Re: Baked.

[Douglas342@xxxxxxx]

In a message dated 2/6/03 9:49:52 AM Pacific Standard Time, 
pdelevett@yahoo.com writes:

> 
> The Baker thing is strange. The team clearly believes
> Baker mailed it in, and it's hard to see how this will
> help his reputation for being unreliable or encourage
> his coach and teammates to trust him. The way it was
> handled certainly seems suspicious - agent saying one
> thing, team saying another. Communication breakdowns
> like that just aren't professional; O'brien should
> have been informed early and fully.
> 
> On the other hand, I was very pleased to read that
> Walker was sticking up for the guy. That IS
> professional; that's what a captain and good teammate
> does, IMO. And yes, I understand there are times a
> captain needs to call a player out, too. But if Baker
> really does have serious mental/emotional issues, the
> fans and media need to put things in perspective; out
> here in the Bay Area, it's been ugly to see how Barret
> Robbins has been crucified after having what clearly
> seems like a nervous breakdown requiring
> hospitalization. I wouldn't wish that on anybody.
> 
---------Well said all around.  When I read the Globe and Herald columns on 
Baker today, my first reaction was to worry about their effect on Baker.  If 
the guy really does have psychological problems, those attacks could be 
devastating.  There are times when we treat athletes very badly.  Isn't it 
enough to say that the Baker trade has been a disaster, that this former 
all-star simply isn't producing anymore?  Do we need to refer to him as a 
lumbering moose?  Do we need to mock his alleged symptoms?  Hey, we don't 
know what's wrong with him, other than indigestion from too much salary.  And 
when Tractor Traylor ran him down on his breakaway the other night ...