Re: Cleveland Indians
Posted: 15/04/2007, 11:33
Intanto, Ozzie Guillen, ha perso una grandissima occasione per stare zitto (non una novità...)
http://www.suntimes.com/sports/baseball/whitesox/341211,CST-SPT-soxnt14.article
Aveva tutto e se avesse messo la sua firma quando Shapiro gli presentò il contratto avrebbe vissuto in pace per il resto dei suoi giorni.
Al termine della stagione 2002 disse:
"I've never even thought about playing for another team. I really like the idea of playing your whole career in one place. That doesn't happen much today. You look at Cal Ripken, Tony Gwynn, Kirby Puckett. For them to play their whole careers for one team, that's very special."
"What I do know is that my wife and I love it here, and we'd love to stay."
Shapiro voleva ripartire da zero. Troppi veterani in squadra, era giunto il momento di cambiare rotta e inserire nuove giovani stelle. Ma lui sarebbe rimasto. Nel contratto, non c'era la clausola della trade e lui non voleva lasciare Cleveland.
Quando il mercato free-agent aprì, cambiò tutto. I Phillies offrirono a Mr.Indian un contratto da 5 anni a $75 milioni. Gli Indians 4 anni a $48 M. Non gli bastava.
Va da Shapiro e gli chiede il quinto anno, gli Indians accettano e propongono 5 anni a $62 M, dimezzata la differenza che adesso è solo di $13 M. L'agente di Thome vola a Philadelphia per svuotare le casse dei Phillies che alzano il tiro, 6 anni a $85 M. Ormai la situazione è fuori controllo e senza vergogna, Thome torna a Cleveland per chiedere il sesto anno agli Indians. Shapiro risponde picche.
Oltre ai soldi, gli Indians gli avrebbero intitolato una sezione del ballpark al termine della carriera e costruito una statua opposta a quella di Bob Feller, all'entrata del Jake.
Ha rinunciato a tutto, per $10 M.
"You shouldn't play this game for the money. You should play it for pride, and for the love of the game. ... My dad always told me it's not what you do when you walk in the door, it's what you've done after you walk out. It's what kind of an impression you've left." - Jim Thome, agosto 2002.
Ozzie, Thome sarà un Indians per sempre... ma tu lascia perdere.
http://www.suntimes.com/sports/baseball/whitesox/341211,CST-SPT-soxnt14.article
Jim Thome era un dio e i tifosi lo ritenevano tale, ancor più di Omar Vizquel. Dei maginifici Big Six (Manny, Omar, Alomar, Lofton, Nagy e appunto Thome), lui era Mr.Indian tanto per intenderci.Ozzie scolds anti-Thome fans ... again
April 14, 2007
BY JOE COWLEY Staff Reporter
CLEVELAND -- Jim Thome got what he expected from Cleveland fans when his name was announced for each at-bat on Friday, but the booing for the former long-time Indians slugger still wasn't sitting well with Ozzie Guillen.
As a matter of fact, the White Sox manager was anticipating a warm welcome for Thome this time around, after he was booed in his return to Cleveland all of last season.
With that not the case, that left Guillen with a message to Cleveland and its fans.
''This man is Cleveland Indians, this man is going to be in the Hall of Fame in a Cleveland Indians uniform,'' Guillen said. ''Respect that. Appreciate that. This man, when he goes into the Hall of Fame, he won't wear no [expletive] White Sox uniform, he'll be wearing a Cleveland Indians hat. He won't wear no Philadelphia hat. If they boo me, fine. I deserve that. I earned that. But when you boo this man, this is a classy man, he's one guy that's going to represent the Cleveland Indians in the Hall of Fame.''
Thome spent the first 12 years of his big-league career with the Tribe. When he left as a free agent after the 2002 season, the Indians were rebuilding and offered him a five-year, $60 million deal. Compared to the seven-year deal offered to him by Philadelphia that could have reached the $94 million mark with bonuses and options, he chose the Phillies.
''They should respect that we play the game to make money, like a doctor has a job,'' Guillen said. ''Hall of Fame? Yes, nice. Hall of Fame don't make people go to college, Hall of Fame doesn't pay for college for your kids. You think the money was right somewhere else, you have to respect that. I guarantee you he wanted to stay here.
''He will be in the Hall of Fame. He will be in a Cleveland hat. I have to talk to him to make sure he wears the White Sox.''
As for Thome, he continued to handle the entire situation with class, reiterating that all of his memories from his Cleveland days are good ones.
''Let's face it -- I left here as a free agent, so there will be fans who are a little upset,'' Thome said. ''I understand that. On the other hand, I hope they understand my reasoning for why I did what I did. As a man, you have to be held accountable for your actions. I certainly have tried to do that. I haven't run or hid from things. I left, and it is what it is.''
Aveva tutto e se avesse messo la sua firma quando Shapiro gli presentò il contratto avrebbe vissuto in pace per il resto dei suoi giorni.
Al termine della stagione 2002 disse:
"I've never even thought about playing for another team. I really like the idea of playing your whole career in one place. That doesn't happen much today. You look at Cal Ripken, Tony Gwynn, Kirby Puckett. For them to play their whole careers for one team, that's very special."
"What I do know is that my wife and I love it here, and we'd love to stay."
Shapiro voleva ripartire da zero. Troppi veterani in squadra, era giunto il momento di cambiare rotta e inserire nuove giovani stelle. Ma lui sarebbe rimasto. Nel contratto, non c'era la clausola della trade e lui non voleva lasciare Cleveland.
Quando il mercato free-agent aprì, cambiò tutto. I Phillies offrirono a Mr.Indian un contratto da 5 anni a $75 milioni. Gli Indians 4 anni a $48 M. Non gli bastava.
Va da Shapiro e gli chiede il quinto anno, gli Indians accettano e propongono 5 anni a $62 M, dimezzata la differenza che adesso è solo di $13 M. L'agente di Thome vola a Philadelphia per svuotare le casse dei Phillies che alzano il tiro, 6 anni a $85 M. Ormai la situazione è fuori controllo e senza vergogna, Thome torna a Cleveland per chiedere il sesto anno agli Indians. Shapiro risponde picche.
Oltre ai soldi, gli Indians gli avrebbero intitolato una sezione del ballpark al termine della carriera e costruito una statua opposta a quella di Bob Feller, all'entrata del Jake.
Ha rinunciato a tutto, per $10 M.
"You shouldn't play this game for the money. You should play it for pride, and for the love of the game. ... My dad always told me it's not what you do when you walk in the door, it's what you've done after you walk out. It's what kind of an impression you've left." - Jim Thome, agosto 2002.
Ozzie, Thome sarà un Indians per sempre... ma tu lascia perdere.