12/03/24
April 03, 2003
Tejada still might stick around ...: but I think ESPN's link to this off their own front page is misleading. It's obvious in reading the story that Tejada is joking, and that he wants to stay in the Oakland area. Maybe as a newspaper guy I'm a bit overly zealous about it, but to me it smacks of the National Enquirer. Should ESPN be flamed a little for trying to sensationalize this?
Vito: I guess the bigger question to me is — Is ESPN saying on the front page: "Tejada to A's: How about $500 mil?" fair to the situation? If you read that, it doesn't imply the spirit of Tejada's comment. As a headline writer, using it out of context is cheating. As for the deal, I think Tejada is just restating his position. He feels like Oakland has already shut the door, and he wants people to know that. I think he'd gladly take an offer that was perhaps 10-20% below market value, although him saying he has to look out for his family is a bit disturbing. The difference between $12 mil and $14-15 mil is NOT looking out for your family.
posted by wfrazerjr at 10:24 AM on April 03, 2003
posted by yerfatma at 11:45 AM on April 03, 2003
Yerfatma, I haven't been able to find confirmation of this anywhere. Not ESPN, not AP, not SI, not the A's ... nothing. Isn't it odd that ONE source would have this?
posted by wfrazerjr at 12:02 PM on April 03, 2003
Ummm ... "A's owner Steve Schott, missing since a March 25th hunting trip with Assistant GM David Forst, was unavailable for comment." That's the last line in the story.
posted by wfrazerjr at 12:04 PM on April 03, 2003
Yeah. I enjoyed the folks at the BP running an April Fool's gag, though I thought it could have been a little more over-the-top. Like, say, an article in praise of "proven veteran leadership." Now _that_ would have been a prank more in character...
posted by herc at 01:07 PM on April 03, 2003
Isn't it odd that ONE source would have this? Odder still that it would be in a story datelined April 1st. It's tough to post something like that without giving away the gag but still maintaining that you knew when you posted. I hoped my title attribute would do the trick; instead I derailed the thread. Interesting.
posted by yerfatma at 02:29 PM on April 03, 2003
I misread the damn dateline. Christ. *smacks forehead* So, anyway ...
posted by wfrazerjr at 04:24 PM on April 03, 2003
Tejada is clearly joking about the $500 million line, but I believe he's sincere about wanting a deal sooner rather than later. So I think this is fair game to report. However it doesn't bode real well for the A's. Fer chrissake they have played TWO GAMES and their star is beating the drums of discontent. I will say this though, they lost Giambi and were fine. The M's lost three stars in three years and were fine. The A's will survive the loss of Tejada if it comes to that. Zito, Hudson and Mulder are the key (they still have Mulder, right?)