from New York Daily News:

Thanks to the behind-the-scenes lobbying from some of the most influential Hall of Famers, commissioner Bud Selig is said to be seriously considering lifting Pete Rose's lifetime suspension from baseball.

The tip-off that Selig may now be inclined to pardon baseball's all-time hit king was Hank Aaron's seemingly impromptu interview session with a small group of reporters in the lobby of the Otesaga Hotel on Saturday. In declaring for the first time that he would want an asterisk put on the achievements of any steroid cheats elected to the Hall of Fame, Aaron brought up Rose, who, in August of 1989, was given a lifetime ban for gambling on baseball, saying: "I would like to see Pete in. He belongs there."

It is no secret that Selig considers Aaron one of his closest friends and values his opinions over perhaps all others. It was also learned by the Daily News that in a meeting of the Hall of Fame's board of directors at the Otesaga later on Saturday, two of Rose's former teammates on the board, vice chairman Joe Morgan and Frank Robinson, also expressed their hope that Selig would see fit to reinstate Rose.

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MLB hall of fame, pete rose, hank aaron, bud selig, joe morgan, frank robinson

Major League Baseball commissioner Bud Selig continues to prove he's one of the biggest schmucks in all of sports. 

In the wake of the latest A-Rod and Miguel Tejada scandals, Selig has once again buckled under the pressure. You would think a guy that will bring home $18 million this year would be able to work under pressure. Still, Selig has allowed a season to be cancelled, an All-Star game to tie, and has been the man running the show when steroids threatened the very integerity of the game that he is supposed to be ensuring.

The laughable leader of baseball told USA Today earlier this week that he might be suspended for admitting he used performance-enhancing drugs,

"It was against the law, so I would have to think about that," Selig told the paper in his first comments since Rodriguez's admission. "It's very hard. I've got to think about all that kind of stuff."

Rodriguez would be the first to serve a suspension without testing positive during the penalty years. The move would likely be hardly protested by the player's union since the substance was not banned until 2004.

Selig said he also is considering reinstating Hank Aaron as baseball's home run king in the record book. Barry Bonds broke Aaron's record of 755 home runs in 2007 but is scheduled to stand trial March 2 on charges he lied to a federal grand jury about performance-enhancing drugs.

"This is breaking my heart, I don't mind telling you that," Selig said.

You have to be kidding me. Trust me, I will be the first to agree that the record is tarnished but how can you change just one record. You have to look at all of Bonds' records. Let's not forget about the ones that Roger Clemens has either.

Selig said was that he was "not dismissing" re-instating his friend, Hank Aaron, as baseball's all-time home run king, while admitting that "once you start tinkering you create more problems."

Bill Madden sounded off on the matter in Thursday's New York Daily News.

"But this he can do, under the commissioner's all-encompassing "best interest in baseball" powers. One of his predecessors, Ford Frick, did just that in 1961 when he ruled that Maris should have an asterisk next to his one-season record of 61 home runs because it was done in 162 games as opposed to Babe Ruth establishing his record of 60 in 154 games in 1927. I actually think Selig would make a statement for the integrity of baseball if he came down on these steroid cheats where it hurt them most: the record books. But as far as threatening to impose punishment on Rodriguez for something he did while baseball was still a Wild West Show, that reeks of desperation," Madden wrote.

If anybody is going to get an Asterisk it should be Selig himself. Every accomplishment seeked during his tenure should be looked at under a special light.

MLB steroids, bud selig, alex rodriguez, barry bonds, hank aaron

From Playboy Magazine...

Stiff competition. A harder format. The pressure of being number one. None of it mattered. America’s Sexiest Sportscaster for 2009 is ESPN’s Erin Andrews, the champ in our poll for the second year in a row. Despite a more challenging, two-round format, which narrowed the field to five finalists, Erin came out on top again. To celebrate her victory, we’ve compiled our favorite YouTube clips of this sexy sideline siren at work, at play and, naturally, ice-fishing. 

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Just For Fun steroids, bud selig, alex rodriguez, barry bonds, hank aaron

Nine days ago Ken Griffey Jr. hit a home run off of Jair Jurrens of the Braves. It was the 599th HR of his career. AND IT WAS NINE DAYS AGO!

The feat of hitting 600 home runs has certainly lost its luster in recent years. Griffey will be the sixth player to join the club and the third in the last six years. That's not very prestigious. But it is still something special. And it sure would be nice if Junior would get it over with!

Of the previous five guys to hit 600 home runs, no one has waited this long since hitting number 599. Babe Ruth hit his the next day. Hank Aaron waited just two days and Barry Bonds three. Last summer Sammy Sosa hit his 600th five days after 599. And the longest anyone has taken is Willie Mays. In 1969 Mays went a full week before becoming just the second player to hit number 600. So at least Griffey can add one more small record to the feat. Whenever that happens.

Of course, maybe the real question is when will he hit number 700?

MLB reds, ken griffey jr., babe ruth, hank aaron, sammy sosa, barry bonds, willie mays