Around the Horn (6/21)

[General]

Welcome back to the show that scores the argument, the all-baseball edition this time around.

Lets welcome our first contestant, ATH stalwart, Slyder!

[Slyder]

Im back doing the two things I love... Listening to the Wild Card Leading Cincinnati Reds and participating in ATH... How can things get any better.

[General]

Our next panelist hails from the great land of Ardsley...our very own Dry1313!

[Dry1313]

Time for me to win one of these damn things.

[General]

Our third panelist is the formidable Dam!

[Dam8610]

I'd like to congratulate the referree dynasty on their 2nd title of the sports year thus far. On to the World Cup!

[General]

And with that, the show begins!

Millions of topics..only one winner...HORN ME!

[General]

As you may have already heard, Ozzie Guillen has called out Jay Mariotti, apparently with a homosexual reference (not so, according to Ozzie). Guys, whaddya make of this? Should these two just grow up?

Around the Horn to Slyder.

[Slyder]

Just like people say about Manny... Its Manny being Manny. This is Ozzie being Ozzie. He doesnt put up with crap and Mariotti just happens to be in his crosshairs (not that I blame him) and has had words with him before. The language is strong but this is how Mariotti does, he goes looking for trouble and knows that Ozzie isnt one to hold back. So he gets his heat and the paper sales extra numbers. I cannot condone the language used by Ozzie although Mariotti goes looking for trouble.

I cannot stand Mariotti he's your typical media arse. If he never wrote another column again I would be happy. This also isnt the first time he's had run ins with the White Sox, its been well reported that he blames Reinsdorf for running Jackson, Pippen, and his Precious Jordan out of town. Hawk Harleson has been at odds with him. If anyone needs to grow up its Mariotti and this is Ozzie just being Ozzie.

[General]

++++

Dry?

[Dry1313]

They honestly sound like ****ing girls. Mariotti, a man whose opinion no one should repsect, called out one of the dumbest people on this planet. Ozzie, for one, needs to shut up and focus on baseball. No matter what anyone says about deferring attention from his team, or how he's won a World Series like this, a consistent background has shown guys like Joe Torre, Bobby Cox, and Cito Gaston, some of the less demonstartive managers, have had great success. I guess Guillen could be classified as a throwback to the McGraw days, but there's also something to be said for all the division titles, and all the Championships won by guys like Connie Mack, respectable, stand up guys, who aren't afraid to be there for their players. Ozzie is just generally an idiot, and Mariotti, a journalist with a big mouth, should realize Ozzie is like this, especially after dealing with characters like the Worm, Sammy Sosa, Jeremy Roenick, and all the assholes who have stopped in Chicago. They both need to shut up and do their job, and maybe they'd be more well liked.

[General]

Spell check, anyone? +++

Dam?

[Dam8610]

Let me open by saying that if you look up the word "***" in the dictionary, you'll find that it means cigarette. Now that that's out of the way, I believe Ozzie Guillen has every right to criticize Jay Mariotti. Why? Because Jay Mariotti criticizes him and his decisions with great regularity, and he gets paid to do it. As we all should know by now, Ozzie Guillen has no filter between his head and his mouth, which was an endearing and refreshing quality less than a year ago according to the media. I don't think Mariotti has any ground to be offended in this, either, because he's the journalistic equivalent of a "shock jock" as far as I'm concerned. His job is to write things that stir the pot and upset people to sell papers, so he should expect people to get upset with him.

[General]

+++

Moving on, Bobby Abreu has said that he's willing to be moved by the Phils, if the occasion calls for it. Also in the NL East, Smoltz has said he's content to being traded to a contender. Guys, who would help a contender more: Smoltz or Abreu?

Around the Horn to Dry.

[Dry1313]

Well, there's something to be said for Bobby Abreu. He's got a gun, he's fast, and he can hit. But I don't see how you could disagree with John Smoltz here. Smoltzie has the ability to shutdown close (Tigers?), but with more and more starters falling to injury you could see him lead a team like Oakland or any number of teams to the playoffs. Although he has mentioned Detroit, I couldn't help shuddering at him on the Indians, and that's a move that would seriously shake up the Central. He could also be moved to a team like Anaheim, who feels like they should be winning, and has specs. And although you'll hear the everyday argument for Abreu, Smoltz, one of baseball's top Starters and Closers, could very well lead a contender to the World Series.