Comments on: Former Redbirds: Andy Van Slyke rips Colby Rasmus

By: proudlycanadian

proudlycanadian — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 14:26:22 +0000

So Van Slyke defaced the Canadian flag. I suspect that if a Canadian had defaced the US flag that he would have been outraged.

By: texasrangersfan

texasrangersfan — Sun, 31 Jul 2011 19:31:14 +0000

I always liked Van Slyke too… but he’s acting like a moron. He starts out “according to what I read…” And then goes on to describe his own distraught time after being traded from the Cardinals to the Pirates. Did he go on TV, Radio… or talk to baseball writers about how distraught he was at the time? To tell the good people of Pittsburgh how much he hated his new team, his new city… and wished he could go back to the Cardinals? No. Is Van Slyke channel ling one of these talk radio smurfs who want to churn controversy out of nothing? I’m really disappointed coming from a guy who knows better. What was the kid supposed to do or say? “This trade has ruined my life, I hate Canada, the Blue jays suck and I’ll cry myself to sleep every night here.” Andy Van Slyke… Good bat, GREAT arm… one tool missing apparently: The Brain.

By: spudchukar

spudchukar — Sun, 31 Jul 2011 17:08:44 +0000

When Van Slyke was traded I mourned for days. He was traded in the winter of 1986, a year after losing the World Series to the Royals, and before a similar fate was bestowed on the ’87 team. When you factor in he came up through the organization, his feelings on leaving the Cards is more than justified. Plus, he didn’t dis the Pirates, just expressed his ruing of being moved.

Van Slyke never put up great numbers vs lefties in the early years, so a platoon system had some merit. Sorry about the Canada thing it is ignorant, nuf’ said. But all in all, his criticism of Rasmus seems spot on. This is a tough, tough game to play, and no matter how talented or how many tools you possess, your most vital quality is still the one sitting on your shoulders. Rasmus has stated that all he wants to do now is “to play, not think about anything,” which is a great way to minimize your God given gifts.

By: pcyopick

pcyopick — Sun, 31 Jul 2011 16:31:44 +0000

Remember, this is the same idiot that scraped the Canadian flag off of his helmet in 1991, saying “Canada is a pacifist, socialist country.” I think it has more to do with his hatred of Canada. Why he hates it here, I have no idea.

By: paperlions

paperlions — Sun, 31 Jul 2011 15:49:17 +0000

I was thinking the same thing, I was a kid at the time, loved Van Slyke (he just “looked” like a ball player), and was pissed when he was traded….but I also remember that Herzog didn’t seem to care for him enough to play him everyday or to just stick him in a position and leave him there.

By: thefalcon123

thefalcon123 — Sun, 31 Jul 2011 15:36:52 +0000

Why would Andy Van Slyke have been upset about being traded from the Cardinals? Herzog never used him as a full time player (he never managed 500 PA’s in his time with the Cardinals), and he earned his AS appearances, gold glovers and reputation as a great player in Pittsburg.

By: paperlions

paperlions — Sun, 31 Jul 2011 14:12:06 +0000

“According to what I read…..”

At least he didn’t start off with, “I don’t have any first hand knowledge at all and really don’t know anything about the situation, but…”