Posted on 02/15/2005 4:01:21 PM PST by Mr. Mojo
Orioles great one of 'the total phonies,' got preferential treatment
Jose Canseco's new book focuses largely on steroids, but the retired slugger couldn't resist hurling a few non-steroid-related insults at former Oriole Cal Ripken.
"I can just throw up watching the total phonies go to work, guys like Cal Ripken or Alex Rodriguez; everything out of their mouths sounds like it was tested by some kind of focus group beforehand," Canseco writes of the two shortstops.
The Cuban-born Canseco suggests in the book that he often was singled out for media criticism because he was a minority. Ripken, he says, was "untouchable."
"Throughout his career, Cal Ripken Jr. was completely protected by the media. With his family history in baseball, he was one of those untouchable players, the guy who could do no wrong," Canseco writes.......
(Excerpt) Read more at baltimoresun.com ...
Shoot. You left out Boog Powell!
I looked the book up--the publisher is Regan Books which is part of Harper Collins. For what it's worth ...
1. how is Canseco a minority? Most Cuban's are Spanish/Aryan Visigoths?
2.Ripkin was a great player, however breaking Gehrig's record was not particularly heroic. Gehrig had to stop playing because he was dying. A record like that should have stood and Ripkin should have tied the record and stopped in honor of a dying hero . Even for selfish reasons, he would have received more acclaim if he did that. Does anyone remember "A Separate Peace" when Phineas does not announce he broke a school swimming record because the prior record holder was serving in ww2( i don't remember if the guy was killed)
Brooks is a sentimental favorite, but I'd take Mike Schmidt.
Remember when the owners tried to grow a pair and field replacement teams - every single sports writer told every one of their followers how pathetic this sport was to try such as thing. The owners learned their lesson very quickly - their job is to pay whatever it takes to make the sports writers happy.
Remember last season? Just about every writer was having a big "ha ha" about how pathetic the MLB drug policy was - this after the owners did their level best to convince the union of players to accept even this much. If the owners had tried to put their foot down, the press would have crucified them. Just like it's OK for the press to diss Christians, it's OK for them hate baseball, but like a sport with 60% commercials, buffoon-like announcers, a major league of prisons, and players with a room temperature IQ.
Like the republican party, baseball's problems lie more with the press than anything else.
I'm not so sure he is wasted ability.
He is saying he never would have even made the major leagues in the first place without steroids.
Robinson (FP .971) was a better glove man than Schmidt (FP .955), but I'd rather have the latter when all things are considered. ....mainly, Schmidt's big bat.
If Ripkin had done that, I would have lost respect for both him, and the record.
That record wouldn't have been worth more then a newspaper after the dog gets done with it at that point.
Besides, Ripkins record is much more impressive the Gehrigs, in every way. From Ripkins consecutive innings streak (I don't even know where Gehrig is, but its not first, or second for that matter), to Ripkins 99% of innings played compared to around 70% for Gehrig, to not having any games cancelled or called, because he couldn't play that day, unlike a few times that happened with the yankees with them calling rain without a cloud in the sky.
"These are the musings of an uncluttered mind."
Ten gold gloves for Mr. Schmidt. No slouch.
But Robinson was the best.
I was stationed in Havana when Cal was about to break Gehrig's record. We had a big crowd around the bar at the Seabee House (formerly Marine House) on Ave 7ma. We had a group of Cuban baseball fans (the ones that worked for us). It was almost like that game was scripted. Cal hit one home run and when he ran the bases, there were no dry eyes in the house. He truly did save baseball that evening, after the acrimony generated by the MLB strike.
What's even worse is that Canseco has two WS rings. He was a role player on the 2000 Yankees.
http://www.baseballreference.com/c/cansejo01.shtml
Oh well.
That's exactly what I'm implying.
Every baseball player loses his mechanics for a period. In baseball these periods usually last a couple of weeks...then the player gets in a zone where the pitch looks likes it's coming at your in slow motion...the size of a grapefruit.
There were many games that Cal Ripken...for his numbers vs. left handed pitching for example...or his pathetic slumps lasting months should have been sat down...if only to remind him that he was one guy among 25 (or 40).
But with his father and brother around and THE STREAK, things were juggled to accomodate him.
He never rode the team bus and stayed in separate hotels under the auspices that he would then not be a distraction to the rest of the guys.
How many 3rd basemen did the O's go thru during his tenure? DOZENS.
Yes, Cal Ripken served a purpose and may have "saved baseball".
All I'm saying is that for a time, he was only on the field to sell tickets...because his offense sucked.
The year before Davey Johnson finally moved him over to 3rd, his range was a comedy routine.
Right. Who could forget Brooksie's dives... Sheesh. But I still take Schmidt, since 3d isn't the most critical defensive position.
By the way, I like to throw Graig Nettles into any discussion of third basemen.
Mission accomplished for the foolish whore.
I agree. And I don't buy the "saved baseball" story, either.
I liked Cal Ripken.
But I'm 58 and I saw Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays, Stan Musial, Ted Williams all come and go.
They tried to make him one of them.
Heck....if any ballplayer had as many plate appearances as Ripken, they'd put up impressive totals.
Thanks.
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