46:006 Why so glum, McClain?
Posted: Wed Mar 24, 2021 10:11 am
Amayas Moelling walked into the locker room early Saturday morning to find John McClain sitting on a stool in front of his locker with his head in his hands. As he got closer, he noticed a tear trickling down the right cheek.
He pulled up another stool and sat down. "Why so glum?", he asked, sotto voce.
For a moment he wasn't sure that McClain had heard him. He was about to repeat the question, when McClain, with his voice breaking, said, "I've been sent down"
The words held suspended in the air as if by sitting there they would cast a pallor over everything else that day.
"I don't understand it", he continued. "I have a 3.71 ERA, I've been one of the better pitchers on the team. Why? Why?"
"Two words," Amayas said. "Super Two. Management put
Pancho German on waivers, hoping somebody would pick him up. When nobody did, they had to bring him back. Meanwhile, they had an incredible signing last week when reliever Jose Salas took them up on a $3.6 million offer over 3 years. They had to make room, and you are the obvious choice"
"Obvious?" McClain was incredulous.
"Yes. You see, if you stay in the minors for a good portion of the year, you won't enter arbitration next year, and they can retain you on a minimum salary. Or, considering your mood, they might use it for leverage to get you to agree to a long-term deal favorable to the team. It's about money. It's not about you. If they were just looking at talent, there is no way they would be sending you down. Don't worry, I guarantee they will be bringing you back in September, and to use you on the playoff roster. assuming we make it of course. "
McClain took a breath. "Well, we will see if some kind of offer comes my way. Thanks, Anayas. That just makes me more determined than ever to succeed."
Later, as Amayas was walking down to warm up in before his big start, he thought more. "Perhaps," he thought, "There is another reason. They want to give McClain a kick in the pants, and see just what he is made of".
He pulled up another stool and sat down. "Why so glum?", he asked, sotto voce.
For a moment he wasn't sure that McClain had heard him. He was about to repeat the question, when McClain, with his voice breaking, said, "I've been sent down"
The words held suspended in the air as if by sitting there they would cast a pallor over everything else that day.
"I don't understand it", he continued. "I have a 3.71 ERA, I've been one of the better pitchers on the team. Why? Why?"
"Two words," Amayas said. "Super Two. Management put
Pancho German on waivers, hoping somebody would pick him up. When nobody did, they had to bring him back. Meanwhile, they had an incredible signing last week when reliever Jose Salas took them up on a $3.6 million offer over 3 years. They had to make room, and you are the obvious choice"
"Obvious?" McClain was incredulous.
"Yes. You see, if you stay in the minors for a good portion of the year, you won't enter arbitration next year, and they can retain you on a minimum salary. Or, considering your mood, they might use it for leverage to get you to agree to a long-term deal favorable to the team. It's about money. It's not about you. If they were just looking at talent, there is no way they would be sending you down. Don't worry, I guarantee they will be bringing you back in September, and to use you on the playoff roster. assuming we make it of course. "
McClain took a breath. "Well, we will see if some kind of offer comes my way. Thanks, Anayas. That just makes me more determined than ever to succeed."
Later, as Amayas was walking down to warm up in before his big start, he thought more. "Perhaps," he thought, "There is another reason. They want to give McClain a kick in the pants, and see just what he is made of".