There are no stupid questions...

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/02/21/sports/b...ll/21chass.html?

 

THE routine has become a daily practice in the Boston Red Sox' spring camp. It's as if there's a podium on which players are asked daily to unburden themselves. "What do you think of A-Rod?" they are asked. It's open season on Alex Rodriguez, who has been made the poster boy of evil in the rivalry that was heated and rumbling long before he joined the Yankees.

 

In this new version of "Get the good guy," the Red Sox are blameless. One player, Trot Nixon, ignited the game with negative comments about Rodriguez last week and a torrent of teammates have followed. But the teammates' comments have not been unsolicited. They were at the urging of reporters eager to inflame the game to incendiary levels. They were all but handed a script.

 

Athletes have long accused reporters of creating stories, and, sadly, this is one of those instances. It has become one of the most distasteful instances I have witnessed in 45 years of covering baseball.

 

It's not enough that Larry Lucchino, the Red Sox' chief executive, calls the Yankees the Evil Empire or that John Henry, the principal owner, criticizes the Yankees for spending ungodly amounts of money on their payroll. Or that the Red Sox players verbally attacked Rodriguez for slapping the ball out of Bronson Arroyo's hand in the league championship series.

 

These were not invented situations. But the current pile-on-A-Rod is different. Every player who spoke with reporters last week was asked what they thought of Rodriguez, whether they agreed with what Nixon said. Extended the invitation, some players replied with negative comments, but most of what they said in response to the invitations was far less severe than the resulting articles reflected.

 

David Wells, for example, was portrayed as one of the players who said he didn't like Rodriguez. But let's see what he really said.

 

Asked if he had seen comments made by Nixon and Curt Schilling, he said, "That's their business. I've put my foot in my mouth plenty of times. That's between those guys."

 

Later in the group interview on a bench outside the clubhouse at the Red Sox' minor league complex, Wells was asked about Rodriguez again. Obviously, his first response would not do.

 

"Trot said A-Rod isn't a real Yankee," a reporter said. "Do you think he is?"

 

"Alex is a five-tool player," Wells said. "He's one of the best out there. I remember reading his press conference when he went there. He said a 'we' in his comment like he had won three or four rings with them, and he hadn't. That kind of disturbed me. He shouldn't put himself in that category."

 

"You've got to earn it," a reporter interrupted.

 

"Yeah, you've got to earn it," Wells repeated. "But you can't take away what A-Rod has done for the game. He's a great player and will continue to be a great player. In my book, he's one of the best hitters in baseball."

 

From those remarks, Wells became someone who didn't like Rodriguez.

 

Schilling was added to the list on the same day, though he had expressed his views about Rodriguez after postseason play last year.

 

"Those aren't topics brought up by us," Schilling said in response to a question about Rodriguez. "You guys are the ones asking the questions. I'm a little confused. I'm pretty sure that me not liking Alex Rodriguez is not a groundbreaking story. I'm sure there are a lot of guys in the big leagues who don't like each other."

 

Then Schilling tried to put the comments about Rodriguez in perspective.

 

"The comments came about because of the play on the field last year. I never really thought it was nearly as big a deal as people had made it."

 

And he added, "I'm sure Alex could care less if I like him or not."

 

But of course Schilling was put prominently on the list of Boston players who don't like Rodriguez.

 

The next day it was catcher Jason Varitek's turn on the A-Rod soap box. But when he was asked about Rodriguez, he said, "You have to explain this to me. I have no idea what you're talking about."

 

Ever eager to help out, a reporter told Varitek that Rodriguez had remarked how when he was working out early in the morning other players were still sleeping or taking their children to school.

 

Without mentioning Rodriguez, Varitek said: "As far as defending the work I do in the off-season, I don't need to show people. If people want to know, they'll come find me. Everybody doesn't need to know that. If they really want to know that, they'll find ways to find it out. I know what work I do and I know how hard I work. I don't have to worry about what someone else does. I know I'm ready to be here. I'm physically and mentally ready to be here right now. That's all I can control."

 

Somehow, some people found in those comments that Varitek dislikes Rodriguez.

 

In subsequent days, Arroyo and Matt Mantei were added to the list of A-Rod bashers, even though Arroyo's comments prompted one reporter to write that he defended Rodriguez.

 

Theo Epstein, the Red Sox' general manager, offered a more rational perspective on the swirling A-Rod bashing.

 

"Are you amused that your players are confident enough that they are lashing out at Alex Rodriguez?" a reporter asked. Yes, the reporter said "lashing out."

 

"I think that's a bit of an overstatement," Epstein said. "You're really talking about what, Schilling and Nixon?"

 

"A bunch of guys ripped him for the slap play last year," a reporter said.

 

"That's not necessarily ripping the guy, but ripping a play that happened on the field, which happens all the time," Epstein said.

 

This story has not seen its last chapter. Twenty-four position players will be in the Red Sox' camp tomorrow. That's 24 more players who can be asked about A-Rod.

 

No, make that 23. Kevin Millar showed up yesterday and was asked the obligatory question. It doesn't matter what he said in response. Just that he was asked was predictable and ridiculous enough.

 

And people wonder why some athletes are surly towards the media.

[nl5xsk1 0]

It all reminds me of entrapment by the police, except without the going to jail and stuff. The media set the athletes up with loaded or leading questions, and then report their response as ~OMG groundbreaking reporting~

[Your Paragon of Virtue 0]

I hate when people refer to this as real news, and really enjoy reading this sort of stuff since they have a distaste for A-Rod as well.

[Guest Stress Truck]

So, a newspaper with a stake in a team that's been embarassing itself for a week blames the Red Sox total inability to say "no comment" "I'm not answering that" or "I'm not getting involved" on the big, bad press. Color me shocked.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

I think it is true however. Remember that this is a VERY slow period for baseball news. Writers feel the need to find anything they can write a story about. Continually asking about A-Rod accomplishes their job. I doubt A-Rod really concerns the Red Sox all that much, considering Rodriguez has always been a classy individual throughout his career. The glove slap was a bush league move, but Reggie Jackson did much the same thing in the 1977 World Series, and it didn't mar his career.

[Guest Stress Truck]

I think it is true however.

I don't doubt that the reporters are acting in such a way. I'm taking issue with the idea that the Boston Red Sox are being forced to act like petty high schoolers. "No comment." It's that easy. Tell them you don't have an opinion on the matter or you don't want to get involved. Jeter did (more or less) the same thing. So did Posada.

[starvenger 0]

Yet, it's still better booking than some of the WWE storylines...

[Guest Failed Mascot]

ESPNews just said that A-Rod was asked about the whole ball slapping incident when he showed up in camp. Apparently he said "It was brilliant and I almost got away with it too."

 

Evidently he's turned into a villian from Scooby Doo.

[Guest Stress Truck]

ESPNews just said that A-Rod was asked about the whole ball slapping incident when he showed up in camp. Apparently he said "It was brilliant and I almost got away with it too."

 

Evidently he's turned into a villian from Scooby Doo.

If he called Bronson Arroyo a meddling kid, he'd be my hero forever.

[Steve J. Rogers 0]

Believe it or not this, and wheiher or not its a good thing that no one on the Yankees came to ARod's defense has been a major topic on sports radio in New York City the last week and a half.

 

Very bizzare in a "Uh, why do we care about this" kind of way

 

Steve

[Brett Favre 0]

ESPNews just said that A-Rod was asked about the whole ball slapping incident when he showed up in camp. Apparently he said "It was brilliant and I almost got away with it too."

 

Evidently he's turned into a villian from Scooby Doo.

If he called Bronson Arroyo a meddling kid, he'd be my hero forever.

I think he called him Brandon Arroyo. Seriously.

[The Czech Republic 0]

Brandon Arroyo. agh

 

Speaking of McCarverisms, when is the return of TSM Baseball Chat? I can't wait

[Brett Favre 0]

Should be opening day. Randy Johnson vs. Curt Schilling (if healthy).