Old-Timers’ Day: Reggie: “I’d rather not be here today.”
Posted by: Josh Thomson - Posted in Misc on Jul 17, 2010 
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While I’m downstairs compiling notes and quotes from this Yankee loss, I thought I’d leave you with some audio of an emotional Reggie Jackson from earlier this afternoon.
Jackson talked for more than 20 minutes today about how the last few days have been very pensive for him since George Steinbrenner’s passing. He canceled public appearances at Tuesday’s All-Star Game (although he attended the game and sat in Artie Moreno’s box) and spent the last few days quietly with friends. In truth, Jackson said, he’d rather be elsewhere than Old-Timers’ Day.
“I’d rather not be here today,” he said. “I’d rather have passed.”
Jackson said he talked to club official who he respects during the week and that they convinced him to come anyway. In a well-delivered one-liner a few minutes after Jackson’s press conference ended, Brian Cashman joked that the slugger had no other choice. “It’s in his contract,” Cashman said.
Clearly, Jackson appeared more affected than the rest of the Old-Timers, who mostly shared memories of Steinbrenner. Players from the late 70s “Bronx Zoo” said their team made The Boss unruly in the 80s and early 90s. “In a way, I think the teams we had in the early and middle 70s spoiled him,” Graig Nettles said. “He could get on us and we could still perform. I think he tried that with some of the teams in the 80s and early 90s and those guys didn’t respond as well.”
Other players shared their own stories. Gene Michael said Steinbrenner mellowed after he fired Buck Showalter and hired Joe Torre. Roy White remembered the circus at Old-Timers’ Day, 1978, when Steinbrenner announced the team would bring back Billy Martin as manager in 1980, even though he had been canned five days earlier.
You can listen to the audio, but Jackson sounded different. He developed a close relationship with Steinbrenner when he was brought here and even after he was traded away to Anaheim. “There are players and owners that are tied to each other in sports,” Jackson said. “I’m tied to him and I’m proud of that.”
Jackson said the two last spoke on July 4th, The Boss’s 80th birthday. He said in recent months that phone conversations with Steinbrenner had been strong, talking Yankees and family.
Reggie understood Steinbrenner’s health had slipped but never expected what happened on Tuesday.
“The conversations were so good for so many months,” he said. “I was caught off-guard.”
For the rest of Jackson, you can listen to the audio here. Don’t miss around the nine-minute mark. He talks about Sheppard, who he compared to John Wooden, and even does a pretty decent Sheppard impression:
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Poor Reggie.
“The magnitude of me” man has spoken
RiverAveBlues I have to believe that Moseley – who threw 75 pitches in three innings and allowed 8 baserunners – will be the one to go for Mitre.
They practically made Reggie come?
Poor Reggie…………I always liked him as a youngster. I know all about his quirks and faults, but I still do favor him. He loves being a Yankee and he obviously loved George.
as george once said, not enough mustard to cover reggie
god forbid he take a swing for the fans
goose and nettles hate him
Somehow I don’t buy AJ’s injury excuse………….he was well on his way to another stinkeroo and I’m sure they just wanted him out of the game. If he had cut himself prior to the inning he started, then why did he start that inning? He’s a real problem.
but he’s not a headcase…
It’s one game folks. Thus far we’ve split this series with the Rays. Tomorrow’s another day.
One thing is for sure, and that’s Cashman comes up with trades that NO ONE sees coming:
Swisher and Granderson immediately come to mind.
Swish wasn’t great his first year, but was endearing and has signficantly improved in his second season with the team.
Granderson is admittantly struggling, but he too can improve either the remainder of this year or next. Plus, we have Gardner as a backup plan, which makes Granderson somewhat expendable with his affordable contract, should that need arise.
The bullpen needs strengthening for the stretch run, and Cashman always does what’s needed for the stretch run, so don’t be surprised to see 2 new faces soon, whether internal or external or a combination of both. We have the pieces to make it happen. We have the resources to make it happen. And we have the desire to make it happen.
So it will happen.
mickey rivers stole the show today
swisher ops in 09 was 871
Wow the bullpen is mess. Look at the names – Joba, Chan No, Logan, Moseley, Gaudin. Only one besides Mo people have confidence is, maybe, Robertson.
LoHudYankees Sorry for the delay but the clubhouse opened and Girardi is running late. No A.J. yet.
Last year’s pen: Hughes,Aceves,Coke
All gone.
YankeesWFAN Burnett hit something with his pitching hand. Lied to trainers first about tripping. Has cuts on both hands.
Today’s game was the proverbial “turd floating in the punchbowl”.
Just flush it and begin again tomorrow.
No matter where AJ is pitching in our rotation he is currently our #5 starter.
MLBTR was reporting that the Yankees have interest in working with the Marlins on a trade.
I am hoping we can find a way to swing Cody Ross and Leo Nunez.
Pettitte is a big game pitcher. get ‘em Sunday and we still take the series.
Ledger_Yankees AJ banged his hand on a door; that’s how he cut his hand. He fibbed earlier when he said it was on dugout steps
maybe aj was cutting the pie
Hope Burnett gets docked for the time he’s going to spend on DL.
New Post: Yankees pay tribute to Sheppard
Here’s an interesting scenario that I’ll be watching:
Detroit drops out of contention over the next 2 weeks.
Yanks make an offer for Damon and Coke for Logan and more minor league pieces. That relieves Detroit of more salary and helps restock their system. Yanks get a proven lefty bat, ideal for Yankee stadium – at an affordable price, and a reliable lefty arm who fills the middle relief/situational role perfectly.
fined burnett
could be the last straw for AJ
Basically AJ was upset that he gave up the hit to Pena to score the 1st run. We have another Kevin Brown on our hands. Good thing AJ wasn’t stupid enough to break his hand like the other fool.
AJ has cuts on both his hands!?! Sounds like OJ. Does AJ have a white Bronco?
It’s despicable how the Steinbrenners have erased Joe Torre from memory. Torre won 4 World Series and 6 AL championships, while putting up with George the tyrant. Torre’s is truly remarkable record.
Yet there is not a trace of Yankee acknowledgement of Torre’s achievement. Yankee pettiness is childish.
For four decades, I was a Yankee fan watching the greats: Mickey Mantle, Roger Maris, Reggie, Billie, Joe and all. I played in Yankee Stadium as young boy, and attended countless games.
But I am no longer a Yankee fan because of the despicable behaviors of the Steinbrenners and Yankee management toward Joe Torre. What shame.
Reggie was not traded to the Angels after the 1981 season. George let him go. He signed with California as a free agent. A five year contract