Chris Davis still views Roger Maris as the single-season home run record holder

Chris Davis arrived at Yankee Stadium Friday night leading the American league with 32 home runs — mathematically putting him on a pace to hit 60 this season. There have only been eight instances where a player has jacked 60 or more homers in a season — six with 63 or more— but the Baltimore Orioles slugger still believes the Holy Grail of home run totals is still Roger Maris' legendary 61.

Davis views every one of those season totals topping Maris as tainted because they came during the so-called "Steroid Era."  Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa are all members of the exclusive "60 Club" but that trio have all been connected to PEDs to different degrees -- including McGwire openly admitting steroid use.

According to Davis, this means he believes chasing Maris' single-season 61 is the real goal, not Bonds' 73.

“I do and the reason being, he was the last guy to do it clean,” Davis said on ESPN's Mike and Mike morning show (via baltimoresportsreport.com). “There's a lot of things that have been said about the guys who have come after him and have achieved the record, but I think as far as the fans are concerned they still view Maris as being the all-time home run record [holder] and I think you have to. There's no doubt that Barry and Mark and any of those guys had ridiculous seasons and had some great years, but I think when you get to the root of the record, I still think it's Roger Maris'.”

It's ironic because  Davis himself has heard the whispers of fans and media members speculating his own breakout year this season is somehow drug-assisted. He addressed the issue of being clean to Mike & Mike:

“I think the biggest thing for me to remember is you know as long as I continue to do things the way I've always done [them], you know can't really rely on what other people are going to say,” Davis said on Mike and Mike. “We get drug-tested just like everybody else, we have the strictest drug testing policy in all of professional sports and I actually think in a way it's kind of a backhanded compliment.”

In 86 games this year, Davis has already equaled his 139 game totals of last year — except on the strikeout front.  He is still on pace for a 190 strike threes this season but seems to gotten a better grasp of the strike zone.

Here is the legendary list of players with 60 or more home runs in a season.  According to Davis, No. 7 is the real No. 1.

1. Barry Bonds, 73, 2001
2. Mark McGwire, 70, 1998
3. Sammy Sosa, 66, 1998
4. Mark McGwire, 65, 1999
5. Sammy Sosa, 64, 2001
6. Sammy Sosa, 63, 1999
7. Roger Maris, 61, 1961
8. Babe Ruth, 60, 1927

Barry Bonds signed '87 'Say No To Drugs' baseball card on eBay for $100K

A rare 1987 Donruss rookie PSA Barry Bonds baseball card signed by the player himself is available on eBay. What makes this card special — besides the former Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder's signature — it that it comes with a few words of wisdom, Say No To Drugs, scrawled across the card by Bonds himself.

The same signed card — which usually goes for about $125 — is now going for an asking price of $100,000 because of the ironic nature of those four words.

The seller, who actually goes by bonds_autograph, claims “This card represents the most unique and ironic collectible available for the polarizing star.” He also says the card has been verified by PSA. 

The price of the card — with a photo of the much-less buff Bonds and those prophetic words — soars because of the irony factor. But a hundred Grand?!

Reggie Jackson says A-Rod's records are 'clouded' by PED use

New York Yankees' great Reggie Jackson sounds like he has a warning for Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens or any other players linked to steroids and will be on the ballot for the Hall of Fame next year— don't expect to make it to Cooperstown in the near future.

If Mark McGuire is any indication— Bonds, Clemens and any other players associated with PEDs will not make the cut and, if they do get into the Hall of Fame, Mr. October won't be there to welcome them.

"If any of those guys get in, no Hall of Famer will attend," Jackson told Sports Illustrated.

That list of players with their names tainted by PEDs and headed towards a Hall of Fame ballot will probably one day include Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez— who passed Jackson on the all-time home run list.

"Al's a very good friend, but I think there are real questions about his numbers," Jackson said.  "As much as I like him, what he admitted about his usage does cloud some of his records."

Rodriguez admitted in 2009 to using PEDs earlier in his career.

It's sounds like a complete 180-turn from what Jackson told USA Today last month.  He said Clemens deserved to be in the Hall of Fame after he won his perjury case.

While Jackson— who still works for the Yankees organization as a special adviser— ripped A-Rod's numbers as not being legit, he said he might make an exception for Yankees pitcher Andy Pettitte— who also admitted using PEDs.

"The question is going to be a guy like Andy Pettitte, who admitted  that he got involved for a while, but who is so universally respected in the game," said Jackson.  "I think he'll get in, but there will be a lot of [members] who won't go."

Asked if Pettitte was inducted, would he attend?

"I've know Andy since he was 20," he said.  "I'll leave it there."

The former A's, Angels and Yankees slugger didn't hold back when it came to a number of players recently inducted into Cooperstown who he feels are undeserving of the honor.

"I didn't see Kirby Puckett as a Hall of Famer," Jackson told Sports Illustrated.  "I didn't see Gary Carter as a Hall of Famer.  I didn't see Don Sutton as a Hall of Famer.  I didn't see Phil Niekro as a Hall of Famer.  As much as I like Jim Rice, I'm not sure he's a Hall of Famer.

Jackson once claimed he was the straw that stirred the drink when he was with the Yankees during the turbulent '70's.  It looks like he's shaking things up these days.

A.J. Burnett Has Words For Girardi: Could They Be His Last As A Yankees Starter?

A.J. Burnett had some choice words for Joe Girardi after the New York Yankees manager pulled the frustrated pitcher out tonight's game against the Minnesota Twins.  Girardi had seen enough after the ineffective Burnett had already given up four runs and left the bases loaded in the bottom of the second inning.

As Burnett walked towards the dugout, he turned back, glared at Girardi and let loose with a public diatribe directed at the manager.

Those words could be Burnett's last as a Yankee starter.

Girardi called in Luis Ayala to relieve the useless Burnett with two outs.  Ayala promptly gave up two hits to the Twins batters and padded the Minnesota lead to 7-0.

After a few moments of mulling over Burnett's verbal assault, and the yanked Burnett's bee-line to the clubhouse, Girardi himself made his way into the same Yankees lounge from the team bench.  Girardi returned to the dugout rail a few minutes later and, miraculously,  Burnett reappeared on the dugout bench a couple of minutes later-- pouting.

The snarling Burnett abruptly returned to the clubhouse after watching Ayala deposit the three runs into Burnett's already bloated ERA.

What was said in the locker room between Girardi and his frustrated pitcher to make him come out of the clubhouse is unknown, but it probably had to do less with Burnett's feelings than a spot in the starting rotation.

This isn't the first time Burnett (9-9 before the game) has showed up Girardi-- his biggest, and maybe only, supporter.  There have been other instances of Burnett barking at Girardi or slamming the ball into the manager's hand when he was being pulled from a game-- which has been a common occurrence this season.

Girardi has always defended Burnett from the fans and media who have called for the $82.5 million starter's head during his six-week losing streak.  Before the game the manager said he just wanted "A.J. to compete."

Now, Burnett pays back Girardi with an embarrassing display of self-entitlement.

Tonight, it looked like the maligned Burnett has totally lost his control, his temper and his manager's respect in one game.

I guess Burnett thought Girardi was supposed to let the underachieving starter-- who almost let a 12-run lead dissipate a couple of weeks ago-- continue to get clobbered until he found his groove.

The bad news for Burnett is he pitched badly after a serviceable outing last week.  The worse news is he probably yakked his way out of the rotation.  There is no good news.

Burnett might have just made Girardi's daunting and long-awaited task of trimming his starting rotation down to five men a lot easier, and Burnett has no one to blame but himself.

Bartolo Colon and Freddy Garcia are veterans who have been consistent, if not overpowering, and young guns Ivan Nova and Phil Hughes look like everything the Yankees hoped they would turn out to be.  CC Sabathia is the ace, so that leaves Burnett as the odd-man out.

Odd man is the right term in more than one way.

Roger Clemens Witness List Looks More Like an All-Star Roster

Former pitching great Roger Clemens may call on ex-teammates to testify in his defense at his perjury trial.  At the same time, a prosecutor said he may call former players already implicated in the scandal to the stand as well.  It's virtually a Who's Who of future, potential and tainted Hall of Famers.

While throngs of potential jurors lined up outside the E. Prettyman Court House in Washington; both sides planned their strategies and it sounds like a lot of former baseball greats might be headed for the stand.

It sounded like U.S. District Judge might permit Clemens former Yankees teammates-- Chuck Knoblauch, Andy Pettitte and Mike Stanton-- to take the stand, after Clemen's attorney, Rusty Hardin, said that Clemens' main accuser, Brian McNamee, created evidence made to blackmail his client.

Other potential witnesses including Mark McGwire, Jorge Posada and Sammy Sosa also appeared on the list.