Tejada is a liar (is 33 rather than 31)

[kramnoj]

I'm looking forward to the day they find out that Albert Pujols is really two or three years older than he says he is. You really think he was only 20 when he broke into MLB and that today he is only 28? Not a chance.

First off, who thinks he broke in when he was 20? Secondly, why is it so hard to believe that a 21 year old can do what Pujols did in his first year? Thirdly, why in the world would you be looking forward to that day?

[jazzytrav]

Prince looked pretty good when he was 21.

[Schlitz001]

http://images.yuku.com/image/pjpeg/da4154908665c831d1fc51d7f99ae7096e4dd9f.pjpg

Pujols has always looked a little older to me than he claims. He turned 28 this year. I'm 25 and hope I have more hair than that 3 years from now.

[kramnoj]

Schlitz001, how old does LeBron James look? Really, "looks old" is not sufficient to dispute Pujols age.

[1992casey]

On Home Plate yesterday, Kevin Kennedy pointed out that at least in the past, it would be common practice for scouts to tell players to "adjust" their age. As a matter of fact, Kevin used to be in the Dodgers organization and the Dodgers got into trouble at one point for doing just that. It's something to think about before pinning all the blame on Tejada.

[bullox]

It's something to think about before pinning all the blame on Tejada.

On decisions based on their life and no one else, I think the blame can be squarely planted on the guilty. Ultimately one person makes the decision and whether it is based on bad advice or not that one person should take the blame.

 

[jazzytrav]

Schlitz001, how old does LeBron James look? Really, "looks old" is not sufficient to dispute Pujols age.

Greg Oden looks like he's 35, in my opinion.

[kramnoj]

Schlitz001, how old does LeBron James look? Really, "looks old" is not sufficient to dispute Pujols age.

Greg Oden looks like he's 35, in my opinion.

 

Thanks, I was thinking of him too, but couldn't remember his name and was too lazy to look him up.

[JimH5]

Normally, I would rip into Tejada for being dishonest (and its easy to label him a scoundrel for his drug use as outlined in the Mitchell report). But to think about the deadend poverty he was facing if not for baseball, I can understand why he was willing to do anything and everything for a chance to avoid that.

[endaround]

Keep in mind there is a difference between knowing something and "knowing" something. The Astros may very well have known his true age but only now they officially know. And players lie about their age all the time because baseball academies often have very strict age requirements.

[jazzytrav]

Normally, I would rip into Tejada for being dishonest (and its easy to label him a scoundrel for his drug use as outlined in the Mitchell report). But to think about the deadend poverty he was facing if not for baseball, I can understand why he was willing to do anything and everything for a chance to avoid that.

I understand the sympathy for this...when he was 19. But by the time he signed that contract he could've come out with the truth. It's at that point that I think he's truly guilty of selfishness and greed. When he was 19 he may have found a way out of poverty, but when he was 30 and said he was 28 and signed a huge contract, there's no reason to lie anymore. I think he had found his way out of poverty by then.

[Thurston Fluff]

I kinda think Tejada got ambushed here. Of course he looked bad in the interview. He had absolutely no time to brace himself and think about how to handle this situation.

 

To me, ESPN looks like the bad guy here. What they should have done is to notify Tejada off camera that they obtained his birth certificate and was going to release it. Then, ask Tejada to do an interview about it. There was absolutely no reason to take him by surprise on camera with it (other than sensationalism).

He wouldn't have done the interview if he had known. There is nothing wrong with trying to sensationalize IMO. That's their job. Their rating are tied to how interesting the story is. Most people, myself included, wouldn't give an interview with a middle aged shortstop who hasn't been relevant in years a second thought. Now everyone has seen the very same interview multiple times. If Tejada lying to make some moeny isn't such an evil thing then some second rate program attempting to sensationalize to keep their show on the air shouldn't be either. I'm guessing Tejada's finances at this point are in better shape than the people who need that show to stay on the air to get a paycheck are.