http://msn.espn.go.com/mlb/news/2002/0617/1395910.html NEW YORK -- Shawn Estes and Mike Piazza hit Roger Clemens all right Saturday -- with longballs instead of beanballs. But after learning that ESPN baseball analyst Rob Dibble questioned Estes' toughness, the Mets struck back Sunday. "He was the most unprofessional player to ever play, or one of them," Mets manager Bobby Valentine said, referring to the former relief pitcher-turned-commentator. "He threw bats in the stands, threw balls in the stands, fought with his manager. When he hit people it was because they hit a home run off him, not protection for his teammates." In the weeks leading up to Clemens' first appearance at Shea Stadium since drilling Piazza in the helmet two seasons ago at Yankee Stadium, the big question was whether the Mets would retaliate when the pitcher finally came to bat Saturday. Instead, the Mets did their most damage when Clemens was on the mound. Estes, who was still in San Francisco when Clemens drilled Piazza, hit a two-run homer in the fifth inning and Piazza connected for a solo shot in the sixth. The Mets won 8-0, with Estes striking out 11 in seven innings for his third victory. Dibble, a relief pitcher for seven seasons in the major leagues -- all but one in Cincinnati, where he was one of "The Nasty Boys," -- said Estes should have hit Clemens, even after he missed and was warned, and that the young left-hander probably lost the support of his teammates. Estes chose not to fire back, saying he did not see Dibble's broadcast. "I don't care. Whatever. It's one man's opinion," Estes told the New York Daily News. "I'm more concerned about the guys I play with and their feelings on it. I think everyone is more optimistic than anything because we beat a good team, we needed a win and we got it, and hopefully it'll springboard us into the next month." According to the Daily News, not one Met agreed with Dibble that Estes had lost respect or support in the clubhouse, whether they were asked on or off the record. "He was unprofessional and uninformed. He said there was no retaliation after Mike got hit," when in fact Glendon Rusch retaliated immediately by hitting then-Yankee Tino Martinez, Valentine said. "This is the reason people switch off ESPN, because you have people with no knowledge of the game or the English language presenting the game we love." Valentine lamented how sports television is becoming a venue for controversy, rather than informed analysis, especially when Dibble is considered an expert. "When I was in uniform with him in Cincinnati (as a coach in 1993) he was known as anything but an enforcer," Valentine told reporters. "But he was known for what he's known for now, as a big mouth." Said Mike Piazza, "I just wasn't impressed (with Dibble's remarks). He's entitled to his opinions, but I think he was just trying to say something controversial and self-promoting. But if you're going to respond to him you might as well sit by talk radio and analyze every call. That's what I'd equate him with." hahahah that's hilarious! I wish Dibble would be asked on ESPN about his comments.
From Phil Mushnick in today's NY Post: June 17, 2002 -- FOX's Joe Buck and Tim McCarver couldn't have known for sure when they claimed that Shawn Estes "tried to hit Roger Clemens, but missed!" Could Estes, in a brilliant, civil compromise, have planned to throw behind Clemens? We are, however, certain that ex-Red Rob Dibble's response to Estes Saturday on ESPN's "Baseball Tonight" was so harsh that he might have crossed over into the land of slander. Dibble, a regular on ESPN and ESPN Radio, chopped up Estes, calling him gutless while claiming that winning the game was a non-priority compared with proving his manhood to his teammates by flattening Clemens. Even after the ump's warning that Estes would be ejected, Dibble insisted, Estes should have sent a fastball into Clemens. Co-panelist Tim Kurkjian was left speechless by the ferocity of Dibble's attack. Host Brian Kenny gave Dibble the opportunity to soften it, reminding him that Estes pitched shutout ball while homering off Clemens. But Dibble continued, declaring that among current and future teammates, Estes should be treated as a pariah, that he's "a boy" who was sent to do "a man's job." Perhaps Dibble was looking to make a splash for himself. But did he - as well as others in less public and less responsible positions who shared his take - consider that had Clemens been beaned, more than a few of the 55,000 people in Shea, their allegiances passionate, divided and maybe even alcohol-enflamed, would have been inspired toward a brawl, even if there wasn't one on the field? Would Dibble have felt the same way had his family been seated in Shea? Intentionally or unwittingly, Estes almost certainly prevented a small riot. Or two. We've all seen it happen over far less. Yet Dibble insisted that Estes should have put fire to a fuse connected to a large, stupid bomb. I know Rob Dibble to be an awfully nice guy. Saturday, he was just awful.
Valentine lamented how sports television is becoming a venue for controversy, rather than informed analysis... I'm no fan of Bobby V, but he's right on the money here.
Bobby Valentine calling someone a big mouth? Oh man... this guy is one of the most despised managers in baseball. Jeff Brantley basically echoed everything Rob Dibble said so is he a big mouth now too? Sounds like the Mets are trying to deflect criticism of their gutless team by jumping on a controversial former player.
I never liked Rob Dibble, and I don't think the Mets were "gutless" because they didn't throw a baseball at a guy for something that was done 2 years ago. What would you rather have, Estes hit Clemens and possibly get tossed from the game and have a reliever come in, get shelled and say "yeah we lost, but we hit Roger Clemens", or throw the ball behind Clemens, screw with his head, and then run his sorry @ss out of the ball game? The amusing thing is that people are calling the Mets cowards for not hitting a man with a baseball. And the people who are bent out of shape about the Mets not hitting Clemens AREN'T EVEN METS FANS! The Mets fans are satisfied, the Mets players are satisfied, the Yankees and their fans are satsified, but people who aren't Mets fans are the ones "disgusted" with the Estes and the Mets! I completely agree with the Mets and Bobby Valentine, and I'm no Mets fan.
