Mussina just threw out the first pitch for MFY

[MikeAD]

The facts as I recall them:

Before the season, Moose demanded 5 years, $62.5 mm. He made it very clear he would not negotiate during the season. Angelos eventually offered 5 years, $60 mm, but with a very significant portion of the money deferred. Mussina rejected that, and ended up with 6 years, $88.5 mm from the Yankees.

It is hard to look at that and conclude anything other than that Angelos didn't treat Mussina right and totally misplayed his hand.

There were all sorts of rumors that he told Orioles management he would give them a chance for a final offer. So I get if you want to be mad about that (well at the time at least). But even if that was true, how do you walk out of the room with New York (who just offered an extra year and at least two million more per year) and go talk to someone who offered you less than you even originally asked for? That would be silly.

You can't, and shouldn't, ever fault someone for doing what is best for themselves and their career. That goes for any employee. I lost one of my best guys at an important time this Fall but he was walking for something that was much better short term and long term for him. Sure it sucked, but thats how it goes.

[Frobby]

I don't blame Mussina for leaving the Orioles. At the time, the way he was treated and the way the O's were headed, it was common sense.

However, I do just wish he had done what Pettitte did and refused to play for a division opponent. He would have gotten a good deal somewhere else. He didn't HAVE to go to the Yankees, but I don't blame him for it. I just wish he had gone that extra mile.

I recall he wanted to be within driving distance of his hometown in PA. Theoretically, he could have gone to the Mets, Philly or maybe Pittsburgh. Theoretically.

I recall Joe Torre called him personally the day after the Yankees won the World Series to sell him on joining the Yankees, and Mussina saying that the personal call from Torre had a big impact on his decision. Until then he had not wanted to play in New York.

[NewMarketSean]

I recall he wanted to be within driving distance of his hometown in PA. Theoretically, he could have gone to the Mets, Philly or maybe Pittsburgh. Theoretically.

I recall Joe Torre called him personally the day after the Yankees won the World Series to sell him on joining the Yankees, and Mussina saying that the personal call from Torre had a big impact on his decision. Until then he had not wanted to play in New York.

Yeah, it would have been hard to turn down all that attention.

Maybe if the Orioles would have faxed him their offer and sent him a wall clock he would have remained an Oriole.

[Don Quixote]

Yeah, Angelos screwed the pooch, but at the same time I'm glad Mussina didn't get a ring in New York. If he had ended up with most other teams I wouldn't've cared nearly as much (I don't care as much now as then, since it's all over). It's not that he left, it's how he left (i.e., where he ended up). I have near zero interest about Mussina in the Orioles HOF, or even in Cooperstown. I will just laugh if he gets in and they put an O's hat on the bust (his best years as a whole were as an Oriole, so they should). He can throw out the first pitch at every Yankees home opener until he dies - I don't care that much.

[Blizzard1090]

I will go on the record stating that I hate, HATE the MFY's and what they and the Red Sox are doing to baseball. They are able to use their payroll to streamroll any other team's chances of getting FA's and have pulled off more lopsided trades than I care to remember from teams they know can't afford to say no most of the time. The 09 championship? One of the most bought ones in history.

Having said all that, I don't fault Mussina for what he did. Not only did Angelos treat him like dirt at the end but the writing was on the wall for the O's. He might not have won any rings in NY but asking someone to stay when the team is going to stay on a losing streak out of loyalty is wrong.

When Carl Crawford went to Boston this offseason for the money,a group of fans placed an ad in the paper thanking him for all he did for Tampa and wished him well,even though he went to play for a division rival for $$$ and a chance to win a ring.

He didn't spit in the faces of fans or act like a bandwagon jumper like T-Jerk or spit in the face of his franchise like Mark Grace did with the Cubs.

Like other posts have said, he did what he felt was best for him. I will not begrudge him for that.

I would have much rather seen him with a ring than T-jerk. Even if it was with the MFY.

[tennOsfan]

I can't fault Mussina for what he did, but count me as against him being in the Oriole Hall of Fame. Him throwing out the first pitch makes me sick.

Had he gone to any other team, even the Red Sox, I wouldn't be so hostile to him.

[Bradysburns]

Moose is kinda like that really hot girl you had for, like, all of college. But then she dumped you for that f--- I mean, guy who worked for Hopkins and was all like: "Yeah, I'm a big researcher, blah blah blah." But he turned out to be a d-bag anyway in the end, so whatever. Who cares. I'm actually really happy with my life now anyway.

Yeah, like that. At some point, you simply have to take a deep breath, get over it and make nice when you run into her at the Giant.

In other words, yes on the Orioles HOF. No on getting all gushy over it.

[OFFNY]

Our beloved Paul Blair was traded to the Yankees, and he immediately won back-to-back World Series with them. In the fifth and deciding game of the 1977 ALCS, the Yankees were down 3-2 in the ninth inning, and Blair led the inning off with a single to start a three-run rally to win the game and the pennant for the Yankees (I remember watching it with my brother, and yes, I hated it.) In his very next game in the World Series, Blair hit the game-winning walk-off single in the bottom of the 12th to beat the Dodgers.

Blair would never throw out the first pitch at Yankee Stadium ........ at least I hope he wouldn't.

[cindyluvsbrady]

And no' date=' it wasn't a knuckle-curve.

So is he a Yankee for life now or what?[/quote']

YUCKY:angryfire:

[Blizzard1090]

I imagine he's a Yankee for life now considering the Oriole fanbase which he gave ten years to has pretty much rejected him.

[russ snyder]

I imagine he's a Yankee for life now considering the Oriole fanbase which he gave ten years to has pretty much rejected him.

Yeah. He's so embraceable. I really soured on him his last year here. Yes, he probably should have been given his extension before his last season, but he would have been really miserable here for those five years. Sometimes things work out for a reason. I'm glad he was never on a World Series winner. (I'm petty that way.) He probably belongs in the Orioles HOF, but I really do not care if he is ever elected or invited. We are not talking about Jim Palmer.

[BaltimoreTerp]

Yeah. He's so embraceable. I really soured on him his last year here. Yes, he probably should have been given his extension before his last season, but he would have been really miserable here for those five years. Sometimes things work out for a reason. I'm glad he was never on a World Series winner. (I'm petty that way.) He probably belongs in the Orioles HOF, but I really do not care if he is ever elected or invited. We are not talking about Jim Palmer.

On the other hand, if he stays the front office may have tried to do a better job of building around him. Or if he demanded a trade we could have done with him what we did with Bedard and received talent that could have improved the club.

[russ snyder]

Good points. But I don't think that Sid Thrift and company had in in them to either build around him or make a trade similar to the Bedard deal.