The Insurance Doctor

Category: baseball

  • Crime Pays… in some pro sports

    Crime Pays… in some pro sports

    In last week’s New York Times, the front-page article was titled, “Baseball’s Integrity Crisis: Doctored Balls.”  Cheating in sports has been bothering me for a long-time now!  It is one reason why I retired from all fantasy sports in 2019 and have not read any sports box scores (those that know me this is crazy) since 2019.

    The money is sports is so lucrative that it often “pays to cheat!”  Most sports do NOT have a clear policy against cheating, and those that do, do NOT take back performance bonuses earned due to cheating.  Baseball cheating is probably the worst of all sports, other sports are not far behind. 

    See some of the most memorable cheats below:

    1. Lance Armstrong: Lance, a former American bike racing specialist (and cancer survivor) won 7 consecutive “Tour de France” races from 1999-2005 and catapulted the sports global popularity.  Lance was investigated and stripped of all his medals; however, he earned over $125 million during his career.
    2. Bob Baffert: Arguably horse racing’s most famous trainer, his 2021 Kentucky Derby winning horse, Medina Spirit, was treated with an ointment containing a steroid, which caused him to fail the postrace drug test.  Medina Spirit’s failed drug test is the 5th medication violation in the past 13 months for Baffert.
    3. Ben Johnson: On September 24th, 1988, Canadian sprinter Ben Johnson ran the 100-meter dash in 9.79 seconds to win the gold at the summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea.  He tested positive for steroids 3 days later and was stripped of the medal. 
    4. Tim Donaghy and Pete Rose: NBA referee Tim Donaghy was a gambling addict who made bets on the games he refereed.  Pete Rose, who was a player and manager also bet on games he managed.  Donaghy resigned from the league amidst an FBI investigation that he bet on games that he officiated.  Donaghy pled guilty and spent 11 months in jail.  Pete Rose was suspended from baseball for life!
    5. Serena Williams: Serena Williams received illegal coaching signals during her 2018 U.S. Tennis Open Finals loss to then 20-year-old Naomi Osaka.  Her coach, Patrick Mouratoglou, admitted to sending her signals saying, “all the coaches do it!”  She received a warning, then a one-point penalty for racket abuse, then a game penalty for verbal use of chair umpire Carlos Ramos calling him “a liar and a thief!”  She made $1.85 million as the 2018 runner-up.  She was NOT penalized for cheating, nor did she have to return any winnings from finishing 2nd!
    6. Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, and Alex Rodriguez:  These 3 major league baseball players (and many others) have been accused of taking PEDs (performing enhancement drugs).  Clemens “misremembered” and only Alex Rodriguez was given a 1 season suspension.  Although these 3 may never make the hall of fame because of it, they have made many millions since those accusations.
    7. The Houston Astros:  The Houston Astros were caught using technology to steal signs from opposing teams during the 2017 and 2018 seasons.  They beat the Yankees, then the Dodgers and won the 2017 World Series.  No players were fined, nor did they lose playoff bonus money.  Instead, the league fined the Astros $5 million (the maximum allowed) and suspended the general manager and manager 1 season each. 
    8. New England Patriots: In what was called “Spygate,” the Patriots were disciplined by the NFL in 2007 for videotaping coaching signals during NFL games.  They were then caught illegally filming N.Y. Jet practices.  They even had a library of illegal videotapes from all teams across the league.  The NFL fined Bill Belichick $500,000 and the Patriots $250,000 and docked them a 1st round draft pick.  In 2014, Tom Brady was caught intentionally deflating footballs (which made them easier to catch) in the AFC championship game, which was known as “deflate-gate!” He was investigated but never fined.  In 2021, Bill Belichick is still coaching the New England Patriots!  

    To me, it seems that Professional Sports not only need to clean up their act, they also need to clearly define and set stiffer monetary penalties for offenders as there are double standards across the board!  Why should players and teams like the Houston Astros and New England Patriots stop cheating when they are making 100’s of millions of dollars from winning, bonuses, and endorsement deals when they will only get a “slap on the wrist?” 

  • 10 Tailgating Tips

    10 Tailgating Tips

    One of the best things about the fall aside from the foliage is football season which means tailgating.  Over the years I’ve seen some crazy things at tailgates such as 6 cars going on fire at the Jet’s opening day game in 2016.  Follow these tips to ensure a safe and fun tailgate.

    1. Time it right: Try to arrive about 3 hours before kickoff to get the perfect spot.  If you are not tailgating postgame, pack up 30 minutes before kickoff.tg-jets

    2. Invest in real estate: Seek out spaces (or send somebody else to go early) by the grass, edge of the parking lot and close to the bathroom.  Fewer neighbors mean fewer issues.

    3. Be a tool: Fill a toolbox with your favorite grilling essentials (utensils, zip lock bags, napkins, bottle opener etc).

    4. Rethink your drink: We suggest multi-colored cups to identify which is yours as drinks can get nasty.  Also use cups with straws to protect from insects.

    5. Reduce, reuse, recycle:  Cardboard drink carriers make good snack holders.  Less is more and makes cleanups easier.

    6. Koozie up:  Always keep between 5-10 koozies in your car for guests.

    7. Freeze it: Putting your water in the freezer the night before equals a giant ice cube which comes in very handy on game day .

    8. Dress in layers:  There can be huge temperature swings this time of year especially 4p games when the sun goes down in the middle of the game.

    9. Keep a duffle bag in your trunk:  keep extra clothes, hats, flashlights, batteries, bungee cords and a fire extinguisher can etc.

    10. Dump coals in specified bins:  Almost all stadiums have specified bins for dumping hot coals.  Leaving smoldering coals is hazardous to you and everybody else!

  • 6 Fun Facts about Major League Baseball

    The 2017 major league baseball season opened on April 2nd with the Tampa Bay Rays hosting the New York Yankees. Some MLB teams cater to fans with discounted tickets and food while some play hardball with very high prices. The average price of 2 tickets (cheapest seats available) 2 small beers, 2 hot dogs and parking is about $78. Prices vary greatly from ballpark to ballpark. Fans who enjoy a game at the cheapest stadium ($48 Angels) will pay $110 less than the most expensive ($157 Red Sox). Enjoy some of the these facts:fun baseball facts

    1.Tickets: The least expensive tickets available are surprisingly the LA Angels at $9.80/seat and the most expensive are the Boston Red Sox where it will set you back $48 for Fenway Park upper deck seats.

    2. Hot Dogs: At the Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati a hot dog will set you back only $1 whereas it costs $6.25 for a dog at Citi Field to watch the NY Metropolitans.

    3. Beer: A small brouhaha costs only $4 to watch both the Arizona Diamondbacks and Cleveland Indians. It’s a three-way tie for most expensive at $7.75 to watch the Cubs, Red Sox and Phillies.

    4. Parking: Parking is FREE at Tropicana field to watch the Tampa Bay Rays while it will cost you at least $35 to watch the NY Yankees or Boston Red Sox.

    5. Ticket Cost Comparison: Although both teams play in California a ticket to see the San Francisco Giants costs more than double the price of a ticket to see the LA Dodgers.

    6. Hot Dog Price Comparison: Although the price to see a game at Yankee Stadium and Fenway Park rank in the top 3 in baseball the price of a hot dog cost 75% more in Boston.
    Keep these things in mind when you decide to visit new ballparks as pricing could be a home run or a total washout!

    Ask Robert how to hit a personal financial home run with your free consultation today.

  • 8 Fun facts about ML Baseball Spring Training

    8 Fun facts about ML Baseball Spring Training

    This week pitchers and catchers report for spring training.  I get excited because the baseball season is beginning and winter is ending.  These minor league stadiums are a lot of fun to insurance, new york, financial planning, Queens, Forest Hillsvisit.  Enjoy these tidbits!

    1. The Florida “Grapefruit league” and Arizona “Cactus league” are a 50/50 split which 15 teams training in each state.
    2. Do you want a closer look at your favorite players than from your seat? Visit their spring training stadium where access rules are very lax.
    3. George M. Steinbrenner field (Tampa) has the same outfield dimensions as Yankee stadium. It also sits directly across the street from Raymond James Stadium where the Tampa Bay Buccaneers play.
    4. Surprise stadium (Royals and Rangers) in Arizona has a merry-go-round in the right field concourse.
    5. The foul poles at Phoenix Municipal Stadium (Athletics) were originally used at the polo grounds.
    6. Fans attending Blue Jay’s games in Dunedin, Florida get to hear both the Canadian and USA’s national anthems. They also have Labatt’s beer on tap at Florida auto exchange stadium.
    7. Bright House Network field in Clearwater, Fla. Caters to Phillies fans serving Philly cheese steaks and Yuengling beer.

    In 2017 the “Ballpark of Palm Beaches” (West Palm Beach, Fla.) will open and be the new home of the Houston Astros and Washington Nationals.

  • 10 Reasons Alex Rodriguez could be a Hall of Famer

    10 Reasons Alex Rodriguez could be a Hall of Famer

    10 Reasons Alex Rodriguez could be a Hall of Famer

    On Friday, 8/12/2016 “A-Rod” will play his last game.  Barring an unlikely return to MLB, he will go on the Hall of Fame ballot in 2021.  The baseball writers’ association will grapple with perhaps the most complex case in history.

    1. 10 years on the ballot: By 2015, many younger writer’s will reach the 10-year membership mark required to vote.  Steroids are a common issue these days and younger voters may be apt to look past it.a-rod

    2. Alex hit 696 home runs: He trails only Barry Bonds (762), Hank Aaron (755) and Babe Ruth (714).

    3. A-Rod hit 30 home runs and 100 RBI in 13 straight seasons: From 1998-2010 which is the most in MLB history.  Sports writers are looking for this type of consistency.

    4. Alex ranks 25th all-time in games played: This type of both consistency and longevity are what gets you into the HOF.

    5. His 118 WAR* (Wins Above Replacement) ranks 12th all time: He’s sandwiched between Ted Williams and Lou Gehrig.  *WAR is a fantasy/sabermetrics statistic that measure a player’s stats vs a replacement player- the net being how many wins that player is responsible for over time.  This includes defense and can be plus or minus.

    6. In 2013 A-Rod hit his record career 24th grand slam:  He broke the previous record of 23 all time by Lou Gehrig.

    7. He has been named to 14 all-star teams: This includes  9 years in a row from 2000-2008.

    8. Alex has 3114 career hits: This ranks him 20th all-time.  He leads the MLB in hits with 213 in 1998.

    9. A-Rod has won 3 MVP awards and 1 World Series ring: He also was instrumental in helping the Yankees win the World Series in 2009.  Alex’s batting average was .365 and he hit 6 home runs with 18 RBIs (runs batted in) over 15 games played in the 2009 playoffs.

    10. Alex ranks 3rd all-time in RBIs: With 2084 RBI in 2782 games played Arod twice led the major leagues.  He hit 142 RBI in 2002 and 156 in 2007 respectively.

    Although Alex has admitted steroid use and is an enigma, he still may sneak in there after all!