Crybaby Levine speaks to Sandomir

by John Amato on Oct 23, 2007 3:18 PM EDT in New York Yankees News

Randy is whining to the NY Times because some people are mean to him.

But that is changing. Levine, a deputy mayor under the former mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani, called me Sunday to say that he could deal with criticism but that he was displeased that he had been stung by people with "undisclosed conflicts of interest."

Case No. 1: Mike Francesa and Chris Russo. Levine said that the radio team at WFAN lit him up as the Yankees' executive most responsible for offering Torre the contract he rejected, but that Francesa and Russo did not disclose that Levine has, in his role on the YES board, questioned the value of simulcasting their daily program on YES.

"I have seriously questioned the money that YES pays them and whether it's an appropriate fit for the time spot at YES," he said, adding that the terms of the current three-year deal were ultimately agreed upon. "But next year it's up again, and it's convenient for them to attack me to help their own negotiating position."

He goes on to list all the "conflicts of interest" that Kruk and Verducci and Mike and the MadDog have. What a thin skinned coward. Instead of calling up WFAN and dealing with Mike and Dog like a man head on...he whines to the Times. I don't always agree with the talk show hosts and ESPN, but I do on this issue. We've seen Yankee employees be treated horribly before by management and I think...as fans...we should start to exercise our right to speak out against such treatment. I do hope Yankee fans will bring signs to the stadium that say stuff like this:

They know we'll always root for the Yankees to win so they think they can cowardly deal with the Torre's of the team without any repercussions. And I will root for the team, but it doesn't mean we have to root for management. Email Richard Sandomir with a comment on this piece and say you came from Pinstripe Alley. E-mail: sportsbiz@nytimes.com

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Not that I don't agree with you...

Because I pretty much do. The more he talks, the more I grow to dislike Levine, but have you seen Jon Heyman's article on SI.com today (http://tinyurl.com/yonhwg)? If it is to be believed, Torre is spinning the whole situation surrounding offer the Yankees made.

I think the situation was handled poorly, but the Yankees might not be as in the wrong as it initially appeared.

by bfriley76 on Oct 23, 2007 3:40 PM EDT reply actions

seems like Heyman

is spinning the story his own way too... no one will ever truly know exactly how it all went down... i'm willing to take joe at his word, because he has always been a straight shooter.

Well, baseball was my whole life. Nothing's ever been as fun as baseball. -Mickey Mantle

by NumberSeven on Oct 23, 2007 4:01 PM EDT up reply actions

Torre

The thing this story fails to explore is the difference in negotiating with Swindel (who clearly wasn't around during the recent negotiations) and with Levine/Hank&Hal. Surely the dynamic in these 2 different sets of negotiations was different. Perhaps the way he was treated by Hank/Hal/Levine was much worse than with Swindel. Nobody knows. But just because he talked with Swindel about 4.5 mil doesn't mean that the 5 mil offered by Hank and Hal was the gift this journalist makes it seem.

"It's great to be young and a Yankee"

by stillmonster on Oct 23, 2007 7:20 PM EDT up reply actions

They gave Tore 20 minutes

Giradi got 6 hours...

by John Amato on Oct 23, 2007 4:07 PM EDT reply actions

Good point

Amato. Joe called the incentives an 'insult' because he felt that it was always his goal to win a ring. And them offering him more money as if it would be the difference maker on how he managed was a bitch slap. Fuck Levine. He should crawl back into the hole from which he sprung and not return until we win another championship. Did you see the excuses he gave for people bashing his handling of the situation. That was pathetic. Seriously the more I hear these DICKHEADS open their mouths the more I apprecitate Cashman and wish he ran the whole operation. Heyman also forgot to mention that Torre didn't wanna be on the hot seat all season, which made a gauranteed 2nd yr. that much more relevant. All that being said if Torre truly wanted to be our manager he could have told the men to take those incentives shove it up their asses, and return for 4.5 for a yr. Leaving the team showed me that he was just exhausted of being alone. He wanted trust not money. A 2nd yr would have showed that.

It is HIGH! It is FAR! It is! GOOONNEEE!!!

by yankeesRfirst on Oct 23, 2007 4:37 PM EDT reply actions

Much as I hate Levine

He's right one one thing: YES shouldn't simulcast Mike & The Mad Dog. Talk about two braying asses who know little to nothing about actual sports.

River Ave. Blues
Yanks and prospects

by PinstripePowerhouse on Oct 23, 2007 4:39 PM EDT reply actions

You obviously

don't listen to em much. I've got basic AM radio here in Jersey. And compared to alternatives on 1050 (Stephen A. Smith, Michael Kay, soon Mike Turrico). These guys aren't bad. Chirs Russo is annoying and tends to be wrong more times than not but Mike knows his shit. He's got a good program on after Sunday Night Football. He doesn't scream and shout, and he def knows sports. Listen.

It is HIGH! It is FAR! It is! GOOONNEEE!!!

by yankeesRfirst on Oct 23, 2007 5:11 PM EDT up reply actions