Dec
15
2012
15
2012
Baseball Nation: The Many Crimes Of R.A. Dickey
An article by Craig Lerner
Michael Bates of Baseball Nation with the ultimate R.A. Dickey post of the week. Bates compiles a partial list of the many crimes R.A. Dickey committed against the Mets. It’s a great reaction piece against some of the poppycock that has been coming from mainstream writers like Mike Puma and Ken Davidoff who both tried to give our favorite elf a very cruel and undeserved sendoff.
- Dickey likes to give away tickets to underprivileged kids, who never buy as much food, drink, and merch as the poor privileged kids that Dickey just tends to ignore. Or their fathers who guzzle down Citi Field’s beer supply.
- Instead of using his off-day to gently relax his arm and ankle in a whirlpool, or building camaraderie by golfing with his buddies on the team, Dickey went to a candlelight vigil and Take Back the Night March to raise awareness for victims of sexual abuse.
- A devoted family man, Dickey doesn’t spend nearly as much time chasing tail with his teammates on the road, creating a leadership void in which nobody takes the time to show the rookies how it’s done.
- Even with a hard knuckleball, Dickey’s pitches are really hard for Josh Thole to catch, and Tholes already has enough problems trying to hit without worrying about this, too.
- He once violated team policy by nodding hello to Jason Bay, thereby acknowledging his existence and lending crucial support at a time when Mets brass were trying to undermine his sense of self-worth and cause a total and complete mental breakdown so insurance would cover his salary, or better yet, he’d retire and become a hermit, convinced no one else could see or hear him.
- Dickey told David Wright to follow his heart and sign Sandy Alderson’s extension offer, thereby tying the Mets into another long-term commitment they probably can’t afford and will almost certainly end up regretting.
- He went on The Daily Show and talked with professional funnyman Jon Stewart, who makes jokes at the Mets’ expense sometimes.
- R.A. sent flowers to the Mets’ traveling secretary on Secretary’s Day, thoughtlessly failing to remember that Wilpon was probably going to forget; he thereby simultaneously made the boss look bad and raised expectations of future gifts.
- Thinking of his daughters, on June 2nd Dickey gave the baseball from the final out to a little girl as he walked off the field after his complete-game shutout over the Cardinals. BASEBALLS COST MONEY, R.A.!
- Worried about his precious reputation as nice guy, friend to all, and upstanding citizen more than his team’s pride, Dickey steadfastly refuses to throw at Carlos Beltran’s head in every at-bat.
- Because he doesn’t know how to win, Dickey gave up eight runs to Atlanta on April 18. Some people just lack that killer instinct.
- Dickey has already reserved two full pages of ad space in every single New York paper, including The Village Voice, to thank Mets fans for their support over the last three years, proving he already has one foot out the door. #Trader!
Great job on this Michael, it made my day. And a big hat tip to MMO reader, Hawk for sharing the link with us.
About the Author: Craig Lerner
I'm a data analyst and researcher for a leading news agency who loves life and is hooked on the Mets. I love following the Amateur Draft and have a particular fondness for the Mets Minor Leagues who I follow each day. Give me a cold beer, a summer day, and a Mets game, and I'm good to go.
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NL East Standings
| Team | W | L | Pct. | GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Braves | 42 | 30 | .583 | - |
| Phillies | 35 | 37 | .486 | 7.0 |
| Nationals | 34 | 36 | .486 | 7.0 |
| Mets | 27 | 40 | .403 | 12.5 |
| Marlins | 22 | 48 | .314 | 19.0 |
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Nice job posting the entire article.
Outstanding!!!! I hope the NY Post reads this!!!
Even with a hard knuckleball, Dickey’s pitches are really hard for Josh Thole to catch, and Tholes already has enough problems trying to hit without worrying about this, too.
LOL!
mad funny
1. This was a great and hilarious read. Good for them raining and Davidoff and the Wilpons’ ridiculousness.
2. This has been the longest wait and see until finalized trade in the history of wait and see until finalized Mets-Blue Jays trades.
This trade is such a no-brainer other then RA such a solid, classy human being. Any other 38-yr old being traded for the top catching prospect in baseball, cy young or not, i wouldnt care. But RA’s been such a pleasure to watch, and to listen to after each game,and leads by example like GCarter on 86 Mets, it’s truly a shame he is leaving. Ill def follow him closely in Toronto and turly hope he is just as successful as last year and is happy there .. ..otherwise,, i cant wait to hear the final players in this deal, wud love both cathcers ..my only other comment is i cant beleive how much free agents are going for i really hope Niese,Harvey and Wheeler can be frontend starters once Santana is gone cause it’ll be hard thru to get one thru free agency, its the only fly in the RA trade but catching is even harder so it nets out . . Godspeed RA Dickey…
The report of Dickey being anything but a good guy was odd to me. To be honest, I didn’t read it outside of the headline from MMO and I frankly have no interest in reading it. If the Mets were in a different situation, I’d take him on my team any day of the week.
Just another smear piece by the post to get clicks. It was utter garbage but Kevin Burkhardt seemed to be agreeing with it on twitter today. If this was a issue it would of been heard about earlier, we all know that.
Typical Mets, smear the guy so you are more likely to like the trade.
With that list of crimes I am surprised he is still allowed to walk the streets.
I am glad the National Enquirer, I mean NY Post, was able to uncover the misdeeds.
Canada might not allow him entry into the country.
A man with character just walks and talks and stands a little taller. They don’t cross our paths very often. God speed RA. You did us proud!
Well, they did the same thing to Seaver. Guess Fred and all his coolies read the book, saw how bad it worked out, so they figured let’s do it again. If you can fry Seaver, why not Dickey!
Once again by their deeds the Wilpon’s and their stooges prove they are something to be scraped off the bottom of your shoe.
R A should be glad to be getting out of this hellhole loser organization and going to a contender.
Even as he leaves he shows the class that has made the fans appreciate his efforts on and off the field. I feel embarrassment and shame that he’s leaving this way after a tremendous season and winning the Cy Young especially at how these two bit chizzlers have behaved. They are a disgrace to New York and MLB.
Baseball is a business but you can do it with honor and class, which the Wilpons totally lack. As I’ve always said “styles may come and go but bad taste will be with us always.”
This was great!
I have to disagree with those who say the Wilpons are behind Davidoff’s/Burkhardt’s comments. If you’ve followed Davidoff before, when he was at Newsday, you know that he’s no one’s mouthpiece or puppet. He can’t be compromised this way. Moreover, the comments in his article are his own opinions. It’s not like he was quoting anonymous sources and passing on insider information. Burkhardt similarly doesn’t strike me as someone who could be bought.
Davidoff’s and Burkardt’s comments are puzzling, but apparently that’s how they personally feel about Dickey. Don’t pin this one on the Wilpons when it’s unlikely they are behind it.
Thanks, Jeff.
A little weak, no?
Seriously, the Wilpons get blamed for everything. But in this case it appears to simply be the opinions of Davidoff and Burkhardt.
And to think that Davidoff and Burkhardt would do others’ bidding and engage in a smear campaign on behalf of ownership is an insult to their professionalism as journalists.
@Metro12
Lol at davidoff and burkhardt being professional journalists. Anyone who would question RAs integrity is truly a despicable person.
Personally, I love RA. And I can’t understand Davidoff’s or Burkhardt;’s criticism of him. But to think that anyone who does find fault with him and voices it is “despicable” is pretty funny and over-the-top. Both those journalists have access to RA that I don’t have. They see and hear things that none of us regular fans see and hear. So they just may know something we don’t know. Or they could simply be jealous of the attention RA gets. Who knows? But you just can’t pass it off as “despicable.”
One other thing — I consider the source. And in this case, I find both Davidoff and Burkhardt to be credible journalists. If it had come from someone like Klapisch or Sherman, that’s a different story.
Been a Met fan from the beginning – the very beginning. But I hope R.A. doesn’t agree to an extension and the Mutts get him back and they have to pay him and play him. Then he can walk free for more money as a free agent. I have had enough of wilporn and co.
Great article – such crimes!