Trot Rips Manny In Red Sox Land

[Xanadu Dragon]

http://espn.go.com/mlb/news/2002/0221/1337940.html

not a good sign for the Red Sox Nation.

[ChrisCary]

What is it with that team??

It's like they're cursed or something

[BuzzBuzzard]

The 'pimping around' comment is going to come back and haunt Trot. You watch...it will be racially spun.

[Xanadu Dragon]

More damning for the team than Nixon's comments, to me, was this (in red):

Kerrigan was visiting players in Florida this winter. The manager drove across the state to Ramirez's home in the Fort Lauderdale area to drop off video of his at-bats. He was never invited in. Kerrigan spoke briefly to Ramirez Monday and said he was in good spirits.

[b-ball-lunachik]

Buzz -- I was especially shocked at that term....whether he meant it that way or not, that wasn't smart...I can't imagine Manny is going to take that comment too well....and rightfully so..

I can't imagine why he would rip his teammates like that to the press -- Trot seems to have a case of "Pinstripe Envy" but he doesn't realize what he did wouldn't fly either... I can't imagine Bernie Williams accusing Derek Jeter of pimping around...

I always here how all the players always love Rickey -- it's only the management that has problems with him...seems like Trot's not a fan -- this ought to be interesting to see how this plays out...

Steve -- I thought the same thing when I read that -- what an odd statement! how do they know that unless Kerrigan put it that way? maybe Manny wasn't home and the housekeeper wasn't familiar with Kerrigan or something? if they said, "did you visit with manny", and he answered "no not that day, just dropped off some tapes"...or did he say, "no I wanted to but wasn't invited in"...or did the press just say make that up...I don't know...just struck me as odd...

[Xanadu Dragon]

Another thing that I just shake my head at:

According to the Courant, his agent, Jeff Moorad, spoke to Red Sox general manager Dan Duquette about making the clubhouse more comfortable for Ramirez, who had more privacy in Cleveland.

Yell-low! It's a club-house. Not some nightclub where celeb's get their own booth in a corner - all roped off.

Personally, I like Trot Nixon. He's my kind of ballplayer. Hope he doesn't come out as the bad guy in this because of the :mepimp: reference.

Manny hung with Everett and was schooled by Lofton and Belle. Perhaps Trot thought - - while it's wrong to rip in the press, I need to do something shocking to bring the proper attention to this - - and let the whole team know, it's about being a ballplayer and not just a player?

[KCBOOMER]

This could get ugly. Duquette's brilliant strategy to hire Kerrigan was blunder of the first magnitude. Its clear Manny doesn't respect him which means no one else will either.

The Curse is alive and well.

[ChrisCary]

Is "pimping" a racial slur???

[BuzzBuzzard]

Originally posted by ChrisCary
Is "pimping" a racial slur??? It's got a connotation at a minimum.

[Xanadu Dragon]

I think "pimping" refers more to a style of dress, choice of jewelry, and the need for an entourage - - more so than it being racial.

[Duque]

Nixon is an intense guy - and is probably disgusted with the lack of intensity among some of his teammates, Manny in particular. Trot's always going 110%, and half of the time, Manny looks like he's just woken up. I can understand his POV, though I don't think he chose the best forum for it.

[Ytown Tribe fan]

Trot Nixon is a good ballplayer who hustles and makes a team more exciting to watch. Oops...did I say "hustles"?

Manny is a great hitter. That's ALL Manny is, maybe the best pure hitter in the AL, if he can stay healthy.

In Cleveland, everyone left Manny alone, just as they left Albert Belle alone. The press let him be, his teammates listened to what he wanted to listen to in the clubhouse, no one followed him around looking for trouble -- he just showed up for work, hit the hell outta the ball and went home.

Like Albert Belle, Manny made a big mistake when he went to Boston. He can hit like Ted Williams, and he will be treated like Ted was too -- and Teddy was treated poorly there, as poorly as he treated the fans and press.

Manny will always be welcome back in Cleveland. We don't care what color his hair is.

[b-ball-lunachik]

Originally posted by Xanadu Dragon
I think "pimping" refers more to a style of dress, choice of jewelry, and the need for an entourage - - more so than it being racial.

fair enough, but you are a non-interested party...manny might read it a little differently...or others might if they want to...especially the press...

[Xanadu Dragon]

Originally posted by b-ball-lunachik
manny might read it a little differently...

He can read? ;) George Washington H.S. finest!

[pathogan]

This is a non issue...Manny gets his ass kissed in Boston, and Nixon resents it...goes on all over the bigs...the Kerrigan thing shows just how bad things are[were/will be} in Boston...Yeah, add Rickey to that mix,should be fun, Like Rocker and Everett...

[b-ball-lunachik]

Originally posted by BuzzBuzzard
The 'pimping around' comment is going to come back and haunt Trot.

today it appears manny went from a pimp to a teddy bear:

Right fielder Trot Nixon said it's important for players to be together so they can get to know each other.

"What's not to like about Manny?" Nixon said. "He's fun-loving. He's a big teddy bear, a teddy bear that can hit."

then he went on to say...

But Nixon, who learned Thursday the reason for Ramirez's absence, would have liked him to be at Wednesday's workout. Punctuality, he said, is one of the New York Yankees' assets.

"They might not agree on everything," Nixon said, "but they do one thing. They agree on probably what time to get out on the field and what to do on the field to win ballgames, and that's why there are 26 years of championships going through that city."

http://espn.go.com/mlb/news/2002/0221/1338165.html

[satchel]

Thanks Luna, I was about to post the above - I went looking for the "pimping around" story on ESPN.com and only found the teddy bear! The link Steve posted appears to have been taken down. Revisionist history ...

Reading this thread right after I read the Pokey v. Junior thread just makes me wonder why players open their mouths to reporters at all. Star players often get star treatment. Journeymen don't like it - but would they rather be on a team without the stars?

[b-ball-lunachik]

Originally posted by satchel
Thanks Luna, I was about to post the above - I went looking for the "pimping around" story on ESPN.com and only found the teddy bear! The link Steve posted appears to have been taken down. Revisionist history ...

Reading this thread right after I read the Pokey v. Junior thread just makes me wonder why players open their mouths to reporters at all. Star players often get star treatment. Journeymen don't like it - but would they rather be on a team without the stars?

no problem Satchel...and good points made on the players opening their mouths...here's the original story you were looking for:



Thursday, February 21

Report: Nixon miffed, 'non-issue' to Kerrigan

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ESPN.com news services


FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Given the turmoil that plagued the Boston Red Sox last season and how the team embarrassed itself down the stretch, the last thing the Red Sox need is controversy.

The Red Sox may have another one on their hands.

Outfielder Trot Nixon was miffed that Manny Ramirez was a no-show for the first full-squad workout of spring training Wednesday, and Nixon told the Hartford Courant so in a story published in Thursday's editions.

"You want to know why the Yankees win so many championships? I'll tell you why. Everybody shows up ready to play baseball," Nixon told the newspaper. "They figure out some way to jell together. The younger guys are in awe. They don't come strolling in, pimping around and doing this and doing that. Bernie Williams showed up. Derek Jeter made $20 million. He shows up. You can guarantee he shows up on time."

Ramirez has a valid excuse. He reported Monday and had a physical, the Courant said. A team spokesman said Ramirez was scheduled to have a second physical that day, one required by his insurance company, but the doctor was off for Presidents' Day.

Rickey Henderson, who signed a minor-league contract and will be given a chance to make the team as a backup outfielder, was also absent from camp. According to the Basic Agreement, the mandatory reporting date is next Wednesday.

Red Sox spokesman Kevin Shea said Henderson, who agreed to a contract Feb. 13, also informed the team he would not be in camp Wednesday. No reason was given for his absence.

"We've put in calls to Rickey, Rickey's agent," Red Sox manager Joe Kerrigan said. "Anytime you get a player that signs as late as he does and he's on the opposite coast, I imagine there's a lot of housecleaning chores he has to do before he comes all the way over and starts spring training. It's an understanding."

Henderson's absence wasn't as conspicuous as Ramirez's, whose 2002 salary is $15.5 million.

"He had enough time off in the offseason. He should be here," Nixon, who was unsure why Ramirez was not in camp, told the newspaper. "The last thing he needs to do is come in here with any type of grudge of this, that or the other, not wanting to show up, because that's just going to carry over. The biggest thing it does is, it shows these younger kids that it's OK once you start making money, you can come in whatever time you want."

Others didn't seem to mind that Ramirez was absent.

"Just as long as he's ready by April 1, so be it," Johnny Damon said.

Kerrigan called it a non-issue.

"They're in complete compliance with their contract," Kerrigan said. "What do you want me to do, change the contract of the Basic Agreement?"

There may be some lingering issues from last season, Ramirez's first in Boston.

According to the Courant, his agent, Jeff Moorad, spoke to Red Sox general manager Dan Duquette about making the clubhouse more comfortable for Ramirez, who had more privacy in Cleveland. Because he was close to Carl Everett, it appears Ramirez sided with his former teammate when Everett got into a heated argument with Kerrigan in September. Ramirez left the team on the final day in Baltimore, opting to skip Cal Ripken's final game.

Kerrigan was visiting players in Florida this winter. The manager drove across the state to Ramirez's home in the Fort Lauderdale area to drop off video of his at-bats. He was never invited in. Kerrigan spoke briefly to Ramirez Monday and said he was in good spirits.

Carlos Baerga, who played with Ramirez in Cleveland, said he kept in touch with his former teammate over the winter, but they did not discuss last season.

Baerga said he told Ramirez, "I'm going to be there, but I'm going to be on top of you. I want you to be MVP."

[b-ball-lunachik]

apparently that wasn't all Trot had to say yesterday...I found this whole article pretty interesting...he's even speaking out about Manny and Pedro going home after their season ended last year...

http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/053/sports/No_nonsense_Nixon_isn_t_amused_by_this+.shtml

[Fuzzy Bear]

Originally posted by BuzzBuzzard
The 'pimping around' comment is going to come back and haunt Trot. You watch...it will be racially spun.

And well it should. We would be fired from our jobs if we commented about a co-worker like that even if it were true.

Carlton Fisk, as a rookie in 1972, called Sox vets out publicly for not hustling (including Yaz). The Bosox surged back into contention and almost caught the Tigers. But he didn't get personal.

Trot Nixon needs to shut up!

[gyb13]

Originally posted by Fuzzy Bear
And well it should. We would be fired from our jobs if we commented about a co-worker like that even if it were true.
Why? You're being paid to do some contractually-established job, not to be nice to everyone around you. You could warn/discipline an employee but fire him? Puh-leez....

[satchel]

I followed the link in luna's post and this is what I found!

Trot Nixon says:

"I know not everybody's going to get along the entire year, but you have to find some way to manage around certain people. If there's problems, if a player has a problem with a coach or another player, go talk to somebody about it. Iron things out. Don't sit there and bottle it in and develop a grudge."


I guess "go talk to somebody about it" includes talking to reporters...

[Fuzzy Bear]

Originally posted by gyb13

Why? You're being paid to do some contractually-established job, not to be nice to everyone around you. You could warn/discipline an employee but fire him? Puh-leez....

A recent poll that appeared in the regular publication of the union I belong to indicated that most workers believe that they have more rights than they really have, based on case law.
You CAN, under some circumstances, be fired for speech, or political beliefs, or off the job activities.

I don't want to fire Trot Nixon, and I don't particularly like Ramirez' persona, but, as Bill James once said; "Athletes are heroes. That is their job."

We are, in fact, paid to be nice to everyone around us at work; not to invite all of them to our houses, necessarily, but to act toward co-workers in such a manner as to not create a hostile work environment. Rule number one for an athlete-hero, as far as I am concerned, is to demonstrate that they can live by the same standards as the rest of us in the workplace. Trot Nixon may not have meant to, but he became part of the problem.