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UPDATE: Victorino response. Ladies and gentleman, we finally have our first Spring Training controversy. Talk radio is going bananas today over
comments made yesterday by Shane Victorino to a Philadelphia newspaper. Basically, Victorino said he would love to have
Cole Hamels in
Carmine Hose—
essentially no matter what the price. That last part is the rub—construed by some as throwing outfield competitor
Mookie Betts under the bus. Said Victorino,
"And I understand the future is important, but for an organization—and anybody, any organization, not just here —I'm going to give up, maybe not everybody, but I'm going to give up 2-3 pieces that I think are necessary for a certain guy. Because it warrants it. This guy [Hamels] is established." Then, as if to draw a direct comparison between a hitting prospect (Betts?) and a known quantity (himself?), he went on,
"Why would you hope that guy becomes this hitter, when you have it right now?" In our view, this is a tempest in a teapot. Victorino never
specifically names
any prospect, and actually goes out of his way in the interview to be cautious. For example, he says, "
I'm also happy with the guys we've got—I respect them." Well,
certain talk radio types need
something to draw ratings.
