Showalter: Yankees "disrespectful" to Flanagan
Like many series over the weekend, the Orioles-Yankees matchup in Baltimore was thrown a curve by Hurricane Irene. It was originally scheduled to be a five-game series from Friday through Monday (the last game to make up for a previous rainout).
With Irene looming, the Yankees wanted to play a doubleheader Friday to avoid a trip back to Baltimore for a makeup game. The Orioles refused, citing shock over Mike Flanagan's recent suicide as one of the reasons. (The former star pitcher died of a self-inflicted shotgun wound to the head on Wednesday and the team honored him Friday night with a moment of silence and patches on their uniform, which will be worn the rest of the season).
Yankees GM Brian Cashman, manager Joe Girardi and player rep Curtis Granderson were all frustrated that their request for a Friday doubleheader was denied and let their feelings known in the media. Granderson released a statement, which said: "It's a shame that the decision has now come down to possibly having to play four games in two days or having to come back to Baltimore for another makeup game."
Apparently, Orioles manager Buck Showalter (who who managed the Yankees from 1992-1995) did not appreciate the pinstripe reaction.
"I felt that some of the stuff was a little disrespectful to Flanny, quite frankly," Showalter said Sunday, referencing Flanagan. "That didn't sit with me very well. I can tell you that."
As CBSSports.com's Matt Snyder notes, this isn't the first time Showalter has been critical of the Yankees and it likely won't be the last.
Britt's Bird Watch has Showalter's full quote here:
"First of all, I felt that some of the stuff was a little disrespectful to Flanny quite frankly. That didn't sit with me very well. I can tell you that. We didn't say much -- I think we had an April rainout there -- and they just told us when we were playing. We were Ok with that. Like I told you the other day, you tell us when we're playing, we'll play. The whole scheme of life, the things that really consume you. We understand that sometimes our opinions on things are not relevant. They come to me when there is two options and talk about it from a baseball standpoint. Every club does that. But some of it kind of has a feeling of [hypocrisy]. I don't know. I don't dwell on it. Their opinion on what the Baltimore Orioles should do for their fans and for their organization isn't really that relevant to me personally. I can tell you that. We'll do what's best for our fans and for our organization and we expect it back that they're going to do the same on their side."