K-Rod

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

"And in these dreams of yours... is he chuckling? Is he angry? Is he... your father?"

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Sherman calls out the Wilpons. I get the general message, and I don't disagree... but it's a little confused, and I think he must have Jeff mistaken with someone who isn't Jeff.

Hey, Jeff Wilpon. Yeah, you. It is time to come out of hiding. This is your team, your organization. And it has again spiraled from just a disappointment to an embarrassment. This is not a team owned by a faceless corporation. This is family ownership. It is your family, Jeff. And at some point, you can�t shield yourself with spokespeople and excuses and sparse words parsed by your p.r. apparatus. Jeff, you need to go face the media today and explain why it is that the franchise you run seems to have a sickness about it in which the team cannot help but crawl into the fetal position annually and the personnel you hire so often finds a way to humiliate you, your dad and the organization you own. This cannot be Omar Minaya�s job today or Jerry Manuel or a spokesman. Your fans are angry, dispirited. They want to know, among other things, why nothing effective has been done to control Francisco Rodriguez�s temper. This might be his worst act � punching his father-in-law the face and getting arrested � but this was not his first. It is your curse, Jeff, to run an inferior organization in the same town as the Yankees. But the comparisons are going to come. And so we think of your out-of-control closer and Mariano Rivera. Maybe it should have told the Mets something that at the 2007 All-Star Game in San Francisco, the usually staid Rivera made one request: Don�t put his locker anywhere near K-Rod�s. (Ed. note-- That they shouldn't sign Rivera?) But the contract was signed by the Mets after that season. There really is nothing to do now, Jeff, except try to gain control of Rodriguez, the whole clubhouse and � really � the whole organization. Was your father�s out-of-touch remarks last week really the feeling of the family? You are doing a great job. By what measure? The team isn�t winning. Players are embarrassing you and the organization. Attendance is down. If you were doing any better, they would have to board up Citi Field. There is much to be done, beginning with a serious self-analysis of everything in the organization; the kind of self-analysis that the son of another rich man, Jimmy Dolan, seems incapable of undertaking. But that is a big picture thing. In the small picture, Jeff, you need to go address your clubhouse today. If you really do have passion for running this franchise, show it. You have allowed an atmosphere for too long that is too lenient on the players. Forgive the clich�, but the inmates do really run your asylum. Go tell your players today that it is unacceptable for players who are challenged to keep their on-base percentage above .300 to demand trades. Remind your players that once they sign up with the organization, they represent the organization at all times; whether it is Johan Santana on a tennis court or Francisco Rodriguez with his father-in-law. Then, Jeff, it is time to go face the media. Can you talk from the heart? I don�t know. You seem to feel persecuted and angry in such situations; as if the world does not see the genius of how your family has run the Mets. But if this organization really is in your blood and its missteps � on and off the field � really do hurt you then let your fans know. Or is that just something you say � or your p.r. people say � as nonsense spin you feed your most faithful followers. You need to project leadership, passion and accountability today. Tell us what you really think of Jerry Manuel and Omar Minaya. Tell us why you think your roster has had a glass jaw for several years, going down and staying down when the season got tough. Tell us what the real financial standing of your family is and what you imagine doing with the payroll in the near future. Tell us what you plan to do to regain control of your clubhouse. Jeff, you cannot solve all of your organization�s issues today; those have been years in the making. But you can begin to let the fans know that the ultimate decision maker is not some Wizard of Oz, hiding behind the screen, counting the money, but not living and dying with all of this like your most loyal supporters. Of course, it has to be real. Everyone will see through you, Jeff, if you come out with a few memorized talking points and the passion of a stool. Throughout the ownership by your family there have been these embarrassing incidents involving your players, and on occasion your family has tried to publicly call an end to the nonsense. It can�t be words now, Jeff, or just an ersatz gesture. Either you really are in or not. Either you are ready to really lead or just hope the spin-men can get you through another day. Either you are ready to let another horrible day produced by more bad behavior from K-Rod be a starting point for a new way to run the organization in which you are publicly accountable or you should expect these humiliations to continue, the criticism to flow. Jeff, the fans need to know you care, for real. They need to know you are in charge. They need to know that you have a plan. They need to know you are as fed up with the losing and bad acts as they are. No more hiding. No more daddy saying what a great job you are doing. No more hand-holding by the p.r, gurus. If what K-Rod did is unacceptable to you and your organization come tell the world that, come tell the world what you plan to do about it.

Edited August 12, 2010 by Guest

[Guest Edgy DC]

Sheesh his point is fine but he really gets his facts muddled and doesn't care.

[Guest metsguyinmichigan]

He HAD to bring the MFYs into it?

Of course, had this been Derek Jeter punching his mother and a kitten, the narrative would have been "Elderly woman attempts to injure Captain by hurling face at this throwing hand, Jeter fends off beast."

Instead, we get what is basically Christmas for Bob Klapisch.

[TransMonk]

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

It really kind of sounds like he got drunk before he wrote this.

[G-Fafif]

Do we know anything about the family dynamic between Rodriguez and his father-in-law? All temper, usage and contract issues aside, how do we know how much or how little this guy provoked his son-in-law? Could have been hothead vs. hothead building up over the years with accumulated baggage. Or it could have been the pitcher being, as described above, a sociopath.

The phrase "family room" put me in mind of the Carl Everetts and their kids, too, but this isn't kids. These were two adults. It's irresponsible that Rodriguez would take it that far, but sometimes it takes two to tangle.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Granted, we don't know the backstory, and there are plenty of other ways to provoke other than physically.

The father-in-law wasn't charged with tangling, though, was he?

[bmfc1]

Andy Martino of The Daily News tweeted earlier that F. Rodriguez wasn't married so calling the other guy his "father-in-law" is incorrect. It doesn't change anything other than effect the charge.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

When I think of Jeff Wilpon saying something was "unacceptable" it was his remarks on the bullpen following the 08 season. Before you knew it Omar had traded 5 guys for a washed-up closer with elbow trouble and committed millions to Rodriguez.

[Vic Sage]

Jeff, the fans need to know you care, for real. They need to know you are in charge. They need to know that you have a plan. They need to know you are as fed up with the losing and bad acts as they are.

show us the plan, Jeff. SHOW US THE PLAN!

[G-Fafif]

bmfc1 wrote: Andy Martino of The Daily News tweeted earlier that F. Rodriguez wasn't married so calling the other guy his "father-in-law" is incorrect. It doesn't change anything other than effect the charge.

If he comes back, Rodriguez will have to reconsider his pass list.

Calling him "K-Rod" in the "news" reports, if that's what one wants to call anything relayed by Chris Carlin, lent an additional air of surreality to this. I think you drop the nickname when it comes down to charges of third-degree assault.

[batmagadanleadoff]

I'm reserving judgment on K-Rod. There might very well be a back story to this; the father-in-law is pressing charges.

I'm against K-Rod's contract, though. I'm not criticizing his performance. In fact, I think he's having a terrific season. But I'm against paying a pitcher $10M to throw 70 or 80 innings. In 2009, between K-Rod and Wagner's contracts, the Mets spent $20 million dollars on 70 innings pitched.

[Ceetar]

bmfc1 wrote: Andy Martino of The Daily News tweeted earlier that F. Rodriguez wasn't married so calling the other guy his "father-in-law" is incorrect. It doesn't change anything other than effect the charge.

who was it then? Girlfriend's father? Maybe Frankie asked for her hand in marriage and got shot down?

[ashie62]

Vic Sage wrote: Jeff, the fans need to know you care, for real. They need to know you are in charge. They need to know that you have a plan. They need to know you are as fed up with the losing and bad acts as they are. show us the plan, Jeff. SHOW US THE PLAN!

He would be more likely to show you some Wise snacks.

And yes, I get the feeling the Wilpon's are detached from both the team and fans.

Cue Mark Cuban.

[ashie62]

Ceetar wrote: bmfc1 wrote: Andy Martino of The Daily News tweeted earlier that F. Rodriguez wasn't married so calling the other guy his "father-in-law" is incorrect. It doesn't change anything other than effect the charge. who was it then? Girlfriend's father? Maybe Frankie asked for her hand in marriage and got shot down?

No, Frankie blew the proposal.

[metirish]

LOL

[Frayed Knot]

This 'restricted list' thing is just a time-buy; I wouldn't read much into the two-day part of it.
Essentially it allows them to replace him on the roster immediately without having to go into the same burden of proof and union-backed appeal stuff that an actual suspension would entail.

There'll be more to come on this front.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Willets Point wrote: Did Frankie first load the bases before punching out his father-in-law?

Speaking of LOLs... a sparkler, Mr. Point.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Kevin Burkhardt now reporting that the father-in-law was taken away in an ambulance, and as far as they know, Frankie is still locked up in the Citi Field jail.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Kevin: The team feels like it's kinda on the brink of falling apart.

[ashie62]

Benjamin Grimm wrote: Kevin: The team feels like it's kinda on the brink of falling apart.

just the brink?

[G-Fafif]

Benjamin Grimm wrote: Kevin: The team feels like it's kinda on the brink of falling apart.

That was actually an answer from Francoeur to Kevin's leading question about the clubhouse. Unmentioned: "The team would come together if I was playing every day."

[Benjamin Grimm]

I think Jeff Francoeur's father-in-law should steer clear for a while.

[G-Fafif]

Frenchy would make the perp walk smiling, and be a great influence on the jailhouse.

[metsmarathon]

what sounds worse? third-degree assault, or misdemeanor assault?

also, the mets would be foolish to have allowed the "father in law" to leave the premises in anything other than an ambulance. furthermore, the "father in law" would have been foolish to leave the premises in anything other than an ambulance if he intended to subsequently press charges. my cynical side wonders if there will be a civil suit...




just the brink.

krod falling apart =/= the team falling apart.

dwright and jrey duking it out in the trainers room after a game would = the team falling apart.

conversely, hblan taking a t-shirt cannon to oper's nether-regions would be the beginnings of a wonderful new era in team unity.

[G-Fafif]

metsmarathon wrote: hblan taking a t-shirt cannon to oper's nether-regions.

I fear Ollie's nether regions would be anywhere his ERA would be below 5.00.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Frankie, just 15 to 20 minutes ago, was taken from the holding cell and off to court.

He gets credit for a Citi Field first: First Mets player to be imprisoned in the new ballpark!

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

I know this is all good fun but I really feel like this incident has made me more ashamed to be a Mets fan, and less enamored of whole concept of Mets fandom, than anything I can remember in years. I'm sure it's just the building up of things, the bad finishes, the disappointing effort, the complete lack of execution, the bunting, the Wilpons, whatever: I'm just sick and couldn;t give a shit.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Absofuckinglutely.

I can swallow a lot of things --- foolish choices and failure --- but douchesauce on top of it all...