Is Sabathia delusional? Or is he merely the latest member of the Yankees to "misremember" something?
I'll submit that neither is the case. Sabathia, you see, is taking advantage of the opportunity the July 2008 trade that sent him to Milwaukee afforded him to divorce himself from all blame or finger-pointing and to feed off the raw emotions of those who have done little to nothing to understand the Indians' economic position in an unbalanced marketplace.
Sabathia says something insipid like, "It's on them," because he'll say anything to avoid looking like the bad guy. And this isn't the first time.
Throughout the phantom contract negotiation process before the 2008 season, when it was clear the Indians were as likely to get Sabathia to commit to a long-term deal as they were to throw a dome on Progressive Field, CC would say things like, "Hopefully we can get something done." Because that was a lot easier and less publicly damaging than saying, "The Indians have no chance of offering me the kind of money I feel I'm worth."
In the winter before the '08 season, when the Indians offered Sabathia around $18 million a year through 2012 -- the largest offer the franchise has ever come up with for a player -- he didn't so much as sleep on it. He knew he was gone, and he broke off negotiations before they even started in Spring Training.
This is the reality. But now, two and a half years later, CC -- which, in this case, stands for Clouded Context -- is selling a fantasy. An alternate universe in which those heinous, loveless Indians owners cast him out of the place he loved.
It's baloney.
Castro nails it, while we are left wondering whether Hoynsie is too subservient to put C.C. on the spot, too timid to tell it like it really is, or too dumb to know the difference. (Hat-tip to the DiaTriber.)
almost 2 years ago
Jay
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I’m with marble … what are you talking about? I’m not around as much as I’ve been at other points this year, but I’ve been reading LGT for a long while (UID of 94, which seems insane), and I don’t remember this.
Il faut d'abord durer.
It was more hostile to Justice B. Hill, who preceded Castro, and maybe it took a while before LGTers caught to the fact that Castro has insights superior to our armchair interpretations. Maybe not everyone dug the early Springsteen references? I dunno. I haven’t canvased the mlb.com reporters of each club, but Castro must be one of the very best. I wonder how many of those beat reported folks also keep up an outstanding private blog on the side?
CC and Lebron were good friends, I hear. It doesn’t surprise me at all that he would make this dumbass statement this week.
I’ve been thinking this ever since I saw his comments. I just couldn’t wrap my mind around him wanting to pour more salt in Cleveland sports fans’ wounds – at least not intentionally. People aren’t that inconsiderate, are they?
Then again, part of me thinks it was very deliberate.
I just want to believe.
Here is what I don’t get. Why would a rich, set-for-life person, want to just be mean? (responding to your “deliberate” comment). Right now, I’m not sure that you are wrong.
by kennesawmountainwahoo on Jul 13, 2010 9:08 PM EDT up reply actions
And just not that smart or introspective
by stuart dean on Jul 13, 2010 10:00 PM EDT up reply actions
CC’s open recruiting of LeBron sucked. Self-awareness, and awareness of the effect you have on people that follow you – well, that seems to be an issue with our athletes these days.
by kennesawmountainwahoo on Jul 13, 2010 9:01 PM EDT up reply actions
Many athletes today are oblivious – or at least seemingly so. Surrounded by hangers-on counsuled by idiots, they live in a world unto themselves.
Resident LGT results-oriented boob.
Chuck, I’ve got a pretty good story for you. I know you are a Yankee hater (as am I), but I have an autographed picture of Lou Gherig, sent to my dad. Gherig read about my dad having a rare blood disease (which somehow got reported in the wires, and made its way to the NY Times). Anyways, Gherig read the story and sent my dad a letter and a signed picture. So I grew up kind of idolizing sports figures. Which makes CC/Lebron suck even more than face value.
by kennesawmountainwahoo on Jul 13, 2010 9:37 PM EDT up reply actions
Great story and illustrates how athletes and the standards we hold them to have changed. Even now the ESPN/Fox Sports spin machines are in over drive trying to de-villanize LeStunod and make Gilbert the moron.
Here’s another story. I knew Roger Clemens back when I was living in Houston. I didn’t know him well but I knew him. Any way we were sitting around the reseption area at the gym and I mentioned that my wife’s grandfather was a life-long Red Sox fan and was about to celebrate his 100th birthday. He said, “what’s his phone number?” I gave it to him and two months later at his birthday celebration, Roger called him up to wish him a happy 100th. I’ve been a Clemens fan ever since – hormones and all.
Resident LGT results-oriented boob.
I’d say that being oblivious, self-serving and less-than-honest is rather common throughout the country.
“Our” standards aren’t just low for athletes, they’re low for everyone and too often they are low for “ourselves”.
by 9James on Jul 14, 2010 7:54 AM EDT up reply actions 2 recs
I think this is more perception than fact. there were plenty of selfish, mean athletes years ago, and there are still plenty of friendly, high-character athletes now. I mean, at least no modern athletes have pulled a ty cobb and beaten the crap out of a guy with no hands.
I hate the steelers the way a mother loves a child.
by notthatnoise on Jul 15, 2010 3:20 PM EDT up reply actions
what I mean is, when we’re younger we don’t notice/understand the bad things athletes do, so by the time we’re old enough to get it, it seems like its a recent thing.
I hate the steelers the way a mother loves a child.
by notthatnoise on Jul 15, 2010 3:22 PM EDT up reply actions
My favorite bit was how the players collapsed under the weight of 2008 expectations. That and how C.C was outpitched in Games 1 and 5. Way to show some cajones Castro.
My favorite was from the second to last graf.
Sabathia was treated very well here. The Indians drafted him, gave him a Major League opportunity on a playoff team when he was just 20 years old, helped mold him into a man off the field, taught him to control his emotions on it and groomed him into a Cy Young winner. Lord knows they fed him well.
that was my favorite part as well.
I hate the steelers the way a mother loves a child.
by notthatnoise on Jul 15, 2010 3:23 PM EDT up reply actions
In other comments I may have been giving this guy too much credit. I wonder how quickly these players go from “give me top dollar” to “New York is the greatest place to play”? Does it happen when they hear the Y, E, or S?
And a word of warning to others who may go to the link: avoid the comments. Most of these people don’t get the point. As AC says, we’re okay with players taking more money, just don’t piss on our legs and tell us it’s raining.
"Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge..." C. Darwin
by Spidey on Jul 13, 2010 10:29 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
Great piece from Castro. CC shows himself to be surprisingly weak, and undos in one short interview all the careful PR work his agent did on his way out of town two years ago.
by MTF on Jul 14, 2010 7:05 AM EDT via mobile reply actions
For as much as this recent commentary of his is upsetting, I’ll still be forever grateful that CC was able to help save Mowgli from Shere Khan and the rest of those malignant jerkfaces.
Actively seeking inspiration for a new handle
by danvail on Jul 14, 2010 7:53 AM EDT reply actions 1 recs
it's cleveland, where "piling on" happens!!!
cc’s just a typical out-of-touch athlete who has no concept of the real world. he can say anything he wants and it will just go in one of my ears and out the other. i could care less.
i could care less.
then start. care less.
You are reading my signature.
by rolub on Jul 14, 2010 10:46 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Here you go, Dave: Just for you.
http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2010/06/dear-americans-.html
by tabler84 on Jul 14, 2010 6:00 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Joe Gardner is still awesome (7IP, 6H, 1R, 2BB, 9k, 8GB). Tyler Sturdevant made his Kinston debut. And Cory Burns is still doing great.
by APV on Jul 14, 2010 10:20 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
And thus we move on.
Is it possible that as soon as 2011 we can field a mediocre team and “on our way to being competitive” and turn ‘the breakup’ into a thing of the past? I hope that by the time we are competitive again, CC enters his decline and even the simplistic people start to wonder out loud “Maybe the Indians front office was right”
In the new Geico commercial, Marte sings "Let me be myself" on Wedge's front lawn (with the cavemen).
reply fail – That was a reply to APV.
In the new Geico commercial, Marte sings "Let me be myself" on Wedge's front lawn (with the cavemen).
by V-Mart Shopper on Jul 15, 2010 4:21 PM EDT up reply actions
What is “never ‘gonna’ happen?”
In the new Geico commercial, Marte sings "Let me be myself" on Wedge's front lawn (with the cavemen).
by V-Mart Shopper on Jul 16, 2010 12:01 AM EDT up reply actions
I just got on here to say that. Somethings up or they just dont care and think Marte provide better defense and can hit .250 with more power if he play either day. I would go that he is getting traded or some kind of injury.
My ESPN widget says Jhonny has a fever.
Must not be here for baseball either. Because that isn't what we're playing.
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