Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, July 25, 1995 TAG: 9507250090
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
NEW YORK - George Steinbrenner is meddling again, Don Mattingly's feeling are hurt, Darryl Strawberry hasn't been called up yet and manager Buck Showalter is in the dark.
Welcome back to the Bronx Zoo, home of the New York Yankees.
There's also middle finger-flipping Jack McDowell, the never-ending trade rumors concerning Danny Tartabull and the latest unfounded Steve Howe drug rumors.
There hasn't been this much turmoil and tumult at Yankee Stadium since the late 1970s and early 1980s. It's similar to Dave Winfield being run out of town, Billy Martin punching a marshmallow salesman and Reggie Jackson trying to punch Martin.
The controversy, paranoia and sniping is going full tilt. Tabloid headline writers are having a dream season and fans can soak up the daily Yankees soap opera before they check the standings.
And despite all the intrigue, the Yankees have won six straight and are within 51/2 games of first-place Boston in the American League East.
The past week has been a boon to those starved for controversy. The trouble began last Tuesday when McDowell was booed when he walked off the mound as New York lost both ends of a doubleheader against Chicago.
McDowell responded to the boos by thrusting his middle finger in the air. One paper labeled him ``Jack Ass'' before the furor died down when McDowell pitched well Sunday.
``I never thought it would become such a big `players vs. fans' issue. When it got to that point it got real frustrating,'' McDowell said.
Making matters worse, the winning pitchers for the White Sox were Jim Abbott and Dave Righetti - the last two Yankees to throw no-hitters.
Howe complained that someone in the organization spread a rumor that he had distributed amphetamines to teammates. Showalter acknowledged the situation and said it had been dealt with. Howe, suspended seven times for drug violations, strongly denied the allegation.
Mattingly, a Yankee since 1982, said he was finished ``sharing my feelings'' with the media because of the criticism. Most of it concerned his low run production (three homers, 24 RBI and a .214 average with runners in scoring position), but Mattingly is said to believe that Steinbrenner fueled the scrutiny.
``One of the things you can't forget when you play here is that the field is your only weapon,'' Mattingly said after his two-run homer sparked an 11-4 win over Texas.
The fans gave Mattingly a standing ovation after the home run, littered the field with souvenir caps and received a curtain call from the Yankees' captain.
``At least it was caps, not something else. Don't we have Bat Day here?'' Showalter joked.
Meanwhile, Tartabull hasn't been traded, hasn't played in 11 games and hadn't been put on the disabled list until Monday after injuring his rib cage. The Yankees quickly reversed that move when Melido Perez came off the DL and was still sore to pitch.
Steinbrenner wondered publicly if Tartabull was faking the injury because he didn't want to get booed.
``I'm getting a little fed up with the whole situation of Stick [Michael] and Buck saying things in meetings and then being Mr. Nice Guys to the press about [Tartabull]. They should stand up and say what they said at the meetings or there are going to be some serious consequences,'' Steinbrenner told The New York Times.
Showalter tried to duck the challenge.
``Tell you what I say about a person in a meeting?'' Showalter asked, his voice rising. ``A lot of things we talk about in private meetings aren't constructive in public. Like your mother said, if you can't say something good about someone ...''
Michael, the Yankees' general manager, has received lowball offers from other teams who know the Yankees are trying to get rid of Tartabull. Showalter explained not putting him on the 15-day disabled list for the past 11 days by saying: ``If we trade a guy on the disabled list, that's five or so more days where the team that gets him can't use him.''
Waiting for his Yankees debut at Triple-A Columbus was Strawberry, living under house arrest and hitting .318.
The decision on when Strawberry will join the Yankees is in the hands of Steinbrenner and special assignment scout Dick Williams.
Contract negotiations have hit a snag because the team wants the slugger to donate part of his salary to a drug treatment facility and have a bank handle his finances.
The Yankees acknowledged the disagreement Monday with a statement from team vice president David Sussman after Bill Goodstein, Strawberry's agent, revealed the situation.
``Mr. Goodstein's accusations that the Yankees are attempting to change the deal at the 11th hour are totally false,'' Sussman said.
Steinbrenner wants Strawberry to contribute part of his salary to Daytop Village, a drug treatment facility.
``I'm trying to do what's best for Darryl,'' Steinbrenner said. ``I think this young man has to realize he's been given a great chance here ... one some people say he didn't deserve.''
Keywords:
BASEBALL
by CNB