Hey Canseco fans...

Jose has been in the news for the past couple of days. Remember that bar
scuffle he and Ozzie were in last Halloween (2001)? Well, here we are a
little over a year later and it's finally time for the criminal trial. The
Canseco brothers insist they are innocent, but decided to plead guilty
anyway. With the guilty plea, they will each receive probation and
community service. Had they gone to trial and lost, they could have faced
up to 31 (Jose) and 17 (Ozzie) years in prison, so if you ask me, they did
the right thing. It's just not worth the risk.

Anyway, all the details are below. If there is a civil trial, and I
suspect there will be, things will get interesting. I'm sure the guys that
were allegedly beat up by the Cansecos will be out for huge money, and they
will likely get a hefty settlement. At least that's my guess.

I have no new news on Jose's book. If I hear anything, I will let you know.

In other news, rumor has it Jose will be signing autographs on November
16th in Secacus, NJ. Prices are $35 - $60, depending on what you are
having signed. You can get more information here:
http://www.signingshotline.com/signings/results.asp?Player=Jose%20Canseco&Big10=\
1

Lastly, I want to make sure you guys all know something - I do not know
Jose personally, nor do I have any type of regular contact with him. So
please, do not send me things (via email or regular mail) to pass on to
Jose. Thanks for understanding!

-Mark

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From the AP:
Cansecos' trial opens; two rejected plea deal in August
Monday, November 4

MIAMI -- Jose Canseco buried his face in his hands, trying not to laugh as
one of the potential jurors told what she knew about his career.

''Does he play football or baseball?'' she said. ''He's not that big of an
issue for me.''

Canseco's baseball career wasn't an issue for many of the 25 people
interviewed Monday as jury selection began in the former AL MVP's trial on
felony battery charges.

While the majority of them knew snippets about the slugger, including
partial details of his October 2001 arrest, few potential jurors could name
Canseco's most recent team or any of his career numbers.

''He's a baseball player, but I don't even know which team,'' one man said.
''I'm not really a baseball fan to speak of.''

Welcome to Miami, where baseball isn't exactly the national pastime.

''I used to do track and field in high school and all the guys would talk
about him,'' the woman said. ''At that time, he was the thing. He made it
to the majors or the Super Bowl or whatever. That's how I got to know his
name.''

Canseco and his twin brother, Ozzie, are accused of aggravated battery for
fighting with two California men at a Miami Beach nightclub on Oct. 31,
2001. Each of them could spend up to 31 years in prison if convicted and
given the maximum sentence.

Jose Canseco told police that one of the men groped a woman who was a
companion of the brothers. Police said Jose Canseco grabbed one man by the
neck, punched him and broke his nose. Jose Canseco admitted pushing the
first man but denied hitting him. He said his brother pushed the other man.
Police said the man needed 20 stitches in his lip.

The judge urged the brothers and their attorneys not to speak with
reporters until after the trial.

The brothers turned down a plea agreement in August that would have given
them probation and community service -- a risky decision that led to
Monday's trial, which Circuit Judge Leonard E. Glick expects to last into
next week.

''We couldn't do that. It didn't make any sense,'' Ozzie Canseco said.

The brothers have told the judge they passed lie-detector tests proving
their innocence. Now they have to convince a six-person jury.

''I'm not a sports person,'' another potential juror said.

Jose Canseco was a six-time All-Star and ranks 26th on the all-time career
home run list with 446. Cut by Montreal in spring training, he retired in
May as a Triple-A player for the Chicago White Sox.

Canseco finished his career as a .266 hitter with 1,407 RBI and 200 stolen
bases in 1,887 games with Oakland, Texas, Boston, Toronto, Tampa Bay, the
New York Yankees and the White Sox. He also was the 1988 AL MVP with
Oakland, teaming with Mark McGwire to become the ''Bash Brothers.''

He grew up in Miami, was a high school standout there and even has a street
named after him. Ozzie Canseco, meanwhile, had a brief major league career
and played for two seasons with the minor league Newark (N.J.) Bears.

''I know they're famous baseball players,'' one potential juror said. ''One
of them is a future Hall of Famer, but I'm not a big baseball fan.''

Another man said Jose Canseco was one of his favorite baseball players.

''I pretty much have all his baseball cards,'' he said, then was stumped
when asked to name some of Canseco's former teams.

Then there was this from a Yankees fan: ''I liked him more than I liked the
Dodgers. The power he had to swing the bat, the speed he had on the bases.
He was good, then he was not so good.''

Jury selection will continue Tuesday.

==========
From the AP:

Jose Canseco agrees to three years' probation

MIAMI -- Jose Canseco and his twin brother pleaded guilty Tuesday to
charges they beat up two men in a nightclub fight, agreeing to probation
and community service but avoiding prison time.

The Cansecos made the deal while their trial was in jury selection.

Jose Canseco, 26th on the career home run list, and his brother, former big
leaguer Ozzie, also will have to attend anger management classes.

Before the deal was approved, Circuit Judge Leonard E. Glick questioned
Jose Canseco.

"If you want to go to trial, you'll get a fair trial. But you'll be
gambling with your life and other things," Glick said. "But if you want,
let's get this thing behind us. Do you want to accept the plea?"

Canseco replied: "I do."

Jose Canseco agreed to three years' probation, 250 hours of community
service and the anger control classes. Ozzie Canseco must complete 18
months' probation, 200 hours of community service and the anger classes.

The brothers were involved in a fight in Miami Beach on Halloween 2001.
Jose Canseco had faced up to 31 years in prison, and his brother faced up
to 17 years.

Jose Canseco told police that one of the men groped a woman who was a
companion of the brothers. Police said Jose Canseco grabbed one man by the
neck, punched him and broke his nose. Canseco admitted pushing the first
man but denied hitting him. Police said the man needed 20 stitches in his lip.

Jose Canseco pleaded guilty to one count of felony aggravated battery and
two counts of misdemeanor battery. His brother pleaded to one count of
felony battery and one misdemeanor battery count.

"It was very, very difficult for them to accept making a guilty plea," said
attorney Angel Ruiz, who represented Jose Canseco. "They did it because of
the possible dark consequences to their family and children."

Ruiz said that while no civil suit has been filed by three victims, they
expect litigation.

"This will all be about money," Ruiz said.

The state dropped one felony aggravated battery count for Jose Canseco and
one misdemeanor battery charge for his brother.

Prosecutors said it was a fair result.

"We treated them like any other citizen of Dade County in a similar
situation," state attorney Jonathan Granoff said. "But if it went to trial,
we could have proved our case. We had multiple independent witnesses."

Glick withheld judgment in the case pending completion of the sentence.
They would have no police record from this case if they do so.

The brothers turned down a plea agreement in August that would have given
them longer probation periods.

Jose Canseco hit 446 home runs, was a six-time All-Star and was the 1988 AL
MVP. He retired in May, finishing his career as a .266 hitter with 1,407
RBIs and 200 stolen bases in 1,887 games with Oakland, Texas, Boston,
Toronto, Tampa Bay, the New York Yankees and the Chicago White Sox.