Farnsworth criticizes Clemens
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- May
- 17
Kyle Farnsworth went on a Chicago radio station this morning and criticized Roger Clemens for his “family plan” agreement with the Yankees.
“It might cause some friction … Granted this is going to be his 23rd or 24th year and he can get the opportunity to do that, but still, I think if you’re going to be part of the team you should be there always,” Farnsworth told The Score.
“You win as a team, you lose as a team…I respect what he’s done and I respect him as a person and a player but to be a part of the team you have to be there with the team.”
Farnsworth didn’t back off his words when we spoke to him, pointing out that he played with Randy Johnson and Greg Maddux and they never had those perks.
I suspect Farnsworth is saying what others players are thinking. It’s a bit strange that an reliever with a 4.41 ERA would take on Clemens, however.
Joe Torre snapped, “next question” when asked about Farnsworth. But he then repeated that he would deal with any objection to Clemens only if the issue came up.
I have been told that the “family plan” agreement with Clemens is a handshake deal and not part of his contract. Based on what Torre has been saying, it seems likely that Clemens will be around the team far more than he was with Houston in recent seasons.
It really comes down to this: If Clemens wins games and pitches well, nobody will care. If he doesn’t and is away often, it will become an issue.
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on Thursday, May 17th, 2007 at 1:32 pm by Peter Abraham.
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Peter Abraham
farnsworth is a meathead.
i’m not saying other players may not feel the same way, but farnsworth should keep his trap shut. please explain how his comments are at all beneficial to the team.
Some people should just shut up.
There are some nights I wish Farnsworth had a “family plan” in his contract.
“Joe Torre snapped”
anyone think this might trigger a raul modesi type reaction?
“It’s a bit strange that an reliever with a 4.41 ERA would take on Clemens, however.”
Why is that strange? Everyone is a part of the team. Cairo is as much a part of the team as Jeter—Jeter is more important, but, as Farnsworth said, they ARE a team. Thinking one person is more important any anyone else is exactly what Farnsworth is objecting to.
It also doesn’t surprise me that Farnsworth is the only one to say something—he’s the only one, apparently, that has the cojones to speak his mind and be honest about this.
I just hope this comment section doesn’t fill with “Farnsworthless” rants about how he doesn’t have the right to say this because he hasn’t been good this year.
We kill athletes like Jeter for being cliche machines who are never honest. Don’t kill a guy for being honest just because you don’t like what he had to say.
I think this just sealed Farnsworthless’s fate with the Yankees. I’d be surprised if he were here the entire year.
Isn’t getting paid eight million a year for an inning of subpar relief once a week pretty damn special treatment?
Saucy
You bet.
Big Stein likely personally gave the handshake to Clemens and I am sure is livid. He needs red meat to toss onto the fire, and I think he has found some in Kyle.
What can Cash get for him, is the question.
Peter, will you please be the guy that runs this bum out of town? Maybe you can talk to some other writer friends you have and you can all work together.
The Yankees cannot have this sort of stuff going on if they are going to make the playoffs.
I’m glad someone finally said something. This is probably the smartest thing that has even came out of this man’s mouth.
Star players get preferential treatment – that’s just life as we know it. Perhaps Farnsy should focus a bit more on trying to pitch another 1,2,3 inning before he retires.
Christina,
I guess players have the right to complain about Clemen’s deal, but of all players, Farnsworth really shouldn’t be talking. He hasn’t pitched well, and hence doesn’t pitch often.
If indeed the family plan is not in the contract, then Farnsworth and media guys who criticized Clemens are totally unprofessional. Making assumptions before they even know the facts.
The Yankee “teammates” were canvassed in Spring about the possibility of Clemens getting the “family plan” deal.
I’m sure Farnshairless could have spoke up then. Why does he open his big trap now??
For a medicore setup man getting closer salary, he should be well aware of how “preferential treatment” works.
Are Proctor or Bruney – who are much better 8th inning options – bitching about Farnsy’s status as an overpaid athlete??????
Just shut up!
Christina
Why on earth would you be happy about this? This isn’t going to help the Yankees in anyway.
I guess that Farnsworth didn’t know that airing out the dirty laundry isn’t the Yankee way.
Actually the Yankee way lately is to overpay for aging pitchers who are at the end of the line.
“I guess that Farnsworth didn’t know that airing out the dirty laundry isn’t the Yankee way.”
i don’t know…if he read the SI article on A-Rod from last season, he’d probably think it was.
Am I the only one who thinks the Clemens coverage has gotten out of control? Do we have to hear blow by blow accounts of every move he makes? Papers have reporters assigned to him down in Tampa to basically write “Clemens came and worked out today. He chatted with the young pitchers. It was nice.” I’ll care what he does when he gets up to New York, but until then, I’m just not interested.
Great comment by the Fans. Maybe, just maybe this word of truth will light a fire in our team. We certainly need something to get this bunch moving
LathamJoe—haha, I agree. I was going to say that Farns getting the 8th over Bruney or Proctor in spite of his horrible performance in that role this year demonstrates preferential treatment.
I’d rather have a good pitcher who isn’t there every day than a bad pitcher who is.
Farnsworth is right, atleast he has the guts to say it.
Farnsworth said the same thing to various NY papers and to Kim Jones before the game
Sounds like the guy is trying to get himself traded out of town
and if he’s trying that hard, i have no problems accomodating him. worthless.
It appears to me that Farnsworth needs stronger glasses so he can look in a mirror and realize he’s KYLE FARNSWORTH. There is a long line of players on this team who’s opinion matters more than Kyle’s here.
Here’s a word of advice…why not focus a little less on the perks that arguably the best pitcher ever will receive and focus more on keeping men off base.
What a clown.
Why are people so frickin’ up in arms about who gets what perks? How does that translate into your enjoyment of the game or how a player plays? Nobody seems to give a shite about which players are jerks, players who backstab their fellow teammates—somehow this perks issue gets under peoples’ skin for reasons other than having to do with WINNING. Who bloody cares?!?
1. farnsworth should shut his meat-hole
2. clemens isnt the only older pitcher with perks . i know glavine has taken time to spend with his family .
3. farnsworth does have a point .either youre on the team full-time or youre not .
Franswoth is right, there should be no perks. That said, I am glad he said ti, because now maybe he can be traded. proctor and bruney are young … lets let them loose. of course, torre will probably blow out their arms come july.
Technically Farnsworth is right. I mean am I glad we’re getting Clemens? Sure. But is he being selfish with this kind of clause, of course he is.
Clemens can talk about loving Joe and Georrge all he wants but the guy is a mercenary. A Hall of Fame mercenary but a mercenary nonetheless.
Maybe Farnsworth is trying to force the Yankees to trade him. That’d be a win-win for all involved. He doesn’t seem to have what it takes to pitch the 8th in NY and he makes too much to be used just every other day.
When Farnsworthless starts performing to a level where I am not watching his innings through my fingers THEN he can bitch and moan about stuff. Til then he needs to shut up.
Clemens is no more a mercenary than Farnsworth who doesn’t have anything resembling a point.
“to be a part of the team you have to be there with the team.”
So Clemens isnt a team player if he doesnt spend every possible second around the team, even if he shows up and does his job whenever he is needed aswell as going above and beyond to help mentor Yankee prospects.
2 words Farnsie, Chad Curtis
I’m sorry I haven’t jumped on the Clemens bangwagon like most of you have, but hear me out for a second to see where I am coming from. First off, let me point out I know Farnsworth stinks and shouldn’t be talking. However I am glad someone has finally spoke their mind, because I can guarentee that there are other people on that team that feel that exact same way.
A team is suppose to be a group of people that work together; in the case of the Yankees doing whatever it takes to win the World Series. You win as a team, and you lose as a team also. Roger Clemens is no more of a better person than Mike Mussina or any other person on that ballclub. If you start making consessions to one player, where does it end?? This is not how the Yankees handle things and to be frank, several players on the Astros were not happy with this arrangement either.
In the end guys, we are getting a 44 (going on 45) year old starter that is merely a 5 inning pitcher. Sure he is a great pitcher, but that was years ago. I take his stats with the Astros with a grain of salt because of the division he was in. The NL Central was the weakest division and as I recall, the Cardinals stole that division with winning only 83 games last year. He is coming from the NL to a dominant AL EAST lineup which is nothing like it was down there in Houston. He will get his share of wins due to the Yankees offense, but he is not going to be the savior of this ballclub like I see alot of people stating.
We need a team that is going to start acting like a team. All this can do is tear a team apart. I know its too early to really say anything and many see this as no big deal, but we are not part of that ballclub. With all the egos out there, I hate to see a team break apart onto sides because of this situation. This was discussed on the pregame show today and Justice did agree with this notion.
Stormy said it best. Effectiveness does not negate your right to criticize a team cohesion issue/non-performance related issue. And more importantly, in baseball, more than any other sport, “being around the guys” is important to team commraderie. That the Yankee brass had to canvas certain players about the issue should tell you that it is not something to be brushed aside lightly.
Suppose you were allowed to show up at your office/job/school only when it was really important for you to be there and could otherwise stay home and still get paid while everyone else had to work every day.
How would your ‘teammates’ feel about that?
My issue with the Farnsworth comments is that they have yet to experience the clause ‘in-action’ in order to say if it is detrimental to the team. My impression is that Clemens will be away from the team very little if at all. If Roger has been with the team for a couple months and Kyle, or anyone else, made these or similiar comments then I would raise my level of concern.
Christina:
“A team is suppose to be a group of people that work together; in the case of the Yankees doing whatever it takes to win the World Series. You win as a team, and you lose as a team also.”
Roger Clemens is already working for this team. He is a member of the team and will win and lose with the team he just might travel home sometimes when there is nothing for him to do. Who in their right mind cares if he spends every waking hour with the team as long as he is there when we need him?
“Sure he is a great pitcher, but that was years ago. ”
That was last year. Nobody should expect him to duplicate his numbers from Houston, but a great pitcher pitching against better hitters is still a great pitcher.
“All this can do is tear a team apart.”
Mountain out of molehill.
John:
“And more importantly, in baseball, more than any other sport, “being around the guysâ€? is important to team commraderie.”
No, in baseball, more than any other sport, players have a lot of time to just hang out waiting for their time to play. Roger Clemens taking a few days off here or there wont stop him from spending PLENTY of time hanging out with his teammates, nor does it have any effect on the play of the team if players don’t hang out at every opportunity.
“Suppose you were allowed to show up at your office/job/school only when it was really important for you to be there and could otherwise stay home and still get paid while everyone else had to work every day.
How would your ‘teammates’ feel about that?”
Ive worked in several offices with people who worked from home when they didn’t have a reason to be in the office. Ive never seen it bother anyone.
And what does this have to do with work every day? Clemens will do all his work. This has nothing to do with work. This is about whether him taking a few days that he doesn’t have any work to do to see his family. Its a complete and total non-issue.
Meanwhile Clemens is not only working for our team, but he is spending time to meet with and give advice to our prospects in the minors. Theres more to being a good member of a team than sitting around a hotel room for three days when there is no chance at all you will be needed by the team.
Is that you Roger? If so, please donate some of that money of yours to my college fund. Thanks.
I’m a Red Sox fan, so anything that can disrupt the Yankees is really okay with me. It might not weigh heavy with a lot of the teammates but it at least has someone thinking. I also would like to see Clemens pitch at Fenway and get his butt kicked by Manny, big Papi, Varitek, and the guys.
Christina:
“Is that you Roger? If so, plese donate some of that money of yours to my college fund. Thanks.”
Hey Christina, work hard and you can make it on your own.
TimH:
“2 words Farnsie, Chad Curtis”
Analogy spot on
Kyle Farnsworth should shut his mouth and start earning his salary. He’s been an unreliable and sometimes disastrous reliever for the Yankees. He’s grossly overpaid!! When he starts posting numbers like Clemens then he can criticize Clemens.
The Yankees were forced to offer Clemens this deal to compensate for injuries and woefully inadequate pitching – both starting and relief.
No Yankee fan gives a damn how he feels about the Clemens’ contract. They want to see Farnsworth earn what now seems a maniacally generous contract on the part of the Yankees.
I, for one, am glad to see Clemens back in a Yankee uniform. Is he a mercenary? YOU BET HE IS! Do I care? NO WAY!! I rather have someone who produces regardless of his motivation than a clown like Farnsworth who can’t find his ass with both hands and a map. His sanctimonious blathering about “THE TEAM” is offensive given his parsimonious positive production.
Three cheers for the old players who thought that by being personally productive (and not focusing on their own stats) they were helping their team – Ted Williams, Ty Cobb, Lou Gehrig, Jackie Robinson, Frank Robinson, etc.
To Farnsworth and all the other malcontents – QUIT YOUR WHINING AND JUSTIFY YOUR SALARIES!!
Roscoe Marx & Georgia Engels
Uhhh did we not have a retirement party for this idiot a few years ago where we gave him a Hummer and then he went and signed with the Astros???
Uhhh yeah. Remember that!
This guy is getting way too much money and perks for what he is worth now.
The way this deal is structured combined with the way his workouts are already behind schedule, even a die-hard Yankee fan can’t like this deal.
http://www.badgrafix.com/roclhowehapr.html