Hey, you know what I did all weekend? I swept. That's funny, isn't it? I rather enjoyed the Cubs sweep of the Cardinals. The Cardinals did not enjoy the sweep. They also did not enjoy the amenities of the visitors clubhouse.From the St. Louis Post Dispatch:
Most Cardinals players - and one very perturbed manager - were jolted by a sudden loss of hot water during post-game showers. Center fielder Jim Edmonds described it as "the complete Single-A experience" after La Russa emerged from his office to vent his displeasure. Some players waited until after returning to the team hotel to shower. Others gritted their teeth and dove in for a chilling experience."I wouldn't tip these guys. I wouldn't tip 'em," La Russa advised his players within earshot of visiting clubhouse personnel.
What a classy group. Clubhouse personnel count on being tipped by overpaid (especially in that series) ballplayers--it's a big part of their earnings. Surely they weren't to blame for the lack of hot water. And surely they deserve to be compensated for the work they do. That work includes scraping and cleaning the spikes of every player, cleaning up after them in the locker room and other similar duties.
La Russa telling his players not to tip them is yet another display of what a big baby he can be. This is the same guy who shattered a fungo bat when asked what kind of reception Mark McGwire would receive upon his first visit to Busch after his retirement. Maybe he shattered the bat in frustration since he has possibly been covering up for roids users since the late 80's.
While some players took the high road and showered at the hotel, Edmonds had to run his mouth. Edmonds has struck out 10 times in 27 ABs and he's hitting a robust .185 so far. Maybe he should worry more about that than hot showers. By the way, I also think it's interesting that his homerun total fell from 42 to 29 last year. Things that make you go hmmm.
Related stories:
Cardinals
Jim Edmonds
Cubs
5 comments:
This is funny. Maybe these guys should visit the Gulf Coast of Mississippi like I just did and find in the motel that even though the showers work, the water is so murky that you can't see your feet in the tub. These overpaid crybabies need to quit thinking that they are better than the working man who buys a $50 ticket and $5 hotdog to watch them make an attempt at playing.
Must respectfully disagree with your assessment here, Zoner. If the clubhouse personnel want to get tipped, it has to be earned. After the biting bluster of the Windy City this past weekend, why is it out of line to expect hot water in the visitor's clubhouse? Did the Cubbies have to take cold showers? Also, I believe that you provide a link to the story on player salaries on your front page. You've got to get down to number 17 to find the first Redbird. Then look at the rest of the top 100 and you won't find but a handful of others in Cardinal uniforms. Finally, I'm not sure it's prudent for someone who cheered for Sosa to talk about a 'roid cover-up on LaRussa's part. Just my 2 cents. I appreciate your site, but would love to disagree with you further on any Cardinal / Cub propaganda!
This has nothing to do with Sosa and I have taken him to task previously.
What do the clubhouse attendants have to do with the water? They still did their jobs and their jobs are difficult. They should be tipped. They did earn their money. It's not out of line to expect hot water, but blaming the clubhouse guys for that is like not tipping the waiter for the cook burning the steak.
The Cards have 3 guys making over 10 mill a year so it's not like they have a low payroll, though I'm not sure what that has to do with their unclassy behavior anyway.
I agree that Tony's move wasn't all that classy. He's an edgy guy sometimes. At Old Busch, I used to wait after games for the players to exit and try to get autographs; two years ago, La Russa exited the stadium and did his best to avoid any contact with the fans. I chased him down and kindly asked if he had the time to sign an autograph; he mumbled some profanity over his shoulder and continued walking. I stopped and decided I best not push his buttons any further, but he stopped and turned toward me and shot an annoying glance my way as if to say, "hurry up; let's get this over with."
But still, you can't group an entire clubhouse together when blame can be placed squarely on a few individuals. Implying that the entire team was disrespectful is nothing more than a sweeping generalization that people tend to make when a rivalry such as ours exists. I don't like a majority of Cubs fans I come across simply because the only vocal ones I meet are brash, rude, and unknowledgeable. I know not all Cubs fans are this way, but it would be easy for me to think so.
Great site by the way; keep up the good work!
Thanks Chris. And you are right, I certainly didn't mean to group all of them together.
La Russa had the same edge here with the White Sox.
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