Alain Vigneault Apologizes To Terry Collins For Criticizing Yoenis Cespedes
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Terry Collins is getting a lot of attention from fellow New York coaches these days.
The Mets' manager received congratulatory text messages from Giants head coach Tom Coughlin during New York's magical run to the World Series.
Collins has also been contacted by Rangers head coach Alain Vigneault, but for a different reason.
In Game 5 of the Fall Classic, slugger Yoenis Cespedes fouled a ball off his left kneecap and had to come out of the game. Cespedes got up after lying on the ground in pain for an extended period of time. He finished his at-bat and then was replaced by center fielder Juan Lagares.
"How about the one when you take the ball off the knee and you take yourself out of the game in the World Series?" Vigneault said in regard to Cespedes on Monday.
On Tuesday morning, the Rangers' bench boss said that he apologized to Collins for his comment.
"I sent Terry a text apologizing for my stupidity," Vigneault told reporters. "I shouldn't have said that ... I should know better."
We don't think that will make TC feel any better about the sting of the Mets losing the series, but it was a nice gesture from the longtime NHL coach.
The Rangers (7-2-2, 16 points) will take on the Capitals (8-2-0) at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday night in a battle of first-place teams.