Maybe one of the biggest offseason baseball news days EVER yesterday. Scott Boras & A-Rod realized they were playing w/ house money but losing and cut the best deal still on the table. They took a shot at getting someone to overpay like the Rangers did last time & it didn't happen. Presumably, he'll be fine w/ his $275 million payout over the next 10 years, though the contract probably allows another opt-out in 2013 or so. Jake Peavy's unanimous selection as NL Cy Young got very little attention which is a shame. He's only 26 & led the league in wins, ERA, and K's. Impressive.
The first & fourth stories mean the most to Dolberry. (You can decide which is 1st and which is 4th.) Bonds was indicted for perjury and obstruction of justice ... and Joe Nuxhall died at 79. Bonds made a choice somewhere along the way that the ends justified the means, the winner gets the spoils, & apparently that the net measure of a man's worth can be measured in OBP, RBI, and the almighty home run. Nuxhall appears to have made another choice ... that you can maximize the talents you've been blessed with and yet still live a life that is about more than just one person.
"He’s one of the greatest human beings I’ve ever met,” former Reds first baseman Sean Casey said in 2004. “He’s humble. He always thinks of others first. I know he was a great pitcher and he’s done a lot of other things. But I think everything else is second to him being a great human being."
“From the first day I walked on the field at spring training in Tampa, Joe was always there to help with whatever,” Hall of Fame catcher Johnny Bench said in 2004. “He just oozed Reds baseball.”
"This is a sad day for everyone in the Reds organization. I 'm in shock. I've known Joe my entire life. He did so many great things for so many people. You never heard anyone ever say a bad word about him. We're all going to miss him." - Ken Griffey Jr.
At once, I was at ease. That's what Joe did, be it to a young reporter, a young player or a fan off the street. In his mind, Joe was no better than you are. Me -- in my mind, I would consider myself a success if I were a quarter of the man Joe Nuxhall was. - C. Trent Rosecrans (Cincy Post beat writer)
Can you see any of the above statements ever being said about Barry Bonds? When Bonds gets to his last breaths ... don't you think he'd trade his legacy for Nuxhall's in a heartbeat? This is something I need to be constantly reminded about ... life is not about the stats (dollars earned, size of your TV, amount of turkey eaten) ... it's about what's between the lines of your baseball card.
I'll really miss listening to him.
3 comments:
it's sad...........bonds and Nuxhall
I was a very young girl when I first heard of Joe Nuxall. I think he was about 16 when he began playing for the Reds. WLW Radio Station was home to him for many many years, on the field and on the air.
Bonds can look so innocent while lieing through his teeth! But then so can OJ and others. I saw him play once in Chicago and he struck out! I think he struck out this time for good. Who would hire him now? Let's see if all those home runs can buy him happiness.
Peavy's story got little attention for two reasosns:
1) East-coast bias in the sports media. If he played for the Mets, you can be sure they would've covered it better.
2) He pitches against a bunch of AAAA talent in the National League. If he could do what he did in the AL, he would get more respect.
The other apparent measure of success Bonds uses that you forgot: hat size. Hat size is the answer we were looking for.
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