As part of something ESPN is calling "Cheatwave 07" -- which likely falls somewhere between "Who's Now" and Panda Watch! -- Jerry Crasnick penned this column about the way cheating, or gamesmanship, or whatever you'd like to call it, has mellowed over the years. But the real gem comes in the form of Earl Weaver (doesn't it always?), when Weaver discusses just how dismayed he was that Alex Rodriguez has taken a skewering, and a shower of high-and-tight fastballs, for his call of "Ha!" against the Blue Jays this year:
Rodriguez might be heartened to know that one old-time ball guy is squarely in his corner. Hall of Famer Earl Weaver, who still follows the game closely from his home in Florida, read the newspaper accounts and was astonished at the bashing Rodriguez took for his actions.
When Weaver was managing in Baltimore, he routinely told his third-base coach to yell "Cut it off!" to confuse opposing fielders when an Orioles baserunner was trying to score. He viewed Rodriguez's ploy in the same light.
"When he hollered at the infielders and they got mad, I don't understand [the criticism]," said Weaver, 76. "I don't care what he yelled; he's helping his team win when he does those kinds of things. That's what I call a ballplayer."
Wooooo, hoo! That's a ballplayer, boy! This ethics lesson brought to you by the man responsible for most consecutive swears ever strung together. Awesome. (Loud swears. Beware.)
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
8-09-2007 @ 11:12PM
r.tresso said...
When Earl Weaver played 2nd base for our class D team he was a firey, aggressive, play-makin, base-running- leader of our team. He led the team to the Illinois State League Championship in 1948. He was voted the MVP of the team and he earned it. I've loved Earl ever since I was a young boy and watched him play. He would hit fly balls to us boys that worked at the park and we never forget that.
Reply
8-10-2007 @ 1:34AM
George B Vieto said...
Earl Weaver is one of the best baseball managers in Major League Baseball. Just win Orioles any which way you can. The Blue Jays pitchers should throw beanballs at Alex. Give him a dose of his own medicine on the field.
Reply
8-10-2007 @ 3:44AM
Wildman said...
Earl's one of the best baseball men to ever set on a field. Yes, you do all you can to win. Leo Durocher once said he'd play an elephant if the elephant would help him win. That's what Major League baseball is about, winning. Just because the BlueJats have a severe case of "rabbit ears", don't fault A Rod. He was doing anything he could to winand did it LEGALLY. Next you'll be telling people that "bench jockeys" should be silenced too.
Reply
8-11-2007 @ 10:51PM
Stinge said...
Earl is the man, one of the most brilliant minds to ever be in the game. I have a quote from him posted in my office. It reads, "What matters most, is what you learn after you already know everything".
Reply