Bengals Fine Du $35,000
Apr 21, 2008
Posted by Rob Phair

The Bengals need to find a new home for their last week away at Spring Training. One of the youngest teams in the OSBA with an average age of 22.6875, may show great maturity on the field but the immature slip ups off the field have gotten them evicted from their spring training home complex located just outside of Clearwater Florida. Since Jon Menezes is still on trial for murder, the coaching staff has had the players pretty much held on a very low key. The incident happened on Friday April 18th 2008, at a team party. An un-identified Bengal invited outside guests in when Coach Rattos left for a meeting. When wind of the party was released, a media circus erupted when questioned by a reporter Steve Simmons for the daily planet why he stands behind a criminal in Jonathan Menezes, Roger Du punched Mr Simmons and was held by police over night. Coach Rattos was quoted in saying “This isn’t Mr Du’s first run in with the law and we will look at his history over the next week or so. The OSBA has not handed down a suspension as of yet but we will be expecting news from the office within the next few days.” The Bengals will most likely add on to the OSBA’S suspension and have already fined Du $35,000.

Power is clearly a big part of #25 Greg Da Costa's game. Using the entire field, when necessary, also is something the first baseman is striving to accomplish. A review of DaCostas’ hitting chart shows that he is a pull hitter. Just two of the balls he put in play at home last season have been to the left side. “I'm trying to go gap-to-gap. Its nice hitting home runs. It's nice pulling the ball and things like that, but I'd rather be a .360 hitter with 10 [homers] than a .250 hitter with 15. You're going to help your team out a lot more if you hit higher. I'm just trying to be a complete hitter. That's how you become more consistent."

The Bengals are not looking forward to off season negotiations with shortstop #99 Kevin O'Toole. The Club holds an option year on the tail end of a 5 year 17.5 million contract with the option year set to pay O’Toole 3.8 million. O'Toole can guarantee that salary for next year simply by notching 96 more plate appearances this year. His contract stipulated that the option would vest for O’Toole, if he accumulated 200 plate appearances between the 2007-08 seasons. O’Toole had 104 plate appearances last season. Although his power numbers were down last season, the Bengals expect great things for O’Toole this year who’s phenomenal defence and pitching kept him in the starting line-up.

Black vs. Orange
Mar 31, 2008
Posted by Rob Phair

Mississauga Bengals All star Jonathan Menezes is about to find out that what happens in Vegas can’t always stay in Vegas. Court papers released on Thursday morning indicate that Mr. Menezes and another un-identified patron were put in custody of American police after attempting to pass the peace bridge in the back of a limo bus. Jonathan Menezes was released on a $500,000 bail. Team spokesmen for the Bengals indicated that Mr. Menezes is being accused of 1st degree murder. Court proceedings will continue on Tuesday April 1st. When asked about the situation, #42 Roger Du was quoted saying:
"All I have to say is that we stand behind Jon 100%. I haven't talked with him yet but this definitely isn't something Jon would do. Sure he may have a thing for hookers but it's nothing like murder. Everything will come to light eventually and I hope this doesn't affect him, if he can play for us this season."

In an inter-squad exhibition game the Bengals started with a spark. Leading off for the orange team, #21 Ryan Rattos lead off with a solo shot, much to the chagrin of starting pitcher #29 Jeff St Denis. After getting two quick outs on a ground out and fly out, #17 Andrew McDermid smoked a single up the gut and #16 Jeff Routledge extended the lead with a monster shot over the left field wall. The problem that ensued had nothing to do with his swing; it did however have a lot to do with the 5 seconds it took for Routledge to leave the box and possibly the slowest home run trot in the history of the game. The next batter was new acquisition and younger brother of pitcher Jeff St Denis #27 Andy St Denis. The first pitch in the at bat hit Andy right between the numbers, the benches cleared. Coach Rattos then cancelled the game and the whole team ran laps for 2 hours straight.

Finally good news out at Bengals camp the first annual charity golf tournament to be held in Guelph April 25th to 27th is only 12 tickets away from being 100% sold out. For information on how to get tickets or sponsor the event contact the Bengals forum.

Just Bengals Being Bengals 
Mar 11, 2008
Posted by Rob Phair

The theme this week out at Bengals camp might as well be “Just Bengals being Bengals.”  10 year vet Cody Ireland again flirts with the possibility of retirement. "I know I can play but I don't think I want to," a teary Ireland said in a news conference at Q Park. Much like past years Cody Ireland is just not sure if baseball or wrestling is going to be 1 A on his long list of endeavours. Ireland along with being an emotional leader on this Bengals squad also carries a career average of .436 and an ever so impressive OBP of .560. So you know that the Bengals will try to extend the best possible contract and situation to keep such a leader and team player in the organization for the foreseeable future.

In another case of Just Bengals being Bengals, Garrett Nicol, who might as well be known as Garrett “Stat Lover” Nicol. Was comparing his pitches seen per contact made at the cages and claims that it is only second to one other Bengals player. When ask who was first he was quoted as saying “Who cares I’ll be first soon, I should be anyway I tipped that third and fourth pitch last time.” That type of intensity is exactly what the Bengals coaching staff will be looking for from all the players from the beginning of this season right until the end on their hopeful road to the ship.

Roger Du has had to deal with lots of things this off season with the surgery on his shoulder and now his recent break up with supermodel Kate Beckinsale which has taken a turn for the worse. It seems that Miss Beckinsale has been seen wearing a #9 Bengals jersey while shopping in Brooklyn this past weekend. When asked about the incident #9 Kristopher Kibsey repeats “Miss Beckinsale and myself are just friends, I’m just helping her in this trying time in her life.” Bengals representatives stand firm that Du and Kibsey have talked about the situation and there is no problems viewed by either player.

"Bull" Pen Talk
Mar 6, 2008
Posted by Rob Phair

Right off the top we have some bad news out of Bengals land. An unnamed source close to the situation has informed "The Bull Pen" that the relationship between #42 Roger Du (aka Jackie Robinson Jr.) and his girlfriend Miss Kate Beckinsale of 5 months have split. There has been no confirmation from either party's representatives, however our source tells us that there is another Mississauga Bengals player that Miss Beckinsale has spent intimate time with in the past few weeks.

In other news, #1 Andrew Costley has begun his community service hours, stemming from the "Bottling incident" during last season’s trip to Barrie, which left Mr. Costley in jail for the night, All-star ace #12 Jonathan Menezes with a broken pitching arm and left #19 Brandon Hlynsky, #42 Roger Du and #5 Robert Phair in the lion’s den (Dog house) of player/manager #21 Ryan Rattos and player/coach #25 Greg DaCosta.

More trouble out at Bengals camp long time veteran #45 Cody Ireland and new franchise corner stone #8 Jonathan "The Rule" Amendola got into an altercation over a bench pressing competition. The competition which is said to be funded and ran by team fan and ex-major leaguer Pete Rose will be under further investigation in the coming weeks. Jonathan "The Rule" Amendola's training managers, "Rocket" Roger Clemens and Mike Vick will be the first two to be sent to the stand when court begins early next week...