Lefty Specialist
If you can hear me Mike Scioscia and Bill Stoneman:
Kudos.
Kudos for having giant cajonés.
Kudos to the Anaheim Angels manager and general manager for standing up for the team, rather than the individual.
I know that sounds bad, but let me explain.
If you don’t know what happened on Sunday, Anaheim’s left fielder Jose Guillen pitched a hissyfit after being lifted for a pinchrunner — the result of a pitch that beamed Guillen in the leg.
To defend Guillen for a moment, it looked like it hurt. I know — I’ve been drilled by a few pitches myself. After limping around home plate for a while, Guillen walked down to first, content to stay in the game.
Also, understand that Anaheim started the day less than two games back of Oakland going into an epic, three-game weekend series.
OK, I understand.
A player who wants to stay in after being drilled, admirable.
However, a player who throws a temper tantrum after being pulled from the game because of being drilled, detestable.
That’s exactly what Guillen did after Scioscia replaced him with pinchrunner Alfredo Amezaga. Guillen walked off the field during Oakland’s pitching change, tossed his helmet toward the side of the dugout Scioscia was standing in, walked to the opposite end of the dugout and slammed his glove against the wall.
So, how did Scioscia and Stoneman respond?
They suspended Guillen — hitting .294, with 27 homers and a career-high 104 RBIs — for the rest of the regular season and possibly the post-season, without pay.
Yeah, without pay.
Wow.
“He was obviously not happy with the decision,” Anaheim general manager Bill Stoneman said. “Unfortunately, this was not the first time something has cropped up with Jose.”
Earlier in the year, Guillen went on another tirade after being drilled in a game in Toronto, calling out his pitchers for not retaliating on his behalf.
“We had to do something with Jose,” Scioscia said. “This is about the organization, not one guy. Bill wanted to be loud and clear with the message. It was an issue getting in the way of winning.”
Come again?
An organization that seems to be focused on the collective product and results rather than spoiling and babying its players?
Holy crap, Batman.
A lot of people would label the Angels’ decision as knee-jerk, and in some ways, I agree. But in the bigger picture, I think the Angels did the right thing and I support their decision wholeheartedly.
Today’s athletes are paid way too much money, are idolized a bit too much, and think they should never be criticized because they are so highly valued that a critique is never, ever warranted.
One of the other disturbing trends in sports is the lost art form of “team.”
The fact that the Detroit Pistons Ï England Patriots because they win as a “team.” People can’t believe that a “team” could win anything anymore.
How ’bout those same Angels, circa 2002? That was a special team.
Individuals are celebrated. Individuals sell products. Individuals are now the feature of a team, instead of a team featuring an individual.
Anybody remember the last time the Oakland Raiders team sold a shoe? How about the Denver Nuggets cutting a rap album? Hell, Barry Bonds reportedly has a recliner in the locker room.
I’ve grown somewhat tired of watching Mr. Star Player pout, cry, and get anything he wants because there are seven zeros at the end of his paycheck.
So Bill Stoneman, the novelty of an organization benching a player in favor of the team is a welcome one for me.
It means that some people still think the team is more important than the player and that Mr. Star Player still needs to think in terms of the team rather than himself.
