It’s a tradition unlike any other. No, not the Masters. I’m talking about Goose Gossage’s annual evisceration of the New York Yankees and Major League Baseball.
The Hall of Famer always is good for a spring training scorched-earth diatribe on the state of the game. And while spring training is on hold because of the MLB lockout, Gossage didn’t hold back during a conversation with USA Today’s Bob Nightengale. Among the highlights from his airing of grievances:
On Yankees general manager Brian Cashman (and his use of analytics):
“I was going to pick him up one day in the clubhouse, and throw him head-first in a trash can. All you would have seen is his feet. And there’s nothing he could have done about it. ... It breaks my heart to see what has happened to this game.”
On Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner:
“Hal ought to sell the Yankees. He doesn’t want to be there.’’
On the new Yankee Stadium (which opened in 2009):
“I swear to God on my Dad’s grave, I couldn’t care less if ever see Yankee Stadium again. ... They were playing in the greatest cathedral of them all, and they tore it down. It was a shrine. It ain’t the same field. It ain’t where the boys played. ... Now, it’s just a place for all of these corporate mother (expletives).”
On MLB commissioner Rob Manfred:
“I hate that mother (expletive). You know how much I hate him? I called (Hall of Fame chairman) Jane Forbes Clark before the induction last year and said, ‘Jane, I don’t know where you stand with this guy, but I may punch Rob Manfred right in the (expletive) nose and spatter his (expletive) nose all over his (expletive) face right in the lobby of your hotel.’”
On players linked to steroids going into the Hall of Fame (Gossage was inducted in 2008):
“We never should let (Barry) Bonds or (Roger) Clemens in ... They’re all phonies to me.’’
So what is Gossage, who talked to Nightengale in Arizona, up to these days? “Nothing but burning bridges.”
MORE MLB:
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- Yankees announce next player to have his number retired at Yankee Stadium
- Yankees to retire Paul O’Neill’s No. 21: See the complete list of retired numbers
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Mike Rosenstein may be reached at mrosenstein@njadvancemedia.com.
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