton, a 17-year old high school athlete from Plano, TX. who took his own life on July 15, 2003 after using anabolic steroids, told the New York Daily News that he is “…disappointed and saddened by the decisions Alex (Rodriguez) has made that led to this (suspension).” This article got me thinking about the millions of youngsters who absolutely idolized A-Rod and worshiped the ground he walked on back when he initially denied but later admitted to his PED use (the first time he got caught) and then his subsequent involvement in the Biogenisis scandal in which he tampered with evidence leading up to his eventual 162-game suspension. Most of these youngsters are in high school. college or perhaps even in the minor leagues now and you have to wonder how many of them are thinking “Hey… A-Rod did it.” Thanks Alex. 

Taylor Hooton
(Photo courtesy of taylorhooton.org)

• Last month WGN Radio’s David Kaplan, host of the Chicago Cubs pre and post-game radio shows, reported  on Twitter “I just spoke (with) an MLB source who believes Cubs will not be outbid on  (Masahiro) Tanaka. He also said convincing Tanaka to come to (Chicago) will be hard.” Ironically, USA Today’s Bob Nightengale reported Friday on Twitter that “The Dodgers have let it be known they plan to go all-out in their efforts to sign Tanaka, saying they certainly won’t be outbid.” Early Sunday morning it was reported by SportsInjuryAlert.com (via Sports Hochi) that Tanaka “…has narrowed his decision down to three teams: the Dodgers, Angels, and Yankees.” This was prefaced with a tweet from LA Times Dodgers beat reporter Dylan Hernandez saying “I would take the Sports Hochi report with a grain of salt.”

Masahiro Tanaka returns to Japan after meeting with a number of MLB teams. Japan’s Sports Hochi is reporting that Tanaka has narrowed his shortlist down to the Yankees, Angels and Dodgers. (Photo courtesy of Sports Hochi)

• And finally, the latest on the Clayton Kershaw contract extension talks is…

Have a great Sunday everybody.