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Look back at: Divisional Playoffs |
League Championship
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Friday, October 20
Mets unimpressed by Clemens' apology
Associated Press
NEW YORK -- Roger Clemens said it again Thursday, not that the New York Mets necessarily will believe it.
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| Clemens |
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| Piazza |
"I was trying to pitch inside and I'm sorry it got away," he
said.
Clemens' July 8 beaning of Mike Piazza has been replayed on New York television stations more often than presidential debate highlights.
Some Mets were hoping Clemens would pitch in one of the games at
Shea Stadium, where he would have to bat. Mets manager Bobby
Valentine implied in July that Clemens wouldn't have hit Piazza if
he were pitching in a National League ballpark.
"That's part of wearing pants or a skirt," Valentine said then. "With the DH, you can wear a skirt."
Yankees owner George Steinbrenner didn't want to hear of any
trash talk Thursday.
"Let them say it publicly," he said.
Informed that some of the Mets still were grumbling over the
pitch, The Boss replied: "We'll be ready for them when they get
here. Don't worry. We're just not doing a lot of talking."
Steinbrenner, wearing a blue jacket and tan trousers, watched batting practice Thursday and walked repeatedly through the clubhouse.
Clemens, scheduled to start Game 2 Sunday against Mike Hampton,
was one of the last players to come in following the workout,
spending a long time in the trainer's room getting his arm iced.
A Texan, even he appreciated what a Subway Series means to New York.
"Everyone has to pick and choose sides," he said. "There's no
time to sit on the fence now."
He's surprised at all the furor let loose after he hit Piazza
and buzzed Seattle's Alex Rodriguez last Saturday night in his Game
4 one-hitter.
"The word from A-Rod was, 'He never misses up and away.' Well,
I'm not trying to go up and away," Clemens said.
Clemens has pitched inside during his entire career, hitting 124 batters in 512 regular-season games and two more in 15 postseason starts.
"The game has changed," he said. "I don't know how many I've
hit this year, I think it was four or five (actually 10). I don't
think it was a lot."
Piazza is 7-for-12 against Clemens with three home runs.
"I'm going to be as aggressive as I can," Clemens said.
That's what worries some.
"I put it behind me already," Piazza said. "It is irrelevant. My feeling is we are trying to win the game. We've moved on. That's history."
But his team hasn't forgotten.
"If anybody thinks it's the most important thing going on,
they're incorrect," Mets manager Bobby Valentine said. "If they
think it is forgotten about, they're also incorrect."
Yankees manager Joe Torre isn't happy with all the attention the Clemens-Piazza beaning and its repercussions have received.
"I think it's a disservice to people, what's going on," he
said. "Whenever you pick up a newspaper, whatever network you
watch, that's all you see is Mike getting hit in the head. I would
like to believe this World Series is more about competition and fun
than about getting even and inciting riots."
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