Odds and Sods

Alex Rodriguez may have implicated himself unintentionally in a performance-enhancing drug scandal.

Rodriguez, attempting to praise MLB’s policy, told reporters that he had been tested “9 to 10 times” during the past season.  He later changed his estimate  to “7 to 10″ tests.

“My quote from earlier today was taken literally,” Rodriguez told reporters.  “I was not tested 9 to 10 times last year.  My intent was simply to shed light on the fact that the current program being implemented is working.”

All 1,200 MLB players are tested at least twice during the season.  The league conducts an additional 600 regular season tests at random and another 60 tests during the post-season.

Players who fail steroid tests - all of whom are publicly identified - receive additional tests.  Amphetamine users, who are not identified publicly for a first positive test, qualify for increased testing.  MLB may also - with the approval of a small committee - subject players it suspects may be using performance-enhancing drugs.

When asked if he had tested positive for amphetamines, Rodriguez called the allegations “100 percent false.”

Rodriguez automatically received two tests during the season.  The odds of the league testing a player an additional five times at random are 1 in 4,200.  For eight additional random tests, the odds fall to 1 in 9,000,000.

“The third baseman” produced the best season of his career in 2007, hitting .314 with 54 HR and 156 RBI.  He also had a .422 OBP and a career-high 1.067 OPS.  With Yankee Stadium’s dimensions taken into account, his season may be the best ever from a right-handed hitter.

It is amazing how fast that Brady Quinn situation defused. Perhaps, Mr. Quinn has a few friends at Opus Dei,

How would journalists have covered the incident had it been racial rather than sexual? The editorial decision to bottle the story in the back pages seems particularly shameful for ESPN, as one of the writers was the victim of a similar incident at the All-Star Game. LZ Granderson writes an excellent piece concerning his own experience as well as the Quinn question for Page 2.

Arsenal 0 - A.C. Milan 0 The Gunners dictated much of the play, but failed to assume the advantage.  Milan’s determined tactical effort stymied Arsenal’s ground attack.  With no width to spread the defense, they resorted to aimless, speculative hoofing in the vicinity of Adebayor.  Milan didn’t get an away goal, but it is hard to see the Gunners swindling them at the San Siro.

Celtic 2 - Barcelona 3 They were hooping it up in Glasgow at the half, but Barcelona emerged victorious.  It was not a classic Catalan performance, but talents like Messi and Henry can often trump turgid teamwork.  Barcelona leave with three away goals.  Celtic cannot win away in Europe.  Only formalities at the Nou Camp next week.

Lyon 1 - Manchester Utd. 1 Sir Alex’s post-match Cote du Rhone will go down smoother, after Carlos Tevez swiped an away goal for the Red Devils, three minutes from time.  The added assurance will leave more time for the Scotsman’s other hobbies, such as chortling cockily, mumbling into microphones and tormenting Wenger via text message.

Fenerbahce 3 - Sevilla 2 This was the “we aren’t even going to bother to run a wire report” match for much of the British media, but it proved quite a Turkish delight (ba-boom tish).  The quarterfinals would not be a bad curtain call for Roberto Carlos, particularly if they got drawn against his old club.