MAX MERCY RETURNS!

I have lost my patience for certain “Baseball” writers. There are a few left out there that just write about what happens between the white lines…but let’s face it, they’re a dying breed. The majority of them are self important, frustrated, gossip columnists. It is to the point that the game is really just a side project for these clowns. I think it’s really a reflection of society as a whole, but for now let’s call it what it is. Baseball writers hold themselves above the players, the fans and the game as a whole.

I always think of Robert Duvall’s portrayal of sports writer Max Mercy in The Natural. Talk about a foreshadowing of what was to come for the profession. In a conversation with Redford’s Roy Hobbs Mercy says that he is, “Here to protect this game.”


What a load of crap that is. Mercy and the baseball writers of today have zero interest in protecting the game. They strive only to garner their own time in the spotlight. Now granted in Max Mercy’s time there wasn’t ESPN. Writers get to appear on TV these days! Awesome! But do they have to act as if it’s a spot on TMZ rather than Baseball Tonight? Come on, guys…smarten up.

What was the last straw? It was the bratty attack on Derek Jeter’s new web venture. My God it was like a group of sorority girls having a bad night. “Oh, so now Jeter will talk…” “Oh, I am so over his act. WHATever…” “Let get some Zima and write nasty stuff about him.” Awful.

Was Jeter ever disrespectful to them? Did he ever sneak out of the clubhouse after a bad night at the plate? Nope. He stood at his locker and answered the questions. Sure, he never talked about in house issues or personal tidbits…but so what? He answered questions about baseball period. If you want a train wreck to report on head a few lockers over and see Mr. Rodriquez.

I am not trying to run ARod down; the guy has had enough of that. I’m just saying that Jeter shouldn’t be singled out for talking only baseball when he was a BASEBALL PLAYER! C’mon guys, protect this game right? Nonsense.

The truth is that many writers have an issue with the players end of story. They don’t like them. Watch Jeter’s new website will cost him Hall of Fame votes from some of these hacks. Which brings me to me overall point.

BASEBALL WRITERS SHOULD NOT HAVE A HALL OF FAME VOTE!!

Take it away from them immediately! The Hall vote should come from a selected committee of former players and managers. Let’s chose gentlemen who actually PLAYED the game and know the human side of the sport. The baseball writers seem to still be upset that some kid who played baseball in high school was popular and they weren’t. Get over it guys. Write about the game…or don’t.

Some will say that I am only defending Jeet because I am a Yankee fan…yes, that’s fair to say. But it’s more than that. I’d be defending any player of Jeter’s status. He did it the right way and now that he has stepped away the “writers” are upset that he wants to talk about things outside of baseball. He personal life is first now, fellas. He doesn’t play baseball any longer. So if he doesn’t want to talk to you anymore…well, he doesn’t have to.

** Here EPMD’s “I’m Mad”…’cause I am. Protect this game my ass…**



 
 --Mike O'Hara
Senior "Features" Writer
Twitter: @mikeyoh21



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