Read this article in the Houston Chronicle and would just like to note that I like the effort being put forth by the Astros in keeping a player that has meant so much to the fans. Sometimes it’s better to maybe use a lesser player or in this case aging player that the fans have grown so attached to. I was lucky enough to see Tony Gwynn play his entire career in San Diego and think it was one of the reasons I became such a fan. Identifying with players keeps you coming back for more. Would I have liked to watch a few more winning seasons over the years? Sure, but thinking back on it, I would definitely not have wanted to trade wins for a whole new set of players year every year. Management needs to keep this in mind during the winter if baseball wants to remain popular in the “smaller” markets.
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October 23, 2006
Well, Tony LaRussa just answered my question about why he didn’t make a federal case out of the “clump of dirt.” He basically said he did it in the interest of the game. Apparently he told the umpires that he thought something funny was going on and he wanted it to stop. He wasn’t going to make a formal inquiry unless he wasn’t satisfied that the problem didn’t go away immediately. He also vehemently denied the idea that he didn’t cause a ruckus out of respect for his good pal Leyland.
I don’t love LaRussa, but that was a pretty classy move. It was also funny to watch him laugh and decide how to answer the question about whether he thought it was dirt. After a very pregnant pause he confessed that he didn’t think it was dirt. “It didn’t look like dirt.”
LaRussa gave an extensive preamble about the sanctity of competition. He basically said that he appreciates anyone trying to get a competitive advantage, but don’t go too far and if I catch you, don’t mess with me. Really makes you wonder about the McGwire/Canseco situation. How much did he know? Assuming he knew something how is his speech about the sanctity of the comeptition jive with his love affair with McGwire.
