Lefty
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- Joined
- Jul 4, 2002
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Feel bad for Dellucci and Prinz. They have to play in the Bronx Zoo.
ESPN.com news services
NEW YORK -- Two days after New York Yankees pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre publicly questioned his conditioning after he allowed 10 runs to the Chicago White Sox, left-hander David Wells fired back at the team on the Michael Kay Show on ESPN Radio 1050 in New York.
On the show, Wells insisted that his back was fine and intimated that he may have worn out his welcome with the Yankees.
"I had one bad game and all hell breaks loose," said Wells. "Nothing surprises me about this place anymore. You have a bad game and they come up with something like 'there's gotta be something wrong.' It caught me off-guard with all the comments Mel made about me and I know (manager) Joe (Torre) was backing him up. It's petty. If they got something to say, just say it to me or it opens up a whole can of worms. I don't need that."
Stottlemyre suggested on Wednesday that Wells is not working out hard enough between starts and also questioned his pitcher's supposedly expanding waistline. Wells disputed these charges.
"I work out every day," commented Wells. "He said I was out of shape. That's his prerogative. I was throwing bullpens with a sore back. I'm saving my bullets. I play long toss, I like to stretch it out ... and do flat-ground work. I've been around 17 years and know what it takes ... I've maintained my weight pretty well. When you have a bad game, you're fat, and when you have a good game, you're in shape? You don't need to be saying that in the papers."
Torre, Stottlemyre and Wells met privately Thursday, but they failed to reach an accord.
"I got pretty much everything I needed to say off my chest and they told me what they thought," said Wells on the show. "I walked out of there still uncertain about a lot of things. Still, I told them whatever it takes. If they want me to throw bullpen, I don't have a problem with that. I got a needle jammed into my back so I could go out and play, but I'm not using that as an excuse."
Holder of an incentive-laden contract that is now paying him over $183,000 for each additional start, Wells suggested that the team only would be skipping him to save some money. He also told the show's host that he doesn't believe the Yankees will exercise their option to keep him for next season.
"It's probably not gonna be picked up," Wells said. "The way I feel sometimes, I think I've worn out my welcome, and it's a shame. It's the best team ever and it's a great city and I enjoy the fans. But it's the organization, it's something that we're not communicating this year and I don't want to be part of that. I'd rather be the guy that goes so these guys can be happy."
After the game Thursday, the Yankees recalled right-hander Jeff Weaver, who had been sent to the minor leagues just three days earlier. Weaver's stay had been scheduled to last until Monday, but a roster spot opened when outfielder David Dellucci sprained his left ankle and went on the disabled list.
Wells (12-5) allowed a season-high in runs in Wednesday night's 11-2 loss to the White Sox, giving up two homers, three doubles and a triple in a seven-run fourth inning. He went 0-2 in four August starts, allowing 22 runs and 35 hits in 22 1/3 innings, and is winless in six starts since July 19.
"He hasn't been throwing in between starts, and it's showing," Stottlemyre said Wednesday. "I think he needs some mound work, that's my opinion."
Wells said Thursday that he is willing to throw more between starts "if it's going to make everybody happy around here." Torre said before the game that he wanted to talk with Wells, and while the manager, pitching coach and pitcher did have a conversation, it was cut short because Stottlemyre had to go to the bullpen.
"During his career with us, he hasn't been a regular bullpen guy," Torre said. "When a guy has pitched this long, you leave it to him to know his body. But after the last couple of outings, we have to talk about it."
ESPN.com news services
NEW YORK -- Two days after New York Yankees pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre publicly questioned his conditioning after he allowed 10 runs to the Chicago White Sox, left-hander David Wells fired back at the team on the Michael Kay Show on ESPN Radio 1050 in New York.
On the show, Wells insisted that his back was fine and intimated that he may have worn out his welcome with the Yankees.
"I had one bad game and all hell breaks loose," said Wells. "Nothing surprises me about this place anymore. You have a bad game and they come up with something like 'there's gotta be something wrong.' It caught me off-guard with all the comments Mel made about me and I know (manager) Joe (Torre) was backing him up. It's petty. If they got something to say, just say it to me or it opens up a whole can of worms. I don't need that."
Stottlemyre suggested on Wednesday that Wells is not working out hard enough between starts and also questioned his pitcher's supposedly expanding waistline. Wells disputed these charges.
"I work out every day," commented Wells. "He said I was out of shape. That's his prerogative. I was throwing bullpens with a sore back. I'm saving my bullets. I play long toss, I like to stretch it out ... and do flat-ground work. I've been around 17 years and know what it takes ... I've maintained my weight pretty well. When you have a bad game, you're fat, and when you have a good game, you're in shape? You don't need to be saying that in the papers."
Torre, Stottlemyre and Wells met privately Thursday, but they failed to reach an accord.
"I got pretty much everything I needed to say off my chest and they told me what they thought," said Wells on the show. "I walked out of there still uncertain about a lot of things. Still, I told them whatever it takes. If they want me to throw bullpen, I don't have a problem with that. I got a needle jammed into my back so I could go out and play, but I'm not using that as an excuse."
Holder of an incentive-laden contract that is now paying him over $183,000 for each additional start, Wells suggested that the team only would be skipping him to save some money. He also told the show's host that he doesn't believe the Yankees will exercise their option to keep him for next season.
"It's probably not gonna be picked up," Wells said. "The way I feel sometimes, I think I've worn out my welcome, and it's a shame. It's the best team ever and it's a great city and I enjoy the fans. But it's the organization, it's something that we're not communicating this year and I don't want to be part of that. I'd rather be the guy that goes so these guys can be happy."
After the game Thursday, the Yankees recalled right-hander Jeff Weaver, who had been sent to the minor leagues just three days earlier. Weaver's stay had been scheduled to last until Monday, but a roster spot opened when outfielder David Dellucci sprained his left ankle and went on the disabled list.
Wells (12-5) allowed a season-high in runs in Wednesday night's 11-2 loss to the White Sox, giving up two homers, three doubles and a triple in a seven-run fourth inning. He went 0-2 in four August starts, allowing 22 runs and 35 hits in 22 1/3 innings, and is winless in six starts since July 19.
"He hasn't been throwing in between starts, and it's showing," Stottlemyre said Wednesday. "I think he needs some mound work, that's my opinion."
Wells said Thursday that he is willing to throw more between starts "if it's going to make everybody happy around here." Torre said before the game that he wanted to talk with Wells, and while the manager, pitching coach and pitcher did have a conversation, it was cut short because Stottlemyre had to go to the bullpen.
"During his career with us, he hasn't been a regular bullpen guy," Torre said. "When a guy has pitched this long, you leave it to him to know his body. But after the last couple of outings, we have to talk about it."
