Rangers DFA Ponson

[GotNitro]

I might feel bad for him if it weren't for that picture posted above.

[Mad Mark]

They're a baseball team, not a halfway house.

It's their job to look after their best interest, not Sidney's.

It's not like, "OMG, what a surprise! This never happened before! So, how can we help?"

I don't know happened, but if he did fall off the wagon and presented a problem, time for them to show him the door so everybody can concentrate on baseball.

No question. Which is why I stated that they should have had his AA sponsor rooming with him on the road. I believe it was in their best interests to keep Ponson on the straight and narrow, not go looking for reasons to throw him overboard if he strayed.

[RShack]

No question. Which is why I stated that they should have had his AA sponsor rooming with him on the road. I believe it was in their best interests to keep Ponson on the straight and narrow, not go looking for reasons to throw him overboard if he strayed.

Maybe they figured that it was in their best interest to see if Sidney could act like a grown-up, and not go arranging things on the assumption that Sidney's not a grown-up.

In other words, maybe they don't want guys on their team who require baby-sitting. If I was them, I wouldn't.

[Mary1966]

http://blogs.chron.com/baseballblog/archives/2008/06/should_astros_g.html - from a blog by an Astros beat reporter

Should Astros get Sidney Ponson?

Would you like to have Sidney Ponson?

Let's face it, folks, the Astros need pitching. And Ponson can pitch.

The Texas Rangers just let go of him because they deemed him a "disruptive force" in the clubhouse. He also has two DWI's in his past, and you all know what I think about that.

With that said, a few Astros players asked me to strongly encourage the Astros to sign Ponson. I don't usually like to do the players' bidding, but heck, I need a blog entry. So here we go.

"We need that guy," one friend of Ponson's said. "We could use him. He's a good teammate."

Would you mind if the Astros signed Ponson? Keep in mind that he must have really, really screwed up for the Rangers to designate him for assignment. Also keep in mind that the Astros have good relations with the Rangers' brass, including the legendary Nolan Ryan. So if the Astros get him, they'll know quite well what they're getting into.

But if Ed Wade or Drayton McLane or Cecil Cooper polled their clubhouse, they'd find some guys who would offer huge endorsements for Ponson as a player, a competitor and even as a person.

The Astros' clubhouse has always been able to handle volatile personalities. Carl Everett is one example. With the added diversity, I get the sense that some of the veteran Latino players can help Ponson settle in.

And, please, don't give me this tired "our old Astros of the past have been saints" myth. If you've learned anything from the aftermath of the Mitchell Report, let it be the some of your heroes are just as human as the rest of us.

The Astros must compete in the world they live in, and it's quite obvious that the rival St. Louis Cardinals have no problem with guys with DWIs. Heck, they're managed by one very famous youtube.com drunk video star.

Somebody's going to give Ponson a chance, and it might as well be the Astros. He could be the difference between competing in September or watching somebody else win the wild card with him.

Who's on your all-trouble team?

-----

So which Astro is lobbying for Sidney? Tejada?

[DuffMan]

http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/sports/roch/blog/2008/06/on_another_scorching_day.html

Roch has some explanation as to why they released Ponson. It's about half way down in the blog. Best line in there was this one

I’m told by a reporter who covers the team that Ponson basically challenged the Rangers to release him, and “they decided they were up to the challenge.”

I let out a chuckle after that one.

[tennOsfan]

He's got to be the biggest knucklehead I can think of.

[catfishncwc]

Ponson has done it again. Will this guy ever learn.

ARLINGTON, Texas -- The Texas Rangers released right-hander Sidney Ponson and activated minor league pitcher Thomas Diamond from the 60-day disabled list Monday.

Ponson was designated for assignment June 6 despite a 4-1 record and 3.88 ERA for a starting rotation beset by injuries and among the worst in the majors. General manager Jon Daniels has said Ponson was dumped "for disrespecting teammates and club personnel."

Diamond was optioned to Double-A Frisco, where the right-hander has already made five rehab starts. The former first-round pick is 1-1 with a 6.23 ERA in those starts. He missed all of last season after elbow ligament replacement surgery.

Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press

[Burg]

In other news, the Japanese have bombed Pearl Harbor.

[joeride]

and the Orioles have lost 10 Sundays in a row

[TonySoprano]

Generalissimo Francisco Franco is still dead.

[Burg]

"Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!"

[bobmc]

Elvis and Jimmy Hoffa are still missing.

[blueberryale77]

Incidentally, on the day the Rangers dropped Ponson, I also dropped a full can of Coors Light on my foot (perhaps in subconscious salute to Sir Sid). The bruise is completely gone now.

[Ruzious]

You have to be a really bad person / moron to have pitched that well... for Texas... and still get kicked off the team.

There is tea in China.

[Mark Carver]

Hmmm, what did I do 10 days ago when this happened....