Aaron Miles is a sad fellow
by bjork24 on May 6, 2009 10:32 PM EDT
98 comments
Long story, but my friend's fiancee's friend's boyfriend had a run-in with ol' Grit himself at a bar in Chicago, and wrote about it in an email. I think it's an interesting look into the mind of the saddest little utility player in the MLB. Enjoy!
Here's the email in its entirity:
Miles walked into Monsignor Murphy's last night and sat right by me at the bar (I just got back from Chicago).
He came in by himself.. and I immediately said "go Cardinals! How do you like Chicago?" I knew who was in seconds.
He said, "That's not very nice... I love Chicago"
Anyhoo, I went out to smoke and told the bartenders Alex and Dougie that the person sitting at the end of the bar by me was Aaron Miles. They told me I was wrong, so we put some bets in the bet box (which I won)
Then this is where this story gets odd. When he told us where he lived (Aldine and Broadway-BT), he said he didn't realize how many gay men lived there. But he said he didn't care. He was doing shots left and right, told us his brother is gay, his sister is hooked on drugs and that his kids cry every time they talk to him on the phone... and that made him depressed. He was throwing f-bombs all over the place, talked about his first at-bat back at Busch.. how the Cardinals management threw him under the bus... that MO doesn't run the team... DeWitt does. Talked about the Edmonds situation. He said that the Edmonds situation was a Cardinals upper management decision and that TLR "took one for the team" on the whole situation. He said Albert is the best player in baseball but that he's not a leader in the clubhouse... how he's always bitchy after games and never does interviews and so that makes other players have to answer to the media too much for him.
And on his first at bat back at Busch, he said initially he didn't hear anyone clapping... and he was a little taken aback. But he changed his mind after he watched the tape and multiple Cubs fans told him they gave him a loud ovation.
He misses St. Louis and OB Clarkes. Said it was funny that a Cards fan in Chicago can recognize a Cubs or Cardinals players, but a Cubs fan couldn't recognize either.
He was talking about a lot more stuff, but mainly he was just depressed and wouldn't shut up about it. At one point, Alex even asked him if was going to be ok. Man, he was all over the place. He sat with us for 5 hours or so. We kept talking as if we were Dr. Phil. It was seriously crazy stuff. I couldn't believe it.
Either way, I just wanted to share. He talked about all kinds of other stuff. But he confirmed a few things for me. Cubs fans are mostly compromised of bandwagon fans, that the Cardinals are being run by a bunch of hacks and liars, Pujols IS the best player in the game... and that ball players lives aren't always all that. Oh, and that he likes shots and Monsignor Murphy's... haha.
That's all I got. Crazy stuff. He was a total mess.
Poor Miles.
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wtf
St. Louis Cardinals... defying win expectancy since 2008
by vivaelpujols on May 6, 2009 10:39 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
ummmm,,,,,,,,,,ok
totally weird story. are you sure it’s true?
It kind of sounds like he’s [Duncan] just running around like a puppy out there – full speed ahead in random directions. – BTown Birds Fan
by gdm426 on May 6, 2009 10:48 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I don't know the guy, personally
But I don’t see why he’d make something like this up… especially with this much detail.
Testicle-exploding shit storm, circa 7/12/08 - We will never forget!
by bjork24 on May 6, 2009 10:54 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
you clearly have not seen the better internet hoaxes
"But listen, and understand: more Molinas are out there. They can't be bargained with. They can't be reasoned with. They don't feel pity, or remorse, or fear." - THT
by Yadi2Second on May 6, 2009 10:56 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Well, take it for what it is: second-hand information
I think it’s true. Whenever we play the Cubs, you can see a little sadness in Miles’s eyes. He’s lot something.
Wouldn’t you be depressed too if you were a Cardinals player and then wound up with the Cubs?
Testicle-exploding shit storm, circa 7/12/08 - We will never forget!
by bjork24 on May 6, 2009 10:58 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
let me text Jimmy
"But listen, and understand: more Molinas are out there. They can't be bargained with. They can't be reasoned with. They don't feel pity, or remorse, or fear." - THT
by Yadi2Second on May 6, 2009 11:00 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
well played,,,,what did he say? LOL U R CRZY!!
Ok, let me see if i got this straight. your best friend girl got this story from her friends BF? correct? so it went through 4 people before it got to you right?
do not get me wrong. i do not doubt you bjork, and i’m not doubting he didn’t run into Mini Me at a bar. i’ve just seen too much online to believe everything i read. i do agree with you he looked really sad when they played the Cards last month, and i don’t for one second doubt he misses being a Cardinal. i can’t see him throwing all their fans under a bus though in a windy city bar. i wouldn’t doubt he feels that way, but he’s not going to be telling the fans to their face they suck. that’s just not smart.
also the part about Tony taking one for the team with regards to Edmonds makes no sence. Jimmy asked to be traded when Tony would not guarantee he would be the starting CF. so they traded him to the Father’s. the Cards still was on the hook for a lot of his salary right? it didn’t work out for the Father’s, so they cut him. then the flubs picked him up. then he said the thing about not being a Cardinal anymore. then Tony said what he said. ownership had virtually nothing to do with anything but granting his trade request & paying part of his salary. the stuff between him & Tony was all them. no one else.
the other thing that sticks out is what he said about Albert. if Albert isn’t a leader, i’d like to see who is. it can’t be fun to have 100 camera’s in your face after every day at work. and after what the 2 Fox did to him when the Mitchell Report came out, no one can blame him for not always having a smile on his face when the press walks up to him.
again, i’m not doubting you bjork. not at all. i believe you were told this by people you trust. i just don’t know these people, and since i’m from Missouri, the Show Me State, i have a hard time believing the entire story. there’s just too many holes for me to believe it’s all true. i hope i’m not offending you man, that’s not at all what i want to do.
It kind of sounds like he’s [Duncan] just running around like a puppy out there – full speed ahead in random directions. – BTown Birds Fan
by gdm426 on May 6, 2009 11:32 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
or as they say
Pics or it didn’t happen.
Even if it’s true, very little of the info can be confirmed.
"But listen, and understand: more Molinas are out there. They can't be bargained with. They can't be reasoned with. They don't feel pity, or remorse, or fear." - THT
by Yadi2Second on May 6, 2009 11:43 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
We could call the bar and ask for the bartenders!
Testicle-exploding shit storm, circa 7/12/08 - We will never forget!
by bjork24 on May 6, 2009 11:44 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
try it
I’m just saying, this post is already the first Google hit for “aaron miles sister” and as I’ve seen everything from faked IP addresses to post office boxes to giving out phone numbers of accomplices just for the lulz, I’m gonna wait for confirmation before I believe a word of it. Even if it sounds true. (Especially if it sounds true, because that’s an excuse to tell a tall tale all by itself.)
Outside the internet, we have the luxury of having body language to cue us. And even then that doesn’t stop rumors or scams.
"But listen, and understand: more Molinas are out there. They can't be bargained with. They can't be reasoned with. They don't feel pity, or remorse, or fear." - THT
by Yadi2Second on May 6, 2009 11:54 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
and no, I don't know Aaron Miles' sister
"But listen, and understand: more Molinas are out there. They can't be bargained with. They can't be reasoned with. They don't feel pity, or remorse, or fear." - THT
by Yadi2Second on May 6, 2009 11:55 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I'm not offended at all
I thought it was an interesting read, true or not. Like I said, I don’t know the guy who had the encounter, so it’s no skin off my hide if it’s not true.
Testicle-exploding shit storm, circa 7/12/08 - We will never forget!
by bjork24 on May 6, 2009 11:46 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Are you saying you're a Nigerian king?
And you’re willing to offer me all of your money?! Where do I sign up?!?!
I've got one foot on the platform, the other foot on the train
I'm going back to New Orleans, to wear that ball and chain
by jd is legend on May 6, 2009 11:50 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
i always hated
when people would say, “i’m from the show me state, you have to show me!”
guess it’s probably not as bad a seeing rednecks with texas flag SECEDE bumper stickers on their cars, though
by prophetjohn on May 8, 2009 11:25 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I'm not real sure I'd have posted that email.
If I were Miles, I’d feel a little betrayed.
Did I ever tell you about the time Brasky and I went horseback riding, but there weren't any horses around? Anyway, Brasky throws a saddle on my back and rides me around Wyoming for three days. Well, wouldn't ya know it, my stamina increased with each day, and I develop tremendous leg muscles. So anyway, Brasky decides to enter me into the Breeders Cup under the name Turkish Delight. And Im running in second place, and I'm running, and I break my ankle. So anyway, they're about to shoot me. Then someone from the crowd yells out, God bless him, Dont shoot him, he's a human.
by Tackle Box on May 6, 2009 11:08 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Me too.
This is tacky.
Classic underachiever.
by spants on May 6, 2009 11:20 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
And slippery.
hecanthithecanthithecanthithecanthit
by Alxfritz on May 6, 2009 11:49 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
no kidding.
not to mention, that guy at the bar — if he is real — was a pretty big dick to him. C’mon, Aaron Miles, the guy who beat up a dude with a gun, and you’re disrespecting him? Not proud he’s a Cardinals fan, I can say that much.
But then again, this is probably fake anyway. The more elaborate and ridiculous the more likely people will believe it. If it’s detailed, it’s gotta be true, right?
On with the (good) youth movement!
by aet15 on May 7, 2009 5:08 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
+1
4B - beer baseball bands blog
rocknroll ain't noise pollution
by Cards Fan in Chitown on May 7, 2009 1:44 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
that's what I was thinking
but it was nice too read the gossip I suppose
4B - beer baseball bands blog
rocknroll ain't noise pollution
by Cards Fan in Chitown on May 7, 2009 1:44 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Oh, right..AND
My best friend’s sister’s boyfriend’s brother’s girlfriend heard from this guy who knows this kid who’s going with the girl who saw Ferris pass out at 31 Flavors last night. I guess it’s pretty serious.
"I just wish that the late Harry Caray were still around so I could hear him mispronounce 'Kosuke Fukudome' every fukun' night" -- Dennis Miller
by fourstick on May 7, 2009 12:26 AM EDT reply actions 2 recs
Bueeeeeeeeeellllerrrrrrrrrr!!!
St. Louis Cardinals... defying win expectancy since 2008
by vivaelpujols on May 7, 2009 1:44 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
It's the fingers on your hand
Plus your thumber
by mojo7102 on May 9, 2009 2:43 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
this is like one of those episodes of "what would you do".
Suicidal utility player, bartender handing him shot after shot of soda water, dude pretending to be more and more drunk, etc. Could go so many ways.
- "I went at it and didn’t slow down, so it kind of bounced off me." -Lil' Dunc
by SleepyCA on May 7, 2009 12:38 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
But usually always ends
- with a Wade Boggs reference…
- with John Kruk burying a suitcase full of steak sandwiches near the first base bag.
"I just wish that the late Harry Caray were still around so I could hear him mispronounce 'Kosuke Fukudome' every fukun' night" -- Dennis Miller
by fourstick on May 7, 2009 11:31 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
With his clear disdain for everything positive about the team
I can’t imagine why they didn’t bring him back.
by Hardcore Legend on May 7, 2009 1:19 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
That's what I'm thinking.
I was thinking about this post this morning and the more I thought about it, it’s either fake or (if true) reeks of someone who’s disgruntled.
Either way, I still wouldn’t have posted it.
Did I ever tell you about the time Brasky and I went horseback riding, but there weren't any horses around? Anyway, Brasky throws a saddle on my back and rides me around Wyoming for three days. Well, wouldn't ya know it, my stamina increased with each day, and I develop tremendous leg muscles. So anyway, Brasky decides to enter me into the Breeders Cup under the name Turkish Delight. And Im running in second place, and I'm running, and I break my ankle. So anyway, they're about to shoot me. Then someone from the crowd yells out, God bless him, Dont shoot him, he's a human.
by Tackle Box on May 7, 2009 10:29 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
yeah
4B - beer baseball bands blog
rocknroll ain't noise pollution
by Cards Fan in Chitown on May 7, 2009 1:45 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
i'm sorry
and i won’t be around today to respond to the flack i might take for this, but this is the biggest pile of bull i’ve seen in a long time.
by erik on May 7, 2009 8:04 AM EDT reply actions 1 recs
I'm with Erik
First, stuff like this is what gives “blogs” a bad name. I the first line itself, I’m surprised cousin Larry’s dry cleaner’s college room mate’s crack dealer’s landlord didn’t forward the email. It sounds like a joke from the get go. Whether it is or not is irrelevant to the point I’m trying to make – it doesn’t pass a sniff test.
Second, and for this point I’ll assume the story is legit, whoever wrote this email is an asshole. Was that conversation on the record? “I had to share”. No you didn’t.
by Harry Pavlidis on May 7, 2009 8:38 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
"I had to share". No you didn’t.
Who are you quoting? That’s not anywhere in the post.
Future Redbirds - tracking Cardinal prospects for Cardinal Nation
by azruavatar on May 7, 2009 10:02 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
right
he didn’t HAVE to, he WANTED to.
- "I went at it and didn’t slow down, so it kind of bounced off me." -Lil' Dunc
by SleepyCA on May 7, 2009 10:21 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I don't interpret that as malice though or even sniggering gossip.
If I’d had this happen to me, I’d want to tell someone too.
Future Redbirds - tracking Cardinal prospects for Cardinal Nation
by azruavatar on May 7, 2009 10:49 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
One of my friends went out with friends from work
Turns out Ray Lankford is friends with one of his friends, so he met up with them. What a cool story. Ray didn’t want to talk baseball. I didn’t post it, because who cares since Ray was not offering insights into being the Player of the Decade for the 1990s. I read this with a grain of salt but I don’t view it as some dastardly smear.
"I'm gonna throw the nastiest curveball I have ever thrown...if he hits it, I'll tip my cap, but if not we're going to the Series."
--Adam Wainwright on the final pitch of the 2006 NLCS
by bgh on May 7, 2009 11:17 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
agreed. this post isn't a big deal.
if you believe it, great. you have a weird story to tell your friend. if you don’t, thats fine too. but the moral outrage on this site is getting a little bit out of control.
How depressing is it being you? Is it closer to being a lifelong cubs fan or being born without lips? - Janitor
by themanthemyth on May 7, 2009 11:20 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
It's also not much of a story
So a guy is struggling at his job in a new city, gets drunk, and complains about his job and family to anyone at the bar that shows an eagerness to listen. Start the presses!!! That never happens!
I know, it’s an athlete. Many aren’t all that happy about their life, even though they play a kids game for money. Many athletes like to drink. Many do drugs too. Many try to pick up tail wherever they can. I thought this was all pretty well understood. It’s really not a good thing, but I lost the illusion that the athletes were role models a while ago. I’ve seen Miles out. I’ve seen several other Cardinals out, and sometimes they’re acting like asses.
I suppose it’s a story you tell your friends. It’s also the type of thing that you’d find on Deadspin, so I guess there is an audience for it. I wouldn’t have expected to see it here, but I can see the appeal.
Still, I wonder if this is really a precedent we want to set here? Is the fact that it is Aaron Miles, a guy that is lampooned here by most (including myself at times), play a role in this? If this is someone more widely popular in this community, still wearing the birds on bat, and if the story has perhaps even juicier details….is it fair game to bring it here? Is that what we want? If not, maybe we should consider whether keeping this here is the right move.
by Merry CRasmus on May 7, 2009 12:18 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
right, my mistake
Still, my point is the same, wanting to, feeling compelled to, whatever, pretty lousy.
by Harry Pavlidis on May 7, 2009 12:47 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I'm amazed at the blowback here. . .
Is it that far fetched of a story? Not to me.
Are we to believe that Miles is going to feel betrayed by a psuedo-anonymous posting on a random website on the web? I’d hope not or he’s more fragile than this story may imply.
Should we be surprised that a ballplayer is drinking? We’re not that naive anymore, I don’t think.
It’s a story. Believe if you will but no one has any more credibility to say that it’s false than bjork has to say it’s true. Be a discerning consumer and decide individually.
Future Redbirds - tracking Cardinal prospects for Cardinal Nation
by azruavatar on May 7, 2009 8:36 AM EDT reply actions 1 recs
+1
How depressing is it being you? Is it closer to being a lifelong cubs fan or being born without lips? - Janitor
by themanthemyth on May 7, 2009 9:25 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I'm with you AZ...
it’s not as if he’s (bjork) paraphrasing what he heard his girlfriend’s friend’s boyfriend (or whatever) said. It is directly from an email, and it would appear originated from a real (known) person. I’m not saying it’s true, but I don’t see anything in there that a drunk disgruntled player wouldn’t say.
"Don't do anything till I get back!" - Jesus to the Cubs
by cardzfanbub on May 7, 2009 9:33 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
not far-fetched
but uncool.
- "I went at it and didn’t slow down, so it kind of bounced off me." -Lil' Dunc
by SleepyCA on May 7, 2009 10:24 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Agree.
But I think sometimes people are more concerned with getting dirt or someone than being decent to one another. This is why Star Magazine and other tabloids are able to turn profits.
Did I ever tell you about the time Brasky and I went horseback riding, but there weren't any horses around? Anyway, Brasky throws a saddle on my back and rides me around Wyoming for three days. Well, wouldn't ya know it, my stamina increased with each day, and I develop tremendous leg muscles. So anyway, Brasky decides to enter me into the Breeders Cup under the name Turkish Delight. And Im running in second place, and I'm running, and I break my ankle. So anyway, they're about to shoot me. Then someone from the crowd yells out, God bless him, Dont shoot him, he's a human.
by Tackle Box on May 7, 2009 10:35 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
random website on the web?
Oh kay, I’m pretty sure there are some pro news services which blogroll VEB in their “related blogs” section, which are all computer generated (not subject to human editors), including the popular fanposts. And what happens, for instance, if Deadspin picks this up? Doesn’t matter because the traditional media doesn’t read them and use them as a source? This is not exactly a backwater 4chan board, and as I said, this post is already first on the simplest of Google searches.
Like, either blogs are legit or they’re not. Unless VEB is a backwater and nobody told me. Let me know, so I can text Dan and Al.
"But listen, and understand: more Molinas are out there. They can't be bargained with. They can't be reasoned with. They don't feel pity, or remorse, or fear." - THT
by Yadi2Second on May 7, 2009 11:16 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Aaron Miles sister...
is a simple google search?
How many people search for Aaron Miles sister on a given day?
"Don't do anything till I get back!" - Jesus to the Cubs
by cardzfanbub on May 7, 2009 11:59 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
You need to differentiate between user generated content
and content that’s representative of the blog. “mainstream media” isn’t quoting commenters on Deadspin the last time I checked.
Future Redbirds - tracking Cardinal prospects for Cardinal Nation
by azruavatar on May 7, 2009 12:29 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
you'd be surprised. they definitely do it.
hell, they’re even quoting twitter now. the apocalypse is coming.
On with the (good) youth movement!
by aet15 on May 7, 2009 6:50 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
twitter is an abomination
Future Redbirds - tracking Cardinal prospects for Cardinal Nation
by azruavatar on May 7, 2009 10:19 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I couldn't agree more.
On with the (good) youth movement!
by aet15 on May 8, 2009 5:36 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Future Redbirds - tracking Cardinal prospects for Cardinal Nation
by azruavatar on May 8, 2009 8:03 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
http://nonadventures.com/2009/04/11/not-without-my-blotter/
They say that it's never too late, but you don't get any younger...
by Valatan on May 8, 2009 1:23 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2008/4/23/
On with the (good) youth movement!
by aet15 on May 9, 2009 9:14 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Unlike
sentences without punctuation!
Classic underachiever.
by spants on May 8, 2009 11:42 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
…..
,,,,,,
!!!!!!!!
-——-
;;;;;;;
:::::::
Keep those handy if you need any spares for my future posts.
Future Redbirds - tracking Cardinal prospects for Cardinal Nation
by azruavatar on May 8, 2009 11:46 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
I shall put
them in my pocket.
Classic underachiever.
by spants on May 8, 2009 11:48 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
April Fools Day
Is that way
<———————
And even if this is true, repeating this type of story is a dishonorable thing to do.
by JWO on May 7, 2009 8:41 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Mrs. Krabappel and Principal Skinner were in the closet making babies and I saw one of the babies and then the baby looked at me
hecanthithecanthithecanthithecanthit
by Alxfritz on May 7, 2009 9:06 AM EDT reply actions 1 recs
Is it just me...
or his her name some pseudonym or homonym (or something like that) for crab apple?
"Don't do anything till I get back!" - Jesus to the Cubs
by cardzfanbub on May 7, 2009 9:36 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Interesting Story in the Post
I have no clue how true it is. I don’t know about most Cubs fans being of the bandwagon variety, but I will say the number of Cubs fans has increased a lot since 2003. If one wants to go way back, there weren’t many Cubs fans at all outside of Chicagoland before 1984.
"The big possums walk late." - Harry Caray
by memphiscub on May 7, 2009 10:05 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
i dont know...
I’ve never liked Miles but I feel bad for him. I would prefer to have not seen this. Everybody gets drunk and says dumb things at some point and I don’t like to see people exposed because of that. I’m glad that my drinking adventures, as far as I know, aren’t online.
by viktor on May 7, 2009 10:12 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
exactly
it’s not fair to repeat something someone dishes while on the truth syrum
4B - beer baseball bands blog
rocknroll ain't noise pollution
by Cards Fan in Chitown on May 7, 2009 1:49 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
who knows if it's true...
but regardless, it’s still pretty douchey to post it on a blog.
by Willie McGee's Twin on May 7, 2009 10:29 AM EDT reply actions 2 recs
Wait a minute
I’ve been going to OB Clarke’s for a long time and never have I seen Aaron Miles there. I call BS. Anyway, I won’t go so far as to call this post “dishonorable” or “douchey” as some have, but I wouldn’t want this post setting a precedent that this forum is the place to discuss baseless rumors and sketchy secondhand stories about players’ personal lives….though i do have a good one about Dan Uggla lol
by mattyp on May 7, 2009 10:56 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
From what I hear...
OB’s is pretty much THE hangout for a lot of Cardinals and Blues (and former Cardinals and Blues.)
by stlfan on May 7, 2009 5:18 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
true or not
i’d kinda like to see this post removed. just doesn’t seem right to post second-hand heresay about a player
by _pistol_ on May 7, 2009 11:11 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
i couldn't care less about this being honorable or not
MILES BESMIRCHED THE NAME PUJOLS….STRING HIM UP
by VolsnCards5 on May 7, 2009 11:34 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
heh
4B - beer baseball bands blog
rocknroll ain't noise pollution
by Cards Fan in Chitown on May 7, 2009 1:49 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Second-hand trade deadline gossip is fine (just ask Heyman at S.I.)...
You can argue that hearsay about what a player did or didn’t do one night after a ballgame is different from a trade rumor, and it probably is at least a little bit. In this post, I don’t find anything that is that horribly offensive to Aaron Miles, except the kids crying part. I immediately hoped that Darren Aronofsky would pick up on this and we’d have “The Ballplayer” with a gritty performance from…some diminutive Hollywood star. This little anecdote—whether fictional or not—is probably more reflective of the actual lives ballplayers lead than what we gin up in our minds, channeling our childhood romanticizing of the sport and its players. Baseball players go to bars and drink alcohol. No fanbase should be more aware of this than ours, unfortunately. I guess I don’t see anything so horribly damning in this post to generate such outrage at it being posted. A grain of salt is in order, yes, but not a deletion.
I would also like to point out a revelation from “Aaron Miles” that I find hilarious: Bill DeWitt runs the organization, not Mo. Bill DeWitt runs the organization!? Oh my goodness. Guys, someone bought a team and has hundreds of millions of dollars invested in it and he runs it! He actually has input on personnel decisions involving millions of the franchise-he-owns’s money! What a swine! I get sick of this line of attack. Signing ballplayers is a business decision, whether or not we want to pretend it is not. What’s more, players asking for more money refer to it as a business regularly directly or indirectly by chirping about how they should get what they are worth. However, when a club decides a player isn’t worth what they are asking for in salary, it is a lack of loyalty. If I were in a position where I invested that much money in a franchise, you’d better believe I’d be chin deep in personnel decisions. And, you know what? I’d have let Aaron Miles walk because he was too expensive for what he brings to the table as a second baseman masquerading as a utility player.
"I'm gonna throw the nastiest curveball I have ever thrown...if he hits it, I'll tip my cap, but if not we're going to the Series."
--Adam Wainwright on the final pitch of the 2006 NLCS
by bgh on May 7, 2009 11:43 AM EDT reply actions 6 recs
Totally agree with everything you said....rec'd
Don’t we all know someone that took a job for more money and ended up hating it because it moved them away from their friends and family, they had to work longer hours and under more stress, and they couldn’t handle the increased expectations?
Miles took the paycheck from the Cubs. If he’s not happy I feel bad, but I also realize that this was his own decision and that if he’s suffering that badly it’s because of decision that he made. He could have stayed in St. Louis making somewhere close to what he made last year, and decided to take the money. It’s unfortunate, but that’s life! It’s not just baseball, it’s life in general!
"I just wish that the late Harry Caray were still around so I could hear him mispronounce 'Kosuke Fukudome' every fukun' night" -- Dennis Miller
by fourstick on May 7, 2009 1:03 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Could he have stayed in St. Louis?
I ask that question sincerely because I don’t remember what actually happened. I had assumed that the Cardinals were going to let him go and not “buy high” on a utility middle infielder (one of those positions we seem to have too much of anyway)
by mattybobo on May 7, 2009 1:26 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I believe that he could have come back for the same money he made in 2008
Not that he didn’t deserve a raise after his 2008 season, but players like him can be found in most minor league systems, so there’s no need to pay him more. We had ready replacements for him at the AAA level and went with them as well as signing a former top prospect to a minor league deal. I wouldn’t have had a problem with him making $1M for 2009, but I don’t think that he’s worth more than that.
"I just wish that the late Harry Caray were still around so I could hear him mispronounce 'Kosuke Fukudome' every fukun' night" -- Dennis Miller
by fourstick on May 7, 2009 1:46 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
My hope...
The organization decided he was too expensive as a member of the League of GLRS and decided early on that 2008 was his final year wearing the STL logo on his cap. So, they just never called, which angered Miles, causing him to sign with Chicago in their nonsensical DeRosa dump.
"I'm gonna throw the nastiest curveball I have ever thrown...if he hits it, I'll tip my cap, but if not we're going to the Series."
--Adam Wainwright on the final pitch of the 2006 NLCS
by bgh on May 7, 2009 5:13 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
"Not that he didn’t deserve a raise after his 2008 season..."
actually, you go into some detail as to why he DIDN’T deserve a raise…and of course you’re right.
"Dogs look up to us. Cats look down on us. Pigs treat us as equals." --Churchill
by lordsummer on May 8, 2009 8:17 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
If you're Miles though...
you just hit .300 and played all over the diamond for a team that won more than 80 games. I would find it hard to accept that I didn’t deserve to make a little more money the next season had I played that way. Considering that the Cardinals refused to go to arbitration, they probably felt that an arbitrator was going to feel the same way.
The problem is that he’s an easily replaceable player, it’s just that he’s not going to see it that way so I can appreciate if he’s upset at the Cardinal front office for not tendering him an offer. That said, doubling your annual salary for two years is a pretty good deal, just not at the expense of your happiness and the overall well-being of your family. Sometimes it’s just better to stay where you are, if that is indeed an option.
"I just wish that the late Harry Caray were still around so I could hear him mispronounce 'Kosuke Fukudome' every fukun' night" -- Dennis Miller
by fourstick on May 8, 2009 9:40 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I call shenanigans
actually I think the mods should take this down….having stuff like this up on the website makes VEB vulnerable to defamation/libel charges if it’s not true.
I have been on the internet long enough to have seen more than a few hoaxes.
by nota bene on May 7, 2009 1:27 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I'm no lawyer..
but if this actually came from an email that can be dug up I don’t think there is any danger of a suit. Doesn’t take much to be able to legally slander someone.
"Don't do anything till I get back!" - Jesus to the Cubs
by cardzfanbub on May 7, 2009 3:18 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
i disagree, counselor
i’d love to see aaron miles prove damages resulting from this post
How depressing is it being you? Is it closer to being a lifelong cubs fan or being born without lips? - Janitor
by themanthemyth on May 7, 2009 7:08 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
let me rephrase
i don’t think aaron miles could prove damages. i would not love to see him try.
How depressing is it being you? Is it closer to being a lifelong cubs fan or being born without lips? - Janitor
by themanthemyth on May 7, 2009 7:12 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Also, the public figure restriction on libel laws allows a lot of leeway
They say that it's never too late, but you don't get any younger...
by Valatan on May 7, 2009 7:48 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
slander is almost impossible to prove
so that’s not really a concern.
You have to prove not only that someone said something false, but that they intended to do it.
by mtalken on May 7, 2009 10:32 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
and that there was an actual harm associated with it
They say that it's never too late, but you don't get any younger...
by Valatan on May 8, 2009 1:25 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Libel defintions - key is what constitutes a public figure. Financial harm attendant with publication of a falsehood
Definition of libel 1: Libel is the written act of defamation, vs. slander, the oral act of defamation.
Definition of libel 2: use of print or pictures to harm someone’s reputation. Until 1964, a person could prove that they had been libeled simply by showing that the statements in question were incorrect. In 1964, the Supreme Court decided that public officials had to prove that the statements in question were made with “actual malice”-for the purpose of harming the person’s reputation. As a result of the Supreme Court case, Time, Inc. v. Firestone (1976); private individuals only have to prove negligence, rather than “actual malice,” on the part of the press.
Definition of libel 3: Defamation of an individual or individuals in a published work, with malice aforethought. In litigation, the falsity of the libelous statements or representations, as well the intention of malice, has to be proved for there to be libel. In addition, financial damages to the parties so libeled must be incurred as a result of the material in question for there to be an assessment of the amount of damages to be awarded to a claimant. This is contrasted to slander, which is defamation through the spoken word.
An optimist is a man who upon discovering that a rose smells better than a cabbage concludes it will make better soup.
HL Mencken
by akaitori on May 11, 2009 1:46 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Seems kinda odd...
But I bet he wished he stayed in STL. Not only would he have played everyday, he would be batting over .200 right now – easily.
Welcome to Baseball Heaven.
by zoomzoomj88 on May 7, 2009 4:59 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Let's look at it this way
we’re even-steven.
Aaron Miles said some defaming things about the Cardinals organization and these post may have been not-so-nice for him.
by Hardcore Legend on May 7, 2009 5:01 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I'm not going to remove this,
because the discussion’s already been had, but in general I’m not a fan of celebrity gossip. Aaron Miles is a public figure, but at the same time I think we owe him and ourselves a little credit, here.
by DanUpBaby on May 7, 2009 10:53 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Well who cyber-died and made you king?
Oh… right…
hecanthithecanthithecanthithecanthit
by Alxfritz on May 7, 2009 11:20 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
He may be, but his sister is not.
The St. Louis Cardinals- 11 time World Champions!
by Zubin on May 9, 2009 1:35 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
This really should have never been posted.
Given that it cast Miles and his family is a poor light, I’d argue that it is defamatory. The fact it comes from a second hand source and its fuzzy details makes it dubious.
The St. Louis Cardinals- 11 time World Champions!
by Zubin on May 9, 2009 1:34 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
A few things..
I wrote the email and it’s 100% accurate in every way.
To be honest, I was pretty disappointed that this thing gained so much speed that it ended up all over the internet and was discussed within the St. Louis and Chicago media markets.
The email that was sent out to my close friends was just a story, a true story about a guy who apparently isn’t happy about everything in his life. But more importantly, it goes to show you at the end of the day that no matter where you’re from, who you are or what you do, we’re all people. We all have issues. My concern was just the unusual or peculiar manner in which the evening and Miles’ demeanor were unfolding. It’s a little unnerving when you someone asks you at a bar if you’re going to be “okay”. Maybe Miles is just reaching out because he’s lonely or depressed. Who knows. But maybe this will help him find happiness or somebody will talk to him.
According to a bartender from Murphy’s who ran into Miles a few weeks later, Miles won’t go in there anymore and then Miles asked him why I would post all that stuff all over the internet. I guess I’m indirectly responsible but I can’t tell you how bad I feel that this came full circle and the damage it has done. There was no intent for any of this to have happened. The last thing his wife and family need to read or hear about is this nonsense run-in with a half dozen people at a bar.
As far as the other stuff goes about Edmonds or the Pujols, that was just bonus information. I could tell you positive things too. He bought people in the bar drinks and also told some bimbo that wouldn’t leave him alone that, “he’s not that kind of guy” and that he “loves his wife”. He talked fondly about his time in St. Louis and that his most memorable moment was the world series. He talked about pitching a scoreless inning and his walk off grand slam against the Padres.
I posted some of my other thoughts over at BP-my moniker is chicagoblues.
http://www.stltoday.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=629910&postdays=0&postorder=asc&&start=24
Aaron Miles is a stand-up guy, was good to his teammates and represented everything that we come to expect from Cardinals players.
I won’t comment on this any further. I hope Miles finds the happiness he needs.
Take care
-MO
by mdostl on May 22, 2009 5:22 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Also..
It would nice if this thread could be locked or even deleted in due time.
Thank you.
by mdostl on May 22, 2009 5:34 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
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