Well, I couldn't pass this up because it's one of the better baseball stories of all time. That is, when Derek Bell announced that he was commencing Operation Shutdown. In Spring Training of 2002, Bell - who had hit .173 the previous season - made the following announcement:
Nobody told me I was in competition. If there is competition, somebody better let me know. If there is competition, they better eliminate me out of the race and go ahead and do what they're going to do with me. I ain't never hit in spring training and I never will. If it ain't settled with me out there, then they can trade me. I ain't going out there to hurt myself in spring training battling for a job. If it is [a competition], then I'm going into 'Operation Shutdown.' Tell them exactly what I said. I haven't competed for a job since 1991.
In other words, either the Pirates were going to give him a job he didn't deserve, or he wouldn't take it. 11 days after that high-class quote, Bell went AWOL from the Pirate Ship and was released two days later. He was then paid $4.5 million for not playing that year. Operation Shutdown was in its 49th month when Bell was pulled over and the cops found a "warm crack pipe" in the car. Looks like Operation Shutdown just became Operation Go to Jail. As the SuperFreak himself once said, "Cocaine...is a hell of a drug." And I'll never miss a chance to work that in.
And you're right, Jason. If Bowden survives 10 minutes under the new Nationals regime - if they ever arrive - I'll be surprised. And I mean that in a not-joking way; I seriously think one of the first moves new ownership will make is firing him. And Jason also brought in that 5th comment. Congratulations, you guys did it. Five comments, and it only took you about two days.
UPDATE: In transferring this post from BHGM to the Angry Bench Coach, I came across one of the greatest comments I've ever received, from 'Mike.' "I think you're right. Fine Columbian coke is the official recreational drug of Operation Shutdown."
Leiter out, WBC, and some random thoughts - March 19th, 2006
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