Soul Alone

I know some of you think that I’m a monster for my callous dismissal and for my lack of suitable tears for the departure of Daniel Murphy. I understand that, but I assure you that I’m not a monster, and that I do indeed have a soul. As such, I will allow my soul to come out.

Michael Cuddyer rejected a $15 million plus qualifying offer to accept a two year deal from the New York Mets at $21 million. $12.5 million of that was due in 2016. He could have done nothing except be the 25th man on the roster for six months and nobody in their right mind would have begrudged him that. If somebody is willing to write you a check for that amount, then you have every right to cash that check. And that’s what Cuddyer did. Nothing would have stopped that guaranteed contract from getting to the bank account accept for a self imposed retirement.

Cuddyer reportedly will retire. This is a huge break for the New York Mets which they may or may not take advantage of with the extra $12.5 million in their pockets. We’re all going to speculate on what the Mets should or shouldn’t do with that money, but I think I’ve already made my feelings on that quite clear. But even as a Mets fan who wants to see my favorite team take that next step, I can’t be callous and do that right at this very moment. A man had a guaranteed $12.5 million in his pocket for six months of being a glorified coach. And he walked away from it.

It illustrates why the argument over athletes “retiring at the right time” or “keeping their legacy intact” is nothing but useless talk-radio bullshit. If any professional athlete wants to play until his legs fall off, even if it means three or four years of numbers that are the complete opposite of their best, and if somebody is willing to pay them for those services, let ’em play. Because once it’s over, it’s over. Who knows the reason why Cuddyer left all that money on the table. It had to be something besides “I suck, and my employer could use the money to sign Yoenis Cespedes”, right? Because I would never expect an athlete to think this way. If Cuddyer did think that way, then he deserves a statue … and a psychiatric exam. I don’t think I could do that.

But if it was something more than that, something debilitating enough to force Cuddyer to make this decision and cost himself either $7.5 or $12.5 million, then that sucks. Even more than losing the money is the finality of it, and the notion that physical health cost him one more year with the guys, and one more chance at a ring. Athletes, especially those who have been at their craft as long as Cuddyer, deserve to call their own shot and retire on their terms. If an injury forced him out, then it’s something that will always be in the back of his mind, at least a little bit. The ones who hang on too long, those are the ones who are completely at peace because they gave it every ounce. I sincerely hope that Cuddyer, no matter the reason, no matter how much he fell off a cliff this season, and no matter how often I called him “grandpa” in 2015, comes to peace with his decision, forced or not. Because he gave every ounce he had, even if those ounces with the Mets barely reached a pound.