Gimme a ticket for an aeroplane
Ain't got time to take a fast train

No that's not the one, here it is :

https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/J ... 22773.html

"In the midst of what felt like never ending adversity and failure, I was traded to the Chicago Cubs on July 2, 2013. This was the beginning of a four and a half year stretch that would forever change our lives. On the verge of walking away from the game I love dearly, Theo called, and the transformation began. I looked myself in the mirror, as well as my two year old son and pregnant wife knowing in my heart that everything was about to change.

"Chicago was our home, and will forever be a special place for my entire family. We raised our children in Wrigleyville, one of the most iconic places in all of sports. Going to work every day was an honor for many reasons from the storied history of the organization, to the high character individuals I was surrounded by year after year. Three consecutive NLCS appearances, two NL Central Titles, and a World Series Championship… the first in 108 years. Childhood dreams turned reality, thanks to so many amazing people, all holding one another to a very high standard.

"I send gracious thanks to the Ricketts family and front office for their commitment to winning at any cost. Going the extra mile to take care of our families was never taken for granted. I was lucky to have dedicated teammates that willingly shed blood, sweat, and tears to achieve our goals. I will miss going to battle with all of you, but look forward to competing on opposite sides moving forward. Lastly, thanks to all Cubs fans around the world for standing with us, and investing in us even when times were tough. You will all be missed dearly. Thanks for the memories.

-49"

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Power is always in the hands of the masses of men. What oppresses the masses is their own ignorance, their own short-sighted selfishness.
- Henry George

Very cool.

Impressed it was handwritten.

Hope the best for the guy and VERY thankful he did not go to the Brewers or Cards

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

The Cubs handled this well too. Seemed like an "agree to disagree" situation, with both sides parting amicably while wishing each other good luck. Something you rarely see with a Free Ajent in sports nowadays.

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Yup. Cubs didn't want him and Jake wanted to be anywhere but with the Cubs. Now he gets a big payday with one more sitting for him in 3 years.

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

His wife is a very nice girl too. She sat behind us all the time. She was at almost every game, not just the ones her husband pitched. After that final devastating but expected loss by Jose Quintana against the Dodgers, my Cub fan buddy said to her, "Hey, if we never see each other again, the last few years have been a lot of fun." She gave him hug.

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Anybody here seen my old friend Bobby?
Can you tell me where he's gone?
I thought I saw him walkin' up to The Hill
With Matthew, Tulsi, and Don

How "nice" can the wife of an obvious right-winger be?

He has always seemed like a stand-up guy, which is probably easier for a guy who got his dick knocked in the dirt for a few years before figuring things out.

The longevity isn't there, but he definitely goes down as an all-time Cubs great. The latter half of 2015 is still almost unbelievable, and he'll never get enough credit for the role he played in #2016 because there were so many other good pitching performances also. I don't think they win it without him, though. When they needed a big start, he almost always delivered.

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He is a bigger deal than the over loved Rick Sutcliffe?

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Elections have consequences.

I couldn't tell you without just looking at numbers. Sutcliffe was around at a time right on the cusp of when I started remembering things.

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No fucking shit.

Well, it's not that cut and dried. It's not like he carried them to victory.

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Didn't even make a rain delay speech.

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

Correct.

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He more or less carried them to the playoffs in 2015, and won the play-in game. If the Pirates beat the Cubs in that game, 2016 might not shake out the way it did. He also was the winning pitcher in two of the World Series games.

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I agree he carried them in 2015. He was a key cog in 2016, but he didn't carry them that year. He was down from his super-human performance at that point. Still a huge role, though.

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He won both games on the road.

I agree. I still find this strange, though....I would've taken him over Darvish

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When the Phillies are in town or playing in Milwaukee and Jake is pitching, I'll be there to show my appreciation for all he did as a Cub. Class act and an exceptional baseball player. Not just a pitcher. He can hit (with power), field his position, and run the bases as well. A great one to rely on in key situations. He liked the bigger stages and performed well on them.

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Go Cubs!!!!

That would be a cool game to go to. I just looked up those 2015 2nd half numbers to remind me how ridiculous it was. Beginning from August, he started 12 games, pitched 88 and 1/3 innings, struck out 89 batters, and gave up a total of 4 earned runs. 4 runs in 88 innings.

My favorite Arrieta Cub memory, and I bet some forget — after he got hit by that Pirate reliever in the Wild Card game and the benches cleared and Rodriguez punching the water cooler, Arrieta stole 2nd base standing up.

That was the mic drop fuck you moment of the game.