February 28, 2012

Valentine Pushing All The Right Buttons, Mocking Yankees


Bobby Valentine, the latest provocateur in the Yankees-Red Sox rivalry, said Tuesday that the Jeter flip play was no big deal and talked about how Jason Varitek, who will announce his retirement on Thursday, "beat up" Alex Rodriguez.

Daily News:
[He] started his tenure as Boston manager by saying he hated the Yankees.

Tuesday, he turned it up another notch by mocking Derek Jeter's legendary "flip" play and reveling over how Jason Varitek once "beat up" Alex Rodriguez in a notorious brawl between the teams. ...

On Tuesday, Valentine told reporters in Fort Myers, Fla., that Jeter was "out of position" on the famous play in Game 3 of the American League division series against the A's ...

Valentine also delivered a jab that is sure to please Sox fans when he was asked about Varitek's retirement and responded:

"From afar, he was everything that you want in a guy who wore a 'C' to be. He was a man's man. He was a big hitter when needed. He was the leader of the pitching staff. He was able to beat up Alex. All that stuff is good stuff. He was exactly what he was supposed to be."

Valentine, of course, was referring to the July 24, 2004 fight between the teams at Fenway where A-Rod and Varitek begin to jaw at each other at the plate and Varitek, still wearing his mask, pushes his mitt and free hand into Rodriguez's face, sparking a brawl.
My emphasis, of course. It has been more than eight years and Yankee fans and New York writers remain obsessed with the fact that Varitek has his mask on in that picture. Naturally, they forget (or choose to forget) that Jorge Posada did the exact same thing at least once.

Back in 2007, I linked to a short clip of Dumbo engaged in a shoving match with a Tampa player and - GASP! - he keeps his mask on. Sadly, MLB's Video Police had the video removed. ... It doesn't look like I saved the clip. I'd love to have it, though.

9 comments:

allan said...

Pretty sure the Dumbo fight was on July 1, 2000 (He and Devil Rays infielder Bobby Smith were each fined and suspended for one game.)

allan said...

NYT:
Tampa Bay's Bobby Smith struck out to lead off the bottom of the seventh, and when Posada stepped in front of home plate to whip the ball to third, Smith pushed Posada discreetly with the barrel of his bat. Posada turned and jabbed the ball into Smith's side, and Smith and Posada immediately came together, wrestling each other to the ground. Posada was quickly on his back, with Smith flailing away with both hands.

Dr. Jeff said...

I still say (like I did last year) that they should make Pedroia the new Captain. Who else is even a candidate? Ellsbury, A-Gon, and Crawford haven't apparently been vocal leaders, and Yook is too much of a hot-head.

laura k said...

Why does the team need a captain?

Amy said...

Has Blogger changed its formatting, or is it my browser?? Everything looks smaller and weirder.

Anyway, IF this goes through....

I agree---who needs a captain?

allan said...

yeah, the comment page has changed. different look.

punto for captain!

allan said...

BV backpedals. Boooooooooooo!

"Total mistake on my part because they do practice it, that’s for sure. It’s hard to practice that because why are we going to practice a bad throw? That’s not what we’re doing here. But I get it. I get it. ... I want it on record that I love Derek Jeter as a player. It was not a slight towards him. I love him as a guy, too."

allan said...

CI:
"I'm indifferent, really. I don't know Bobby well enough to know what he's trying to do. I could care less. I guess that's the best way to put it. ... We do practice it, but not the flip home. But who cares? Why are we talking about this? He must be bored over there, huh?"

hrstrat57 said...

..this whole BV thing may end up as a disaster but it will sure be an interesting disaster. I for one have been quite entertained so far. The more hate on the stripers the better!!