Red Sox outfielder Shane Victorino told reporters earlier in the week he would welcome a former teammate of his to Boston if a trade were to be worked out. And that's when it went all downhill.
Victorino spoke with reporters earlier in the week and was asked about the Red Sox potentially trading for Cole Hamels, who he won a World Series with as a member of the Philadelphia Phillies in 2009. The Philadelphia Daily News ran a story about it and Victorino's comments were taken out of context. He was not happy.
"These individuals, who made the situation bigger than it needed to be, have no credibility making statements behind the mic. Come in the clubhouse, ask me face-to-face what the situation is and what was being said," Victorino told Alex Speier of the Boston Globe on Thursday.
"I never mentioned anybody's name," he added. "That's the thing that frustrates me more than anything. It's individuals who sit behind the mic, who take a story and they make it into a big fish rather than keeping it a little fish. All I said was, 'Hey, if we can get Cole Hamels and it's giving up two or three guys, I'm all for it.' I never said anybody's name. I never said an individual's name. And you guys are quick to the assumption that I was trying to call out my teammate or trying to get him shipped away. That's the last thing this guy is trying to do."
The Red Sox have been attempting to acquire Hamels from the Philadelphia Phillies since last July, but have yet to get a deal done because of disputes regarding player compensation. Boston refuses to give up outfielder Mookie Betts or catcher Blake Swihart, both of whom Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro covet. The Felger & Mazz program on 98.5 The Sports Hub took Victorino's comments out of context and suggested he was gunning for Betts.
"There are two parts of the comment that really bug the crap out of me," Mazz said on the show. "In this particular case, you have a 34-year-old, breaking-down outfielder whose job is potentially going to be taken by whom? Mookie Betts, or by default, Rusney Castillo. And so who are we talking about, potentially, in this trade? Mookie Betts. So is that the deal?"
"Mookie Betts is going to take his job, [and Victorino says] 'Hey, get the kid out of here, because we can win now if we get Hamels,'" Mazz added.
"Really ... what a comment," said Felger. "Throwing your young players under the bus, who are competing against you for your job."
"Wow," Mazz said. "What a loser. 'Get rid of the kid before he takes my job.' That's how it comes off."
Victorino was justified in his response to Felger & Mazz because he did not mention any names and did not suggest the Red Sox really needed to do anything. He was simply asked his opinion about a former teammate as well as the possibility of the trade going down. Here's what he said initially:
"Any time you can get a No. 1, as I told these guys - not the front office, but the players - any time you can go get a guy in my opinion who is established, who has done it [you do it]. And I understand you don't want to give up this prospect or that prospect. You're hoping this guy becomes a Cole Hamels. Hoping. Oh wait, that guy is there now. And even as a hitter. Why would you hope that guy becomes this hitter, when you have it right now? And I understand there's a financial side. And there's a bigger picture. But like I said, at the end of the day, it's right here in front of you. Why are you hoping?"
He also mentioned he's "happy with the guys" on the Red Sox and he respects them, indicating he was not advocating any one person to be traded or suggesting that the team wasn't good enough without Hamels.
Victorino is coming off back surgery from last season and hopes to earn the starting right field job, but he has performed poorly this spring (.158/.273/.211 with two runs scored and one RBI in 19 at-bats). We'll see what manager John Farrell decides to do with the Opening Day roster.
