I was an umpire when Matt Herges played Little League at Eisner Park in Champaign.
Would you entertain using an illegal substance if it might help yoiu gain a contract with a professional athlete's salary ?
From a YAHOO Sports on-line column providing a brief description of all named players:
2007 team: Colorado Rockies
Reliever who has played for seven teams since 1999, he was a teammate of Lo Duca's with the Los Angeles Dodgers from 1999 to 2001.
In the report: Radomski said Herges called him, having gotten his number from Lo Duca. Radomski said that he made two or three sales of human growth hormone to Herges. His first contact with Herges might have been as early as 2004 and his last sale to him was in late 2005, not long before federal agents executed the search warrant on Radomski's residence. Shortly after that, Herges again called Radomski and asked if he could sell him human growth hormone, but Radomski was cooperating with federal law enforcement authorities by then and informed Herges that he "was dry right now."
That's too bad--Herges was a good local fellow story. And no, I most definitely wouldn't use for a pro contract.
The pressure on him had to be great,,,that old case of trying to hold on one more year, get some kind of edge, Roger Clemens was already heading to the hall of fame,,had plenty of money,,,,but I guess he just did not want to hang up the cleats either. These guys in the majors had to know everyone else was doing something to keep that edge,,,owners,,Bud Selig,,,but the MONEY! Chasing that big money will wilt the morals everytime.
Not even for the $2.9M contract Matt recently signed ? I remember reading that one of his early major league contracts was for only $300K
I suspect Matt's alternatives to such is making $30-60K either selling insurance or as a baseball coach
The Herges family is one of the nicest and closest families I have ever known. I first met them when I was in college and Butch and his Dad had the Tumble Inn, in North Champaign. I cannot say enough about their family quality and honesty. His brother Toby, who now manages the Tumble Inn, has some very severe health problems and the family is just solid behind him and his tribulations.
I could not believe Matt's name was in this report, but have great faith, that all is not what it seems. There is just too much quality there to be in that situation without good reason.
To that end, I am, and shall always remain;
Rex Bradfield
Well, there's really only two possibilities: Radomski is lying, or he isn't lying. I don't think family references on Herges are enough to judge conclusively one way or another.
There are plenty of good boys from good families who make terrible mistakes, and others who don't.
Not even for the $2.9M contract Matt recently signed ? I remember reading that one of his early major league contracts was for only $300K
I suspect Matt's alternatives to such is making $30-60K either selling insurance or as a baseball coach
Not on your life. There are dozens of ways I could make ten times what I'm making and several that I could make 60 times what I'm making (like the $2.9mil contract).
That's not how I make decisions. I know plenty of unhappy millionaires. I know a lot more happy folks working community-oriented jobs for pennies than I do actualized high-payed folks. Sadly, I imagine we might have an unhappy millionaire now in Herges.
Rex:
The Tumble Inn is now just south of downtown. When and where was it in North Champaign ?
I find it quite believable that a loving, otherwise high-integrity person could rationalize taking performance enhancing chemicals in order to ensure his earning a major league salary, especially when others around him are doing doing the same, and since using performance enhancing drugs under such circumstances is a victimless act. But yes we should wait before drawing conclusions about Matt.
Michael Fuerst
A well-dressed man meets a really attractive woman at a bar. He approaches her and then propositions her. "Would you be interested in having sex with me for a million dollars?"
The woman thinks for a while. And then says, "For a million dollars? Yes."
Then the man says, "Well, actually, I don't have a million bucks. How about I pay you $50."
The woman then becomes indignant and says, "What? $50? What kind of woman do you think I am?"
The man retorts smartly, "We already established what kind of woman you are. Now we're just negotiating the price."
Matt Herges has cheated on America's pastime. He may be from a "nice family" of saloon owners, but he and the 79 others ought to be banned for life from all contact with MLB and banned from HOF eligibility. Now that might send a message to the next rising young star from Centennial not to take illegal drugs, to play by the rules, and that money isn't everything.
How can the future financial health of these millionaire cheaters be more important than doing what is right? I understand that the rules of our criminal justice system require proof beyond a reasonable doubt for a criminal conviction, but the same standard does not apply for common sense and reasonable business decisions. Selig should act swiftly and decisively for the good of the game and the message it would send to our youth.
I think rather than toss someone out forever based on the testimony of a single person, more investigation needs be done.
However, I agree with Shoeless Joe that this is far from a victimless crime. After all, no one was calling it a victimless crime when it was alleged that Bonds was using.
"The Tumble Inn is now just south of downtown. When and where was it in North Champaign ?"
The TI moved uptown in about 1974 0r 1975, to the building where Liquor Park was. The former TI building (next to Van's Florsts) became Giovanni's, a successful gay/disco bar for several years. The building has since been rehabbed into condos.
The original joke is attributed to Bernard Shaw. He was at a party once and he told this woman that everyone would agree to do anything for money, if the price was high enough. `Surely not, she said.' `Oh yes,' he said. `Well, I wouldn't,' she said. `Oh yes you would,' he said. `For instance,' he said, `would you sleep with me for... for a million pounds?' `Well,' she said, `maybe for a million I would, yes.' `Would you do it for ten shillings?' said Bernard Shaw. `Certainly not!' said the woman `What do you take me for? A prostitute?' `We've established that already,' said Bernard Shaw. `We're just trying to fix your price now!' "
"...he and the 79 others ought to be banned for life from all contact with MLB and banned from HOF eligibility. Now that might send a message to the next rising young star from Centennial not to take illegal drugs, to play by the rules, and that money isn't everything."
Kind of like the death penalty deters murderers, I suppose.
Michael and Eggs,
Yep, the Tumble Inn was exactly as Eggs said. Then Butch moved to the present building which had Del's Tap in it and a Carpet shop on the south side.
I will wait and see what Matt has to say when he visits Butch and Barb over the Holidays. I have no doubt his answer will be the truth, it is not part of his family to fabricate a story or duck a situation.
To that end, I am, and shall always remain;
Rex Bradfield
Friday's News-Gazette indicated that the Mitchell report includes a copy of a check Matt Herges wrote for $3000+ for human growth hormone. I await the explanation from Matt.
Michael Fuerst
You mean after murderers are put to death their not deterred?
While the report is based largely on the testimony of a couple of people, the cancelled checks and shiping receipts are pretty damning. I have heard from several people with ties to MLB that steroid use has been rampant in the game, and I have no problem believing that people would take drugs to improve their performance and get a major league contract.
There will be some punishment for some of the guys in the report, but probably will follow some case-by-case investigation by Selig's office. Wouldn't surprise me if most of them get a 15-day suspension, just as they would if they had been caught through the testing system. They will not be thrown out of baseball based on the Mitchell Report, despite the value of the evidence it contains.
With the release of the report, these guys have already been punished severely; after all, they are people with friends and families and a record of achievements in sports, all of which have been sullied by these accusations. Their career records will always be in question, and some might miss the Hall of Fame solely because of their alleged drug use.
None of us should applaud these men; but we don't need to throw them under the bus, either. I believe that Herges was a good guy before, and is a good guy now, with at least one glaring flaw. Let he who hath no guilt cast the first stone. Won't be me.
Some sins ought to cause you banishment from certain professions. For a school teacher, I would say a single grope of my daughter's derriere and that teacher ought never teach anyone anywhere ever again. For a bank teller, I would say the theft of a five dollar bill one time and they ought not be a bank teller ever again. For an athlete, I would say cheating by taking an illegal drug and they ought not play that sport ever again, at least not in my league.
Its not like Matt Herges can't do something else for a living, or retire and never work another day in his life and have more income than most of us. If I were Selig, I would "clean-up baseball" by making a real statement. "Herges, and the other 79, you can never set foot in an MLB stadium in any capacity ever again. Go sell used cars or peddle a tell-all book, but go join Pete Rose, forever on the sidelines."
Rex, you are so completely naive to think that just because the Herges family are nice folks you have known for a long time, that Matt will be completely honest when he comes home to visit. Nice guys, sometimes very nice guys, cheat on their wives, steal from their employer, do drugs, and never volunteer the truth about their sins.
By the way, Drew Peterson's son (also a cop) says his dad is a nice guy, who if he denies wrong-doing, we should consider it a closed matter.
Matt Herges need not go to jail for breaking this federal law, but just never, ever, be allowed to be associated with MLB. Now that really may be a deterrent. It is not at all analogous to murder, a classic crime of passion.