In 1984, Graig Nettles co-authored "Balls" with Peter Golenbock - and it had an impact.
"It got me traded," Nettles said yesterday.
Joe Torre's book, "The Yankee Years," has caused a stir this week, because of controversial things said about Alex Rodriguez and general manager Brian Cashman. But Nettles, the former Yankees third baseman whose book came out in 1984, said he doesn't think Torre's done anything wrong.
"All I've read is excerpts, so it's really not fair to comment," Nettles said in a phone interview. "But just from the excerpts, it doesn't seem to be anything scandalous.
"I think he has every right to write the book, and I know Joe well enough to know that he wouldn't make any scandalous accusations of anybody. . . . I would bet a lot of money on the fact that Joe did it with some dignity."
Nettles said he wrote a book "for the money and the fun of doing the book."
"I know I didn't tell any stories that I wasn't supposed to tell. Joe, too. I haven't read the book, but from what I've seen, he hasn't told any stories or any hush-hush stories that shouldn't be told."
(Hat tip to Zell's Pinstripe Blog)
As I see it, the main problem with this book is that Torre comes out looking like a hypocrite. He would always tell his players not to say too much to the media and to keep things in the clubhouse, and now he does the exact things he said he was against.
6 Comments:
There's nothing dignified with regard to writing about George's declining "lucidity." No child of an aging parent needs that to be rubbed in their face. They experience the heartbreak every time they see their parent.
Joe Torre. All class.
This isn't really a defense of Torre, because I still think he comes away looking bad, but in the excerpt I've read about George Steinbrenner, Torre points out that his health was obviously fading and he wasn't the same as he used to be. He goes on to say he feels sorry for him or something to that effect. So I don't think he's trying to take shots at the man or rub it in Hank and Hal's face.
Off with Nettles' head to! How dare he support Torre the hypocrit!
Guys, get over this. It's a non issue.
Anon, what else is going on in Yankee-land?
They're done with free agents, they aren't close to any trades, and spring training is two weeks away. At least we have something to talk about.
I'm just reacting to this excerpt that Tyler Kepner had:
Torre has a telling comment about George Steinbrenner’s mental state when recalling a meeting in Tampa, Fla., in September 2007. Steinbrenner’s health had clearly deteriorated, and Torre drew a comparison to “The Godfather“: “It’s not quite the same (as) when Don Corleone was shot and was recovering and was sitting in the garden. At least he was talking to his son in a very lucid way, explaining what was going to happen. I don’t think George had those capabilities.”
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The reason I found it objectionable is I think it's unnecessary (and potentially hurtful to George's family) to state the obvious, especially when it is done for profit, which imo, makes Torre's motives questionable, at best.
Well from that excerpt I completely see where you're coming from. As for his motives, I have really have no idea what Torre was thinking releasing this book now. He should have waited until he retired.
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