Joe Sheehan at Baseball Prospectus Unfiltered thinks people (or at least, Peter Schmuck) aren’t publishing The Truth about Barry Bonds. Some of his points are duly noted—Bonds is not the slow, broken player Schmuck casts him as. But with other points, you get the feeling that Schmuck just got deeply under Sheehan’s skin and then couldn’t get out again—such as when Schmuck claims that Bonds would create “a chronic public relations problem” and Sheehan responds, “Barry Bonds doesn’t create a public relations problem…Barry Bonds has a media relations problem.” That’s pretty weak hair-splitting. And Sheehan’s dismissal of Barry Bonds legal problems looks a bit different now that the indictment as been refiled. Nonetheless, if you’re looking for a spirited defense of Barry Bonds (hard to come by these days), it’s worth a read.

Respect Jeter’s Gangster weighs in on the Jobagate fist-pump controversy with some situations in which it may or may not be appropriate for you to pump your fist.

The Padres’ struggles have inspired a debate over at Gaslamp Ball about whether professional ballplayers even need coaches. I say they do. What do you say?

Ever wondered what happened to the old Tiger Stadium? Joe Lapointe has an article in The New York Times and Fabrizio Constantini an eye-opening slide show. (Did you know that they auctioned off one of the dugout urinals last year? I somehow missed that story. And somehow, my life was complete without that particular piece of information.) It’s weird to think that the Tigers have been in Comerica for almost ten years, and that Tiger Stadium has been mouldering scarcely a mile away the entire time. My one beef with the slide show—I like artsy detail shots as much as any amateur shutterbug, but I would have liked a picture of the entire field included, to serve as an establishing shot. And some “before” shots would have been nice to go along with the “afters.”

Bleeding Blue and Teal weighs in on Griffey-to-Seattle trade talk and how such a move might actually make sense.

As draft day approaches, Minor League Ball looks at some high school hitters of interest. If you root for a craptastic team with a high pick, you can start drooling over them now. If you root for a great team with a lot of money, you can start hoping they develop “signability issues.”

Yanksfan Soxfan brings us a blind item from the NY Daily News about a “formerly awesome” pitcher whose shoulder woes are actually due to “years of smoking pot” and “one drug-addled incident in which he had to carry a passed-out date up three flights of stairs.” Guesses in the comments range from the preposterous (Schilling, Pedro) to the “hmmmm…maybe” (Gagne, Zito, Pavano). Got a better guess? Let ‘em know!

If you’ve got cabin fever because it’s a gorgeous May Day and you came into work today like a good doobie instead of calling in sick and going hiking like you really, really wanted to, maybe you should take a look at Slate’s series on baseball in the Dominican Republic (with, of course, an accompanying slide show).

Dan Graziano of the Star Ledger prints some email correspondence with Carlos Delgado’s agent. Neither man comes off looking very good (hint: someone calls someone a retard). Yes, these men are professionals! Do not try this at home!

Razzball takes a look back at Pete Rose’s 1983 season, a year “Pete evaded success like it was the taxman.”

Joe Posnanski brings you Brian Bannister’s crazy day-night splits.

And I said Over The Monster’s picture of Mike Lowell (above) looked like “George Clooney-meets-Humphrey Bogart-meets-UFH.” Paul countered, “He just looks like he’s giving Tek the ol’ stink eye.” What do you think, UmpBumpers?

What else should I be reading? Help me procrastinate better!

Is it really only Wednesday? Alas, so it would seem. Let’s have some lunchtime linkage:

Barry Zito needs himself a slumpbuster. BabesLoveBaseball has some suggestions.

If that doesn’t work out, the Fresno Beehive would like him to come to Fresno. The AAA Grizzlies need an ace, Barry!

Another installment in Deadspin’s excellent series of horrifying moments in sports journalism, this post features a deaf Ken Griffey Jr, a naked Jay Buhner, and a mostly-naked Lou Piniella.

The 25th anniversary of Lee Elia’s famous tirade (Eighty-five percent of the f*ckin’ world is working. The other fifteen percent come out here!) brought you by FanIQ.

Do-gooding HBW alert: Kelli Pedroia.

Beyond the Box Score says Ryan Zimmerman’s not sucky, just unlucky.

Some great ballparks to check out for that minor league road trip you’ve been planning, courtesy of Bus Leagues Baseball.

Boston’s DL payroll exceeded the payroll of the entire Marlins ballclub. But hey, at least it was cheaper than New York’s DL payroll. (Center Field)

And as always, I like to read good stuff. So if you have some, share it.

- Nope, not Perlozzo’s fault. The Orioles would be far better off if more of their players were like Nick Markakis.

- The A’s are torn about the ensuing return of Mike Piazza from the DL (as a DH); so much so that they’ve decided to make him their back-up catcher even though his right shoulder sprain renders him useless in that position. Scott Ostler at the SF Gate has the story – and the best line: “…but Mike Piazza is Mike Piazza, and Jack Cust isn’t.“

- Sure Terrence, Bonds’ controversial career would’ve been smooth sailing had he been a Brave. Just ask John Rocker.

- Carlos Lee. Prince Fielder. Doesn’t the Marlin’s press corp realize that a hefty slugger is the way to go? Get off Miguel Cabrera’s back; he’s heavy enough as it is.

- This is the epitome of Interleague play: Griffey returns to Seattle.

- Now, all is not well in Interleague land. They’re charging $75 bucks a seat to the fine folks in Denver for the privilege of watching that “fine-looking ballplayer” Derek Jeter. “But the biggest rip-off of consumers in Denver? The Rockies win, the Rockies win!“

Yes, that’s right: Ken Griffey Jr. is injured yet again.

He can’t even stay healthy in the offseason! This time, it’s a broken bone in his left hand, that he suffered in what reports are only calling a “home accident” because Griffey will not allow anyone to say exactly how the injury occured.

You know what that means!  Either the way he got injuried was terribly embarrassing, or else he got injured doing while something he shouldn’t have been doing.

Reports are now saying that Griffey broke his hand “playing with his children” but that could easily be part of a cover story. What do you think? Was Griffey injured while carrying deer meat for his children, or does “playing with his children” really mean he was popping wheelies on his motorcycle (for his children)?

In my last entry, I listed five guys who would be on the DL before the All-Star break. Since the article was posted, three players have already been stricken by the injury bug. Gary Sheffield and Kerry Wood have both been placed on the 15-day DL and Barry Bonds has missed five straight games with a sore left side. In this column, I have listed five more players that present intermediate injury risks to your fantasy team. Proceed at your own risk.

J.D. DREW

If you were to start a Fantasy Injury League, Drew would be a top-three pick. J.D. has missed 27 games or more in six of his seven full professional seasons. On average, Drew misses approximately a month per season and consistently breaks fantasy owners’ hearts with lingering hamstring pulls. It’s only a matter of time until Drew blows a gasket again this season and hampers your fantasy team’s stretch run. He’s been posting great numbers this season, so try to work a trade with another owner and get market value from a less-risky outfielder.

JAKE PEAVY
The damage may have already been done to Jake Peavy. By looking at his numbers this season, one could assume that Peavy is pitching hurt and just doesn’t want to admit it. At 4-7 with a 4.96 ERA, Peavy is nowhere near his form from the 2004 and 2005 campaigns in which he posted a combined record of 28-13 with an ERA hovering around 2.50. It’s possible that Peavy is pitching through pain to help his Padres stay in the NL West race – an unselfish but extremely dangerous notion. Be weary of Peavy’s progress and check-up on his health regularly.

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Which two players share the record for the most different ballparks homered in, and how many ballparks did they homer in?

ANSWER: Ken Griffey Jr. and Fred McGriff, 43 stadiums 

Ken Griffey Jr. is firing back at radio talk show hosts who have suggested he might want to consider moving to left field or first base. Griffey told the Cincinnati Enquirer he’s not moving, and he’s pissed the “Two Angry Guys” suggested it:

“For somebody who can’t play this (expletive) game to sit there and criticize me ….”

“What you guys fail to realize is what you guys write doesn’t just stay in the clubhouse. I have to live with it. I have to go places. I have to go to the grocery store.”

“All I want to do is go out and play baseball. To be judged after eight games is horse (manure).”

“It’s easy for people to criticize somebody and not be out in the outfield. He should have caught that ball … Like I’m not trying.”

“I’m tired of it. That’s all.”

The “Two Angry Guys” say they were just looking out for Griffey’s best interest:

“Our whole thing is it’s in the best interest of the Reds to have Ken Griffey Jr. in the lineup” and … in our estimation - based on the last few years - is you get more wear and tear from center field than anywhere else.”

Reds first baseman Adam Dunn wondered why Griffey was even bothering to comment:

“Why does he care?” Dunn said. “I haven’t listened one time.”

Indeed, Jr., why do you care? These are radio talk show hosts, not your manager, not the President of the United States, not Oprah. Just a couple of guys with a microphone. Relax buddy.