CLEVELAND, Ohio – A while ago, when Brian Sipe was the Browns quarterback, he was not happy with some preparation from his teammates during the week for a game. A few players had fallen asleep at some meetings.
Sipe exclaimed to her in public, starting with one of those two- or three-day brushes that fans love so much. Tom DeLeone, the late and underappreciated center who played for the Browns at the time, was asked about the back-and-forth between Sipe and some teammates.
DeLeone did not go into detail, but said, “The more you stir it, the more it stinks.”
That should be words to live by for the rights of the Indians Zach Plesac and whoever is advising him at the moment. Or maybe someone should just tell him to talk up.
On Thursday, Plesac posted on Instagram his version of what happened Saturday night when he and Mike Clevinger broke burglary in Chicago and were drilled by MLB security and the Indians. Plesac, who is pleading his case in video form, said he and Clevinger were devastated by the media. ‘Drag through the mud,’ as he put it.
In his statement of the night’s events, however, Plesac did not contradict any fact reported on his unapproved excursion. He could not request false news because he confirmed almost everything that has been reported from that night. More than anything, it sounds like his feelings were hurt by some less-than-fluttering media coverage, brought on by Plesac and Clevinger’s reckless behavior.
As for the apology Plesac issued Sunday after the Indians hired a car service to drive him from Chicago to Cleveland so he would not risk infecting his teammates if he was exposed to the coronavirus, well, that has taken over a head ring after the video. On the one hand, Plesac acknowledged the outbreak of the porter and that it was quarantined for three days was a “great decision” by Chris Antonetti, Indian president of baseball operations. On the other hand, he said he practices social distance while breaking curfew and understanding the risks that the virus poses.
The Indians said they did not believe Plesac or Clevinger contracted the virus Saturday night. The virus, according to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), takes 48 hours to incubate in a person’s body before becoming infected. It did not excuse Clevinger from coming forward when Plesac was caught and on Saturday night took the Chicago charter home from Chicago after their game against the White Sox. However, the Indians felt that they were able to quarantine Plesac and Clevinger before they became infected.
Antonetti and manager Terry Francona added that MLB did not make them quarantine the two pitchers or put them on the restricted list. They did that by themselves to send a message, but apparently it was not a direct hit.
Plesac says he has the idea that people think he’s a bad teammate. Reporters did not create that image. Plesac and Clevinger did so through their actions, actions that put their teammates and families at risk.
That was reinforced by the reaction of manager Terry Francona and teammates Adam Plutko and Francisco Lindor. There was not much gray area when Plutko said, ‘They have hurt us badly. They left for us. They sat in front of your boys and said in public things they did not follow. ‘
The Indians can activate Plesac and Clevinger at any time from the restricted list. At the moment, they do not have a fifth starter until August 22nd. By that time, Plesac and Clevinger’s decisions could fade into the backdrop of the season. But the video of Plesac, and his need to blame someone next to himself, has ignited the flame for a few more days.
What did he gain from it? If he wanted to get his side of the story out, well, as he acknowledged in the video, the facts had been there for several days. If he wanted a reason to support, it did not happen. Indeed, judging on social media, the exact opposite has happened.
Now it’s becoming even more of a factor for Francona and the front office in terms of when they bring Plesac and Clevinger back and how it’s going on in the clubhouse. It causes additional distractions for the players who choose to stay in their hotel rooms in Chicago. They will have to answer questions from reporters and family members about the video, not Plesac or Clevinger.
Freedom of speech is a great thing, but sometimes it’s better to practice it silently while remembering the words of Tom DeLeone.
A variety of face masks from Cleveland Indians are available online today. (Fanatics.com)
New Indian face masks for sale: Here you can purchase Cleveland Indians face mask for coronavirus protection, including a single mask ($ 14.99) and a 3-pack ($ 24.99). All proceeds from MLB donate to charity.
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