I never thought that I would see this day happen. The day when Jose de Jesus Ortiz gives up on the season. But yesterday, it happened: “When the Pittsburgh Pirates sweep you to drop you alone into last place only a few days from August, it’s time to realize the season is lost. Some of you want to see the Astros start a youth movement, but there aren’t any prospects quite ready to really have a youth movement. You might say it cannot get worse. But trust me, it can and likely will in September.”
Now, I thought the season was over around the time of the first pitch – the first pitch of spring training, not of the season. But it’s nice to see the guy who covers the team on an almost daily basis is finally ignoring the company line and telling everyone the truth. And Ortiz wrote this on the same day that Richard Justice suggested that Ed Wade and Tal Smith be fired – I’ve got no problem with the firing of Wade and Smith, but as someone who has dealt with Pam Gardner in the past, albeit on a very limited basis, I’m confident that she’s not the answer – just because she can market the team doesn’t mean she can choose a roster.
What’s any of this mean, though? Truthfully, Ortiz and Justice turning on Drayton means absolutely nothing. The only thing that’s ever going to get to Drayton is if people stop going to the games. But it might mean something in that maybe, maybe, the people who read and Ortiz and Justice will finally start coming down on the team, and will start making their displeasure known. I suspect that if, somehow, the fans start hating on Drayton McLane and his product, then maybe Drayton McLane will start trying to do something about it.
Maybe.
God knows I’ve been hating on his product for several years now, and it hasn’t accomplished anything. But if the big boys start hating, and their readers start hating… then maybe things will start changing.
Just don’t hold your breath for anything happening soon. – John Royal
This article appears in Jul 24-30, 2008.
