Baseball Guru
07-09-2002, 10:42 AM
By David Lennon
STAFF CORRESPONDENT
July 8, 2002
Miami - While the Mets munched on the postgame buffet and digested another loss Saturday night, Rey Ordonez was in the Marlins' clubhouse, making dinner plans with Florida's winning pitcher, Michael Tejera.
The two players, both Cuban defectors, have homes in the Miami area and socialize often, so Ordonez didn't think twice about stopping by Tejera's locker. Still, the timing of his visit seemed a little strange, especially given that Tejera had drilled Mike Piazza in the ribs with a fastball the Mets believed was deliberate.
"What's the big deal?" Ordonez said yesterday. "He's my friend. When he's pitching, I'm trying to beat him. After the game, he's my friend. I don't give a -- what people say about that."
Rules regarding fraternization have blurred in recent years. Seeing opposing players together, in uniform, chatting on the field before games is not uncommon, even though memorandums against such activities, penned by discipline czar Bob Watson, are posted in every clubhouse.
Saturday's events made for a special case. The Mets and Marlins swapped hit batsmen earlier, with Shawn Estes nailing Cliff Floyd in the back and Tejera apparently retaliating by plunking Piazza the next inning. Plate umpire Tony Randazzo believed the situation was serious enough to issue warnings to both dugouts, but Tejera was not ejected when he later hit John Valentin in the shoulder.
Piazza didn't seem to care that much afterward, saying the matter was resolved, and if there had been any animosity between the two teams, it dissipated quickly. When asked about Ordonez's visit, manager Bobby Valentine said he wasn't overly concerned. "It wasn't in my clubhouse," Valentine said. "Once they leave here, I don't police them."
Valentine added he doesn't condone such visits to the Mets' clubhouse, especially if a player enters the clubhouse of the losing team. That could be a more volatile situation.
Ordonez said it was an isolated incident. "It's not like I stop by their clubhouse every day," he said. "I just went in there one time and talked to him for a minute."
STAFF CORRESPONDENT
July 8, 2002
Miami - While the Mets munched on the postgame buffet and digested another loss Saturday night, Rey Ordonez was in the Marlins' clubhouse, making dinner plans with Florida's winning pitcher, Michael Tejera.
The two players, both Cuban defectors, have homes in the Miami area and socialize often, so Ordonez didn't think twice about stopping by Tejera's locker. Still, the timing of his visit seemed a little strange, especially given that Tejera had drilled Mike Piazza in the ribs with a fastball the Mets believed was deliberate.
"What's the big deal?" Ordonez said yesterday. "He's my friend. When he's pitching, I'm trying to beat him. After the game, he's my friend. I don't give a -- what people say about that."
Rules regarding fraternization have blurred in recent years. Seeing opposing players together, in uniform, chatting on the field before games is not uncommon, even though memorandums against such activities, penned by discipline czar Bob Watson, are posted in every clubhouse.
Saturday's events made for a special case. The Mets and Marlins swapped hit batsmen earlier, with Shawn Estes nailing Cliff Floyd in the back and Tejera apparently retaliating by plunking Piazza the next inning. Plate umpire Tony Randazzo believed the situation was serious enough to issue warnings to both dugouts, but Tejera was not ejected when he later hit John Valentin in the shoulder.
Piazza didn't seem to care that much afterward, saying the matter was resolved, and if there had been any animosity between the two teams, it dissipated quickly. When asked about Ordonez's visit, manager Bobby Valentine said he wasn't overly concerned. "It wasn't in my clubhouse," Valentine said. "Once they leave here, I don't police them."
Valentine added he doesn't condone such visits to the Mets' clubhouse, especially if a player enters the clubhouse of the losing team. That could be a more volatile situation.
Ordonez said it was an isolated incident. "It's not like I stop by their clubhouse every day," he said. "I just went in there one time and talked to him for a minute."