quade36 Posted February 7, 2005 Share Posted February 7, 2005 This article shows he is a tool. He forgets the fact that the Sox DID offer Maggs a big contract. BY GREG COUCH :finger SUN-TIMES COLUMNIST He was out there in right field all those years, a loyal, selfless, well-behaved superstar with a work ethic. He's everything you could want in a sports hero for your kids. And now, Chicago, he's gone, thrown out with the trash like an empty carton of Chinese food. No, not him. We've already spent a week celebrating Sammy Sosa's trade. On Saturday, Magglio Ordonez quietly said goodbye to Chicago for good, agreeing to a five-year, $75 million contract with the Detroit Tigers. He is expected to sign Monday. The Sox dumped him. The Cubs passed on him. This one hurts. All he ever did for the White Sox was smack home runs and RBI, hit .300, field well and show an old-fashioned honor and class. Beat it, Maggs. Never has one guy leaving town made both teams look so bad. The Sox? Cheap, second-tier, dirty. The Cubs? Cheap, incompetent, insincere. And to think he went out begging to please, please let him stay. He called me a few weeks ago with that plea after the Sox let him go: "I'm not happy I have to leave Chicago. I was hoping the White Sox would offer me arbitration. But they never called.'' But the Cubs were going to need a right fielder once they finally ditched Sosa. Would you play for them, Magglio? "That would be nice. Really, really nice.'' Ah, well, who needs him, right? The Cubs always have prospect Jason Dubois for their World Series run. The Sox have Jermaine Dye, who used to be really good. Oh, this says so much about our teams. Some Sox fans turned on Maggs because he signed with hated agent Scott Boras. The truth is, Boras means results for players. And Maggs needed support during the Sox' yearlong undermining and smear campaign against him. And what about his injury? His mysterious knee surgery and treatment in Austria? It wasn't that mysterious. The Sox made it look that way, saying they couldn't get medical reports, they doubted he would play this season and they had nothing to do with him going there. That was believable until Ordonez produced e-mails from a team doctor suggesting he go to the guy in Austria for a procedure that is slow in gaining final approval in the United States. Let's start with the Cubs. Why didn't they sign him? Why didn't they even try? A source close to Maggs said that Ordonez was disappointed that the Cubs didn't show any interest. The company line is going to be that you couldn't risk five years of big bucks on a guy with a surgically repaired knee. But listen: Reports are that the Tigers can void the contract after next season if Maggs' knee problem comes back. So the Cubs could have had a star for the next five years if he's healthy. If he's not, they are out one year's pay. That's a chance you take if you really are trying to win the World Series at any cost. You know, Jeromy Burnitz, Sosa's replacement, is just like Sosa on the field. He's an awkward fielder and home-run hitter who strikes out a lot. He's a poor man's Sosa, but a good guy. That's what the Cubs wanted. Ordonez is a good guy and a better player than Sosa. If the Cubs wanted to win, they would have signed a closer and a leadoff hitter. It's the same troubles as last season. What are they waiting for? You cannot count on this grand starting rotation lasting for years. Greg Maddux is getting old. Kerry Wood and Mark Prior have histories of injuries. When a team that hasn't won in nearly 100 years suddenly has a chance, it needs to really go for it, no matter the payroll. Believe me, if they had signed Maggs, they would have made plenty of money from their TV and radio deals, their 3 million fans, their rooftop affiliations, their scalping business. Meanwhile, what does it say about the Sox when they can't hang on to their homegrown superstar? They never wanted to pay him in the first place and could have signed him long ago. Someone -- wink, wink -- is making him out to be greedy. Yes, the Sox offered him a big deal, but, he said, some of the money was deferred for as long as 20 years. Pay now and I'll sign now, he told them. "I don't know why they want to pull this campaign against me in the newspapers,'' he said. "The only thing I ever did in Chicago was play hard, do my job and be quiet. "They always say they want to win, they want to win. They don't care about winning. They only care about making money.'' So there it is, the anatomy of how you run a true Chicago sports superstar out of town. Beat it, Maggs. Who needs you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chisoxmatt Posted February 7, 2005 Share Posted February 7, 2005 This was mentioned already mentioned elsewhere but it deserves its own thread. This is a terrible article. How can we resign maggs with that huge contract he just got. We couldnt afford to offer him that type of contract and still expect to win anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LDF Posted February 7, 2005 Share Posted February 7, 2005 there is too many question mark on his knee and when asked to produce medical paper work, scott borass camp didn't come thru. i do believe in kw version instead of the ass of scott borass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spod=Ratings Posted February 7, 2005 Share Posted February 7, 2005 Man its suprising how clueless some guys are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngelasDaddy0427 Posted February 7, 2005 Share Posted February 7, 2005 Well at least on the bright side this article paints the cubs about as badly as it paints us. Still the guy who wrote it is a jackass. Is this guy real or is he just Mariotti collecting two paychecks. It's hard to believe there are two sports writers that stupid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3E8 Posted February 7, 2005 Share Posted February 7, 2005 Did we or did we not offer Ordonez 70 million dollars? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rowand44 Posted February 7, 2005 Share Posted February 7, 2005 QUOTE(3E8 @ Feb 6, 2005 -> 09:45 PM) Did we or did we not offer Ordonez 70 million dollars? We did, a lot of writers just don't do their hw and they get paid for this junk, unbelievable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Critic Posted February 7, 2005 Share Posted February 7, 2005 QUOTE(Jeckle2000 @ Feb 6, 2005 -> 09:24 PM) Well at least on the bright side this article paints the cubs about as badly as it paints us. Still the guy who wrote it is a jackass. Is this guy real or is he just Mariotti collecting two paychecks. It's hard to believe there are two sports writers that stupid. Couch should stick to what he does best, which is shining the light on the Prince Richie Daley Empire's dirty dealings. Maybe he wrote this stupid piece just to piss Richie off... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KWs OK for Me Posted February 7, 2005 Share Posted February 7, 2005 "I'm not happy I have to leave Chicago. I was hoping the White Sox would offer me arbitration. But they never called.'' Does anyone think that is just a PR line or do you think he's serious? Do you think that Maggs would have really accepted arbitration? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rowand44 Posted February 7, 2005 Share Posted February 7, 2005 QUOTE(KWs OK for Me @ Feb 6, 2005 -> 10:17 PM) Does anyone think that is just a PR line or do you think he's serious? Do you think that Maggs would have really accepted arbitration? He just got a deal that could be up to 7 years 105 mill, he hired Borass for a reason, no way he would have accepted arbitration. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greg775 Posted February 7, 2005 Share Posted February 7, 2005 Couch wrote: "This one hurts. All he ever did for the White Sox was smack home runs and RBI, hit .300, field well and show an old-fashioned honor and class." Say what you want. Couch is right. I'll back a player like Maggs who was a total class act and damn good player over our GM and owner(s) any day. He may single handedly prevent us from winning the division for years to come. As many games as we play Det. and as motivated as he'll be if he's healthy, this is not good news. Good luck Maggs. You are class!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rowand44 Posted February 7, 2005 Share Posted February 7, 2005 QUOTE(greg775 @ Feb 6, 2005 -> 10:31 PM) You are class!! :headshake He's not a classy guy at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3E8 Posted February 7, 2005 Share Posted February 7, 2005 QUOTE(greg775 @ Feb 6, 2005 -> 10:31 PM) Couch wrote: "This one hurts. All he ever did for the White Sox was smack home runs and RBI, hit .300, field well and show an old-fashioned honor and class." Say what you want. Couch is right. I'll back a player like Maggs who was a total class act and damn good player over our GM and owner(s) any day. He may single handedly prevent us from winning the division for years to come. As many games as we play Det. and as motivated as he'll be if he's healthy, this is not good news. Good luck Maggs. You are class!! Read above. We made Maggs an offer that was more than fair. He's the one who did not accept it, even though it would make him one of the highest paid players in the majors, while enabling him to stay in the city he loved oh-so much. Magglio doesn't care about Chicago fans. I don't think he is class. His kids are named Magglio and Magglia, for Christ's sake. I'm surprised they found a cap large enough for his head. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gene Honda Civic Posted February 7, 2005 Share Posted February 7, 2005 Mariotti school of journalism. Never let the facts get in the way of a good story. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
knightni Posted February 7, 2005 Share Posted February 7, 2005 Interesting... An articlle written by Greg Couch and supported by someone who's ID is greg775. Coincedence or Conspiracy....? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CSF Posted February 7, 2005 Share Posted February 7, 2005 QUOTE(Gene Honda Civic @ Feb 6, 2005 -> 11:18 PM) Mariotti school of journalism. Never let the facts get in the way of a good story. I stopped reading his columns altogether. That assclown is another Mariotti clone. I remember his rip job on Frank last year for no reason but to stir up the pot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southsider2k5 Posted February 7, 2005 Share Posted February 7, 2005 One key fact that was left out has already been pointed out was the Sox earlier contract offers which Maggs turned down. The other fact left out of their is that Maggs exersized his medical privacy rights, and told the doctor who gave him the Austrian recommendation NOT to tell the Sox about it. There is zero evidence that the Sox knew about the surgery dispite those emails. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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