I have been the victim of injuries in the past, but I am getting killed this year. I have Prior, Garciaparra, and Schmidt on the same team that I drafted back on March 1st. Right now, I don't have enough room on my DL to improve that team.
Last year, injuries crippled some of the best players. I think many of them are milking these injuries because of GUARANTEED CONTRACTS. If they all had to play for pay, you'd see guys like Juan-Gone playing 160 games a year.
Guys just used to be tougher. Back in the day, winning for the team was more important than protecting your health. You ever heard stories about Sandy Koufax? -- they'll make you cringe. Toward the end of his career (which wasn't very long), his elbow was the size of a football and he couldn't move his arm between starts. Today, he would be on and off the DL every year (can you say Darren Dreifort) and would be forgotten as soon as he retired. I'm not saying that the old way was better, but personally, I would rather go out in a blaze of hall of fame glory than ride the DL to a high-paid career of mediocrity.
Money is a big motivator though. It's easy for me to say that when someone isn't offering me 100 million for 8 years.
by Captain Jack Sparrow » Wed Mar 31, 2004 8:32 pm
drunkenmonkey wrote:Guys just used to be tougher. Back in the day, winning for the team was more important than protecting your health.
Money is a big motivator though. It's easy for me to say that when someone isn't offering me 100 million for 8 years.
Its definitely a money thing. These guys are trying to extend their careers. I just read "The Teammates" by David Halberstam about the Red Sox of the 40's and Yogi Berra's new book. These guys played for the love of the game. They weren't making money. Berra led his team in RBI's and still had to work at a restaurant during the offseason. They'd play hurt because winning for the team was more important than the individual's wallet.
Do I blame the modern day players? No. I'd be just as cautious.
On the other hand there are some guys who are definitely milking it for all it's worth...
The 'oldest' player I can think of, besides Lou Gehrig , who had gone down w/ an injury really quickly would be Sandy Koufax, who also astounded everyone by taking time off for religious reasons.
I'm thinking and thinking and maybe it's b/c my 1973 HOF guide that I got when I visited there as a kid only had HOF'ers in it who played for long ass times, but I can't think of that many 'old timers' (not to really say that Sandy K was an 'old timer' although I guess he'd qualify now...) who were good but hurt, like say Schmidt or Prior. Maybe the guys who got hurt just...disappeared??
A lot of it too is the fact that they can just hop in the clubhouse and get an xray/ MRI and see what's messed up. Medicine is A LOT different now!!
canibus wrote:Speaking of the "pansy era", I challenge any MLB or NBA player to lace-up at age 51 for even part of a season, let alone a full one!
Julio Franco.....He has to be getting close to 50 by now....
[b]Useless Trivia of the day[/b]
England's Worcester Canoe Club set the world record for paddling a hand-propelled bathtub. The 25 man team covered a distance of 55 miles, 425 yards in 24 hours on September 28 and 29, 1979.
canibus wrote:Speaking of the "pansy era", I challenge any MLB or NBA player to lace-up at age 51 for even part of a season, let alone a full one!
Julio Franco.....He has to be getting close to 50 by now....
Ricky Henderson--"Ricky Henderson is not too old to play. Ricky is still the best basestealer in the game and that's all Ricky's got to say about it."
Can't forget about Old Man Moyer too. He will just roll the ball over the plate in a few more years.
Yes doctor, I am sick. Sick of those who are spineless. Sick of those who feel self-entitled. Sick of those who are hypocrites. Yes doctor, an army is forming. Yes doctor, there will be a war. Yes doctor, there will be blood.....
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by Ry-Guy » Wed Mar 31, 2004 6:50 pm 
, who had gone down w/ an injury really quickly would be Sandy Koufax, who also astounded everyone by taking time off for religious reasons.
