The Mets were in full damage control this morning, beginning with Paul Lo Duca making a passionate clarification of his comments from the night before. When Lo Duca said “some of these guys speak English, believe me,’’ he acknowledged the portrayal was he was a racist.
Willie Randolph was thrown by the word “racist.’’
“Let’s talk about what he is, and he’s not,’’ said Randolph, who spoke with Lo Duca and satisfied with what the catcher meant.
Lo Duca said he wasn’t calling out the Latin players on the Mets, and meant it that he wasn’t the only guy in the clubhouse who speaks English”I don’t have a problem with Paulie,” said Jose Valentin, who heard Lo Duca’s comments. “Nobody in here has a problem with Paulie.”
Carlos Delgado said: “I don’t find (Lo Duca’s comments) offensive.’‘
7 Comments
Funny that Delgado is not offended, when according to those in the media, he has been the hardest guy to talk to now that he is in a season long funk.
Having seen all of the full quotes from Paul and then from the guys today (and assuming nothing was left out), this makes some of the media folks look pretty bad, at least in my eyes.
Not a personal attack here John, but why is it some journalists like to print the quote and then go back for clarification another day, rather than ask for it immediately? Isn’t that the “right” way to do things?
Ok…can we concentrate on the game????
To BH (RE: clarification)
It is, and I like to think it was what I would have done. Lo Duca said he wasn’t made at ``you guys,’’ meaning the regular beat reporters, but those who covered last night. You know who they are by their bylines.
John, this is such a media-invented controversy that it’s not even funny. The media did its best to take his quotes out of context. Good job, guys.
So then John, why not change the wording of your poll question?
Your question says “Paul Lo Duca threw some of his Latin teammates under the bus last night, saying they can speak English. The inference has always been there a “heavy Latin” presence.”
Maybe you threw Paul under the bus there.
Funny how virtually everyone thinks this is a non-story, except for the reporters who invented it.