May 25 2010 07:02 AM
The Snooze saw fit to make this the back page.....
Francisco Rodriguez and Mets bullpen coach Randy Niemann get into heated discussion in series finale
| Francisco Rodriguez apparently was plenty warmed up by the time he got into Sunday night's Subway Series finale in the ninth inning against the Yankees - K-Rod and bullpen coach Randy Niemann had "a heated exchange" during the eighth, according to two Mets officials. "There was an argument between 'Niemo' and K-Rod," one official said, using Niemann's nickname. "Nothing that doesn't happen on most clubs." The official blamed it on "the heat of the Subway Series and the games. These kinds of things happen. "Those guys took care of it. There's no discipline for arguing. It was a little difference of opinion." Asked if the confrontation had gotten physical, the official said, "As far as I know, no." What is unclear, however, is what sparked the argument and what it was about. Asked if the dispute was about how K-Rod was being used, the official would not answer. "There were some disagreements," the official said. "The matter's been resolved. They both patched it up." Added the other official: "Whatever transpired has been handled." The New York Times reported on its baseball blog that the reliever and the coach "could be seen pushing each other" but added that nothing serious had taken place. The paper's blog entry quoted Rodriguez as saying, "We were just fooling around. We were just kidding with each other." Rodriguez did not return a call from the Daily News. His agent, Paul Kinzer, told The News he had not heard of any dustup. "Must not have been too big of a deal," Kinzer said. "I haven't heard of it from Frankie." Rodriguez entered the game with one out in the ninth, runners on first and second and the Mets ahead, 6-2. He allowed two inherited runners to score, but struck out Alex Rodriguez on an 81-mph changeup to end the game with the tying runs on base for his eighth save. It was Rodriguez's second save of the Subway Series. He got five outs Saturday night, his first five-out save since April 22. Rodriguez, in his second season with the Mets, also had a dispute last season with Yankee reliever Brian Bruney, who criticized his mound celebrations. He also had what was described in The News as a "heated exchange" with deposed Met executive Tony Bernazard on the team bus after an 11-0 loss to the Braves at Turner Field in Atlanta when Bernazard allegedly criticized K-Rod's fellow Met relievers. Rodriguez, signed by the Mets as a free agent before the 2009 season, is 2-1 with a 1.96 ERA this year. The 54-year-old Niemann, who is listed in the media guide as 6-5 and 220 pounds, is in his third tour as the Mets' bullpen coach. He was also the bullpen coach from 2000-2002 and from 1997 through June 8, 1999. He appeared in 31 games for the world champion 1986 Mets and has been in the Mets' organization for 23 years Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseb ... z0owhmh8UT |
WOW, players and coaches argue?......