Have to give it to some people in today’s sports media. These folks sure knows how to douse the New York Yankees with high-pressured negativity.
Talk about a core of hacks who have mastered the art of Anti-Pinstripeism.
Here is a ballclub that has fought through injury and at times ineffective pitching to win 11 of its last 15 games.
Here is a team that is on pace for another 90-plus win season and a trip to the playoffs.
Here is a franchise that has shown tremendous resiliency in the face of relentless pursuit by the Baltimore Orioles and the Oakland Athletics.
Yet all that some writers can focus on is waging war on Yankees’ players who, day in and day out, perform at a high level.
Let me say this before pressing forward, because there are people out there who like to throw the First Amendment around like a rag doll to fit their preposterous agendas.
It is perfectly legitimate to criticize player performance. It is also all right to hold players accountable for their actions. That is if there is credible, unbiased evidence pointing to the specific infraction committed.
Hammer me if you will. Call me every name in the book. But I stand by the conviction that some of the things written about some Yankees players this year spits in the face of people who take writing for the public as a privilege and an honor not to be taken for granted.
First Men’s Health released results of its “anonymous survey” of 100 big league players they deemed to the most-hated players in the MLB.
Yankees’ third baseman Alex Rodriguez was second behind A.J. Pierzynski. Outfielder Nick Swisher was third. Men’s Health never verified any of this, of course.
But using that good old cowardly approach to demean players racked up solid ratings, I am sure.
Nothing at all about how many Yanks fans would not mind seeing a guy like Pierzynski playing in pinstripes. Nothing about how Swisher has done tons in support of American troops. Nothing about the fact Rodriguez has played through injury and will probably become the next player in Yankees history to achieve 3,000 hits.
Nope, all some saboteurs can focus on is generating non-factual accusations, i.e. ESPN’s Skip Bayless taking a shot at Derek Jeter on the PED issue.
That scorched-earth situation turned out well.
As did recent Internet rumors of Robinson Cano taking PEDs.
According to the New York Daily News, rumors flew through Twitter on the subject beginning with some hot shot in the Dominican Republic.
These rumors were baseless of course—and were linked to Cano being friends with suspended San Francisco Giants outfielder Melky Cabrera.
But to people passing rumors like this, the words “facts” and “integrity” are completely meaningless.
Most recently Jeter was back on the receiving end of a double-edged sword.
In a candid interview, ESPN.com writer Rick Reilly asked Jeter if he would be willing to play elsewhere if the Yankees did not want him back.
Jeter used Peyton Manning as an example of a player who still had gas in the tank to play somewhere else after the Indianapolis Colts decided to go another direction.
The New York Daily News took the following Jeter quote from this interview and wrote a story designed to make Jeter look like the MLB’s version of Scrooge:
Well, if I wanted to keep playing, yes. It’s a business. People forget that.
Of course Jeter had to waste time responding to this non-sense.
From Jeter (per Bryan Hoch of MLB.com):
“You understand what the reference is: Peyton [Manning] had no choice, so if he’s going to continue to play, he’s got to go somewhere else,” Jeter said. “I think it’s comical that we’re talking about it after I’ve told you guys time and time again that I can’t picture myself playing anywhere else. Have fun with it.”
Have fun with it.
Sounds like an apathetic statement from a player who has endured his fair share of idiots who seem to sleep better at night knowing they did their part to undercut this proud franchise.
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