I'm starting to think that Minnesota must be the greatest place in the history of the united planets to play baseball. Here in Chicago, we saw how LaTroy Hawkins melted into a pool of moan and groan, the scowl so firmly implanted you'd think he had TMJ issues. He did tell us how great it was in Minnesota though.
And now we have another former Twin speaking out on behalf of Twins fans and against the Cubs fans. The headline read 'Jones Blasts HR, Does Same to Fans'.
After crushing a 3-run homer to win it for the Cubbies last night, Jones exhaled and out came this: "I'm angry right now, you know what I mean? It's almost funny. It's almost funny."
The Trib article continues: Jones then ripped into Cubs fans for a perceived lack of support, pointing out he's not the first Cubs player to get harassed at Wrigley."I'm not confused at all," he said. "I've seen friends go through it. Sammy Sosa hit 60 home runs three years in a row, went into a little slump and ... hey, like I said earlier, they have a right to voice whatever opinion they want to voice."
"But it's not going to make me play any better. It's not going to make me play any worse. I'm just going to go play the game the way I know how."Jones said he was "hearing all kinds of stuff" in the outfield throughout the game before hitting a three-run shot off Josh Johnson to snap a 3-3 tie in the eighth."I'm just getting used to it," he said. "Where I came from, they were passionate about baseball. We probably didn't draw as many [in Minnesota], but they were there through thick and thin. [The booing] is something I've got to get used to. I'm blocking it out as much as I can."
Apparently, like hitting, he isn't doing a solid job of that. So let me just get everything straight here. You come to a major market to a team who hasn't won a championship in almost 100 years. You sign a lucrative 3-year contract and for the first month you produce about as much as the aforementioned Sosa, except he's not playing anymore.
I like Jones. I liked Hendry signing him even though I can understand detractors of the deal. But after homering in the last 2 games Jones is still only .209/.271/.442. He needs to add close to 100 points to that OPS.
Instead of worrying about what his employers--the fans--have to say, maybe he should just heed his own advice. "They're trying to walk me, bottom line," Jones said. "They're throwing everything in off the plate, trying to walk me. They're just not throwing strikes, and I'm not letting them walk me. . . . It'd be good to take some walks."
Yes. Walks good. Baby talk bad. For over $5 million dollars a year, if the paying fans have something to say than just take it. Take it and take some pitches and let's go. It's step up time for Jones with Lee out. Time to really earn that check.
Sports
Cubs
Jacque Jones
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
I think the Cubs own Corporate Nipple made a little something out of nothing here. I read the Sun-Times account, and Jones wasn't portrayed as blasting or ripping anyone, just matter-of-factly stating the situation, and also saying the fans have the right to boo and he's dealing with it. According to the S-T, Jones was calm and not upset when giving these quotes. It's interesting that it would be the Cubs own paper, so to speak, that would seek to stir up a player v. fan angle with the headline while the other paper didn't make too much of it; you'd think it'd be the other way around.
That being said, I wish players wouldn't even discuss booing fans, coz it's a no-win situation; I also wish Jacque Jones didn't suck so much in between game-winning homers.
Wasn't Jones quoted as saying "I'm angry now?"
It has obviously done something to him if he's talking about it. But agreed--players should never discuss booing fans. It's dumb
Post a Comment