The rise and fall of Rafael Palmeiro

[24fps]

Yeah and Schilling lost 90 million or so on a Video Game Company.

I don't understand how you go bankrupt with 53 million. Put it in 50 different stocks in the SP 500 that give you an average of 3 percent dividend. That would give you 1.6 million the first year and should go up every year. I guess they think they are smarter than everyone else.

Raffy pulled $89 million plus out of the game not including the millions he made from endorsements - Viagra being the most memorable and no doubt very lucrative. The Dow Jones increased almost fourfold during his playing career so I think it's safe to assume that a sizable percentage of his money was invested in stocks and he did quite well.

Presumably Raffy was protected from personal liability so the bankruptcy only impacted the money he put directly at risk in the real estate venture. Still a very serious hit, but I don't think any of us should lose sleep over his financial circumstances.

[atomic]

Pete Roses hit record is celebrated in the hall. His accomplishment is recognized.

The whole hall of fame thing is kind of weird. It gets taken too seriously by everyone IMO. it's the hall of FAME as voted on by a group of sports writers.

Who think they are superior to the players. Problem with critics of anything whether it be music, movies, or sports is that they are all journalists who are not good at anything they are judging. They should let former players and managers vote on the Hall of Fame.

[atomic]

Raffy pulled $89 million plus out of the game not including the millions he made from endorsements - Viagra being the most memorable and no doubt very lucrative. The Dow Jones increased almost fourfold during his playing career so I think it's safe to assume that a sizable percentage of his money was invested in stocks and he did quite well.

Presumably Raffy was protected from personal liability so the bankruptcy only impacted the money he put directly at risk in the real estate venture. Still a very serious hit, but I don't think any of us should lose sleep over his financial circumstances.

Being in a Viagra commercial is more embarrassing and depressing than any of the other issues he is dealing with.

[DrungoHazewood]

I think Pete should be in the Hall of Fame but still banned from baseball. What he did was after his playing career. He isn't going in as a manager.

I think there's an irreconcilable disconnect between banning someone for life for conduct detrimental to the game, and giving that person the sport's highest honor.

[El Gordo]

Mark McGwire was jacked on steroids. First time I saw him come up I knew he was on steroids. He would hit balls that should have been routine fly balls that would carry way past the outfield wall. I am sure he took everything he could get his hands on as much as his body could take.

And you know this how? You can bulk up just lifting weights. He hit 49 HR as a rookie when he wasn't nearly as big.

[Finisher]

I don't understand how you go bankrupt with 53 million. Put it in 50 different stocks in the SP 500 that give you an average of 3 percent dividend. That would give you 1.6 million the first year and should go up every year. I guess they think they are smarter than everyone else.

You don't understand how dividends work.

[foxfield]

I think there's an irreconcilable disconnect between banning someone for life for conduct detrimental to the game, and giving that person the sport's highest honor.

I repped the above. I agree completely. I do struggle to reconcile Rose, Bonds, Clemens though. I personally would not vote for any of them, and I have had the pleasure of watching all three play and understand that them not being in the Hall means that the players with the most hits, home runs and Cy Youngs are out.

But as a baseball fan it seems irreconcilable to have a Hall of Fame without the player with the most hits, home runs or Cy Youngs.

I struggle to swallow that pill every time I think about it. What say you?

[DrungoHazewood]

Who think they are superior to the players. Problem with critics of anything whether it be music, movies, or sports is that they are all journalists who are not good at anything they are judging. They should let former players and managers vote on the Hall of Fame.

If there's anything worse than the BBWAA executing a poorly-designed HOF voting system it's handing the reigns over to former on-field personnel. At least if your goal is to identify the best players in a reasonably systematic way. I'm sure players could come up with a nice list of their favorite dudes they played with. Just think, Mike Bordick and Rick Dempsey... HOF voters.

[24fps]

Being in a Viagra commercial is more embarrassing and depressing than any of the other issues he is dealing with.

You wouldn't appear in a Viagra commercial for a couple of million buck? I sure would, and people can think what they like.

[Can_of_corn]

I repped the above. I agree completely. I do struggle to reconcile Rose, Bonds, Clemens though. I personally would not vote for any of them, and I have had the pleasure of watching all three play and understand that them not being in the Hall means that the players with the most hits, home runs and Cy Youngs are out.

But as a baseball fan it seems irreconcilable to have a Hall of Fame without the player with the most hits, home runs or Cy Youngs.

I struggle to swallow that pill every time I think about it. What say you?

I say that since day one cheating has been a large part of the fabric of baseball. From King Kelly and gang up to Matusz using sunscreen and resin on his forearm. How do they give a wink, a nudge and a HoF plaque to Gaylord Perry but keep out Palmeiro?

[DrungoHazewood]

I repped the above. I agree completely. I do struggle to reconcile Rose, Bonds, Clemens though. I personally would not vote for any of them, and I have had the pleasure of watching all three play and understand that them not being in the Hall means that the players with the most hits, home runs and Cy Youngs are out.

But as a baseball fan it seems irreconcilable to have a Hall of Fame without the player with the most hits, home runs or Cy Youngs.

I struggle to swallow that pill every time I think about it. What say you?

Maybe I'm being too simplistic, but Rose did what he did with full knowledge that his behavior was banned because it threatened to have players/managers losing on purpose, and that there was a sign in every clubhouse stating that. PED users saw no such rule, no signs, no consequences, and many of their teammates almost openly using to try to win more baseball games. I see a clear line between the two and don't have a problem electing PED users not on the permanently banned list while keeping Rose out.

[DrungoHazewood]

I say that since day one cheating has been a large part of the fabric of baseball. From King Kelly and gang up to Matusz using sunscreen and resin on his forearm. How do they give a wink, a nudge and a HoF plaque to Gaylord Perry but keep out Palmeiro?

For many of the same reasons getting in a fistfight in 1957 was part of growing up but now it gets you jail time. Everything wasn't an existential crisis threatening the universe. Sins of one's youth were just goofy character-building exercises, while kids today are out of control and have to be put in line. Baseball beat writers aren't usually in the players' peer group, they're more likely in Gaylord Perry's. IMO.

[DrungoHazewood]

You wouldn't appear in a Viagra commercial for a couple of million buck? I sure would, and people can think what they like.

Haha you were in a Viagara commercial.

They paid me more for two hours of work than you made in the last 12 years.

Oh. Okay.

[Orioles Jim]

I guess you didn't read the entire article. Raffy lost $53 million on a bad real estate deal and had to file for bankruptcy. I highly doubt he has enough money to pay Tejada to take the fall for him.

And now I've read the article.

While it does say that he "avoided financial ruin", avoiding financial ruin is a far-cry from having enough money to offer to bribe Tejada. I'm not in financial ruin, but I also really doubt that the money that I do have lying around would be enough to entice Tejada.

After watching the ESPN 30 for 30 "Broke", it no longer surprises me when athletes making tens of millions eventually go broke. The fact that Raffy sunk $50+ million in an investment, only to see that tank, is the way the ball bounces for former athletes (pardon the pun).

I do know that in the NFL (and probably other leagues) that rookies are now instructed clearly on the importance of managing money and the like. Maybe they just need to tell guys that if you waste your money, you won't be able to have enough bribe money to potentially exonerate you.

Then again, Cris Carter once told rookies to make sure they had a fall guy, so it appears the NFL is ahead of the curve as they so often are:

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/eye-on-football/25278603/cris-carter-told-nfl-rooks-to-get-a-fall-guy-nfl-says-inappropriate

[24fps]

Haha you were in a Viagara commercial.

They paid me more for two hours of work than you made in the last 12 years.

Oh. Okay.

Show me the money, Pfizer...