Link Dump 02/02: Groundhog's Day

In honor of the wackiness that is Groundhog's Day, I present to you the Link Dump.

Sox Bring Manny Friends To Camp

The Red Sox haven't been able to grant his trade request, but Manny Ramirez should feel comfortable if he's still with the team in spring training later this month.
After signing one old teammate from Ramirez's days in Cleveland (reliever Julian Tavarez), the team has invited infielder Enrique Wilson to spring training as a non-roster player. Wilson, another former teammate in Cleveland, is a close friend of Ramirez's.

How cool would it be if your boss allowed to invite your buddies to work just to keep you happy?  Instead having to make friends with the other Dana from Accounting, you can hang out with your pal Jose, who once threw a TV out of a third-story window "just to see what would happen."  Sweet.

Josh Fogg?  Josh FOGG?
Seriously, Josh Fogg?

The Arizona Diamondbacks have joined the Josh Fogg sweepstakes. That means that three teams - the Rockies, Giants and Diamondbacks - are pursuing the free-agent pitcher.

The fact there is even a sweepstakes for this guy is just sad.  That nominal contenders are pursuing him is pathetic.  Of course, all three teams are in the NL West, where the Fogg of War can tip the balance.

Will Carroll looks at the effect of amphetamines in baseball
(subscription required)

Even so, baseball players are likely to move away from Dexedrine and other "street" amphetamines and towards the more advanced pharmaceuticals that have been developed for ADHD and similar conditions. Drugs such as Ritalin, Adderal and Strattera are already being abused inside the game. A policy for gaining a "therapeutic use waiver" had to be put in place by teams to insure that players didn't just go to their family doctor, wave the wallet and walk out with a prescription. Instead, players are required to follow team-level policies, some of which are far more strict than others. MLB has offered little in the way of a league-wide policy or even offered much guidance on how to administer the policy.

It will be interesting to see whether we see ballplayers tire down the stretch.  Presumably, this would affect position players more than pitchers, so one might expect to see a downgrade in September offense and defense - but maybe not pitching.

The primates over at BTF weigh in on the A's stadium plans

They think it's a good idea.