From Dylan Hernandez of the LA Times:
Sitting at his corner locker in the Texas Rangers' clubhouse Friday, Andruw Jones said the main reason he asked the Dodgers to release him this winter wasn't his desire for a change of scenery.
He said he asked out mainly because of the way he was treated by Dodgers owner Frank McCourt"He wasn't standing behind me, I think," Jones said, adding that if McCourt had shown him more respect, "I almost definitely would be part of the L.A. Dodgers right now."
No matter what your feelings are about owner Frank McCourt, every Dodger fan owes him a hearty handshake if he in any way greased the skids to get Andruw Jones out of town. Andruw, signed to a 2-year, $36.2 million contract before the 2008 season, had one of the worst seasons in Dodger history and was eventually released in January.
Simply put, the Andruw Jones contract with the Dodgers is on the short list of candidates for worst contract in baseball history. More from Hernandez:
While acknowledging that McCourt paid him a hefty salary, Jones said the owner had no right to complain about a deal that was mutually agreed upon.
"I got paid that money because that was my value," Jones said, pointing to the numbers he posted in 12 seasons with the Atlanta Braves.
Frank McCourt absolutely had a right to complain about your deal. You showed up to the Dodgers overweight and out of shape, and you showed almost no ability to perform as a baseball player. Unless one of your paychecks bounced, McCourt held up his end of the bargain. Why didn't you uphold yours?
Jones said this of McCourt:
"I know it's his money but sometimes they need to stay away from what's going on in the field. He never played baseball before. He might have a sense of it from running the team but he can't be too involved like that."
It doesn't take a baseball playing history to realize that a .158 batting average is poor. You don't need to be an ex-jock to notice that five hits with 58 at-bats with runners in scoring position isn't getting the job done.
I'm happy for you that you decided to actually put forth an effort for your current baseball team. I'm glad you were able to use your Dodger experience to lose some weight in the offseason, and showed up to spring training in shape.
You've already won, Andruw. You got your release. You are still getting paid your money. Shut up already.