February 21st is and will forever be the day the "Jose Canseco Project" was set in motion. The “Jose Canseco Project” has had a widespread and lasting effect on the game of baseball and its namesake this blog. For those of you who have never heard this story before; this is the heartbreaking, tragic and unfortunate tale of the “Jose Canseco Project.”

In December of 2001, MLB baseball took over controlling interest of the Montreal Expos, coinciding with the sales of the Florida Marlins and the Boston Red Sox. This new controlling interest in one of its franchises allowed the commissioner’s office to alleviate an existing dilemma. On February 21, 2002, the 37 year old Canseco was signed by the Montreal Expos and brought to spring training to be there every day left fielder, thus the “Jose Canseco Project”was set in motion.

In a move that they thought and hoped would protected the integrity of the game, the commissioner’s office set the pieces in motion for the ultimate unveiling of its dirty little secret. In the spring of 2004, Canseco made one last-ditch effort to reach the Major Leagues while trying out for the Los Angeles Dodgers. After this last attempted failed, Canseco turned his back on the game that had ultimately betrayed him.

The fear that Canseco would bring steroid use to the forefront became a self-fulfilling prophecy for Major League Baseball. By blackballing Canseco, the commissioner’s office gave him the motivation and the fire within to write a book that would tarnish his own legacy but more importantly reveal the truth about the game of baseball.
This is the dumbest thing I've ever read.
ReplyDeleteThe Expos 2002 starting outfield was 1st round draft pick Brad Wilkerson in left, Peter Bergeron in center and Vlad Guerrero in right. No way were they going to send Canseco out there every day. He was signed to be a pinch-hitter and MAYBE back-up first basemen.
Unfortunately for Jose, he had a mediocre to poor spring training and the team decided to go with the equally so-so but experienced first-basemen Andres Galarraga as their back-up to Lee Stevens. The Expos and Jose both agreed he had no place on the team, he refused to play for their AAA affiliate, so he was released.
Next came the Chicago White Sox, who signed Canseco to their AAA team in Charlotte. There Jose swung for the fences every swing like a buffoon resulting in a .172 average with strikeouts in 1/3 of his at-bats. He frequently complained that he couldn't see the ball in the lights and was finally cut loose after not showing up for a game.
Jose Canseco was blackballed? Please. The only thing "heartbreaking, tragic and unfortunate" is your lack of a clue