GiveHyzduashot
03-24-2002, 06:16 PM
I was reading stuff on the USA Today website, and came across this:
CHATTER]: Pittsburgh has a chance to be the worst team in baseball. The Pirates' likely race with Milwaukee at the bottom of the NL Central could be one of baseball's closest. Of course, don't rule out the Orioles-Devil Rays or Tigers-Royals thrillers.
Derek Bell isn't helping the Pittsburgh situation. Pat Rapp isn't helping. Of course, there is serious debate about how much they'll help once the season begins, anyway. That's the point. These guys don't exactly have the recent credentials to back themselves up in gripes about playing time and competition for jobs.
Bell says now that he's worried about the reception he'll get in Pittsburgh. Gee, you think so, Derek? The best thing going for Bell is that ticket sales have fallen off precipitously after Season One in a glorious new ballpark with an awful team. Fans apparently aren't willing to pay just to boo Mr. Bell. The paying public already is in Operation Shutdown.
This just goes to prove that new ballparks aren't panaceas. Ask Detroit. Ask Milwaukee next year without the attraction of the All-Star Game. A product on the field remains a necessity.
Points to Pirates manager Lloyd McClendon for blasting back at his disgruntled employees. But the manager could be at the root of another potential clubhouse problem. A few Pirates have quietly complained that since last year they have received what they feel is pressure from McClendon to drop their agents and that their manager has some suggestions of who to sign up with. So far, none of the players has done anything more than mention it to their agents. Remember, this is the man who decides the playing time of these players. The potential conflict is serious.
The last paragraph REALLY caught my eye. Not only is he an idiot to begin with, but now he is telling players what agent to sign with. Just wonderful. Fire him today and name someone else interim manager.
Link: http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/dailypitch/2002-03-22-pitch.htm
CHATTER]: Pittsburgh has a chance to be the worst team in baseball. The Pirates' likely race with Milwaukee at the bottom of the NL Central could be one of baseball's closest. Of course, don't rule out the Orioles-Devil Rays or Tigers-Royals thrillers.
Derek Bell isn't helping the Pittsburgh situation. Pat Rapp isn't helping. Of course, there is serious debate about how much they'll help once the season begins, anyway. That's the point. These guys don't exactly have the recent credentials to back themselves up in gripes about playing time and competition for jobs.
Bell says now that he's worried about the reception he'll get in Pittsburgh. Gee, you think so, Derek? The best thing going for Bell is that ticket sales have fallen off precipitously after Season One in a glorious new ballpark with an awful team. Fans apparently aren't willing to pay just to boo Mr. Bell. The paying public already is in Operation Shutdown.
This just goes to prove that new ballparks aren't panaceas. Ask Detroit. Ask Milwaukee next year without the attraction of the All-Star Game. A product on the field remains a necessity.
Points to Pirates manager Lloyd McClendon for blasting back at his disgruntled employees. But the manager could be at the root of another potential clubhouse problem. A few Pirates have quietly complained that since last year they have received what they feel is pressure from McClendon to drop their agents and that their manager has some suggestions of who to sign up with. So far, none of the players has done anything more than mention it to their agents. Remember, this is the man who decides the playing time of these players. The potential conflict is serious.
The last paragraph REALLY caught my eye. Not only is he an idiot to begin with, but now he is telling players what agent to sign with. Just wonderful. Fire him today and name someone else interim manager.
Link: http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/dailypitch/2002-03-22-pitch.htm