A player or a coach's end is almost always painful, especially when they've been with a team for a long time and have been successful. How can they not be painful especially in the athlete's case? The end of the line on a career they've been working at for 20-25 years. That has to be painful. I couldn't imagine having to stop my career when I'm between the ages of 25-42. What do you do the rest of your life?
What makes ends so painful in sports is almost all of them end ugly. You see it almost every year with athletes who are at the end of their line with a team. Hurt feelings and bruised egos are almost always the norm instead of the happy retirement like you saw with Mariano Rivera.
Look at the end of the line with Jimmy Rollins and the Philadelphia Phillies. They're going to run him out of town because he doesn't "hustle". He's being badmouthed by his manager and Larry Bowa because I'm sure both Bowa and Sandberg busted their ass down the line on every hit. Leave it up to the Phillies at being incompetent at running a player out of town the proper way.
If the Phillies really wanted to run Rollins out of town the right way, they need some tips. Consider this the proper way to run an athlete/coach out of town.
Float rumors to the press that they have a drug problem: Remember when Terry Francona left the Red Sox? Remember how ugly that was? The Red Sox floated rumors to the Boston Globe that Francona's managing abilities were affected by prescription drug abuse. Seriously this actually happened. Now that's how you run someone out of town, Phillies. Float a rumor to the press that Rollins has a drug problem and that he would be better off on a different team.
Float rumors that a divorce is affecting Rollins: Is Rollins married or have kids? It doesn't matter. Float rumors that he's going through a nasty divorce and custody settlement as justification for jettisoning a player.
Simply cut him and then lock the doors: The White Sox basically did this to Carlton Fisk. Simply just cut Rollins, lock the doors, and pretend he never existed, Philly.
Float rumors that he's a terrible clubhouse presence: Basically what the Phillies are doing now but they're hiding behind the "hustle" argument. Claim that he gambles massive amounts of money in the clubhouse and that you don't want your younger players influenced by that. That's more believable and less infuriating than he doesn't "hustle".
Float rumors that he hates 'Rocky': Really want to anger the fanbase, claim Rollins hates 'Rocky'.
Whatever happens or however the Phillies run Rollins out of town it's going to be ugly, painful, and bitter. Endings almost always are and this case is no different.
You know when a player like Dwight and Carmelo demand a trade and the team does it, I always feel like that team should say, "you're under contract and you're staying here. You're going to get paid and if you want to play or not it's your choice but we're not trading you."
ReplyDeleteI love how Rollins is doing the reverse of this. "I have 5-10 rights and I'm staying here. I don't care what you say about me to the press and I don't care if I play or not but you're not getting rid of me that easily."