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Rosenthal's view from the field ... and beyond
MLB Playoff Central
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Yankees win 4-2 |
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The job is a tremendous privilege, and it gives me a unique perspective on players, coaches and managers at the field level and in the clubhouse.
Some things I witnessed, some things I learned ...
Even Jeter can lose it
Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter is polite and accommodating to reporters, rarely saying anything of consequence, but always making himself available.
I saw a different side of Jeter after the Yankees' clincher in the American League Championship Series, one that reflected how badly he wanted to win the World Series for the first time in nine years.
I had my questions prepared before I interviewed Jeter live on the field. My first was this: "You haven't been to the World Series since 2003. You haven't won since 2000. How ready are you to change all that?"
Before I even finished the first sentence, Jeter interrupted, saying, "Start out with something negative," or something to that effect. I completed the question, Jeter answered and the rest of the interview went fine. But I'll confess: I couldn't sleep that night, thinking that maybe I should have started with a different question, wondering why Jeter reacted the way he did.
Something did not add up; it was not as if I had interviewed Jeter as aggressively as Jim Gray once interviewed Pete Rose. Two days later, I approached Jeter at his locker, seeking to explain myself. Clubhouses are closed to print media during the postseason, but radio and TV rights-holders get a brief period of exclusive access before each game.
I told Jeter that I had not been trying to ask him a negative question during the celebration, and he looked at me curiously, as if to say, "What are you talking about?"
I related my recollection of the exchange, and he quickly explained that he was frustrated about hearing for two days that the Yankees were going to choke and blow their three-games-to-two-lead.
He apologized, saying he probably didn't even hear what I was asking. I told him that I was not looking for an apology. I just wanted him to understand where I was coming from.
I'm not writing this now to demonstrate that I have some kind of special relationship with Jeter; I do not. I'm also not writing it to say, "Derek Jeter is a great guy," though I certainly appreciated his response.
From my perspective, the most interesting part about all this is that we saw a human side of Jeter. I can't say I loved being his unwitting target, but his irritation demonstrated his desire to tune out all the media noise and do what he loves to do most — win.
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| Mike Scioscia couldn't hide his disappointment. (Jeff Gross / Getty Images) |
The loser's side
People occasionally ask me, "Man, that must be tough interviewing the losing manager of a playoff series on television." Well, it isn't easy, but I've done it eight times now, and invariably the managers are classy and gracious in defeat.
That said, my interview with the Angels' Mike Scioscia after the ALCS was more painful than any other. Scioscia was emotional, near tears. The Angels' season had begun with the death of Nick Adenhart and ended with their disappointing performance against the Yankees. Everything seemed to rush over Scioscia at once.
Nothing compares to the joy of seeing a championship team up close; the players, after surviving an eight-month grind, release all their tension in massive celebration. But the playoff losers, too, leave a powerful impression. I'll never forget that look on Scioscia's face.
Such a cute baby!
On a lighter note, perhaps you're curious how Pedro Martinez reacted to being depicted in a diaper on both the front page of the New York Post and a bonus poster inside.
Not surprisingly, he was amused.
About three hours before Game 6, Pedro held up a copy of the poster in the Phillies' clubhouse and spoke of how impressed he was by the little man's "babyhood." His teammates roared with laughter.
Alas, Pedro failed to pitch well, depriving us of one last show-stopping performance in the interview room — and perhaps an official response to his favorite tabloid.
In addition to depicting Pedro in a diaper, the Post ran a front-page "photo" of Shane Victorino in a cheerleader skirt at the start of the Series.
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| Something else made Pedro laugh. (Jim McIsaac / Getty Images) |
If the Series had gone seven, I was all set to see Charlie Manuel portrayed as Julia Child.
Wasn't my fault!
Speaking of Manuel, he walked from one end of the dugout to the other to greet me when the Phillies were trailing, 4-2, in the middle innings of Game 4.
"Rosey, we need some runs," Manuel told me. "Go to the other side."
Meaning, the Yankees' side.
I laughed and stayed in my position, and the Phillies rallied to tie the score, 4-4, before Brad Lidge gave up three runs in the ninth.
The next day, I asked Manuel if he had indeed wanted me to vacate the Phillies' side, and he assured me that he did.
"You were black-clouding us," Manuel said.
Short and proud
Sadly, my height is always a topic of fascination for players. I'm 5- foot-4 1/2, and mostly over it, but certain people just won't let it go.
Phillies second baseman Chase Utley jokingly squatted down to be at eye level with me before I interviewed him live after he tied Reggie Jackson's record for most home runs in a World Series. I smacked Utley in the chest with my notebook, and he stood up straight, clearly terrified.
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| Chase Utley did Rosenthal no favors. (Nick Laham / Getty Images) |
Then there was Angels center fielder Torii Hunter, maybe the nicest guy in the game, right? Well, Torii informed me during the ALCS that the Angels wanted to see me race ESPN's Tim Kurkjian, who is about my size but a much better athlete.
Tim and I have heard it all before — we were competing Orioles' beat writers for the Baltimore Morning and Evening Sun in the late 1980s, and we weren't any taller then.
Oh, and one other thing: The MLB Network's Matt Vasgersian is not a player, but he took liberties with me about a month ago, showing a model airplane flying around Dodger Stadium and joking that I was the pilot.
I will go all Napoleon on him, one day.
And finally ...
I've never seen a starting pitcher more relaxed than Yankees left-hander CC Sabathia on the day he pitches. Hours before starting Game 4 of the World Series on three days rest, Sabathia was watching his beloved Oakland Raiders, taking ribbing from his teammates, occasionally shouting at the clubhouse TV ...
Just before the start of Game 5 in Philadelphia, Nick Swisher got into a playful exchange with some Phillies fans sitting behind the Yankees dugout. At one point, he held up his fingers and said, "three to one," indicating the score of the series. Jeter, not looking too happy, told him to pipe down ...
Torii Hunter could not believe that the bat racks were heated in both the home and visiting dugouts at the new Yankee Stadium. According to Hunter, no other ballpark includes such a feature to keep bats warm. "Big league!" Hunter said, slowly and loudly ...
Don't read anything into the absence of Yankees GM Brian Cashman from the podium during the presentation of the World Series trophy. He was with his daughter, Grace, and did not want to leave her on the field by herself. He stayed with her and watched instead.
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