It's pretty bad when Hall of Fame writer sounds like nothing more than a bitter Red Sox fan, isn't it?On why Teixeira chose the Yankees over the Red Sox when the conventional wisdom was that he would sign with Boston:
Gammons: As we saw over the time line, once [Yankees general manager Brian] Cashman went to his house -- first Terry Francona and Theo {Epstein] went there -- five or six days later Cashman went, and that was decided that the Red Sox were the stalking horse and the Red Sox would go to a number and then the Yankees will sign him. And the Yankees did a very good job of saying, 'We're not in it, we're not in it' . . . all along, that's where he was going. Not because his father was a [high school] teammate of Bucky Dent, but he made it very clear watching it yesterday [and wading] through the baloney . . . Teixeira is Scott Boras's ultimate client, and he's very well-programmed . . . The Red Sox didn't know it, and in the end there was nothing they could do about it. He wanted to go to the Yankees, his wife doesn't like Boston -- apparently she doesn't like the stores on Newbury Street or something -- and in the end that's the way it goes.
On whether -- or when -- John Henry realized Teixeira was ticketed for New York:I happen to think Teixeira and A-Rod will be fine, just like Jeter and A-Rod appear to be fine. These are not children in a playground, these are adults, these are professionals.Gammons: They didn't know it. They were waiting on the day that he signed . . . they thought that they were going to get him. They tried to close the deal on Monday night [Dec. 21], and Scott [Boras] said, 'Well, the Teixeiras are flying, and they haven't quite done this, and they haven't quite done that," and he kept putting it off an all along it was to just finish the language with the Yankees. That's the way it goes. The Yankees cut their $180 million and they got an extraordinary player. It's going to be interesting. As you probably remember, there was a lot of testiness between Alex Rodriguez and Mark Teixeira when they played in Texas together . . . and I don't think Alex really cares about communicating with other players, we know [that] from Derek Jeter. Also, we haven't really seen Teixeira in a situation where the expectations are really that high, and he's going to have to deal with them in New York. It will be very interesting to see how it goes with the Yankees.
I know Derek Lowe feels very strongly that if A.J. Burnett is making $16 million a year, why am I not making a year? But this is not arbitration, this is the market, and the fact is there's no market [for him] at $16 million. Now, there could have been. He could have gotten four-times-$15 million from the Yankees, but A.J. Burnett's agents stopped Scott Boras [who is Lowe's agent] and beat him to the Yankees. The Yankees wanted Lowe, but A.J. Burnett's agents did a better job.
I'm sorry, but I have a hard time believing that. If the Yankees really wanted Derek Lowe they would have gotten Derek Lowe. One thing the Yankees proved this offseason was that if they wanted somebody they were going to get him. Lowe would have been a nice pickup too, but I think the Yankees thought Burnett had much better stuff and is younger, so therefore was the better choice.
Gammons also spoke about the media/internet, how he thinks agents work, how the economy is effecting the free agent market, Jason ".220" Varitek, and Scott Boras' current relationship with the Red Sox. You can read all that here.On how he sees the AL East at the moment:
Gammons: They actually asked me to do this last night on "SportsCenter." I took Tampa third, and I really like Tampa. Buster Olney disagreed -- he thinks Tampa is the team to beat with all of their young pitching . . . I don't see their bullpen coming close to doing what they did last year. I picked the Red Sox second, just because we don't know about the health of David Ortiz and Mike Lowell, and I think Josh Beckett will be fine. You never know about J.D. Drew's health. And the Yankees, with the innings that [CC] Sabathia and [Chien-Ming] Wang can give them and all the offense they should have, they clearly have to be the favorites.
11 Comments:
Greg,
I cannot get over the Gammons comments. Bitter is an understatment. Going after Tex's wife saying she doesn't like the shops on Newbury St. Unreal. I am one of the few Yankees fans who has loved Gammons over the years (despite his Red Sox leanings) because he is such a great inside baseball man...But it is clear he HATES Boras and really hates the Yankees.
I also haven't had a problem with Gammons over the years. He does what he does very well, otherwise he wouldn't be in The Hall. But, like you, I thought he really came off as bitter and angry during this interview.
I never liked him, damn Bostonian.
When I went to the Hall of Fame in Novemeber, the tour guide said Gammons actually isnt a Hall of Famer, all he did was win an award. The guide said when ever they say on ESPN," Hall of Famer Peter Gammons", they're actually not telling the truth, he's not a Hall of Famer! I was suprised when I heard it, but I was glad because I do not like him.
come on guys. what else would expect from someone from Boston? sour grapes my friends. before the deal blew everyone away, I didn't read any negativity from Red Sox Nation in regards to Tex. Nor did I read any nonsense about if it would be good for baseball if he went to Boston. Most assuredly in the Gammons world signing there would have been great for everyone. The problem is Boston is a city that despite two WS championships in our lifetimes, still seems to require that ridiculously large chip on it's shoulder. Since they have difficulty peddling the "underdog" role these days, they have to try to undermine all that is NY. Of course, that is a cruel joke to that most pariochial of all places. Boston is a city that is, has been, and always will be #2 to NYC's #1. They are the Pepsi to the Coke. The Burger King to the McDonald's. The Avis to the Hertz. I could go on but do I need to? The Yankees landed him and caught the Sox napping. No amount of CYA columns by people like Gammons can hide that fact.
Anon, I just looked it up and you're right. Here's what Wikipedia says about the J. G. Taylor Spink Award (the award he won):
"Winners are not considered to be members of the Hall. They are not 'inducted" or "enshrined', but are permanently recognized in an exhibit at the Hall's library."
Teixeira said that he and A-Rod are friendly on Michael Kay show, and he said that during his rookie year in Texas he used to pick A-Rod brain all the time about baseball. And there is no tension between them that was a media creation.
It may be a media created conflict, or it may be true - neither would surprise me. But either way I don't think it will be an issue.
Awesome! Gammons, priceless. Teixeira's wife knows a thing or two, not only do the stores on Newbury St suck, the whole city sucks. It's a little provincial town wanting every day to be relevant. Its a hovel of racist lily white ersatz liberals. Its quite seriously one of the worst, most soulless places in America. I village of wanna-bes. "Redsox Nation", guffa! Desperation to belong codified as a city slogan. Boston Sucks.
I've always seen Gammons as a "Boston tavern drunk" sort of a guy. I could always tell he never liked the Yankees, and that's fine with me. Have another drink, Peter.
Boston: I never refer to it as a city; I simply call it a "large town," and that's what it is. A town of phonies, to be sure (I won't get into politics/social issues here), but nothing more than a town.
Mike
What I find kind of funny is that the question had really nothing to do with the rest of the Yankee players, fitting in on the Yankees or anything along those lines, yet somehow Gammons went there and brought up A-Rod. And not only did he bring up A-Rod, but he made it sound like there's a concern there. All from a question about John Henry.
That's definitely a bit of wishful thinking with regard to any potential issues. Gammons is a strange dude. Often times he'll be very objective, but he'll usually slip in the Boston slant somehow, sometimes very subtly, sometimes more overtly.
Gammons has gradually shifted fom an objective voice to one of absolute slant and obvious disdain for the Yankees. It's unfortunate, because I used to tune into Baseball Tobight just for his Diamond Notes. But like many others on ESPN, (or TV sports personalities in general see: Michael Kay) they become enamored with their press clippings, they believe the praise that is heaped on them by the fraternity of back patters, and forget they have a job to do, all the while criticizing the "internet media" whose main purpose is to keep them honest. Gammons has gone from a unique insider perspective, to a man who believes he is above reproach, and greater than the industry in which he toils.
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