Now, this really shouldn't have been a surprise to anyone, but a still shocked Mientkiewicz supposedly left camp when he heard the news ... which is interesting because I just read this blurb in ESPN Magazine from Kim Ng on cutting players:
"Reactions vary. Young guys are rarely rattled; they expect it. Vets who know it's time to hang it up go proudly. But some guys do get upset. We tell them to take the day off and talk with friends."
Now, you would think a guy like Mientkiewicz would be one of the vets who knows it's time to hang it up. Nope, turns out he's more a guy who gets upset. And apparently, Mientkiewicz went and talked with his friends, and they decided his battle plan should be to act like a douche.
Mientkiewicz came back today demanding his release, which would be well and good, if he didn't follow that up by making a scene.
"...they won't give me [my release] because they say if Garret Anderson blows out his hamstring, I'm the pinch-hitter.
...So I'm not bitter or pouting, but I feel like the Shawshank Redemption. Let me go. No place I'd rather be than with the Los Angeles Dodgers. But I'm not one of the 25. I'm OK with that. I get it. Then, why hold onto me?"
First of all, nice job of throwing the coaching staff under the bus with Anderson. Somewhere, Garret is sobbing to himself, wondering why nobody has faith in his hamstring.
"Don't I have feelings, too?"Second, why is this so hard to understand? They want to keep you around as an insurance policy, in case, as you so delicately put it, Anderson blows out his hamstring. Is that really that crazy an idea? What?! A backup?! This is unheard of!
Third, what's the motivation to keep playing? The fact that Torre wants to keep you around in case something happens to Anderson is actually pretty high praise.
I mean, you haven't shown any indication that you can throw anything other than lobs with that injured shoulder of yours ... so there's no way that could be problematic; is there anything stopping a runner from going 1st to 3rd on a fielder's choice when you are playing?
On the other hand, you went 7-24 (with two doubles!) this Spring (mostly as a late inning replacement, so really that's against the #83s and #97s of the world), so at least the mediocre hitting is still there.
At least you can still catch a ball ... I guess you've got that going for you...
Oh, and finally, Shawshank Redemption?! Really? You have an opt-out clause in your contract that can be enacted on Friday, so yeah, that's a lot like serving consecutive life sentences in a depressing prison with only Morgan Freeman to help you get through your ordeal.
He can probably make throws across the diamond better than Mientkiewicz.What I'm saying is, give it a rest Doug.
If there's strong interest today amongst other teams in a 35 year old first baseman who can't throw and can only hit .292 against scrubs, but who can catch the ball like the dickens, then they'll still be interest on Friday.
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EDIT: It's Friday. Mientkiewicz was released. Good luck in finding a job, Doug. Hope these last six days didn't ruin your blossoming career.
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