Posted 1/24/01 Help me understand I still havenít figured it out. I have done all I could to support the Twins. When the Texas Rangers decided to pay Alex Rodriguez a trillion dollars, I stuck up for them. When their team payroll dropped to a league low and a franchise low 16 million dollars, I cheered them on. So when the Twinkies decided not to resign Ron Coomer, I took a step back and said, what? I donít see it. How could arguably their best player get away? Coomer belted 16 home runs last season and knocked in 82 RBIís finishing second on the team in both categories. Coomer was the Twins only all-star two seasons ago. He has constantly been the teamsí savior because he is the only one who can play multiple positions in the field, and, after playing in 140 games last year, he has been the most durable as well. So what does a struggling team do for yet another time? They donít resign him. You may ask what other time? This has happened before? Oh yes, I have seen this several times throughout the past couple of seasons. Remember Pat Meares? Meares had been the Twins starting shortstop for six seasons before his contract expired. The Twins decided to go another direction. Meares moved onto Pittsburgh where he still is starting. Now I agree that Meares wasnít the greatest player in the world but on a below average team, he was a above average player. The list goes on. Lenny Webster, Jeff Reboulet and Mike Trombley are just three players who wanted to stay but were thrown out. These players were great for the Twins and letting them go upset me but these players were nothing compared to Coomer and here is why. First of all, this is player who wanted to stay in Minnesota. In baseball today you rarely will have players remain loyal to one organization and when that organization is the Twins, it says a lot. Coomer could have moved on before to better teams and more money but he liked the Twins and that should have been enough. Notice I said it should have been enough but the Twins evidently didnít think so. Because of that decision alone, I am now convinced that the Twins will never go back to baseballís elite. In the game today, there is one secret to winning. This is more important than money and talent and it has been used to build the greatest baseball dynasties in history. That secret is loyalty and the Twins donít have it. Why not reward a player who has stuck with you through the worst times of your franchise? The fact is that the Twins did it in the past and they wonít do it now. That alone, not payroll, is taking them down. The second reason why Coomer was so important was because of what he did for the community. Ron Coomer was a role model. Coomer conducted baseball camps, raised money for charity and was active in building the Twins image. I believe that good people are more important than good players, not only for the fans but also for the game. The Twins in one quick move turned their back on the best person on the team without an explanation. The third and most important reason why Coomer should have been back was because of his history with the club. Every season the Twins add more and more rookies to the squad. The more new people they add, the more questions the fans ask. ìWho is that guy?î ìWhere did he come from?î Sound familiar? Ron Coomer was known by the fans and was one of the few recognizable figures on the team. In an age where the Twins are constantly asking their fans for support, the fans are asking the Twins for player bios. Coomer was one of the few players who we actually have been able to follow. It pains me to be so critical of my team but I have to be. The fact remains: The Twins cannot control payroll or big name free agents but they can control how they treat their players. No matter what continues to happen in baseball, treating players with dignity and respect has always been and will always be more important. -Andrew Vitalis ©Post Review