I don't need 600 at-bats, but, yeah, I'd like to be running out there a little more than I am. Bu...

I don't need 600 at-bats, but, yeah, I'd like to be running out there a little more than I am. But right now, this is what I'm doing. I need to be good at it and accepting of it, and hopefully an opportunity will open up down the road for me to get more at-bats.

Jay Payton, rooting for the failure or injury of his teammates

4 months ago SC Comment 15 comments 0 recs |

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so he's basically saying...

He wants to be the king of the world on a sinking ship.

by Y Not on Apr 20, 2008 7:02 AM EDT 0 recs

what the hell? other one didn't post

by Y Not on Apr 20, 2008 7:05 AM EDT up 0 recs

My thought is...

compare what JayPay is saying to Frank Thomas – JayPay comes across as a teammate-of-the-year candidate compared to the Big Hurt.

Toronto Blue Jays designated hitter Frank Thomas was livid over being benched Saturday afternoon, even though he is off to a sluggish start this season.
Thomas, 39, was told Saturday by manager John Gibbons that Fredericton’s Matt Stairs will DH unless he turns things around. Frank Thomas is hitless in his last 13 at-bats and averaging a lowly .167 overall.
Frank Thomas is hitless in his last 13 at-bats and averaging a lowly .167 overall. “I’m angry,” Thomas said. “I know I can help this team. “My career is not going to end like this.”
Thomas was so upset that he refused to shake hands with teammates following Toronto’s 3-2 victory over the Detroit Tigers.
He is hitless in his last 13 at-bats and just 4-for-35 since homering in three straight games from April 5-8.

"I win! I think I'm better at chess than you, Dad." - My 7 year old, after he beat me for the first (and not last) time.

by duck on Apr 20, 2008 7:46 AM EDT 0 recs

ugh

I actually just find that sad if I think about it.

Camden Chat
Bad Left Hook

by SC on Apr 20, 2008 7:53 AM EDT up 0 recs

And TOR released him today

so that $10M orption that was gonna kick in at 300ABs? Bye bye.

"I win! I think I'm better at chess than you, Dad." - My 7 year old, after he beat me for the first (and not last) time.

by duck on Apr 20, 2008 12:22 PM EDT up 0 recs

To be fair

JayPay could also be rooting for a trade, vice injury/failure, and just not wanting to out and say that to the media yet. May or may not be the case, but it’s possible.

by punkrawka on Apr 20, 2008 8:42 AM EDT 0 recs

Saying you hope for more opportunities to contribute

is not the same as rooting for injuries for your teammates. I would be seriously concerned if an athlete who was a bench player EVER said he wasn’t interested in getting more playing time. Athletes want to compete, and when they stop wanting to compete, they lose it. There are other reasons why Payton could get more playing time… He could be traded, he could start hitting and playing so well that Trembley feels he has to play Payton more. Even backup quarterbacks, who truly do almost never get playing time unless their guy gets injured or fails, still hope to prove that they can be a starter.

by math_geek on Apr 20, 2008 10:49 AM EDT 0 recs

Agreed

This actually makes me think more highly of Payton. Although, the bar was pretty low to begin with…

MAGIC MAGIC MAGIC MAGIC MAGIC MAGIC MAGIC MAGIC

by spike2131 on Apr 20, 2008 11:58 AM EDT up 0 recs

Agreed also

I interpret it, “I want the chance to play so I can show I’m doing so well they have to keep me in the lineup.”

Whenever I had a JV kid tell me he didn’t want to wrestle off for a varsity spot, I started mentally counting the days until he quit. It usually doesn’t get to 2 weeks. If you don’t want to be the starter, something’s wrong.

"I win! I think I'm better at chess than you, Dad." - My 7 year old, after he beat me for the first (and not last) time.

by duck on Apr 20, 2008 12:25 PM EDT up 0 recs

3+

I actually surprised by Payton. Once I saw a Sun story on Payton and playing time, I thought, “Here it comes, Payton being a whiny ass brat.” But his comments were pretty restrained. I expect this to change come June.

Wolf, wolf, wolf.

by birdman on Apr 20, 2008 3:04 PM EDT up 0 recs