Cleveland Guardians: Albert Belle sacks Aaron Rodgers on radio
Cleveland Indians legend Albert Belle made another memorable stop on the city’s airwaves, most notably slamming Aaron Rodgers, in addition to talk about the newly named Cleveland Guardians.
I’ve come to really appreciate Belle’s time spent taking sports, because he talked so little when he was a player. If you haven’t heard it yet, check out the two-hour podcast he did with fellow MLBer, Brett Boone. There’s a lot of layers of the onion to be peeled back there.
Anyway, Belle, who resides in Arizona, is a big-time fan of the Minnesota Vikings, so he’s gotten an up-close look at Rodgers for years.
During an interview on The Really Big Show, which airs on WKNR (subscription required), Belle called the Green Bay quarterback a “drama queen” for his off-field antics.
He also stated his belief that Rodgers won’t be wearing a new uniform next season.
“He’s a drama queen. So, you are going to play two games against Detroit. He beats them. That’s 2-0. He plays two games against the Bears, he owns the Bears, that’s 4-0. And he always splits with the Vikings, so before next season starts, he’s 5-1 in division games.”
Belle doesn’t see him going to Denver, where he’ll have to play Patrick Mahomes and Justin Herbert twice a year. Instead, he sees him playing the “cream puffs” of the NFC at his age.
The Tribe’s former clean-up hitter then took Rodgers’ off-field demeanor.
"“He’s complaining, like he’s complaining about the head coach. Complaining about the coordinator. Complaing about the wide receiver. Compaling about the defense. Complaining about the offense. Then he pulls that stunt right before draft day. So, I’m thinking to myself, wait a minute, OK, so you cried about your contract after we jut sat you and blew out your shoulder, they made him the highest paid QB, he cried about that. He cried about everything. And then, his family doesn’t even talk to him and he doesn’t even talk to his family? So has anybody figured out, why your family doesn’t even want to talk to you, so there’s got to be some issues.”"
Belle then went on to describe Green Bay as Rodgers’ dream job, while also landing another shot on Angels center fielder Mike Trout.
If you follow our coverage of Belle, you know full well the 8-time All-Star doesn’t think too highly of the WAR favorite’s game.
"“I don’t know what [Rodgers] is upset about. It’s a dream job. He should just be like Mike Trout. Mike Trout is the happiest guy in the world…Yeah, no one talks about Mike Trout. Mike Trout has 10 years left on his new deal…so that’s going to be 1,620 games. I guarantee he won’t play 810. And nobody is going to say a word, so what I can’t understand, is why is Aaron Rodgers upset. He’s got it made.”"
But will Albert Belle wear the gear of the Cleveland Guardians?
Asked if would wear the gear of the Cleveland Guardians, Belle responded: “Probably, if they give it to me.”
The way Belle spoke made it seem that if you give him something, he’ll wear it.
Someone from the 49ers sent him some baseball cards to be signed, adding that he would get Belle some gear if the slugger provided his John Hancock.
Re-hashing the legendary bata-to-thermostat locker room story
Albert Belle gifted baseball history one of the all-time great locker room stories, when he took a bat to the thermostat in the clubhouse at then Jacobs Field.
Asked what provoked him, He started by saying how Kenny Lofton was “always hot.”
"“And I was like, really bro? It was in the summer time. It was like, 90-some degrees out, so I’d always turn it down, and then, when he’d come in the locker room, he was like, “Oh, I’m cold. He’d turn it up.Finally, I just came in and smashed it and said, ok, let me see you turn it down now.”"
On the renovations Cleveland Guardians will make to the stadium
Belle was told the team would be taking out the Terrace Club and making changes to Progressive Field,
His response was classic Belle.
"“So, they’re focused about everything but putting a better product on the field.”"
Albert’s big point was that if the Guardians win games, nobody will care what amenities the stadium will offer.
Belle also commented on the collective bargaining agreement, stating he hopes a salary floor is instituted so teams are forced to spend at least $75 million per season on payroll.
"“I think a lot of fans around the game will be happy.”"
Likes 7-inning games
Surprising, Belle is a fan of 7-inning games and said he would be willing to watch more if knew a contest would only last seen frames.
Think that’s radical? He then advocated for ties, instead of trying to figure out what to do with extra innings.
He believes this would keep fans more interested.
On the HOF and steroids
Albert was asked about Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens failing to make the Hall and that naturally led to a discussion on steroids.
Belle contended that when they played, there wasn’t testing, meaning it wasn’t illegal.
"“Why are you punishing them when they basically took advantage of the system. It’s just like billionaires now. Everyone complaining why they’re not paying takes, they’re just taking advantage of the laws.”"
When the hosts told Belle that Bud Selig, the commissioner of the era was in the Hall, that convinced the 50-52 man that all should be in.
"“If he’s in the HOF, then everybody else should be, because he was sitting right there watching it, looking at it and everybody was sitting there saying the same things, well, OK, we think McGwire and Sosa are on roids, but who cares, because we’ve got record rating on TV and fans coming to the ball park. “"
The hosts also asked about Brady Anderson, who was suspected of using steroids after hitting 50 bombs during the 1996 season.
Belle played with him during the 1999 season and had a funny anecdote.
He said Anderson was pull-happy and asked him why he was trying to hit every pitch out.
“You’re not going to hit 50 homes again. You’re a little bit older and they’re pitching you way, so hit it to left.”
Belle noted how this worked three times in a row during one game. Before the fourth at bat, Anderson approached him and asked, “Now should I go for a home run?”
"“I’m like, Hell no. Keep hitting the base hit. I’m like, bro, if you want to hit home runs, you need to switch and hit behind me and you can swing for the fences all you want. You’re hitting leadoff, you’re job is to…get on base and score runs.”He was like, ‘Oh, OK.'”"
Finally, Belle really talked about the hitting prowess of former Tribe outfielder Michael Brantley.
When everyone else is trying to hit home runs and striking out 200 times, Brantley is hitting .300, to which Belle said, “And nobody cares.”
Belle doesn’t understand why people can be so high on Joey Gallo and his 150 walks and 200 strikeouts, but not Brantley.
He then summed it all up with one question: How far did the Yankees get in the playoffs? Brantley’s Astros, of course, won the pennant before falling short to the Braves in the World Series.