Hours before they were to do battle with the Red Sox Tuesday night, Mark Teixeira and Alex Rodriguez were involved in different type of confrontation, this one inside the Yankees’ clubhouse.
Upset with an accusation made by ESPN’s Rick Sutcliffe two weeks ago, the two players approached the former Cy Young winner to discuss the situation.
Sutcliffe said on the air that A-Rod had been feeding Teixeira verbal signs from the on-deck circle, giving his teammate a heads-up on the catcher’s location before the pitch was delivered. Teixeira and A-Rod pulled Sutcliffe aside when they saw him in the clubhouse last night, expressing their displeasure with his charges.
“Me, Alex and him talked about it,” Teixeira told the Daily News, confirming that the conversation took place. “No doubt it’s disappointing when someone makes an accusation like that. Whatever. I can’t control what they say.”
Teixeira said he has known Sutcliffe “for years,” adding that he’s always considered him to be “a great guy and a great pitcher.” Teixeira wouldn’t comment any further on the tone of the conversation, although he and Rodriguez were clearly upset with Sutcliffe’s words and let the former All-Star know it. Sutcliffe will be part of ESPN’s broadcast team for tonight’s game.
“You can ask him about it,” Teixeira said.
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1. Dewey, Steven Wright Wannabe and Soupuss Posted: June 10, 2009 at 09:21 PM (#3213411)"He's behind the plate, crouching again, Mark."
"And I can't really tell from here, but he seems to keep looking at you and diddling himself."
As a Red Sox fan, is Sutcliffe suggesting that there's something WRONG with what they were allegedly doing? Seems like a good idea, to me.
It sounds a lot like the tip pitching accusation, which is one thing that A-Rod wants to avoid.
I think both are concerned about a Christensenesque pitch to the earhole.
It sounds a lot like the tip pitching accusation, which is one thing that A-Rod wants to avoid.
Tipping to an opponent is not nearly the same thing as tipping to a teammate.
Those types of cheating, like this alleged effort, are likely to earn you a pitch in the ribs if you get caught. I'm guessing that's why they didn't appreciate the accusation.
EDIT- Coke's here!
Tipping to an opponent is not nearly the same thing as tipping to a teammate.
You think anyone on air would note that difference? They'll just say that A-Rod is up to his old tricks again.
a loud whistle wasn't audible on the ESPN broadcast, but there was a lot of background noise.
Sutcliffe just sort of made the accusation, and admitted he didn't even really hear a whistle. He also said there could be code words used "Go Get Him" for inside, or something like that....
agreed, what is wrong with this?
What's interesting is that Bunny's remark, plus the Teix-Arod thing, the slap and the "I Got it" would suggest to me that Arod would be the LAST guy who would ever tip off pitches to the opponents. These are the kinds of actions of a guy who would do anything to win.
Scoreboard's Animated Train Graphic Accused of Tipping Pitches.
Alex Rodriguez is doing it.
You joke, but I imagine a lot of players do this, and it's understood to be apart of the game, but it becomes a story b/c Arod does it.
But it is like one of those "baseball only rules" or something where everybody knows but nobody talks about.
For who?
Some of the A's guys talked about this in Moneyball, saying that he's so good at it that he doesn't give you an opportunity to get one in on him.
I agree with this, anyway. Probably like 13, 14 tops.
Next time after tonight.
Also confirming that Mark doesn't speak English that well.
Varitek seems to me like he'll often give a signal then immediately move to wherever the pitch is intended to be and set up camp for several seconds in advance of the pitch.
I still remember a game in perhaps May in 2004 or 2005 against the Orioles. It was a day game. The Orioles pounded the Red Sox starter and relievers that day. Right after the game someone for NESN interviewed one of the Orioles players who'd had the best day (I forget which guy it was). He asked the Orioles player, in a lighthearted way, how he and his teammates had beat up on the Red Sox so badly. The Orioles player said, "We were just going off of Tek," before realizing his mistake in admitting this and getting a worried look on his face and moving on to some other part of the Crash Davis cliche repertoire.
A-Rod is so old school he harkens back to Leo Durocher and Pepper Martin. I think the people who are ruining baseball are the ones trying to turn the stadiums into monasteries.
I still remember a game in perhaps May in 2004 or 2005 against the Orioles. It was a day game. The Orioles pounded the Red Sox starter and relievers that day. Right after the game someone for NESN interviewed one of the Orioles players who'd had the best day (I forget which guy it was). He asked the Orioles player, in a lighthearted way, how he and his teammates had beat up on the Red Sox so badly. The Orioles player said, "We were just going off of Tek,"
That's unpossible. Everyone knows Vagitek is the most geniusest catcher that ever caught.
I agree. Especially the time he slapped the ball out of the glove. A couple of years before that would have been a head up play. It got turned over, but it was a smart play.
I can't wait till he goes all John McGraw and starts grabbing the runner on third by the belt on a sac fly.
Just count the no-hitters.
I'm sick and tired of commenters like The George Sherrill Selection and Albert Belle screwing up old Primer jokes...
and Mike Crudale.
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