N.Y. Times: Sandomir: Yankees’ Levine Cries Foul on Criticism (RR)

Flowers of romance…sent from Levine.

Case No. 2: Tom Verducci of Sports Illustrated. Verducci wrote in a column on SI.com last week that under Levine, “the Yankees let corporate cowardice be their guide” and that “there is blood everywhere on Levine and the boys” over the handling of the Torre contract.

Levine questioned Verducci’s objectivity because he collaborated on Torre’s 1997 autobiography, “Chasing the Dream.” “They had a financial relationship,” Levine said.

Verducci said he didn’t regard disclosure of his old Torre book deal as necessary in his first critical article about Levine. Still, at some journalistic outposts, he would have been prohibited from having such a relationship with someone on his beat.

“It’s 10 years ago and clearly a matter of public record,” he said. “So I don’t regard it as anything that’s covert at all.” He added that he had been a paid commentator on YES, “and my appearances have been approved by Randy.”