Ken Rosenthal, Fox Sports - MLB

Every Tuesday at this time we talk baseball with our fox sports baseball insider Ken Rosenthal is on the line with -- Area I'm doing great thank you better than the Detroit Tigers pitching staff apparently they get some more bad news. Well in my effort -- finger again.

What exactly not yet know. But not the same injury as -- four it is over fingernail and keep out of -- I would imagine. They had their biggest went. It was just magnificent to come back. The blue jays by that news definitely it was tempered by what happened to.

Other team's leading the playoff races right now in the American league I'm talking about -- all these teams is going to make the playoffs. Is it over for everybody else.

I believe it my game. Why can't rule out the tigers coming back in the our our race especially for example with the Red Sox sweep the Yankees as we can. Leading by three and -- 90 away -- at a pretty comfortable position. Obviously they changed it quickly but the Yankees are playing so well it.

The Yankees reportedly will get Roger Clemens back for one of these Red Sox games. Has there been any word out -- New York on how things have gone since the cortisone shot and where his elbow stands.

There was no L and it's supposed to throw a bullpen side session today I believe and it it -- Thursday. The outcome of those sessions will determine whether he pitched on Sunday. Event so he's slotted right now and based -- all of -- last week -- I'm not shortly use wouldn't be a better choice Roger Clemens right now. But he is Roger Clemens as we all know he does call its own shot as we don't know if he's healthy he could.

You know we we play a little game -- sometimes we started may -- about you know the Red Sox pitching rotation when you get to the playoffs. But realistically now with you know 19 games laughter whatever it is. Joe -- first round of the playoffs I understand completely chien-ming -- starts game one and Andy Pettitte starts game two was to start in game three.

If Clement helped -- I had to use yet now. So you'd think -- coming up and it was a DL in August. He is Q a lot of talent on the century's greatest -- keep the series. Goes where it inning -- at that point that the injuries certainly that pressure off. I want more from him I was intrigued I was in New York last week when he -- that game that night erected to two run. It's certainly tree watch -- fastball very curve ball. Have a good idea out there but same tiny Ortiz has. And territory historically always first ago. Veterans in the post it and veterans in clutch situations and youngsters.

You mentioned -- a few seconds ago -- It looks like he's going to be the MVP can you make an argument for anybody else.

Yes you can make an argument for don't change yet the big hit last night. Monsters of amber and monster August at a time remember. And so recently when Hewitt at Sheffield but they ride it's pretty numbers assuming if in doing it independent race that I think his candidacy is undeniable would don't it. One of those he swear in another year certainly would be the MVP but Iraq who went and.

He wrote a piece on fox sports dot com about the the drug race in Major League Baseball. And it seems as though a day doesn't go by now where we don't get a name Rick Ankiel Troy Glaus you know -- go on and on. Including guys that don't matter all that much. Where is this all headed and are we just gonna keep I mean Jay Gibbons was the latest name -- we just gonna keep getting a name a day leaked out here.

It's his economic spurt and I'm not sure. How long it's going to continue for I'm not sure how much more important and I think we're going to learn more -- quite a bit more. Mitchell report and it's police will probably produce more information even as formats club out. -- adoptees -- about is -- spoke with petulant wide. Players to -- steroid. At the same time to question what should baseball do weird sisco the point of what I wrote was to say hey. This is -- go away either baseball takes leadership position in industry. The top -- laboratory to basically devising a program. If you do that we're going to play in roll out. The sport -- that it did that. I got the sport will be but if you really want to solution that's the solution all the others is.

Well it seems to be it would be real simple if they wanted to eliminated forget about buying the -- and -- while lack. You caught once it's the death penalty your round of the game forever and your stats don't exist anymore.

Problem with that is one the typical route that it's -- a lot of questions -- what baseball should do about Eric. In two. The other is the possibility always of any tests or bad -- And I don't think that that is certainly solution especially when you're dealing with. Substance like HDH which undetectable right now players because it's not detectable. In the future there will be other substances that are undetectable as well. So that's the problem at -- point -- as an industry it is game. -- addresses or you just say hey and -- and we can't wait about it which I think. Is really the solution or the answer that point -- not publicly but in action. -- great solutions -- diet I don't have great solutions but needs in --

You just touched on it any and in the keyword to me is you said publicly when asked you about the opposite privately. What do you think that the response has been among Major League Baseball executives not as blood but he members of his cabinet for lack of a better -- what what are they talking about when these stories break.

I'm not sure I think -- are certainly debt. They're having Mitchell investigation going into its final lap. You going forward and -- explain to me about baseball people they had to have the Mitchell investigation of the because. After game of shadows something had to be -- not that there in the sport. I understand that I just think that the real challenges lie ahead. At some point -- be rehashing the past much what about now what about the future. And it activities should be taught him out I'm not quite sure what they are --

Did you read the Nomar Garciaparra comments over the weekend when when told that that they were sending out letters to all baseball players basically saying c'mon we want to get to the bottom of -- who want to cooperate we want -- help. And Nomar said the just wasting paper. I mean that's what we need right is is a guy like Nomar Garciaparra who hasn't hit a home run in about four years I think I basically saying we don't want to find out anything.

Well players are not the one. Determined on the authority who want to shoot -- quite a few players don't want people no one has gone on last can. The problem I have with Mitchell Matt light yet. We're -- quote to note. -- get some slivers of -- perhaps from these report perhaps further government investigation actually Mitchell or itself. If we get all of that information that might only be 50% of the should beat when actors. So that's -- to -- rehash the past this quote -- quote which. Which way -- immediate four believe me as I think we need to note but. It's just not where the focus should be on baseball. Focus on baseball park. The beat down on how we can handle all these things when make out an animal genetic engineer act calm. The other question that should be. -- park avenue offices. But a question there.

Let's get back to the field for a second not everyone in Boston says that Dustin Pedroia is rookie of the year we see him every day you're a national baseball guy is you're American league rookie of the year.

Yes he would keep the rookie of the year for a couple of reasons one -- to use -- a remarkable. And I just feel that music -- that the game should be about. I don't know that it ever heard a player criticizes -- scout at Portland. There was minor league career people just did not play in I would write these things quotes out which it and it is. People -- the Red Sox people people -- college. At this kid grows on you used remarkable and I were Asian even those swing -- an orthodox and -- which would expect from what little guy. -- as a player I looked competent and you'd tell me who's the better choice not open team. Specialist in my pocket because he's struggled of late.

It's our Pedroia is that some of the scouts didn't like him. Other than the obvious which is his height what they say that that just didn't warm them up so.

They didn't see an outstanding total is not the guy was unbelievable range not a -- utley walked and I guess this falls into the hitting for average category. Do that I had some of the Sox held me. Earlier this year that he could be Jody beating Jody -- best years of the red remember. Doubles machine very good player and I think that's a pretty good assessment of where Dustin Pedroia could end up.

Red Sox in Oakland days going to open the regular season at the Tokyo dome next year.

It's certainly count like it gained I've read reports this morning for the same report -- about that game. The teams have done in the past. Played a lot about it afterwards afterwards because it does take quite a toll on you are over Mike Mussina happened negative comments about it.

That you as the negative comments about the game lacked about everything.

But he's pretty sharp guys and I think it does he -- in certain hole at the same time. I think when the Red Sox you made the investment in Japanese talent that they made. There is certain responsibility and I would imagine certain desire. Changes spring training changes people but to --

Well they have each team give up a home game I mean I'm wondering how they're going to mean in the Red Sox case they don't want to give up and.

Home court not have to be top. In some -- Major League Baseball they did and out all be taken care of trust.

How they'll make their money yet. All right can we I was preaching it's time I assume Red Sox Yankees this weekend good option could guess on my part okay. Another but the reports that. Quite well mostly this weekend up by thanks -- enrolled in all from fox sports