GMJ is grouchy
by Adam J. Morris on Mar 16, 2009 11:24 AM CDT
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PrintGary Matthews, Jr., isn't happy with his situation in Anaheim:
Gary Matthews Jr., who ranks no higher than fifth on the Angels' outfield depth chart, said Sunday he does not wish to accept a reserve role this season.
"My goal is to play every day," Matthews said. "I hope that's here.
"I don't intend to sit around and play a couple times a week like last year."* * *"I sacrificed by changing positions, not making a stink about it and playing when I was hurt, with a pretty significant injury," Matthews said. "I did what I was supposed to do and kept my mouth shut.
"Now that I'm healthy, I want to go back to playing every day. I don't think anybody would fault me for that."
And what does manager Mike Scioscia have to say about that?
"We have a lot of guys battling for at-bats," Scioscia said. "Gary has to get healthy, and we'll see where he is."
The Angels, of course, would dump Matthews for a beanpie and a bag of jalapeno Cornnuts if anyone would take him and his salary, but I can't see that happening.
The Rangers, you may recall, got Michael Main and Neil Ramirez when GMJ walked, and GMJ's 2006 season screamed fluke, so it made sense at the time to let him walk. Surely, no one could have been complaining about that move at the time, right?
Oh, yeah...Jim Reeves was, in April, 2007:
Tom Hicks flew in here from Liverpool, England, on Monday, presumably with the $10 million he saved by not re-signing Gary Matthews Jr. this past off-season jingling around in his pocket with a few extra British pounds in his loose change.What the Angels got for their $10 million was Matthews' usual spectacular defense in center field and a three-game sweep of the Rangers to open the season.
I'll let you figure out who got the best end of the deal.
* * *
Suddenly, the $50 million the Angels will pay Matthews over the next five years doesn't seem quite so extravagant.
Someone should email Revo and ask if he still thinks the Angels got the best end of that deal.
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Reeves, Josey, et al
will just say that Main and Ramirez haven’t done anything in The Show(need that little trademark symbol here) yet.
G G G E-flat_______ F F F D__________....
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The 40 Trumps All!!!
I love you, Marcus Lemon.
"I don’t have any respect for anybody on here. Everyone on here is a fucking asshole who thinks they’re god compared to everyone else." -iorange555, throwing one of his patented sandy-vagina'd hissy fits.
by thedirkatron on Mar 16, 2009 8:31 PM CDT up reply actions
My initials
are tm so when I was a kid of course I used to pretend that all that stuff was mine.
G G G E-flat_______ F F F D__________....
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Texas Rangers 2009 World Series Champions™
You heard it here first.
"This report of my death was an exaggeration"--Mark Twain
by rangerdanger on Mar 17, 2009 2:33 AM CDT up reply actions
if we offered the angels Main and Ramirez
for GMJ… how much of the salary do you think the angels would pick up for us? hypothetical of course not saying we should actually do.
Shart
When I see a solar eclipse I think "oh no, is the moon eating the sun"
by Pocket Ninja on Mar 17, 2009 11:05 AM CDT up reply actions
Funny.
You’d think a guy with Reeves’ integrity would own up to making such a bad call and maybe acknowledging the John Boy acted correctly when they let GMJ walk. I’m sure he’s drafting that column even as we speak ….
I wonder if he is going to try
to threaten “Operation Shutdown” like Derek Bell did.
Get off my lawn.
Ah, yes
“Operation Shutdown.” That was pretty amusing.
by Adam J. Morris on Mar 16, 2009 11:51 AM CDT up reply actions
Back around 2001 or 2002
Bell said that he wasn’t going to compete for a job in Pittsburgh, even though he hit something like .175 the previous season. He didn’t want to prove his ability because he may get hurt. He said if was in a competition he was going to go into Operation Shutdown. He was released later that Spring and never played in the majors again.
Yeah, something in 2006.
"My mother always taught me that if the only thing you have to say is,
‘(Expletive) Dave Samson,’ then don’t say anything at all.
So I’m not going to say anything at all.
Is my mother the greatest or what?"
- Mariners GM Bill Bavasi, after signing Ichiro to a $90 million contract
Ah, I love stories like this....
I love it when a player doesn’t understand it is a privilege to play a game, not a right…… and gets his ass handed to him.
Adam J. Morris - "Murphy isn't that good. He is overrated by Rangers fans."
....How dare you, sir!! Take it back!!
+1
-- Micah
Baseball Is My Boyfriend
I want to be the next Annie Savoy.
by The Best Micah on Mar 16, 2009 7:55 PM CDT up reply actions
OT - we have definitive proof that ARod is more clutcher (clutchier?) than MY
"He will not coddle them. Nolan Ryan doesn’t coddle." - Jeff Passan
Heh
That’s Blair, who basically has an anti-Young vendetta as part of his DNA. And he uses the close and late framework, which many here discussed versus the RISP-2 out and other variables. The data is correct of course, but it’s presented to reinforce a point.
"He uses statistics as a drunken man uses lamp-posts... for support rather than illumination." - Andrew Lang (1844-1912)
by Ed Coffin on Mar 16, 2009 2:10 PM CDT up reply actions
Yeah I know
who he is. I just found it a waste of time and I thought others might be interested :)
"He will not coddle them. Nolan Ryan doesn’t coddle." - Jeff Passan
by Dirk Diggler on Mar 16, 2009 2:19 PM CDT up reply actions
Reeves
probably doesn’t remember who GMJ is. Therefore, you will never see a retraction on that column.
by Arlington Stadium Legend on Mar 16, 2009 12:45 PM CDT reply actions
Hey GMJ.....
All you have to do is perform better than the four guys in front of you. What?? You can’t do that?? Well then………STFU!!
Adam J. Morris - "Murphy isn't that good. He is overrated by Rangers fans."
....How dare you, sir!! Take it back!!
GMJr
What a bust he has become. I have to admit, I liked him a lot. Not his ultimate contract, but, I like him as a player. Thank goodness wise men prevailed on that decision.
Adam nailed it
Gary has been known to be grouchy before this portrayal of his lineup chances popped up. He’s able to put his smiling, charismatic and open attitude on, and he’s able to take it off in favor of the – - what to say? – - OK, the wiser than others think he is heglected and should be treated better despondent but smiling through his pain waif who maybe doesn’t have anything to prove (or so he may believe).
"He uses statistics as a drunken man uses lamp-posts... for support rather than illumination." - Andrew Lang (1844-1912)
by Ed Coffin on Mar 16, 2009 9:21 PM CDT up reply actions
reply
I guess mentally, he’s struggling with the idea that he’s a “reserve” type of player.
But, less one or two stretches, he’s sorta been a 4th OF-er most of his life.
MY Reply Button!
Sorry, I goofed. I was trying to reply to Ed and overlooked the reply button. Back to the penalty box for me!
Yeah
I really don’t get his bitching. Before 2006, he was thankful to at least be a 4th OF. 3 years later, he’s being paid about 10 times as much to do the same job. It doesn’t seem so bad to me.
By 2028, Mark Teixeira will be in the HOF.
-The Outlaw
exactly
he should be thankful that he was able to capitalize as much as possible on the talent that he does have. imagine if he had had his 2006 season in 2008 instead….there’s no way a contract that substantial wouldve been doled out this offseason. he was lucky to find the perfect situation with us, performed admirably, and coasted to a bloated contract in one of the most inflated offseasons for mediocre players.
by Smoakin in the Boys Room on Mar 17, 2009 4:46 AM CDT up reply actions
I don't know if you were on this blog when CJ and Brandon were
But CJ said that Matthews would say "cha-ching’ everytime he walked back in the dugout after a homerun. He said it was done in an as off-putting a manner as you could conceive.
Lil Sarge, proving there may not be an I in team, but there’s damn sure an M and an E.
I'm Matt mutha-effing Bush, bitches, and mutha-eff East County.
"I'm as passionate and knowlegeable as any fan out there." Josey Wales
by Brian Thomas on Mar 17, 2009 11:49 AM CDT up reply actions
Reevo's Response
I sent him an email and this was his response…
Good Lord, that was two years ago. I’ve written much stupider things since then. That’s the risk when you throw an opinion out there, which I’m paid to do. You could wind up wrong. I was wrong on that one. Get over it.
Thanks,
jr
fwst
oh Reevo
Its nice that he admits he is wrong, but is he seriously shocked that he would be forced to eat any crow about it? Everyone said that deal would be a mistake at the time of the signing and it looked that way ever since.
By 2028, Mark Teixeira will be in the HOF.
-The Outlaw
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