11/05/24
December 27, 2005
Reardon arrested: for robbing a jewelry store. The lesson here is if you rob a jewelry store, don't stop at the Denney's down the street for lunch!
posted by Big D Alexander to baseball at 07:11 AM - 36 comments
He should have at least went to a drive through somewhere.
posted by steelcityguy at 07:42 AM on December 27, 2005
He lost his son last year and had a angioplasty last week. He's blaming his medication. Don't know if I believe that, but it does sound like he was just out of his mind because he reportedly has no reason to worry about money.
posted by spira at 11:47 AM on December 27, 2005
Here's a followup story with the excuse he was on medication for depression and the recent angioplasty. If he still has his playing money, he'll be able to afford lawyers who have a chance to succeed with a crazy defense like that. If he doesn't, he's probably screwed.
posted by rcade at 11:56 AM on December 27, 2005
I have a gun. If all member of Sportsfilter do not send me money I will... Hmmm, I haven't thought this through enough. Nevermind.
posted by 86 at 12:05 PM on December 27, 2005
Poor guy...you see his mug shot? He definitely hasn't stayed active since his playing days. If I were an athlete, I can't imagine ever letting myself go like that.
posted by ryanjohnson at 02:18 PM on December 27, 2005
He wasn't exactly a svelte guy during his career neither. This sucks. He was one of the greats.
posted by chicobangs at 02:53 PM on December 27, 2005
I can't imagine ever letting myself go like that. Me neither. 
posted by rcade at 04:04 PM on December 27, 2005
Now there's someone who's definitely packing!
posted by chicobangs at 04:11 PM on December 27, 2005
the man didn't use a weapon, has no financial problems and lost his 20 year old son in 2004. you'd think real "baseball fans" or at the least "human beings"...would sympathize with the situation, but from what i read here...that's evidently NOT the case. pretty sad...
posted by luckyoldson at 04:53 PM on December 27, 2005
I'm reminded of something the old man used to say; "That's fine, young pup, YOUR day's coming...". Family loss, drug reactions, irrational thought patterns... and now, smart assed comments by pups who haven't been around long enough to catch the whole game. THIS GUY WAS SQUEAKY CLEAN!!! Stuff happens EVERY day. I'm sure that when EACH ONE OF YOU SMART GUYS messes up, YOU will be the first to tell ALL OF US about it, WON"T YOU? Jeffer, don't know ya, bud, but I'M in your corner, and hope the courts are a bit more forgiving than the heartless bastards who throw funny shit under assumed names! Peace.
posted by Thumper at 08:47 PM on December 27, 2005
Yeah , Well I don't really do that "benefit of the doubt" thing with people I don't know personally. So if you can make a few people think or laugh with out personally offending someone, then I think the good ( laughter ) = ( hahaha ) of the group out weights the expense of the lone "unknown" individual. So I wish Mr. Reardon luck as everyone deserves a second chance. Even though his 9th inning gopher ball..." please forgive me as I am completely medicated right now.Whoa yeah.... Think I'm gonna go jackme a liquor store ".....no wait it wore off... I'm cool. The man just made a mistake. Although by law it is the kind of mistake that usually puts you in jail. If the "...your Honor, I was so high, that I did not know what I was doing at the time" defense worked, the jails would be empty!
Jeffer, don't know ya, bud, but I'M in your corner, and hope the courts are a bit more forgiving than the heartless bastards who throw funny shit under assumed names! I had no idea Thumper was your real name. I can understand sympathy for Reardon's personal family tragedy, but since when is that sufficient excuse to knock off a jewelry store? People go temporarily insane under the influence of drugs and/or mental problems and kill their families. Would you still be in Reardon's corner then, or are there categories of felonies you're allowed to acceptably commit when you're having a bad go of things?
posted by rcade at 11:00 PM on December 27, 2005
Points taken, rcade. I guess I sometimes get rackled when "the usuals" go after everyone, no matter the problem. To all offended, my bad.
posted by Thumper at 11:09 PM on December 27, 2005
Its really easy to write funny jokes and comments when somebody is down on their luck. I hope and pray that thinks work out the best they can for Reardon.
posted by daddisamm at 12:49 AM on December 28, 2005
The man has had a rough time of late, maybe it was the medication, maybe he "snapped", maybe he did need the money, only Reardon knows for sure. According to people close to him, they say it is out of charcter for him. Lets give the man the benefit of the doubt for now. During his playing career, we never heard of him being in trouble with drugs, alcohol or the law. Havent we all done something in our lives that we regret?
posted by CountDracula58 at 05:13 AM on December 28, 2005
I guess I sometimes get rackled when "the usuals" go after everyone, no matter the problem. You've been a member here less than two months, and "the usuals" are already causing you to get "rackled" [sic]? I predict your tenure here at SportsFilter is going to long on rackling, the way it's going so far. And who the hell is "Jeffer?" You said yourself you don't know the man, but you're inventing pet names for him? Havent we all done something in our lives that we regret? I love it when this line of defense pops up. Sure I've done things I regret, we all have, and yet, the vast majority of us have never knocked over a jewelry store, no matter what the hell we were under the influence of, m'kay? Mr. Matlock, your witness.
posted by The_Black_Hand at 05:58 AM on December 28, 2005
Comment icon posted by daddisamm at 12:49 AM CST on December 28 Its really easy to write funny jokes and comments when somebody is down on their luck. I hope and pray that thinks work out December 28 Well, I wouldn't say its "really" easy, but here is another scenerio..."your honor I was just kidding,..you thought I was serious,..listen I never would have done this if I knew I was gonna get caught. I have money in the bank why would I rob a jewlery store..Can't they take a joke?"
He seems depressed. No one got hurt - I'm willing to chalk it all up to the consequence of giving up that homer to Ed Sprague in the 1992 World Series. But crime shouldn't go unpunished. Can't go around knocking over jewelry stores because you're having a rough go of it.
posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 09:21 AM on December 28, 2005
Of course I care about Reardon. Jeff Reardon was the first major leaguer I ever chatted with. It was at some all-star weekend thing, and he seemed thoughful and accessible, and willing to share time and wisdom with everyone who came by. I've seen depression medication make people delusional before, and while this is a big deal and it could have been a lot worse, of course I'm glad he's okay. The fact is that maybe some of us are experiencing a little bit of grief fatigue, especially for people we don't really know personally. I feel for Jeff Reardon, and I really wish only the best for him, but it's been a rough couple of weeks for sporting tragedies, and I understand a little gallows humor, especially if it's not meanspirited.
posted by chicobangs at 09:39 AM on December 28, 2005
The above comments are all nice and cute and blah blah blah ! where is the sympothy for the poor bastard that was just doing his job earning a living and ending up on the end of a gun!!! Put yourself in those shoes first and then comment. wolf
posted by TEAMCINCOTTA at 09:55 AM on December 28, 2005
It seems to me that just about everyone I see at my local Denneys must have done something wrong and is just waiting to get arrested. Especially that guy in the kitchen, he looks like a cat burgular and the valet that parked my car looked a little nervous.
posted by Termite at 10:15 AM on December 28, 2005
I understand the gallows humor as well. What I cant handle are people who dont have a clue about anything. On this surface, this incident is ripe with humor. However, a closer look, shows that there is a lot of pain at work here.
posted by daddisamm at 11:12 AM on December 28, 2005
If his name was Jerome Rawlings instead of Jeff Reardon, they wouldn't even consider granting any type of clemency. So, before he even has any excuse, realize that he might have gotten half the sentence of someone not famous and poor, not to mention black, etc... "Sorry officer, my Meds..." (aside) "Christ Deputy, they had this guy on a boatload of Prozac, and he still couldn't control his barbaric urges... Better lock him up good." I don't mean to say that Jeff Reardon deserves a harsher punishment, I'm just wondering why we don't look for extenuating circumstances when Jerome from South Central holds up a Jewlery Store.... "Let's sprinkle some crack on him and get out of here..." Some of the same people who think that every black person is a crack addicted homicide waiting to happen are some of the same folks who want to show some sympathy for XYZ famous redneck that got hooked on pain killers, Ritalin, or Southern Comfort... So, the next time a Tookie Williams comes along, ask yourself what you'd be thinking if his name had been "Reardon". TEAMINCOTTA - He had no gun. Just a note.
posted by LostInDaJungle at 11:14 AM on December 28, 2005
where is the sympothy for the poor bastard that was just doing his job earning a living and ending up on the end of a gun! It doesn't appear that he had a gun -- the poor bastard was just doing his job when he ended up on the end of a note about a gun. On this subject, I would be the first to defend Reardon if he had robbed the store armed with a baseball. Back in the day, he could bring the heat.
posted by rcade at 11:15 AM on December 28, 2005
at my local Denneys . . . the valet that parked my car looked a little nervous. Brilliant!
posted by yerfatma at 11:27 AM on December 28, 2005
This man is a common thief and should be treated like one. I am sick and tired of people getting off because of their so called status. Please put this man where he belongs, in jail.
posted by bigdaddymikea1 at 12:05 PM on December 28, 2005
So, the next time a Tookie Williams comes along, ask yourself what you'd be thinking if his name had been "Reardon" O.J.
posted by cl at 01:29 PM on December 28, 2005
If he gets off it will remind me of another occasion where an athelete committed a crime and got off with suspension for the remainder of the season (a few games as it was at the end) and probation, all for breaking a guys neck. To bad I'm not Todd Bertuzzi, then I could get away with assault! Btw, would you give any common theif the benefit of the doubt? I think not.
posted by Ying Yang Mafia at 03:21 PM on December 28, 2005
This man is a common thief and should be treated like one. I am sick and tired of people getting off because of their so called status. Please put this man where he belongs, in jail. Well said.
posted by jojomfd1 at 04:17 PM on December 28, 2005
It seems to me that just about everyone I see at my local Denneys must have done something wrong and is just waiting to get arrested. Especially that guy in the kitchen, he looks like a cat burgular and the valet that parked my car looked a little nervous. Comment icon posted by Termite at 10:15 AM CST on December 28 We are a nation of jailers. It is a well known fact that Denny's food is loaded with medications. Did you see "fight Club"? I personally believe that if a man accomplishes a great athletic feat, he gets one free crime. It is of course directly proportional to the athletic feat.300 saves= 1 robbery,3 NBA titles=1 rape,Heisman Trophy, well you get the idea
I hope your kidding...
posted by Ying Yang Mafia at 05:42 AM on December 29, 2005
If he is treated like a common thief, then that means he would be back on the street before the arresting officer even finished the paperwork. Believe it or not, you have to try pretty hard to get locked up these days.
posted by usfbull at 09:53 AM on December 29, 2005
Believe it or not, you have to try pretty hard to get locked up these days. Oh really? That's counterintuitive, considering the US has the highest imprisonment rate in the world, now at 726 per 100,000. sources: BBC, Straight Dope
posted by cl at 11:20 AM on December 29, 2005
The Martha Stewart case is the first time in history where they charged an individual with false statements, without her signing the statement or without a tape recording that she even made the statement. And not under oath. That sounds pretty easy... "fewer than 3 percent of federal indictments were tried; virtually all the rest of those charged pled guilty." Seems like it's alot harder to get your day in court.... Indeed, one Lawyer puts it thusly... For people like my clients, they will be arrested and unable to post bond. They will ultimately be forced to choose between remaining in jail so they can go to trial and be vindicated or pleading guilty to an offense they are demonstrably not guilty of just so they can get out of jail. And the desire to get out of jail is not motivated solely by the discomfort of being in jail. For many poor people, a couple weeks in jail can mean losing their job, their housing, and (at least temporarily) their children. If they are on disability, that will be discontinued, and they will have to go through the process of getting their benefits again which can mean going weeks without them, even after being released from jail. Unless they sign the confession before the arresting officer is done doing the paperwork, usfbull's point is well, bull. Sounds like someone's been watching too many Dirty Harry movies.
posted by LostInDaJungle at 03:46 PM on December 29, 2005
What more embarrassing the arrest or the location where it occurred? Doesn't he have any memorabillia he could hock on ebay?