I first broached this topic last year when Eric Gagne spurned the Dodgers to sign with the Rangers for a few extra million dollars. Even though he left the Dodgers and their fans high and dry — a year after taking a full season’s salary for only like an inning pitched — he decided to take out an ad in the LA Times to thank Dodger fans. It was an incredibly phony move and a slap in the face of all Dodger fans, as I aptly said in the title. Anyway, apparently P.R. reps haven’t learned — they played the same game with CC Sabathia who took out a full-page ad in the Cleveland Plain Dealer.
That’s such a b.s. move and such a slap in the face. What do you really take us fans for, absolute fools? You think that an ad in a newspaper will keep us from overlooking the fact that your client left the city for more money elsewhere? If he had all the feelings he expressed in his ad, then he should have stayed. This is such the biggest backhanded compliment type of move. The front office and the town and people were great to me, but bugger off, I don’t need your contract extension, I’m going to become a free agent instead. Look, I don’t blame CC for not signing an extension and choosing to go the free agent route where he can make Barry Zito-type money, but don’t waste our time with an ad in the Cleveland paper to rub it in. It’s over and done with — just let it go. I really hope P.R. people learn their lesson that the fans don’t appreciate that type of phony thank you. Check out this brilliant comment from a perceptive fan:
Well he didn’t love the community enough to take the gazillion dollars he was offered before the season to stay in Cleveland. So take your full page ad, and use it to wipe your HUGE posterior CC. See ya later Captain Cash. — Posted by kuyuga on 07/30/08 at 10:39AM
Exactly. Couldn’t have said it better myself. And as a sidenote, the article says Kathy Jacobson is the rep that advised the move, having done the same for Barry Zito in the past. I’ve worked with Kathy in the past and she’s always been excellent. If this was her idea, then I’m pretty surprised she started it in the first place and I’m obviously suggesting she discontinue the practice.
