Welcome to Thunderdome

Malcolm wrote:Every time this happens, I always wonder ... was it because he sucked?

Ravech said manager Robin Ventura intervened and told his players to play Wednesday's game because it was their job, and because LaRoche would want them to do so. Several players took to Twitter to support LaRoche, including White Sox outfielder Adam Eaton and Bryce Harper, LaRoche's former teammate with the Nationals...

Leisher wrote:Apparently Chris Sale, their ace, went into the GM's office and chewed his ass out. Told him to stay the fuck out of the clubhouse.

Williams has said they're trying to get the team to focus. Well guess what? This has had the opposite effect. You think these players want to bust their ass for you now?

Chicago White Sox players accused executive vice president Ken Williams of lying to them Friday, and have demanded a meeting with chairman Jerry Reinsdorf over the retirement of teammate Adam LaRoche.
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“We got bald-faced lied to,’’ said White Sox ace Chris Sale, who had jerseys of LaRoche and the first baseman's 14-year-old son, Drake, hanging in his locker. “Kenny contradicted a few things he said.

"The wrong guy walked out of that room.’’
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MLBPA executive director Tony Clark indicated earlier this week he may pursue a grievance on LaRoche's behalf.

I think Williams is fucked, and the funny part is he's not in a terribly wrong place.

I mean the kid was there as much as his dad. That's a fucking LOT of time for a non-team member to be around a team serving no function.

Prior to signing with the White Sox, my first question to the club concerned my son’s ability to be a part of the team. After some due diligence on the club’s part, we reached an agreement. The 2015 season presented no problems as far as Drake was concerned. (My bat and our record are another story!)

With all of this in mind, we move toward the current situation which arose after White Sox VP Ken Williams recently advised me to significantly scale back the time that my son spent in the clubhouse. Later, I was told not to bring him to the ballpark at all. Obviously, I expressed my displeasure toward this decision to alter the agreement we had reached before I signed with the White Sox. Upon doing so, I had to make a decision. Do I choose my teammates and my career? Or do I choose my family? The decision was easy, but in no way was it a reflection of how I feel about my teammates, manager, general manager or the club’s owner Jerry Reinsdorf.

Leisher wrote:Smart play.

maintained a .401 batting average over a 162 game span from June 9, 1985 to June 6, 1986. His career-best .476 on-base percentage in 1988 is higher than Ty Cobb’s on-base percentage in any of his three .400 batting average seasons.

Had two seasons with at least 150 singles, 50 extra-base hits, and 100 walks. No other player has even one. He and Pete Rose are the only players in baseball history with even 150 singles, 50 extra-base hits, and 75 walks in multiple seasons, with four and three respectively. He is also the only player in history to have four straight seasons with at least 200 this and 100 walks. He did so from 1986 to 1989.

Led the American League in intentional walls for six straight seasons from 1987 to 1992. He totaled just 53 home runs during that time. Alex Rodriguez has never led the league in intentional walks. When Barry Bonds set the new standard for power in 2001, hitting 73 home runs, he did not lead the league in intentional walks. Chris Davis, who was the last hit exactly 53 home runs in 2013. He finished fourth in intentional walks that season with 12 — fewer than Boggs had in any season from 1986 to 1992.

Reached base safely in 152 of 161 games in 1985, an MLB record. Moreover, of the nine games he played and failed to reach base safely, he knocked in a run in three and had just one plate appearance in another.

Led off a game (July 1, 1982) with a single to center field. It was just his 58th career at-bat (65th plate appearance), but the single bumped his lifetime batting average to .328 — it never again dropped below that mark

Had an average season of .357/.454/.496, 113 runs, 213 hits, 45 doubles, 5 triples, 10 home runs, 70 RBI, 108 walks, and 8.4 WAR from 1985 to 1989. Again, he did not receive a single first place MVP vote any of those seasons.

Mike Trout will pass Wade Boggs in career strikeouts this season. Bryce Harper is still younger than Wade Boggs was on the day of his debut.

Had seven straight 200-hit seasons from 1983 to 1989. He was the first player with at least seven straight 200-hit seasons since Willie Keeler did it in eight straight from 1894 to 1901. He was the first with even five straight since Charlie Gehringer from 1933 to 1937.

Owns the three most recent seasons with at least 200 hits, 100 walks, and fewer than 50 strikeouts: 1988, 1987 and 1986. Most recent prior to Boggs’s three straight? Stan “The Man” Musial in 1953.

Allegedly drank 64 beers on a cross country flight to Seattle. Despite this, he was a career .321/.408/.431 hitter in Seattle. One cannot help but wonder how Boggs would have hit in Milwaukee’s contemporary stadium, Miller Park.

Rodriguez said it took two months before he ultimately felt like himself again, adding that the recovery even affected him once he got into spring training with his new club, although he was never considered contagious.
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He was laid up for two weeks with severe bodyaches, joint pain, headaches and a myriad of other symptoms. Considering the effects of the illness are even more devastating for women, especially pregnant women, he advised any athletes contemplating participating in the Olympics to educate themselves and their family members.