In what should be the most excruciating press conference for a New York ballplayer since Vince Coleman apologized for throwing M-80’s at children, Yankee 1B Jason Giambi is scheduled to speak to the media tomorrow in what the NY Times’ Tyler Kepner describes as a tightly-controlled event.
On Jan. 11, when the Yankees announced their trade for Randy Johnson, General Manager Brian Cashman said he had not spoken with Giambi all winter. But Giambi came to New York to see doctors late last month and met with Cashman.
By then, Giambi’s agent, Arn Tellem, had said that Giambi planned to meet the news media before spring training. But Tellem offered no details about the meeting, refusing to say when or where it would take place.
Late yesterday, the Yankees announced that it would be at Yankee Stadium, with strict ground rules. They have invited each newspaper that regularly covers the team to send no more than two reporters.
Giambi will meet with the print media in one location, and Cashman and Torre may be in the room with him. After that meeting, Giambi will speak with television reporters in a separate room.
Many off-season news conferences at Yankee Stadium are carried live on the YES Network, with newly acquired players speaking glowingly about joining the team. But the Yankees said that they would prohibit any live broadcast of today’s proceedings.
I guess Court TV is out of the question, then.