Yankee Stadium's Misfits of Row X

Who cares what David Wells thinks, he is still a piece of garbage

David Wells, an all-time piece of Yankee garbage, was a guest on Michael Kay's radio show yesterday and took the opportunity to blast JoeTorre's new book about his years with the Yankees.

The guy with the Hall of Fame arm and Hall of Shame heart threw some jabs at his former manager.

As far as what Wells would say to Torre about the book he replied,"I'd probably just knock him out."Wells tempered the fighting words with laughter, adding: "I probably wouldn't say anything. I'd probably laugh at him. It's easy to say things when you leave. "In my book I didn't dog anybody. I made some jokes, but I didn't really attack any one person,"   

The best thing David Wells can do for his already feeble image is just simply fade away. 

Be a no-show, David, just like you were in the 2002 playoffs vs the Angels. Remember, Wells back hurt before the game but knowing full well that it may be his last start in pinstripes he didn't tell anyone. The Yankees sent Andy Pettitte back to NY to line him up to start what would have been the next game back in the Bronx.

Then Wells went and $hit the bed, the Yankees lost, and he cried "bad back" after the game.

Granted Torre didn't like Wells' music, or his garrish personality - the real reason he liked him least was likely Wells' blatant selfishness as a player. His carefree celebration of his indifference to taking care of his body. "The difference between Kevin Brown and David Wells," Torre says, "is that both make your life miserable, but David Wells meant to."

"I wasn't there trying to make Joe's life miserable, I was there trying to win," Wells said. I guess not telling the coaches that his back was flaring up before they sent Pettitte back to NY was him "trying to win". Selfish piece of garbage.

Too many fans got caught up in Wells' "look at me, I like to drink and look at strippers" attitude, "I like motorcycles" and all that.  They thought he was this wild, fun loving guy with no ego. Mr. Wild Man wasn't so wild at that NYC diner when the shrimpy little Italian guy knocked him on his ass though, was he.

For Wells it was all about him all the time. The 2002 playoff game vs the Angels is the perfect example.

For a guy who took such great pride in being "anti-establishment" he sure has a lot to say about Joe Torre's new book. Believe me, I am the last person to defend Torre, and his jedi mind trick ability to manipulate the masses.

But David Wells throwing stones? That piece of garbage doesn't even deserve a forum.

Torre legacy blemished, you can't rewind this...he is a darling no more

true colors

Mike Mussina - knocks down guy who pitched with sore shoulder to help him get 20th Win

Mike Mussina displayed several things while he was in pinstripes, over time he showed us a dry wit, over time he stayed healthy and made most of his starts, he won a lot of games.

He also managed to come up small in a lot of big spots, he often collapsed if there was an error made behind him in the field. Fragile Frankie Mussina ran for cover and threw veiled blame at teammates - and I guess it was Mariano Rivera's fault that he didn't win a World Series. For a guy who went to Stanford and was supposed to be a mental giant he sure had a special knack for knuckling under when things weren't going his way.

This is the same guy - the same guy who spent the bulk of the summer of 2007 working on a book with - guess who?! - that Lucky Yankee Star Tom Verducci.  Mussina would later say that working on the book drained him during the season. Working on a book at age 36 while getting paid $12 million a year to win baseball games. 

This guy is just SO likeable!

From Mike Lupica's NY DAILY NEWS account of the TorreVerducci book. 

The account of the Yankees' collapse in the 2004 American League Championship Series against the Red Sox is like a backstage pass to all that. And it ends with this quote from Mike Mussina, one that hasn't gotten much play yet, maybe because it's not about Alex Rodriguez:

"We were up 3-0 and Mo (Rivera) came in again with the lead and lost it. He lost it again. As great as he is, and it's amazing what he does, if you start the evaluation again since I got here, he has accomplished nothing in comparison to what he accomplished in the four years before. He blew the World Series in '01. He lost the Boston series. He didn't lose it himself but we had a chance to win in the ninth and sweep them, and he doesn't do it there."

The tone here isn't angry, the way the tone of this book isn't angry, despite the coverage it has gotten. These are tough opinions, but honest ones.

"I know you look at everything (Rivera's) done and it's been awesome," Mussina continues. "I'll admit that. But it hadn't been the same in those couple of years.

Small minded rhetoric from a big minded SMALL PERSON. Mariano came in to save Mussina's 20th win with a sore arm, he said that he would be available to help Moose get his 20th win, and he did just that.

What Moose could also talk about is why it took him 8 years with a perennial contender and Mariano Rivera as his closer to win 20 games in a season. Talk about too little too late.

Woe is Joe, Woe is Joe, Torre's colossal ego has gotten the better of him

Pettitte negotiates for less money...

A few months ago the Yankees offered Andy Pettitte a one year contract for a guaranteed $10 million. He turned it down, apparently offended that they would dare cut his salary back from the $16 million he was paid for the 2008 season in which he lost 14 games and $hit the bed down the stretch. Raggedy Andy was 2-7 with a non-$16million salary like ERA of 6.23 in his last 11 starts.

Yesterday Pettitte accepted a guaranteed $5.5 million one year contract from the Yankees, or $4.5 million less guaranteed than they had originally offered him.  Incentives for innings pitched and time on the roster could push his earnings up to $12 million. Thats excessively fine by me.

“The bottom line is, I’m a man, and I guess it does take a shot at your pride a little bit,” Pettitte said, referring to the pay cut. “But when you put all that aside, I wanted to play for the New York Yankees. I wanted to be there and I wanted to play in that new stadium.

“There’s no doubt in my mind if I went out as a free agent, I could have made an awful lot more money than what I’m signing for. In fact, I know I could have. It’s just a situation, if you want to play for one team, you’re going to have to make sacrifices for that. If it was going to be me taking a pay cut, it was going to be me taking a pay cut.”

Ok, Andy, we already know that the Astros wouldn't pay you $10 million, the Dodgers? did they even make an offer? Boston? Ok fella, you think whatever you want to. Hardly amazing that the guy is still phonying up.

I've labored enough times about why Raggedy Andy isn't one of my favorite Yankees, so I will spare you the reminders.   But, if you are interested in hearing a few please click here.

Admittedly I am glad that he is back for 2009 - but I am ecstatic that he had to eat some $hit and take a pay cut.  He does bring a winning accumen to the field and will be a good influence on the other pitchers.

Joe's true colors...The Disease of Me

Joe Torre...The Sour Grapes of his Wrath

Bonds approved for New Yankee Stadium...no, not that "Bonds"

Rickey Henderson slides into Hall standing up

Beantown's Rice gets Hall nod