Big Unit

[Griff]

I've changed my mind. I'm 100% behind aquiring the Unit damn the cost. I need to have guys older than me playing pro ball.

[BigV]

Yeah, I've seen the Big Unit pitch. He is the real deal. In the All-Star game one year, I heard a player from the other league who had never faced Johnson ask for advice from other batters who had. The best line was, when you hear him grunt, swing.

I also watched him pitch (and lose, damn that sucky Mariner offense) to Mark McGwire who wound up and KILLED the ball so hard that it disappeared over my head, and hit the wall of the Kingdome above the second deck. I know Randy's pitch made the difference there, I mean, hitting it off the tee would never get the ball that far. Even if you were using a fairway wood, fer cryin out loud. Randy put a lot of energy into that pitch, and Mark saw it and raised it (and raised it and raised it)

But your point about the Yankees getting him.

Oh please, there's a hell of a lot more sweetness and light in the GW lockbox thread compared to my feelings about the NYY.

*sucessfully snuffs nuclear flame post on NYY*

Ok, better now.

Can't wait for spring training!!

[Griff]

This is a trade that really plays into everything folks (other than me) hate about the Yankees. The Yanks minor league system is now officially empty. Can they continue to be solvent only hiring expensive proven talent? George thinks so and he does know that you'll get butts in the seats and merchandising done if you field a serious team. Boston has figured that out. I didn't follow the Mariner jail break that closely but I wonder how they managed to shake loose all that talent. They were developing a national/international following, the money was just starting to roll in... maybe it felt too much like a game of chicken to the ownership. It's not all about market size, although I suspect the Brewers are truly screwed.

I can't imagine batting against a guy who is right on top of you when he releases the ball. Scarey event especially in the dh league. Definition of fun- opening day in the Bronx, Bostons in town and you can make a pretty good guess who the pitching matchup will be.

feel free to flame, I would

[lookout123]

you can have him griff. we're tired of his attitude in arizona. he is one of the best out there when he is on his game, but an absolute, whiny dick when he isn't. that shit about pushing gonzales in the dugout last year was the last straw for me. i hate to see him go to NY but at least he is gone.

[Griff]

He was in town for about three minutes before his first cameraman episode...

[godwulf]

Originally Posted by lookout123

you can have him griff. we're tired of his attitude in arizona. he is one of the best out there when he is on his game, but an absolute, whiny dick when he isn't. that shit about pushing gonzales in the dugout last year was the last straw for me. i hate to see him go to NY but at least he is gone.

The DBacks (and we fans) will miss having that dominant presence on the mound every fifth day, and RJ has surely given us some unbelievably big thrills these past six years...but I have to agree with 'lookout' in that I, for one, will not miss his attitude one little bit.

Btw, regards the hated Yankees, I highly recommend a book called "The Last Night of the Yankee Dynasty". If you haven't read this book, anything you ever believed or heard about Steinbrenner is nowhere near bad enough. It also chronicles some interesting behind-the-scenes insights into Game 7 of the 2001 Series. Great book!

Bye-bye, RJ...it was fun. I'll always remember being there the night the Padres dugout was giving you grief the whole game, and you kept getting hotter and hotter and ended up pitching a complete game shutout, with three of your last four pitches crossing the plate between 98 and 100 mph. I watched you go after Sterling Hitchcock with a bat after he hit you on your pitching arm, and I watched you win Game 2 of the World Series...etc. It was more than fun, Unit...it was great Baseball.