A teary-eyed Buddy Groom was so upset about being designated for assignment yesterday that he wanted to send a message to relievers who might consider joining the Yankees.
“Don’t come here thinking you might get a chance at a lot of opportunities,” he said, “because unless you’re one of Joe’s boys, you’re not going to get a shot.”
Although Joe Torre agreed that the lefthanded reliever wasn’t used regularly during his three-month stint here, Torre took offense at Groom’s assertion that he plays favorites. “If I started pitching or playing guys because I liked them, or didn’t play them because I didn’t like them, I’m doing a disservice to the rest of the team,” Torre said.
“If I’ve ever done that,” he added, “I’m not aware of it.”
“They just said they got Embree and that’s it,” Groom said. “It wasn’t anything like I hadn’t done the job or whatever. Maybe it was my age? I don’t know.”
Buddy Groom (above) is 40 years young.