Making News
By lefty
The New York Times published an article today that took a deeper look into the perception that seemingly all Red Sox players are bashing A-Rod. Times reporter Murray Chass wrote not only the quotes by Red Sox players, but the questions they were responding to. While the quotes are accurate, the way they were used had the effect of throwing gas on the fire — a fire that bored sports writers in February were all too eager to see burn.
Chass writes: "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."
Well, I guess we missed all of the body-slamming, gloves-off brawling of the hockey season to release our cabin fever this year, so we're looking for a good fight. But to our sports journalist friends, please tell us the story of what's happening at spring training - don't make it.
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