That’s correct, Pete Mackanin: even when it’s being asked by Baseball Hall of Famer Hal McCoy, you don’t have to answer questions you don’t want to (link via Buster Olney):
If Florida relief pitcher Armando Benitez was throwing at Cincinnati’s Ryan Freel on Friday, Reds manager Pete Mackanin is not stepping into the middle of it.
On Thursday, Freel hit a three-run home run in the eighth inning off Benitez for a 7-5 Reds victory. On Friday, with the Marlins leading 7-2 in the eighth, Benitez hit Freel on the left wrist.
After the game, Freel was hot about it as he sat with an ice wrap on his wrist.
“That was an interesting scenario,” said Mackanin. “I’m not going to go there. I’m not going to talk about it. I don’t know. You can’t make me. Can you?
Beats throwing a tantrum, IMO.
And Pete, having kinda-sorta covered the Reds once or twice, I can assure you that your media relations staff will never make you do something you don’t want to.
Meanwhile, Cowboy Jeff Brantley‘s take on Reds relief pitcher Todd Coffey hasn’t changed, says John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer.
He chokes. I stand by that. Very firmly.
I just wonder what Jeff Brantley would have said about Jeff Brantley had he been a Phillies broadcaster during the 2000 season.
PHILLIES UPDATE: J.D. Durbin goes nine (everybody saw that coming, right?) and Cholly’s Wallbangers fail to notice that they’re facing this year’s all-star starter in a pitcher’s park. Phillies 9, Padres 0.