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He’s No Warren Spahn

Editor, News-Register:

During a time of record unemployment, 2018 CY YOUNG winner and left-hander pitcher, Blake Snell of Tampa, had this quote recently about a shortened 82-game schedule in Major League baseball: “For me to take a pay cut is not happening because the risk is through the roof.” He added, “I’ve got to get my money. I’m not playing unless I get mine, OK? And that’s just the way it is for me.” His parents should be really proud of little Blake.

In contrast, in 1942 when his country was in trouble, Hall of Fame pitcher Warren Spahn enlisted in the army and fought in the Battle of Hurtgen Forest and the Battle of the Bulge. Afterward his quote was, “Our feet were frozen when we went to sleep and they were frozen when we woke up. We didn’t have a bath or change of clothes for weeks.”

Blake Snell has the right not to play unless he’s given his full contract, but is the danger of participating any less if he’s paid $10 million as opposed to $5 million? The answer is obviously NO. Given his age and health, he is probably more likely to end his life and/or quality of life by a line drive than by the COVID-19 virus. Doing the math, Blake will have no more than 16 starts in an 82-game season and pitch an average of 6-7 innings, as opposed to Warren Spahn — who completed more games per season as an individual than some teams do in a decade now.

Unfortunately, Snell is probably not the only MLB player who thinks this way. He is just the first one who was stupid enough to say it. And we all thought Colin Kaepernick was ignorant of public opinion. Here’s hoping Blake Snell can someday end his career playing in China or at least read a book about what baseball players did during World War II.

Jay Knapp

Moundsville

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