The "Jose Canseco Lawsuit" Update

Alright, internet, let's make a deal.  When Jose Canseco stops making "news"...I'll stop regurgitating it.

The other day, I told you about how the former slugger is contemplating suing the North American Baseball League for money he was owed.

And today?  Update!

According to NBC affiliate KYMA in Yuma..."hazardous waste removal" is one of the reasons the NABL didn't make good on dude's salary.

The other..."violating league rules".  Ooops.

Read for yourself.

In an e-mail sent to KYMA-TV, North American Baseball League CEO Kevin Outcalt says that Canseco never received his full salary due to a number of violations against the league. Outcalt states Canseco was fined $16,000 by North American League Baseball Operations Director Harry Stavrenos for "violating league rules." Outcalt clarified this charge later in a phone interview, saying Canseco was originally fined $25,000 for forfeiting and refusing to put his team on the field for a game in Chico this past August. After a league review of the violation, the fine was reduced to $16,000.

The e-mail also alleges that Canseco stuck the league with a $3,500 dollar bill for damages and cleaning that included the removal of "hazardous waste material" from the house Canseco rented on Martinez Lake.
 
The total sum of $19,500 was deducted from his contract.

 
So...about that hazardous waste.
 

KYMA-TV also reached out to Yuma General Manager Jose Melendez, who lived with Jose Canseco this season on Martinez Lake. Melendez says the damages done to the house were largely from Canseco's dog, a great dane named "Bruce." Broken screen doors, stains on carpets and couches, and patio damage were among some items for which tenants were charged. Melendez says that some of the charges are legitimate(screen doors, patio damage), but there are still some cleaning/travel charges they are disputing with the realtor.

 
On the plus side, Melendez (a decent dude and a good friend of The Hall, by the way) says Canseco already has plans to join Pete Rose in an "autograph and appearance business" in Las Vegas this coming winter.

To be continued...

Jose Canseco is Planning a Lawsuit, Gang!

Former MVP-turned-tabloid fixture Jose Canseco is, truly, the gift that keeps on giving.

This weekend, he's taking on fellow disgraced big leaguer Lenny Dykstra in a "celebrity" boxing match and, in true Canseco fashion, he's taking the opportunity to air some greviences.

Now, I've been following the whole Yuma Scorpions thing since this past April just waiting for the trail to derail.

And it looks like it has.

"The league was a travesty. They stopped payment on checks in the amount of $25,000 with me. There's going to be a major lawsuit against them. It was a terrible league. Just crazy," said Canseco told the New York Daily News. "I will never manage for them again, never play in that league again."

In July, a group of us put together a roadtrip to see Canseco's gang of knuckleheads take on the Kevin Costner owned Lake County Fielders and, honestly, I couldn't have been happier at what transpired.

Players drinking in the bullpen, the Canseco Brothers pulling a switcheroo and, within a week...the Fielders becoming a sad punchline to a joke no one should care about.

So, yeah, Canseco suing the league sounds about right.

Matter of fact...had you asked me seven months ago to scribble down some thoughts as to how this thing would play out "Canseco sues the league" would have probably been on the list.

Tony Phillips is Back in Baseball

It's one of those things that if you don't follow Jose Canseco on Twitter (and if you don't...do it now!), you might not have noticed.

Late Monday night, Canseco, the player-manager of the Yuma Scorpions made the announcement (via Twitter, of course) that his former teammate Tony Phillips would be joining the Scorps.

Tony Philips is making a comeback and joins the other mlbers on the Scorps me,ozzie,Gathright,Aybar,Britton,Gracesqui

Immediately, I reached out to Yuma's general manager Jose Melendez to get confirmation.

"Tony has the desire to play again. He is still going through some tryouts with us. He is doing very well and is in very good shape," Melendez told The Hall exclusively. "We will make a decision on him in the next couple of days. (He) looks good though. I have a soft spot for ex-Oakland A’s. if they want to play, I have a hard time saying no. I am a huge Oakland A’s fan."

And if you're still scratching your head about Tony Phillips (because there hasn't been a "Tony Phillips" in the Majors since August 15, 1999...that's the one!

The 52-year-old utility man was a teammate of Canseco in Oakland when the "Bash Brothers" won the World Series in 1989 and played 18 years in the bigs. For his career, he amassed 2023 hits and a .266 batting average.

With the signing of Phillips (to an awesome $1 contract), I'm changing my tune on what Yuma is doing.

At first, I think I called bringing in the Canseco Brothers a publicity stunt. A spectacular publicity stunt...but a publicty stunt nonetheless.

Now...I get it. The Joses (Melendez and Canseco) and turning the Scorpions into the North American Baseball League's version of the "Mean Machine" from "The Longest Yard".

Think about it. You've got Jose Canseco and his myriad of issues. His brother Ozzie has been hit with DUI charges, arrested for aggravated battery and served time for anabolic steroid possession.

Infielder Willy Aybar was recently in prison for assaulting his wife and violating a restraining order and, while it isn't as harsh, outfielder Joey Gathright once got in a pretty public brawl at homeplate with Boston Red Sox pitcher Julian Tavarez.

Former Toronto Blue Jays skipper Tim Johnson is also in the fold as a coach. Yeah, the same Tim Johnson who, while managing north of the border, lied about his time in Vietnam to motivate players.

Now, by adding Phillips to the mix, you've got a guy who, in 1997, was arrested for felony possession of cocaine. And after being suspended by the then-Anaheim Angels, how does Phillips respond?

"I don't know if it's a black-and-white thing or a Tony thing."

Yes!

I wish I lived in Yuma so I could watch these guys on a nightly basis.

Qumar Zaman...In His Own Words

It wasn't that long ago that I didn't even know that the North American Baseball League existed.

Then, in April, Jose Canseco and his brother Ozzie were hired to play for and hang out in the dugout of the Yuma Scorpions.

Two weeks ago, the Scorpions traveled to Zion, Illinois (home of the Lake County Fielders) and I made the journey to watch a game. As the story goes, Jose Canseco was a no-show, shenangins on and off the field were hinted at and in the process...The Hall became the scourge of the Lake County Fielders Facebook group.

But...whatever. Who cares really?

What happened next is/was one of the craziest things to have happened to any baseball team...Major League, Minor League, real, fake or otherwise.

And by now, you've heard the stories about the ownership issues with the Fielders. Hell, you've probably even heard play-by-play man Qumar Zaman's public resgination (if not, the best part is excerpted below)...there's no need to re-tell the tale.

That said, here is what Zaman had to say the day following his epic final radio broadcast for WKRS-AM..."The Voice of Lake County".

HOVG: You detailed the story of what happened that first month on the road...but when did you first suspect that something was going on?

ZAMAN: Well, before I even joined the team, I knew there had been issues with the team in 2010. I didn't know to what extent, just that there wasn't a permanent stadium, which was going to be completed when we returned from the six-week long road trip that started the season.  As for when things got bad on the road, I think it happened when we were in Maui on the first trip and the team barely covered meal money for much of the players. It progressively got worse and worse at each place we visited. When we were in Edmonton, the Fielders couldn't give us meal money, but luckily the Capitals' organization stepped in and offered to cover meal money for our entire team throughout our stay.

HOVG: I've been following this circus for the last couple of weeks and saw, in just one trip to Zion, some crazy things. What has to happen to make the Fielders a success on and off the field?

ZAMAN: In my opinion, there are things that need to be in place before a franchise is granted. One of those things is a permanent stadium, which is something the Fielders have. They cannot be successful having temporary structures.  Another thing that affected me personally was the location of the press box in that temporary stadium. Because of the way the temporary stadium was structured for the 2011 season, the press box was located down the right field line, where I could barely see the batters box and make out pitches. It's imperative for my job to be in a locale to see these things, in order for me to give the best possible description.  Off the field, the coaches and players that started the season were incredible. They put out a first place record before we even played a home game. But, as for making a team profitable, there needs to be enough capital in place to withstand paying players, travel expenses and other league fees that come with having a team. I can't speak for how much is needed for a team like the Fielders to play in the North American League, where you have to fly to each location to play road games. That's very difficult, and it does take a LOT of money to cover those costs. Needless to say, it's not my business to know exactly how much money is needed to cover those costs and make a profit. But, those in charge should know and they should be responsible enough to know if they can make it work.

HOVG: I'm not asking you to blast the fans because, obviously, some of them have been super supportive of you and the team. That said...do you have a message to the ones that are out there, seemingly, blindly following the Fielders?

ZAMAN: I don't have a message to those that are "blindly following" the Fielders. As I have said before, people do need to support the team, because if they don't, the new players and coaches won't get paid either. It's not their fault and they shouldn't have to suffer a similar fate. If they don't go out and support the team, then there won't be a team there anymore. I'm sure that's something the people of Lake County don't want to have happen. They just want someone responsible enough to run the team efficiently.

HOVG: What is that other job and what's next for you in broadcasting? Are you holding out for that next baseball gig...or has this one pretty much left a sour taste in your mouth?

ZAMAN: I still have a job, working part-time at STATS, LLC, where my responsibilities focus on golf. As for what's next in broadcasting, I'm going to take a break for a little while. I will need to produce another demo tape based on my work with the Fielders.  It is my hope that any potential employers know that this particular circumstance was a very oddly unique one. I assure you that if I was paid on time, I would not have done what I did. I gave the Fielders ample opportunities to explain themselves and try to make some form of amends, but they did not. I even informed them of my last night of work if they did nothing to help with my financial obligations. I kept quiet about the problems with the team, despite the fact that it was all published in local newspapers. I did what I did because I needed to explain what happened firsthand, because the players and coaches had already left. I was the only one there. If I had left the team and not explained why I left or the reasons behind it, I would've been a coward. I may have gone about what I said the wrong way, but the point needed to be made.  Potential employers shouldn't have to worry about me doing something similar with their teams. As long as I am paid on time, or if teams can explain their financial situation and its affects on me to me, I assure you that I won't be a problem.

HOVG: Any thoughts on the comparisons between your exit and CM Punk's rant from a while back?

ZAMAN: I've been reading so many people's comments about what I said. I'd like to put it out there that I did take some lines from both Punk and Joey Styles (who had his own exit speech in 2006) and inserted them in my own speech. I did this not to plagiarize them (which technically you can't, because it wasn't published), but to accentuate my feelings. I was inspired by the way they handled having to leave something they love. I love what they do and similarly, I have a passion for what I do. I didn't want to harbor any bad feelings with anyone, but rather explain the situation. And, I always feel that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. I just hope that CM Punk and Joey Styles feel flattered that they were inspirations for my speech.

HOVG: One last question and, admittedly, it is completely self-serving. You've read my account of what happened July 7 when I hit the Yuma-Lake County game...did you notice Ozzie coming out in Jose's jersey? Do you think it was an accident or do you think some shenanigans might have been afoot?

ZAMAN: As for the whole Ozzie/Jose thing, I can't speak on that. I try not to concern myself with their issues. They're eccentric enough on their own to wonder why they're playing the double switch game.

Kevin Costner is not a Good "Owner"

It wasn’t until Yuma Scorpions general manager Jose Melendez trotted out the Canseco Brothers earlier this year that I even knew the North American Baseball League existed.

And it wasn’t until I discovered that Jose Canseco and his team of travelling misfits were coming to my neck of the woods that I realized that there was a Northern League team in my backyard and it was owned by Kevin Costner.

Yes…THAT Kevin Costner.

Add all this up (baseball, Jose Canseco and an Academy Award winner) and you’ve got the recipe for a roadtrip.

Last Thursday, a group of us convoyed to Zion, Illinois to watch the Scorpions take on Costner’s Lake County Fielders.

There was no sign of Jose Canseco (you can read all about that HERE), no sign of Costner (not that I expected it) and, honestly, no real sign of the effort to put a quality product together for the fans.

The “stadium” is makeshift (at best), the eight-foot-high fences around the field give off more of a prison yard vibe than a “fan friendly atmosphere” and the antics of the players (texting in the bullpen, drinking beer during the game and in the case of Jose Canseco…not showing up at all) makes the soap opera that unfolded next all the more laughable.

Saturday night, prior to the Fielders-Scorpions game, Lake County’s manager Tim Johnson and eleven of his players walked out due to not being paid.

Left with the burden of putting a team on the field, now former hitting coach Pete LaCock started pitchers in positional spots and remaining players pitched. And as a show of support, Yuma’s player/manager Jose Canseco did the same…even putting himself on the mound as the team’s starting pitcher.

“I’ve never seen anything like it,” Melendez told the Chicago Sun-Times Monday. “And I’ve seen a lot of things I haven’t seen before with Jose and Ozzie (Jose Canseco’s twin brother and player/coach) aboard.”

Sunday was seemingly uneventful, but Monday…wow!

To start off the week, the Fielders traded nine players and released the 14 guys that they couldn’t unload. Only one player (former Chicago Cubs prospect Alan Rick) survived the bloodletting.

Oh, and the best part? According to LaCock…Costner isn’t even involved with the team.
Yeah, some guy named Rich Ehrenrich is the one who ran the team into the ground and, to top it off, not only has dude not paid any of his players…the team’s employees have been bouncing payroll checks left and right.

Classy.

“Kevin Costner has nothing to do with this club. He has not put money into the club. They just told Kevin they’d give him a percentage (of profits) for using his name,” LaCock told the Lake County News-Sun.

Well…that’s not good.  Feel free to insert your own "''Field of Dreams' turns into 'Waterworld'" joke here.

Were More Canseco Brothers Shenanagins Afoot? Perhaps

Remember a few months ago when Jose Canseco and his twin brother Ozzie pulled the old switcheroo at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Florida?

Well...I'm afraid (is "afraid" the right word?) that I might have uncovered some potential shenanigans prior to the Yuma Scorpions-Lake County Fielders game Thursday night.

Follow me on this one.

For a couple of months, I had been working with Scorpions general manager Jose Melendez on possibly getting an interview with the team's player/manager Jose Canseco.

I know, I know, I've been burned by Canseco before (kinda), but based on the emails I was exchanging with Melendez...this interview appeared like it was going to happen.

Then...I got this email.

Canseco has a prior commitment tonight that I wasn't aware. He is in Chicago area at a fundraiser event. I hope he can be there by gametime.

Uh oh...that's not good. Dude is the only reason that my group convoyed to Zion, Illinois to watch baseball in a dusty parking lot behind a CVS Pharmacy.

But then genius struck.

Why not go get some beverages and hotdogs and stake out the team clubhouse (it's a mobile trailer set up just past the leftfield bleachers really) and wait for the slugger. I mean...we HAD to be the only cats that knew Jose Canseco wasn't there yet, right?

We approached the trail..er, "clubhouse" and then it happened. The door opens and out of it emerges OZZIE Canseco.

Wearing his brother's number 33 jersey.

We were dumbfounded...shocked really. But there he was, Ozzie Canseco, just trotting to the field, casually gesturing to fans that were there to see his brother, the 1988 American League MVP.

So...I emailed Melendez.  I had to.

Is Ozzie wearing Jose's 33 tonight? Looks like it. Hmmm.

His response.

Lol. Don't tell me that. He is number 32.

To which I responded.

Ozzie is wearing 33.

And then it hit me. Jose was, more than likely, NOT going to make it to Zion at all.  And since he is playing the "Bingo Long" role when it comes to this team of "Travelling All Stars" (former Major Leaguers Joey Gathright and Willy Aybar also play for Yuma)...brother Ozzie was going to stop in and assume the part.

By wearing number 33. And again, it wouldn't be the first time the twins pulled this sort of thing.

A few minutes later, here comes Ozzie, heading back to the team "clubhouse" SANS 33 JERSEY (check out the video below...sorry for the quality). About a minute later he emerges again, this time with the number 32, his number, on his back.

He cheerfully greeted some fans (including my band of misfits), laughing "I'm not Jose" and signed some autographs.

And then...the next email from Melendez came to my phone.

Who is wearing 32?

So, I'm asking you, fans of The Hall...did I blow the roof off some halfbaked scheme by the Canseco Brothers?  Were they trying to pull a fast one on the unsuspecting fans of the Lake County Fielders?

Honestly...I'm not sure.  And frankly, based on the number of people taking pictures of Ozzie Canseco with their phones...it would've worked.

I'll leave you with this...Ozzie Canseco actually seems like a decent guy and I've got mad respect for the guy after seeing him out there doing his thing and seemingly picking up the pieces his brother appears to be leaving behind.

Jose Canseco (Finally) Goes Deep

On the eve of his debut as player/manager of the Yuma Scorpions, Jose Canseco made the prediction that he would be “going long”.

A little more than a month later…he finally did.

Wednesday night, against the Calgary Vipers…Canseco finally made good on his Opening Day prediction.

Against someone called Mark Michael.

It was just a matter of time, really, dude victimized 280 different pitchers over the span of his 17-year big league…but I didn’t think it would take him nearly 80 plate appearances (and 20 games) to do so.
Through 31 games, Canseco’s Scorpions are 10-21. The 1988 American League MVP is batting .250 (15 for 60), with that one homer and nine RBI.

Friday 5: Jose Melendez

I’m going to go out on a limb and concede that you probably don’t know who Jose Melendez is.

Yet.

But let’s not kid ourselves. No one knew who Bill Veeck was until 1947 when he signed Larry Doby…the first African-American to play in the American League.

Sure, Veeck went on to mastermind plenty of baseball’s best publicity stunts…sending a midget to bat in 1951, implementing the “exploding scoreboard at Comiskey Park and, of course, 1979’s Disco Demolition Night. Melendez has already come up with one stunt and, frankly, it is a winner.

This past April, he named Jose Canseco manager of the Yuma Scorpions and, recently, I had the chance to talk with the ambitious general manager.

HOVG: Alright, I’ve gotta start by asking the obvious...how does one get Jose Canseco to come play for and manage his baseball team, much less, get in touch with the former MVP and best selling author?

MELENDEZ: Actually, I have been a huge fan of Jose Canseco my whole life. I grew up watching the (Oakland) A’s and I am still a die hard fan of the team. Canseco always interested me in helping him get back to the game he loves. I feel he has lots to offer. My older brother is the one that actually found his contact information and we worked diligently in getting him to Laredo (Texas) in 2010. In 2011, we came onboard with the Yuma scorpions.

HOVG: Not too long ago, Canseco took to Twitter looking for someone to help him put together a reality show about the Yuma Scorpions. What is the latest?

MELENDEZ: I feel that a reality show depicting the return of the Canseco brothers is something that will be a great success on TV. There are so many interesting factors both bring to the table and the public will be fascinated about how they really are.

HOVG: Is the reality show all part of your plan to bring “Hollywood to Yuma”? I read about some of your plans online...what other ideas are you kicking around?

MELENDEZ: We plan on bringing a lot of celebrities (to Yuma) this season. We are in talks with many celebrities to make appearances and put on a good show for the people of Yuma. It will be fun.

HOVG: I also read a report that said that you’ve invited former Cy Young Award winner Pedro Martinez to join the Scorpions. Where does that stand...have you made any progress?

MELENDEZ: We have extended invitations to a lot of prominent (former) Major Leaguers. We hope things go our way and they agree to come.

HOVG: What’s on the horizon? What can we expect to see you pull out of your bag of tricks next?

MELENDEZ: I always like to create a buzz and now with great ownership (Diamond Sports) where they push creativity. I feel this will be an amazing season and something to really look forward to. All I can say is, you haven’t seen anything yet.

Jose Melendez spent the past six years with the Laredo (Texas) Broncos, where he took home the United League's Executive of the Year three times. His current team, the Yuma Scorpions, kicked off their season the past Tuesday by splitting a double-header against the Calgary Vipers.

Jose Canseco's Yuma Scorpions Set to Debut

Ladies and gentlemen...your new favorite baseball team starts their season today.

That's right.  After making headlines last month by bringing Jose and Ozzie Canseco on board, the Yuma Scorpions are ready to get their season underway against the Calgary Vipers.

And in true Jose Canseco fashion...the Scorpions' player/manager took time out from going goo goo for Lady Gaga and made a bold prediction Monday night via Twitter:

Opening night for my Yuma Scorpions tomorrow...I'm going long

But the former American League MVP wasn't the only Scorpion making predictions, team general manager Jose Melendez has been making some of his own.

"We're going to bring Hollywood to Yuma," Melendez told the Yuma Sun.  "That's what we want to do, that's our goal this year. That's our motto: Bring Hollywood to Yuma."

Whether or not Hollywood ends up in Yuma remains to be seen, but one thing is for certain...the three-ring circus (with the Brothers Canseco occupying two of them) is in town and it will get plenty of attention.

***Be sure to return to The Hall Friday for an exclusive interview with Yuma Scorpion General Manager Jose Melendez***

The Cansecos Speak!

Alright, alright...JOSE Canseco speaks. Ozzie just sits there and kinda listens and nods his head.

In what is the first of hopefully many videos that the Yuma Scorpions will put out between now and the beginning of the season, their newly minted player/manager Jose Canseco talks about what he and twin brother Ozzie will bring to the ballclub.

Let the promotional circus begin!

***Warning: The audio is wicked low.***

Meet Jose Canseco...Manager?

It appears as though Jose Canseco is ready to pen the latest chapter (you know...because he wrote those books) of his life.

As the latest publicity stunt, er...manager of the Yuma Scorpions.

I'll save you the hackneyed vernacular...this is what the team had to say.

The Yuma Scorpions announced today that Jose Canseco has been named as the Manager of the minor league baseball team for this coming season in the North American League. He will also play 1B or DH and will be the first fulltime player manager in professional baseball since Pete Rose held the similar position with the Cincinnati Reds in 1984 - 1986. In addition, his twin brother Ozzie will serve as his hitting/bench coach and will also play fulltime. Expected to bat in the 3rd and 4th spots in the order, the brothers will be facing a league stocked with AA, AAA, and major league experienced pitching many of whom are half their age. He will also face opposing managers with major league credentials of their own such as Garry Templeton (Maui), Mike Marshall (Chico), Tim Johnson (Lake County), Doc Edwards (San Angelo), and Morgan Burkhart (Calgary).

"I'm excited about my first chance to manage a club in professional baseball and to begin to transition my career to helping younger players and giving back to the game," Canseco said via the team's press release.

"I know I can still play and hit so this player/manager opportunity was just what I was looking for. Two of my idols started as player managers...Frank Robinson (Cleveland 1975) and Joe Torre (NY Mets 1977), and I can only hope to follow in their footsteps."

Given dude's recent track record...it'll be interesting to see how long this latest venture will last.

Best of luck though...see you when the Scorps get to Chicago. Or not.