We’d heard for a year and a half that Carlos Silva was not a particularly pleasant teammate, but had yet to actually see the fruits of those whispers.
Now that he’s been cut, Silva is all too happy to indulge us.
“No chance,” Silva said when asked if he would take the Cubs up on their request that he head to the minors. “That’s not in my mind right now, not at all. I’m not an insurance player. My guess is that’s what they want.”
I can understand not accepting a minor league assignment – he’s earned that right as a nine-year veteran. But keep your mouth shut about it. You’re not an insurance player? You’d be lucky to be employed as an insurance salesman at this point.
If that wasn’t enough, Silva took a few swipes at new Cubs pitching coach Mark Riggins, with whom Silva clearly didn’t get along this Spring.
“[On Friday], I wanted to throw my pen and I felt really good. Riggs came to me and said, ‘What a day, and now go out there and do your workout and continue pitching the way you’re doing.’ A half hour later, he called me into the hall and started talking to me.”
That talk apparently set Silva off.
“I’m like, if you have to say something, be straight,” Silva said. “[Riggins] has to learn he’s in the big leagues now, know what I mean? There’s no kids around here anymore. The way he laid it out, I don’t know what he was trying to do. He said, ‘Man you’ve been throwing good, you can pitch, blah, blah, blah.’ He said, ‘What if you go to Triple-A and throw some games to continue building and continue getting better?’ I told him I don’t need to go there, I’m ready to go, I feel good, I’m ready to pitch.”
Some of his frustration is understandable, but when you’ve struggled for as long as he has, it can’t really be that shocking to learn that you didn’t make the team, big contract or not.
Silva certainly isn’t doing the Cubs any favors in their efforts to trade him – which may be part of the reason he’s taking shots on the way out the door. Mark Riggins has to learn that he’s in the big leagues now, you say? You’re right, Carlos. Riggins is in the big leagues now. You aren’t. Good luck finding your way back onto a Major League diamond when the Cubs inevitably release you or somehow manage to dump you on another hapless team.
Oh, and please: let the door hit you on the way out.
Carlos, maybe if you had worried more about your fitness and being actually able to pitch then you wouldn’t have to worry about how a pitching coach talks to you
Was so glad to hear Cash got the rotation spot over him and Mateo will get bullpen spot. We need a vet with character and class not a Silva who is all aout himself. I hope we can trade him and at least get some value for him.
Only thing I can say is that Silva allowed us to get rid of Bradley so at least he did a few things right.
I hope Santo is in heaven trying to talk God into making the Cardinals sign Silva just so we can see Big Z fire a 92 mph fastball at this a-holes helmet.
NOOOOO! That’s the one team he’d find success with!
Id usually agree with you on that. But can you see him getting along with LaRussa well enough to succeed? Plus, he’s a blackhole for team chemistry.
When it comes to the Cards, I panic first, and ask questions later.
Idiot. Does he think puking his whiny bile is going to aid him in his quest to land an MLB spot? Bitching to a reporter that Riggins enunciated two sentences out of order is kind of focusing on the tiniest of things and failing to package himself to his own best advantage. He deserves not to have whatever he doesn’t have coming to him.
Do not underestimate the power of the Dark Side. If anyone can fox him, it’s Dave Duncan. You absolutely don’t want that. I despise the Cards. I do, although, respect Mr. Duncan.
Package Silva and Koyie to the Yanks for Romine
Not only would the Yanks not want Hill (and maybe Silva, too), but even if they did, there’s no way they’d give up one of their top ten prospects for him.
Silva will find his way to another MLB team shortly. His salary is paid and he showed that he might have something left in the tank last season. There are enough teams needing a warm body to put in starts.
Would have been nice if the Cubs could have traded him for something other than potentially a bag of balls but Silva mouthing off and showing up in camp out of shape all point to his release.
The Cubs squeezed 10 wins from that jerk last year which is more of a contribution than the Mariners received last season or will receive from Bradley.