Hey Cansecoites...

It's almost time for baseball! Are you ready? Last year, about 70 of us
played in the free online "Heavy Hitters" fantasy baseball league. Those
of you who played may remember me being in first place in our group from
about week 4 or 5 until the VERY LAST WEEK of the season, when I was passed
(by a good friend of mine, I might add). I finished in second place last
year and I'm out for revenge in 2000. For a little friendly competition,
head on over to Canseconet.com and click on the banner located right below
the 2000 Jose Canseco Home Run Contest section of the main page. Sign up
for "Heavy Hitters" and then be sure to join the "Canseconet" group for a
little friendly competition.

Speaking of the 2000 Jose Canseco Home Run Contest, there are only a few
days left to enter. I'm still way behind on adding the entries to the
entires page, so don't panic if you've entered and don't see your
predictions out there yet. I'm working on it...

I hope you've all been enjoying the Big League Challenge on ESPN2. It
continues this week, and the amazing one hour final round (Jose vs. Rafael
Palmeiro) is being aired at 6:00 PM on Friday. If you don't have ESPN2,
fear not, the entire HR Derby will be airing on ESPN later this year. I'll
let you know when closer to the air times...

Apparently Jose back was stiff the other day. This concerns me. I would
REALLY like to see him make it through a full season for once... Keep your
fingers crossed.

Take it easy,
Mark

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From the St. Petersburg Times:

SITTING DOWN: Jose Canseco was scratched from the lineup with minor aches
and pains. Canseco had soreness in his right quadriceps that he said was
the result of dehydration. His lower back also was giving him trouble.

"It's just a little stiff," Canseco said of his back. "This is
precautionary stuff."

==========
From the AP:
Canseco's main goal in 2000: Stay healthy
By Fred Goodall
March 25, 2000

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) -- No matter where he goes, Jose Canseco can't
escape the same old questions.

At 35, how much longer does he feel can he play? How many homers is he
capable of hitting this season, especially considering he's coming off a
year in which he had back surgery for the second time? And, how many homers
would he have if his career had not been interrupted so many times by injuries?

Tampa Bay's designated hitter doesn't have firm answers, except for the latter.

``It's always brought up to me -- by my friends, family, the media. And all
you have to do is a little bit of mathematics,'' he says, estimating that
he could easily have about 120 more homers if not for all the time he's
spent on the disabled list in 14 seasons.

``There's no question to my ability. I don't think anybody's ever
questioned that,'' he said. ``It always has been my health. Hopefully it
stops being
that way, but I can't really control it.''

Canseco is preparing for his second season with the Devil Rays and refuses
to place limitations on what he's capable of accomplishing at this stage of
his career. He says he feels as strong as ever and that the only thing that
can stop him from producing big numbers this year is more bad luck with
injuries.

With 431 career homers, he's 25th on the career list and feels it's just a
matter of time before he reaches his goal of hitting at least 500. And if
he's able to stay healthy, who knows where he could wind up ranked in history.

``I definitely think if I had someone else's back, I could play until I'm
45 easily,'' he jokes. ``I'll probably have the most home runs compared to the
most surgeries.''

Canseco was leading the AL with 31 homers before undergoing surgery to
repair a herniated disc in his back just before the All-Star break last
July. He returned Aug. 19, two weeks earlier than expected, but a hand
injury contributed to him only hitting three homers the rest of the season.

His long track record of bouncing back from injuries is one of the reasons
he is so optimistic about what he can accomplish this year on a team that
beefed up the middle of its lineup with the offseason acquisition of power
hitters Greg Vaughn and Vinny Castilla.

``I don't think there's even a question of if I'm in the lineup what I can
bring to this team,'' says Canseco, who drove in 95 runs in 113 games in
1999.

He's averaged a homer every 12.66 at bats the last two seasons, the
third-best ratio in the AL behind Ken Griffey Jr.'s (11.86) and Manny
Ramirez (12.28). His career ratio of one every 15 at bats is fifth among
active players and ninth ever.

``I'm just happy I have the ability to come back as I have and to have been
able to put these numbers together like I have with the injuries I've had
... And who knows, I may hit 35 home runs by the All-Star break and go down
again. If it happens, I'll be back again.''

Canseco thinks he, Vaughn, Castilla and Fred McGriff can average 40 home
runs between them and help transform Tampa Bay from a last-place team to a
playoff contender this year. The four of them hit 144 in 1999, one fewer
than the entire Devil Rays team.

``It's definitely more offense than we had last season,'' the six-time
All-Star and two-time AL home run champion says. ``If we can stay healthy
and our pitching staff pitches the way it can ... we're going to be fine.''

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