The world according to Jim:
• Worst signing of the Arte Moreno era in Anaheim: Josh Hamilton or Anthony Rendon? Discuss. …
• Rendon’s remarks earlier this week, stressing that being a major league baseball player is “a job” and no more? That’s the problem. It’s not just a job. And if you don’t show by your words or actions that you care sufficiently – especially when you’re in the fifth year of a seven-year, $245 million contract and you’ve played 149 of a possible 486 games the last three seasons, with WAR of 1.0 combined – can you blame Angel fans if they decide to stop caring about you – and/or your team? …
• Former Washington Nationals teammate Jonathan Papelbon weighed in on the Foul Territory podcast, saying among other things that GM Perry Minasian should find a taker for Rendon ASAP, and adding: “He’s (Rendon) not as successful as he really, truly could be, because he’s got more God-given talent than probably all three of us sitting here talking. But, at the end of the day, he don’t give a (bleep).” …
• Bottom line, not only in baseball but in any sport: Fans want to believe that the participants – players, coaches, managers, executives – care about winning as much they do. No, fans don’t understand all that goes into the profession, which is to be expected. But matching that level of caring – or at least acting like you do – isn’t too much to ask. …
• Do you get the impression that Major League Soccer should just rebrand itself as the Lionel Messi Tour? The circus arrives in Carson on Sunday night, as Messi and Inter Miami’s other big international signings are the opponents for the Galaxy’s season opener – and if there’s a franchise whose institutional memory should help it understand what that environment is like, it’s the Galaxy thanks to David Beckham, now one of Miami’s co-owners.
Maybe Messi can pose in front of Becks’ statue while he’s in town. …
• The Messi…
Read the full article here
