So reports out of Seattle are that Erik Bedard isn’t playing “nice-nice” with the media in the Pacific-northwest.  We in Baltimore know that is the case.  The often surly, short-lipped lefty wasn’t much for talking here either.  One report says that after a bad start this spring, Bedard told reporters that they could only ask four questions.  When one reporter responded with “Why four?”  Bedard said, “That’s one!”

Is anyone shocked?  Moreover, does anyone care?  I don’t.  Even as a member of the media, I don’t care and it doesn’t bother me.  When Erik Bedard was an Oriole here is exactly what he owed me … 7 1/3 innings, 4 hits, 1 run, 9 strikeouts … or something similar to that.  He didn’t owe me a one-on-one interview.  He didn’t owe my brother an autograph.  He didn’t owe his time to my favorite charity.  He owed me quality starts, wins, strikeouts and keeping my team in the ballgame every fifth day.  That’s what he owed me.  Nothing more.  Nothing less.

I don’t doubt that Erik Bedard may be a jerk.  He may be the type of guy you would never want to meet your kid or even share a meal with.  But he could pitch his ass off!  Barry Bonds is the most villified man in sports.  Many believe people want to see him fall because he wasn’t nice in the eyes of the media … and that may be true.  But the best player of our generation (steriod cloud aside) didn’t have be.  He had to hit home runs, steal bases, drive in runs and help his team win.  And he did that better than anyone!

Professional athletes are in a class all their own.  Don’t compare them to what you do for a living.  I won’t even compare them to what I do for a living.  They have taken a path that only a select few take and they should be rewarded accordingly for it.  That’s why they get millions of dollars!  When I pay to see my team, I expect them to win.  I expect that my money is being well spent towards those millions that the athletes are making.  I have always loved Barry Bonds, not because he is nice to the media, but because he hit a lot of home runs and played the game better than anyone else.  It’s the same reason I like A-Rod.  I think he is a “sensitive-Sally” when it comes to the media, but the boy can sure play the game.

Just because a person (athlete, actor, musician, or politician) is in the public eye, they are held to a higher societal standard than the rest of us.  But they do not have to live up to it.  We, the media and fans alike, chastise so quickly when these people fall from grace.  But last time I checked, PETA wasn’t picketing outside of the dogfighting rings in the deep south that are going on.  Their power play served their own purpose, not the pubic’s … but that’s a whole other argument.

If Erik Bedard, or any other athlete, wants to continue to be negative, callous, and just an ass to the media, that’s fine with me.  If they perform at the highest level of their game, then that’s all I care about.

Posted on Tuesday, March 11th, 2008 at 4:25 pm.
Categories: MLB.
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