BBTF's Newsblog Discussion :: Raissman: Suzyn Waldman chats with A.J. Burnett after blasting blasted Yankee pitcher

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Friday, August 28, 2009

Raissman: Suzyn Waldman chats with A.J. Burnett after blasting blasted Yankee pitcher

Thursday, before Burnett (with Jose Molina catching) took the mound against Texas, someone asked Waldman if her Tuesday conversation with Burnett had anything to do with what she had said about him on the radio.

“Yes it did,” Waldman answered. “We had a lovely conversation. ... A lot of times players don’t realize how their actions look on the field. I just think he was emotional about his failures. I don’t think A.J. meant to show anybody up.”

That’s as far as Waldman would go. The rest would stay between her and Burnett. This was not the first time Waldman, in her 23rd season covering the Yankees as either a reporter or game analyst, has engaged in a conversation with a scorned player. She almost matter of factly recounted a few encounters that were more dicey, apparently more contentious, than this recent one with Burnett.

“If it’s something that I’ve said that gets a player upset, then I will tell him why I said it. But I can’t do my job thinking that if I say something someone is going to get upset with me. I can’t do that,” Waldman said. “Everybody’s got opinions. I know what a lot of people think, but I’m really not a (Yankees) cheerleader.”

“YOU SHOULD SEE WHAT’S GOING ON IN THE YANKEE DUGOUT! BIG GRIN ON JORGE POSADA’S FACE! ANDY PETITTE KNEW, BIG-SIZE ROGER CLEMENS IS NOW A YANKEE!”

Repoz Posted: August 28, 2009 at 04:07 PM | 31 comment(s) Login to Bookmark
Tags: announcers, media, yankees

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1. Mr. Bouton's Greenie Fetish Posted: August 28, 2009 at 04:51 PM (#3307710)

I must say I read the headline not as Suzyn Waldman, but as susan mullen. I was licking my lips with anticipation as I clicked the link. Not so much.

2. Bitter Calculus Instructor Posted: August 28, 2009 at 04:52 PM (#3307711)

Edit: Prolly shouldn't have said that.

3. Crispix Attacks Posted: August 28, 2009 at 04:56 PM (#3307715)

It is hereby announced that we will now officially begin the backlash against the use of the words "blast" and "rip" in sports media. Enough already. These are not synonyms for "say something that could be interpreted as critical about".

4. Mark Donelson Posted: August 28, 2009 at 04:57 PM (#3307716)

These are not synonyms for "say something that could be interpreted as critical about".

But they sound so much better in a headline!

5. Shooty: Applying to be Fearless Leader

Posted: August 28, 2009 at 04:59 PM (#3307720)

The Yankees esteemed broadcast team.

It's been a while since I linked to this, but I enjoy it still.

6. Jolly Old St. Neck Wound, Moral Idiot

Posted: August 28, 2009 at 05:09 PM (#3307732)

The Yankees esteemed broadcast team.

What a lovely complement to the Mets' starting rotation.

7. Shooty: Applying to be Fearless Leader

Posted: August 28, 2009 at 05:16 PM (#3307742)

What the Mets need to do is use their misfortune to their advantage.

8. The cushions are crowded for Edmundo

Posted: August 28, 2009 at 05:16 PM (#3307743)

The Yankees esteemed broadcast team.
Good lord, you triggered a memory.

Back in the early days of my career, I worked at a small to medium size company which specialized in computerized typesetting and list management. The 50 or so of us who were in our 20s were mostly close -- a lot of the social life centered around the men's and woman's softball teams.
This was the time when the Muppet Show debuted and we were all excited about it -- everyone made plans to watch it.
At the time, I shared an office with a 20-something named Sharon. Sharon was nice enough and she was easy to rib but when she lost her temper, she went from 0-60 very quickly. She was a tall, large, bleach blonde whose voice got very loud when angry.
The morning after the debut of the Muppets, I was in the office first and then the guy across the hall came in. We looked at each other and just burst out laughing. No words were needed -- poor Sharon was the anthopomorphism of Miss Piggy. The shape, the anger, the voice and most of all, the backhand flip of the hair when it flopped in her eyes. Sharon was very fair skinned so even the coloring worked well enough. It was hard to act normal when Sharon came in. I know I snuck peeks at her all day trying to break the connection to Miss Piggy. But no luck, it was a visual that has stuck with me to this day.

9. Shooty: Applying to be Fearless Leader

Posted: August 28, 2009 at 05:19 PM (#3307746)

I know I snuck peeks at her all day trying to break the connection to Miss Piggy. But no luck, it was a visual that has stuck with me to this day.

HIIIIIIIII-YAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

10. ellsbury my heart at wounded knee Posted: August 28, 2009 at 05:22 PM (#3307749)

DEVELOPING: CRISP-AT THROWS "BLAST" AND "RIP" UNDER THE BUS

11. The cushions are crowded for Edmundo

Posted: August 28, 2009 at 05:26 PM (#3307753)

HIIIIIIIII-YAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
About the only thing that was missing, although when Sharon threw her "Stoney Maloneys"* at a fellow office mate, the ever-clueless Rhonda**, it was close enough.

* These were characters made out of two stones, one was the body and one was the head. They had little clothes and hats and painted on faces.

** Rhonda haunts three different places that I worked. Let's just say that I lost my love of the song "Help Me, Rhonda" during the time when she was a presence in my consciousness.

12. Shooty: Applying to be Fearless Leader

Posted: August 28, 2009 at 05:28 PM (#3307757)

* These were characters made out of two stones, one was the body and one was the head. They had little clothes and hats and painted on faces.

The ####!!

13. robinred

Posted: August 28, 2009 at 05:30 PM (#3307760)

Having not thought about Pigs in Space for years, I want to personally thank Shooty for the photo link in #5. I think that may have been your best post ever.

14. Crispix Attacks Posted: August 28, 2009 at 05:34 PM (#3307768)

About the only thing that was missing, although when Sharon threw her "Stoney Maloneys"* at a fellow office mate, the ever-clueless Rhonda**, it was close enough.

* These were characters made out of two stones, one was the body and one was the head. They had little clothes and hats and painted on faces.

Okay, there is no way that somebody would make "Stoney Maloneys", and then throw them at people, unless they were consciously trying to imitate either Miss Piggy or Meatwad.

15. Shooty: Applying to be Fearless Leader

Posted: August 28, 2009 at 05:35 PM (#3307770)

Having not thought about Pigs in Space for years, I want to personally thank Shooty for the photo link in #5. I think that may have been your best post ever.

I think it is. It's the 3rd time I've trotted it out, actually. I mean, it's just too perfect. In fact, I hope the Yankees keep Kay, Sterling and Waldman around forever just so I can trot out that link every two years or so.

(Hey, wait a minute. Was I just damned with faint praise?)

16. Lassus Posted: August 28, 2009 at 05:40 PM (#3307778)

Actually, Shooty, all this can end up in the TV thread - surprised not to have seen you there....

17. Maxwn Posted: August 28, 2009 at 05:40 PM (#3307779)

Hey, wait a minute. Was I just damned with faint praise?

No, I believe you were ripped and blasted. You should probably have a press conference.

18. Shooty: Applying to be Fearless Leader

Posted: August 28, 2009 at 05:41 PM (#3307780)

I tried to RTFA, but there's no article there. Waldman talked to a player? That's it?

No no no. She had A LOVELY CONVERSATION with a player. At BBTF that's news as long as said player was a Yankee, Met or Red Sock.

19. Shooty: Applying to be Fearless Leader

Posted: August 28, 2009 at 05:43 PM (#3307782)

Actually, Shooty, all this can end up in the TV thread - surprised not to have seen you there....

TV thread?

20. Shooty: Applying to be Fearless Leader

Posted: August 28, 2009 at 05:46 PM (#3307785)

No, I believe you were ripped and blasted. You should probably have a press conference.

robinred couldn't carry my jock. And Cubs fans are all racists.

21. Shock Posted: August 28, 2009 at 05:46 PM (#3307787)

It is hereby announced that we will now officially begin the backlash against the use of the words "blast" and "rip" in sports media. Enough already. These are not synonyms for "say something that could be interpreted as critical about".

Agree.

So what do we say now when someone ACTUALLY blasts a player? "Marty Brennaman absolutely demolishes and obliterates Adam Dunn."

22. RJ in TO Posted: August 28, 2009 at 05:48 PM (#3307792)

TV thread?

Over here.

23. Maxwn Posted: August 28, 2009 at 05:55 PM (#3307805)

robinred couldn't carry my jock. And Cubs fans are all racists.

Do you think this controversy is going to be a distraction for the upcoming season? Do you think anyone may have been misquoted?

24. The cushions are crowded for Edmundo

Posted: August 28, 2009 at 07:12 PM (#3307891)

there is no way that somebody would make "Stoney Maloneys",
To add to the surrealness, she collected them. I suppose they'd be on QVC III these days.

25. Shooty: Applying to be Fearless Leader

Posted: August 28, 2009 at 07:16 PM (#3307894)

A Stoney Maloney!

And who the #### is shopping Goodwill.com? I had no idea such a thing existed. I think I'll check it out.

26. RJ in TO Posted: August 28, 2009 at 07:19 PM (#3307897)

God help me, I'm actually tempted to buy that thing.

What is wrong with me?

27. Shooty: Applying to be Fearless Leader

Posted: August 28, 2009 at 07:24 PM (#3307902)

God help me, I'm actually tempted to buy that thing.

What is wrong with me?

You missed your chance. That was the only Stoney Maloney I could find. The #6 hit on Google is Edmundo's post above. In fact, I was all prepared to call Edmundo a damned liar.

28. The cushions are crowded for Edmundo

Posted: August 28, 2009 at 07:36 PM (#3307916)

A Stoney Maloney!
In fact, I was all prepared to call Edmundo a damned liar.

Vindicated! I'm telling you, for a boring suburban white guy, I have known some real doozies in my day. I haven't even mentioned Gouveurnour (that's his first name although the spelling might be off) who worked there. The most absurd but functional programmer I ever met (and that's saying something). He was a proto-sabrite too -- I remember him telling me that the best pitchers to trade for were pitchers with bad W-L records with decent ERAs on bad teams. Ted Williams was his "Best player ever". He's about 15 years older than me -- I recently scanned the interwebs for him and found him mentioned in a book -- apparently he was a very good friend of Steven Sondheim's at prep school and used to hang out at Oscar Hammerstein II's farm in Bucks County in the summer.

29. Shooty: Applying to be Fearless Leader

Posted: August 28, 2009 at 07:49 PM (#3307939)

I'm telling you, for a boring suburban white guy, I have known some real doozies in my day.

I don't know, man. Birds of a feather...

30. Ray (RDP)

Posted: August 29, 2009 at 03:58 AM (#3308403)

I’m really not a... cheerleader

Truer words were never spoken.

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Friday, August 28, 2009

Raissman: Suzyn Waldman chats with A.J. Burnett after blasting blasted Yankee pitcher

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