2010 MLB

[Winston Legthigh]

To each his own, I guess, but this just seems babyish. Hey Seattle, it's up to you to keep Bonderman in the game past the age of 28. There isn't even the throwing around of the token phrase, "I want to spend more time with my family". In his case it's more like, "I want to spend more time with my $40 million".

Selective quoting will do that.

 

With the game becoming more and more like a job, his desire to spend more time with his family in Washington and the struggles to return from a blood clot in his shoulder that ended his 2008 season, Bonderman told the Free Press that retirement is more than just a passing thought.

 

"(Owner Mike Ilitch) and the Tigers' organization have given me an opportunity to provide for my family really well, and I feel like I've saved a lot of money and I have the ability to be able to do what I want -- whether it's be with my kids every day or go on fishing trips with my dad or brothers," he said in the clubhouse at Tropicana Field. "At times I love it. At times I'm like, 'Man.' "

[bleedorange]

How is that being a baby?

[The High Heat]

D. Lee says he staying put, no waiving of the no-trade.

[The High Heat]

Shane Victorino to the DL. Phils call up top prospect Dominic Brown.

[u2roolz]

How is that being a baby?

 

As a player who is only 28 years old, it appears that he is giving off a very strange ultimatum to several teams or else he's done. It's not like he's pushing 35 or 40, he's a relatively young guy not necessarily past his prime.

 

In essence, it looks like either A) he resigns with the Tigers or bee) he has to sign with someone like the Mariners (who are close to his home) who may not be looking for a starter expecting an "acceptable" offer in the off season. If they couldn't get it done this year with Cliff Lee, I don't think someone like Bonderman is going to add much to their team except fill a roster spot. Or C) he signs with one of the West Coast teams. I could see him going to the Dodgers or Giants, not the Angels who seem all set on pitching.

 

While I respect spending time with his family, it seems odd that he wouldn't continue pitching and making more money to provide for them. I guess you can live off of $40 million pretty well. All of that being said, it just seems rather odd to put that out there into the press for people to read and make assumptions about.{Edit: a time and a place is ringing through my head for this one. of course, why is this anyone's business is beyond me besides selling papers and getting people talking which I am doing about a team I have no vested interest in} It sounds like he's already retired at the end of this season from his mindset. That's not something a teammate would like to hear about one of their starters, especially in a pennant race as unique as this years in the AL Central. It kind of sounds like he's thrown in the towel.

 

On the other hand, he's lucky that he hasn't been traded. A lot of pitchers get dealt like trading cards at any point during the season. And a lot of them don't like where they land, but they make it work.

 

Edit: So on a very literal/1st time I read it kind of thing: babyish = At the age of 28, if I don't get what I want I am "peace out". Baseball is full of compromises.

 

And I am leaving his past injury out last because he is a risk to any team to sign him.

[bleedorange]

I'd like to see if I could live off of $40 million.

 

Sounds to me like he just clearly knows what he wants with his next deal. Staying with an organization he's comfortable with or landing somewhere closer to his home. Why wouldn't retirement be an option at that point if he can't get either of those things? I don't see where the ultimatum is in that statement. What, a GM that might not want him is going to see that and think to himself, "Well, we better offer Bonderman a deal in order to keep him in baseball"?

[bjorn_skurj]

It's a free country. Dude don't wanna pitch, no one can make him.

[u2roolz]

Yet another way of saying it is: I don't like how he's entwined both ways of thinking (from what I posted & Winston posted) to smoke screen his personal feelings. It's like he's using no offer from Detroit or Seattle etc. to act as a scapegoat to justify his retirement, when in one instance it sounds like he's clearly leaning towards retirement to spend time with his family. It's like "yeah...I'm going to retire if I don't get a deal from Detroit. I'm also going to retire if I don't get a deal from Seattle or on the West Coast". In the other instance he's like "I'm going to spend time with my family because of my past injury and I haven't really played that well and it's best for me enjoy time with them." So I guess to me which is it?

 

I understand what he's saying, but I don't like the emphasis on leaving it up to the team to decide to take a risk on him with his current mindset and injury lingering on. It's not being honest and is kind of shady. Plus, I don't know what "acceptable" is to him. If Seattle plops down an "acceptable" offer of $3million for 1 year and he goes out with the same injury, then that's shitty. Of course, no one knows what is going to happen in baseball day to day, but on the other hand, not many young players go around saying they are going to retire at the end of this season especially with these specific and very different things leaving things up in the air.

[Winston Legthigh]

Yet another way of saying it is: I don't like how he's entwined both ways of thinking (from what I posted & Winston posted) to smoke screen his personal feelings. It's like he's using no offer from Detroit or Seattle etc. to act as a scapegoat to justify his retirement, when in one instance it sounds like he's clearly leaning towards retirement to spend time with his family. It's like "yeah...I'm going to retire if I don't get a deal from Detroit. I'm also going to retire if I don't get a deal from Seattle or on the West Coast". In the other instance he's like "I'm going to spend time with my family because of my past injury and I haven't really played that well and it's best for me enjoy time with them." So I guess to me which is it?

 

I understand what he's saying, but I don't like the emphasis on leaving it up to the team to decide to take a risk on him with his current mindset and injury lingering on. It's not being honest and is kind of shady. Plus, I don't know what "acceptable" is to him. If Seattle plops down an "acceptable" offer of $3million for 1 year and he goes out with the same injury, then that's shitty. Of course, no one knows what is going to happen in baseball day to day, but on the other hand, not many young players go around saying they are going to retire at the end of this season especially with these specific and very different things leaving things up in the air.

Bonderman has a free pass for life from this Tigers fan for the way he pitched the Yankees in the 2006 playoffs.

 

That was an awesome weekend for me. I saw the Black Keys in Amsterdam Friday night, then spent the rest of the night in a coffeeshop watching Kenny "dirty palm" Rogers beat the Yankees that night, and Bonderman pitching a game 4 gem the next night to win the series. The following weekend I met my wife. I was on a roll.

[cryptique]

I don't see any problem whatsoever here.

 

The man has enough money to comfortably support his family for the rest of their lives. If you were in that situation, wouldn't you give serious thought to retirement, regardless of your age, unless your work situation was absolutely optimal? That is, you loved what you do, and you got to do it when and where you wanted?

 

Think of it another way: if you won a $40 million Powerball jackpot this weekend, would you quit your job? I would.

 

And that's all Bonderman is pondering. He already won that jackpot. He has the luxury of being able to make this decision. To criticize him for it reeks of jealousy.

[The High Heat]

It's a free country. Dude don't wanna pitch, no one can make him.

Especially when one has large accounts in the banks.

 

 

There was a quality prospect with the A's who retired in Sping Training so he could train to be a priest. Not all athletes love what they do. Some do it professionally because they can - so they can make good coin for awhile. Some love playing, but don't take it all so seriously. For a guy like Bonderman, he's been through extensive physical rehab and has to work hard just to be able to pitch. I think he's just giving a certain perspective of his mind when he takes his future (including family) into consideration. Talk to him in a month, he might say he wants to pitch five more years. People are fickle. No big deal here.

[bleedorange]

I also don't know where the term "acceptable" came into play. It's not anywhere in the article. All he said was that he would likely play if the Tigers offered him a deal, otherwise he would only want to go west. And he's merely thinking about retirement as an option. Shady and dishonest? I don't really follow your logic.

[u2roolz]

While I enjoyed and respect your story, I hope that you don't get burned by him.

 

I don't know how many people remember what happened with Curt Schilling in 2008? The Boston Red Sox offered Schilling a 1 year deal at the end of the 2007 World Series for $8 million. His injury was announced early on in February and he missed all of the 2008 season with the same injury (shoulder) in 2007 that made him miss 7 weeks that year. The Red Sox looked like fools, although most fans forget about this because it really feels like Schilling went out after pitching in Game 2 of the World Series and winning.

 

$8 million is way too high to be throwing around for a 40 something year old, but the city loved him and yes, he did bring 2 championships to this city, but you need to be somewhat realistic. It's almost like the Red Sox paid him $8 million under the table for 2004 & 2007 and it made the papers.

[u2roolz]

Jeremy Bonderman is seriously considering retiring at age 28 after the season, reports Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press. Bonderman will be a free agent, and he could hang up the spikes if he doesn't get an acceptable offer to return to the Tigers or sign with a team somewhat near his Pasco, Washington home.

 

Bonderman says he's saved a lot of money, so he has the ability to retire. He's earned over $40MM in his career, most of it coming from a four-year deal signed in '06. Bonderman should find interest if he decides to continue pitching. He's shown good health, decent peripherals, and flashes of his former velocity this year.

 

 

I also don't know where the term "acceptable" came into play. It's not anywhere in the article. All he said was that he would likely play if the Tigers offered him a deal, otherwise he would only want to go west. And he's merely thinking about retirement as an option. Shady and dishonest? I don't really follow your logic.

[cryptique]

I don't see a direct quote in there. Who knows what word Bonderman himself used?

 

The word "acceptable" doesn't even appear in the Free Press article you cite.

[bleedorange]

No, I mean from the actual story. Not a second- or third-hand source interpreting the original story.

[Winston Legthigh]

While I enjoyed and respect your story, I hope that you don't get burned by him.

 

Like, VD? Or are you assuming I'm Mike Ilitch?

[u2roolz]

Like, VD? Or are you assuming I'm Mike Ilitch?

 

Read my Curt Schilling analogy.

[The High Heat]

He got the story off mlbtraderumors site. The word "acceptable" came from a blogger who pulls from various sources and interprets.

[Guest Jules]

Especially when one has large accounts in the banks.

I hope his money isn't "in the banks".

[Winston Legthigh]

Read my Curt Schilling analogy.

I don't understand the analogy, because I don't think the Sox looked like fools for giving Schilling a 1 year deal.

 

If Bonderman was the hero of two world series, I would hope the Tigers would give him a contract for life, regardless of his health.

[The High Heat]

I hope his money isn't "in the banks".

How about the Caymans?

[Guest Jules]

How about the Caymans?

better

[u2roolz]

I don't understand the analogy, because I don't think the Sox looked like fools for giving Schilling a 1 year deal.

 

If Bonderman was the hero of two world series, I would hope the Tigers would give him a contract for life, regardless of his health.

 

So if the Tigers offered Bonderman a 1 year deal for $8 million and he got injured before Spring Training and didn't pitch once, you would be upset. But you wouldn't be upset, only if he was the World Series hero? That's just throwing money around and blindly showing allegiance to players. Same thing happened with Mike Lowell & the Red Sox. They passed up on Alex Rodriguez and Mark Texeira.

 

Why not put the $8 million toward someone healthier and more rewarding? In the end paying someone $8 million for contributing on the field is a lot more rewarding and beneficial for the team, than someone getting paid $8 million to sit out for the whole season and sit at home and eat bon bons or do a radio talk show (read: Curt Schilling).

 

And the above paragraph is where my concern comes in for Tigers fans or even fans of the Mariners. To Cryptique: I'm not jealous. I just wish Bonderman would be upfront and honest about maybe not being healthy enough to pitch in 2011, rather than waiting to see if he gets an offer, but still having retirement in the back of his head because of "spending more time with his family'" and more importantly "not sure about his pitching due to his lingering injury". As a Red Sox fan I felt burned for the team throwing out $8 million to the wind and not being more responsible about it. More importantly I felt burned from Curt Schilling. It seemed like he knew he had an injury, but still took $8 million for his risk and made out like a bandit. If he got less than $8 million from a different team and the same thing happened then that would have sucked for that team as well.

 

Bottom Line: Nobody knows your own body better than yourself. If you are lying about this to get a nice contract and then have your "arm fall off" or know it can go after any start, then that is shady and scummy to me. It's taking the team and the city for a ride.

[bleedorange]

I am officially confused.