Alex Rodriguez, as quoted tonight by the Associated Press :
“I just hope he continues to talk about me and my teammates,” the New York Yankees’ third baseman said Friday. “It’s going to give us great motivation to beat him up in the future.”
Schilling called it a “bush-league play” after Rodriguez was called out for interference in Game 6 of the AL Championship Series last October. A-Rod, trying to beat out an infield dribbler, slapped the ball away from pitcher Bronson Arroyo near first base.
“To me it was just odd, because I mean we beat him a couple of times during the year and he was crying on the bench,” Rodriguez said of Schilling. “And then he lost Game 1 and he wouldn’t talk or anything. And obviously, he wins Game 6 and then he’s still talking ’til today. So it’s just something we as players have been accustomed to. But it’s something I’m not worried about.”
Schilling, reached on a cell phone Friday, said Rodriguez had his facts wrong.
“It’s not true. I talked after Game 1,” Schilling said. “I don’t care what Alex says. When someone says that, you consider the source.”
If you’ll look back to the aftermath of the ALCS Game 6, Schilling of course, was withering in his criticism of Rodriguez. But he was also very deliberate in calling A-Rod “classless” compared to the rest of the Yankees, claiming that A-Rod’s slaptastic tactics wouldn’t have come from Derek Jeter, etc. So if Schilling has been bashing the Yankees (as opposed to mocking A-Rod), we’ve not seen it.
As far as crying is concerned, it was Schilling that was up at 2:30 am after ALCS Game One in the Sons Of Sam Horn chat room saying his injured ankle was “no excuse” and taking full responsibility for the loss. Rodriguez, whose idea of fan interaction is charging $5000 for a few minutes in his company, didn’t seem nearly as contrite regarding his own role in THE GREATEST CHOKE OF ALL TIME.
And wasn’t it the ‘roid raging, chefless, Gary Sheffield who called the Sox a “walking disaster?”
If I had hit 3 for 17 during games 4-7 of the LCS and managed to drive only one baserunner home while leaving 7 on *and* embarrass myself, my teammates and fans by pulling that chop stunt I would keep my mouth shut.
Schilling’s original remarks about A-Rod on ESPN Radio last autumn :
“That was freakin’ junior high baseball at its best. . . . He could have easily broken [Arroyo’s] arm. Come on, that was tired.
“Let me ask you something: Does Jeter do that? You know for a fact he doesn’t because Derek Jeter is a class act and a professional, that’s why.”
Schilling later said Boston wouldn’t have reached the World Series with A-Rod.
“He’s a Hall of Famer, sure,” he said. “But after getting to know people who, A) play with him; and B) have played with him, I don’t think it would’ve worked here.”
I’m in the minority here, because I hate Schilling as a player, but I love his politics. My dream of a Schilling/Kerik 2008 presidential ticket is on ice for the time being, but Tina Turner and Ice Cube have both proven that there are second acts in American lives, so I shant give up hope just yet.
Tommy
I see no reason why the Chad Curtis/Jason Seahorn ticket cannot contend for the next Republican nomination.
SChilling is an ego-inflated windbag!! A real man doesn’t have to draw attention to every action like he does. There must be a reason that whoever plays with Schill winds up disliking him. HE never shuts up,and he showed how childish and classless he is. Get a life Curt,or just pitch and shut UP!!!! Stop hogging all the Glory too!! THe red sox won the series,,not you alone!!!!!!!!
Fuc* that blowhard.