Over the past couple of days, I've been involved in a lot of Yankee/Red Sox banter. It started when I had dinner with some Red Sox fans last weekend, and has continued on into this week. Last weekend, we got on the subject of where we all were when Aaron Boone hit the game winning home run in Game Seven of the 2003 ALCS against the Red Sox. Naturally, the Red Sox fans didn't want to talk about where they were that night, but I remembered exactly where I was. I was a freshman in college, and I had class at 10 am the next day, which I was bummed about in case the game went into extra innings. I was sitting on the end of my bed cross-legged in my Derek Jeter t-shirt with my hands clasped hoping for a miracle. It had already been a really intense game, and the Yankees had been mounting a slow come back against Pedro Martinez, and then the Red Sox bullpen. When I saw Aaron Boone heading for the on-deck circle, my stomach dropped. He hadn't exactly been the most reliable guy on the team. His plate appearances were awful, and his ability to play third base was on some days non- existent. He made me miss Scott Brosius a lot. Yet, there was something different about him when he stepped up to the plate in the bottom of the ninth. It was as if he knew he was going to do something special before the rest of us. And just like that, he proved everyone wrong. On the first pitch, Boone hit a home run to send the Yankees to the World Series, and the Red Sox home crying. From that point on, it didn't matter what he did. He was the guy that beat the Red Sox, which earned him elite status among Yankee fans. The following offseason, Boone ended up hurting his knee in a pick-up game of basketball, which led the way to the Yankees signing Alex Rodriguez. Since then Boone has played for Cleveland, Florida, Washington, and signed with the Astros this off season. So last night, I'm watching the World Baseball Classic, and cringing as Adam Dunn made error after error at first base, when I see across the bottom of the screen that Aaron Boone will undergo open-heart surgery. Hold on, what? Boone is 36, what could he possibly need open-heart surgery for? As it turns out, Aaron Boone has had a heart condition since he was in college. It is known as a bicuspid aortic valve, a congenital defect where the valve only has two cusps to manage blood flow instead of three. The doctors told him there was no reason why he couldn't play baseball, and that they would monitor his condition, and that's what they've been doing for the past nineteen years. It was the Houston Astros trainers and team doctor that discovered the acceleration in his condition. Boone announced yesterday that he won't be playing this season, and will be scheduling his surgery soon, even though there is no huge rush for it. The condition usually causes no problems, but later in life the valve can become calcified, which can lead to aortic stenosis and aortic regurgitation. Some patients end up needing valve replacements in the third or fourth decade of their lives. Due to the fact that the aorta is different in patients with bicuspid aortic valve, there is a higher risk of aortic dissection, and the formation of aneurysms. The condition of the aorta is actually what ends up determining the type of surgery the patients end up getting. Here's a relatively young guy, who a few years ago went from being somewhat of an unknown guy in baseball to one of the most recognizable players in the Yankee/Red Sox rivalry. And now he needs heart surgery. It just makes you think about what's really important in life. Most Red Sox fans hate the mention of Aaron Boone, along with Bucky Dent, and Bill Buckner. Those are players that ruined their chance at possible World Series glory and helped keep them in an 84-year championship drought. However, last night I saw something that really said it all. I was reading the articles on Boone to try and get a handle on what was going on, and there were posts attached to the article mostly wishing Boone well with his impending surgery. There was a post from a Red Sox fan, and I was expecting the usual hatred toward Boone. But that's not what I got. He said that said when he thinks of Aaron Boone he thinks of a guy that ruined his World Series dreams, but somehow none of that seems to matter anymore. He said he wished Aaron well and that his thoughts and prayers would be with him and his family because life is more important than baseball. That guy couldn't have been more right. I love baseball, and I love the rivalry between the Yankees and the Red Sox, but this situation just goes to show you that someone's health trumps any kind of rivalry. Boone's prognosis is good, and hopefully he can play baseball again, but in a world where making money and fame are so high on many people's lists of priorities, it's nice to see that Aaron Boone has his straight.

Three years ago marked the inception of the World Baseball Classic. The concept was for teams around the world competing against each other for a few weeks in March, before the start of the regular season, to show who's really the best. At first, the WBC was met with a lot of hostility. In order for their to be enough teams playing, players with for example, Dominican heritage could play for the Dominican team even if they weren't born there. Some people felt that if a player is getting paid by an American team, then they should either represent the US or not play. Others felt that they should be allowed to represent their heritage. Many owners were very leery of the whole idea because the thought of any of their players suffering an injury that could effect their season, is not pleasant especially with the high salary rates. Teams do have the ability to block their players from participating, but that can also cause all kinds of issues. Others argued that the WBC affected the flow of spring training, which in essence it does. Teams usually start their full squad work outs mid-February and with the WBC, any player participating report to those camps around March 1. Some would say this could effect team chemistry, because the entire team isn't there to bond during spring training. And who's going to take this competition seriously, anyway? It's March-players are nowhere near their best yet, and no one is going to want to risk going all out because their entire season is still in front of them. How good could any of these games actually be? Most people will have their TVs tuned in to March Madness, so does all this matter anyway? The answer is yes. Three years ago, Team USA had to settle for an eighth-place finish, which left them very unsatisfied. America is supposed to be the powerhouse when it comes to baseball, and they felt they got knocked out too soon. There are only four members from the '06 squad on the current team-Derek Jeter, Chipper Jones, Scot Shields, and Jake Peavy-and they are taking the competition very seriously. The team seems to have a renewed vigor with the addition of some young players like David Wright, Dustin Pedroia, and Ryan Braun. Veterans like Jeter, Jones and Roy Oswalt provide stability to the line up. In 2006, no one was really sure what to expect from the Classic, and I hate to say that some teams were just going through the motions, but that often happens when you're dealing in unfamiliar territory. Now that it has been broken in, everyone knows what to expect, and Team USA isn't taking anything lying down. Derek Jeter, who was named team captain last week, has worn one uniform for his entire career, and he has said that a Yankee uniform is the only one he wants to wear. However, the USA jersey is the only other jersey that Jeter would ever consider wearing. Jeter feels a sense of duty, as does the rest of the team, which is why this time around they have no intention of going home early. In the first two games of the tournament, Team USA played against Canada and Venezuela. They were trailing at parts in both games, but the team never panicked and came back to win both games and advance to the second round. The entire team is on the same page, and no one is looking to outdo anyone else. You would think that there would be some issues considering many of these guys are starters and aren't necessarily starting every single game-or playing in every game, for that matter. Both Jimmy Rollins and Derek Jeter are the starting shortstops for their teams, and they are platooning the position. JJ Putz is sharing the closer role with whomever necessary so the best possible job can get done. What makes this team so great is that while they are focused on winning, they are also really enjoying playing with each other. Players from the American league that hardly ever see certain guys from the National league and vice-versa are getting to experience them first-hand. The outfielders are bumping chests at the end of games like they've been playing together for years, and the players are sharing fist taps in the dugout like it's an old habit. Perhaps if more players understood the concept of playing for the team and not playing for stats, they would be more successful. The greatest teams in history have not always been filled with the biggest talents, but everyone understood their role and got the job done. Team USA is playing with a purpose and enjoying themselves at the same time. They are taking this tournament as seriously as they take the regular season, and giving people a reason to realize that the WBC isn't a joke.

Saturday, Jorge Posada was the DH when the Yankees played against the Twins. Posada is seven months post-labrum shoulder surgery, and has said that his rehab is progressing very well.

However, after taking some warm-up stretches in the on-deck circle on Saturday, Posada felt some "soreness" in his surgically repaired shoulder. He did manage to hit a home run and a double in his two at-bats, but then was removed from the game.

Posada was examined by the Yankees trainers and medical staff, and is now being even more closely monitored.

He said that he doesn't feel any pain when he hits or throws, but explained his soreness to Yankees' head trainer Gene Monohan as "more than the usual soreness". Posada wasn't scheduled to start catching games until the second week in March, but now that may get pushed back depending on how his shoulder responds.

Manager Joe Girardi didn't seem too alarmed, but also doesn't want to push anything so early on in the season.

On Opening Day last year, Posada was making a routine warm-up throw when he felt something in his right shoulder. The injury wasn't reported until several days later, and it took some time before Posada was shut down for a six to eight week period of time

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He returned in June, but runners took full advantage of his injury, and he became somewhat of a liability behind the plate. Jose Molina has been an excellent back up for Posada since he was traded to the Yankees in July 2007, but his bat is nowhere near Posada's. The Yankees didn't want to completely lose Posada's bat, but he couldn't be the primary DH due to Hideki Matsui's knee injury that limited him in left field.

It wasn't until the end of July that it was announced that Posada would have season ending shoulder surgery to repair his torn labrum. Since then, he's been on track to make the start at catcher on Opening Day, and until Saturday everything was going really well.

However, if Posada is feeling more than just the soreness of too much stretching, there could be cause for concern. When a ligament is repaired in the shoulder it should take a max of four months to completely heal--Posada is on month seven almost eight. If he is suffering any inflammation of that tendon than it hasn't healed properly, and that could raise a red flag for him and the Yankees.

After going 1 for 3 with an RBI against the Astros on Monday, Posada said that he hopes to resume his regular throwing program by today. The Yankees coaching and training staff are keeping a close eye on him because they know they couldn't afford another season without Posada at full capacity.

It is a good sign that he is batting over .600 this spring, but where the Yankees really need him is behind the plate, and they are hoping that what Posada is feeling is just normal soreness, and nothing else.

Hopefully, over the next couple of days Posada is able to get back on track. If not, that could spell disaster for the Yankees before the season even starts.

Saturday morning reports came out saying that in 2003 Alex Rodriguez had tested positive for steroids. This was only a few days after the reports came out that Barry Bonds had tested positive in 2003 as well.

Now all this stir has been created about how Rodriguez lied when he was asked if he had ever taken any performance enhancing drugs. Katie Couric interviewed him after the 2007 season, and he stated over and over that he never felt over matched on a baseball field and never felt any reason to take the "stuff".

Either someone threw Alex's name into the list just to cause controversy or, at some point, he really did feel the need to take the stuff. I would say the latter is the more likely one.

It seems like the federal government has over the past several years taken a serious interest in steroid use in baseball. Now they are out to prove a point by dropping high profiled athlete's names on the steroid list. Point of the matter is they know what they are doing is causing a stir to cover up for the fact that they turned their heads for so many years, along with so many executives inside of baseball.

For those of us, who have viewed Alex as the one who was pure and had the chance at shattering all the records, this news is hard to take. We saw Barry Bonds take over the home run title and the entire time there has been speculation that he went about it in a dirty manner.

With Alex, there was hope that a new record could be claimed in a completely natural way, but now there is a shadow of doubt on that as well.

Spring Training starts in a few days, and there is no doubt that Rodriguez is going to be bombarded with questions about his supposed steroid use. The questions are going to extend to his manager and teammates and once again there is going to be the distraction of steroid use before camp even opens. Andy Pettitte went through it last year, and now the torch has been passed to Rodriguez.

If Alex was smart, he would take a lesson from Pettitte and stand before everyone and admit to what he did. He would let everyone ask their questions and answer honestly because that's the only way that he can move forward from this situation. Admitting his part in the steroid era and getting it over with is the only way that Rodriguez can start his season without any of this lingering over his head.

Of course, this is not an easy thing to admit to, and everyone knows that is something gets into Alex's head it can take a long time for him to shake it. There is a chance that it could effect his season, and that is troubling for Rodriguez and the Yankees.

No athlete wants their name on a steroid list, but the fact of the matter is Alex Rodriguez has found his name on such a list. He can choose to deal with it and confront everyone and get it out of the way. Or he can keep denying his involvement and join the likes of Bonds and Clemens. One way or another, he has to choose which way he's going to take this situation, and he would do well to remember that being honest isn't as overrated as everyone might like to think.

This past week, reports have emerged that Barry Bonds tested positive multiple times for performance enhancing drugs in 2003. Prosecutors want to use this information against Bonds in his indictment case for committing perjury when the Grand Jury asked him if he had ever taken steroids.

As far as I'm concerned, enough time and words have been wasted on Barry Bonds.

So, we know that he didn't hit all those home runs naturally. We know that he's a liar and that he's done almost everything he possibly can to keep any of his drug use a secret.

The problem is, the secret is out. For years there's been much speculation about Bonds' supposed drug use. Federal prosecutors have his former trainer, Greg Anderson locked up for his unwillingness to talk about Bonds' steroid use.

There is even a conversation that has come to light between Anderson and someone who worked in the Giants' clubhouse that apparently goes into detail about how Anderson injected Bonds with a variety of steroids.

Honestly, who cares?

I am in no way saying that Bonds or any athlete taking steroids is at all acceptable. I don't think that anyone should use any kind of performance enhancing drugs to get ahead.

The fact of the matter is that steroid use was going on in major league baseball years before Bonds started using. Then the '94 strike hit and fans lost interest in the once national past time. So baseball needed to do something to get their fan base back.

Suddenly, there were guys bashing home runs and all of a sudden people took interest in baseball again. It took a few years, but slowly the people started gaining an interest when Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa were battling it out for Roger Maris' single season home run record.

And then Big Mac became the home run champion and everyone cheered and it was a good day for baseball. Over the next couple of years, the fan base grew, and then Barry Bonds put his name in the race for the home run record. He became a nightmare for opposing pitchers, but more than that he had morphed into this incredible specimen that was being revered by all athletes.

No one thought to question how Bonds who started out as this scrawny kid in his early days with the Pittsburgh Pirates and even his early days with the Giants had managed to go from looking like a bean pole to a line backer.

McGwire was seen with a bottle of anabolic steroids in his locker during an interview, but he brushed it off saying that he wasn't using anything illegal. And right then, everyone believed him. Even if they didn't they didn't say otherwise because no one wanted baseball to suffer again.

It wasn't until 2004/2005 when all these reports started surfacing through the BALCO investigation about Bonds' explicit steroid use. Jason Giambi's name got mentioned in there and he eventually would testify to the Grand Jury about his involvement. Giambi even later admitted to the New York media that he was "sorry for doing that stuff". We all know what "that stuff" was.

Now all of a sudden there is this big interest in all the steroid users. Now all the reports are emerging that players like Bonds tested positive for steroids back in 2003 when no one was saying anything. Now all of a sudden we're supposed to care?

What's done is done in my mind. A positive test in 2003 doesn't mean anything for 2009. Are these players images tainted, yes, but I don't think it's worth all this fuss.

Barry Bonds has gotten enough publicity over the past six years for a variety of reasons, and I say we stop giving it to him. The more people talk about him the more important he is, and I just don't think he's all that important anymore.

There are a lot more things to focus on in baseball. The World Baseball Classic is coming up next month, teams will be reporting to spring training in a few days and there were a lot of exciting developments in the off season.

If everyone could focus on those things rather than on tests that were taken six years ago or conversations that apparently happened baseball would be a lot better off.