Tejada ages two years in one day

[Ottomaton]

source (http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/5708800.html)


Tejada two years older than Astros thought
Shortsop, actually 33, lied about age when he signed in 1993


By JOSE DE JESUS ORTIZ
Copyright 2008 Houston Chronicle

PHILADELPHIA — Saying he wanted to unburden himself, Miguel Tejada approached general manager Ed Wade and asked to correct misinformation he gave the Oakland A’s when he signed in 1993. The Astros’ new shortstop is actually 33, two years older than he’s listed in the club’s media guide and other baseball records.

Tejada was actually 19 when he signed as a kid out of poverty-stricken Bani, Dominican Republic. At the time, he says, a local coach encouraged him to say he was 17.

"I'm a poor kid that wanted to sign," he said. "I’m feeling free now,” he said. “It’s something that I had in my mind.”

Tejada was signed out of the Dominican Republic by Hall of Famer Juan Marichal, but he was clear that Marichal had no part in the deception. Moreover, Wade and Tejada both said the shortstop’s green card, driver's license and other legal papers in the United States reflect his actual birthday, May 25, 1974.

The Astros’ media guide lists his birthday as May 25, 1976.

“The thing is I didn’t want Houston to find out from somebody else,” he said. “I wanted to find out just from my face. I’m a man and I’m responsible for everything. That’s why I prefer to come to them and say, ‘You know what? That’s the way it is and we’re moving forward.’

“I was feeling like I had something to say in the last three days. That’s why I waited for today to do it.”

Tejada, a former American League Most Valuable Player, has been well chronicled since before he reached the majors with the Oakland A’s. A book was even written about him, but his actual age is barely coming out now.

“Fact of the matter is that he plays like he's 25, so I don't think it really matters a whole lot,” said Wade, who indicated the age discrepancy first came out during the course of a media interview. “We're still trying to figure out Jose Cruz Sr's age.”

[msn]

"Once."

[Raven Lunatic]

How long was the contract we signed him for? Like 6 years? Signing a 31 year old to a 6 year contract is WAY different than signing a 33 year old to a 6 year contract. If Tejada really wants to be a man about this he should have no problem renegotiating his deal if the Astros want to do that. Wade can pretend like the age difference doesn't matter since he is playing so well right now, but towards the end of that contract it's going to REALLY matter.

[bobrek]

How long was the contract we signed him for? Like 6 years? Signing a 31 year old to a 6 year contract is WAY different than signing a 33 year old to a 6 year contract. If Tejada really wants to be a man about this he should have no problem renegotiating his deal if the Astros want to do that. Wade can pretend like the age difference doesn't matter since he is playing so well right now, but towards the end of that contract it's going to REALLY matter.

I believe he is only signed through this year. There may be an option for next year, but I don't know about that.

[Ric]

How long was the contract we signed him for? Like 6 years? Signing a 31 year old to a 6 year contract is WAY different than signing a 33 year old to a 6 year contract.
we didn't sign him; we inherited his existing deal, which, iirc, has this and next year left on it.

[Buck Turgidson]

He's signed through '09, and has the right (as a player with 5 years of service time who was traded in the middle of a multi-year contract) to demand a trade after this season or if not traded, become a free agent.

[cardpire]

haha. lying about age? eh, i'm sure he was telling the truth about not doing roids. :D

oh well. he can still ball.

[BigM]

it doesn't really matter considering his what his contract is. i've been mighty impressed with him this season regardless of his age.

[emjohn]

His green card and other US papers have the correct age? And this wasn't picked up on before now? Damn. Baseball is the greatest at keeping heads in the sand.

Evan

[Surfguy]

Who cares...as long as he can hit...which Adam never could.

[Raven Lunatic]

Aha, nevermind then. For whatever reason I misremembered that we gave him an extension after we traded for him. In that case, it really isn't that big of a deal.

[justtxyank]

His green card and other US papers have the correct age? And this wasn't picked up on before now? Damn. Baseball is the greatest at keeping heads in the sand.

Evan

Latin players do this all the time and get away with it.

[Buck Turgidson]

Latin players do this all the time and get away with it.
Not much anymore. Huge crackdown on falsified documents following 9/11.

[msn]

I misremembered
Rocket is still changing the world.

[Oski2005]

Looks like it was because of ESPN that he decided to tell the Astros.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3351418

Tejada admits to being two years older than Astros thought

Age ain't nothing but a number, unless you're Miguel Tejada.

The Houston Astros shortstop told the Oakland Athletics when he was signed out of the Dominican Republic in 1993 that he was 17. But he was actually 19, meaning he is now 33, two years older than his listed age in the Astros' media guide and other baseball records.

The shortstop was approached Tuesday by ESPN with evidence that he has lied about his identity throughout his career.

E:60 correspondent Tom Farrey presented Tejada with a copy of a birth certificate, filed by his father in his hometown of Bani, that showed he was born on May 25, 1974. The document was acquired by a Dominican law firm hired by ESPN after clerks at the town hall in Bani declared -- improperly -- that his records were confidential.

When asked if the birth certificate E:60 acquired was the real one, the former American League MVP said "probably" and walked out of the interview. He said he considered the information "personal."

E:60 plans to air its report on Tejada as part of its April 22 show (7 p.m. ET, ESPN).


"I'm a poor kid that wanted to sign," Tejada told the Houston Chronicle about how he followed a coach's advice in shaving two years off his age. "I'm feeling free now. It's something that I had in my mind."

The Astros' media guide lists Tejada's birthday as May 25, 1976. However, in addition to the birth certificate produced by ESPN, the Chronicle reported that Tejada's green card, driver's license and other legal papers in the United States list his actual birthday as May 25, 1974.

Tejada was signed out of the Dominican Republic by Juan Marichal, but he said that the Hall of Famer had nothing to do with the age change.

"The thing is I didn't want Houston to find out from somebody else," Tejada told the Chronicle. "I wanted to find out just from my face. I'm a man and I'm responsible for everything. That's why I prefer to come to them and say, 'You know what? That's the way it is and we're moving forward.'

"I was feeling like I had something to say in the last three days. That's why I waited for today to do it," he said.

Astros GM Ed Wade told the Chronicle that Tejada's real age came to light during a media interview.

"Fact of the matter is that he plays like he's 25, so I don't think it really matters a whole lot," Wade told the newspaper. "We're still trying to figure out Jose Cruz Sr.'s age."


It sounds to me like the set him up with a fake interview just to ambush him with this info. I'm sure they'll also show him leaving the interview and the requisite scene of the interviewer looking stunned that a person would walk off upset after being tricked into an interview.

[msn]

Wade's comment about Cruz is just awesome.

[Buck Turgidson]

It sounds to me like the set him up with a fake interview just to ambush him with this info. I'm sure they'll also show him leaving the interview and the requisite scene of the interviewer looking stunned that a person would walk off upset after being tricked into an interview.
The media wouldn't do that, would they?

Unless, contra to what has been reported, his official docs are also fraudulent (effecting his visa status), this is a complete non-story at this point. It certainly won't help him from a character standpoint if the DOJ/congressional investigation goes anywhere.

[justtxyank]

Not much anymore. Huge crackdown on falsified documents following 9/11.

There have been multiple international free agents that have been exposed in the past two years. It still happens quite a bit.

[Raven]

It sounds to me like the set him up with a fake interview just to ambush him with this info. I'm sure they'll also show him leaving the interview and the requisite scene of the interviewer looking stunned that a person would walk off upset after being tricked into an interview.

Well said.

Ambush journalism stinks.

[Buck Turgidson]

There have been multiple international free agents that have been exposed in the past two years. It still happens quite a bit.
Don't remember reading about them. Who?

[Oski2005]

There have been multiple international free agents that have been exposed in the past two years. It still happens quite a bit.


I think he means you won't see it happen with new players since 9/11.

[Smokey]

Can we fire Ed Wade and Cecil Cooper in one day?

Appoint Brad Ausmus as player/coach and go without a GM.

[Oski2005]

Can we fire Ed Wade and Cecil Cooper in one day?

Appoint Brad Ausmus as player/coach and go without a GM.


Should we cut Roy Oswalt while we're at it?

[Smokey]

Should we cut Roy Oswalt while we're at it?

No. I think Roy is okay :D

[The Cat]

Can we fire Ed Wade and Cecil Cooper in one day?

Appoint Brad Ausmus as player/coach and go without a GM.

Yeah, it's all Ed Wade's fault. If only they had kept exactly the same team from last year, and not added that Tejada guy. That's the winning ticket!

[JoeBarelyCares]

There is ample precedent. Hakeem and Deke were no doubt 2-3 years older than their published age. Yi is probably 3 years older than his alleged age. Danny Almonte shaved a couple years off his birth certificate to play in the little league WS. Quite a few women are 29 or 39 and holding. So 2-3 years is about the average fudge factor. LeBron is probably the worst offender - I'm guessing he's 30.

[cmpatel]

they just showed part of the "interview" from e:60 on sportscenter....wow tejada got pissed and walked away it was bad....they confronted him with his birth certificate....another instance in which espn shows their hate for houston area sports....not saying they shouldnt have broken the story...but to do it like that....wow....just wow

[htownballa23]

The media wouldn't do that, would they?

Unless, contra to what has been reported, his official docs are also fraudulent (effecting his visa status), this is a complete non-story at this point. It certainly won't help him from a character standpoint if the DOJ/congressional investigation goes anywhere.

Looks like they did. They have the interview on ESPN.com, check it out

[LFE171]

well, looks like mutombo and yao are next. :cool:

[raw10628]

This just in, Greg Oden is LeBron's father. :eek:

[WhoMikeJames]

Is this real or fake publicity for ESPN?

[H-townhero]

It's real, just showing why ESPN is junk except for highlight reels.

[Achilleus]

Tejada takes the high road

By John Ryan
Mercury News


Miguel Tejada made the best of a bad situation Thursday. The same can't be said for ESPN.

Tejada told the Houston Astros he is 33 years old, not 31, revealing a discrepancy that has existed since he signed with the A's in 1993 in the Dominican Republic.

"I was a poor kid," Tejada told reporters. "I wanted to sign a professional contract, and that was the only way to do it. I didn't want or mean to do anything wrong. At the time, I was two years older than they thought."

He added that a local coach told him to say he was 17, not 19. (Juan Marichal signed him, but Tejada said Marichal had nothing to do with the ruse.)

The matter came to light because of an ambush interview Tuesday by ESPN's "E:60," which purports to be like "60 Minutes" but looks more like "Inside Edition." Reporter Tom Farrey sat down with Tejada on Tuesday and - with cameras rolling - surprised him with a copy of his birth certificate. ESPN gleefully posted the video of that exchange, which ended with Tejada taking off his microphone and walking out of the interview.

The network says it will be part of Tuesday's episode. The context is unclear - but the context doesn't matter. ESPN, in getting Tejada to agree to a sit-down, somehow left out the part about the sole reason for the interview.

Nonetheless, it's a non-issue for the Astros.

"We told Miguel we were going to go ahead and make the appropriate changes and all the information was put forward," General Manager Ed Wade said. "But the fact of the matter is he's playing like he was 25."

http://www.mercurynews.com/morningbuzz/ci_8969638

[Mad-Mac]

"But the fact of the matter is he's playing like he was 25."
I'm convinced that ESPN and most of the national media hates Tejada. From the day the trade was made, they continuously noted how he was falling off and was not a deserving big name player anymore. This was just a really low class thing for the producer and reporter to do.

I don't really care, he's managed to become my favorite current Astro already. I hope we manage to lock him down for the rest of his career (given that he'll accept a sensible contract.)

[DaDakota]

An angry motivated Tejada is great for the Astros...

DD

[justtxyank]

Oh please. If this was ESPN busting Roger Clemens in an interview with proof he had done steroids you'd all be in favor it.

[ruddy]

ruddypr (Just now) Espn just suck! Shame isn't on Miguel, shame is on you ESPN, this is the low low of the low you can go.

I just left my comment over there. Come and bring your grain of salt boys. :mad:

http://sports.espn.go.com/broadband/video/videopage?videoId=3351771

[anesticle]

The video from the interview:

http://sportswrap.berecruited.com/2008/04/17/video-espn-ambushes-miguel-tejada-with-age-question-tejada-admits-hes-33-though-his-bio-says-hes-31/

[Major]

I don't really care, he's managed to become my favorite current Astro already. I hope we manage to lock him down for the rest of his career (given that he'll accept a sensible contract.)

You should appreciate what ESPN did then. When it comes time to possibly extend Tejada, the Astros will benefit a lot in 2009 knowing that he's 35 and not 33.

[msn]

You should appreciate what ESPN did then. When it comes time to possibly extend Tejada, the Astros will benefit a lot in 2009 knowing that he's 35 and not 33.
They could have reported the piece and shown us all his birth certificate without the whole interview-on-false-pretenses nonsense.

Tejada lied, and liars suck--but that doesn't make what ESPN did credible "journalism". It was bush league. The investigation was fine, wanting to report the information was fine, but lying to Tejada about the nature of the interview, and springing that on him like some kind of subpoenaed (sp?) soon-to-be-convicted criminal in the stand on trial was *not*.

Bush.

[Buck Turgidson]

I think he means you won't see it happen with new players since 9/11.
Right. There was a huge group of latin players, mostly Dominican, who had their ages upped (Wandy Rodriguez/Eny Cabreja is the notable one locally) in the couple of years following that. Haven't heard much since, which is why I'm curious who these multiple players are that have been busted in the past couple of years.

[SamCassell]

They could have reported the piece and shown us all his birth certificate without the whole interview-on-false-pretenses nonsense.

Tejada lied, and liars suck--but that doesn't make what ESPN did credible "journalism". It was bush league. The investigation was fine, wanting to report the information was fine, but lying to Tejada about the nature of the interview, and springing that on him like some kind of subpoenaed (sp?) soon-to-be-convicted criminal in the stand on trial was *not*.

Bush.
I agree with this. Verbatim. I'm surprised that baseball doesn't do simple background checks that would determine public information about their players, like a DOB reflected on 2 public documents, a driver's license and a birth certificate.

[BrooksBall]

Now E:60 needs to go find evidence that the As/Os owners and front office folk knew about Tejada's real age and ambush them, too.

Like the steroids problem, the players are getting too much of the blame. It's the media's fault.

[Major]

They could have reported the piece and shown us all his birth certificate without the whole interview-on-false-pretenses nonsense.

Tejada lied, and liars suck--but that doesn't make what ESPN did credible "journalism". It was bush league. The investigation was fine, wanting to report the information was fine, but lying to Tejada about the nature of the interview, and springing that on him like some kind of subpoenaed (sp?) soon-to-be-convicted criminal in the stand on trial was *not*.

Bush.

Certainly true - but I have a hard time feeling sorry for Tejada too. He lied to a lot of people, both initially (understandably) and then later on when signing a big contract. ESPN probably should have done it better; Tejada probably should have been more forthcoming. But ultimately, it's important for the Astros that they found out.

[msn]

Certainly true - but I have a hard time feeling sorry for Tejada too.
Indeed. The actions of the two have to be viewed within their separate contexts. Tejada lied, and he should have known, especially after the conundrum a few years back, that the gig would be up one day.

To say ESPN was bush league--which they were--is not to beg any sympathy for Tejada.

But ultimately, it's important for the Astros that they found out.
Yep. Bargaining power! Honestly, unless Tejada at 35 looks like Biggio at 39, I'd like to see him stay around another couple of years after '09.

[justtxyank]

Now E:60 needs to go find evidence that the As/Os owners and front office folk knew about Tejada's real age and ambush them, too.

Like the steroids problem, the players are getting too much of the blame. It's the media's fault.

Is this sarcasm? The owners and FO have no reason to have willingly deceived anyone about a player's age. The latin players who lie to make themselves younger are doing it to make them look more attractive to scouts. There is no complicity from the owners of the FO in this instance. They hate this.

[MaxwellsTemper]

Is this sarcasm? The owners and FO have no reason to have willingly deceived anyone about a player's age. The latin players who lie to make themselves younger are doing it to make them look more attractive to scouts. There is no complicity from the owners of the FO in this instance. They hate this.
True. But at the same time, he's been a successful player. The only team that would bother to look into it would be the team he is playing for. And why would the front office of a team want to get one of their own best players kicked out of the league or suspended?

If he had been playing terribly the past few seasons, who is to say that a source may not have "anonymously" reported something about his documentation, leading to the team "investigating it" and thus negating his contract?

[Major]

True. But at the same time, he's been a successful player. The only team that would bother to look into it would be the team he is playing for. And why would the front office of a team want to get one of their own best players kicked out of the league or suspended?

If he had been playing terribly the past few seasons, who is to say that a source may not have "anonymously" reported something about his documentation, leading to the team "investigating it" and thus negating his contract?

Except that his age being wrong wouldn't get him kicked out of the league, suspended, or cause his contract to be voided.

[justtxyank]

True. But at the same time, he's been a successful player. The only team that would bother to look into it would be the team he is playing for. And why would the front office of a team want to get one of their own best players kicked out of the league or suspended?

If he had been playing terribly the past few seasons, who is to say that a source may not have "anonymously" reported something about his documentation, leading to the team "investigating it" and thus negating his contract?

As Major points out below me, there are no ramifications (or there have been none historically) for a player in this situation. Once the contract is signed, it's signed. Baseball contracts are the most concrete contracts in sports.

So like I said, there is no complicity with the owners or FO people in this. They don't benefit in any way and can actually be hurt by it. The poster who said that they should investigate owners in this was being foolish.

[MaxwellsTemper]

Except that his age being wrong wouldn't get him kicked out of the league, suspended, or cause his contract to be voided.
I hadn't realized that.

[justtxyank]

To me the funniest part is that Tejada said he wanted to get this off his chest and told the Astros because he wanted to be a man or whatever.

HAHAHA

He got busted and wanted to tell them before the story broke. This is like a cheating husband getting arrested at a whore house and then telling his wife before his trial date and saying "I just wanted to tell you the truth."

Only not as bad. :p

[hieuytran]

they need to find out how old mutombo really is hahaha :D

[Mad-Mac]

You should appreciate what ESPN did then. When it comes time to possibly extend Tejada, the Astros will benefit a lot in 2009 knowing that he's 35 and not 33.
I don't have an issue with ESPN finding out and reporting his true age, my issue with the whole thing is the way they tricked him and sprung the birth certificate on him. Beyond that, it was a favor for the Astros.

[msn]

I don't have an issue with ESPN finding out and reporting his true age, my issue with the whole thing is the way they tricked him and sprung the birth certificate on him. Beyond that, it was a favor for the Astros.
On camara, no less. I agree with you.

To me the funniest part is that Tejada said he wanted to get this off his chest and told the Astros because he wanted to be a man or whatever.

HAHAHA

He got busted and wanted to tell them before the story broke. This is like a cheating husband getting arrested at a whore house and then telling his wife before his trial date and saying "I just wanted to tell you the truth."
Precisely--that has been my impression of Tejada in this the entire time.

It also erases whatever shred of doubt I had left as to whether he did steroids. Dude is obviously very comfortable with lying in any context.

[DaDakota]

Wait someone lied about their age.

Oh the horror !

DD

[BrooksBall]

Is this sarcasm? The owners and FO have no reason to have willingly deceived anyone about a player's age. The latin players who lie to make themselves younger are doing it to make them look more attractive to scouts. There is no complicity from the owners of the FO in this instance. They hate this.

All his official paperwork had his real DOB. How could they not know?

Maybe they didn't say anything because they didn't want the bad PR for signing him. Sound familiar?

[Nashvegas]

I was watching a preview of that ESPN show E60. Next Tuesday they have a special on Tejada. He gets up and walks out of the interview so I guess this show is the one who confronts him about his age and is why he come clean.

Or it could be about steriods. Either way, he looked pissed and walked out.

[leroy420]

I was watching a preview of that ESPN show E60. Next Tuesday they have a special on Tejada. He gets up and walks out of the interview so I guess this show is the one who confronts him about his age and is why he come clean.

Or it could be about steriods. Either way, he looked pissed and walked out.

It's about the age thing. They preface it as, "The shady life of Miguel Tejada". What a bunch of crap.

[thirdcoastTXpulse]

Not much anymore. Huge crackdown on falsified documents following 9/11.

Hahaha...come work with me on la frontera.


Unless you are an AUSA and see it first hand don't take the media or some talking head's word for it.

18 U.S.C. 1028 - which can lead to

18 U.S.C 911 - and hopefully

8 U.S.C 1325..or..26

[Buck Turgidson]

Hahaha...come work with me on la frontera.
I was talking about baseball.

[juicystream]

His green card and other US papers have the correct age? And this wasn't picked up on before now? Damn. Baseball is the greatest at keeping heads in the sand.

Evan

I'm curious. This wasn't noticed when they picked him up. Baseball players are employees, thus they have to show documentation such as driver's license and other docs to prove they are allowed to work in the United States.

[Supermac34]

I guess this would be a much bigger deal if he had 5 or 6 years left on a contract.

[Buck Turgidson]

I'm curious. This wasn't noticed when they picked him up. Baseball players are employees, thus they have to show documentation such as driver's license and other docs to prove they are allowed to work in the United States.
It sounds to me like something that got into the baseball side of the system (media guides, internal player databases, etc...) a long time ago, but was correct on the business/accounting/payroll side (which would get their data from official docs & sources), and the discrepancy was never noticed.

[justtxyank]

But the Oakland As didn't know his age was incorrect. It isn't like it was just a clerical error and everyone really knew his age and had taken it into account.

[WhoMikeJames]

Who cares he's playing like he's 25.

[H-townhero]

With another 4-5 night, Tejada jumped from the 16th best hitter in MLB to the 4th. I know it's early in the season, but damn that is quite a jump in 1 game. Talk about hot.

He's 33? Fooled me. :confused:

[Oski2005]

Did anybody watch it? I guess this is the 2nd airing on ESPN 2, it's coming up after the break. I need to know what I'm going to complain to them about in my email.

[Mad-Mac]

It's important because he's under investigation due to his knowledge of steroids! :rolleyes:

The report was really overly dramatic, what they said really isn't worth more than a blurb on Sports Center.

The way he's been at the plate recently, I hope they claim he murdered someone, get his home run numbers up.

[pgabriel]

guys guys guys guys, let espn have their day. they're trying to be a real news organization now. they need scandals

[Buck Turgidson]

Richard Justice said (insert caveat) on the radio yesterday that *all* the MLB clubs are pissed about this and that the media relations/PR people are refusing to communicate with ESPN personnel.

[Oski2005]

Richard Justice said (insert caveat) on the radio yesterday that *all* the MLB clubs are pissed about this and that the media relations/PR people are refusing to communicate with ESPN personnel.

Did he say anything specific?

[Buck Turgidson]

[A]ccording to Tejada and the Astros, his green card, driver's license and other personal documents show his correct date of birth.

The only things listing an incorrect birth date are media guides from the teams for which he has played. Please. Some of the finest fiction ever written appears in sports media guides.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/5722962.html

And there's this from Dave Barron...

Well, well, well. Perhaps ESPN's E:60 will now turn its attention, and its finely tuned sense of outrage, to Kevin Kennedy, the former MLB manager and Fox Sports analyst who has come clean with his dastardly plot to lie about his age.

Kennedy, during Saturday's Fox MLB pregame show, acknowledged his heinous prevarication while talking with host Jeanne Zelasko about the Miguel Tejada case:

"It happened to me at San Diego State when I signed in 1976," he said. "My actual birthday is May 26th, but my scout suggested I change 5/26 to 9/26. Since the draft was in June, I would play as a 21-year-old and get drafted as a 21-year-old. It works better for your first season. You get drafted at a higher round and make more money."

http://blogs.chron.com/sportsmedia/2008/04/fox_mlb_analyst_says_he_fibbed.html

Oski, I had the radio on while working in the yard, was only catching bits & pieces, but I heard him say pretty much exactly that. He also reported in his blog that the Lakers declined to be interviewed for an espn segment or show due to how Tejada was treated.