Notes From a Glum Monday Afternoon

Just a couple of thoughts to cover.

*Baltimore's Rafael Palmeiro, who adamently denied using steroids and lambasted Jose Canseco for his accusations in a March hearing, was suspended by Major League Baseball for testing positive for 'roids today. I was shocked and disappointed, because I believed Raffy, I really thought his talent was natural. Of course, Palmeiro claims that whatever he took was "unintentional", which every other player found guilty has pleaded as well. Being a Major League baseball player, surrounded by professional trainers, you need to be checking everything you are taking into your body to make sure it is legal. Run it by the team, whatever. I'm not really convinced that his intake was unintentional, he probably just thought whatever he was taking was going to be masked from the test, but it wasn't. This is either a result of a foolish lack of foresight, or cheating. Either way, Palmeiro may have just thrown away a sure shot at the Hall of Fame. I don't know what's more sad, one of baseball's legends being exposed as a probable cheater or more credibility being given to Canseco.

*When Torii Hunter went down in pain on Friday night after twisting his ankle against the padding of the center field wall in Boston, my immediate thought was, "He broke something". He couldn't stand up, and I've never seen the guy in so much pain. Initially, my theory was disproved by an X-ray that seemed to show it was a tendon strain and not a break, but today it has been brought to light from an MRI that Hunter did indeed break a bone in his ankle. The news is good because Hunter won't need surgery, but not great because he'll be on crutches for a month and still will probably miss the remainder of the season.

*Yahoo has an article cited from Fanball.com stating that the Twins have cut Bret Boone but since I read an article in Star Trib today similar to the Pioneer Press one they quote, and I can't find this news story anywhere else, I have a distinct feeling that they misinterpreted the article, which (at least in the Tribune) stated simply that Terry Ryan and Ron Gardenhire would be meeting up today to discuss Boone's situation. Maybe I'm wrong. In any case, I'm sure Boone will be cut within the next couple days, hopefully to make way for Jason Bartlett - whose AAA performance is earning Major League time.