NY Yankees fans

[Ziffelpig]

Are you disappointed that we've lost two premiere pitchers to Houston?

a.Andy Petitte wasn't re-signed
b.Roger Clemens retired then came out of retirement to play for the Houston Astros?

I think anyone who retires should not be allowed to unretire and re-sign with another team without some form of compensation for the other team
Not re-signing Andy Pettitte is the GM's fault(Brian Cashman) and he should be fired.

"Roger Clemens was a great warrior for the Yankees - a teacher and a leader," Yankees owner George Steinbrenner said in a statement. "He told the world he was retiring, and we had no choice but to believe him."

[shoozleboy]

Wasn't Clemens' contract up with the Yankees? If he retired and still had some years on his contract to the Yanks, then yes, maybe there should be some compensation.

But if his contract was up and he retired, then he was a free agent as far as obligations to any team would go. If he decided to play for the home town Astros, then so be it. No rules were broken, although I'm sure he ticked off some execs in NY.

Losing Petitte is going to hurt more than losing Clemens.... the understanding around the league was that King George never cared for Petitte to begin with and had shopped him around on several occasions in the past number of years.... I specifically remember a deal that fell through with the Phillies on Petitte about two or three years ago.... I don't remember what the deal breaker was, and that doesn't matter...

Yes, I agree, the Yanks lost something when they failed to retain Petitte....

[Treebeard]

I hate the yankees.

just my 2 cents,

[Devanshu]

I hate the yankees.

Ditto

[Ziffelpig]

shoozleboy:
The Yankees have managed to be the most successful team in MLB despite George Stienbrenner.
All of MLB felt Clemmons was retiring,he had no offers to play until Pettitte signed with Houston. No he had no contract but the Yankees should have had an opportunity to make a qualifying offer /retain his rights should he un-retire. If you read the quote even George was suprised, Roger was his favorite.

Treebeard/Devanshu:
Who do you like then?
Like to root for the underdog?

[Treebeard]

I have been a supporter of the "lovable losers" since I was about 8

[shoozleboy]

shoozleboy:
The Yankees have managed to be the most successful team in MLB despite George Stienbrenner.
All of MLB felt Clemmons was retiring,he had no offers to play until Pettitte signed with Houston. No he had no contract but the Yankees should have had an opportunity to make a qualifying offer /retain his rights should he un-retire. If you read the quote even George was suprised, Roger was his favorite.

Treebeard/Devanshu:
Who do you like then?
Like to root for the underdog?

The Yankees did have an oppurtunity - when his contract was up.

I gotta give the Astros some cudos for their oneupmanship on this one. They went after a player who was available and signed him. He retired, he had no contract with anyone, if the Yanks wanted him so badly, they should have convinced him to not retire. You feel cheated because he did what he did. The day his contract was up and he packed his bags was the day he fulfilled his obligations to the Yankees organization and became a free agent - a retired free agent.

He isn't the first pro player in a number of sports that retired then came back. He might be the quickest to come back, but not the first.

My stance on the Yankees is a neutral one. I don't hate them, but I sure don't root for them either. George is surprised because he knows he just got beat in this one. Year in and year out, he signs the highest priced players and expects to win the series every year. Good for him, he's a businessman and he knows that is what sells his product... He owns one of the most economically successful franchises in sports today. I'm sure he gets beat once in a while in his other business ventures, we don't hear about them because 1) they are private business and 2) we just don't care.


Honestly, I could care less who plays for who in baseball.... I'm more of an ice hockey and football fan.... (that's American Football for all you chaps across the 'pond' ) I'm one of those disgruntled fans who lost a lot of my interest in baseball after their strike in the 90's..... This whole incident is just amusing how the politics of baseball just bit George in the a$$.....

[Ziffelpig]

Yah I do feel cheated, there is no more loyalty in anything these days, that goes for both sides, I guess as a future hall of famer, I would jump at the chance to play for my hometown,and help Andy stick it to George he really has nothing to prove anymore.
I love the NFL-Philadelphia all the way!! great game against the Packers, and McNabb is not exactly healthy. Peyton and company might be a problem, defence is suspect so I think the Patriots will prevail in that one, We'll beat Carolina, and it will be a Philly- New England Super Bowl.

TreeBeard
I'm Canadian does lovable losers=Mets

[Devanshu]

As a matter of fact, I do like to root for the underdog. I used to love the yanks but then got bored because I would know the outcome even before the game finished. I love the arizona diamondbacks and the SF giants.

[Treebeard]

The lovable losers are the Chicago Cubs.

[Ziffelpig]

The lovable losers are the Chicago Cubs

That would have been my second choice- So close but yet so far this year. I feel for ya.

[shoozleboy]

The lovable losers are the Chicago Cubs

That would have been my second choice- So close but yet so far this year. I feel for ya.

Kinda like the Yankees, eh Ziffelpig ??

couldn't resist that one......

[John James]

Are you disappointed that we've lost two premiere pitchers to Houston?

yeah.

[gmatov]

DM,

Get "Bleacher Bums", damn good movie, I think they're talking the Cubs.

There is more player loyalty than team owner loyalty.

Our own Jeff King said he didn't need more money, he only wanted to play 2 more years then he was going to Montana, to his ranch. They signed him (Pirates) for the same money, and before the ink was dry, traded him.

Loyalty? One way street. They owe you nothing. You owe them everything. Criticize your team or the management, they'll fine your ass 9 ways from Sunday.

I watch BBall, love it, even with a 10 year "rebuilding" team.
But it is a business, and entertainment, not a game, nor a sport.

Cheers,

George

[rkr1958]

Braves fan here ... I'm still broken hearted over the 1996 World Series.

Braves won the first 2 games AT NY.

Lost game 3 at Atlanta.

Game 4 ... up by several runs and lost it with Mark Wholers (Atlanta's Closer) on the mound.

Lost game 5 at Atlanta and game 6 at NY.

I though we had them after being up 2 games to 1 with a large lead in game 4 ... Well ...

[subclubkid]

Go Red Sox!
Go New England Patriots!

[fmctm1sw]

I'm personally glad those two guys stuck it to them. I don't like the Yankees.

@rkr1958: I don't want to hear about "Braves Fan Heartbreaks." Think back to 1992 when my boys were up 2-1 in the bottom of the ninth. Barry Bonds fails to throw out a crippled Sid Bream as he headed for home. I never cried after a game but I did then....

[indolikaa]

The Rocket in the NL.

All those years of Roger talking shit about the National League is going to come back to haunt him. Too bad Bob Gibson isn't pitching anymore, lest the first Cardinals-Astros hook-up this season could be a memorable one.

Then again, since Roger will now be going into the Hall of Fame with a Red Sox jersey, who would notice anyway?

.indolikaa.
MLB Extra Innings since 1997

[alenhard]

Oh heck yeah! Let's see how manly Clemens is now that he has to stand in the batter's box! He'll finally be seen as a big fat coward, all those years hiding behind that bloody DH!

And sorry Ziffelpig, but your Yankees were only the second best team this year! Ha!

[rkr1958]

I'm personally glad those two guys stuck it to them. I don't like the Yankees.

@rkr1958: I don't want to hear about "Braves Fan Heartbreaks." Think back to 1992 when my boys were up 2-1 in the bottom of the ninth. Barry Bonds fails to throw out a crippled Sid Bream as he headed for home. I never cried after a game but I did then....

Hero for the day ... Fransico Cabereo (Sp? ... how soon we forget) at the plate with two out and two on (second and third), bottom of the ninth and two out. Base hit to left ...

More heartbreak ... Braves lost in six games (I believe) to the Toronto Blue Jays. Especially hearbreaking after 1991 when the Braves lost the World Series to the Minnesota Twins in 7 games. Two out and two in the top of the ninth with Lonnie Smith on second. Lonnie failed to score from second on a base hit to left or center with TWO OUTS because he got faked out by Twins' shortstop. He stopped at third ... The Twins won game 7 in extra innings.

Oh well, there's always 1995.

[fmctm1sw]

Especially hearbreaking after 1991 when the Braves lost the World Series to the Minnesota Twins in 7 games.

Did Jack Morris pitch 10 scoreless innings that game?

[Ziffelpig]

Did Jack Morris pitch 10 scoreless innings that game?

Yes the Horse did, what a game, probably the best money pitcher ever. He got slammed for his high era, and his attitude towards the press but he was the winninest pitcher in MLB from 1979-1992. He also played a lot of years in Detroit which is a very hitter friendly park.