Weaver Falling

The Post-Dispatch is reporting that Jeff Weaver is close to signing with the Seattle Mariners.

I guess that talk last October about coming back to the Cardinals was just that - talk.

I don't begrudge today's star athlete's desire to cash in. I object to the amount of money they make because (a) they aren't worth it, and (b) it ultimately drives the price of basic necessities up for me, however, if I had the talent and drive athletically I might sign with the highest bidder, too.

But I've always wondered why some guys, when they find or fall into a great situation (like Weaver found in StL last season), are so quick to leave it. Seattle was a bad club last season (78-84) that has gotten weaker over the winter. Why would anyone want to leave the Defending World Series Champs for that environment? Seattle hasn't made the playoffs since 2001. They haven't finished above .500 since 2003, while StL has made the playoffs every year this millenium (except 2003), and hasn't finished below .500 since before the turn of the century (1999 to be exact).

LaRussa and Duncan obviously liked the guy, worked with him, stroked his ego, and returned him to his Detroit Tiger form and nastiness - doesn't that count for something?

Apparently not.

Maybe he has a thing for Venti Lattes. Or depressed sweater-wearing pasty white women. Or he likes the fatties. Or he likes anonymity. Whatever. I don't think there's any chance he'll enjoy next season the way he enjoyed the end of the last one.

Well, thanks for the quality starts in the playoffs, Jeff. Enjoy the wilderness. I hope six months from now you're not kicking yourself for signing with Abbott and Costello.