FanHouse BernieWilliams

Federal authorities have asked seven Major League Baseball players -- Greg Maddux, Bernie Williams, Johnny Damon, J.D. Drew, Andruw Jones, Carlos Pena and Jay Bell -- to return millions of dollars that they received from investor R. Allen Stanford as part of a payout in his alleged Ponzi scheme, according to a report in the Washington Times.

The players -- all clients of Scott Boras -- did not commit any wrongdoing, but, as early investors in the Stanford Financial Group, are believed to have received dividends from Stanford financed by investors that came after.

NEW YORK -- Bernie Williams' new CD, to be released April 14, is titled, Moving Forward.

Which he is. Reluctantly.

Williams, 40 and out of the big leagues since 2006, maintains he can still play. He suited up for Puerto Rico in the WBC, but not as a swan song.

"I felt really good about playing," he said Friday. "I am my worst critic, and I didn't feel very bad about it."

Williams spoke before taping the YES Network interview show CenterStage. The episode airs April 8.

While his next few weeks are dedicated to promoting the album and playing some concerts, Williams wants to play baseball again.

Wednesday night, Bernie Williams played for the Puerto Rican team in the World Baseball Classic. Puerto Rico defeated the Netherlands 5-0. Maybe he was depressed about his having left four men on base in only two at-bats, or maybe he was celebrating the victory. Either way, Williams was out at 2:30 in the morning at a nightclub in San Juan following the game.

Allegedly, a woman tried to take his picture and he became angry, breaking her camera and hitting her in the face. This woman has filed a complaint.

The Daily Jolt is a dose of baseball reality every weekday morning.

Though it is being greeted largely with yawns of indifference, the World Baseball Classic is less than 24 hours away. OK, so maybe it is a far cry from Opening Day. Maybe we aren't sure how to feel about a tournament that's supposed to crown a true world champion, but is unforgiving to the point that two losses equal elimination. Maybe we don't know what to make of a tournament that is supposed to be chock full of national pride and pageantry, but is an afterthought to many of our favorite stars.

It would have been a pretty cool sight to see Bernie Williams lace 'em up one more time in the World Baseball Classic after not having played baseball for two years. And he made a valiant attempt as he joined a winter league team in Puerto Rico to prepare. But circumstances beyond his control has changed his plans, as a serious quad injury has derailed his comeback, and at the age of 40 has probably ended his baseball career for good.

It just shows you how tough it is to come back from a long layoff and get back to playing shape. And let this be a cautionary tale if anyone decides they want to take a chance and sign Barry Bonds, who also hasn't played in a while.

As for Williams, if indeed he doesn't heal in time for the Classic, it looks like he'll have to fall back on his music career for good this time. The next WBC isn't going to happen until 2013.

Arm Bash: Zell's Pinstripe Blog

Though technically he never officially retired, Bernie Williams hasn't played baseball since 2006. The former member of the Yankees dynasty, who has four World Series rings, is going to get some experience in Puerto Rico this winter. He'll be playing on the Carolina Giants, as their general manager Enrique Cruz says.

"With a ballplayer like him, even though he hasn't been playing for two years, you can't say no," Cruz told The Associated Press.

The real reason Bernie's putting the cleats back on is that he hopes of joining Puerto Rico's team in the World Baseball Classic this March. Getting some cuts in this winter would help get him back into the groove of playing baseball. He's only 40 years old, and is said to be in good shape, so I wouldn't disagree with the prospect that he can help the Puerto Rican team in the upcoming Classic.

Actually, if he tears up the WBC, I wonder if the Yankees would throw a ton of money at him? They are throwing it around with impunity this winter, so why not re-up with the beloved Bernie?

Yeah, I'm joking, but I'm very interested to see if he can still play.

Our MLB editor files dispatches from the Winter Meetings in Las Vegas in Notes From Sin City.

Joe Torre's admiration for veteran players like Bernie Williams in his years with the Yankees is almost legendary, so it should come as no surprise that, as the Dodgers try to navigate through an offseason of expansive upheaval, Torre is placing a big emphasis on veteran players.

Torre raved about the apparent signings of infielders Mark Loretta and Casey Blake for that reason, and the value he places on experience quickly bled over into a discussion about pitching.

"You need somebody to lead the way," said Torre. "If you do have that one guy that they can follow to take the pressure off the young guys and stop a losing streak, it makes life easier."

Chad Billingsley, who is only 24, has the most major league experience of all the starting pitchers on Los Angeles' big league roster. That's not exactly the type of veteran leadership Torre is talking about.

Later today, the Red Sox will stroll out of the visitor's dugout and face the Yankees for the final time at venerable Yankee Stadium. There will be other goodbyes to the House That Ruth Built in the coming weeks, but with the Bronx Bombers a major longshot to play into October, this series seems to have taken on special significance.

Here are a dozen of the finest moments in the best rivalry in American sports, all of which took place at Yankee Stadium. Even Red Sox fans have to be feeling a little nostalgic about their team's final visit. After all, the franchise's finest hour took place there.

1. Oct. 16, 2003: The ghosts strike one last time. After Red Sox manager Grady Little leaves Pedro Martinez in well past the 100-pitch mark with a 5-2 lead in the eighth inning, the Yankees rally to force extra innings. In the 11th, Aaron Boone sends a deep fly into the Bronx night, sending New York to the World Series and crushing Boston's dreams of ending the Curse of the Bambino again.

You would think that Yankees GM Brian Cashman would know better than to talk smack about not only one of his former players, but one of the most beloved Yankees of his era. But Cashman roasted Bernie Williams over the coals ... in front of impressionable students no less.

The popular former Yankees' outfielder wasn't pleased to hear the opinion of general manager Brian Cashman, who felt that Williams' musical interests "took away from his play."

"I don't think he has any basis to say anything like that," Williams said at Greentree Country Club, where he hosted his sixth Hillside Food Outreach dinner and auction to benefit needy Westchester families.

His voice was calm, but Williams' manner was direct. "Let me put it this way," he said after a pause. "Questioning a person's commitment to the team is a very serious accusation, at least in my book."

Meow. More good ol' fashioned mudslinging after the jump.

So we know that Dodger manager Joe Torre (I wonder if Yankee fans have gotten used to the phrase "Dodger manager Joe Torre" yet) admits that it's possible that Alex Rodriguez would don some Dodger Blue in 2008. Well, as long as we're talking about former Yankees making the pilgrimage west to the land of Dodger Dogs and Vin Scully, how about Bernie Williams? Just like A-Rod ... a definite maybe.

Neither Williams nor Torre would dismiss speculation last night that Williams could return to the major leagues in 2008, perhaps as a member of the Dodgers.

"We haven't talked about it, but I certainly wouldn't close the door as far as listening to him and taking a look and seeing," Torre said before the annual gala for his Safe at Home Foundation, a charity devoted to curbing domestic violence. "He'd have to relocate, and I'm not sure if he's into that."

When the possibility of returning to the major leagues was posed to Williams, he said it was something that he had considered. "The question is still on my mind," Williams said before last night's charity event. "I'm still trying to stay in shape and do all the things I need to do to make sure I'm still in good physical condition. It's still up in the air."

Williams would probably be not much more than a spare outfielder, pinch hitter off the bench, but Williams to the Dodgers is interesting if only for the veteran leadership he would provide to a roster where the old guys aren't getting along with the young guys (maybe Williams' guitar playing can soothe everyone's mood).

Also, Williams probably could have played major league baseball in '07, but it seemed that it was either the Yankees or nobody for Bernie. But now with Torre in L.A., the door is at least a crack open for him to relocate. And that's how Torre is changing the baseball landscape ... one ex-Yankee at a time.

Previously on FanHouse:
A-Rod a Dodger? Joe Torre Says Maybe