Hey Cansecoites...

I have a lot to tell you guys, and I have no idea where I should begin, so
I'm just going to jump into it all.

The Big League Challenge has been airing daily at 5:30 EST on ESPN2 this
week. Be sure to not miss today's show when Jose goes head to head with
ex-bash brother Mark McGwire. It was one exciting matchup, let me tell
you. If you'd like to see some of my photos form the BLC, head on over to
Canseconet.com - I added about a dozen pictures earlier this week.

It's not too late to enter the 2000 Jose Canseco Home Run Contest, but time
is running out fast. If you have entered already and don't see your
predictions on the entries page yet, don't worry - I'm WAY behind on
processing them. Hopefully I'll get caught up in the next week or so.

Jose needs your help! Vote for Jose for all time best DH here:
http://www.cnnsi.com/baseball/index.html
and then vote for him for this year's best DH here:
http://games.espn.go.com/cgi/flb/Request.dll?FRONTPAGE

Jose hit his third homer of the spring yesterday. Here are hiss spring
training stats so far, in case you were curious:
AVG .273
G 9
AB 33
R 5
H 9
TB 20
2B 2
3B 0
HR 3
RBI 6

I'm including some really good articles below. There's an interview with
Jose, a story about the Rays' trip to Venezuela last weekend (including
mention of a Canseco/Castilla feud which I have heard nothing about in the
past), and even a story about Jose starting the "The Canseco Financial
Group" - this is not a joke, by the way. See for yourself...

-Mark

P.S. If you ever want to unsubscribe from this list, simply send an email
to canseconet-unsubscribe@egroups.com

==========
From www.devilray.com
Q&A with Jose Canseco

Q: Jose, given the number of injuries you've had in your career, what do
you think will be your lasting legacy?

JC: I'll probably have the most home runs compared to the most surgeries.

Q: You're a critical element to the Devil Rays' chances this season. What
does a healthy Jose Canseco mean to a team?

JC: I don't think it's even a question if I'm in the lineup what I can
bring to a team. Not even a question if I'm in the lineup. I've been
averaging a homer every 12 at bats the last three years. There's no
question in my ability. Obviously the question is my health. That's the way
it's always been. And hopefully it stops being that way. But I can't
control that. I may hit 35 home runs by All-Star break and go down again.
Who knows? And it's going to be there, there's Jose again. Same old same old.

Q: You look like you're in super shape, what more can you do to prevent
injuries?

JC: I'm almost thinking in the back of my mind I'm going to come in next
year weighing 350 like a fat slob and hopefully I won't have an injury.

Q: Mentally, how have you managed to accept your injuries? Has that been
hard to do?

JC: If it were very hard for me to accept I wouldn't be able to bounce back
the way I've bounced back. Or have the urge to play the way I play. I'm
just happy I have the ability to come back as I have. It's reality, but
people tend to forget about you when you're injured. To be let's say one of
the quote, superstars of the game, I think one criteria has to be health.

Q: Speaking of health, are you recovered from the back and hand problems
you had in 1999?

JC: Back's great. Hand, basically, give it enough rest and it went away. I
just didn't give it enough rest last season. Feels great. Everything feels
pretty good.

Q: After your surgery last season, you seemed really down when you made the
comments about your body failing you and questioned whether you would
continue playing much longer. How much longer can you play?

JC: I definitely think if I had someone else's back I could play until I'm
45, easy. But I don't know. It's impossible to tell. Physically, I'm as
strong as I've ever been. I think this year I came to camp even stronger.
My legs feel even stronger. . . . All I can say is I feel great right now.
I feel extremely strong. If I was to stay in this condition, the whole
year. Definitely 50 or 60 home runs, no doubt in my mind.

Q: You talked about 400 homers last year--like it was no big deal--and got
it. Can you see 500 now?

JC: I can see 600. It's all about health. I've never even doubted my
numbers and ability. It never entered my mind. I mean, if I were healthy, I
should have 550. But I haven't been healthy. But that's another story. Five
hundred, there's no doubt in my mind I'll do that. Healthy or not. That
number is not even an issue with me. Four hundred, was just a number to
cross getting to where you want to reach.

Q: What about the Rays' lineup this season with the additions of Greg
Vaughn, Vinny Castilla and Gerald Williams? Excited?

JC: If we can't get fans out here now, it's ridiculous. This is an exciting
ball club. And you're going to see a lot of power. A lot of excitement. A
lot of balls hitting off those rafters. BP is going to be very exciting.
And the most important thing, we have a chance to win. Our pitching, if
they can
pitch to their potential, we're going to be fine. I definitely don't see us
being a .500 ball club. I definitely see us at least 20 games above .500 now.

Q: How does this year's Devil Rays team stack up against the power-hitting
teams you were on with the Oakland A's?

JC: We had myself, (Mark) McGwire, Dave Parker, Rickey Henderson, Dave
Henderson. But raw power. Players who have already done 40 or 50 home runs,
I think this team can definitely compare to that one in the power area
better. The Oakland A's team was a more well-rounded team where we had the
starters, the best closer in baseball. Great setup men. We're going to have
to develop that here.

Q: What do you see for this group of sluggers this year? Forty apiece?

JC: No doubt. Or at least between us four, we can average 40 home runs
between us.

==========
From the St. Petersburg Times:
Rays, Braves do their part
Game proves a hit, but earlier visit to Red Cross shelter gives traveling
group a feeling for the depth of disaster in Venezuela.
By Marc Topkin
March 19, 2000

CARACAS, Venezuela -- Many of the sights and sounds were familiar. Batting
practice home runs flying over the fences. Stadium vendors hawking beer and
Domino's pizza. Fans pleading for autographs. Women gasping at the sight of
Jose Canseco.

But then there were some that you had never seen before, and hoped to never
see again.

Because for all the excitement that the Devil Rays' visit to Venezuela
generated -- and there was plenty before, during and after their 13-5 loss
to the Braves at Estadio Universitario on Saturday night -- the most
stirring scenes were the saddest.

Miguel Cairo and Wilson Alvarez, the Rays' two native Venezuelans, made a
mid-day visit to a Red Cross shelter for victims of the December floods and
mudslides that killed at least 30,000 of their countrymen....

...Even with ticket prices that ranged from $10 to $75 in American dollars,
the games have been sold out for months. "They've been working on this for
a year and everybody here is excited," said Daniela Kosan, a morning show
host for the TELEVEN network.

Said Canseco: "It looks like a World Series right now."...

==========
From the St. Petersburg Times:

AND AT THE PLATE: Rays batters managed just one hit through the first five
innings and were down 10-0 before rallying in the sixth. Quinton McCracken
singled off Kerry Ligtenberg and controversial John Rocker, jeered by the
fans, walked Dave Martinez and Jose Canseco. Rookie left-hander Steve Cox
followed with a run-scoring single, John Flaherty grounded into a
run-scoring double play, Herbert Perry doubled in Canseco, and Perry scored
on a wild pitch. ... Ligtenberg left after McCracken's ball grazed his face
but he was not injured.

==========
From the Tampa Tribune:

...Saturday morning brought about a busy agenda for certain members of the
Rays, beginning with a press conference that included Alvarez, Cairo, Jose
Canseco, Vinny Castilla, manager Larry Rothschild and managing general
partner Vince Naimoli.

As usual, the three dozen or so cameras were enamored with Canseco's
pulchritude, his well-tanned muscles encased in a tight black short-sleeve
shirt and T-shirt.

Once the media began to address the Rays, it quickly became apparent how
much national interest Venezuela has in baseball.

Alvarez was asked the first question and it wasn't a lob ball as a reporter
inquired about his tight shoulder - and weight - which always is a topic of
interest to his countrymen.

Questions about Cairo's hamstring, Canseco's back, the starting lineup, the
pitching rotation, Latin ballplayers and how Canseco and Castilla would
co-exist in the same lineup followed.

Had the conference lasted longer, Naimoli would likely have been grilled
about why Tropicana field doesn't have a retractable roof.......

==========
From the Tampa Tribune:

...Jose Canseco and Chipper Jones received the most cheers for players not
from Venezuela. When it came to cheers for the Venezuelans, Wilson Alvarez,
Miguel Cairo, Ozzie Guillen and Eddie Perez all enjoyed rousing ovations,
but Andres Galarraga would have been a runaway winner in the cheer-off.

The crowd cheered when ``The Star Spangled Banner'' was played.

Only John Rocker received a mixture of cheers and boos during the
introductions and then he was booed as he left the game after experiencing
control problems in the fifth inning.

==========
From the Columbus Georgia Ledger-Enquirer:

Home cooking: Ozzie Guillen lives in Caracas, so he invited several
teammates and Devil Rays to his home for a chicken and rice lunch Saturday.
Jose Canseco, Vinny Castilla, Roberto Hernandez, Dave Martinez, Brian
Hunter, Reggie Sanders, Javy Lopez and Jordan accepted his invitation.

==========
From the Miami Herald:
Marino improving with age?
QB deflects questions, shines on golf course
By Jason Cole
jcole@...

Dan Marino finished his weekend of charity golf the same way he started it
-- by deflecting questions about his football future....

...Marino also finished by essentially thanking a reporter for asking about
the tournament and his charity work.

``It's great. That's a good question,'' Marino said, showing his weariness
with the retirement subject. ``To be able to come out here and play golf
and raise $400,000 for these kids. . . . They're seeing 2,000 kids a month
over there at the hospital. . . . Good question.''

Results (after 36 holes days)
1. Rick Rhoden, $30,000, 133;
2. Shane Rawley, 17,000, 142;
3. John Smoltz, $9,550, 143;
Mike Schmidt, $9,550, 143;
Dan Quinn, $9,550, 143;
Truck Robinson, $9,550, 143;
7. Ralpf Terry, $6,500, 144;
8. John Congemi, $6,100, 146;
9. Rudy Gatlin, $5,570; 147;
10. Dan Marino, amateur, 148;
Jack Marin, $4,875, 148;
...
Bubby Brister, Jose Canseco, Warren Sapp, Doug Flutie, Michael Bolton, WD;
Chris Sabo, Gus Frerotte, DQ.

(Looks like Jose withdrew. He had an 8:10 AM tee time with Doug Flutie,
and what I'm guessing is a 111 average score...?)
8:10 a.m.: Doug Flutie (112), Jose Canseco (111).

==========
From the Tampa Tribune:

No Canseco: Jose Canseco did not play Sunday, but the crowd encouraged
Rothschild to put him in in the late going by chanting ``Canseco! Canseco!''

Rothschild said he would have loved to put in Canseco, but didn't want to
risk putting him in cold.

==========
From the Tampa Tribune:
Baseball is a big hit among Venezuelans
By Bill Chastain

A breathtaking view of the Cerro Del Avila mountain range stared down at
the fans inside University Stadium as Jose Canseco took batting practice.
He couldn't, could he?

Maybe not, but judging from the delirium, expectations would have Canseco's
next blast clear the other side of the mountains, elevation 12,000 feet.

``Canseco! Canseco!''

The cries were constant during the weekend series between the Braves and
Devil Rays. Even the players noticed the attention directed toward Canseco
as they teased the slugger when he walked through the clubhouse:

``Canseco! Canseco!''

But the enthusiasm of the Venezuelan fans hasn't been reserved solely for
the stars. Just ask Rays catcher Mike Figga, who sat in the bullpen during
Saturday night's 13-5 loss to the Braves.

``The whole game they're yelling 'Feega, Feega,' '' Figga said. ``They
would throw the baseballs to you to sign. It was crazy. And that wave.''

Ah, yes, the Venezuelan wave, which differs from the American variety in
that fans actually get wet.

Once the wave reaches your seat in University Stadium, it doesn't matter
what's in your hands, you throw it into the air.

``Beer, food, everything,'' Figga said. ``Unbelievable.''

Indeed, baseball fans are different in Venezuela, but not because of the
way they do the wave. It's their interest in the game itself....

==========
From the St. Petersburg Times:
A Devil Ray puts stock in new venture
The Canseco Financial Group gives the slugger a leg up on his post-baseball
career.
By John Romano
March 22, 2000

ST. PETERSBURG -- Besides sir, what do you call a 6-foot-4, 250-pound,
heavily muscled man who wants your money?

In the case of Jose Canseco, the answer is financial planner.

The one-time bad boy of baseball is going legit. The Devil Rays designated
hitter recently opened the Canseco Financial Group, a mortgage and
financial investments firm.

Canseco, 35, became involved in the stock market a few years ago and is
looking to parlay it into a post-baseball career.

"I love this. It's like gambling," Canseco said. "It's a different aspect
for me. It's going from sports and strength and physical ability to mental
abilities, making choices."

If your first instinct is to scoff, Canseco is not surprised. He knows
better than anyone that his reputation for fast living has followed him long
after his lifestyle has slowed.

"I don't think most people realize I can even speak English," Canseco said,
"let alone own a business."

Canseco does not mind admitting that he is trading on his name recognition
to build his corporation. But he also said he has brought aboard a strong
financial planner to run the business end and he himself will get involved
looking for investments and potential clients.

"You can have 10 different companies that all have identical products.
Where are you going to go? To someone who has a name that attracts you,"
Canseco said. "It's all perception. You get three or four major names
together and right away the public is interested. They don't even care
about the details.

"You could be selling garbage cans and they won't care. They just want to
be a part of it."

Canseco's interest in financial planning was piqued several years ago when
he began investing in the stock market, buying primarily in the high-tech
field, including early investments in Yahoo and Amazon.com. He says his
stock investments will one day exceed his baseball earnings.

For the Canseco Financial Group, he hired one of his own financial
advisers, Walter Sollie, from Washington Mutual. (Although the business
area is similar, Canseco's company is not affiliated with Conseco, a
financial services firm heavily involved in sports sponsorships such as
Conseco Fieldhouse and Winston Cup racing.)

"He realizes his career has another three or four years to go, and he is
preparing to turn everything into the Canseco group," said Sollie, who is
the company's vice president. "He is a very, very active participant. He is
not just putting his name or his money into this. He is very, very astute
and is involved in everything that is going on."

Sollie and others in the company will do the hands-on work for now, but
Canseco said he will grow more involved after his playing days are over. He
also anticipates going into the sports-agent field, a business his twin
brother, Ozzie, already is in.

"When I retire from baseball, my brother obviously has a sports-agent
business, so I'm going to merge with him," Canseco said. "Who better could
understand the life of a baseball player? ... You can look at me and say,
"You were the best baseball player in the world at one time, you went
through family problems, you went through this, you went through that.' I
don't think I've missed anything in the highs and lows of baseball."

Canseco admits his notorious reputation may have cost him some endorsements
earlier in his career. Guns, starlets and fast cars are not exactly the
image most companies are hoping to project.

"I think I could have done a lot of things better. When I look back I
think:\ I did that? Wow," Canseco said. "It would have been better if I had a
squeaky clean image."

Canseco did his best to avoid the squeaky clean image for a number of years
but says maturity has finally taken hold.

Still, stock market investments were not something Canseco envisioned when
his major-league career began 14 years ago.

"Are you crazy?" he said. "I was investing in Ferraris."

==========
From USA Today Baseball Weekly (with Jose on the cover)
By any name, D-Rays' sluggers are a ...MURDERERS' ROW
By Pete Williams
Heart of the order
(for the full article, check out www.totalbaseballweekly.com)

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- RECOGNIZING THAT ALL accomplished foursomes need a
trendy nickname, or at least a catchy marketing slogan, the Tampa Bay Devil
Rays have issued a challenge to their fans to name the heart of the team's
revamped batting order.

It's not easy, as hundreds of Internet respondents have discovered.
"Tropicana Thunder" and "The Crunch Bunch," two popular suggestions, sound
more like groceries. "Fearsome Foursome," another leading contender, seems
more appropriate for the Buccaneers' defensive line.

So what do you get when you combine an ex-Bash Brother, a Crime Dog, a
former Blake Street Bomber and a guy sometimes mistaken for Darius Rucker,
the frontman for Hootie and the Blowfish?

The Four Pops? The Four Bops? The Four Trops?

"How about the "Four DHs?" suggests Jose Canseco, the actual designated hitter.

"I guess you could call them the ... the uh ... I don't know," says closer
Roberto Hernandez, shaking his head. "I do know they're going to give us a
lot of power."

A lot of power? Last year Canseco, Fred McGriff, Vinny Castilla and Greg
Vaughn had a combined total of 144 home runs, or one fewer than the Rays,
including Canseco and McGriff. In 1998, the four sluggers had an output of
161 homers, just four shy of the record total established by Roger Maris,
Mickey Mantle, Bill Skowron and Yogi Berra of the 1961 Yankees.

The Internet nicknamers, like the Rays themselves, have struggled to come
up with anything slicker than "The Bayside Bashers" to promote the quartet,
although the Rays' new marketing campaign - "Hit Show" - rightly suggests
the team no longer will have the plodding, punchless offense it presented
its first two seasons.

"There's no doubt that between us we can average at least 40 homers," says
Canseco, who says the team has more power potential than his Bash Brother
Oakland A's squad of the late 1980s. "This is as exciting a ballclub as
you're going to see. You're going to see a lot of balls hitting off those
rafters. If we can't get the fans out there now, it's going to be ridiculous."

Ridiculous? Perhaps, but it would not be surprising. The Rays' attendance
dropped from 2.5 million in the inaugural season of 1998 to 1.7 million
last year. The dip occured despite a respectable 22-20 start and despite
the fact that Canseco hit a major league-leading 31 home runs by the
All-Star break before undergoing back surgery. Even the promotions of
former marketing guru Mike Veeck did not help.

For every trailer park and strip club in this region, there seems to be a
reason for the Rays' attendance woes. The team plays in St. Petersburg,
nestled conveniently off Interstate 275, but suffers from a provincial fan
base that seems to believe nearby Tampa and Clearwater are each located 75
miles away rather than less than 20. Tampa Bay's per-capita income ranks as
the lowest among baseball cities while the beaches and climate provide
cheaper entertainment options than watching baseball indoors.

"People still look at the Rays as St. Petersburg's team," says McGriff, a
Tampa native. "If we start winning, people will find St. Pete isn't that
far away at all."...

...The muscular Vaughn looks downright spindly compared to Canseco, but has
matched him this spring in swagger and bravado, labeling the Rays playoff
contenders....

...Of course, things can only be so routine with Canseco around. Not long
after arriving in camp last month - five days late - he pledged to hit
between 50 and 60 runs and promised that the Rays would win at least 90
games - if he stays healthy.

But that's never a given. Canseco has played in 120 games just once since
1991. Last season, he was on pace to break former teammate Mark McGwire's
70-homer record for much of the first half before a second back surgery
left him contemplating retirement.

During the offseason, Canseco added eight pounds of lower-body muscle to an
already sculpted physique and arrived weighing 255 pounds. Remarkably,
Canseco says he toned down his weightlifting routine, concentrating on
muscles that support his oft-injured back.

"I feel extremely strong right now," Canseco said. "If I were to stay in
this condition the whole year, I'll definitely hit 50-60 home runs. There's
no ifs, ands or buts about that."

Canseco, who once was the more prominent Bash Brother, still draws crowds
wherever he goes, but has embraced the quiet lifestyle of this low-key
community. He continues to distance himself from his Ferrari past, selling
his 20,000 square foot mansion near Fort Lauderdale during the offseason
and reconciling with his second wife, Jessica, after filing for divorce
last year.

"He's fit in perfectly here," says LaMar, who passed on signing Canseco
before the 1998 season because of a domestic incident involving the slugger
and his wife. "If he had stayed healthy last year, there's no telling what
kind of numbers he would have put up and there's no reason to think he
couldn't do it again this year."

Canseco wants to finish business on and off the field. During the
offseason, he created the Canseco Financial Group, which offers clients
mortgage and financial assistance. He's constantly on the prowl for upstart
technology stocks and says his portfolio has returned more than 100%
annually in recent years.

Last week, Canseco passed out business cards and held court with reporters
for 40 minutes on business-related issues. "You should fire your investment
advisor if you're not getting at least a 40% annual return," Canseco said....

=============
Mark Petrillo
mark@...
Canseconet.com - The Jose Canseco Site