How many of you have actually read the New Yorker article? You know what Wilpon said BEFORE the comments about Reyes wanting Crawford money? “He’s a racehorse.”
The firestorm about this article and Fred’s few sentences in a massive piece may seriously be an event which will give the phrase “much ado about nothing” a new level of meaning.
Toobin’s piece is huge; and it can be read for free at the New Yorker’s site:
http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2011/05/30/110530fa_fact_toobin?currentPage=all
This writer overreacted upon first hearing the “highlights.” This is what today’s outrageously dishonest, attention-driven corporate media helps us do.
Yes, Wilpon uttered a handful of sentences in which he said a few slightly critical things about Reyes, Wright, and Beltran. While also calling Jose a “racehorse” and admiring his base-stealing skills. And while also heavily complimenting Wright.
The article went on and on and detailed many things about Wilpon which have been common knowledge for years. He’s a self-made man, who eschews ostentatious shows of wealth. He’s a very generous family man. He’s very charitable, with a special soft spot for veterans.
Some usual suspects in the major sports media combed through this article, which is quite long, and picked out a handful of sentences–the ONLY ones in this huge piece which would create controversy–to attempt to ignite a media firestorm and paint an utterly out-of-context, inaccurate portrait of a man who quite clearly does love the team, and is pained by its failures.
Wilpon’s comment on the Dodger-centric original nature of Citi Field: “All the Dodger stuff-that was an error on my part.” I bet Adam Rubin did not publish that in his panting, euphoric race to again bash the Mets. Rubin again showed that he is the classic 21st century sensationalist-a giant, well-written, fair piece is clipped into the handful of things it contains which can be used to create a dramatically overstated slam against the Mets and the Wilpons.
Should Fred have made those remarks? Of course not. Was it an error in judgment made by a man whose major error might have been in being a little too honest while giving just a little too much access? Probably. And while he was watching the Astros game when the Mets lost after Jose was doubled off of first on a bad Thole bunt! Do any of us FANS remember that game? How were WE feeling during that low point of the season? This author did the postgame for this site that night, and that was THE low point of the year–after that horrible loss, the team sat at 5–13.
Yes Mr. Rubin and the rest of your kind–let’s judge Wilpon by a few sentences he made in the glowing stench of that loss.
But did he rant and rave a la Steinbrenner? Did he really slam his players? Absolutely not, which is very clear from actually reading the piece.
He criticized Jose’s desire for Crawford money—after calling him a “racehorse” and before admiring his stolen base abilities. He said Wright isn’t a “superstar.” How many Met fans disagree with this? And this was while calling Wright “a really good kid…a really good player.” Was Beltran overpaid? Absolutely. Is he maybe 65-70% today of what he was from 2006—2008? At best. Have they been a “sh***y team” the last few years? Sure have.
And that’s it.
That’s ALL Fred said in a massive article about his life, his history, his family, his friends, his charitable work, and his ownership of the Mets.
This writer is embarrassed and apologizes for knee-jerk reactions which assumed Toobin had somehow tricked Fred into saying things he did not.
This writer also most definitely is sticking to his guns in believing that this is one of the all-time classic cases of “much ado about nothing.”
Those who follow the likes of Adam Rubin in determining morality and the value of public figures miss the mark by a margin which is barely calculable.
Toobin’s piece was utterly fair, well-researched, and a well-rounded portrait of a man who has been hugely successful as well as hugely vilified. Leaving the Madoff issues aside, the venom which has come from some quarters today towards Wilpon for a literal handful of mildly critical statements is completely ridiculous. Absolutely unfair and totally out of proportion to what he actually said.
Read the piece and decide for yourself.
Don’t let the ratings-hungry distorters of truth decide for you.
56 comments
TRS86
5/23/2011-8:14pm at 8:14 pm (UTC -4)
Read the entire thing BEFORE I posted my article and stand behind every part of it. Fred is NOT a fan and in front of a reporter should not be one especially. He created a shit storm and decreased the value of his brand just so he could be frank with a reporter? It really does not matter at all if what he said is true or not. I disagree with much of it. Wright is indeed a superstar and Beltran has been worth every penny of his contract and is playing at a high level even this season. Also, you can not say, regardless of the timing that your team is “shitty”. Seriously?
kingman 26
5/23/2011-8:18pm at 8:18 pm (UTC -4)
He said a few mildly critical sentences while watching what might have been the lowest point of the last three years, that ridiculous Astros game which left us at 5-13.
Three bad sentences in all of that?
Surprised you feel this way; you usually are among the more level-headed folks here.
Big whoop. Fred’s human. Of course he should not have said it, but did you watch that Astros game? Worst game of the year; maybe of the last three.
Most people who actually read the article will realize that all of the st**storm is literally about 3 or 4 sentences.
TRS86
5/23/2011-8:25pm at 8:25 pm (UTC -4)
Of course it’s only about a few sentences but it’s also shows that Fred knew exactly what would happen with the quotes he made. He was not tricked or coerced into saying them. Does not matter if he is human or not, just as we bash others for lack of judgement it does not make their crime any less. It was a terrible, thoughtless, idiotic thing to say and he deserves all the criticism that he is getting for it.
As for being level headed? I think it finally occurred to me just like your ah ha moment earlier in the year that there was/is a dark cloud hanging over the team and in my opinion the Wilpons are the ones ultimately responsible for it.
kingman 26
5/23/2011-8:33pm at 8:33 pm (UTC -4)
Fair enough.
But after reading it, it seemed to me that Fred is a human being and a fan like us, and was disgusted.
Again, please remember the game they were watching! It was a horror show!
Maybe he had had a few drinks, and let his guard down.
I DO agree that Fred–and maybe even more Jeff–indeed may be the source of the black cloud.
But overall, I just think that after reading it, this is just a lot of sound and fury signifying very little. And of course flamed on by weasels like Rubin, who of course avoided ANY statements by Fred which lessened the effect of the 3-4 bad sentences.
I was wrong earlier today before I read the entire piece; now I feel differently.
TRS86
5/23/2011-8:44pm at 8:44 pm (UTC -4)
Actually I thought Rubin did a great job covering the article today and even at times tried to down play it a little. You know I am not a Rubin fan but I thought he covered it well. You have to respond to the comments Wilpon made and honestly NOTHING else in the article is newsworthy anyway.
TRS86
5/23/2011-8:47pm at 8:47 pm (UTC -4)
From Rubin’s twitter this morning:
AdamRubinESPN Adam Rubin
… article mostly about Fred’s rags-to-riches tale. But that’s not what fans will now seize on. Only the player comments.
13 hours ago
Adam Rubin
AdamRubinESPN Adam Rubin
The bottom line is, when you spend hours and hours with a reporter, you don’t stay guarded forever. It’s part of a very, very long …
13 hours ago
kingman 26
5/23/2011-8:49pm at 8:49 pm (UTC -4)
I don’t read his Tweets.
I did read BOTH articles he posted on ESPN and they do not have this tone AT ALL.
Too bad he did everything he could to make this come true:
“….article mostly about Fred’s rags-to-riches tale. But that’s not what fans will now seize on. Only the player comments.”
Rubin certainly seized on those comments in his TWO pieces which countless thousands will read on ESPN and have as their only contact with this story.
TRS86
5/23/2011-8:55pm at 8:55 pm (UTC -4)
“In a lengthy magazine piece — which the organization undoubtedly thought would help the ownership family’s image by telling Wilpon’s rags-to-riches tale — you first learn about how brother-in-law Saul Katz’s, um, chutzpah contributed to the building of the family’s real-estate empire.
But the part that’s buried in the New Yorker article is what will have the Big Apple airwaves abuzz Monday and beyond.”
Looks like he clearly states that the article was not all about a bash the Mets session.
Also, what is wrong with this statement? (the general basis of his article) Fans may think those very things, with the possible exception of Reyes’ financial worth. (Give Reyes whatever you have to in order to retain him, fans largely believe.) But the owner cannot say such stuff.
Again, I am not a Rubin supporter but today’s mess as I said earlier is not on Toobin, Rubin, Boras, the players or anyone else. It was ALL created by Fred and it was a dumb-ass thing to do.
kingman 26
5/23/2011-8:57pm at 8:57 pm (UTC -4)
I agree it is Fred’s fault.
My main point of disagreement is just the degree of how bad this all is.
TRS86
5/23/2011-9:01pm at 9:01 pm (UTC -4)
While the team is playing much better and it seemed that the cloud was being lifted and brighter days were ahead now the players have to answer 1,000 questions on an owner that called them, regardless of a heated moment or even truth, shitty.
Yeah the media makes it into a bigger story but Fred has to know that would happen and is to blame.
kingman 26
5/23/2011-9:07pm at 9:07 pm (UTC -4)
Agreed with every wise word here.
And it really all is a frigin shame.
I just hope Fred was drunk; that would excuse it somewhat!
TRS86
5/23/2011-9:10pm at 9:10 pm (UTC -4)
While true it would excuse the lack of judgement if he was drunk, why the hell would you get drunk in the company of a reporter taking notes on your every move or comment? Hell none of us would have a job if that were that foolish on our own accord.
kingman 26
5/23/2011-9:14pm at 9:14 pm (UTC -4)
LOL! You really are hitting the ball out of the park here.
I guess I am more thinking that they may have been having some drinks, but I have NO idea if Fred even drinks.
kingman 26
5/23/2011-8:47pm at 8:47 pm (UTC -4)
Well, you make a good case, but I just totally disagree. Sure, the 3-4 bad sentences are fun and funny and all, but seriously TRS, it’s just funny how we have such different takes on some things.
Rubin could have said that Fred called Jose a racehorse and bragged about his SBs; could have said how Fred admitted the Dodger stuff in Citi was a mistake, and on and on. To me, Fred’s admitting that about the Dodger stuff WAS news.
TRS86
5/23/2011-8:59pm at 8:59 pm (UTC -4)
Agree to disagree but I think anyone and everyone had a right to just report the dumb comments and all of that blame lies solely on Fred for being the dumb-ass that said it.
kingman 26
5/23/2011-9:03pm at 9:03 pm (UTC -4)
Absolutely true.
But I think people like you and me can read the whole article and think about the context, and while I certainly agree Fred was a FOOL for saying it all, all things considered (including the horror show game leaving us 5–13 he was saying it during!!), I can understand what he was feeling.
But he never should have said it to a world-famous, internationally-known, hugely-read author.
TRS86
5/23/2011-9:08pm at 9:08 pm (UTC -4)
But you and I do not own the Mets. That is the point, Fred at this point should be incredibly guarded what he says to anyone other than trusted friends and to create a fire storm like this because he ran his trap to a reporter is inexcusable.
Again, I read it in context and honestly it had NOTHING to do with the story anyway. It stuck out like a sore thumb. As I said I think Fred knew it would get out and thought somehow that fans would all cheer because he “felt the same way they did”. However, he underestimated many of us who actually expect him not to be a fan but to be the owner of the NY Mets.
This is why I always take the other side when comments come out saying that they feel lied to because Fred did not tell the 100% truth to the fans. That’s not his job. His job is to sell the brand and do make the Mets the best team he can while keeping distractions down allowing the players to concentrate on baseball. Something they have not been allowed to do since 2006.
kingman 26
5/23/2011-9:12pm at 9:12 pm (UTC -4)
Well, to be devil’s advocate here, some places have comments from fans supporting Fred, and comparing him to kind of a kindler, gentler Steinbrenner.
Some are saying that they respect Fred for thinking how they think, i.e. Reyes is always hurt, Wright’s overrated, and Beltran’s overpaid.
And that they think Fred is trying to light a fire in a Steinbrenner kind of way.
Again, I really do think your argument is so good here you are ALMOST winning me over!
Seriously, of course it was moronic to say.
And yeah, the media will be sure it is all the players hear about for a while.
Prismo
5/23/2011-9:20pm at 9:20 pm (UTC -4)
Ahahaha did you guys see what Pelf said? SMACKDOWN
“Maybe next spring when we have our media workshop for the players, Fred can come and sit in on it.”
Prismo
5/23/2011-9:21pm at 9:21 pm (UTC -4)
In context: “I think guys will be upset,” pitcher Mike Pelfrey said. “But we’re all a family: ownership, coaches and players. Sometimes people say things they regret. It’s a mistake and you learn from it. Maybe next spring when we have our media workshop for the players, Fred can come and sit in on it.”
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/24/sports/baseball/mets-players-respond-to-wilpons-comments.html?_r=1
kingman 26
5/23/2011-9:22pm at 9:22 pm (UTC -4)
But will Pelf be around next spring??
Prismo
5/23/2011-9:24pm at 9:24 pm (UTC -4)
If he says more funny crap like this, I’m all for it, just for the laughs!
kingman 26
5/23/2011-9:26pm at 9:26 pm (UTC -4)
Thank you for this; this is one of the all-time great Met comments. Just hilarious. Did not think Pelf had it in him.
Maybe he should have been a comedian.
gategem
5/24/2011-12:55am at 12:55 am (UTC -4)
LOL At times he is while on the mound. Sorry I just couldn’t resist.
kingman 26
5/23/2011-9:22pm at 9:22 pm (UTC -4)
OMG, that is CLASSIC!!!!!
TRS86
5/23/2011-9:27pm at 9:27 pm (UTC -4)
You can tell, that while the players are professional it bothered all of them. Maybe not the comments but the fact that most likely Fred preaches to them to represent their uniform at all times and never do anything that tarnishes that name. Monkey see, monkey don’t.
Maybe as a coach I have a different view on this as well. Every year I tell my guys they have ONE rule. Do not do anything that would disrespect you, your teammates or the name on your jersey. To me this would be like me telling the reporter that interviews me after a tough loss “Yeah, we really sucked tonight. My best senior player has no shot at a college scholarship, my best player is just good not great, and I was a schmuck for even keeping this one. now our point guard, he’s pretty good but what does it matter, we are shitty regardless.”
kingman 26
5/23/2011-9:30pm at 9:30 pm (UTC -4)
Yes, this all really does make sense.
Fred screwed up.
But again, 3–4 sentences….must consider the context.
And how many times have you been interviewed during a horrible loss during a horrible season, for hours and hours, by an internationally famous journalist/author who is known for eliciting responses like this from very famous people in all walks of life?
5 times? 10 times? 20?
TRS86
5/23/2011-9:33pm at 9:33 pm (UTC -4)
Again, that’s Fred’s fault. I would venture to say that an interview as you are walking off a court to go into a locker room after a heated loss is about as likely as you should be to say something stupid. Not saying I never would but if I did I deserve every bit of the flack I would receive and my players would have every right to hold me accountable as well.
hazmet
5/23/2011-9:53pm at 9:53 pm (UTC -4)
I just skimmed through this stuff so if I missed this point apologies. The interview by Toobin was partially made while hanging out with Fred at Citifield watching one of the Mets – Astros games earlier this year. The 2 have more of a relationship then a standard reporter owner relationship as they are somewhat friends with each other apparently or at least it sounded that way from Toobin’s SNY interview. The comments about Wright were made while the 2 were watching the game in Freds booth. Could see Fred kind of hanging out watching the game with a friend and shooting the $hit about the game. Yes, he should have known better but maybe the sight of David striking out another 4 times in the series got the better of him.
Source for the above citing where they were watching the game at Citifield was Toobin’s interview on SNY this evening.
As for Pelf’s comments he can really just shut the f up after another epic fail yesterday. He should thank Fred for giving the media something else to talk about than his sorry a$$.
metsfan4decades
5/23/2011-10:05pm at 10:05 pm (UTC -4)
No, Toobin never met Fred before he started this interview. He stated that on WFAN earlier. He came to know him ‘pretty good’ from 5 or so interviews for this story, if you can believe that.
hazmet
5/23/2011-10:08pm at 10:08 pm (UTC -4)
Thanks 4D, I’ve been buried on a USAF job and haven’t been paying too much attention other than play, or lack thereof, on the field.
gategem
5/24/2011-1:02am at 1:02 am (UTC -4)
I paraphrase a Ralph Kiner tale. Many, many years ago (I don’t recall the year) a Chicago Cubs Manager (I don’t recall the name) was asked where he thought his team would finish that year. He replied last in the NL. Now mind you this was on the first day of ST. The Manager was fired that same day. When you’re an Owner, a Coach or a Manager you have to mind what you say to the media. Oh and the Cubs finished in last place that year.
wannybackstra
5/23/2011-9:30pm at 9:30 pm (UTC -4)
so now it is all rubin’s fault. it always comes back to him. of course, he had nothing to do with this article and was among the zillions of reporters who covered it.
i read the article before i posted this morning. and before i read a word from rubin (and as trs pointed out rubin’s take was very reasonable) and i still don’t see wilpon’s comments as anything but stupid.
he called his team shitty and criticized his players publivly. whether he is right or wrong is immaterial. it’s poor pr, sends a bad message to other players whom the mets want to sign or trade for and ruins any leverage that sandy may have in trades. worst of all, it demoralizes his employees and potentially relives them of any loyalty they may have to him or the uniform.
kingman 26
5/23/2011-9:33pm at 9:33 pm (UTC -4)
Still, 3-4 sentences.
Not exactly diatribes.
And I used Rubin as an example.
Your defense of him certainly is as exaggerated as my criticism of him.
wannybackstra
5/23/2011-9:39pm at 9:39 pm (UTC -4)
I didn’t offer a defense for him. None was needed. The attack on him was clearly precipitated by the fact that you didn’t know what you were talking about at the time — speculating that the writer got him drunk so he could take advantage of him and post a video of fred’s naked butt on youtube.
kingman 26
5/23/2011-10:54pm at 10:54 pm (UTC -4)
LOL!
Wanny, I am always glad you are here.
A rebuke from you is indeed educational, funny, and valued.
TRS86
5/23/2011-9:34pm at 9:34 pm (UTC -4)
Strangely enough Wanny you and I are 100% in agreement on this issue today.
No one can be blamed even .001% other than Wilpon himself and he deserves all the criticism for these blatantly idiotic comments.
wannybackstra
5/23/2011-9:32pm at 9:32 pm (UTC -4)
at least you’ve now realized that the article portrays favorably and you’ve retracted your paranoid theory about the reporter’s conspiracy to soil wilpon’s good name.
yet somehow rubin had to get sucked in to your paranoia instead.
kingman 26
5/23/2011-9:35pm at 9:35 pm (UTC -4)
Yeah, I was wrong about it, and quickly realized after reading the article. It’s 3-4 sentences in a huge piece.
And, again, do you remember the Astros game the remarks came during? The low point of the year. Not too difficult to put yourself in Fred’s shoes there.
But after reading Rubin’s two ESPN pieces, no paranoia is needed to see his glee at this occurrence.
metsfan4decades
5/23/2011-9:56pm at 9:56 pm (UTC -4)
First thing I did when the original post went up here on this story was read the article before I commented. I wanted to make sure I had read the entire thing before I reacted to comments possibly taken out of context.
Read all the comments above before adding mine as well.
I stand by what I said earlier today. Fred should have known better.
What really sticks out like a sore thumb for me though is Fred seems to be out of touch all the way around with your average Met fan.
- How could he not know very little Met history for his brand new stadium would piss off most Met fans?
- How could he not realize ahead of time those few comments thrown out off the cuff during that ball game would cause a firestorm across Met fans all over?
- How could he not realize the media would pick that ball up and run with it?
And really telling for me is even if you agree Wright is not a superstar, Reyes isn’t getting Crawford money, Beltran wasn’t worth what they paid him….as the owner did he really think making those comments that anyone would sympathize with his thoughts? No way in hell, Fred. That’s because the buck stops with you as the owner.
What I don’t think he realizes – or at least it doesn’t seem so to me – is he and/or Jeff are responsible for the ‘shitty’ team. It’s not snake bitten, Fred. It’s years of mis management that lead to this. It’s almost as if he doesn’t get the correlation of Wilpons hire Omar, then extend Omar and all the decisions that went along with it are why the team is where it is.
THAT’S what I find incredibly unbelievable. I can only hope Sandy Alderson ‘gets’ it……
TRS86
5/23/2011-10:03pm at 10:03 pm (UTC -4)
Damn, I still say you should be an author. Perfect explanation of how many of us feel today.
hazmet
5/23/2011-10:10pm at 10:10 pm (UTC -4)
+1,000%
You actually got me to log back on just to endorse MF4D as an author.
metsfan4decades
5/24/2011-7:24am at 7:24 am (UTC -4)
Ha! I appreciate the thoughts guys – still thinking about it.
Maybe when I get past the thought of ‘waiting for the other shoe to drop’ on what is my life lately……
metsfan4decades
5/23/2011-10:02pm at 10:02 pm (UTC -4)
‘Wilpon did not return a call seeking an explanation for his comments, and a team spokesman said, “We are dealing with it internally.” ‘
Internally? What does that even mean? You can’t go on record with those quotes that thousands have read and then issue a ‘no comment’. Yup, that will fix all this Fred.
I’ve said it before but the Mets PR department stinks. From the idiocy of blasting Gooden for signing a wall in the newly opened Citi Field in 2009 to allowing Omar to dig holes deeper and deeper by idiotic comments when he joined the GKR booth on certain nights in ’09 to letting him try and spin the Bernazard fiasco in the dugout one night before a game….they really should have been fired right behind Omar and Jerry.
TRS86
5/23/2011-10:07pm at 10:07 pm (UTC -4)
What makes me laugh about “we are dealing with it internally” is that he IS internal. When a player says something stupid you handle it internally, which means you meet with Fred and Sandy and they tell you how stupid you are and how you could be cut if you continue. What happens when Fred says something stupid?
Agreed, I also read that Jeff reached out to Beltran, Reyes, and Wright. Why the hell is Fred not reaching out to them?
metsfan4decades
5/23/2011-10:14pm at 10:14 pm (UTC -4)
I hate to use this excuse but I’m going with age here. The man is 74 years old. I think this whole Madoff issue and the hit his rep took has severely affected him. to tell the truth, I feel a bit sorry for him.
I believe all the articles, this one by Toobin included, that conclude Fred is a stand up guy and has been his whole life. I think he’s just completely ‘devastated’ (to use a phrase Glavine would not) and he just can’t get past it. Jeff stepping up and trying to do damage control is a little scary but since we probably won’t know how he handled it, we’ll have to hope he negated some of it.
gipperpdx
5/24/2011-2:17pm at 2:17 pm (UTC -4)
4D,
That’s sort of where I am on this. I agree, exceedingly STUPID comments – but I get the strong sense of a good man struggling to keep his world from completely falling apart all at once. Doesn’t excuse the remarks, but could explain the lack of judgment.
Time to sell team / cut your losses Fred.
TRS86
5/24/2011-2:23pm at 2:23 pm (UTC -4)
Good to see you around and I agree. Does not excuse the remarks, complete lack of judgment and really the Mets can’t move forward until Fred sells.
metsfan4decades
5/23/2011-10:07pm at 10:07 pm (UTC -4)
O.K. Mike Lupica states it better than I tried above:
‘It is completely fair, though, to say that Reyes and the other Mets who get their feelings hurt in the New Yorker have a right to wonder why somebody who has looked like a bad owner for a long time gets to point fingers.’
Exactly. It really sounds like Fred just doesn’t get it. I think he’s so stunned by the ‘hit’ he took to his reputation by Madoff that he can’t see past that.
metsfan4decades
5/23/2011-10:09pm at 10:09 pm (UTC -4)
Ding, Ding, Ding.
‘This is a wounded 74-year old man who didn’t say nearly enough about Picard when Picard came out swinging at him. When Wilpon does start talking, he is rougher on some of his own players than he is with the lawyer trying to take everything from him.
‘They tell you the truth will set you free. Not always. Mets fans who read this piece and then look at the team’s record over the past few years have a perfect right to wonder when Fred Wilpon turned into this kind of baseball expert.’
http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/mets/2011/05/23/2011-05-23_fred_wilpon_goes_rougher_on_mets_players_than_on_irving_picard_channels_inner_ge.html#ixzz1NEQkYrCd
TRS86
5/23/2011-10:10pm at 10:10 pm (UTC -4)
Yup, that was what I was saying with my coaching analogy. I ask my players to never disrespect themselves, their teammates or their uniform and there are consequences when they break that rule. What are the consequences for Fred when he breaks this rule? His players have to answer questions about it and he gets to say no comment.
hazmet
5/23/2011-10:13pm at 10:13 pm (UTC -4)
This guy called in to FAN and had a perfect rant basically saying Fred should buy the Dodgers, get rid of the Mets, and go out to L.A. and raze Dodger’s Stadium and build his Ebett’s field monument out there. It was pretty amusing, but in someway, that would be a perfect solution. Mr. Selig, make it so.
stickguy
5/23/2011-11:33pm at 11:33 pm (UTC -4)
is it any crazier than what Selig pulled off with the red sox and Marlins?
gategem
5/24/2011-1:14am at 1:14 am (UTC -4)
The irony of it all is that while Citi has the dimensions of Yellowstone Ebbets Field was the proverbial “bandbox.” The dimensions of the new Yankee Stadium are downright cavernous compared to Ebbets Field.
stickguy
5/23/2011-11:34pm at 11:34 pm (UTC -4)
After seeing another thread, I figured out Fred’s plan. He was just supporting Sandy’s new blogger friendly plan, and giving the blogs a guaranteed hit frenzy on an off day in May!
damn, the old geezer is really a genius!
stickguy
5/23/2011-11:40pm at 11:40 pm (UTC -4)
anyway, to resummarize my earlier summary, I agree with Knog. And real. And NJ. I think.
basically, in the bigger context of the article, this was not Fred doing a slam job. But it still is on him 100% for saying some things that should not have been said.
but, at the time, it was easy to see his frustration boiling over, since the team was 1 bad week from being dead and buried before May arrived. They were planning horrific. still does not excuse him for saying so in public though.
bottom line, it may have annoyed a few players, but by now Fred, etc. have reached out to them to apologize, and it is behind them. Just have to deal with the ridiculous slew of questions before the next game, get the same banal “no comments”, and everyone will get bored waiting for the next big scandal to break.
It is not going to sink the team. It is not dooming the season. It likely has no impact on wins/losses. If anything, it might get a dialog started with the Reyes camp, but it won’t change anything (they are either trading him or not, and that isn’t changing based on this).
way too much ado about way too little substance.