By George, KC taking everything

[Rob E Dangerously 0]

http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/s...rts/7248485.htm (it's a free subscription though)

 

By George, KC taking everything

By JOE POSNANSKI

Columnist

 

From the desk of the Honorable George M. Steinbrenner III.

 

Principal owner of the New York Yankees.

 

While I have the greatest respect for the Baseball Writers' Association of America and all of its writers, other than the relatively small percentage who have ripped me through the years, those who called me King George and Napoleon and a jerk and a control freak and a clown and a bully and, OK, breathe in, breathe out. Let's begin again.…

 

While I have the greatest respect for, off the top of my head, at least three or four baseball writers (assuming they are still alive), I firmly believe a great injustice was done Wednesday when Kansas City manager Tony Pena was named the American League Manager of the Year.

 

I honestly believed all this “Kansas City nonsense” was behind us after I released my last statement on Wednesday, the one where I (to use a new phrase I picked up from Jeter) “called out” two misguided baseball writers from bumpkin towns who refused to put Hideki Matsui on their Rookie of the Year ballots. Because of their blatant ignorance, not to mention potentially unlawful behavior (memo to self: Check with lawyers), someone I never heard of who is allegedly named “Angel Berroa” won the award. When I asked my baseball people about this Berroa fellow, they explained to me that he played in Kansas City.

 

“Great,” I said. “So, you're telling me that Japanese players can't win the award, but minor-league players can?” “No,” they told me. “Kansas City has a major-league team.” Well, this was certainly news to me, and I will get to the bottom of it, I promise you that (memo to self: Put in a call to commissioner what's-his-face). But before I could get my people on it, this Tony Pena person from Kansas City won the Manager of the Year award in a landslide. Twenty-four irresponsible writers voted for him over our own Joe Torre, and I cannot in good conscience just sit back while the New York Yankees get overlooked and this Kansas City bias continues to take over our game.

 

Look, I think I know a little something about managers. I've hired 17 of them, and that doesn't even include George Costanza. And I will tell you quite simply that nobody from Kansas City could possibly be the best manager in the league. That team spent $41 million in payroll. I spend that on aftershave.

 

My manager, Joe Torre, had to deal with the burden of a $180 million payroll. He had to soothe Roger Clemens' ego and make sure Derek Jeter wasn't partying every night and watch Alfonso Soriano swing at everything, including bags of peanuts thrown by vendors in the crowd (memo to self: Trade that guy).

 

Torre, of course, also had to deal with me.

 

Meanwhile, what did Pena do? My research department sent me what they said was a complete Kansas City roster. And even though it was hardly “complete” (even I know that George Brett plays for Kansas City — memo to self: Fire someone in research), the roster did demonstrate, quite clearly, that I've never heard of these guys.

 

Who is Aaron Guiel? My research people tell me he played in Mexico a couple of years ago. Mexico! And Raul Ibanez? This guy was released by some team or other. Darrell May? They found him pitching in Japan. Jose Lima? They found him pitching in Newark. Look at these notes written by our scouting department. Mike MacDougal was hit on the head by a flying baseball bat. Jeremy Affeldt can't pitch too many innings because he has blisters pop on his finger. Ken Harvey swings the bat with one hand over the other. Curt Leskanic shaves his legs.

 

What the heck is going on here?

 

This isn't a major-league baseball team. It's a Bad News Bears reunion.

 

And so what did this Pena character do? My people tell me he had “Believe!” T-shirts made for his players. What the heck is that? I spend $180 million to win a World Series, and this guy goes to the local mall, spends $213.37 and prints up T-shirts.

 

During the season, according to these reports, he turned up the stereo after losses, tied up one of his players in tape, hugged whoever got too close, kept telling everybody they were great in some sort of classic English/Spanish language blend and sang simulated national anthems before his pitchers threw simulated games. This is the man the “baseball writers” voted for Manager of the Year?

 

Meanwhile, all along, I understand this Pena character told everybody his team was going to win. He just kept saying that, over and over, every single day. That's not great managing. The clinical term is “lunacy.” The man should have been locked up, not given an award.

 

Look, you can't win in Kansas City. Everybody knows that. You can't win with a nothing payroll, with your best players getting hurt all the time, with a television contract smaller than my bar tab, with players found in trash heaps, with a bullpen that gives up more leads than “Deep Throat,” you just can't.

 

And just because the Royals did win doesn't change that.

 

(Memo to self: Time to can Torre? Maybe. Guy hasn't won a World Series in years. Look into hiring Pena. Or at least look into getting some of those T-shirts made.)

 

hee hee

[Guest Anglesault]

::doesn't get it::

[Guest Anglesault]

And so what did this Pena character do? My people tell me he had “Believe!” T-shirts made for his players. What the heck is that? I spend $180 million to win a World Series, and this guy goes to the local mall, spends $213.37 and prints up T-shirts.

On a side note, while the whole "You Gotta Believe" Mets bullshit turns my stomach (right up ther with "Amazin'!) at least they, you know, delivered.

[Rob E Dangerously 0]

George Anglesaultbrenner, You would have fired Tony Pena for only winning 83 games, right?

 

I'd say for a team that was projected to finish fourth, or even last in 2003, winning 83 games, being in first place for big chunks of the year and revitalizing baseball in KC is a damned good year.

 

But.. since they didn't win it all.. I guess they gotta purge the team and start over.

[Vern Gagne 0]

But.. since they didn't win it all.. I guess they gotta purge the team and start over.

That's what Steinbrenner is doing in New York.

[Guest Anglesault]

George Anglesaultbrenner, You would have fired Tony Pena for only winning 83 games, right?

I would have done something. Obviously they fell short of the desired goal.

 

I'd say for a team that was projected to finish fourth, or even last in 2003,

 

You'd have to gnaw your own foot off to finish last in that division this year.

 

Hell, the Indians were pretty Godawful as well.

 

 

But.. since they didn't win it all.. I guess they gotta purge the team and start over.

 

Something has to be adjusted.

 

Unless, of course, you like your season ending early.

[Vern Gagne 0]

This harkens me back to the Royals-Yankees rivarly of the late 70's early 80's.

 

All we need is for a mod to rule one of Rob's post illegal, and for him to go on a posting tirade.

[Rob E Dangerously 0]

let's put it like this.. im March 2003, if you said KC was going to contend late into 2003 but not win it, most people wouldn't believe you. They wouldn't respond by saying "DAMNIT! WHY DIDN'T WE WIN?"

 

Cleveland was projected to be better than KC this year anyways, and if not for a rather poor stretch in September and the Twins winning like 10 games in a row in that month, who knows what happens.

 

Maybe if former Yankees Graeme Lloyd and Jason Grimsley didn't blow so many games then KC finishes better (Pena isn't his catcher too.. granted, Grimsley was horrible with inherited runners)

 

In games that Lloyd pitched, the Royals were 1-14. That says it all for the lefty "specialist". You can have Graeme back.

 

Anyways, I'd say that the Twins and White Sox are going to take some losses in this offseason. Both Pohlad and Reinsdorf are huge cheapskates too.

 

The Royals had to use massive amounts of players due to all sorts of injuries. Maybe the adjustment will be 'Immunity tablets' to prevent blisters (Affeldt), arm injuries (Snyder) and sinkers (Grimsley).

 

Any idea if Gardenhire will be axed, or his team will be adjusted, since they failed and lost the ALDS in 4?

[Rob E Dangerously 0]

This harkens me back to the Royals-Yankees rivarly of the late 70's early 80's.

 

All we need is for a mod to rule one of Rob's post illegal, and for him to go on a posting tirade.

I think the Royals will be facing the Yankees in April this year (in KC) and in August in New York. (Somebody can check the 2004 schedule)

 

The Yankees/Royals game with a Royals victory and about 20 doubles was very enjoyable.

 

And I can tell my descendents that I saw Jesse Orosco pitch live, and that he didn't even get a single out (he walked Ibanez and gave up a hit, I think)

[Guest Anglesault]

This harkens me back to the Royals-Yankees rivarly of the late 70's early 80's.

 

All we need is for a mod to rule one of Rob's post illegal, and for him to go on a posting tirade.

At which point the ruling gets over turned for no legitimate reason

 

let's put it like this.. im March 2003, if you said KC was going to contend late into 2003 but not win it, most people wouldn't believe you. They wouldn't respond by saying "DAMNIT! WHY DIDN'T WE WIN?"

 

So we're throwing a party and giving out awards because they weren't awful.

 

 

Any idea if Gardenhire will be axed, or his team will be adjusted, since they failed and lost the ALDS in 4?

 

Something needs to change.

[Rob E Dangerously 0]

At which point the ruling gets over turned for no legitimate reason

Although Graig Nettles notices the post earlier and you wait until it's useful before you protest.

 

Something needs to change.

 

 

"Fire them all"

[Guest Anglesault]

At which point the ruling gets over turned for no legitimate reason

Although Graig Nettles notices the post earlier and you wait until it's useful before you protest.

Irrevelvant (Or it should be)

 

Cheating is still cheating.

 

"Fire them all"

 

Just the ones that failed you.

 

Of course, if you all like wallowing in your own mediocrity, hell, I won't stand in your way.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

I miss the days when Graig Nettles simply sliding into third resulted in a fist fight with George Brett.

[Rob E Dangerously 0]

Actually.. Brett slid into third after a triple and crashed into Nettles

 

http://www.kcstar.com/sports/brett/hofday.htm

 

That's no put-down of Nolan Ryan or Robin Yount, who were charming and captivating on their own, but New York seems to make Brett just absolutely burst.

 

Clutch home run off Goose Gossage? New York. Pine Tar Game? New York.

 

"The Royals and the Yankees hated each other," Brett said.

 

"To this day, whenever I see Lou Piniella or one of those Yankees, we talk about how I hated those guys. It was the way baseball was meant to be played. They were hard-fought games, very, very physical. I can remember Hal McRae knocking Willie Randolph into left field, breaking up a double play, and just laying on him and waving Willie Wilson in from third base."

 

Or there was the time that Piniella slid into Brett at third.

 

"I didn't even have the ball, and he tried to spike me," Brett said.

 

Whenever and wherever they played, the gritty rivalry endured.

 

Late in 1978, Brett hit a triple and crashed into Yankees third baseman Graig Nettles.

 

"I came up and gave him an elbow, and he stepped back and kicked me in the face," Brett said.

 

"We came to blows right there, but that was the kind of rivlary we had. Unfortunately, we didn't win many of the games."

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Yep, I remembered seeing that game on ESPN Classic, but I forgot who slid into who.