A Bizarre Turn of Events

Yesterday was Day 2 of my arbitration hearing with the team. They want me to retire or sit on the disabled list all year so they can collect on insurance to pay my contract. I tell them I can play, and will play, this year. While I still haven't been given the go-ahead to discuss what happened between the two parties (it was no party when I was being "deposed," I'll tell you that) during the hearing, nobody said I couldn't comment on the news that broke after we left the building.

You probably saw it or heard about it on Sports Radio 810 - The Team! last night. Alvin Kirby, the GM who was verbally assaulting me all afternoon, was suspended by the team pending a police investigation into a breaking and entering and sexual assault claim by a woman Alvin allegedly conducted a 5-year affair with.

By no means am I gloating. While I believe Alvin is making a mistake with the actions he's followed against me, in the long run I wanted everything else he did to be perfect. Why? Because then the team wins. For me, winning is what I want. I have more money than you can shake a stick at (I don't know what that means). I've won 3 championships already, but a fourth would be even sweeter. I want Alvin to be a great general manager. I want his handpicked field manager, Rick Churches, to be a superior leader. I want my team to win.

I had no idea, nor, apparently, did Alvin's wife, of the affair he had going on. I don't know what happened that night 2 weeks ago when he allegedly broke into the woman's house (He smashed a door down with his shoulder? He's a small man. I didn't think he was that strong.) and attacked her. You can read the rest of the alleged sordid details on The Smoking Gun if you like. All I know is that yesterday morning and afternoon, Alvin's mind was not on any pending litigation against him. Just the litigation against me.

What does this mean for the team and me? Not sure. I know my super agent Jack Perry talked to Mrs. Delaney, my owner, last night and was going to talk to her again this morning to try to settle everything. We did not go in for Day 3 today since Alvin can't function with the team right now. The team needs to figure out what it's going to do in terms of my arbitration hearing and on the day-to-day.

I offer my best wishes to Alvin Kirby. I hope this turn of events unfolds fairly for both sides and gets settled amicably (don't ask me how). With spring training just days away, I think we all can agree this is one hit the team never expected to face.