There are certain athletes that we can apparently not cleanse ourselves of, no matter how hard we might try. The best of the best often fade into Bolivian, while the one-hit wonders with the insatiable appetite for the spotlight and the propensity for popping out of nowhere say the most incredible things. There are plenty of examples, but we can’t think of a better one than John Rocker. He’s a man who threw about, what, 160 good innings? Then he is quoted as saying one of the dumbest, most insensitive things in the history of sports, and now we can’t get rid of him. He ruins his career. He pops up on Pros vs. Joes. He appears in “The Greenskeeper,” which sounds truly delightful. He has this web site, which is ridiculous. And on it, of course, you see the reference to yesterday’s radio appearance, in which he once again entered our lives for no other reason than he’s that guy.

Rocker, now in the midst of the steroid scuffle, told the radio station that, “between 40 and 50 percent of baseball players are on steroids” and said Bud Selig knew in 2000 that Rocker was one of the users.

What. To. Make. Of. This.

An “outrageous” man trying to be outrageous? Maybe. A shred of damning truth? Who knows, but nothing would surprise us at this point. The triumphant reappearance of a man seeking redemption in the court of public opinion? His time for redemption has passed. The last act of a desperate man? Only until the next one.

What else?

*Reader Mark H. passes along this bit of news about Latrell Sprewell, with the subject line, “I got RandBall to feed.” Seems that Spree’s home is being sold at foreclosure and he had to sell his yacht at an auction. Maybe $21 million over 3 years is sounding better to him about now.

*Crazy, sad news being reported about Kenechi Udeze.

*A great read about small-town basketball.

*Zednik prognosis looks good. Somehow.

*Fasola-link! Oh, the humanity! The precious, precious beer.

UPDATE: As Jama notes in the comments, Fox Sports is reporting that the Twins have signed Livan Hernandez to a one-year contract. We haven’t seen this reported anywhere else than Fox, and it’s according to sources, but it also indicates it should be announced today.

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