Jose Canseco is back in the Boston area playing baseball (but it's not with the Boston Red Sox ... although they might be able to use him ... well, nevermind). Canseco has signed with the Worcester Tornadoes, an independent league team. Canseco, who was in town for the 100th anniversary of Fenway Park on Friday, spoke about his return to the area.
"I can't wait. It's what I love to do," Canseco said after yesterday's celebration. "I'll play anywhere, any time for any team that wants me. I'll play until I can't find a place to play. It's my addiction." (via Worcester Telegram & Gazette)
Believe it or not, local morning show hosts Fred Toucher and Rich Shertenlieb played a role in Canseco's return to the area, as Tornadoes team officials heard on the 98.5 The Sports Hub's Toucher & Rich morning show that Canseco was trying to make a return to baseball. They contacted him, and a deal has been in the works for the past two months.
"We're all very happy with how it played out," [Tornadoes general manager Jorg] Bassiacos said. "He'll be in town in May for spring training and we'll have a big debut then. Hopefully, this attention continues."
Canseco played 17 seasons in MLB, playing with the Boston Red Sox for two seasons from 1995 through 1996. Canseco's best season in Boston was in '95, when he hit .306 with 24 home runs and drove in 81 runs. Canseco's career has been overshadowed by his admitted steroid use, and he wrote a book titled Juiced: Wild Times, Rampant 'Roids, Smash Hits & How Baseball Got Big telling about his and others' steroid use.
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