The Joe.T Memorial FM® Yankees Suck Thread for 2009
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Blue Jays manager slams lyin' Roger Clemens
Gaston regrets not getting 'in Clemens face'
CLEARWATER, Fla.- It has been more than 10 years since Roger Clemens played for Cito Gaston with the Blue Jays but Gaston's smouldering resentment is as strong as ever.
In his book The Rocket That Fell To Earth: Roger Clemens, author Jeff Pearlman contends that Clemens, who won back-to-back Cy Young Awards as a Blue Jay in 1997 and 1998, played a role in Gaston's dismissal as manager in September 1997 after nine years and two World Series. It's an allegation that Gaston clearly agrees with.
"Well, I wouldn't doubt that," Gaston said. "He's an a------ himself. A complete a------. I will say that out loud, right in his face. It's all about him. Nobody else but him. I wouldn't doubt that at all."
On the issue of hiring Gaston's replacement, Pearlman says Clemens vetoed qualified men such as Davey Johnson, Paul Molitor, Willie Randolph and Larry Bowa. Instead, he backed the hiring of Tim Johnson, who was fired after one season for lying about his fictional military service record.
"(Clemens) got the right guy, then didn't he?" said Gaston, inferring that one liar deserved another.
While Gaston has personal issues with Clemens, he remains an admirer of The Rocket's single-minded brilliance on the mound.
"Let me say this to you: When he goes out on that mound, he gives you everything he has. And he was probably the most popular player (with fans) I've ever had on the team. Everywhere we went, people were looking for him. When he's on the mound, he's 100%.
"But when he's pitching, everybody's in the dugout pulling for him. When he's not pitching, he's not in the dugout. I didn't feel like he supported his teammates as much as he wanted their support (for himself)."
Gaston knows of only one occasion when Clemens questioned his managerial judgment behind his back, though it is clear he believes it happened more often than that.
"Him and I had some words at one time and I still regret to this day that I didn't get right up in his face and challenge him," Gaston said. "It was one time he felt like I had left Pat Hentgen in a game too long. Now you ask Pat Hentgen what he thinks of (Clemens). It isn't too good, either."
Gaston heard of Clemens' complaint about Hentgen second-hand. Had Clemens voiced his complaint directly, Gaston vows "one of us would have had a whooping that day. It might have been me, but he would have known I was there."
Gaston did raise the issue with Clemens and when he asked him about it, Gaston said Clemens responded: "What do you want to do?"
"And I said, What do you mean 'What do I want to do?'"
"And he said, 'Do you want to stay? Or do you want to leave?'"
The clear intimation was that Clemens felt he had so much pull that he held Gaston's fate in his own hands. As it turns out, perhaps he did.
"He's not one of my favourite persons," Gaston said. "He's a hell of a pitcher, but, to me, he's not a good person. He's a pretty good double-talker as far as I'm concerned."
Asked if he had any inkling about use of performance-enhancing drugs by Clemens, or anybody else on the team at the time, Gaston said he didn't.
"I didn't know that about any of those guys, if they were doing it or not. I don't know if he was doing (PEDs) while I was here. That was after me."
http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Baseball/MLB/Toronto/2009/04/02/8981356-torsun.html
Gaston regrets not getting 'in Clemens face'
CLEARWATER, Fla.- It has been more than 10 years since Roger Clemens played for Cito Gaston with the Blue Jays but Gaston's smouldering resentment is as strong as ever.
In his book The Rocket That Fell To Earth: Roger Clemens, author Jeff Pearlman contends that Clemens, who won back-to-back Cy Young Awards as a Blue Jay in 1997 and 1998, played a role in Gaston's dismissal as manager in September 1997 after nine years and two World Series. It's an allegation that Gaston clearly agrees with.
"Well, I wouldn't doubt that," Gaston said. "He's an a------ himself. A complete a------. I will say that out loud, right in his face. It's all about him. Nobody else but him. I wouldn't doubt that at all."
On the issue of hiring Gaston's replacement, Pearlman says Clemens vetoed qualified men such as Davey Johnson, Paul Molitor, Willie Randolph and Larry Bowa. Instead, he backed the hiring of Tim Johnson, who was fired after one season for lying about his fictional military service record.
"(Clemens) got the right guy, then didn't he?" said Gaston, inferring that one liar deserved another.
While Gaston has personal issues with Clemens, he remains an admirer of The Rocket's single-minded brilliance on the mound.
"Let me say this to you: When he goes out on that mound, he gives you everything he has. And he was probably the most popular player (with fans) I've ever had on the team. Everywhere we went, people were looking for him. When he's on the mound, he's 100%.
"But when he's pitching, everybody's in the dugout pulling for him. When he's not pitching, he's not in the dugout. I didn't feel like he supported his teammates as much as he wanted their support (for himself)."
Gaston knows of only one occasion when Clemens questioned his managerial judgment behind his back, though it is clear he believes it happened more often than that.
"Him and I had some words at one time and I still regret to this day that I didn't get right up in his face and challenge him," Gaston said. "It was one time he felt like I had left Pat Hentgen in a game too long. Now you ask Pat Hentgen what he thinks of (Clemens). It isn't too good, either."
Gaston heard of Clemens' complaint about Hentgen second-hand. Had Clemens voiced his complaint directly, Gaston vows "one of us would have had a whooping that day. It might have been me, but he would have known I was there."
Gaston did raise the issue with Clemens and when he asked him about it, Gaston said Clemens responded: "What do you want to do?"
"And I said, What do you mean 'What do I want to do?'"
"And he said, 'Do you want to stay? Or do you want to leave?'"
The clear intimation was that Clemens felt he had so much pull that he held Gaston's fate in his own hands. As it turns out, perhaps he did.
"He's not one of my favourite persons," Gaston said. "He's a hell of a pitcher, but, to me, he's not a good person. He's a pretty good double-talker as far as I'm concerned."
Asked if he had any inkling about use of performance-enhancing drugs by Clemens, or anybody else on the team at the time, Gaston said he didn't.
"I didn't know that about any of those guys, if they were doing it or not. I don't know if he was doing (PEDs) while I was here. That was after me."
http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Baseball/MLB/Toronto/2009/04/02/8981356-torsun.html
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Gaston thought Clemens a hall-of-fame pain
Jays manager says he never cared much for Clemens, especially on days between starts
LAKELAND, Fla.–Roger Clemens' public image has suffered serious damage recently, from persistent accusations that he used steroids to amass all-star stats, to the revelation that he cheated on his wife with a teenage country singer.
But before any of that happened, Blue Jays manager Cito Gaston considered Clemens to be a hall-of-fame jerk.
Gaston's feelings surfaced yesterday when asked what he thought of a new book, The Rocket That Fell to Earth, in which author Jeff Pearlman hints that Clemens played a role in having Gaston fired by the Jays in 1997, the first of two seasons The Rocket pitched for Toronto.
Gaston said he hadn't heard that before, but he had reached a conclusion on Clemens' character more than a decade ago.
"He's an a--hole himself. A complete a--hole," Gaston said with a chuckle. "And I'll say that loud, right in his face. It was all about him. Ain't about nobody else but him."
For the next five minutes, Gaston, who is starting his first full season in his second stint as Jays manager, detailed his strained relationship with the star pitcher.
Clemens arrived in Toronto after burning out with the Boston Red Sox. In 13 years, he won three Cy Young awards, but posted losing records in three of his final four seasons with the Red Sox.
The move to Toronto seemed to rejuvenate him. Clemens went 21-7 in 1997. His ERA plummeted from 3.63 to 2.05 and his 292 strikeouts were a career high for a pitcher already known for his power. That season, he won his fourth Cy Young Award. The next year, Clemens went 20-6 with a 2.65 ERA. That autumn he was again named the AL's best pitcher.
Since then, allegations of performance-enhancing drug use have shattered the legitimacy of Clemens' mid-career resurgence. His former personal trainer, Brian McNamee, says that Clemens began using steroids while with the Blue Jays.
Gaston said he didn't suspect Clemens of using steroids. He just remembered the former ace of his staff as hard-working and wildly popular among fans, yet aloof, arrogant and self-centred among teammates.
He praised Clemens for his work on the mound, saying the 354-game winner always gave his best effort on days he pitched. But during the four days between starts, Gaston said he couldn't deal with the seven-time Cy Young winner.
"When he's pitching, everyone's in the dugout pulling for him, but when he's not pitching, he's not in the dugout," Gaston said. "I didn't feel like he supported his teammates as much as he wanted support."
Calls to Clemens' agents, Alan and Randy Hendricks, were not immediately returned.
Although Gaston said he didn't know of anything specific Clemens did to get him fired, he said Clemens did flaunt his influence with the club's upper management, even asking Gaston if he wanted to keep his job as manager or lose it.
The Jays asked Gaston to resign with five games remaining in the 1997 season. Pearlman's book claims that Clemens persuaded team management to bypass several qualified candidates and hire Tim Johnson, who lost his job after one season after it was revealed that he lied about having fought in the Vietnam War.
Paul Beeston, now the Jays' interim CEO, who as team president helped bring Clemens to Toronto in December 1996 before leaving the club to join Major League Baseball, said he was unaware of the allegation in the book. "To tell you the truth, this is the first I've heard of it," Beeston told the Star's Richard Griffin yesterday. "I was (working) at the commissioner's office when that happened. But, truthfully, I think I would have heard something about it and I didn't."
Gaston remembers Clemens undermining his authority in front of the team, once questioning the manager's refusal to pull Pat Hentgen from a game. Gaston said Clemens never brought those criticisms to his face and he regrets not confronting him over it.
"He wouldn't (confront me). One of us would have had an ass whuppin' that day," Gaston said. "It might have been me, but he still would have known I was there."
http://www.thestar.com/Sports/article/612909
Jays manager says he never cared much for Clemens, especially on days between starts
LAKELAND, Fla.–Roger Clemens' public image has suffered serious damage recently, from persistent accusations that he used steroids to amass all-star stats, to the revelation that he cheated on his wife with a teenage country singer.
But before any of that happened, Blue Jays manager Cito Gaston considered Clemens to be a hall-of-fame jerk.
Gaston's feelings surfaced yesterday when asked what he thought of a new book, The Rocket That Fell to Earth, in which author Jeff Pearlman hints that Clemens played a role in having Gaston fired by the Jays in 1997, the first of two seasons The Rocket pitched for Toronto.
Gaston said he hadn't heard that before, but he had reached a conclusion on Clemens' character more than a decade ago.
"He's an a--hole himself. A complete a--hole," Gaston said with a chuckle. "And I'll say that loud, right in his face. It was all about him. Ain't about nobody else but him."
For the next five minutes, Gaston, who is starting his first full season in his second stint as Jays manager, detailed his strained relationship with the star pitcher.
Clemens arrived in Toronto after burning out with the Boston Red Sox. In 13 years, he won three Cy Young awards, but posted losing records in three of his final four seasons with the Red Sox.
The move to Toronto seemed to rejuvenate him. Clemens went 21-7 in 1997. His ERA plummeted from 3.63 to 2.05 and his 292 strikeouts were a career high for a pitcher already known for his power. That season, he won his fourth Cy Young Award. The next year, Clemens went 20-6 with a 2.65 ERA. That autumn he was again named the AL's best pitcher.
Since then, allegations of performance-enhancing drug use have shattered the legitimacy of Clemens' mid-career resurgence. His former personal trainer, Brian McNamee, says that Clemens began using steroids while with the Blue Jays.
Gaston said he didn't suspect Clemens of using steroids. He just remembered the former ace of his staff as hard-working and wildly popular among fans, yet aloof, arrogant and self-centred among teammates.
He praised Clemens for his work on the mound, saying the 354-game winner always gave his best effort on days he pitched. But during the four days between starts, Gaston said he couldn't deal with the seven-time Cy Young winner.
"When he's pitching, everyone's in the dugout pulling for him, but when he's not pitching, he's not in the dugout," Gaston said. "I didn't feel like he supported his teammates as much as he wanted support."
Calls to Clemens' agents, Alan and Randy Hendricks, were not immediately returned.
Although Gaston said he didn't know of anything specific Clemens did to get him fired, he said Clemens did flaunt his influence with the club's upper management, even asking Gaston if he wanted to keep his job as manager or lose it.
The Jays asked Gaston to resign with five games remaining in the 1997 season. Pearlman's book claims that Clemens persuaded team management to bypass several qualified candidates and hire Tim Johnson, who lost his job after one season after it was revealed that he lied about having fought in the Vietnam War.
Paul Beeston, now the Jays' interim CEO, who as team president helped bring Clemens to Toronto in December 1996 before leaving the club to join Major League Baseball, said he was unaware of the allegation in the book. "To tell you the truth, this is the first I've heard of it," Beeston told the Star's Richard Griffin yesterday. "I was (working) at the commissioner's office when that happened. But, truthfully, I think I would have heard something about it and I didn't."
Gaston remembers Clemens undermining his authority in front of the team, once questioning the manager's refusal to pull Pat Hentgen from a game. Gaston said Clemens never brought those criticisms to his face and he regrets not confronting him over it.
"He wouldn't (confront me). One of us would have had an ass whuppin' that day," Gaston said. "It might have been me, but he still would have known I was there."
http://www.thestar.com/Sports/article/612909
Rocket portrayed as petty, selfish, manipulative golf addict
The Rocket That Fell to Earth: Roger Clemens and the Rage for Baseball Immortality
By Jeff Pearlman
Roger Clemens may have saved his then-waning career while he pitched for the Jays, but his years in Toronto will also be remembered for contributing mightily to the destruction of his reputation.
We've subsequently learned that Clemens may have been juicing in a successful effort to reverse fortunes while in a Jays uniform, a contention repeated by author Jeff Pearlman, a respected columnist and author who has done multiple interviews and sifted the archives for what amounts to a rollicking, if not quite sensational, read.
"Despite the overwhelming evidence now available that Roger Clemens was chemically enhanced, he has never admitted to using steroids or growth hormone, and no one knows, exactly, when he first picked up a needle," writes Pearlman. "But here is what we do know: In his final two seasons with Boston, Clemens had engaged in regular conversations with (Jose) Canseco – his close friend, golf buddy and teammate – about the benefits of (various steroids and techniques)."
Clemens, writes Pearlman, was instrumental in the Jays hiring Canseco for the 1998 season, as he was also key to their choice of little-known Tim Johnson to replace Cito Gaston, fired with five games to go in the '97 campaign. The Jays also brought in a new strength and conditioning coach for that season (albeit not at Clemens' behest), Brian McNamee, who has testified that he injected Clemens with steroids at the SkyDome Hotel, where they both lived.
The Rocket is painted as petty, selfish, manipulative. "To Clemens, the initial thought of becoming a Blue Jay offered the appeal of an airport toilet," writes Pearlman, who describes Toronto as "a hockey town first, second, third and 100th." He also says: "A mere one-hour flight from New York City, Toronto could have been Mogadishu, as far as the league's fans were concerned."
But the money was right and the Jays gave Clemens more or less anything he asked for.
While the Jays struggled in the win column and fans appeared largely indifferent to his presence in town, Clemens did his best to enjoy himself, especially on the area's many high-end golf courses. Clemens "expected every major facility to acknowledge three things: 1. Rogers Clemens is great. 2. Roger Clemens never pays for golf. 3. By "never," Roger Clemens means "never." He was outraged when The National Golf Club in Woodbridge demanded he pay the going rate: $1,000 for his foursome.
Pearlman adds: "Over the course of the season, Clemens' golfing addiction became the talk of the Toronto clubhouse. ... The man who was being paid to lead the Jays on and off the field was often late to the ballpark and absent from team meetings."
Writes Pearlman, Clemens' "schtick had officially grown stale." Pitcher Dan Plesac named a race horse after his teammate's special treatment, "The 21 Rules."
http://www.thestar.com/Article/612944
The Rocket That Fell to Earth: Roger Clemens and the Rage for Baseball Immortality
By Jeff Pearlman
Roger Clemens may have saved his then-waning career while he pitched for the Jays, but his years in Toronto will also be remembered for contributing mightily to the destruction of his reputation.
We've subsequently learned that Clemens may have been juicing in a successful effort to reverse fortunes while in a Jays uniform, a contention repeated by author Jeff Pearlman, a respected columnist and author who has done multiple interviews and sifted the archives for what amounts to a rollicking, if not quite sensational, read.
"Despite the overwhelming evidence now available that Roger Clemens was chemically enhanced, he has never admitted to using steroids or growth hormone, and no one knows, exactly, when he first picked up a needle," writes Pearlman. "But here is what we do know: In his final two seasons with Boston, Clemens had engaged in regular conversations with (Jose) Canseco – his close friend, golf buddy and teammate – about the benefits of (various steroids and techniques)."
Clemens, writes Pearlman, was instrumental in the Jays hiring Canseco for the 1998 season, as he was also key to their choice of little-known Tim Johnson to replace Cito Gaston, fired with five games to go in the '97 campaign. The Jays also brought in a new strength and conditioning coach for that season (albeit not at Clemens' behest), Brian McNamee, who has testified that he injected Clemens with steroids at the SkyDome Hotel, where they both lived.
The Rocket is painted as petty, selfish, manipulative. "To Clemens, the initial thought of becoming a Blue Jay offered the appeal of an airport toilet," writes Pearlman, who describes Toronto as "a hockey town first, second, third and 100th." He also says: "A mere one-hour flight from New York City, Toronto could have been Mogadishu, as far as the league's fans were concerned."
But the money was right and the Jays gave Clemens more or less anything he asked for.
While the Jays struggled in the win column and fans appeared largely indifferent to his presence in town, Clemens did his best to enjoy himself, especially on the area's many high-end golf courses. Clemens "expected every major facility to acknowledge three things: 1. Rogers Clemens is great. 2. Roger Clemens never pays for golf. 3. By "never," Roger Clemens means "never." He was outraged when The National Golf Club in Woodbridge demanded he pay the going rate: $1,000 for his foursome.
Pearlman adds: "Over the course of the season, Clemens' golfing addiction became the talk of the Toronto clubhouse. ... The man who was being paid to lead the Jays on and off the field was often late to the ballpark and absent from team meetings."
Writes Pearlman, Clemens' "schtick had officially grown stale." Pitcher Dan Plesac named a race horse after his teammate's special treatment, "The 21 Rules."
http://www.thestar.com/Article/612944
Oh c'mon Merlot, give the guy a break, it's his first start for his new team, I'm sure he was very nervous going against that powerhouse lineup of the O's...Bwaaahhh!!!!
Not only did CC Suck, but the bullpen was absolutely abhorable too, something Yankee fans will see a shitload of this season, and I'm going to love every second of it.
Not only did CC Suck, but the bullpen was absolutely abhorable too, something Yankee fans will see a shitload of this season, and I'm going to love every second of it.
Wang tomorrow & Burnett Thursday. I'll bet Joe & many Yankee fans will be pulling their hair & developping ulcers over the course of the season everytime Burnett pitches. Get ready to hear the boos at Yankee Stadium throughout the season! 
Well, at least they won't have to worry every five days.Doc Holliday said:Wang tomorrow & Burnett Thursday. I'll bet Joe & many Yankee fans will be pulling their hair & developping ulcers over the course of the season everytime Burnett pitches. Get ready to hear the boos at Yankee Stadium throughout the season!
Yahoo!! I'm a happy man today, just purchased my sports package where I get every single Yankee game for $29.99 per month, I can now watch the greatest franchise in sports history charge ahead toward their 100 plus win season from my own home and just in time to watch Wang pitch a "lights out" performance tonight 8-0(my prediction).
I'm assuming that you did the same as I did Merlot?, seeing that you keep complaining about the price of going to a game.
PS- Does anybody else have the feeling that Lester is going to get a little bit mashed up tonight?.
I'm assuming that you did the same as I did Merlot?, seeing that you keep complaining about the price of going to a game.
PS- Does anybody else have the feeling that Lester is going to get a little bit mashed up tonight?.
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Joe.t said:
I'm sorry to burst your bubble, Joe, but i'm currently watching the Orioles/Yankee game, and it's currently 7-1 Orioles & they're still in the 4th inning. Wang has looked terrible all game long, allowing 10 hits, 7 earned runs, 3 walks, NO STRIKEOUTS.....he's way up in the pitch count & has nearly thrown more balls than strikes.
Oops!! Here comes the other 'Joe' to yank him, after Nick Markakis just hit a tremendous home run!
Another prediction gone terribly wrong for Joe!!!
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Well, the lights just went out on Wang. Joe's latest prediction lasted exactly 3 batters.Joe.t said:
I'm not usually given to predictions myself, but I'm going to go out on a limb here. I predict that Mark "Leigh's Husband" Teixeira will get a hit before April's out.
You watching mlb.tv's new hi def service, Doc? The quality is pretty fabulous. The screwy thing, though, is that they've blocked the Jays out throughout all of Canada.Doc Holliday said:
Wang=Bang!
He's since changed his name to Bang! due to what was being heard throughout Camden Yards tonight while he was on the mound.
rumpleforeskiin said:
He's since changed his name to Bang! due to what was being heard throughout Camden Yards tonight while he was on the mound.
rumpleforeskiin said:
No. Bell Expressvu has MLB Extra Innings free until April 11th. Every game is being shown for free. I'm presently watching The Big Unit make his debut with the SF Giants on channel 497.
Same here, MLB Extra innings is running a free trial. I already signed up for it though when the free trial ends. It's great for catching all the action of the Yankees getting spanked.
The nice thing about mlb.tv is that you can watch every game except the local blackouts, meaning you can watch Sox games in Montreal, San Jose, or San Capistrano. Last night I was watching the Sox on the big screen, the Yankees-Orioles and Jays-Tigers on my computer. You can watch up to four at one time on the computer, but the mind boggles. The picture quality has improved drastically since last year and is now near HD.Special K said:
Problem for Canadians with both MLB TV & MLB Extra Innings is that Jays games are all blacked out, which is why i didn't renew my subscription last year. When i called to complain, the person i had spoken to at the time told me that the matter was out of their hands, that it was a MLB issue. I told her my guess was that MLB must have the impression that Canada is the size of NYC & that every Canadian is a short-distance away from Toronto. That blackout is the stupidest thing i have ever heard of. I'd understand if it were only for the Toronto area (and a 60 mile radius around the city)...but the rest of Canada? Canada has only 1 team in MLB, interest in the sport is dwindling all over the country, and yet, you can't even watch them on either your computer or 'MLB Extra Innings' package that you paid big money to subscribe to.rumpleforeskiin said:
Good thing we can still watch most of their games on TSN & Rogers Sportsnet.....but good luck watching the games on Sportsnet (where the majority of the games are broadcast) if you happen to be outside of Ontario!
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The reason for the blackout is that they want you to watch the Jays on cable. When I had my place in Montreal, most every Jays game was available to me through my Videotron service. If there are wide areas of Canada where the Jays aren't available on cable, blacking them out is stupid.Doc Holliday said:Good thing we can still watch most of their games on TSN & Rogers Sportsnet.....but good look watching the games on Sportsnet (where the majority of the games are broadcast) if you happen to be outside of Ontario!
It has been said before and I'll repeat it here: it's a testament to how fabulous a game baseball is that it's managed to survive the morons who run it.
Going back to the 1930s: when the Brooklyn Dodgers decided to broadcast their games on radio, the other owners had a fit. "How are you going to get people to come to games if you're giving them away for free?" What the Dodgers learned was that giving the games away for free on radio only increased both their fan base and interest in coming to the ballpark to see them up close.
Is it just me or does David(Steroids)Ortiz look totally shot, doesn't seem to the be the same player in the clutch that he used to be, going back to last year his batting in critical situations has been atrocious and his body seems to be breaking down(a sign of heavy steroid use in the past).
Hey Doc I have a question for you, when the Jays eventually have their fire sale, out of their big three(Holliday, Wells, Rios)which one do you think will be a Yankee.
Don't forget boys to sign up for the "beat the streak" contest, it's free and it's a fun way to watch your favorite team play baseball, be the first person to get a 57 game hit streak and you could win $1,000,000.
http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/fantasy/bts/
.Doc Holliday said:Another prediction gone terribly wrong for Joe!!!
Hey Doc I have a question for you, when the Jays eventually have their fire sale, out of their big three(Holliday, Wells, Rios)which one do you think will be a Yankee.
Don't forget boys to sign up for the "beat the streak" contest, it's free and it's a fun way to watch your favorite team play baseball, be the first person to get a 57 game hit streak and you could win $1,000,000.
http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/fantasy/bts/
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