Some Folks Are Still A Little Mad About That Scab Business

So, Cory Lidle has left the Phillies and is heading to the Yankees. In an interview, he said he was excited about pitching in the Bronx because "over the last few years I haven't had a clubhouse that expected to win with me." This got back to Phillies reliever Arthur Rhodes, who was less than pleased.

"He is a scab," Rhodes said. "When he started, he would go 51/3 innings and (the bullpen) would have to win the game for him. The only thing Cory Lidle wants to do is fly around in his airplane and gamble. He doesn't have a work ethic. After every start, he didn't run or lift weights. He would sit in the clubhouse and eat ice cream. ... He shouldn't say that, he shouldn't say anything like that because he is a scab. He crossed the line when guys like me, Flash (Tom Gordon) and (Mike) Lieberthal were playing. He is a replacement player."

We love it when players get pissed at other players for being replacements; it's always beautiful to see an aged middle reliever get in touch with his inner Norma Rae. Lidle is listed on Wikipedia's roundup of replacement players who made the majors, and his pitching in a spring training game in 1995 has been confirmed. There aren't many players still around who were replacement players; the highest profile are Kevin Millar, Damian Miller and, uh, Lidle, we guess. Our own views on labor vs. management aside, it's funny that people like Rhodes — who made nearly $4 million for his 5.12 ERA a couple of years ago — are still fired up about this.

Baseball Replacement Players [Wikipedia] Brian Cashes In Yet Again [New York Post] Old Wounds [St. Petersburg Times]