Gotta love Karma.

Seriously, I am loving me some symbolic justice right about now.

Now I know how Cleveland Cavalier fans felt after the NBA Finals, because San Diego’s LeBron pulled a, well… a LeBron. 

Adrian Gonzalez abandoned his home town.  Before you scroll to the bottom of this page and start your comments, read on.  Logic dictates a careful analysis of this claim, which I have prepared for the audience.

First, let’s be clear on a single, important issue.  Adrian has every right in the world to force a trade from the Padres by repeatedly stating, to anyone who would listen, that he would not sign another contract in San Diego for a discount.  He has the right to do whatever he wants.  He is not a bad person for doing what he did.  I am, in no way, challenging Adrian on a personal level.  All I care about, as is the case with most athletes, is what happens on the field.  So take any opinions and criticisms as what they are: the feelings of a sports fan.

Okay, with that out of the way, here goes.

Adrian is dishonest.  He told San Diego he would not take less money to stay here out of a desire not to drag down the league average cost of quality first basemen.  Yeah, dude…. No one’s buying it.  Hey, I want to be rich, too.  Nothing wrong with that.  But at least tell us the truth.

If Adrian had ever said the following he would still be one of my favorite players:

 “It hurts me to say this, because I love San Diego so much… I mean, after all, this where I grew up, went to high school and got my big break as an everyday player in the Major Leagues.  So, I really hate to say this, again, I love this city and all the Padre fans; but I need to sign a big contract because I don’t know how many more I will be able to get.  Baseball players aren’t writers or accountants; we can’t do our jobs into our 60’s.  We have to make the most of the time we have, so I need to get a big contract for me and my family.  I really wish it could be here, but I know this team is changing owners and I don’t want to take 50% of the budget for the entire roster.”

Here’s the thing, though: Adrian wouldn’t say that because that’s not the way he feels.  And it’s not about the money.  He’s not greedy (although, I will ask: how much money is enough money?  But I digress). 

That’s not what he said.  He said things like, “I would stay here, if we can work out a mutually beneficial contract.” And that small market teams can have superstar players if they would just “offer them a contract.”  And, he also loved to point out that the Padres never opened negotiations about a new contract.  Really?  The fact that it would take $100 million+ to sign you, which is what the team will spend on the entire roster for 3 years, isn’t enough reason to not open negotiations?  Imagine that. 

Here’s the painful fact.  Brace yourselves.

Adrian wanted out.

He hated PETCO Park.  He hated being a big fish in a small pond.  And he didn’t want to be a part of a rebuilding Padres team.  He flat out told reporters that he didn’t even try to hit home runs at PETCO Park after 7:30 pm.  He was quoted as saying the Padres will never win at PETCO Park because of the way it depresses offense.  And, if I may be permitted a slight bit of conjecture, he wanted fame.  He wanted people to take notice.

So, it’s probably best he isn’t here.  If you don’t buy in to the program, then the program won’t work.  If you wish upon a star to get more rub in the public eye, that becomes your focus.  The shame of it is: if he had built the Padres into a World Series Champion, he would become the king of the 8^th largest city in the United States.  He would be the best player on the first pro sports team to win a world title.  He would be the unofficial mayor for eternity. 

But that wasn’t enough.  We, in San Diego, weren’t enough.  So, instead of becoming the icon of this city, he would rather fade into the mosaic of baseball greats in Boston’s history.  He will never, ever stand-out in a franchise history that boasts the names it does.   Ironic that by wanting fame and recognition Adrian chose to fade into semi-obscurity. 

If it sounds like my feelings are hurt.  They are.  I won’t deny that.  I loved Adrian when he was here.   I gave him a standing ovation every chance I got.  I just feel dumped.  It sucks.

But just like LeBron James took his talents to South Beach, and choked away an NBA title.  Adrian Gonzalez took his bat and glove to Yawkey Way and sleep-walked his way to the biggest September choke in baseball, maybe sports, history.  I like to think it was poetic justice that caused Adrian to only hit 10 home runs with 40 RBI after the all-star break, including only 4 home runs in September.  And most of all, after wanting to be in the spotlight of a big baseball town with lots of attention, he told reporters that one of the reasons the Red Sox lost was because they were tired from playing all those prime-time, made-for-TV games. 

Poetic indeed