You see how we don't need 300 characters? It's cause we're in charge.

My alternate title: Studies show that HGH doesn't help. Same studies also show that HGH doesn't NOT help. Wait, what?

Here's what happens. Stanford puts together a study and Mercury News reports it. Right there in the article, the researchers admit that this barely applies to professional athletes:

OK. So the generally accepted theory is that professional athletes will combine the HGH regimen with other performance enhancing drugs, like steroids, and then an extremely intensive workout regimen. This study shows that HGH, when taken at moderate levels, will not improve strength in your average person.

But then what happens?  

Somebody gets an agenda and then links to some key quotes within the article and titles their own blog post something like... oh... say... The HGH Myth. And then adds commentary like:

So bits and pieces get pulled out to prove the point that one wants to prove until finally it ends up on a site that people trust, like The Hardball Times and the facts of the original study have now telephone gamed their way into: And the gist of it is suddenly that HGH didn't really help anybody play baseball any better. I mean, the original study even speaks to the fact that professional athletes take five times as much HGH as what they observed in their group. Maybe they do that because they know that taking a fifth of what they normally take wouldn't actually do anything effective... As the study demonstrated.

Therefore, I'll conclude from reading the same article that HGH absolutely, and obviously, has been scientifically proven to increase performance in baseball players by as much as 73%. You can use that how you like.

Jake Peavy, AKA, Jason Peavy did an interview with a Christian group and he tries to explain the difference between a four seam fastball and a two seam fastball. Sadly, Jason may not have a future as a pitching coach. I knew the difference before his explanation and now I'm not sure. He may not be sure either.

Sharing the Victory Interview with Jason Peavy:

San Diego Padre Jake Peavy is who he is, like it or not

Peavy supports Clemens, Bonds:

I really hate reading this stuff.  It reminds me of when Gwynn would support Bonds and McGwire.  Bonds used to crack on Gwynn all the time for being fat and slow and Gwynn would always take the high road praise and Bonds.  That's fine, but he would also insist that Bonds and McGwire belonged in the Hall of Fame.  The Hall of Fame should have no place for cheaters.

If Jake Peavy truly loves the game of baseball wouldn't he be upset with his two "buddies" who have cheapened records, disgraced the game and its storied history?  What kind of friends are those?  It'd be different if Bonds and Clemens told the truth and came clean, forgiveness is an admirable trait. I can't understand publicly supporting them and claiming not to care about their actions when they did irreversible damage to the relationship between the league and its fans and continue to lie about it.

Not to mention if these guys really are Peavy's friends wouldn't they consider what their performance enhancers was doing to other players stats?  What about their long term health? Does Peavy care about that?  What about the health of those that follow in their role models footsteps and take PEDs themselves?

Peavy your friends cheated and you want to pretend it didn't happen and don't want to know about it.  Hear no evil, see no evil.  Friends shouldn't blindly support each other, when deep down they know the truth.  They're the ones that need role models.

Major League Baseball is about competition it's not about helping a friend of an opposing team hit a home run for the enemy crowd.  I lost a lot of respect for Peavy here.  That's not the right way to play the game.  Bonds should appreciate competition not a cookie thrown his way.  Do you think Bonds would help Peavy reach a strike out record by striking out on purpose?  Not a chance in hell.  Bonds and Clemens only look out for themselves.  These are two friends that Peavy needs to keep his distance from because they aren't good role models for him.

We've been asked that by a major media outlet, and we don't have an answer. I know that I like to watch and root for the team that I grew up with. I love the players and I think the front office is full of some of the brightest minds in baseball. JBox really likes the idea of going to the game and knowing that Jenny Cavnar might be somewhere near by.

It's such a personal thing. What pleases you about the Padres? (And hurry, because we have to tell Major Media Outlet our answer soon)

There was a lot of turbulence on the flight into San Diego.  People were getting really nervous because the plane felt like it might drop from the sky on several occasions.  I was in the middle seat and I looked to the other side of the aisle and I saw what looked like an angel.  Were we so close to death that I was getting a sneak peek into a Heavenly afterlife?

No that angelic figure was the lovely and talented Jenny Cavnar of Channel 4 Padres fame.  

Photo Credit: sharoncooleyphotography.com

We spoke, "Remember that time you did an interview with a dumb Padres website? That was me."  From there we talked about her time in Arizona, the China games and the Padres. She was a delight.

The Red Sox are boycotting spring training games and potentially the Japan trip. Obviously, the Red Sox need their coaches and trainers. How else are they gonna figure out which designer Asian performance enhancing drugs to buy? Who's going to be injecting their collective buttocks?

GO RED SOX! STAND TALL WITH YOUR ENABLERS!

Update [2008-3-19 13:38:53 by jbox]:
The dispute was settled. The Red Sox continue to get whatever they want, like the spoiled child of the MLB that they are.

One thing I forgot to mention when I was standing over by Autograph Alley, the crowd went wild as a golf cart drove by with one of the Padres riding shotgun.  "Khalil c'mon sign for the kids!  Boo Khalil!  We drove all the way from the East Bay!  Boo!  C'mon Khalil we love you!  Sign for the kids!  Boo!"

The funny part was that it wasn't Khalil in the golf cart it was Robert Fick.  He should have done something really inappropriate like flip off the crowd to stick it to Khalil.

It's also funny how when the ballplayers walk through the alley, they become really interested in their conversation.  So much so that they have to look each other directly in the eye, so as to not make eye contact with the crowd.  As soon as they make it past the last fan, the fake conversation ends instantly.

After a few innings of watching the game I went out to get some food.  They have a real nice selection of crazy fair food.  I saw Randy Jones BBQ though and saw that they served hamburgers and since I had already had a hot dog for breakfast, I thought I'd get one.  

Here's the gross part, I see the guy get a spatula and put a hamburger patty and he puts cheese on top.  Then he dips the entire thing into the deep fryer.  It was real salty and gross tasting.  Blech!  I wonder if Randy Jones knows.

On the way back to my seat I ran into Troy Johnson.  I say "Hi" and he has absolutely no idea who I am and I tell him that I'm with the Gaslamp Ball and that I had met him a couple of times.  I'll tell you something, that Troy Johnson fellow is one friendly guy.  We had ourselves a nice little chit chat about the game and about what he's been up to.  

As some of you know Troy's now hosting Brain Wave on Channel 4.  He also writes for the Riviera as a senior editor.  Most importantly he wrote a book called "Family Outing: What Happened When I Found Out My Mother Was Gay" that's coming out (pun intended) in June.  We heard from one of his friends last year that he was focusing on the book talking about growing up with a lesbian mother.  I seem to remember it had a different title back then, but I really like the new title.  Sounds interesting and he's really excited about it and says it's been getting really good reviews.  We'll have to add that to the Gaslamp Ball Book Club reading list.  He even invited me to a bar with his friends after the game, but unfortunately I was flying out right after the game.  Real nice guy, that Troy Johnson.

I went back to my seat and tried to take photos of Kevin Towers for no particular reason just about until the game ended.

I heard another rumor that some guy had seen Peavy smoking cigarettes outside a popular bar in Peoria. Busted! I was shocked, I mean chewing a huge lump of chewing tobacco is one thing, but cigarettes are dangerous!

I had a real good time at the game in large part to the fact that I was able to hang with Dex's father in law, but now it was time to head back to San Diego.  It sucks the Pads lost but at least Brooks had a great game.

Now it was a 20 minute drive back to Phoenix and an hour plane flight to SD, but that's not where the story ends...