FORT MYERS, Fla. - George Steinbrenner wasn't about to keep quiet when the Red Sox took a shot at his team.
So a few hours after Boston owner John Henry criticized the New York Yankees over their acquisition of Alex Rodriguez and called for a salary cap, Steinbrenner struck back Wednesday.
"We understand that John Henry must be embarrassed, frustrated and disappointed by his failure in this transaction," Steinbrenner said in a statement. "It is time to get on with life and forget the sour grapes."
Spring training is just getting under way, and New York and Boston already are at each other's throats.
Both teams spent the offseason adding stars. The Red Sox nearly got A-Rod, too, but couldn't work out the financial aspects - the Yankees had no such money problems.
"There is really no other fair way to deal with a team that has gone so insanely far beyond the resources of all the other teams," Henry said in an e-mail to reporters.
Responded Steinbrenner: "Unlike the Yankees, he chose not to go the extra distance for his fans in Boston."
"It is understandable, but wrong that he would try to deflect the accountability for his mistakes on to others and to a system for which he voted in favor," Steinbrenner said.
Commissioner Bud Selig got involved and quickly told the teams to stop the sniping.
"I've agreed and will abide by that request," Henry said. "The anticipation about the 2004 season is at an all-time high. So let's shift our sights to the field. Let the games begin."
By late in the day, the Yankees had the same sentiment.
"The commissioner asked us not to say anything else on this subject, and of course, we agreed to abide by it," Yankees spokesman Rick Cerrone said.
Before last season, Red Sox president Larry Lucchino called the Yankees the "Evil Empire." The teams then played an epic series of 26 games, with New York winning the pennant on Aaron Boone's 11th-inning homer in Game 7 of the AL championship series.
While New York lost to Florida in the World Series, Red Sox fans know the score remains the same. Since 1918, the Yankees have 26 World Series titles to none for Boston.
Curt Schilling, acquired by Boston in November, already is worked up over the intense rivalry.
"I want to be caught up in it," he said after throwing for about 10 minutes at the team's spring training ballpark. "The way I've got it figured, I'm starting that first game against the Yankees the way the rotation falls. I've known about that for two months."
That would be on April 16, the opener of a four-game series at Fenway Park.
Boston nearly acquired Rodriguez, the AL MVP, in December for outfielder Manny Ramirez. But the deal collapsed, with Boston and Texas about $15 million apart and the Red Sox and Rodriguez separated by about $20 million.
On Monday, Texas dealt A-Rod to the Yankees for second baseman Alfonso Soriano and a minor leaguer to be named. The Rangers will assume $67 million of the $179 million in salary remaining on Rodriguez's record $252 million, 10-year contract, which has seven seasons left.
The Yankees' payroll is about $184.8 million. Boston's payroll is approximately $125.1 million for 27 signed players.
"It will suffice to say that we have a spending limit and the Yankees apparently don't," Henry said. "Fifty-seven percent of baseball fans polled this week by ESPN.com characterized this week's events as `disgusting' and `sad.'
"There is a simple mechanism that could right a system woefully out of whack," he said.
New York, with the highest revenue in baseball, finished first in the AL East for the past six seasons, with Boston coming in second each time. Last year, the Yankees gave the rest of the major leagues about $50 million in revenue sharing and paid $12 million in luxury tax.
Henry said he was "happy" for Rodriguez, who will move to third base because the Yankees have team captain Derek Jeter at shortstop.
"He very much wanted to play in games that have meaning," Henry said. "We're not waving a white flag. We're going to continue to work just as hard to bring home a championship and are fortunate to have fans that are as uncompromising as we are when it comes to demanding excellence."
The current collective bargaining agreement doesn't expire until after the 2006 season. If owners attempt to get a salary cap, it likely would trigger baseball's first work stoppage since 1994-95.
"It will fuel debate and discussion, but nothing could be done until the contract expires," said former U.S. Sen. George Mitchell, a Red Sox director who was member of Selig's economic study committee.
DH or outfield
fine with Williams
Center field or designated hitter will suit Bernie Williams just fine.
Williams, the Yankees starting center fielder the past decade, is competing this spring for the spot with free agent Kenny Lofton.
The 35-year old Williams is not giving up the outfield spot without a fight.
"If they want me to DH, I will DH. If they want me to play oufield, I'll play outfield," Williams said Wednesday after a workout at the Yankees minor league complex. "I don't that will change during the course of the year. I think that makes thing easier on (manager) Joe (Torre) and the rest of the team."
Williams could be shifted to designated hitter to make room in center for the 36-year-old Lofton, signed by Yankees owner George Steinbrenner to a $6.2 million, two-year contract during the offseason.
Following an operation on his left knee last May, Williams had limited range. While he has been the Yankees' starting center fielder since August 1992 and has won four Gold Gloves, Williams' throwing arm has been weakened by shoulder problems.
He batted .263 with 15 homers and 64 RBIs in 445 at-bats last season. Lofton hit .296 for Pittsburgh and the Chicago Cubs with 12 homers, 46 RBIs and 30 steals.
"I'm still going to work out as if I was an outfielder and let Joe make the decision," Williams said. "I'm part of a great team and very proud of that."
Steinbrenner said Tuesday the center field job is Williams' to lose. Six weeks of spring training will determine if that happens.
"We'll start the season the way I feel is best suited for us," Torre said. "We'll leave here with what we consider the best team offensively and defensively."
Williams arrived in Florida 10 days before the first scheduled full-squad workout.
"I never take anything for granted," Williams said. "Every year that I've been here, I always thought that my job was in jeopardy. That's probably why I was able to keep it and this year is no different. I'm just looking forward to the challenge."
"What I need to control in my mind is that I'm in the best shape I can be and that I'm healthy. That will hopefully give them more options."
Notes: After completing the trade for Alex Rodriguez, Yankees GM Brian Cashman plans on picking up negotiations with free agent 1B Travis Lee. ... New York has also held discussions on a minor league deal with RHP Orlando "El Duque" Hernandez. Cashman doesn't consider New York to a be the frontrunner for the former Yankees' pitcher.
"We understand that John Henry must be embarrassed, frustrated and disappointed by his failure in this transaction," Steinbrenner said in a statement. "It is time to get on with life and forget the sour grapes."
Spring training is just getting under way, and New York and Boston already are at each other's throats.
Both teams spent the offseason adding stars. The Red Sox nearly got A-Rod, too, but couldn't work out the financial aspects - the Yankees had no such money problems.
"There is really no other fair way to deal with a team that has gone so insanely far beyond the resources of all the other teams," Henry said in an e-mail to reporters.
Responded Steinbrenner: "Unlike the Yankees, he chose not to go the extra distance for his fans in Boston."
"It is understandable, but wrong that he would try to deflect the accountability for his mistakes on to others and to a system for which he voted in favor," Steinbrenner said.
Commissioner Bud Selig got involved and quickly told the teams to stop the sniping.
"I've agreed and will abide by that request," Henry said. "The anticipation about the 2004 season is at an all-time high. So let's shift our sights to the field. Let the games begin."
By late in the day, the Yankees had the same sentiment.
"The commissioner asked us not to say anything else on this subject, and of course, we agreed to abide by it," Yankees spokesman Rick Cerrone said.
Before last season, Red Sox president Larry Lucchino called the Yankees the "Evil Empire." The teams then played an epic series of 26 games, with New York winning the pennant on Aaron Boone's 11th-inning homer in Game 7 of the AL championship series.
While New York lost to Florida in the World Series, Red Sox fans know the score remains the same. Since 1918, the Yankees have 26 World Series titles to none for Boston.
Curt Schilling, acquired by Boston in November, already is worked up over the intense rivalry.
"I want to be caught up in it," he said after throwing for about 10 minutes at the team's spring training ballpark. "The way I've got it figured, I'm starting that first game against the Yankees the way the rotation falls. I've known about that for two months."
That would be on April 16, the opener of a four-game series at Fenway Park.
Boston nearly acquired Rodriguez, the AL MVP, in December for outfielder Manny Ramirez. But the deal collapsed, with Boston and Texas about $15 million apart and the Red Sox and Rodriguez separated by about $20 million.
On Monday, Texas dealt A-Rod to the Yankees for second baseman Alfonso Soriano and a minor leaguer to be named. The Rangers will assume $67 million of the $179 million in salary remaining on Rodriguez's record $252 million, 10-year contract, which has seven seasons left.
The Yankees' payroll is about $184.8 million. Boston's payroll is approximately $125.1 million for 27 signed players.
"It will suffice to say that we have a spending limit and the Yankees apparently don't," Henry said. "Fifty-seven percent of baseball fans polled this week by ESPN.com characterized this week's events as `disgusting' and `sad.'
"There is a simple mechanism that could right a system woefully out of whack," he said.
New York, with the highest revenue in baseball, finished first in the AL East for the past six seasons, with Boston coming in second each time. Last year, the Yankees gave the rest of the major leagues about $50 million in revenue sharing and paid $12 million in luxury tax.
Henry said he was "happy" for Rodriguez, who will move to third base because the Yankees have team captain Derek Jeter at shortstop.
"He very much wanted to play in games that have meaning," Henry said. "We're not waving a white flag. We're going to continue to work just as hard to bring home a championship and are fortunate to have fans that are as uncompromising as we are when it comes to demanding excellence."
The current collective bargaining agreement doesn't expire until after the 2006 season. If owners attempt to get a salary cap, it likely would trigger baseball's first work stoppage since 1994-95.
"It will fuel debate and discussion, but nothing could be done until the contract expires," said former U.S. Sen. George Mitchell, a Red Sox director who was member of Selig's economic study committee.
DH or outfield
fine with Williams
Center field or designated hitter will suit Bernie Williams just fine.
Williams, the Yankees starting center fielder the past decade, is competing this spring for the spot with free agent Kenny Lofton.
The 35-year old Williams is not giving up the outfield spot without a fight.
"If they want me to DH, I will DH. If they want me to play oufield, I'll play outfield," Williams said Wednesday after a workout at the Yankees minor league complex. "I don't that will change during the course of the year. I think that makes thing easier on (manager) Joe (Torre) and the rest of the team."
Williams could be shifted to designated hitter to make room in center for the 36-year-old Lofton, signed by Yankees owner George Steinbrenner to a $6.2 million, two-year contract during the offseason.
Following an operation on his left knee last May, Williams had limited range. While he has been the Yankees' starting center fielder since August 1992 and has won four Gold Gloves, Williams' throwing arm has been weakened by shoulder problems.
He batted .263 with 15 homers and 64 RBIs in 445 at-bats last season. Lofton hit .296 for Pittsburgh and the Chicago Cubs with 12 homers, 46 RBIs and 30 steals.
"I'm still going to work out as if I was an outfielder and let Joe make the decision," Williams said. "I'm part of a great team and very proud of that."
Steinbrenner said Tuesday the center field job is Williams' to lose. Six weeks of spring training will determine if that happens.
"We'll start the season the way I feel is best suited for us," Torre said. "We'll leave here with what we consider the best team offensively and defensively."
Williams arrived in Florida 10 days before the first scheduled full-squad workout.
"I never take anything for granted," Williams said. "Every year that I've been here, I always thought that my job was in jeopardy. That's probably why I was able to keep it and this year is no different. I'm just looking forward to the challenge."
"What I need to control in my mind is that I'm in the best shape I can be and that I'm healthy. That will hopefully give them more options."
Notes: After completing the trade for Alex Rodriguez, Yankees GM Brian Cashman plans on picking up negotiations with free agent 1B Travis Lee. ... New York has also held discussions on a minor league deal with RHP Orlando "El Duque" Hernandez. Cashman doesn't consider New York to a be the frontrunner for the former Yankees' pitcher.
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