Leiter accepts blame but takes exception to McKeon

Published August 14, 2005

 

 

NEW YORK ? When the New York Yankees took their 2005 team picture last week, Al Leiter was in the back row at the far left. Three slots to his left towered Randy Johnson.

 

A few hours later, as the Yankees tried in vain to rally against the White Sox bullpen, Leiter was on the top step of the Yankees dugout, wedged between Derek Jeter and Bernie Williams. Moments later, Alex Rodriguez walked up, shared a joke with Leiter and gave him a pat on the back.

 

In many ways, Leiter has landed in dreamland as he brings his long, distinguished career to the conclusion it deserves. After all, he is a son of New Jersey who started out as a Yankees farmhand two decades ago.

 

But for all his gratitude with his new surroundings, there's a part of Leiter that will never feel right about this season. That's because he pitched so horribly in his homecoming with the Marlins, they essentially paid him $7.6 million to go away after 16 starts.

 

"I'm not throwing darts, and I'm not trying to blame anyone," Leiter said in the Yankees' clubhouse. "I failed. It was my fault. I didn't do well. I feel bad about it, mostly for Jeffrey [Loria]."

 

Remember, it was the Marlins owner who "flabbergasted" Leiter last November with a strong recruiting pitch that convinced him to return to South Florida. Well, that and a record single-season salary for any pitcher in club history.

 

In turn, the Marlins were left flabbergasted themselves by Leiter's 3-7 record and 6.64 ERA after he began the year as their No. 2 starter. Asked why things didn't work out, Leiter gave a heavy sigh.

 

"I don't know," he said. "I think there's a lot of reasons that I won't share with you. Whatever I say to you will just come across in not a good light. I'd rather take the high road."

 

Pressed, Leiter seemed to point a finger toward manager Jack McKeon, who quickly tired of watching the veteran pitcher's tightrope act. Leiter noted, for instance, that Yankees manager Joe Torre regularly checks on him and expressed public confidence in him, even after three straight poor starts.

 

"I've been here for three weeks and I've had more conversations with this manager ... unbelievable," Leiter said. "I've pitched inconsistently and they're very pleased to have me here. It's just different. Not saying either one is worse or better. It's just different."

 

Leiter again voiced his displeasure with feeling like he had to "try out from spring training." He cited feeling "no confidence from the manager" and said he could remember having just one substantial conversation with McKeon, that coming in early January during the recruiting luncheon for Carlos Delgado.

 

"He's a nice man," Leiter said of McKeon. "He wasn't not nice to me. He's just different. I was given the ball by a manager, and that's good enough. You should be mature enough and professional enough to do your job under any circumstances, and I didn't do it."

 

Leiter also called Mark Wiley "a fine major league pitching coach" but refused to discuss his working relationship with him.

 

In the end, Leiter said he never felt completely wanted. After all these years in the majors, perhaps he felt he deserved the benefit of the doubt.

 

"It doesn't have to do with confidence," Leiter said. "It has to do with recognizing that when you're in a place and you feel that not everybody who is deemed in charge wants you there and you feel it.

 

"I'm not even saying Jack. It was just a feeling, and it became apparent early in spring training. There were some signs that came up, but at the time I just thought I was delusional. But then as it all plays out, of course, I wasn't."

 

 

 

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/sfl-mik...la-sports-front

there were numerous times when mckeon backed him, and said he had confidence that leiter could turn it around.

 

also 16 starts when you perform so bad, should count as a vote of confidence.. if i was a manager and you pitched that bad, he would have lasted much less

He's a professional deal with it. He shouldn't need someone to pat him on the back and say its ok.

Uhhh....

 

 

Didn't feel needed? Might have something to do with the piss-poor pitching performances. :whistle

He shouldnt be blaming other people if thats what he meant, he pitched poorly and was a disgrace. Im getting worried, a lot of people are blaming Mckeon for other things also.

:thumbup This is all because the Yankees are desperate for pitching. The Marlins don't have Sheffield and A-Rod to carry them to the postseason.

902554[/snapback]

Same thing I was thinking.

"It's just different. Not saying either one is worse or better. It's just different."

 

The entire article begins and ends right there.

maybe just jealous he lost his spot in the rotation to a rookie

I guess we can say mets_bs was right when he said Leiter was probably one of the players that bitched to the media a few months ago.

there were numerous times when mckeon backed him, and said he had confidence that leiter could turn it around.

 

also 16 starts when you perform so bad, should count as a vote of confidence.. if i was a manager and you pitched that bad, he would have lasted much less

902551[/snapback]

I feel the same way.

First post here, don't kill the newbie.

 

This is all because the Yankees are desperate for pitching.

 

At this point, even the Yankees aren't so desperate for Leiter's pitching. Their rotation should be: Moose, Johnson, Wright (who is coming back tomorrow), Chacon, and Small, the latter which have done mighty well in the past few weeks. Heck, even Proctor, who is a relief pitcher, has done better than Leiter in his start/long relief games.

 

Leiter should go into the bullpen. Yes, it's all nice and dandy that he has bonded with Joe Torre or whatever, but Torre's decision to leave him in the rotation and put Small in the bullpen is going to do more harm than good. Even when he does well, Leiter can't make it past the sixth, thus adding more burden to an already-tired bullpen.

 

I like Leiter, but he doesn't belong in the rotation. It took McKeon 16 [long, tiring, mind-numbing] starts to slap him right out of the rotation. Maybe Torre will wait until a bullpen arm actually falls off while on the mound after one Leiter's 120 pitches/5 innings start before he realizes that the dude with the 4-0 record and 2.57 ERA, is the one that belongs in the rotation, even if he doesn't have "experience."

It's been documented (way before he got here) that Mckeon is not the type who babysits players. He lets them play and expects them to perform to the best of their abilities. Leiter is a veteran and should know, as he pointed out, that if he's being given the ball every fith day that's all the support the manager needs to give and he has a job to do. Not once did Mckeon blasted him in the media, even though he could, and even when he moved him to the bullpenn said that he hoped Leiter would right the ship and earn a spot back in the rotation. Wether Torre is a nicer guy or not is irrelevant.

How does somone say they don't feel wanted and get paid the club's record single season salary for a pitcher? He was given plenty of starts to right the ship because McKeon :expected: him to turn it around.

 

Maybe the reporter baited him into blaming McKeon and the organization for his performance but, jeez, what a tool. I really hoped he did well in NY but now seeing that he is passing the the buck off to McKeon instead of taking responsibility for his poor performance (while being paid 8 million) I really couldn't care less about the guy.

Well, I'll say this; Al Leiter shouldn't talk at this point. He's done and that's all there is to it.

 

However, with that said, I have to ask; How many times are the Jack supporters going to defend him when players express displeasure or people critique him overall? Last time I checked, the fish are baseball's biggest disappointments this season. Are all of you going to jump into Biscayne Bay if Jack is fired after this season?

 

:mischief2

Leiter...all McKeon wanted you to do was throw strikes. You threw like 10 strikes all season for us....and most of them ended up in the seats. Thanks for nothing and quit saying Jack did not pat you on the back enough.

I dont think Leiter trashed McKeon or anyone. He came across pretty diplomatic to me. Al's a good guy.

jeez aint this guy a piss take. are we supposed to feel bad for him b/c he pitched poorly for us? give me a f***ing break. he pretty much robbed us and now he is taking shots (whether it be directly or indirectly). sorry Al but your getting no sympathy from fans down here (at least not this fan). im glad your getting your ass fluffed in New York since they are so desperate for pitching. do your f'in job and stop worrying who is standing next to you in the dugout waiting to pat you on the ass for "trying your best". you dont get paid 8 million to make excuses and be loved by fans. you get paid to produce.

If Leiter didn't have a horrendous tour of duty with the Marlins this time around and actually won a few more of his starts or at least had kept the team in games more often, imagine the WC standings now

I dont think Leiter trashed McKeon or anyone. He came across pretty diplomatic to me. Al's a good guy.

902971[/snapback]

:thumbup

Leiter has class like that.

Leiter accepts blame but takes exception to McKeon

Published August 14, 2005

 

 

NEW YORK ? When the New York Yankees took their 2005 team picture last week, Al Leiter was in the back row at the far left. Three slots to his left towered Randy Johnson.

 

A few hours later, as the Yankees tried in vain to rally against the White Sox bullpen, Leiter was on the top step of the Yankees dugout, wedged between Derek Jeter and Bernie Williams. Moments later, Alex Rodriguez walked up, shared a joke with Leiter and gave him a pat on the back.

 

In many ways, Leiter has landed in dreamland as he brings his long, distinguished career to the conclusion it deserves. After all, he is a son of New Jersey who started out as a Yankees farmhand two decades ago.

 

But for all his gratitude with his new surroundings, there's a part of Leiter that will never feel right about this season. That's because he pitched so horribly in his homecoming with the Marlins, they essentially paid him $7.6 million to go away after 16 starts.

 

"I'm not throwing darts, and I'm not trying to blame anyone," Leiter said in the Yankees' clubhouse. "I failed. It was my fault. I didn't do well. I feel bad about it, mostly for Jeffrey [Loria]."

 

Remember, it was the Marlins owner who "flabbergasted" Leiter last November with a strong recruiting pitch that convinced him to return to South Florida. Well, that and a record single-season salary for any pitcher in club history.

 

In turn, the Marlins were left flabbergasted themselves by Leiter's 3-7 record and 6.64 ERA after he began the year as their No. 2 starter. Asked why things didn't work out, Leiter gave a heavy sigh.

 

"I don't know," he said. "I think there's a lot of reasons that I won't share with you. Whatever I say to you will just come across in not a good light. I'd rather take the high road."

 

Pressed, Leiter seemed to point a finger toward manager Jack McKeon, who quickly tired of watching the veteran pitcher's tightrope act. Leiter noted, for instance, that Yankees manager Joe Torre regularly checks on him and expressed public confidence in him, even after three straight poor starts.

 

"I've been here for three weeks and I've had more conversations with this manager ... unbelievable," Leiter said. "I've pitched inconsistently and they're very pleased to have me here. It's just different. Not saying either one is worse or better. It's just different."

 

Leiter again voiced his displeasure with feeling like he had to "try out from spring training." He cited feeling "no confidence from the manager" and said he could remember having just one substantial conversation with McKeon, that coming in early January during the recruiting luncheon for Carlos Delgado.

 

"He's a nice man," Leiter said of McKeon. "He wasn't not nice to me. He's just different. I was given the ball by a manager, and that's good enough. You should be mature enough and professional enough to do your job under any circumstances, and I didn't do it."

 

Leiter also called Mark Wiley "a fine major league pitching coach" but refused to discuss his working relationship with him.

 

In the end, Leiter said he never felt completely wanted. After all these years in the majors, perhaps he felt he deserved the benefit of the doubt.

 

"It doesn't have to do with confidence," Leiter said. "It has to do with recognizing that when you're in a place and you feel that not everybody who is deemed in charge wants you there and you feel it.

 

"I'm not even saying Jack. It was just a feeling, and it became apparent early in spring training. There were some signs that came up, but at the time I just thought I was delusional. But then as it all plays out, of course, I wasn't."

 

 

the guy sucks.... plain and simple...never should have came back to florida...the bum should have ritired with his stupid mets jersey and live happy...the guy is a bum...

Well, here's Jack's response to Leiter.

 

MCKEON FIRES BACK

 

McKeon made no apologies Sunday for the way he handled former Marlins starter Al Leiter. Now a New York Yankee, Leiter recently pointed to some unfavorable work conditions as to why he flopped in his Marlins return.

 

Leiter said he's had more conversations with Joe Torre during his first three weeks with the Yankees than he had in three months with McKeon. He added that he didn't feel "those in charge" had confidence in him.

 

"He doesn't have a good memory," McKeon said. "We'd sit and talk about the team or his pitching. He did most of the talking. ... I don't think that we should have had a long conversation. I let the guys play. I don't bother them."

 

Leiter was 3-7 with a 6.64 ERA in 17 games with the Marlins, who designated him for assignment and traded him to the Yankees. Since arriving in the Bronx, Leiter is 3-3 with a 4.80 ERA in six games.

 

"He's over there with the Yankees where you can give up five runs and they turn right around and get five back," McKeon said. "We didn't have that luxury. ... I like the guy, but you have to have confidence in yourself."

 

 

 

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/basebal...-sports-marlins

but now seeing that he is passing the the buck off to McKeon instead of taking responsibility for his poor performance (while being paid 8 million) I really couldn't care less about the guy.

902947[/snapback]

 

 

"I'm not throwing darts, and I'm not trying to blame anyone," Leiter said in the Yankees' clubhouse. "I failed. It was my fault. I didn't do well. I feel bad about it, mostly for Jeffrey [Loria]."